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    Dairy Free Cinnamon Rolls

    February 23, 2022

    These tender, gooey, dairy-free (!!) cinnamon rolls, are so delicious, no one will know that they’re vegan. Cinnamon Rolls with a Thick Maple Glaze? Yes, Please.

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    Dairy free cinnamon rolls in a pan on a baking sheet with maple frosting

    Cinnamon Rolls with a Thick Maple Glaze? Yes, Please.

    Looking for a vegan cinnamon roll recipe that is so good, no one will really notice that they’re vegan? This is the recipe for you! They will win over even the most ardent dairy fan! They’re a tender, dough-y blast from your childhood past, with a twist. A very necessary one if you have any dairy free or vegan members of the family (like we do.) After many years of tweaking, we are excited to share this recipe (adapted from Pioneer Woman) for the most delicious, rich, and flaky vegan cinnamon rolls ever.

    hands rolling out dough for dairy free cinnamon rolls
    vegan cinnamon rolls in a pan getting ready to be baked

    How Do You Make Homemade Cinnamon Rolls?

    If you’ve never made homemade cinnamon rolls before, don’t you worry, you got this! It really isn’t all that difficult and definately something that even novice bakers can handle.

    First, make the dough and let it rise for an hour:

    • Almond milk, oil and sugar are warmed in a saucepan, then cooled to 110°F.
    • Add the yeast, and let it settle for a few minutes.
    • Then add flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Voila, dough!

    Next, the rolling!:

    • Roll out the dough.
    • Drizzle it with melted Earth Balance vegan butter.
    • Sprinkle it with cinnamon and sugar—yum!
    • Slice and nestle into a baking dish.

    While your dairy-free cinnamon rolls bake, make the maple icing:

    • Grab some powdered sugar, almond milk, Earth Balance, salt and maple flavoring!
    • Stir until silky smooth.
    • Generously pour on top of warm rolls!

    That wasn’t too hard, was it?

    vegan cinnamon rolls fresh out of the oven ready to be frosted

    Are Cinnamon Rolls Healthy?

    I think it’s safe to say that we all know the answer to that question is a big fat NO. However, these vegan cinnamon rolls use almond milk and butter substitute in place of milk and butter, so they are significantly lower in saturated fats and, most importantly, they’re friendly to those in your life who may have food sensitivities.

    What Makes This a Vegan Cinnamon Roll Recipe?

    Cinnamon roll dough is already free of eggs, but most recipes do call for milk and generous amounts of butter. By swapping those out for dairy-free substitutes the results are surprisingly just as delicious as traditional cinnamon roll dough. We love butter, but we don’t miss it one bit in these cinnamon rolls. The almond milk and Earth Balance vegan butter (instead of whole milk & regular butter) make a perfect canvas for all that cinnamon sugary goodness.

    homemade Dairy free cinnamon rolls in a pan with maple frosting that's vegan

    Why Make Homemade Dairy-Free Cinnamon Rolls When You Could Just Buy Them?

    Although Annie’s and Trader Joe’s brand make great versions of store bought dairy free cinnamon rolls, who doesn't prefer homemade? There is just no comparison! There’s just something extra special about the tender, flaky, gooeyness that comes from a homemade cinnamon roll that you don’t get with the store bought version. This recipe for dairy free cinnamon rolls beat every store bought cinnamon roll I’ve ever had hands down.

    a pan of homemade cinnamon rolls with maple frosting
    a pan of homemade cinnamon rolls with maple frosting on a baking rack

    What Can You Add to Cinnamon Rolls?

    Just about anything you want. Once you’ve mastered the dough, feel free to have some fun with these cinnamon rolls. We like adding bits of crushed candied walnuts into ours, or even on occasion toasted coconut.

    Below are some additional ideas of flavor combinations that work wonderfully with this cinnamon roll recipe. Here are a few of our favorite doughy sweets that are easy to vegan-ize:

    a pan of homemade cinnamon rolls with maple frosting

    How Long Do Cinnamon Rolls Last?

    Honestly, I’m not really sure this is something you need to worry about. Chances are these babies will be gone long before they’ve had a chance to go bad. In fact, I think they get even better on days two and three as all those flavors soak in even more.

    Cinnamon Rolls For Breakfast Lunch or Dinner?

    If you make these Dairy Free Cinnamon Rolls, we’d love to hear about it! Be sure to snap a photo, add it to your Instagram feed or stories and tag @themodernproperand #themodernproper if you do. Also, feel free to leave a comment on the post and tell your friends where you discovered the recipe!

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    Dairy Free Cinnamon Rolls

    Updated on February 23, 2022

    • Serves:  20
    • Prep Time:  2 hrs
    • Cook Time:  18 min
    • Calories:  414
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    Ingredients

    • 2 cups vanilla soy milk or almond milk
    • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
    • 1/2 cup sugar
    • 1 envelope or 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
    • 4 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, divided
    • 1/2 tsp baking powder
    • 1/2 tsp baking soda
    • 1 1/2 tsp sea salt

    Cinnamon-Sugar Filling

    • 1 ¼ cup non-dairy butter alternative such as Earth Balance, softened plus more for the baking dish
    • 2 Tbsp ground cinnamon
    • 1 ½ cups sugar

    Maple Icing

    • 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
    • 1/4 cup vanilla soy or almond milk
    • 3 Tbsp non-dairy butter alternative such as Earth Balance, melted
    • 2 Tbsp strongly brewed coffee, optional
    • ¼ tsp sea salt
    • 1 tsp maple extract

    Method

    1. Make the dough: In a large saucepan set over medium, heat the milk, vegetable oil, and sugar until it reaches 100-110°F without letting the mixture boil. Turn off the heat. When the milk mixture is 100-110°F, sprinkle the yeast on top and let it sit until beginning to foam a little, about 2 minutes. If you have a stand mixer, you can transfer the warm milk to its bowl and continue with the steps below. Alternatively you can keep the milk mixture in the saucepan, add the flour and mix the dough by hand.

    2. Add 4 cups of flour to the milk and yeast and mix until combined. Cover the pot or bowl with a clean kitchen towel, and set aside in a warm place (not near a window) for an hour.

    3. Remove the towel and add the baking powder, baking soda, salt and remaining ½ cup of flour. Stir to combine. You can use the dough right away, or place it in a mixing bowl covered and refrigerate it for up to 3 days, punching down the dough if it rises to the top of the bowl.

    4. Remove the dough from the saucepan or stand mixer bowl onto a lightly floured surface, using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll the dough into a large rectangle, about 30x10-inches.

    5. Using a pastry knife or the tips of your fingers, spread 1 cup of the softened Earth Balance evenly over the surface of the dough, leaving 1-inch of space on one of the long sides. Sprinkle the cinnamon and sugar over the butter.

    6. Beginning at the long end with butter spread all the way to the edge, roll the rectangle tightly toward the long side with the 1-inch unbuttered border. Use both hands and work slowly, being careful to keep the roll tight. Don’t worry if the filling oozes out a little as you work. When you reach the end, pinch the 1-inch unbuttered dough together with the dough roll to create a seal. On a cutting board, using a sharp knife, make 1 ½-inch slices, about 20-25 rolls.

    7. Pour or spread 2 tablespoons of melted butter into your desired pie pans or baking dishes and swirl to coat completely. Place the sliced rolls in the pans, keeping about an inch between each roll.

    8. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Cover the baking dishes or pie pans with a thin kitchen towel and set aside to rise on the countertop for at least 20 minutes before baking.

    9. Remove the towel and bake in the preheated oven for 13 to 17 minutes, until golden brown.

    10. Make the maple frosting: In a large bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, vanilla soy milk, melted Earth Balance, coffee, salt and maple flavoring. Whisk until very smooth. Adjust ingredients to taste, more maple flavoring, sugar, butter or milk as needed until the icing reaches the desired consistency. The icing should be pourable.

    11. After the rolls are finished baking, drizzle the icing over the top and spread evenly. Wait a few minutes for the frosting to sink into the warm cinnamon rolls before serving.

      *Adapted from The Pioneer Woman

    Nutrition Info

    • Per Serving
    • Amount
    • Calories 414
    • Protein 3 g
    • Carbohydrates 57 g
    • Total Fat 19 g
    • Dietary Fiber 1 g
    • Cholesterol 0 mg
    • sodium 367 mg
    • Total Sugars 37 g

    Dairy Free Cinnamon Rolls

    Questions & Reviews

    Join the discussion below.

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    • Caspian

      Could the vegetable oil in the dough be replaced with butter alternative or does it have to be oil?

      I've never tested it with butter alternative.

    • Mackenzie

      Hi there, I just wondering if I could make the dough and place the rolls in the pan but not actually cook it until the next day?

      Yes, just keep it in the fridge.

    • kellz

      Can oat milk be used?

      We haven't tested it that way, but that would likely work! If you try it, let us know how it turns out!

    • Brandy

      Can these be frozen? Any suggestions on the best way to do that?

      You can freeze them, yes! We always think the easiest thing to do with cinnamon rolls is to bake them and frost them, then freeze them wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and foil.

    • Lila

      Oh my goodness, these cinnamon rolls look incredible!! :D And I love that they're dairy-free!!

    • Holly

      So delicious! I just made these for a ladies clothing swap today and the gals were ranting and raving, especially because they found out they were vegan! Thank you for this fabulous recipe. I am passing it along and will return to it for sure.

      Thanks Holly! We are so happy everyone loved them!

    • Phoebe

      These are amazing! Ate three immediately after icing then two more the next morning for breakfast

      Thanks Phoebe, we are so glad you love them!

    • Claire

      These cinnamon rolls were amazing! I couldn't even tell they were dairy-free and neither could my family. The recipe was easy to follow and turned out delicious. Thank you so much!

      So happy you and your family loved it!