Vegan Apple Cinnamon Rolls
Vegan apple cinnamon rolls with a buttery brioche-style dough and lots of apple pieces. These rolls combine the classic apple pie with fluffy cinnamon rolls and are perfect for Autumn/Fall and Thanksgiving.
Servings: 12 rolls
Ingredients
Dough
- 3 ⅓ cups (415g) bread flour, or all-purpose plain flour, plus more if needed
- 1 cup (250g) dairy-free milk, warm
- ½ cup (115g) vegan butter, room temperature (note 1)
- 3 tablespoons (40g) packed brown sugar, coconut sugar or granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon (9g) instant dry yeast, (note 2)
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, optional
- Pinch of salt, if using unsalted butter
Apple Cinnamon Filling
- ½ cup (100g) packed brown sugar, or coconut sugar
- ⅓ cup (75g) vegan butter, melted but at room temperature
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 2 x (~360g) medium-size apples, finely chopped
Cream Cheese Frosting (note 3 for alternatives)
- ½ cup (120g) vegan cream cheese, softened
- ¼ cup (55g) vegan block butter, room temperature
- 1-2 cups (100g-200g) powdered sugar / icing sugar, or to taste
Instructions
Making the dough:
- Add all the ingredients to a large bowl or stand mixer and mix until it comes together. Knead the mixture for at least 5 minutes until it forms a smooth and stretchy dough. Add a little more milk if the dough is too dry or a little more flour if the dough sticks to the bowl.
- Cover the bowl with a tea towel. Set it aside in a warm spot for at least 1 hour or until the dough has doubled in size.
Preparing the filling:
- Add the butter, sugar and cinnamon to a small bowl. Mix until a smooth paste forms. Set aside to thicken.
Assembling the apple cinnamon rolls:
- Grease or line a large cake or casserole tray about 33 x 23 cm (13 x 9 inches) large.
- Lightly dust a clean surface with flour. Roll out the dough into a rectangular shape about 30 x 45 cm (12 x 17 inches) large.
- Spread the cinnamon mixture onto the dough close to the edge. Sprinkle the apple pieces on top.
- Starting from the long side, tightly roll the dough into a tube. Use a sharp knife or unflavored dental floss to cut rolls out of the dough.
- Arrange the rolls in your prepared baking tray. Place a tea towel over the rolls and set aside to rise for at least 1 hour. The rolls are ready when they are puffy again and have increased in size by at least 50%.
Baking the rolls:
- When the rolls are puffy again, preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
- Bake the rolls for around 20-25 minutes. The rolls are ready when they are slightly golden brown or when you insert a skewer in one of the middle buns and it doesn't have wet dough on it. Set aside to cool.
Frosting and serving:
- Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl until smooth. Add more sugar for a firmer frosting. Chill in the fridge until needed.
- When the rolls have cooled completely, spread the cream cheese frosting on top.
- The scrolls are best eaten the day they are baked. Alternatively, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for 1-2 days or in the fridge for up to 5 days. Warm up the rolls before enjoying them again!
Notes
- You may use spreadable vegan margarine but will need to add a little more flour to your dough. Alternatively, you may use coconut oil instead but I’d recommend adding a little more milk and a generous pinch of salt for flavor.
- Instant yeast doesn't need to be 'activated' or 'bloomed' beforehand. However, if you use active dry yeast, mix it with the warm milk from the recipe and a pinch of sugar beforehand. Wait until the mixture bubbles then use it in the recipe.
- If you don't have cream cheese, you make a simple vanilla buttercream from ½ cup (110g) vegan butter and 1-2 cups (100-200g) powdered sugar. Alternatively, you can top the rolls with the maple glaze from my sticky bun recipe or pure maple syrup and yogurt.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 roll without frosting | Calories: 282kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 11g | Sodium: 148mg | Potassium: 84mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 626IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 52mg | Iron: 1mg
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