superfitbabe

These cinnamon rolls just might be some of the best desserts I have made of all time. Seriously. ALL. TIME. I don’t know about you, but I have always been a fan of Cinnabon, as well as other cinnamon rolls from Corner Bakery Cafe, Starbucks, and even supermarkets that whip up some mean treats!

As of now, I only came across one vegan cinnamon roll, which was Cafe Gratitude’s I Am Serene. It was delicious, but I’m certain that it wasn’t the healthiest given all the sugars and oils they probably put into it! But hey, it’s gluten free, so that’s a major plus for being allergen-friendly!

Unlike most cinnamon roll recipes, this one is actually more than decently healthy! It calls for whole wheat pastry flour instead of all purpose flour, the teensiest amount of coconut oil, and also no refined sugar. Instead of sugar, I used Lakanto’s Golden Monkfruit, which is basically an all-natural plant-based calorie free sweetener that bakes perfectly and has a slight brown-sugary aroma! However, you can definitely use regular granulated sugar in the same quantities, and it will still be pretty healthy!

I had half of the batch for brunch with some dairy free cinnamon bun Halo Top, as well as a protein glaze made from vegan pumpkin spice protein powder, Stevia, and water! Even with six cinnamon rolls, I felt incredibly satiated given the fiber and lack of sugar. These cinnamon rolls also taste divine on their own, or with some jam, peanut butter, coffee, a cold glass of non-dairy milk, tea, or just about anything really!

While this recipe is a little more complicated than most of the ones I’ve posted, every step is absolutely worth it. Heck, I bought three bags of active dry yeast (something I’d NEVER purchase) and multiple pounds of whole wheat pastry flour just for this recipe! COMPLETELY worth the effort, and I’ll be making these again and again!

RECIPE (for the dough)

• 2 cups of whole wheat pastry flour
• 2 1/4 tsp dry active yeast
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 TBSP golden monkfruit or any granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup non-dairy milk
• 1 TBSP apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 TBSP coconut oil, melted; melted vegan butter also works

RECIPE (for the filling)

• 3 TBSP non-dairy milk
• 5 TBSP golden monkfruit or granulated sugar
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• Optional: peanut butter, fig cocoa spread, almond butter, jam, maple butter, maple syrup, etc.

PROCEDURE

1. Preheat the oven to 350F.
2. In a large bowl, mix in all the dry ingredients.
3. Gently pour in the wet ingredients.
4. Stir slowly but well, until a thick and soft dough forms and is separable from the bowl.
5. Flour a large and flat surface to roll a third of the dough.
6. Take a third of the dough and roll it out on the floured surface until flat.
7. Prepare the filling by mixing cinnamon and golden monkfruit in a small bowl. Do not add the non-dairy milk!
8. Spread about a tablespoon of non-dairy milk on top of the dough. Generously sprinkle the dough with the cinnamon-monkfruit mixture.
9. Cut the corners so that the dough is shaped as a rectangle. Mold the leftovers back into your remaining dough.
10. Carefully divide the dough into four horizontal strips.
11. Roll each strip into a circular “cinnamon roll” shape.
12. Coat the roll in the cinnamon-monkfruit mixture and place the roll in a muffin tin or a non-stick pan (that’s preferably been sprayed or covered in parchment paper).
13. Repeat steps 8-12 until you have used all of the dough.
14. Refrigerate the cinnamon rolls for 10 minutes to set.
15. Bake the rolls for 30 minutes, or until the filling bubbles up and the edges are golden-brown.
16. Try REALLY hard not to dig into a roll before allowing the rolls to cool down completely!