Vegan Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls

Flaky, buttery, and spiced with warm, zesty ginger and cinnamon, these Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls are perfect for Christmas brunch and holiday sweet treats. This plant-based recipe is sure to delight vegan and non-vegan eaters alike. Serve these rolls with hot cocoa or a turmeric latte for a warming treat everyone will love!

This post was originally published on Dec 13, 2017. It was updated with new photos and recipe information on December 8, 2024.

Elevate your holiday celebrations or make a statement at Christmas brunch with a warm tray of gingerbread rolls! These light and buttery rolls are so good that unsuspecting fans will never realize they are plant-based and vegan. Over the many years I’ve been making these, they never fail to impress and solicit recipe requests. Really, they are that good!

In addition to the classic cinnamon and brown sugar filling, these gingerbread buns feature ground ginger, nutmeg, cloves, cayenne pepper, and black pepper, making for a warmly spiced filling with a peppy kick. If desired, reduce the cayenne and black pepper for milder palates, or increase it for more heat! For more vegan baking recipes, check out my Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies, Flaky Vegan Pie Crust, and Vegan Pound Cake.

Ingredients

All-Purpose Flour: This flour adds structure to the gingerbread cinnamon rolls recipe, helping them to rise and be fluffy. Always use flour with a good date. If needed, you can substitute bread flour or a mix of equal parts whole wheat and all-purpose flour.

Flaxseed Meal: Ground flaxseed is mixed with water to form a gel-like substance known as a flax “egg.” If you don’t have or don’t like flaxseed, you can swap in chia seed to make a chia egg. However, chia is not aesthetically ideal because it will leave black flecks in the dough.

Nondairy Milk: Choose unsweetened and unflavored milk, such as soy, almond, or oat milk. I use unsweetened plain soy milk.

Yeast: You will need 2 1/4 teaspoons (or one packet) of active dry yeast for perfectly light and fluffy rolls. Check to make sure it hasn’t expired.

Butter: This ingredient adds moisture and richness to the holiday cinnamon rolls. To keep the recipe vegan, use vegan butter (such as Earth Balance or Country Crock Plant Butter).

Cane Sugar: Just 1/4 cup of sugar contributes light sweetness to the dough. It also feeds the yeast.

Brown Sugar: Light brown sugar adds sweetness and delightful molasses notes to the cinnamon roll filling. Pack the brown sugar tightly when measuring. Dark brown sugar works too.

Spices: Ground cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, black pepper, and cayenne pepper add a warm and spicy flavor to the filling, making it more dimensional and festive than classic vegan cinnamon rolls. They wouldn’t be gingerbread cinnamon rolls without all that spice! Salt enhances the taste of the dough.

Powdered Sugar forms the base of the gingerbread frosting. It is smooth and sweet when whisked with milk and makes an excellent base for the gingerbread spices.

How to Make Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls

Though it takes a few steps and a bit of proofing time to make this favorite holiday brunch recipe, the results are worth it and I will lead you through the process, showing you how to make light and fluffy rolls every time! Here’s how to do it:

Make the Cinnamon Roll Dough

• Make the flaxseed “egg.” Mix the ground flax seed and water in a small mixing bowl and set it aside to thicken until a gel-like substance.

• Melt milk and butter. Combine the soy milk and vegan butter in a microwave-safe container and melt in two 30-second intervals, stirring between, until melted and reached 110-120°F.

• Mix the dry ingredients. Combine the flour, active dry yeast, sugar, and salt together in a stand mixer bowl, or large mixing bowl.

• Combine wet and dry ingredients. Pour the milk mixture, room-temperature water, and flax egg into the dry ingredients. Mix well until combined using a whisk or the stand mixer’s flat beater.

• Knead. On a floured work surface or in a stand mixer fitted with a hook attachment, knead the dough until smooth and elastic.

• Proof. Place the dough ball in a lightly greased mixing bowl, cover it with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel, and allow it to rise in a warm place for about one hour.

Make the Spiced Ginger Filling

• Combine spices. Stir the packed brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and cloves in a small mixing bowl until combined.

• Melt butter. Melt the remaining ⅓ cup of vegan butter in a microwave-safe bowl or on the stovetop on medium-low heat.

Assemble and Bake

• Prepare to bake. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Once the dough has doubled, punch down the dough to deflate it. Transfer it back to your floured workspace.

• Roll dough. Roll the dough into a rectangle until it is ⅙-inch thick, about 12×16 inches.

• Add spices. Brush the dough with the melted butter and sprinkle evenly with the spiced sugar mix.

• Roll and cut. Roll the dough tightly. Carefully cut the roll into 1-inch slices; you’ll have about a dozen. Or, cut them a little thicker to make nine large rolls.

• Bake. Place the rolls onto a greased skillet or baking dish (about 9×9 inches). Bake the rolls for 30 minutes until they’re golden on top and hollow-sounding when tapped.

Frost and Serve

• Make frosting. Place powdered sugar in a mixing bowl and stir in the remaining ground cinnamon and ginger. Sifting optional. Add the soy milk and whisk until creamy.

• Cool and frost. Remove rolls from the oven and place them on a wire cooling rack. Cool for 5-10 minutes. Spread the rolls evenly with the gingerbread frosting, and serve immediately.

Jenné’s Recipe Pro-Tips

• Don’t overheat the milk and butter. The ideal temperature for the melted butter and milk mixture is 110-120°F. Melt the mixture just until the butter is melted, not boiling, or to a maximum temperature of 140°F. Use a candy or meat thermometer to keep an eye on the temperature as it heats, or heat it until warm but not hot to the touch.
• Measure the flour by weight. If possible, weigh the flour on a food scale. This will get the most accurate weight, resulting in light and airy rolls. If you don’t have a scale, lightly scoop the flour into measuring cups and level off the top.
• Proof in a warm area. Cover the kneaded dough with plastic wrap or a dish towel and proof in a warm, but not hot, part of your kitchen, such as on the refrigerator, in a sunny corner, or by the oven as it preheats. When my house is cold, I like to set the dough bowl on top of a heating pad or blanket on low.
• Make roll slicing a breeze. For even rolls, use a ruler or measuring tape to slice even 1-inch thick pieces. A serrated knife will keep the edges clean. You can also use unflavored dental floss to cut the rolls by wrapping the floss around the log, crossing the sides of the floss, and pulling the opposing sides firmly until they cut through.
• Adjust the frosting consistency. For a thinner frosting, whisk in more milk by the teaspoon until your desired consistency. For a thicker variation, stir in less milk.

Make Ahead Instructions

Prevent holiday meal-time stress by preparing the buns ahead of time. Make and knead the dough as directed and proof it covered in the refrigerator overnight. If desired, you can also combine the sugar and spice mixture ahead of time. Move the dough to room temperature for 45 minutes before rolling, assembling, and baking the rolls.

Storage Directions

• Storage: Keep leftover cinnamon rolls in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
• Freezing: Freeze the rolls in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Defrost them overnight in the refrigerator.
• Reheating: Serve day-old rolls at room temperature or warm them in the microwave in 15-second increments or a 300°F oven for 3-5 minutes until warm.

Frequently Asked Questions

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