Vegan Apple Cider Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Icing

, , 73

Vegan Apple Cider Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Icing

Although I currently live in California, the east coast has always been my home. My family is from the north and decided to move southeast long before I was born and that was where we stayed. I was always surrounded by beautiful beaches and warm weather but I felt like there was so much in the northeast that I never got to discover.

Like apple cider doughnuts.

I mean, come on. Fried cake doughnuts made from a batter spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg, served alongside a cup of fresh pressed hot apple cider? Wrap me in a flannel blanket and consider me home.

Vegan Apple Cider Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Icing

I hope to make it up there one day to experience real cider doughnuts but in the meantime, I’m preparing for the cool fall mornings in California with a cider recipe of my own.

If you’re a regular reader of mine {p.s. I love you}, then you know this was inspired by the amazing bakery here in Berkeley called Cinnaholic, aka the house of mind blowing vegan cinnamon buns.

My version? A warm fluffy apple cider cinnamon roll topped with baked honeycrisp apples and cream cheese icing.

Vegan Apple Cider Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Icing

This isn’t a recipe you can take shortcuts with but they are definitely worth the extra effort. I baked the apples separately because I was nervous the rolls would get soggy if I cooked them with the filling but you could always try to cook them inside of the buns.

I also tried to reduce the amount of sugar and fat by using applesauce in the batter and I think it worked out perfectly. They were soft and fluffy with a gooey center loaded with apple cinnamon flavor. Enjoy this one, friends!

Vegan Apple Cider Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Icing

Vegan Apple Cider Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Icing

Yield: 12

Prep Time: 1 hour 30 mins

Cook Time: 35 mins

Total Time: 2 hours 5 mins

Print Recipe
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review »

Ingredients:

For the Dough

  • 4 and 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour + a few tablespoons for rolling the dough
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 + 1/4 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk, divided
  • 1/4 cup apple cider
  • 1 tablespoon organic sugar
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened apple sauce
  • 4 tablespoons vegan margarine (I used Earth Balance)
  • 1 envelope active dry yeast

For the Filling

  • 1/2 cup organic brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon organic sugar
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 3 tablespoons vegan margarine, melted

Baked Apples

  • 4 apples peeled and diced (I used honeycrisp)
  • 1/3 cup apple cider
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoons maple syrup

Cream Cheese Icing

  • 8 ounces vegan cream cheese
  • 3/4 cup powdered sugar
  • 3 tablespoons apple cider

Directions:

Prepare the dough: start by heating the almond milk, applesauce and margarine in a small saucepan over low heat while stirring. Once margarine has dissolved, set mixture aside to cool.

Next warm 1/4 cup almond milk (should be warm to the touch; not hot, or it will kill the yeast) then combine it with one tablespoon sugar and packet of yeast in a measuring cup and stir until yeast has dissolved. Set aside for at least ten minutes. The yeast should start to foam and reach the 1/2 cup line. If you don’t see any foaming, then the water was too hot or the yeast was dead and you will have to try again with a new packet.

Meanwhile, combine 4 and 1/2 cups of flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large bowl and sift together. Lightly flour a surface for rolling the dough.

After the yeast has doubled in size, combine it and the cooled melted margarine mixture in a large mixing bowl and beat at a medium speed for about one minute. Add one cup of flour at a time and continue to beat until all of the flour is incorporated. Remove dough from the bowl and place onto the floured surface. Knead for 2-3 minutes with your hands and form into a ball shape.

Lightly grease the large bowl you had the flour in and place the dough inside. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm place for about 1 hour. The dough should double in size.

Once the dough has risen, poke a few holes in it so that it deflates. Place dough onto the floured surface and allow to rest for 5-10 minutes before rolling.

Make the filling: While dough is resting, combine all of the ingredients (except for the melted margarine) for the filling in a small bowl and set aside.

Prepare the rolls: Lightly grease a 9 x 13″ baking dish. Using a rolling pin, smooth the dough out into a rectangle about 18 inches long by 13 inches wide then brush with melted margarine and spread the cinnamon sugar filling evenly across the surface. Roll up the dough from the longer side and pinch to seal the seam. With the seam down, cut the dough into 12 separate rolls using a knife.

Place the rolls into the greased baking dish with the cut side facing down and cover with plastic wrap.* Set aside in a warm place to rise for an additional 30 minutes.

Bake the apples: Preheat the oven to 375°F and place ingredients for apples into a small greased baking dish covered with foil. Bake apples for about 35 minutes. (You can cook cinnamon buns at the same time and put them in about 15 minutes after the apples)

Once rolls have expanded in size, remove plastic wrap and bake in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes until they are light golden brown on the edges. Allow to cool while you prepare the glaze.

In a medium size bowl beat together the ingredients for the icing until a smooth glaze has formed. Add more cider if it a thinner texture is needed. Serve cinnamon buns warm, top with baked apples, and drizzle with cream cheese icing. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

*You have the option to store them overnight in the refrigerator at this point. Just allow them to sit at room temperature for about twenty minutes before baking the next morning.

Directions (with pictures)

To prepare the dough, start by heating the almond milk, sugar, applesauce and margarine in a small saucepan over low heat while stirring. Once margarine has dissolved, set mixture aside to cool.

Next, combine the 1/4 cup warm water {should be warm to the touch; not hot, or it will kill the yeast}, one tablespoon sugar and packet of yeast in a measuring cup and stir until yeast has dissolved. Set aside for at least ten minutes. The yeast should start to foam and reach the 1/2 cup line. If you don’t see any foaming, then the water was too hot or the yeast was dead and you will have to try again with a new packet.

yeast 2

Meanwhile, combine 4 and 1/2 cups of flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large bowl and sift together. Lightly flour a surface for rolling the dough.

After the yeast has doubled in size, combine it and the cooled melted margarine mixture in a large bowl and beat at a medium speed for about one minute. Then add one cup of flour at a time and continue to beat until all of the flour is incorporated. Remove dough from the bowl and place onto the floured surface. Knead for 2-3 minutes with your hands and form into a ball shape.

Lightly grease the large bowl you had the flour in and place the dough inside. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm place for about 1 hour. The dough should double in size.

dough

Once the dough has risen, poke a few holes in it so that it deflates. Place dough onto the floured surface and allow to rest for 5-10 minutes before rolling.

While dough is resting, grease a 9  x 13” pan then combine all of the ingredients (except for the melted margarine) for the filling in a small bowl and set aside.

With a rolling pin, smooth the dough out into a rectangle, about 18 inches long by 13 inches wide then brush the it with the melted margarine and spread the cinnamon sugar mixture evenly across the surface. Roll up the dough from the longer side and pinch to seal the seam.

cinnamon rolls

With the seam down, cut the dough into 12 separate rolls using a knife.

dough 2

Place the rolls into the greased baking dish with the cut side facing down and cover with plastic wrap. Set aside in a warm place to rise for an additional 30 minutes.

rolls

Preheat the oven to 375°F and place ingredients for apples into a small greased baking dish covered with foil. Bake apples for about 35 minutes. (You can cook cinnamon buns at the same time and put them in about 15 minutes after the apples)

Once rolls have expanded in size, remove plastic wrap and bake in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes until they are light golden brown on the edges. Allow to cool while you prepare the glaze.

In a medium size bowl beat together the ingredients for the icing until a smooth glaze has formed. Add more cider if it a thinner texture is needed.

Serve cinnamon buns warm, top with baked apples, drizzle with cream cheese icing and dig in!

Vegan Apple Cider Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Icing

Did you try this recipe? Please let me know how it turned out by leaving a comment below or sharing a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #makingthymeforhealth. I love hearing your feedback! heart

by Sarah on September 17, 2013  //  Breads and Muffins, Breakfast
73 Comments »