Amazing vegan cinnamon rolls with an easy eggnog icing. These cinnamon rolls are perfectly sweet and great for a weekend brunch or special occasion. There’s also a make-ahead option!
Soft and fluffy cinnamon rolls topped with a quick vegan eggnog icing. These are perfect for special occasions or a weekend brunch! I know they will certainly be a part of our Christmas brunch this year!
Just like any other cinnamon roll recipe, these do have quite a few steps and will require some rising time. But don’t worry! I’ll walk you through every step and it really isn’t as complicated as it seems. All you need is about 30 minutes of active work. The rest is just inactive time to let the dough rise and then bake.
The base for these vegan cinnamon rolls is inspired by Oh She Glows’ recipe. Instead of a cream cheese frosting, I went with a simple eggnog icing. I also made a few adjustments to my liking, but the credit for the original recipe goes to Angela!
If you don’t like eggnog, feel free to use your favorite plant-based milk in the icing instead.
If you don’t have oat milk, you can use almond milk in this recipe. Any plant-based milk should work.
I haven’t tried other flours and don’t have a gluten-free option at this time.
Make sure to spoon and level the flour. This means, don’t scoop the flour using your measuring cup or you’ll have too much flour! Instead, scoop the flour using a spoon and transfer it to the measuring cup. Then level the top with the back of a butter knife.
Make-Ahead Cinnamon Rolls
To make these ahead of time, prepare the entire recipe up until baking (after the second rise). Instead of baking them, keep them wrapped tightly in the fridge for up to 2 days. Once you’re ready to bake, take them out of the fridge and leave them at room temperature for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven, then bake them as instructed.
This way, you don’t need to spend hours in the morning preparing your cinnamon rolls!
Can You Freeze Cinnamon Rolls?
Yes! You can freeze the plain cinnamon rolls (without the icing). Once you’re ready to eat, take them out of the freezer and bake them for 10-12 minutes at 350°F. This method is recommended by Oh She Glow’s recipe.
I highly recommend eating your cinnamon roll with a cup of vegan eggnog latte on the side. The perfect holiday combination.
2 3/4cups (380g)all-purpose white flour,spoon and leveled
1/3cup (67g)vegan butter
1/2cup (125ml)oat milk,plain, unsweetened
1/4cup (50g)sugar
1teaspoon (6g)salt
The Filling
1/2cup (110g)sugar
1 1/2tablespoon (10g)cinnamon,ground
1/4cup (50g)vegan butter,melted
The Pan Sauce
1/4cup (50g)vegan butter,melted
3tablespoons (35g)brown sugar
The Eggnog Icing
1cup (125g)icing sugar
2tablespoons (35g)vegan eggnog of choice
Pinch of nutmeg
Instructions
Prepare The Dough
In a small bowl, dissolve the sugar in the warm water. Add the yeast and let it sit for 5 minutes or until it gets foamy at the top. Set aside.
Melt the 1/3 cup of butter (I use the microwave in 30 second increments). Add the milk, sugar and salt to the melted butter. Stir to combine. Add the yeast mixture and stir again to combine.
Transfer the wet mixture to a large bowl, then add the flour, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring every time until just combined (don't overmix). Once you added all the flour or that the dough is thick and shaggy, transfer the dough to a clean, floured surface. With oiled hands, knead the dough for 3-4 minutes or until the dough looks smooth. Add more flour if needed, but avoid using too much or the dough will get dry.
Rinse and clean the same bowl. Coat it with a little bit of oil. Transfer the dough to the bowl and cover it tightly with plastic wrap or a reusable bowl cover. Let it rise in a warm place for 1 hour (you can place it in the oven with the light turned on).
Prepare the Pan Sauce
Meanwhile, melt 1/4 cup of butter. I use the microwave for 30 seconds. Stir in the brown sugar to form the pan sauce.
Pour the pan sauce at the bottom of an 8×11 inch (or 9×13 inch) casserole dish and spread it evenly. Set aside.
Prepare the Cinnamon Sugar
In a small bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.
Form the Cinnamon Rolls
Once the dough is done rising, unwrap it. Add more flour to a clean surface. Place the dough on the lightly floured surface and roll it our until you get approximately a 20×14 inch rectangle.
Melt another 1/4 cup of butter (you can use the same bowl as last time). Brush the melted butter on top of the rolled out dough, then sprinkle it evenly with the cinnamon sugar.
Roll the dough tightly from the short side of the rectangle. Make sure the seam is on the bottom, then using a serrated knife, cut it into 12 rolls.
Transfer the rolls to the prepared dish. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and let it rise for another 45 minutes in a warm place.
Once ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Remove the plastic wrap and bake the rolls for 25 minutes or until lightly golden (they won't brown as much as non-vegan cinnamon rolls). Remove from the oven and let them cool slightly.
The Icing
Meanwhile, prepare the icing: In a small bowl, combine the powdered sugar, eggnog and nutmeg. Whisk until smooth. Add more eggnog if it's too dry or more sugar if it's too thin.
Pour the icing over the lightly cooled cinnamon rolls. Enjoy!
Notes
This recipe is adapted from Oh She Glows’ recipe.My favorite vegan eggnog is the Holiday Nog from So Delicious. Feel free to use your favorite vegan eggnog.Make Ahead: To make these ahead, prepare the entire recipe up until baking (after the second rise). Instead of baking them, keep them wrapped tightly in the fridge for up to 2 days. Once you’re ready to bake, take them out of the fridge and leave them at room temperature for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven, then bake them as instructed.Freezer Option: You can freeze the plain cinnamon rolls (without the icing). Once you’re ready to eat, bake them for 10-12 minutes at 350°F. This method is recommended by Oh She Glow’s recipe.Don’t like eggnog? Replace the eggnog with your favorite plant-based milk! Don’t have oat milk? You can also use plain almond milk in this recipe.
If you make these vegan cinnamon rolls, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! I love to hear from you guys. And of course, if you try this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram!
This sounds so delicious! My daughter is vegan, and I would love to try these and give them to her. However, I have real problems converting American measures (cups) to grams or oz or ml. Do you by any chance have this recipe with European measures? That would be so helpful, thank you!
Gabriele
Hi Gabriele, thank you so much! I just updated the recipe to add the gram and ml amounts. I hope you'll find it helpful! This is something that I'm planning on incorporating with my recipes (and hopefully add to old recipes) in the near future. I hope your daughter will like these!
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This sounds so delicious! My daughter is vegan, and I would love to try these and give them to her. However, I have real problems converting American measures (cups) to grams or oz or ml. Do you by any chance have this recipe with European measures? That would be so helpful, thank you!
Gabriele
Hi Gabriele, thank you so much! I just updated the recipe to add the gram and ml amounts. I hope you'll find it helpful! This is something that I'm planning on incorporating with my recipes (and hopefully add to old recipes) in the near future. I hope your daughter will like these!