Fluffy and soft vegan gingerbread cinnamon rolls or scrolls perfect for Christmas! Easy to make and more fun than classic cinnamon rolls.
Why you'll love this recipe
These gingerbread rolls are basically like cinnamon rolls but with a gingerbread filling and optional gingerbread cookies on top! They are soooo comforting to devour hot from the oven and remind you of Christmas at every bite!
I served these at my partner's family's very Aussie Christmas last year. No one in the family is vegan but the whole baking tray was devoured within minutes!
The gingerbread rolls are EASY to make, especially if you've ever made brioche or cinnamon rolls before. However, like any recipe with yeast, it simply takes time to prepare.
Simple ingredients for the vegan gingerbread roll dough
The dough of the gingerbread scrolls is based on a very tried and tested vegan brioche recipe including:
- Plain or all-purpose flour
- Plant-based milk. I used soy, almond and coconut for different batches and they all work well.
- Melted vegan butter. I used Nuttelex Buttery for a classic taste. However, Naturli's spreadable butter also works well.
- Cane, brown or coconut sugar
- Ground cinnamon
- Instant dried yeast
Compared to my other cinnamon roll recipes, I used melted butter instead of room temperature butter. This helps kickstart the rising process especially for those who have Christmas in Winter!
Making the dough for the gingerbread rolls
Simply add all the ingredients to your stand mixer and knead it for around 5 minutes until your dough is smooth and elastic. If you don't have a mixer, you can mix all the ingredients in a large bowl then transfer it to a floured surface and knead until smooth.
The dough should be soft, stretchy and slightly tacky. If there are any large cracks in it, add more milk and knead until it's soft. If the dough sticks to the side of the bowl, add more flour and knead again.
I used to be cautious of over kneading anything baked BUT kneading your bread is ESSENTIAL for encouraging the gluten to form. This encourages your dough and gingerbread scrolls to be feathery and bready!
Once you've kneaded your dough, place it in a bowl and cover it with a damp tea towel. Then place it in a WARM spot. It should double in size in an hour or so.
Filling for the gingerbread rolls
While the dough is resting, you can make your filling for the gingerbread rolls! It's a simple mixture of:
- melted vegan butter
- brown or coconut sugar
- gingerbread spices (cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg)
Simply mix all ingredients in a bowl until a smooth paste forms. It may not look like much filling but a little goes a far way.
As much as I love cinnamon, we don't want TOO much of a filling otherwise it oozes out of the gingerbread scrolls when we bake them.
Assembling the gingerbread cinnamon rolls
Dust a clean surface with flour such as a chopping board or kitchen bench. Then use a rolling pin or jar to roll your dough into a rough rectangular shape.
The thinner your dough, the more 'swirls' your cinnamon rolls will have! I rolled my dough so it was about 5mm thick.
Use a spatula to spread the gingerbread 'buttercream' filling on the surface, about 2 cm (1 inch) away from the edge. Once you've done this, carefully roll up your dough into a log shape!
Cutting the gingerbread scrolls
Before cutting your scrolls, I'd recommend scoring your 'log' into quarters. This ensures your scrolls are roughly even!
I used a sharp knife to cut scrolls out of my dough log. However, unflavoured tooth floss works for some people!
Second rise of the gingerbread scrolls
Place the scrolls in a greased baking tin the cover with a damp tea towel. In an hour or so, they will increase in size!
Making the gingerbread scrolls in advance
These scrolls can definitely be prepared beforehand. If you want to enjoy them on Christmas day, you can start making them the day before! You can either:
- Chill the dough in the fridge during the first rise (before they are shaped). The dough will double in the fridge and you can shape them the next day. The advantage of this method is that chilled dough is easier to work with than warm dough!
- Chill the rolls after they are shaped while they're in your baking tin. 2 hours before you need the rolls, allow them to come to room temperature then bake away!
Troubleshooting vegan cinnamon rolls
I've tested this recipe many times to ensure the recipe is as fool-proof as possible. However, like any dessert recipe, variations with brand of ingredients and even the climate you're baking in affects the process a lot.
TEMPERATURE: If your dough or scrolls don't rise at any time, reposition it into a warmer spot in your house. We're working with an enriched dough where the butter sometimes inhibits the rising process. However, if the dough/scrolls are in a warm spot, the butter is softer and the dough is more likely to rise.
DOUGH IS TOO SOFT: If your dough is too soft (maybe because it's a hot day), it will be more difficult to shape into neat scrolls. If you've already kneaded it (and can't add any more flour to it), simply CHILL the dough. This makes it soooo much easier to work with.
DOUGH IS TOO TOUGH: If your dough is too tough at the kneading stage, simply add more liquid then knead it again. It's difficult to add moisture to the rolls once you've passed this stage.
More Vegan Christmas recipes:
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Vegan Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
Scrolls
- 3 ⅓ cups (415g) all-purpose plain flour, plus more for dusting
- ¾ cup (180g) dairy-free milk, warm
- ½ cup (115g) vegan butter, melted
- 3 tablespoons (40g) granulated sugar, or coconut sugar
- 1 tablespoon (9g) instant dry yeast
- 1 tablespoon (8g) ground cinnamon
- Pinch of any good-quality salt, skip if using salted vegan butter
Scroll filling
- ½ cup (95g) dark brown sugar, or coconut sugar
- ¼ cup (55g) vegan butter, melted
- 2 tablespoons (16g) ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon (8g) ground ginger
- ½ tablespoon (4g) ground nutmeg
Decoration (optional)
- ½ cup (120g) vegan cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup (50g) powdered sugar / icing sugar, or to taste
Gingerbread cookies
Instructions
To prepare the gingerbread roll dough
- Combine all the ingredients in a stand mixer or large bowl. Mix then knead for 5-10 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic. Add a little more milk if the dough is too dry or a little more flour if the dough sticks to the bowl.
- Place the dough in a bowl and cover with a damp tea towel. Leave it in a warm place for at least 1 hour or until the dough doubles in size. If the rolls don't double, reposition them in a warmer spot in your house.
Gingerbread roll filling
- Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl until a paste forms and there are no lumps. Set aside.
To assemble the gingerbread rolls
- Lightly dust a clean surface with flour.** Scoop out the dough and use a rolling pin to flatten the dough into a rectangle. Spread the filling on the surface 2 cm (1 inch) away from the edge.
- Starting from the long side, roll the dough into a log. Use a sharp knife to cut rolls out of the log. Arrange on a greased baking tray leaving a little space in between each roll to rise further. Place a tea towel over the rolls and set aside to rest for at least 1 hour or until they increase in size by at least 50% and are puffy.
Frosting:
- Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl until smooth. Add more sugar for a firmer frosting. Chill in the fridge until needed.
Baking the gingerbread rolls:
- When your rolls are ready to bake, preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
- Bake the rolls in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until they are slightly golden brown. If you insert a skewer in one of the middle rolls, there should be no raw dough on it.
- When the rolls have cooled completely, spread the glaze on top. If desired, top with gingerbread cookies.
- The rolls are best eaten the day they are baked. Alternatively, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 day or in the fridge for 1-2 days.
Notes
Nutrition
This post was originally published in November 2019 but updated in November 2020.
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Hello! I only have brown and white sugar, would either of these work in the dough?
Excited to make these! Can’t eat dairy or soy this holiday season so trying to make a replacement of our Christmas morning breakfast tradition.
Hey! Yes, brown and/or white sugar would be perfect for the dough :). I hope you enjoy these for Christmas and let me know how you go!
The recipe is very easy, quick and the risk free 🙂
The filling is scrumptious and makes the rolls soft and moist. They actually grow a lot in the oven so it’s important to give the space to do so.
My boyfriend said they are the best I’ve ever made and I agree, they are great, to eat and to bake 😛
Aw, that's so nice to hear! And thanks for your feedback too. It makes me want to make them again asap!
I do for some of my recipes - I'm in the process for updating the nutritional info for all of them. Hope that helps!
I love this recipe! So easy to follow especially with the step by step photos
Aw thanks so much Nara!
This is NOT A DRILL! BEST GINGERBREAD/CINNAMON ROLL recipe ever!
I will not use any other recipes from now on because this tasted so heavenly me and my boyfriend cant stop eating them.
The dough came together and shapes super easily so I think even first time bakers can make this without a problem.
Aw that's the loveliest feedback ever! I'm soo glad you and your boyfriend enjoyed these and found the process easy too! x
These are such a good cinnamon roll recipe!!!! My first time making them and what a TREAT!
I also tried her wreath but in a different flavour than given and it was also delicious. 🙂
Aw YAY, especially for your first time!! And glad you enjoyed the wreath recipe too! Thanks so much for your feedback xo
Okay! It was literally the BEST cinnamon rolls that i ever eaten!
Yes, ginger is very pronounced, but its "rich" taste is sweet and pleasant! You just have to do it in the winter at least once! You definitely will not regret it!
Aw I'm sooo happy to hear they're the best cinnamon rolls you've ever eaten! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave your feedback and I hope you and your family have a wonderful festive season 🙂
Hi Anthea!
Just want to share my experience in making vegan rolls.
In the dough, plant milk is not necessary, just use water. I prefer to use oil instead of vegan butter (more natural).
As a filling, I love to use your coconut caramel from your book. 🙂
Thanks for your feedback Eva! A few people used oil instead of butter in my previous scrolls recipe but said it affected the rising for them so I used only butter in this. You're welcome to use oil 🙂