1 hour Vegan Cinnamon Rolls. One-bowl aquafaba cinnamon rolls made from scratch, topped with a cashew cream frosting. Easy, soy-free and palm oil–free breakfast that’s ready in about 60 minutes. Jump to Recipe
These cinnamon rolls are soft, tender and simple to make in one bowl. The secret ingredient is aquafaba — the viscous liquid from a can of chickpeas (or the cooking liquid from pressure-cooked chickpeas). Aquafaba works as an egg substitute in many vegan baking recipes and adds moisture and lift to dough, helping the rolls rise quickly and stay light.
The method is straightforward: proof the yeast in warm water with a bit of sugar, then stir in aquafaba, maple syrup, oil and flour to form a soft dough. Roll the dough out on a floured surface, brush with melted vegan butter or oil, sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar filling, roll tightly, slice and arrange in a parchment-lined pan. Let the rolls rise briefly in a warm spot, then bake until just golden. Finish with your preferred frosting or glaze — a lightly sweetened cashew-cream frosting with lemon and cinnamon works beautifully if you want something less sugary than a plain sugar glaze.
If you have extra time, try the two-rise method: let the dough rise once after mixing, then shape and allow a second rise after slicing. Two rises produce even fluffier rolls, especially when using whole-grain or mixed flours that need more fermentation to remain light. A gluten-free version is available as an alternative. A short recipe video is included above the recipe widget for visual guidance.
More breakfast options from the blog:
- Vegan Carrot Cake Loaf
- Banana Chocolate Chunk Muffins (GF)
- One-Bowl Pumpkin Bread
- Pumpkin Banana Cranberry Bread (GF)
- One-Bowl Banana Apple Bread (can be made into muffins)
- Banana Walnut Loaf (GF)
Jump to the Recipe
About the dough: aquafaba lends moisture and structure to the rolls. If you don’t have aquafaba, you can substitute room-temperature non-dairy yogurt or a mix of 1/4 cup coconut milk plus 1.5 tablespoons flax meal, though aquafaba gives the best rise and texture for this recipe. Brush the rolled dough with melted vegan butter or oil before adding the cinnamon-sugar filling, then roll along the long side, slice and place the spirals into the prepared pan.
Roll the dough into a 10 by 14 inch rectangle, spread oil or melted vegan butter, sprinkle the filling evenly, then roll up tightly and slice into spirals. Place the slices in a parchment-lined 8×8-inch or 9-inch pan, brush or spray a little oil on top, cover lightly and let them rise until just about doubled. Bake until edges begin to brown and the rolls are set.
Allow the rolls to cool for a few minutes, then frost with your chosen icing while still warm. Serve and enjoy these aquafaba vegan cinnamon rolls fresh from the oven — they’re especially good with a slightly tangy cashew-cream frosting or a simple powdered-sugar glaze.
Video: a recipe video is embedded below to walk you through the process.
Recipe
1 Hour Cinnamon Rolls with Aquafaba
Ingredients
Cinnamon Rolls:
- 3/4 cup warm-hot water
- 1/4 cup aquafaba (chickpea brine) — or room-temp non-dairy yogurt or 1/4 cup coconut milk + 1.5 tbsp flax meal (aquafaba gives best results)
- 1 tbsp sugar or other sweetener
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 packet active yeast (or 2 1/2 tsp active yeast)
- 2 tbsp oil (or melted vegan butter)
- 1 tsp nutritional yeast (optional)
- 2.5 cups or more flour (unbleached white or a blend of white and wheat)
- 1/3 tsp salt
Filling:
- 1 to 2 tbsp oil or melted vegan butter
- 1/3 cup coconut sugar or brown sugar (or more to taste)
- 2 to 3 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp salt
- Optional: a pinch of cardamom or nutmeg for variation
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F / 180°C. Line an 8×8-inch brownie pan or 9-inch pie pan with parchment. Mix the warm water, aquafaba, sugar, maple syrup and yeast; let sit about a minute for the yeast to activate.
- Add the oil and 2 cups of flour plus the salt. Knead, adding more flour a few tablespoons at a time until a soft, somewhat smooth dough forms (about 4–6 minutes).
- Roll the dough on a floured surface into a 10×14-inch rectangle.
- Brush the dough with oil or melted vegan butter. Sprinkle the sugar, cinnamon and salt evenly over the surface. Roll the dough tightly from the long edge into a cylinder.
- Slice into rolls using a pizza cutter, dental floss, or a serrated knife. Place the slices in the prepared pan, brush or spray lightly with oil, cover with a towel and let rise near a warm oven for 15–20 minutes or until nearly doubled.
- Bake at 350°F / 180°C for 21–23 minutes, until edges are beginning to brown and the rolls are set.
- Let the rolls rest a few minutes, prepare your glaze or frosting, then frost and serve warm.
Video
Notes
2-rise method: After step 2, cover the dough and let it rise 1–1.5 hours or until doubled. Punch down lightly, roll out and continue with shaping. This yields fluffier rolls, especially with whole-grain or mixed flours.
Make ahead: Make the dough, let it rise 30 minutes, roll and fill, slice and place in the pan. Spray with oil, cover and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature (about 1 hour) before baking.
Glaze: Mix 1 cup powdered sugar, a pinch of salt and 1 tbsp or more lemon juice (or non-dairy milk) until smooth. Drizzle immediately. If the glaze stiffens, warm briefly and thin with a bit more liquid. The cinnamon cashew frosting from a carrot cake thinned slightly also works great.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is an approximation.
