Orange Cinnamon Rolls
Growing up as a kid in Mississippi, cinnamon rolls were often enjoyed. But rarely did I have the pleasure of eating orange cinnamon rolls. I can still remember my first time trying this special variation and being hit with the classic flavors of traditional cinnamon rolls, in addition to the bright and citrusy notes of oranges. Let’s just say after the first bite—I was hooked. The thought clearly has never left my brain and so here we are today with me sharing with you these vegan orange cinnamon rolls. Absolutely perfect for the holidays or for whenever you need a special treat to brighten up your day.
INSPIRATION FOR THIS RECIPE
In addition to memories of eating this delicious variation as a kid, I also wanted to take a moment to offer a shoutout to my fellow vegan food blogger Addicted to Dates, where the base recipe for these cinnamon rolls comes from! This past summer, I had a craving for cinnamon rolls and I decided to try her recipe. (All of her food content looks absolutely incredible and her blog recipes are thoughtful, well-written, and the photography is gorgeous.) After trying her traditional recipe, I knew that there was no need for me to improve it. The dough is soft, fluffy, gooey and just right! So I asked her if I could share it on my blog but with my own twist and she agreed! Please do go check out her fabulous blog and Instagram when you have a chance.
That being said, these vegan orange cinnamon rolls are special and unique by adding a few pinches of warming spices to the dough. This includes ground allspice, nutmeg, and cloves (a little pinch of these goes a long way!). When combined with lots of fresh orange zest, they all come together beautifully to perfume the dough. For the icing, I also like to add orange zest and juice which offers a nice, bright flavor in addition to a beautiful color.
PROCESS FOR VEGAN ORANGE CINNAMON ROLLS
The detailed instructions are in the recipe below but here are some process shots to help guide you. In short, you mix the dough and let it double in size. Then you roll the dough out and spread over the cinnamon filling. Then you roll it up, slice it, and let it proof one more time in a baking dish. Once baked, you drizzle them with icing and enjoy!
FINAL BAKING & MAKE IN ADVANCE OPTIONS
Once the dough is cut into 9 rolls and placed in your desired baking dish, you have a few options for baking these vegan orange cinnamon rolls:
Same Day Baking: Cover the baking dish with plastic wrap and wait a few hours until the rolls double in size and become nice and fluffy. Don’t stress too much about an exact time here. The rise will depend on your location and temperature of your kitchen. One visual cue to look for is when they are looking plump, you can gently press into the dough. It should slowly bounce back. This means you are ready to bake!
Next Day Baking: Cover the baking dish with plastic wrap and place them in the fridge. When you are ready to bake the next day, take them out of the fridge and wait about 2 hours until they are plump and have doubled in size. This is ideal for the holidays as you can make them the day before and enjoy them the next morning.
Freezer Option: Cover the baking dish with plastic wrap and then a layer of foil and place them in the freezer, where they can sit for a few months. When ready to bake, remove from the freezer, take off the foil and keep covered with plastic wrap. Let them defrost and come to room temperature and continue to rise until doubled in size. This should take around 4 hours, depending on your kitchen temperature. Then you are ready to bake!
ENJOY THESE VEGAN ORANGE CINNAMON ROLLS
Once baked until slightly golden on top, you can drizzle over the icing and dig in! They are delicious hot, warm, or even room-temperature. I hope that you try these vegan orange cinnamon rolls to share with your loved ones, especially during the holiday season. They are such a special treat! If you do make them, please let me know in the comments below. Happy baking, friends.
Timothy
Yes, but it will need to be activated first. To activate, you will need to slightly warm the plant milk and then add a spoonful of sugar. Mix well and then add the yeast and stir. Once the mixture begins bubbling and foaming, you can add the orange juice, butter, and vanilla.
Of course! I would start with ½ cup of vegan cream cheese (I like Kite Hill). Mix well and add more, if desired.
Yes! In addition to same day baking, you can make these in advance and keep them in the fridge or the freezer. Please check out the copy in the blog post where I go over this!
Absolutely. Tangelo, satsuma, cara cara, or blood oranges would be awesome to use.
IF YOU LIKE THIS RECIPE, TRY THESE:
Dark Chocolate Olive Oil Cookies
Orange Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
Dough
- 3 medium navel oranges, zested
- 1 cup (236 mL) plant milk, preferably full-fat oat
- 2 tablespoons orange juice, from zested orange
- 2.65 ounces (75 g) plant butter (block-style), melted, plus some to grease the bowl
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, or vanilla bean paste
- 3 ⅔ cups (460 g) all-purpose flour*
- ⅓ cup (60 g) granulated sugar
- 1 packet rapid rise instant yeast*, ¼ ounce or approximately 2 ¼ teaspoons
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- Pinch ground allspice
- Pinch ground nutmeg
- Pinch ground clove, optional
Filling
- 2.12 ounces g (60 g) plant butter (block-style), softened
- ⅓ cup (60 g) brown sugar, regular or light
- 1 heaping tablespoon (8 g) ground cinnamon
Icing
- 1 ½ cups (150 g) powdered sugar, icing sugar
- 2-3 tablespoons orange juice, from zested orange
- Orange zest, from divided zest
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, or vanilla bean paste
- Pinch sea salt
Instructions
- Zest the oranges: Zest the oranges and divide into two piles (one for the dough and one for the icing.) Set aside.
- Combine the liquids: Combine the plant milk and orange juice. Mix well and set aside. Slowly melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat or in the microwave. (Be careful not to heat it, you just want to warm it enough to melt.) Combine the melted butter and vanilla to the milk mixture and stir to combine. Set aside.
- Make the dough: In a separate large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, yeast, salt, orange zest, allspice, nutmeg, and clove (if using). Use your hands to break it all up and incorporate the zest into the flour. Pour the liquid mixture into the bowl with the dry ingredients and use a wooden spoon to bring the mixture together into a shaggy dough.
- Knead the dough: Turn the dough out onto a clean dry surface. Knead the dough for 5-7 minutes until it forms a smooth ball. DON'T be tempted to flour the surface, the dough will be very sticky at the start but it will come together once ready. If it gets too messy, you can wash and dry your hands halfway through the process. A dough scraper is also very useful to frequently scrape up any dough that sticks to the surface.
- 1st proof: Clean and dry the bowl and lightly grease it with some plant butter. Place the dough ball into the bowl and cover the top of the bowl tightly with plastic wrap. Place in a warm part of your kitchen to proof for 1-2 hours until the dough has puffed up and doubled in size.
- Roll the dough: Punch the air out of the dough. Then roll it out on a lightly floured surface into a large rectangle (about 11 x 16").
- Make the filling: In a small bowl, combined the softened butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Use a fork to mash and mix together until fluffy and thoroughly combined. (It needs to be soft and spreadable or you will tear the dough!)
- Spread the filling: Using a butter knife or offset spatula, carefully spread the filling in a thin layer over the dough, going all the way to the edges. Carefully and tightly roll the dough into a log. Mark the log into 9 portions. Using a sharp knife or unflavored tooth floss, cut them into sections.
- 2nd proof: Place the rolls in a baking dish (I used a 9 x 13" but you could also use a 10.5 x 7.5") and then cover with plastic wrap. Let them proof in a warm place for 1-2 hours until they rise and double in size. (Alternatively, to make overnight cinnamon rolls, you can place them in the fridge for up to 24 hours at this stage. Then take them out to sit at room temperature for about 2 hours, or until they double in size. You can also put them in the freezer and take them out around 4 hours before baking. Please refer to the blog post copy for more details.)
- Bake the rolls: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake for 20-30 minutes until the tops are light golden brown. Cool slightly for 15 minutes before adding the icing.
- Make the icing and glaze the rolls: In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, orange juice and zest, vanilla, and salt. (At this point you can add more juice or powdered sugar until the desired texture is reached. It should be quite thick and creamy!) Drizzle the icing on top of the warm buns, using the back of a spoon to spread it out evenly.
- Enjoy or store: Enjoy the rolls immediately or, once cooled, place them into an airtight container. They will keep at room temperature for 2 days, or you can refrigerate them for up to 5 days. Take them out of the fridge an hour before serving to let them soften.
hello! I made these rolls for Christmas and everyone was happy with the results. my old aunt who now lives in assisted care baked orange cookies for years at Christmas time so I had her in mind as I zested and mixed. she and my uncle always put a lot of effort and love into holiday preparation and meals. will keep the recipe around for sure. HNY
Thank you so much for this. I love how memories are attached to recipes…it makes them so special. HNY!
Fantastic! These paired so well with my borscht soup for my Christmas Eve dinner. Thank you Timothy 🍊🧡
Sarah, this was so lovely to read on Christmas day! Thank you for letting me know. xoxo T