Is there anything quite so satisfying as a gooey, warm cinnamon roll? How about a gooey, warm dairy-free cinnamon roll that's oil-based, tender, and topped with almond vegan buttercream frosting?
Ooey gooey cinnamon rolls are an important part of the Christmas season at my house. We make homemade cinnamon rolls every single year, and I even make pumpkin cinnamon rolls in the fall.
This dairy-free cinnamon roll recipe is one of the first recipes on the blog because it's a staple in my kitchen. Just like with my oil pie crust recipe, these cinnamon rolls use oil instead of butter for a simple and dairy-free option.
I originally developed this recipe because I'm not a huge fan of the flavor of vegan butter. So I found a way to make my favorite cinnamon roll recipe without it, and the result is soft, fluffy, sweet dairy-free cinnamon rolls that you can't even tell are made with oil instead of butter.
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Why this recipe works
- Great for beginner bakers: To the new baker, yeast breads may be intimidating. Enriched dough is a good place to start because it doesn't take nearly as much time to make as a sourdough or sandwich loaf, and it's easier to knead due to the high fat content. The high concentration of fat and sugar in enriched dough yields a soft and tender bread.
- The best frosting: The vegan buttercream frosting is rich and dappled with almond flavor.
- Tender and fuss-free: It turns out that canola oil is a great substitute for butter. Using canola oil instead of waiting for butter to soften cuts down on prep time and makes these vegan cinnamon rolls extra fuss-free.
- Great texture: Unlike most "classic" cinnamon rolls (like the ones I grew up on), these dairy-free cinnamon rolls are made with ⅓ wheat flour and ⅔ all-purpose flour. The whole wheat flour gives the sweet, sweet rolls a little extra flavor without sacrificing the soft texture.
Ingredients
- Flour: This recipe uses a blend of all-purpose flour and whole wheat flour. It works with only all-purpose flour, if desired.
- Canola oil: Creates a soft and tender cinnamon roll. Vegetable oil also works. Olive oil will likely work but note that it has a more noticeable flavor than canola oil and is better suited for things like this vegan olive oil cake.
- Ground flaxseed: This is combined with water to make a flax "egg", which enriches the dough.
- Brown sugar: I think that light brown sugar works best for cinnamon rolls.
- Cinnamon and nutmeg: Adds warmth and that classic cinnamon roll flavor.
- Vegan butter: This is used in the buttercream frosting. Make sure the butter is room temperature before using it. This will make it much easier to blend the frosting.
- Powdered sugar: Also known as confectioner's sugar, this is an integral component to any frosting recipe.
- Non-dairy milk: I use unsweetened soy milk in my dairy-free recipes, but almond milk, oat milk, or cashew milk will also work.
- Almond extract: This is where the wonderful cinnamon roll flavor kicks in. It's seriously the best part of the entire cinnamon roll!
Step by step instructions
There are two rises for these cinnamon rolls. The first is about 45 minutes and the second just 15 minutes, depending on the warmth of your kitchen.
All in all, these cinnamon rolls are ready in under two hours, which is quick for yeasted bread.
Step one: Dissolve the yeast. You'll start by dissolving active dry yeast in a mix of warm non-dairy milk and water and sugar. Cover with a damp towel and let sit for a 5-10 minutes, until bubbly and activated.
Step two: Add the oil, salt, and flax eggs. Stir everything together.
Step three: Stir in the flour, cinnamon and nutmeg. You can use a stand mixer, hand mixer, or a large wooden spoon for this part. Add 1 cup of flour at a time, stirring to combine. Once ~5 cups are added you should be able to start kneading it without it sticking to your hands too much.
Step four: Knead the dough until smooth and elastic. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface or baking mat. Knead for 7-10 minutes, until soft and elastic. Sprinkle with more flour if the dough is too sticky, but be careful not to add too much. The humidity of your room will affect how much flour is needed.
Step five: Let the dough double in size. Place your dough in an oiled bowl, turning to coat both sides. Cover with a damp towel and let it rise in a warm area for 45 minutes, or until doubled in size.
Step six: Roll the dough out. Roll the dough into a long rectangle, ideally about 1 cm thick and 13x9 inches. You may need to sprinkle the dough with flour to prevent it from sticking to your rolling surface.
Step 7: Add the cinnamon sugar filling. Use a spatula to evenly spread the filling. Roll the dough into a tight log; it's okay if it's not 100% even.
Step 8: Use a sharp knife to cut into twelve 1" pieces. Layer the pieces into a greased 9x13 inch or similarly sized baking dish.
Step 9: Let rise for 15-20 minutes. Keep covered with a damp cloth while the dough is rising.
Step 10: Bake for 25-30 minutes, until golden brown. Let cool completely before frosting.
Tips and tricks
- Is your house too cold for the dough to rise? Turn your oven to the lowest heat (usually 180-200F), then place the covered bowl with the dough into the oven. Shut the door and turn off the oven. This gives your dough a warm environment to rise in.
- Don't make the dairy-free milk and water too hot or it will kill the yeast! It should be 105-110F, or "bathwater warm". I recommend using a food thermometer to check the temperature.
- Is your frosting too thin? Sprinkle in extra powdered sugar 1 tablespoon at a time. Too thick? Add non-dairy milk 1 tablespoon at a time.
- Make dairy-free cinnamon roll muffins by placing the cinnamon rolls into greased muffin tins instead of a casserole dish. They require about the same amount of time to bake and become big and puffy in the oven!
FAQ
While it's not technically required, I think proofing the yeast is worth it because if the yeast is dead the cinnamon rolls won't rise. You can tell the yeast is activated because it will become foamy.
This could be because the yeast is dead (from the water being too hot or the yeast being expired) or your kitchen is too cold. To create a warm environment for the dough to rise, heat the oven as low as it can go then turn off the heat. This is usually 180F. Place the bowl with the dough in the oven (with the door closed) to proof.
Sure! This is a great option if you're making cinnamon rolls for Christmas morning. Simply follow steps 1 through 8. Cover the cinnamon rolls tightly in plastic wrap and transfer to the fridge. The next morning, let the cinnamon rolls come to room temperature on the countertop for 25-30 minutes. After 30 minutes, preheat the oven and let the rolls rest on the countertop while the oven preheats, then bake per recipe instructions.
Storage tips
- Storage: Keep at room temperature for up to 2 days. Cover and refrigerate for 3 to 4 days.
- Freezing: You can easily freeze cinnamon rolls to enjoy for later. Just frost your cinnamon rolls and cut into individual rolls. Freeze in layers on wax paper in a tight container.
- The buttercream frosting can be made several days in advance. Cover tightly and refrigerate until ready to use.
More dairy-free favorites
Did you try this recipe? You can leave a star rating in the recipe card or a review in the comments below. Or check out my cookbook and keep up to date with my YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, or newsletter!
Recipe
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Dairy-Free Cinnamon Rolls (Oil-Based)
Ingredients
Cinnamon Roll Dough
- 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed
- 6 tablespoons water
- 2 ¼ teaspoon active dry yeast one packet
- 1 cup warm non-dairy milk 105-108F
- 1 cup warm water 105-108F
- 3 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoon light brown sugar
- ⅓ cup canola oil
- 4 cups all purpose flour
- 2 cups whole wheat flour
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon salt
Cinnamon Roll Filling
- ⅓ cup canola oil
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
Frosting
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons vegan butter softened to room temperature
- 2 tablespoons non-dairy milk see note #1
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
Instructions
- Make two flax eggs by combining 2 tablespoons ground flax seed and 6 tablespoons water. Let sit for at least 5 minutes before using.
- In a large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast and sugar in the warm water and milk. Cover and let sit for 5-10 minutes, or until yeast is fluffy.
- Using a wooden spoon or stand mixer, mix in salt, oil, flax eggs, and cinnamon.
- Add 1 cup of flour at a time, stirring with a wooden spoon or stand mixer until combined. When the dough has pulled together, turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 6 to 8 minutes. If using a stand mixer, continue mixing until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 3 to 4 minutes.
- Lightly oil a large bowl, place dough in the bowl and turn to coat with the oil. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm area for about 45 minutes, or until doubled in size.
- In a small bowl, mix together cinnamon roll filling ingredients. Set aside.
- Lightly grease a 9x13 baking dish. When dough is doubled in size, roll out into a large rectangle that is about 1 centimeter thick and 9x18 inches long. Pour cinnamon roll filling onto the dough, evenly distributing with a spatula.
- Roll dough tightly into a log. Using scissors or sharp knife, cut the dough into 12 one inch wide pieces. Evenly space the rolls in a 9x13 or similarly sized baking dish.
- Preheat your oven to 350F. Cover the cinnamon rolls with a damp cloth and let rise in the baking dish for another 15-20 minutes, until rolls having noticeably increased in size.
- Bake the cinnamon rolls for 30 minutes, until lightly golden on top.
- Use a hand or stand mixer to combine softened butter, non-dairy milk, and powdered sugar, until a thick but spreadable glaze forms. Stir in the almond extract. Frost cinnamon rolls once they are completely cooled.
- To store, refrigerate in an air-tight container and heat before serving for best taste. Freeze in air tight container for up to 3 months.
Notes
- Milk: I prefer soy milk for dairy-free baking, but oat milk or almond milk also work. Choose unsweetened, unflavored non-dairy milk for a neutral flavor.
- "Warm" water should be ~105-108F, a little hotter than a hot bath. Too cold means the yeast won't be activated and too hot means the yeast will die.
- You can usually get 10-12 cinnamon rolls from this dough, depending on how thickly you cut them. The above pictures are from a 10x10 inch pan, but a 9x13 inch or similarly sized will also work.
- To make the night before: Simply follow steps 1 through 8. Cover the cinnamon rolls tightly in plastic wrap and transfer to the fridge. The next morning, let the cinnamon rolls come to room temperature on the countertop for 25-30 minutes. After 30 minutes, preheat the oven and let the rolls rest on the countertop while the oven preheats, then bake per recipe instructions.
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