Apple Cinnamon Rolls: Soft and Easy Vegan Recipe (9 Rolls)
These apple cinnamon rolls are what I bake on the first truly cold Saturday of October, when the apples from the orchard trip are starting to wrinkle in the fruit bowl. The dough is soft and pillowy without any eggs or dairy, the filling is a quick skillet of cinnamon apples, and a thin vanilla glaze melts into every swirl while they’re still warm.
I tested a lot of versions to get here. Raw apples leaked juice and made the bottoms soggy, and too much filling made the rolls unravel. Cooking the apples for five minutes with a little brown sugar and cornstarch fixed both problems. The result is a tidy roll with tender apple in every bite.
Prep: 30 minutes | Cook: 25 minutes | Total: 2 hours 25 minutes (includes 1 1/2 hours rising) | Serves: 9 rolls | Diet: vegan, egg-free, dairy-free
Why You’ll Love These Apple Cinnamon Rolls
- No eggs, no dairy, no fuss. Plant milk, vegan butter and applesauce make a dough that bakes up just as soft as a classic one.
- The apple filling stays put. A quick cook thickens the juices so nothing leaks out in the oven.
- They cost about 55 cents a roll. Flour, sugar, two apples and a packet of yeast go a long way.
- You can make them the night before. Let them rise slowly in the fridge and bake them in the morning.
- The whole house smells amazing. Honestly, that alone is reason enough.
Ingredients
These apple cinnamon rolls have three short lists: the dough, the apple filling and a simple glaze. Weights are included because they make yeast baking much more reliable.
For the Dough
- 3/4 cup unsweetened soy or oat milk, warmed to about 110F (180ml)
- 2 1/4 teaspoons instant or active dry yeast, 1 packet (7g)
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar (38g)
- 1/4 cup vegan butter, melted (56g)
- 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce (60g)
- 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling (345g)
- 3/4 teaspoon fine salt (4.5g)
For the Apple Filling
- 2 medium apples, peeled and finely diced, about 2 cups (250g)
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar, divided (100g)
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon (8g)
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch (3g)
- 2 tablespoons vegan butter, softened (28g)
For the Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar (120g)
- 2 to 3 tablespoons plant milk (30-45ml)
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract (1ml)
Ingredient Notes
Apples: For apple cinnamon rolls, pick a firm, sweet-tart apple that holds its shape, like Honeycrisp, Gala, Pink Lady or Granny Smith. Very soft apples like McIntosh turn to mush.
Yeast: Instant and active dry both work here. Just make sure the milk is warm, not hot. If it feels hotter than a warm bath, let it cool a minute.
Vegan butter: A stick-style vegan butter gives the best flavor. In a pinch, use refined coconut oil or a neutral oil in the dough, and soft margarine for the filling.
How to Make Apple Cinnamon Rolls
- Activate the Yeast. Stir the warm milk, yeast and 1 tablespoon of the sugar in a large bowl. Let it sit 5 to 10 minutes until foamy.
- Make the Dough. Whisk in the melted butter, applesauce and remaining sugar. Add the flour and salt and stir into a shaggy dough. Knead on a floured counter for 6 to 8 minutes until smooth and slightly tacky.
- First Rise. Place the dough in an oiled bowl, cover, and let it rise in a warm spot for about 1 hour, until doubled.
- Cook the Apples. Meanwhile, toss the diced apples with 2 tablespoons of the brown sugar, 1 teaspoon of the cinnamon and the cornstarch. Cook in a skillet over medium heat for 5 minutes until just soft and syrupy. Cool completely.
- Roll and Fill. Roll the dough into a 12×16-inch rectangle. Spread with the softened butter, sprinkle with the remaining brown sugar and cinnamon, then scatter the cooled apples evenly, leaving a 1-inch strip bare on one long edge.
- Roll and Cut. Roll up tightly from the long side opposite the bare edge and pinch the seam. Cut into 9 even rolls with a sharp knife or unflavored dental floss and place in a greased 9-inch square pan.
- Second Rise. Cover and let the rolls rise 30 to 40 minutes until puffy and touching. Heat the oven to 375F (190C) during the last 15 minutes.
- Bake. Bake 22 to 26 minutes until golden on top and the center roll reads about 190F inside. Cool 10 minutes in the pan.
- Glaze and Serve. Whisk the powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons milk and vanilla until smooth, adding more milk a teaspoon at a time as needed. Drizzle over the warm rolls and serve.
Tips for the Best Apple Cinnamon Rolls
Dice the apples small. Quarter-inch pieces are easy to roll up and don’t tear the dough. Big chunks poke through and make the rolls lopsided.
Let the filling cool completely. Warm apples in apple cinnamon rolls melt the butter layer and make the dough slippery. I spread them on a plate so they cool in 10 minutes.
Don’t add too much flour. The dough should feel slightly tacky. Extra flour is the main reason homemade apple cinnamon rolls turn out dry.
Use floss to cut. Slide unflavored dental floss under the log, cross the ends over the top and pull. It cuts clean rounds without squashing the swirls.
Check the center roll. The middle one bakes last. When it reads about 190F inside or springs back when pressed, the pan is done.
Make-Ahead Overnight Option
After cutting the rolls and placing them in the pan, cover tightly and refrigerate for 8 to 16 hours. In the morning, let the pan sit on the counter for 45 to 60 minutes until the rolls look puffy, then bake as written. This is how I make apple cinnamon rolls for holiday mornings without waking up at 5 a.m.
Apple Cinnamon Rolls Variations and Budget Swaps
- Swap the fruit: Use firm pears in place of apples. It’s a lovely change and great if you have pears from the spiced pear crisp left over.
- Add crunch: Sprinkle 1/3 cup chopped walnuts or pecans over the apples.
- Maple glaze: Replace the vanilla with 1 tablespoon maple syrup and use a little less milk.
- Spice it up: Add 1/4 teaspoon each of nutmeg and ginger to the filling.
- Half whole wheat: Swap up to 1 cup of the flour for white whole wheat flour. Add an extra tablespoon of milk.
If you bake a lot, weighing flour is the single best habit you can pick up. King Arthur has a handy ingredient weight chart that I keep bookmarked.
What They Cost
Here’s my rough breakdown: flour $0.70, yeast $0.50, sugar and brown sugar $0.60, vegan butter $1.40, two apples $1.20, plant milk $0.30, powdered sugar $0.40 and applesauce, cinnamon and vanilla about $0.40. That’s roughly $5.50 for nine big apple cinnamon rolls.
Storage
Room temperature: Keep glazed apple cinnamon rolls covered for up to 2 days.
Reheating: Warm a roll in the microwave for 15 to 20 seconds. It tastes freshly baked again.
Freezer: Freeze unglazed baked rolls for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature, warm in a 300F oven for 10 minutes and glaze. For more apple snacks to keep around, my baked cinnamon apple chips are a crunchy favorite.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make apple cinnamon rolls without a stand mixer?
Yes. I make them by hand every time. A wooden spoon brings the dough together and 6 to 8 minutes of kneading on the counter does the rest.
Why didn’t my apple cinnamon rolls rise?
The milk may have been too hot and killed the yeast, or the kitchen was cold. Try the oven with just the light on, and give it more time. Dough rises slower in a cool fall kitchen.
Can I use canned apple pie filling?
You can. Chop about 1 1/2 cups of the filling into small pieces and skip the skillet step. It’s sweeter, so cut the brown sugar to 1/3 cup.
Are these apple cinnamon rolls vegan?
Yes. The dough uses plant milk, vegan butter and applesauce, and there’s no egg wash. Check that your sugar is vegan if that matters to you, since some cane sugar is processed with bone char.
How do I know when they’re done?
They should be golden on top and the center roll should feel springy. An instant-read thermometer in the middle roll should read about 190F.
Bake a Batch This Weekend
Warm apple cinnamon rolls on a chilly morning are one of the small joys of fall. They take a little time, but most of it is waiting while the dough rises, and the payoff is a pan of soft, glazed rolls that disappear fast. If you bake them, I’d love to hear which apples you used. For more cozy morning ideas, browse my vegan breakfast recipes, including these vegan pumpkin chocolate chip muffins.
If these rolls made your weekend a little cozier, share the recipe with a fellow baker, and follow me on Pinterest for more vegan fall baking ideas. After your batch comes out of the oven, head to the recipe card to leave a star rating, and tell me in the comments how fast they disappeared. Happy baking!
