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Vegan Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls

How to make vegan sourdough cinnamon rolls. Ooey, gooey, delicious!
This date-sweetened vegan sourdough cinnamon rolls is a healthy alternative.
It's easy to make homemade cinnamon rolls with this delicious recipe
Vegan Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls are a great way to use up sourdough discard.
Vegan Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls are a great way to use up sourdough discard.

There is something about a cinnamon bun that just makes you want to curl up on the couch and slowly unravel the buttery cinnamon goodness until you reach the ooey, gooey, delicious middle.

These vegan sourdough cinnamon rolls have the amazing flavor and texture of sourdough bread combined with cinnamon sugar goodness.

A healthy cinnamon roll?

Generally, I follow a healthy diet based on whole grains and fruit for sweetness (unless sugar is required for fermentation!) However, this recipe is written for a traditional cinnamon roll and isn’t particularly healthy. If you want to make it healthier, here are a few ways to add a bit of fiber and vitamins to these vegan sourdough cinnamon rolls.

  1. Use wholewheat, spelt or light rye flour. The bun will be a little less chewy, but it will still be delicious!
  2. Don’t add any sugar to the dough and make a cinnamon date-filling instead of the typical sugar filling. (See the section below for details).
  3. Serve it with a sugar-free cream cheese frosting, like a date-sweetened cashew frosting.

Cinnamon date filling

Swapping the sugar for a cinnamon date filling is an easy way to add fiber, vitamins, and minerals to these cinnamon buns. This filling is quite different from the typical cinnamon sugar filling. It results in a rich and moist bun that is more cake-like.

Here’s how to make a cinnamon date filling:

  1. Remove the pits from 8 Medjool dates and place the dates in a small saucepan. Add 1/4 cup of water and 2 Tbsp of ground cinnamon.
  2. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes.
  3. Remove from the heat and add 2 Tbsp of vegan butter. Then puree the date mixture into a smooth paste. This is easiest with a good stick blender (affiliate link).
  4. Spread the filling on the cinnamon bun dough prior to rolling, then roll as described in the recipe. It’s a bit goopy, so avoid squeezing the roll to connect the layers.
  5. Since this spread adds so much moisture, your rolls may need to bake for an additonal 10 to 15 minutes.
It's easy to make homemade cinnamon rolls with this delicious recipe
Date sweetened cinnamon rolls with cashew frosting.
Print

Vegan Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls

This date-sweetened vegan sourdough cinnamon rolls is a healthy alternative.
Print Recipe

★★★★★

5 from 2 reviews

Looking for the perfect vegan cinnamon bun? Try using sourdough starter for added flavour and chewy texture. It’s easy to take this classic cinnamon roll and adapt it for a healthier version. See the section above for making a cinnamon date filling instead of the classic sugar filling.

  • Author: Emillie
  • Prep Time: 4 hours
  • Cook Time: 40 minutes
  • Total Time: 4 hours 40 minutes
  • Yield: 12 rolls 1x
  • Category: Breakfast
  • Method: Sourdough
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Vegan

Ingredients

Units Scale

DOUGH:

  • 1/2 cup sourdough starter
  • 1/2 cup of water
  • 1/4 tsp of instant yeast (not necessary, but adds a bit of a boost)
  • 1/4 cup vegan butter, melted
  • 1/4 cup sugar (optional, for sweetness)
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 1/2 cups flour (+ more, as needed)

FILLING:

  • 1 1/2 Tbsp melted vegan butter
  • 1/2 cup packed raw brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp ground cinnamon

Instructions

  1. Mix the sourdough starter, water and instant yeast. Stir in the melted butter, sugar and salt. Then add the flour. Knead as required to bring the dough together. However, don’t over knead as you want it to be a soft dough, not bread-like.
  2. Allow to rise in a warm location until doubled in volume (about 2-4 hours). 
  3. On a floured surface, gently roll the dough into a 10″ by 14″ rectangle. Brush with the melted vegan butter then sprinkle on the cinnamon and sugar. At this point, you could also add 1/4 cup of raisins or walnuts.
  4. Roll the dough along the 14″ side, forming it into a tight cylinder. Squeeze gently to even out the layers.
  5. Slice into 12 rolls, and place them in a greased 8×8″ glass dish with the cut side down.
  6. Allow them to rise for another 2-4 hours, until fluffy.
  7. Cook at 350 F for 30-40 min (until the tops are browning).

Notes

  • I recommend using earth balance spread (affiliate link). It is just the best-tasting vegan butter that I have tried.
  • Though this recipe would work with whole-grain flour it is not gluten-free. If you want to avoid gluten try my gluten-free cinnamon bun recipe instead.

Keywords: breakfast, snack, dessert, egg free, dairy free, nut free, healthy, traditional, fermented, holiday, fall, winter

Filed Under: Baked Goods, Traditional Sourdough, VeganTagged With: Frosting

Previous Post: « Red Lentil and Rice Dosa (GF & Vegan)
Next Post: 100% Teff Injera – Ethiopian Flatbread (GF) »

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Comments

  1. Tami

    February 27, 2020 at 11:59 am

    My dough is rising as we speak! I am comfortable with sourdough bread, but I’m confused as to how to use the folding technique with this dough as it is pretty solid. Wondering if I missed something or did something wrong… time will tell!

    Reply
    • Emillie

      February 27, 2020 at 2:17 pm

      It is a bit firmer than a regular loaf of bread because it needs to be rolled out and formed. More dry than sticky. However, if it seems way to dry, then try pinching in a bit more liquid. Enjoy!

      Reply
  2. ZCasey

    April 4, 2020 at 3:41 pm

    These are good. Sourdough and cinnamon really works.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  3. Anonymous

    April 22, 2020 at 2:43 pm

    These turned out delicous!!! Great recipe. I didn’t have vegan butter so I used coconut oil instead and it worked fine. Also added a bit extra water to the dough to be able to fold it.

    Reply
    • Emillie

      April 23, 2020 at 3:55 pm

      Great! Thanks for sharing.

      Reply
  4. Selina

    April 29, 2020 at 4:37 pm

    Hi there,
    Could I put the rolls in the fridge overnight for the second rise instead of having them rise in the pan at room temp and baking in the morning? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Emillie

      April 30, 2020 at 7:57 am

      Yes! An overnight rise in the fridge works! However, the bacteria in the sourdough starter is more active in the fridge than the yeast, so the dough will be sourer than a shorter rise on the counter.

      Reply
  5. Kathryn

    May 16, 2020 at 9:51 pm

    By folding , do you mean stretch and fold, or turning the dough into itself? Thanks Kathy

    Reply
    • Emillie

      May 17, 2020 at 8:28 am

      Stretch and fold. Enjoy!

      Reply
  6. Aline

    May 18, 2020 at 6:49 am

    Hi! I made it with half the butter for the dough (I used coconut butter) and I let it rest for 8h before rolling it and them 30 minutes before baking. It worked so well! I ate half and the rest is on the freezer for later. Thank you for the recipe 🙂 Greetings from Brazil.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Emillie

      May 18, 2020 at 7:55 am

      Sound yummy!

      Reply
  7. Sophie

    May 21, 2020 at 12:27 pm

    Hi! This looks great I can’t wait to make it.
    Does this recipe use activated starter or could i use the starter thats hibernating in my fridge? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Emillie

      May 21, 2020 at 1:12 pm

      You should probably reactivate the starter before baking. Give it at least one good feed, otherwise, it might not be active enough for the dough. Enjoy!

      Reply
  8. Candace

    May 25, 2020 at 11:01 am

    Can this be made with GF sourdough starter and GF flour?

    Reply
    • Emillie

      May 25, 2020 at 3:53 pm

      I haven’t made this recipe GF. I have a different GF sourdough cinnamon bun recipe (with eggs). https://www.fermentingforfoodies.com/gluten-free-sourdough-cinnamon-buns/ Since GF baking is quite different than gluten baking, I recommend trying that recipe. If you need to skip the egg, use a flax egg instead. It needs the extra binder. Cheers!

      Reply
  9. Olivia

    August 13, 2020 at 10:56 am

    I always let my sourdough rise in my oven with the oven light on because I live in a cold climate so it helps, a lot! However when I did that with these they started baking?? I’m not sure why this happened?

    Reply
    • Emillie

      August 13, 2020 at 1:17 pm

      Really? I wonder if it was a glitch? How strange! I hope they worked out anyway!

      Reply
  10. ash

    August 18, 2020 at 11:22 pm

    Hi there, I am gluten free but also vegan so I was wondering if this recipe would work with a teff sourdough starter and a gluten-free flour blend?

    Reply
    • Emillie

      August 20, 2020 at 9:58 am

      Hum… I’ll admit I’ve had a lot of trouble designing GF Vegan recipes. I haven’t tried this with GF flour, so they might not be chewy. However, they’ll still be tasty! I recommend adding some xanthan gum (2 tsp) to help keep it from crumbling. Let me know how it goes!

      Reply

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Hi, I'm Emillie, an island-dwelling fermentation enthusiast. Fermenting For Foodies features healthy recipes designed to feed your microbiome.
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