Best Vegan Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
Best Vegan Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
If you're a fan of cinnamon rolls, you'll be blown away by the deliciousness of my Vegan Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls recipe! Crafted from a homemade pumpkin yeast dough, filled with a delectable pumpkin spice mixture, and generously drizzled with a heavenly maple glaze, these plant-based cinnamon treats are the ultimate Fall indulgence. In just a few hours, you can savor a freshly baked delight with all the cozy flavors of Autumn. Gluten-free option
What Makes These Vegan Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls SO DELICIOUS?
If you've been an avid reader of Orchids + Sweet Tea, then you'll know that Cinnamon Rolls are one of my favorite sweet treats to make. I've always had a fascination and love for cinnamon rolls. You can roll up pretty much anything into a fluffy homemade dough, and it would be delicious, hence why I have so many types of cinnamon rolls on my site! From my festive Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls to my carrot cake-inspired Southern-Style Carrot Cake Cinnamon Rolls to these Homemade Pumpkin Chai Cinnamon Rolls that taste like a sweet hug.
I have tried so many creative flavor combos, but they all came from my LOVE of the classic cinnamon roll recipe! After many years of trial and error, I have perfected the Best Vegan Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls. It turns out you don't have to be a professional baker to make sticky, gooey, frosted homemade pastries---All you need is this homemade cinnamon roll recipe. The results are incredibly light, airy, + fluffy, with a sticky-sweet maple glaze that's smeared on top for sweetness in every bite.
Since this dough is so soft and squishy, little hands are perfect for kneading and rolling. Your kids can also help with the maple frosting, which is super simple. You never know; you might have a future baker on your hands!
Even if you don't have a helping hand in the kitchen, these Vegan Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls are so easy to make. All you need is a little time, patience, and Autumn-inspired ingredients such as 100% pure pumpkin, maple syrup, and pumpkin spice. Sounds like Fall to me!
Jump to:
- What Makes These Vegan Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls SO DELICIOUS?
- How To Make Vegan Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
- Ingredients
- Sweet Rolls or Cinnamon Buns?
- Why You'll Love This Vegan Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls Recipe
- Tips For Making The Perfect Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
- What Is The Best Way To Cut Cinnamon Rolls?
- How to Make Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls Overnight?
- Can I Make These Vegan Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls Without a Long Rise?
- Why Add Organic Artisan Bread Flour?
- How to Make Your Own Pumpkin Puree
- How to Add Pumpkin Flavor to Any Recipe
- Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Troubleshooting
- Best Vegan Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls Q + A's
- Other Fall-Inspired Recipes You'll Love
- MADE OUR RECIPE(S)?
- Best Vegan Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
How To Make Vegan Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
Creating these mouthwatering pumpkin cinnamon rolls involves three key components: the luscious dough, the aromatic pumpkin spice filling, and the crowning glory—a sumptuous maple glaze to bring it all together!
Ingredients
There are quite a few ingredients in these rolls, so check all of these items off of your grocery list!
For the Pumpkin Dough:
- All-purpose flour + artisan bread flour: To create our classic fluffy dough!
- Canned pumpkin puree (not pie filling): For that delightful pumpkin flavor.
- Rapid-rise yeast: To help out beautiful the dough rise and get ultra fluffy.
- Brown sugar. To add sweetness.
- Sea salt. Enhances the flavor.
- Spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom): For those classic fall flavors.
- Warm water. Helps to activate the yeast.
- Almond milk. At room temperature to help add moisture.
- Vegan butter. To enrich the dough. (be sure that it's WARM, not hot!) I love using the brand Earth Balance
For Pumpkin Spice Filling:
- Organic brown sugar: Adds sweetness and caramel notes.
- Vegan butter, melted: Provides richness and a smooth texture.
- Pumpkin spice mix: Infuses the filling with warm, aromatic flavors.
For Maple Glaze:
- Organic powdered sugar, sifted: Creates a smooth and sweet glaze.
- Pure maple syrup: Imparts a delightful maple flavor.
- Vanilla extract: Enhances the glaze with a hint of vanilla.
- Ground cinnamon: Adds a touch of warmth and depth to the glaze.
Sweet Rolls or Cinnamon Buns?
No matter what you prefer to call them—cinnamon buns, cinnamon rolls, sweet rolls, or sticky buns—these irresistible treats have a special place in everyone's heart. It's hard to find someone who doesn't adore them! A cinnamon bun or sweet roll is a soft and sweet bread dough, often filled with a delightful cinnamon-based mixture. These delectable delights are commonly enjoyed during the holiday season. When baked, the filling creates a tantalizing swirl of pure deliciousness. If you're looking for an easy pumpkin cinnamon roll recipe, you've come to the right place!
Why You'll Love This Vegan Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls Recipe
OK, so if you’re still not entirely sold on these homemade pumpkin cinnamon rolls, then let me tell you what’s so great about them.
- They are SOFT, FLUFFY, + BRIOCHE-LIKE in texture
- A phenomenal make-ahead breakfast
- Fun to eat! Pillow-y spirals of buttery dough filled with hypnotic swirls!
- Mouthwatering, fluffy cinnamon + pumpkin spiced goodness.
- Freezes beautifully for convenience.
- Perfect kid-friendly + lunchbox-friendly treat!
- Warm, gooey, and utterly delightful.
Tips For Making The Perfect Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
Due to many delicious attempts at perfecting this vegan cinnamon rolls recipe, I have come across some very helpful tips that will ensure a perfectly baked cinnamon roll.
Never Overheat The Milk!
It is so important that your milk is warm but NOT hot! It should be warm to the touch. If you find that your milk has overheated, allow it to cool before adding the yeast. Milk that is too hot will kill the yeast, and you won't get the big, fluffy rise in the dough. We want these rolls super fluffy, and that's only possible when the yeast is bloomed properly.
Use very soft butter at room temperature
Like in most baking, room temperature ingredients mix better than cold ingredients. Beat in your butter while it is completely room temperature for a seamless, tender texture.
Do not worry about over-mixing
I know it sounds weird, but hear me out. With cakes and cookies, you never want to overwork a dough because working develops the gluten in the flour. Gluten development leads to a chewy, unpleasant texture in cakes and cookies, making them dense and heavy. Because cinnamon rolls use a yeast dough, it is required to develop the gluten in the dough. The yeast brings elasticity that lightens and fluffs the dough, much like bread dough. When making these rolls, keep on mixing even after you think you've mixed enough!
Rise the dough overnight
While I developed this recipe as a quick-bake cinnamon roll, more flavor develops in the dough if you allow it to rise overnight. The dough has more time to rise, leading to a more developed, yeast-bread flavor. This yeast flavor is a perfect pairing with the sweet filling and frosting.
Use a bread flour mix
After much trial and tribulation, I have found that a mix of bread flour and all-purpose flour is the perfect combination for cinnamon rolls. The bread flour gives a tender, thick, brioche-like texture that I think is perfect for this dish.
Roll them up tight!
A loose roll will fall apart upon slicing and bake unevenly. Instead, begin with a very tight roll and keep that momentum throughout the roll. The dough is sturdy and can handle being rolled tightly due to its elasticity.
What Is The Best Way To Cut Cinnamon Rolls?
Ready to ditch the traditional knife and embrace a quirky method for cutting cinnamon rolls? It's time to bring out the dental floss. Yes, you read that right! Unflavored dental floss is the secret weapon for perfectly sliced cinnamon rolls.
Why? Because it slices from the inside out, avoiding any squishing mishaps that can happen with a regular knife. Simply run it along the bottom of the rolls, and cross the two ends over each other. Give it a pull, and voila! Your perfectly sliced cinnamon rolls are ready to bake. But if you're using a knife, remember to channel your inner lumberjack and saw gently back and forth without squishing the rolls.
How to Make Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls Overnight?
If you don’t want to make your Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls on the same day, you can simply follow all steps (including the initial 1+ hour rise) and after cutting rolls and placing them into your baking pan, just cover them tightly (using foil paper of plastic wrap) and refrigerate them overnight or for 8-12 hours instead. The following day, remove from refrigerator and keeping them covered, let cinnamon rolls rise at room temp 1 to 1 ½ hours.
Can I Make These Vegan Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls Without a Long Rise?
Absolutely! When it comes to this vegan cinnamon rolls recipe or any for that matter, you always have the option of making them the traditional way which requires a 1-2 hours initial rise and then another 20-25 minute rise before baking OR an overnight option.
However, if you're in a rush to make these or don't want to deal with a long rise time, you can simply create your dough and do a quick rise (20-25 minutes) and place them straight in the oven to bake. Either way, cinnamon rolls are AMAZING and worth whatever wait time you choose!
Why Add Organic Artisan Bread Flour?
As I've mentioned previously, I love adding Bob's Red Mill Organic Bread Flour to my cinnamon rolls as a secret ingredient because it creates such fluffy rolls.
This bread flour is made with premium high-protein flour milled from America's highest quality wheat. While using all-purpose flour can achieve soft cinnamon rolls, there's just something special about the rolls when this type of flour mixes in. I don't know how to explain it, but mixing in this bread type allows for the rolls to be thicker, airy, fluffy, soft, and just GOOD!
In general, this bread flour is perfect for baguettes, pizza crust, dinner rolls, no-knead breads, and more. However, I think that we can add cinnamon rolls to the list. Haha.
How to Make Your Own Pumpkin Puree
If you're thinking about making your own pumpkin puree instead of using a store-bought canned version, then you'll be happy to know that it is rather simple:
- Step 1: Cut your pumpkins in half and scoop out the seeds. Be sure to save the seeds for another time because you can definitely use those!
- Step 2: Feel free to cube the pumpkins into medium-large chunks and then place them unto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. NOTE: ensure that the skin of pumpkin are peeled off at this point.
- Step 3: Always season your pumpkin pieces (pinch of salt and cinnamon in this case for the recipe) and lightly grease with olive oil until coated.
- Step 4: Roast in the oven at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for about 40-45 minutes or until the edges are golden and they become super tender once tested with a fork or knife.
- Step 5: Using a food processor or blender, puree your pumpkin along with water or veggie stock, until smooth. You can either use this immediately in whatever pumpkin recipe you'd like, store it in the freezer for later use.
How to Add Pumpkin Flavor to Any Recipe
If you can add pumpkin to cinnamon rolls, you can add pumpkin to pretty much anything! Pumpkin is a wholesome vegan ingredient that acts as a binder in baking, much like applesauce.
Forget having to buy pumpkins, roast them, and then puree them. There's no need! The secret is to take help from the grocery store by buying a high-quality 100% pure canned pumpkin variety.
Be sure to avoid buying canned pumpkin pie filling on accident. Pumpkin pie filling already has spices, sugar, and binders in them, which would change the flavor of your recipe entirely. I prefer to add my own spices and sugar, so 100% pure pumpkin is the way to go.
I'd love to share some of my favorite pumpkin-infused recipes with you! When it comes to savory dishes, like the Creamy Vegan Cajun Pumpkin Alfredo Pasta, you can incorporate a can of pure pumpkin for that perfect twist. And for sweet delights, you can add a smaller quantity --you won't want to miss out on The Best Vegan Pumpkin Bread, a fluffy serving of Pumpkin French Toast, or the irresistible Baked Pumpkin French Toast Casserole.
Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Troubleshooting
Why Are My Cinnamon Rolls Not Fluffy?
The consistency of the dough is affected by a variety of factors, including the weather and humidity. The most common reason cinnamon rolls don't turn out fluffy is that the dough didn't have enough time to rise. You want a pan of puffy-looking buns even before baking.
Why Are My Cinnamon Rolls Rising Unevenly When I Bake Them?
During baking, the centers of the cinnamon rolls may appear whack-a-mole-style. This can happen if you roll them too tightly or if the pan is too small/crowded. It's happened to me several times don't worry it's fixable. Remove the pan from the oven and gently push the highly raised areas down with the back of a spoon it is an easy fix!
Why Are My Cinnamon Rolls Hard?
Unfortunately, when cinnamon rolls come out too hard and/or dense, it means that the yeast wasn't activated properly, and the dough didn't rise like it should have. If the dough doesn't double in size before being rolled out, then this is an indication that the dough didn't rise adequately.
Best Vegan Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls Q + A's
Yes! To make fluffy classic cinnamon rolls gluten-free, substitute both the all-purpose and bread flour with Bob's RedMill 1:1 baking flour. Reduce the amount by 1 cup and add more if necessary if the dough is too sticky.
Store leftover rolls in an airtight container in the fridge for one to two days. For longer storage, keep in the freezer for up to six months. Defrost the rolls for a few hours on the counter before storing.
If you’re not using the Rapid Rise Yeast for this recipe, please know that the rise time will be twice as long (about 3 hours) since regular Active Yeast doesn’t work as quickly.
Absolutely! Usually, I make my cinnamon roll dough via my electric stand-mixer which has the appropriate attachments for the kneading process, however, with these cinnamon rolls, I have had the pleasure of doing this all by hand and it wasn't difficult.
It just requires a bit more arm work, that's all! Plus, there’s nothing that a light drizzle of flour can’t help, right?! You'll basically follow all steps for making the dough in a large bowl and once it begins to come together and can form a ball, then you'll begin working the dough in a front-to-back and folding motion a few times until you begin to feel the dough "soften" and become elastic-like. It took me about 5-6 minutes or so total. Not bad!
YES! Basically, you would preheat your air fryer as you would your oven---somewhere around 360 degrees or so. Prepare your air fryer basket with non-stick oil spray and then doing all of the steps in making the cinnamon rolls. Once rolls are created, you'll add each roll to the prepared basket, leaving a bit of space in between and cook them in the air fryer for 8 minutes to start. They should be full cooked through, but you can add additional minutes for an outside crisp of the rolls. Remove them and then frost them warm! Enjoy!
Other Fall-Inspired Recipes You'll Love
If you love this Vegan Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls recipe, you'll love my other Fall treats!
- Vegan Pumpkin Spice Muffins
- Easy Vegan Pumpkin Mac and Cheese
- Dairy-Free Caramel Apple Cider
- Vegan Pumpkin Pie
- Baked Pumpkin French Toast Casserole
MADE OUR RECIPE(S)?
If you make these Best Vegan Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls or any other recipe from us? be sure to tag us on Instagram at #Orchidsandsweettea so that we can share the love!
Best Vegan Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
PUMPKIN DOUGH:
- 4 cups organic All-purpose flour (See Notes!)
- 2 cups Artisan Bread flour
- 1 cup organic pumpkin puree (Canned version, not pie filling!)
- 1 packet Rapid Rise Yeast (That's 2 ¼ tsps!)
- ½ cup organic brown sugar + 1 Tbsp
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- pinch of ground cardamom
- ¼ cup WARM water (See Notes!)
- 1 ¼ cup Almond milk, room temp. (You can use your fave plant-based milk!)
- 6 Tbsps vegan butter (Make sure that it's WARM, not hot!)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
PUMPKIN SPICE FILLING:
- ½ cup organic brown sugar
- 3 Tbsps vegan butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin spice mix (See Notes!)
MAPLE GLAZE:
- 3 cups organic powdered sugar, sifted
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
FOR THE DOUGH:
- Combine yeast and 1 tablespoon brown sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer and slowly pour in warm water while stirring frequently. Allow 5 minutes for the mixture to sit and for the yeast to activate.
- Add in the room temperature milk and warm butter to the yeast mixture and whisk until well combined. Add in the pumpkin puree and vanilla and whisk to incorporate.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, bread flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, and sea salt and add them to the wet ingredients and mix on low-speed until well combined and everything begins to form into a dough-like consistency, about 2-3 minutes.
- Change “Mixer head” to kneading accessory and knead dough for 5-10 minutes on high speed until dough ball becomes smooth and elastic and dough springs back when lightly pressed together with 2 fingers. NOTE: If dough is still too sticky, add 1 tablespoon of flour at a time until texture is achieved!
- Lightly grease a large bowl with a small amount of olive oil and place the dough ball in the bowl, tossing it around until coated. Cover with plastic wrap (or a towel) and let sit for 1 hour, allowing the dough to rise and double in size.
- In the meantime, you can work on the filling!
FOR THE FILLING:
- Melt the butter in a small bowl and set aside. In a separate bowl, combine the pumpkin spice mix and brown sugar, mixing them together. Set aside.
- Once the dough has risen fully, preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and line a large 9x13 baking dish with parchment paper, allowing excess to hang from the sides.
- Add a bit of flour to a surface and place the dough onto it, lightly adding a bit of flour to the top. Using a rolling-pin, roll out the dough into a rectangular shape (approximately 9″x14 and ½-inch thick), trimming the edges if needed. NOTE: Try not to make the dough too thin or else rolling it up will be hard to do!
- Then, generously brush melted butter (leaving aside 1 Tbsp) atop dough, followed by the brown sugar-pumpkin spice mixture, ensuring that the top is coated evenly. NOTE: I also use a 'pastry brush' to sweep sugar mixture evenly across the dough to ensure that every bite is sweet!
- Tightly roll dough (long-ways) and using a pastry cutter, cut dough into 1.5" rolls, placing each roll (cut side down) into a large baking dish (lined with parchment paper!).
- Then place plastic wrap (and foil for security) over the baking dish with rolls, brush the tops with a little more melted butter, and let them rise again for another 20 minutes or until they double in size again!
- Bake rolls in the preheated oven for approximately 35-40 minutes or until the tops are golden brown and the centers have baked through.
- While all the baking magic is happening, make the Maple Glaze.
MAPLE GLAZE:
- In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, warm maple syrup for 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat.
- In a large bowl, add the powdered sugar, warm maple syrup, vanilla, and cinnamon, whisking everything together until the glaze becomes smooth and velvety. NOTE: Add Almond milk (1 tablespoon at a time) if the glaze is too thick or powdered sugar (1 tablespoon at a time) if too thin.
- Remove the rolls from oven and wait 25-30 minutes or until it completely cools, before spreading the frosting/glaze atop the rolls using a rubber spatula evenly until fully covered.
- To serve, cut out each roll desired and enjoy.
- Bon Appetit!
Tips & Tricks
- TO STORE: Cinnamon Rolls can be kept fresh at room temperature when tightly wrapped or sealed for up to 3 days. Fresh for up to 1 week in the Refrigerator. Baked rolls can be frozen up to 2 months.
- OVERNIGHT OPTION: If you don’t want to make your Cinnamon Rolls on the same day, you can simply follow all steps (including the initial 1+ hour rise) and after cutting rolls and placing them into your baking pan, just cover them tightly (using foil paper of plastic wrap) and refrigerate them overnight or for 8-12 hours instead. The following day, remove from refrigerator and keeping them covered, let cinnamon rolls rise at room temp 1 to 1 ½ hours.
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RAPID (INSTANT) RISE YEAST VS. ACTIVE DRY YEAST: If you’re not using the Rapid Rise Yeast for this recipe, please know that the rise time will be twice as long (about 3 hours) since regular Active Yeast doesn’t work as quickly.PUMPKIN SPICE MIX: If you don’t have Pumpkin Spice readily available, you can use the following: 2 tsps ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg, ½ teaspoon ground ginger, ¼ teaspoon ground cloves, and a pinch of allspice.
Nutrition
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Could the first rise be done overnight in the fridge?!
Hi Ronnie! I don't recommend doing the first rise in the fridge since the cold temp slows things down and kills the yeast. However, after the first rise, you can refrigerate as stated in the notes. 🙂
Amazing recipe !!
Hi Chelsea! I'm so glad that you enjoyed these! 🙂
AMAZING. The whole family loved it. I think I might cut some of the pumpkin spice seasoning next time but it was 10/10
Hi Jennifer! Yay! I'm so happy to hear that! This is definitely one of my must-bake items for the Fall season! 🙂
Could I substitute all purpose flour in place of the bread flour?
Hi Ashley,
Definitely! The bread flour helps to create more of a brioche feel. However, All-Purpose definitely works! 🙂
How can I make this gluten free !?
Hi Ashly! To make it Gluten-Free, you can use Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free 1:1 Baking Flour and reduce the milk to 3/4 cup instead. If dough is too dry, you can then add more milk, 1 Tbsp at a time. However, if using an entirely Gluten-Free flour like Almond Flour, etc. just use 1 tsp of xanthan gum as well. I hope this helps!
I love everything about this recipe! Thank you for sharing!
Perfect fall breakfast treat. All those yummy flavors, cinnamon, nutmeg and cardamon. Fantastic recipe.
These look like the perfect breakfast for Thanksgiving morning. Can't wait to make these. Thanks for sharing!
These look so delicious, the perfect breakfast!
These cinnamon rolls sound so good. Especially with the addition of pumpkin, Great way to switch them up and the maple glaze looks amazing!
That maple glaze. Wow that looks so amazing! I will be trying these for sure.
Hi Kristen! Yes, that maple glaze is so amazing! I definitely recommend!
My goodness these look incredible!
Thanks so much! They are really delicious!
Wow these look amazing!!!
Thanks so much! They most certainly were amazing! 🙂
These look amazing. I am always looking for new recipes. I am not vegan but I sometimes branch out and make vegan recipes. YUM!
Thanks so much! Yes, I enjoy making a lot of vegan recipes also even though I don't eat an entirely vegan diet! I do hope that you get a chance to give this one a try!
Vegan or not, these cinnamon rolls looks amazing! I can basically smell the cinnamon just by looking at the pictures. I'll try them!
Hi Betty! Thanks so much! Trust me, once you bite into them, you won't even realize that they are vegan! Be sure to let me know what you think once you do try them! 🙂
These pumpkin rolls look amazing! I bet my kids would even eat them. Pinning to try the recipe later!
Hi Summer! Yes, my little guy loves it and I don't feel as guilty because they are made with good ingredients. I do hope that you and your family enjoy them! Thanks so much! 🙂