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    Home » Bread » Yeast Bread and Cinnamon Rolls

    Published: Sep 3, 2020 · Modified: Dec 12, 2021 by Anthea

    Buttery Vegan Brioche Buns

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    4.77 from 17 votes

    Vegan brioche buns which are buttery, fluffy and super easy to make! The buns can be made sweet or savoury and in a variety of sizes.

    Stack of three vegan brioche buns.

    Is brioche vegan?

    Brioche is a buttery French bread often eaten by itself or used in sweet or savoury dishes.

    Traditionally, brioche is not vegan as the dough is laden with eggs, dairy milk and butter. Also, traditional brioche is often glazed with egg wash to give it a golden and shiny appearance and to trap in the moisture.

    Much to my surprise, it's easy to veganise this French bread. I used simple substitutes such as vegan butter and non-dairy milk!

    In traditional brioche, eggs add fat and act as a leavening agent. However, you don't needs eggs at all if you use a little extra vegan butter and enough yeast.

    How to make vegan brioche

    Vegan brioche buns on lined baking tray.

    These vegan brioche buns uses the same ingredients (but slightly different ratios) as my Buttery Vegan Brioche Loaf recipe. In order to avoid repetion, head over there for step by step pictures.

    This brioche bun recipe serves more people and makes 8 hand-sized buns. It's seriously an easy vegan bread recipe!

    My biggest tip for making vegan brioche

    Puffy brioche dough in glass bowl showing little bubbles on the side.

    It's essential that your brioche dough increases to double its size (or thereabouts) during the first rise. Unfortunately, if it doesn't double your final brioche will be dense and heavy.

    To ensure your brioche doubles, you need to make sure:

    • Your yeast is active
    • The dough is placed in a WARM place. Unlike conventional bread, this french bread dough has butter which can inhibit its rise. So, if you place the dough in a warm spot, the butter will soften and your dough will rise easier.

    If you use a glass bowl, you'll be able to see lots of bubbles and air pockets if your dough has risen successfully.

    Shaping the vegan brioche buns

    Image showing how to shape vegan buns.

    After you create 8 equal parts from your dough, you'll need to shape it. The key to shaping the buns is to make sure each has a smooth and taut top.

    That will hide all the uneven parts of the dough underneath. Shaping the brioche well will ensure your final buns are smooth and evenly risen!

    To visualise this, Joshua Weissman created a good Youtube video showing how to shape brioche buns (the link takes you to the exact part of the video).

    After you bake your brioche buns

    I recommend brushing the vegan buns with a sugar glaze as it makes them beautifully shiny and keeps some of their moisture in. Alternatively, you can brush the buns with aquafaba (the liquid from a can of chickpeas), although it won't be as shiny.

    Brushing the vegan buns with a sugar glaze.

    How to serve brioche buns?

    This easy vegan bread recipe can be used in LOTS of ways:

    • Spread jam or your favourite sweet spread on them and enjoy them fresh or toasted for breakfast
    • Use stale brioche buns in a vegan french toast casserole.
    • Fill them with a savoury filling and enjoy them as sliders, at home or for entertaining
    • Make larger portions and use them as vegan brioche burger buns
    • Or serve them as vegan dinner rolls!
    Brioche bun cut into half spread with raspberry jam.

    More easy vegan bread recipes:

    Did you know brioche dough can be used in SO many ways, from cinnamon rolls to babka? Here I've listed MANY ways you can use brioche dough. Here are some of my favourites:

    • Buttery Vegan Brioche
    • Sticky Cinnamon Buns
    • Blueberry Cinnamon Rolls
    • Vegan Chocolate Babka
    • Jam Donut Babka
    • Vegan Pumpkin Dinner Rolls
    Stack of three vegan brioche buns
    Print Recipe
    4.77 from 17 votes

    Buttery Vegan Brioche Buns

    Buttery and fluffy vegan brioche buns which are super easy to make! The buns can be made sweet or savoury and in a variety of sizes.
    Prep Time15 mins
    Cook Time15 mins
    Resting Time2 hrs
    Total Time2 hrs 30 mins
    Cuisine: French, Vegan
    Servings: 8 people
    Author: Anthea

    Ingredients

    • 3 cups (375g) all-purpose plain flour
    • ¾ cup (190g) dairy-free milk, warm and as needed
    • 2 tablespoons (25g) granulated sugar, or coconut sugar
    • ½ cup (115g) melted vegan butter, or olive oil
    • 1 tablespoon instant dry yeast
    • ½ teaspoon any good quality salt, if using unsalted butter
    • 1 tablespoon any light-coloured sweetener, such as rice malt syrup or maple syrup, or aquafaba

    Instructions

    To make the brioche dough:

    • Add all the ingredients except the liquid sweetener to a large bowl and mix until combined. Knead the dough for at least 5 minutes or until the dough becomes soft and elastic. If you're using a stand mixer, use the dough hook and knead until the dough is smooth and comes away from the sides of the bowl. If the dough is a little dry, add a little more milk and knead again. If the dough is still sticking on the bowl, add a little flour and knead again. The softer your dough is, the softer your brioche buns will be!

    Resting the dough:

    • Leave the dough in the bowl and cover with a damp tea towel (the damp towel prevents the dough from drying out). Leave it in a warm area to double in size for at least 1 hour. You can also leave it to rise in the fridge overnight, as long as you allow the dough to come to room temperature before you use it the next day.**
    • When the dough is puffy, divide it into 8 even parts (about 90g each). Shape each part into a smooth round ball. Arrange the balls on a lined baking tray with about 5 cm (2 inches) between each one. Cover the tray with a damp tea towel and leave it in a warm area to rest for at least 1 hour. The dough should increase in size by around 50% and feel puffy.

    Baking the brioche buns:

    • When the dough is puffy again, preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
    • Bake the buns the oven for 15-20 minutes or until the surface is golden brown. The buns are ready when you can tap the bottom of one and it sounds hollow.
    • To make the brioche glaze, combine the liquid sweetener with 1 tablespoon of water. When the brioche buns are still hot, brush the top with the sugar glaze syrup then allow it to rest.
    • Enjoy the brioche immediately. Like all home-made breads, the brioche is best eaten the day it is baked. Alternatively, store the buns in an airtight room temperature for 3-5 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month. Warm up the brioche before you eat it again!

    Notes

    * Instant yeast doesn't need to be 'activated' or 'bloomed' beforehand. However, if you use another type of yeast, check the packet instructions to see the conversion rate. For example, 1 tsp of instant yeast is not the same as 1 tsp of fresh yeast. If you use another type of yeast, combine it with some of the warm milk from the recipe and a pinch of sugar. Wait until it bubbles then use it in the recipe.
    ** If your dough doesn't increase in size, place it in a warmer spot in your house such as the oven with its light on. Sometimes I gently steaming the bowl for 1 minute. If your dough doesn't increase in size at this step, it will not bake well.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1 bun | Calories: 275kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 10g | Sodium: 272mg | Potassium: 63mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 549IU | Calcium: 41mg | Iron: 2mg
    Did you Make this Recipe?Rate it & leave your feedback in the comments section below, or tag @rainbownourishments on Instagram and hashtag #rainbownourishments!

    This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you.

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Ziggy says

      February 05, 2022 at 12:23 pm

      2 stars
      Turned out like a scone. Not even a particularly good scone.

      Reply
      • Anthea says

        February 06, 2022 at 11:31 am

        Sorry the buns didn't work out for you. There are a few reasons why your buns may have been dry or flat:
        1. Your dough was too dry and needed more milk, as mentioned in the first section of the recipe.
        2. Your dough needed more time to rise or it wasn't in a warm enough spot. There are tips and a more detailed explanation in the recipe post.

        I hope that helps!

        Reply
    2. Laurie says

      January 02, 2022 at 4:05 pm

      Have you ever tried this recipe using gluten free 1:1 flour?

      Reply
      • Anthea says

        January 14, 2022 at 7:46 pm

        I have but they were a bit dense unfortunately. I think the buns need a custom blend of flours, which I haven't been able to perfect yet!

        Reply
    3. Riya says

      December 12, 2021 at 1:53 pm

      5 stars
      Thanks so much for this recipe. The one thing I would tell to anyone who is going to make it is don’t use a damp tea towel in the second rising phase. The towel stuck to my buns and I had to reshape them. A piece of buttered plastic wrap worked better or you could also use an inverted sheet pan. Other than that the recipe is flawless and the end result is so beautiful with very little hands on work! I didn’t know that it could be so simple to make a delicious vegan brioche. I made the recipe twice and the second time was even better. I used the buns to make vegan pulled pork sandwiches with seasoned jackfruit, jalapeño pickles, and coleslaw. Thank you!!!

      Reply
      • Anthea says

        January 14, 2022 at 7:45 pm

        Thanks so much for your feedback Riya! And very good point about the damp tea towel :). So glad that you've made these a couple of times and I'm drooling at how you used them as burger buns!

        Reply
    4. Laura says

      November 29, 2021 at 9:17 pm

      5 stars
      Could not recommend these highly enough. Perfectly balanced (make sure your yeast is rising, otherwise they may be a bit dense, but still delicious). The only reason you may not want to eat these is if you’re not into soft fluffy decadent and delicious bread.

      Absolutely beautiful.

      Reply
      • Anthea says

        January 14, 2022 at 7:44 pm

        Aw that's lovely feedback, thanks so much Laura! And totally agree about the yeast - it's the difference between dense and fluffy buns :). Thanks again!

        Reply
    5. Lycia Taylor says

      August 12, 2021 at 3:30 am

      Is the liquid sweetener a must?

      Reply
      • Anthea says

        August 12, 2021 at 10:12 am

        No it isn't, it just helps make the buns shiny and golden!

        Reply
    6. Christi says

      July 13, 2021 at 2:20 am

      5 stars
      I'm actually trying AP and bread flour side-by-side right now! (I had to double the recipe, and since I happened to have AP and bread flours, I simply made 2 batches concurrently.)
      Anyway, both flours work extraordinarily well! The batch with bread flour needed a *little* less time to knead, rose a *little* higher, and was a *little* easier to handle, but I don't think that I would have noticed these differences if I had tried them a few days apart.
      It may be helpful to know that I needed to use 85g vegan butter (Miyoko's) and 30g olive oil. (I decided to double AFTER grocery shopping.) I also mixed each dough at first with a Danish dough whisk, and then kneaded by hand inside my mixing vessels. Each bun used 135g of dough; I made 10 total (5 each). Tomorrow, they will be toasted for veggie burger buns!

      Reply
      • Anthea says

        January 15, 2022 at 9:23 am

        Ooh that's so interesting Christi! I agree - I've baked with bread flour since writing up this recipe and it rose a little higher! And thanks for all the info about what you ammended too - it always helps to know :). Thanks so much for your time and feedback!

        Reply
    7. Abbie says

      July 02, 2021 at 6:39 pm

      Hi, this sounds exciting... Is it best to use bread flour or plain? Thanks!

      Reply
      • Anthea says

        July 02, 2021 at 7:44 pm

        Both flours work really well for this recipe so it's personal preference :). Bread flour makes the buns a little more 'chewy' like traditional bread and plain flour makes them a little more 'melt in your mouth' and cakey. Hope that helps!

        Reply
        • Abbie says

          July 03, 2021 at 2:20 am

          Thank you! I'll give both a go... I know they will be a hit in my house 😋

        • Abbie says

          July 13, 2021 at 6:23 pm

          5 stars
          I used the bread flour and oh my! They tasted just like the Marks and Spencer ones we used to have when I was a child! Literally the best thing I have ever made! Thank you so much, you are a genius!

        • Anthea says

          January 14, 2022 at 7:42 pm

          Ooh that's amazing! I have so many fond memories of Marks and Spencer too. Thanks so much for letting me know 🙂

    8. Osmond says

      June 24, 2021 at 8:39 am

      4 stars
      I used a super high fat coconut milk and it made mine dense but also fluffy at the same time. Imagine 90's couches. Overall the recipe was straight forward and I would try it again.

      Reply
      • Anthea says

        January 14, 2022 at 7:43 pm

        Oh that's interesting! Sometimes coconut milk, especially when high fat, solidifies at room temperature so that'll make these more dense than normal. Glad you enjoyed these nevertheless!

        Reply
    9. Erin says

      May 12, 2021 at 12:56 pm

      5 stars
      These are the most incredible rolls I’ve ever made. I loved how easy the dough was to work with, and they’re so soft and buttery. This is going to be my new go-to roll recipe! I can’t wait to try to make burger buns with this dough!

      Reply
      • Anthea says

        May 15, 2021 at 7:38 pm

        Aw that's music to my ears, yay! These would be amazing burger buns - I need to do that sometime soon too :). Thanks so much for leaving a comment x

        Reply
    10. Gertrude says

      May 06, 2021 at 7:17 pm

      5 stars
      Within a week I've made the brioche loaf, the buns and donuts out of another batch of bun dough. You could say I'm a fan of your recipes. 🙂

      Reply
      • Anthea says

        May 15, 2021 at 7:43 pm

        Oh you're amazing!!!! Thanks so much for your ongoing support and taking the time to leave a comment - I appreciate it a lot! x

        Reply
    11. Roxie says

      April 25, 2021 at 3:05 pm

      5 stars
      I made this brioche for burger buns, but they're so tasty that I enjoyed the first one just with butter, fresh out of the oven. They taste, look, and smell amazing. It's great to be able to make vegan brioche without aquafaba. Thank you!

      Reply
      • Anthea says

        May 15, 2021 at 7:42 pm

        I'm soo glad to hear that! And 100% re the aquafaba! Thanks so much x

        Reply
    12. Judy says

      March 16, 2021 at 11:53 am

      5 stars
      These turned out FANTASTIC! I made a couple different shapes and sizes. The dough was super easy to make, smooth and easy to handle. I used oat milk and earth balance butter. Delicious, fluffy, final product.

      Reply
      • Anthea says

        March 24, 2021 at 10:35 am

        Aw YAY, that's amazing Judy!! Thanks so much for your feedback!

        Reply
    13. Dim says

      February 23, 2021 at 3:47 pm

      Hi!
      Is the tablespoon measurement for the yeast a 15ml (US) tablespoon or 20ml (Aus) tablespoon please.

      Reply
      • Anthea says

        February 23, 2021 at 5:40 pm

        Hi Dim! I used a 15mL tablespoon for the yeast :).

        Reply
    14. Julia says

      February 06, 2021 at 3:34 am

      Hello! So I followed the recipe word for word, but my dough didn’t rise, which left the rolls hard and dense. I allowed and hour and half for them to rise, when they didn’t I placed three aside to rise overnight- which they still didn’t. When you say a warm place, what does that entail temperature wise. To ensure I had a warm place for the dough to rise, I preheated the oven, then let it cool to just a light warm and placed the dough in the oven for an hour to rise (due to it being 65 degrees in my house).
      If you have any suggestions please let me know 🙂

      Reply
      • Anthea says

        February 06, 2021 at 7:43 am

        Hi Julia! Oh no, sorry to hear your brioche buns didn't rise! Did you have a look at my vegan brioche post which lists a few ways to troubleshoot brioche if it doesn't grow on the first rise? For temperature, I'd recommend around 77°F (25°C). If your oven was around this temperature, there are some other reasons:
        1. The yeast was old or you used a slightly different yeast which needs to be bloomed beforehand
        2. Your brioche dough may've been too dry. The dough should always be soft, supple and a little tacky (but not sticking to surfaces), after kneading, before the rise and after. Their moisture makes it easier for the dough to rise

        I hope that helps! Feel free to email me if any issues!

        Reply
    15. Paula says

      February 03, 2021 at 11:49 pm

      5 stars
      Hi dear!! I just did your recipe substituting the yeast for 100gr whole wheat sourdough (100%) and used half white half bread flour (and like 50gr whole), then added choco chips after kneading it. I also wanted to try the Tanzhong method so I took 20gr fl with some 60 milk and 20 water, which made it veeery easy to knead by hand (plus autolyse). I had them longer time to rise of course (like 4’5h), then fridge overnight and 3 hours for the second rise once shaped into balls (made a log, cutter and rolled as Weissman). The thing is that it was always quite tight and easy to handle and it didn’t double neither in the first or the second any more than like 1/3, although they rose nicely in the oven (and some people don’t even let them rise for a second time!). My problem is that after 20 min (at 175 even) they developed some crust I wasn’t looking for, so they’re not as fluffy as I dreamed of haha I tried both brushing with milk+sweetener before and after baking. I can’t stop thing what might exactly be the reason, since other recipes for hot cross buns use also bread flour and sourdough and look perfectly fluffy (brushed with egg tho). Or was it the brush? since original recipe brushes with eggs wash it also doesn’t make sense to me... Applying the brush after did soften them a bit, but still wondering what could be the cause of their kinda toughness.
      Flavour tho is very nice so thanks a lot for your recipes and your time and effort 🙂

      Reply
      • Anthea says

        February 04, 2021 at 12:01 am

        Hi Paula, sounds like you made lots of adjustments! Good on you for being adventurous :).

        I think the main issue is that whole wheat dough doesn't rise as easily as normal wheat dough. Whole wheat dough is also more absorbent so it sounds like your dough was too dry (which affects rising) and developed a crust due to it!

        Also enriched doughs (dough with butter) rise a little differently from sourdough/bread dough. The butter slows down rising! Check out my post on sourdough cinnamon rolls for a guide on making vegan sourdough brioche. The dough is basically a brioche recipe! Hope that helps!

        Reply
    16. Vai says

      September 08, 2020 at 11:15 pm

      5 stars
      Worked the first time! And I used spelt flour too. I'm always anxious making recipes with yeast because it worries me whether the dough will rise. But this recipe worked a treat! I also mixed in some pumpkin spice mix, it definitely made it extra special. Will be making this again & again!

      Reply
      • Anthea says

        September 09, 2020 at 4:23 pm

        Hi Vai! Thanks for your lovely comment and so glad it worked with spelt. I'll have to do that next time. I hear you about making things with yeast (I used to be like that)! I realise the most important thing is to make sure the dough is warm enough to help activate the yeast and make it rise! Thanks again!!

        Reply

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    About Anthea

    Hi, I'm Anthea and welcome to Rainbow Nourishments! Here I share wholesome vegan recipes with a twist. Enjoy!

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