Name: Vegan Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls
Prep time: 4 h
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 4 h 40 min
Yield: 12 rolls
Cuisine: Vegan
Ingredients: 1/2 cup sourdough starter; 1/2 cup of water; 2 3/4 cups flour; 1/4 tsp of instant yeast (not necessary, but adds a bit of a boost); 2 tbsp oil; 1/4 cup sugar (optional); 5 tbsp vegan butter, melted; 1 tsp kosher salt; 1 cup packed raw brown sugar; 2 tbsp ground cinnamon; 1 1/2 tbsp melted vegan butter

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 and delicious middle.

There are many different types of cinnamon rolls… bready, cakey or chewy. These vegan sourdough cinnamon rolls have the amazing flavour and texture of sourdough bread combined with cinnamon sugar goodness.

A healthy cinnamon roll?

Generally, I encourage a healthy diet based on whole grains and natural, sugar-free sweeteners (unless sugar is required for fermentation!) The recipe is written for a traditional cinnamon roll and isn’t particularly healthy. However, here are some suggestions for a more microbiome friendly cinnamon roll.

Use wholewheat, spelt or light rye flour. The bun will be a little less chewy, but it will still be delicious!
Don’t add any sugar in the dough and use date sugar (affiliate link) instead of brown sugar for the filling. Date sugar is quite a bit drier then brown sugar, so increase the melted margarine to 3 tbsp and mix it directly with the date sugar before sprinkling it out on the dough.
Add a probiotic cream cheese frosting, like a cultured cashew frosting.

Vegan Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls

Looking for the perfect vegan cinnamon bun? Try using sourdough starter for the added flavour and texture. It’s easy to take this classic cinnamon roll and adapt it for a healthier version. Perfect with breakfast, brunch or an elevenses coffee break.

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: Vegan

Scale

Ingredients

DOUGH:

1/2 cup sourdough starter
1/2 cup of water
2 3/4 cups flour
1/4 tsp of instant yeast (not necessary, but adds a bit of a boost)
2 tbsp oil
1/4 cup sugar (optional)
5 tbsp vegan butter, melted
1 tsp kosher salt

FILLING:

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

Instructions

Mix all the dough ingredients together. Allow to rise in a warm location until doubled in volume (about 2-4 hours). Use the dough folding procedure 2 times during this rise.
Gently roll the dough into an 18″ by 12″ rectangle. Spread 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.
Roll the dough along the 18″ side, forming it into a tight cylinder. Squeeze gently to even out the layers.
Slice into 12 rolls, and place them in a greased 9×9″ glass dish with the cut side down.
Allow them to rise for another 2-4 hours, until fluffy.
Cook at 350 F for 30-40 min (until browning.)

Notes

If you aren’t use to working with sourdough bread, I recommend reading about sourdough bread techniques and sourdough starter first.
I recommend using earth balance (affiliate link.) It is just the best tasting vegan butter that I have tried.
For non-vegans, I recommend replacing the 2 tbsp of oil in this dough with 2 egg yolks for a softer dough.
Though this recipe would work with whole grain flours, if you want to avoid gluten try my gluten free cinnamon bun recipe instead.
The individual cinnamon bun in the photo above was made in a ramekin. I like making individual buns because they are easy to serve and store.

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