These Vegan Protein Cinnamon Rolls are just as delicious as the real thing with an added protein boost. They're light and fluffy, made with whole wheat flour and other clean and simple ingredients, and are absolutely delicious.
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I recently shared my Dirty Rose Chai Cinnamon Rolls, and so many of you guys are loving them I knew it was time to update my classic protein cinnamon roll recipe. I've been tweaking this recipe for quite a while since it's been almost 3 years since I made it for the first time, and I am so excited to share the final product with you all.
Vegan Protein Cinnamon Rolls Ingredients List:
These Protein Cinnamon Rolls are the perfect healthy breakfast for anyone with a sweet tooth. They are made with simple ingredients that you probably already have on hand, and they're super delicious!
Dry Ingredients:
- All-Purpose Flour - These protein cinnamon rolls use all-purpose flour because it is high in fiber and helps to keep the rolls light and fluffy. Whole wheat flour can also be used
- PlantFusion Complete Plant-Based Protein Powder - Most plant-based protein powders will work for this recipe. However, I strongly recommend using PlantFusion. Their vegan protein powders are by far the best I've ever tasted. They have the perfect creamy texture (not gritty at all) and all their products are made with clean and simple ingredients that are incredibly nutrient-dense. As always, my code: "NATURALVEGAN" gets you 25% off your purchase!
- Coconut Sugar - This is a great natural sweetener it works similarly to brown sugar, except it retains more vitamins and minerals.
- Instant Yeast - Since these high-protein cinnamon rolls are made with wheat flour, I like to use yeast to help the dough rise.
- Cinnamon Powder - Of course, these rolls have to feature the signature ingredient.
- Sea Salt - A little bit of sea salt helps to enhance the overall flavor of these rolls.
Wet Ingredients:
- Plant-Based Yogurt - I love using vegan yogurt in this protein cinnamon roll recipe because it is high in protein and helps the dough rise. I prefer using the Kite Hill Almond milk yogurt.
- Soy Milk - Any plant-based milk will work for this recipe. I recommend using higher-fat plant-based milk such as soy or oat, however, almond milk will also work. Soy is my go-to, because it has the perfect amount of fat, and it's the highest in protein.
- Warm Water - You will need warm water to activate the yeast.
- Cashew Milk Vegan Butter - Any vegan butter variety will work perfectly. I recommend using cashew milk butter because it contains fewer oils. There are plenty of amazing brands, just be on the lookout for the refined oils
Cream Cheese Icing:
- Dairy-Free Cream Cheese - Any vegan cream cheese will work. I always use the Kite Hill cream cheese, because it's oil-free, made with clean ingredients, and tastes the most like real cream cheese in my opinion.
- Maple Syrup - This is the perfect natural sweetener to use for this cream cheese frosting. It gives it the proper smooth and silky consistency and just the right amount of sweetness.
- Vanilla Extract - This is essential to balance out the cream cheese flavor. I always recommend using Mexican vanilla extract, because it has a much stronger vanilla flavor.
See the recipe card for quantities.
How To Make Vegan Protein Cinnamon Rolls:
These high protein cinnamon rolls are perfect for home cooks of all levels because they are easy to make and they taste incredible. Begin adding the warm water and 1 tablespoon of coconut sugar to a small bowl and mix until smooth.
1.Begin adding the warm water and 1 tablespoon of coconut sugar to a large bowl and mix until smooth. Add the yeast and mix again. Set aside for 10 minutes.
2. Once the yeast mixture is foaming, sift in the flour and protein powder.
3. Add the yogurt and soy milk and mix until a dough has formed. Knead for 5-10 minutes, adding flour as needed.
4. Add the dough to a greased bowl and set aside in a warm area for 30 minutes to rise.
5. After thirty minutes have passed, and the cinnamon roll dough has risen, knead it on a lightly floured surface for 1-2 minutes.
6. Roll out the dough on a heavily floured surface with a rolling pin until it is ¼ inch thick and in the shape of a long rectangle. Spread the room temperature butter on top of the dough until it has covered all the dough.
7. Combine the coconut sugar and the cinnamon together in a small bowl. Sprinkle the mixture onto the butter until it's completely covered.
8. Roll the dough into a large cinnamon roll and use floss to cut out the individual cinnamon rolls.
9. Place the cinnamon rolls into a cast iron skillet or square pan. Set aside and let rise again for 30 more minutes.
10. Once the protein cinnamon rolls have doubled in size, preheat the oven to 350. Place the rolls in the oven to bake for 20 minutes.
11. While the cinnamon rolls are baking, combine the cream cheese, maple syrup, and vanilla extract.
12. Once the cinnamon rolls are slightly golden on top, remove them from the heat and drizzle the cream cheese icing on top. Serve and enjoy!
What You Will Need To Make These Protein Cinnamon Rolls:
This Protein Cinnamon Roll Recipe is great because it requires very little equipment, so it's perfect for kitchens of all kinds. All you will need to make this latte is:
- Large Mixing Bowl - You will need some type of large mixing bowl to mix the ingredients together.
- Hand Mixer or Stand Mixer - You can whisk the ingredients together and knead by hand, however using a dough hook will speed the process up.
- Baking Pan - Any baking dish such as a cast iron skillet, cake pan, or square baking dish will work.
As always you can find all my go-to equipment on my Amazon storefront or my affiliate page.
Substitutions:
These protein cinnamon rolls are great for diets of all kinds because there are plenty of easy substitutions that can be made to fit a variety of dietary restrictions.
- Gluten-Free - If you plan on making these protein cinnamon rolls gluten-free, you can use equal parts oat flour and gluten-free flour as a 1:1 substitute.
- Sugar - If you want to substitute for the sugar in the cinnamon sugar mixture, you can use brown sugar, maple crystals, or even date sugar. However, it is important to keep in mind that date sugar won't melt when baking. Brown sugar is the most affordable option and it tastes the most like real sugar.
- Butter - If you are looking for an oil-free substitute for butter, you can use coconut cream. It will melt much quicker, and will not have quite the same flavor, but it will work.
- Yogurt - If you want to substitute the cream cheese in this recipe, you can use any kind of vegan yogurt or Greek yogurt for a high-protein frosting.
Vegan Protein Cinnamon Roll Variations:
These homemade cinnamon rolls are great because there are a handful of easy variations you can try to switch the recipe up.
- Chocolate - You can use any Chocolate PlantFusion protein powder (the Complete Lean Chocolate Brownie is my favorite) for a chocolate and cinnamon indulgent treat.
- High Protein Frosting - Add a scoop of plant-based protein powder to the frosting ingredients for extra protein!
- Sugar-Free - You can substitute a zero-calorie granulated sweetener such as erythritol for a sugar-free variation! If you're on a low calorie diet, this is a great option. I'd recommend adding a ½ teaspoon vanilla extract to the butter to enhance the flavor since zero calorie sweeteners can sometimes have an overwhelming flavor.
How To Store These Vegan Protein Cinnamon Rolls:
These protein cinnamon rolls make a great leftover breakfast. If you have leftovers or plan on eating these rolls throughout the week, the way you store them can have a huge impact on how well they keep.
If you plan on storing these vegan cinnamon rolls in the fridge, store them in an airtight container for best results. When stored properly, they will keep for an entire week.
These cinnamon rolls can also be frozen. If you want to freeze them, I recommend wrapping each individual roll in plastic wrap and then placing them in an airtight container. If stored properly these rolls can keep for up to 2 months in the freezer.
Top Tip:
These rolls can quickly before very yeasty, so it is best not to let them rise for too long. It may seem like the dough hasn't risen much at first, but once you roll the dough out, you'll quickly see the rolls start to rise the second time.
Frequently Asked Questions:
I typically make gluten-free recipes. However this is not because eating gluten-free is better for you, it's because I try to be as allergen friendly as possible. Most of the time regular wheat flour is better for you. In this specific case, wheat flour is the better option, because it is much higher in protein
If you need to replace vegan butter or regular butter for whatever reason, you can use coconut oil. It will melt and give you that gooey center that is essential to any cinnamon roll recipe. However I advise against using coconut oil, but it will leave a strong coconut and oil taste. Instead, I recommend using cold coconut cream. This will work more like butter and give you a more natural cinnamon roll flavor.
Related Vegan Cinnamon Recipes:
Looking for more cinnamon recipes like these protein cinnamon rolls? Check out some of my other recipes!
If you try this Vegan Protein Cinnamon Rolls recipe, I’d really love to hear your thoughts in the comments below. I’d also really appreciate a recipe card rating! Thank you for supporting The All Natural Vegan!
Vegan Protein Cinnamon Rolls
Equipment
- 1 cast iron skillet or any baking dish
Ingredients
For The Dough:
- 2 cups all purpose flour* plus extra for dusting
- ½ cup PlantFusion Vanilla Complete Protein 'NATURALVEGAN" for 25% off
- 2 teaspoon dry active yeast
- ¼ cup warm water
- 2 ½ tablespoon coconut sugar
- 1 cup unsweetened soy milk
- ½ cup plant based yogurt
Cinnamon Sugar Mix:
- ½ cup coconut sugar
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 5 tablespoon cashew milk based vegan butter room temperature
For The Cream Cheese Icing:
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 1sp teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup plant based cream cheese my favorite is Kite Hill
Instructions
- Begin adding the warm water and 1 tablespoon of coconut sugar to a large bowl and mix until smooth. Add the yeast and mix again. Set aside for 10 minutes.
- Once the yeast mixture is foaming, sift in the flour and protein powder.
- Add the yogurt and soy milk and mix until a dough has formed. Knead for 5-10 minutes, adding flour as needed. Add the dough to a greased bowl and set aside in a warm area for 30 minutes to rise.
- After thirty minutes have passed, and the cinnamon roll dough has risen, knead it on a lightly floured surface for 1-2 minutes.
- Roll out the dough on a heavily floured surface with a rolling pin until it is ¼ inch thick and in the shape of a long rectangle. Spread the room temperature butter on top of the dough until it has covered all the dough.
- Combine the coconut sugar and the cinnamon together in a small bowl. Sprinkle the mixture onto the butter until it's completely covered.
- Roll the dough into a large cinnamon roll and use floss to cut out the individual cinnamon rolls.
- Place the cinnamon rolls into a cast iron skillet, or square pan. Set aside and let rise again for 30 more minutes.
- Once the protein cinnamon rolls have doubled in size, preheat the oven to 350.
- Place the rolls in the oven to bake for 20 minutes.
- While the cinnamon rolls are baking, combine the cream cheese, maple syrup, and vanilla extract.
- Once the cinnamon rolls are slightly golden on top, remove them from the heat and drizzle the cream cheese icing on top.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Food Safety:
It's always important to practice safe habits whenever in the kitchen.
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with a high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
See more guidelines at USDA.gov.
Recent Plant-Based Recipes:
Looking for more delicious plant-based recipe? Try some of my recent recipes:
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loooks sooo gooooooddd
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So light and fluffy! I was worried they'd have a protein powder taste, but they were fine! Not very sweet apart from the icing and filling