Simply Vegan Cinnamon Rolls

Sometimes a person just feels like making cinnamon rolls.
Actually, sometimes a person just wants to eat a cinnamon roll.
Rather than get in the car and drive to a bakery,
this person...me, would rather spend hours making them.
Sounds a bit crazy, but that's me.
I can be a little nutty.
But that's okay, these rolls are a little nutty too.
So it works.

Now I grew up with my mom making the zenith of all cinnamon rolls...

Her rolls were a little twist of heaven. 

So when I try to make them, I'm always trying to make them as good as hers.

I have her recipe, and yes, I can recreate them, but it's definitely not vegan.

And that is the goal today.  

A vegan cinnamon roll that could rival my mom's...it's a difficult task, but someone's got to do it.

INGREDIENTS

• 1/4 cup warm water (approx. 110 degrees)
• 1 packet instant yeast
• 1 cup unsweetened non-dairy milk (almond, soy, etc.)
• 3 tablespoons coconut oil
• 1/2 cup Earth balance (vegan butter), 
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 or 1 Tbsp cinnamon
• 1/4 cup + 1 Tbl sugar, divided
• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/2- 1 cup chopped pecans

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat 1/4 cup water to approx. 110 degrees, add yeast, and let it activate for 10 minutes.  The yeast will bubble up to approx 2/3 cup. Then add 1 Tbl sugar, the salt, and stir.
2. In a large sauce pan (or in a bowl in the microwave at 30 sec increments), heat the almond milk and 3 Tbls coconut oil until warm and melted, never reaching boiling. Remove from heat and let cool to 110 degrees, or the temperature of bath water. 
3. Transfer the yeast mixture and milk mixture together in a mixing bowl.
4. Next add in flour 1/2 cup at a time, stirring as you go. The dough will be sticky. When it is too thick to stir, transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead for a minute or so until it forms a loose ball. Rinse your mixing bowl out, coat it with canola or grapeseed oil, and add your dough ball back in. Cover with plastic wrap and set in a warm place to rise for about 2 hour, or until doubled in size.

5. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a thin rectangle. Brush with 1/2 cup of melted Earth Balance and top with 1/4 cup sugar, 2/3 cup brown sugar, chopped pecans, and 1/2 – 1Tbl cinnamon.

6.  Starting at one end, tightly roll up the dough and situate seam side down. Then with a serrated knife or a string of floss, cut the dough into 1.5 – 2 inch sections and position in a well-buttered 9 x 13 s pan (you should have about 12 rolls). Brush with remaining 2 Tbsp Earth Balance (melted) and cover with plastic wrap. Set on top of the oven to let rise again while you preheat oven to 350 degrees.

7.  Once the oven is hot, bake rolls for 25-30 minutes or until slightly golden brown. Let cool for a few minutes, drizzle a simple icing, and then serve immediately.

Finally, as always...share these little rolls of love to those around you.
On reflection (and eating), I would add more of the butter, sugar, and pecan mixture to the middle or add a sticky-bun drizzle to the top before serving.  So, try it out and let me know what you think.  Then together we can try to make a vegan version of the heavenly rolls that my mom makes.

Enjoy,
Lori