Fluffy Cinnamon Rolls

Growing up, my mom made the best cinnamon rolls ever.  She passed the recipe on to me, and I make them for breakfast every Christmas morning. 

Yet, as with nearly every old favorite recipe, it needed revamping to fit my vegan lifestyle.  Last year, I created a recipe that  yielded the best cinnamon rolls we've ever had. Yet it wasn't free of sugar.  This year, as my daughter is now old enough to join in on the tradition, I needed to revamp the recipe even further to avoid any sugar, and still manage to satisfy my husband's picky taste buds.

I believe any recipe can be revamped and recreated into a healthy, whole food, plant based version of itself that is even better than the original.  This recipe absolutely did that.  And I was relieved and happy that our Christmas morning cinnamon roll breakfast can continue.   The biggest teller of all... my husband LOVED these... and that says a lot!

This recipe might sound complicated and scare you a bit with my forewarning.  But please don't let it.  This recipe really is easy.  I just want to stress how important it is to follow the directions exactly.  I've made these rolls dozens of times, trying different techniques (mostly out of pure laziness), and different ingredients, and they can become an epic fail.  If the water is too hot for the yeast, or it's not kneaded enough...they will be hard, dense, and not enjoyable.  So please, take your time with this, and don't skip any steps.  I promise you, the end result will be SO worth it.  And remember to make this the night before you plan to eat them!

Also, the frosting is obviously NOT healthy in the least.  If you really want to skip the sugar, you can puree dates mixed with vanilla and plant milk, and spread this on top.  I simply skipped the icing on my daughter's rolls.  Enjoy!

What you need:

Dough
2 packages or 4 tsps. Active Dry Yeast
*1/2 cup Warm Water (I usually heat in microwave about 25 seconds)
2 cups Plant Milk, Warmed (I've used rice, soy, and almond - all work great!)
1/2 cup Medjool Dates, Pureed (If you want to use sugar or liquid sweetener - 1/3 cup)
1/3 cup Olive Oil
3 tsp Baking Powder
2 tsp Sea Salt
1 Tbsp Ground Flax mixed with 3 Tbsp Warm Water
6 - 7 cups White Whole Wheat Flour (Rice, Quinoa, and Oat Flour work ok here)
* Too hot and the yeast won't rise when mixed in with the dough.  You'll have a dense and hard roll.

Spread
*2 cups Medjool Dates, Pureed
4 Tbsp Cinnamon
* Can use coconut oil and top with 1/2 cup raw sugar (I did this last year)

Icing
2 cups Powdered Sugar (Make your own with raw or coconut sugar - blend until powder forms)
2 Tbsp Plant Milk (any works)
1 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract

What you do:
1.  Dissolve yeast in warm water.  Pour into stand mixer with bread hook attachment. (Imperative to use a bread hook!)

Yeast dissolved in Warm Water

2.  Add milk, 1/2 cup pureed dates, oil, baking powder, salt, flax mixture, and 2 - 3 cups of flour.  Beat until smooth, scraping down sides as necessary.  Mix in enough remaining flour to make dough easy to handle. 

3.  Turn dough onto a well-floured board.  Knead until smooth and elastic.  At least 6 minutes.

Kneaded Dough

4.  Place in greased bowl.  Turn greased side face up.  Cover with a cloth, and let rise in warm place until doubled.  Roughly 1.5 hours.  (Dough is ready if an indentation remains when touched.)

5.  Grease two 13x9 pans.  Divide dough in two halves.  Take one half and knead for a few minutes on a well floured board, making sure not to overwork.  Roll the dough out into a rectangle, roughly 12x10 inches.  Spread with half the pureed dates and sprinkle with half the cinnamon.  (If using coconut oil, just spread with a very light layer and top with raw sugar and cinnamon).

With Pureed Medjool Dates and Cinnamon

With Coconut Oil, topped with raw sugar and cinnamon

6.  Roll up, beginning at wide side.  Pinch edge of dough into roll to seal each end.  Stretch the roll if need be to make even.

Roll Dough

Roll

7. Cut roll into slices roughly 1 - 2 inches thick.  Place slightly apart in one pan.  Wrap tightly with aluminum foil.  Repeat with remaining dough.  Refrigerate overnight (minimum 12 hours but no longer than 48 hours). 

Ready to be refrigerated overnight

8.  Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Remove foil and bake about 30 - 35 minutes, until golden.  Spoon icing over while warm.

After sitting overnight - Ready for Oven

Enjoy!

Enjoy!

To find more whole food, plant based recipes your whole family will enjoy, as well as to connect with other loving parents, visit our Facebook page, Loving Green at Loving Green FB.