These vegan cinnamon rolls are refined sugar free and topped with a rich maple icing. This homemade treat is soft, fluffy and perfectly sweetened! Enjoy these decadent, ready in about an hour, cinnamon rolls for breakfast this weekend!
1 ½Tablespoonscoconut oilsoftened to be spreadable
½cupcoconut sugar
2scant Tablespoonsground cinnamon
pinchof saltoptional but I feel it helps enhance the flavors.
Maple Icing
½cupcoconut sugarblend (see note)
1Tablespoonstapioca starch
½teaspooncoconut oil
¾teaspoonmaple extract
2teaspoonsmaple syrupmore as needed
1teaspoonalmond milkmore as needed
Instructions
Dough
Start by warming the almond milk in a small saucepan. Once warmed to the touch (about bathwater temp) move your pan to a cooled burner. Add ¼ teaspoon coconut sugar and the yeast. Let sit for about 15 min to activate the yeast. Note: If your almond milk is heated too long, wait for it to cool to ideal temp before adding the sugar and yeast.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl mix the dry ingredients: 2 cups of flour, remaining 3T coconut sugar, salt, and nutmeg and make a well in the center of the mixture.
Once the milk/yeast mixture foams, whisk in the oil.
Now, add the wet ingredients to the dry. Mix together until combined. Slowly add in the last cup of flour until a sticky dough ball forms. (you may not need all of the flour, use the remaining for dusting during kneading)
Turn the dough out on a clean floured surface. Knead the dough for about 3-5 min. The dough should be slightly sticky, but not sticking to your hands. If it sticks to your hands, dust your hands and the dough with more flour.(A Kitchenaid mixer can be used instead of kneading by hand.)
Once the dough comes together, it should still be slightly sticky, yet smooth. Form the dough into a ball, place in an oiled bowl, and cover with a tea towel. Let rest for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, prep the filling and oil a 9x9 inch square dish.
Filling & Rolling the Dough
Combine the cinnamon and sugar in a bowl.
Once the dough has rested, flour a clean dry surface and roll it out to about a 14 by 11-inch rectangle. (MINI ROLLS- roll the dough out to about 25x9-inch rectangle.)
Brush the top of the dough with your softened coconut oil leaving about a half-inch, clean, on one of the longer ends. Optional - Sprinkle a pinch of salt over the oil, it gives the filling a more buttery taste.
Spread the cinnamon and sugar over the oil. Make sure to leave the half-inch clean of the mix as well.
Now, roll the dough from the one longer end with filling, to the other clean end. Brush the un-oiled, clean end with water, this will help seal the dough to itself.
Using a sharp knife, slice the dough creating 9 even cinnamon rolls (or 24-26 MINI rolls). For even cuts, use your knife to mark out where to cut each roll. Then carefully and slowly slice each cinnamon roll.
In an oiled 9x9 inch pan, evenly place your 9 rolls. Let rise another 15 min.
Baking
While the rolls are rising, preheat your oven to 350º and prep the icing.
After 15 minutes of rising, bake the rolls for 25-30 min or until lightly brown.
Bake MINI rolls in a 9x13-inch baking dish for 15-20 minutes.
Maple Icing
Whisk together the ingredients--powdered coconut sugar, tapioca starch, coconut oil, maple extract, maple syrup, and almond milk. If needed, add more maple syrup and/or almond milk to achieve desired consistency.
Top cinnamon rolls with icing and optional walnut pieces as they are served.
To store
Cover remaining icing and store in the fridge.
Leftover cinnamon rolls can be covered and stored on the counter for up to 24 hours. If you plan on storing them longer I suggest placing them in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
Notes
Coconut sugar: Using a high speed blender or coffee grinder, blend the sugar into a powder.