Mini Vegan Cinnamon Rolls (Bite-Size)

These Mini Vegan Cinnamon Rolls are so fun a cute to serve at any occasion. They’re loved by kids and adults alike, and very simple to make.

Who’s ready to kick the mid-week blues to the curb with some serious yumminess?????

This post is all about Mini Vegan Cinnamon Rolls

Inspiration behind the recipe

So I realized the other day that I’ve never shared a recipe for basic cinnamon rolls on the blog. Whahhhh?!?!? I mean, I kind of already knew that but thinking about it made me really want to. Part of the reason for me not already having posted a recipe for them is that cinnamon rolls are pretty classic. You guys all know how I can’t seem to leave good enough or basic alone. It seems like every time I’ve gotten close to making cinnamon rolls for you guys I’ve been inspired to add some sort of extra or change the flavors around completely.

The other thing is that they are one of the things that give me an inferiority complex every time without fail. See, my mom has made the world’s best cinnamon rolls ever since I can remember. They are just one of those things that I’ve never felt I could make as good as hers, so why bother try, you know?

She usually only makes them for special occasions and stuff because, and she’d tell you this herself, she can’t make them without going all out. I think a motto that would fit her well here is go big or go home. Ha, she’s always saying that she’d be so fired if she ever tried to work in a pizza parlor because she would literally spend half an hour arranging her toppings. Ah, just one of the countless things I love about my mom.

Since she doesn’t make them that often it seems like everyone has wanted cinnamon rolls for their birthdays recently. Sidenote: the only downside of this is that I’ve been kind of missing all the chances to make my usual big over-the-top cakes for those occasions. Oh, and by the way I didn’t forget about that cake I mentioned recently that would be coming soon. In fact, I already have it in the process of being ready to post so stay tuned!

Alright, we’re getting to the recipe

Anyway, it’s been a while since her last batch. Someone was talking about cinnamon rolls the other day and I had the thought, what if I made miniature, less hassle, cinnamon rolls that you could just pick up and eat? I’ve probably mentioned more than a few times how one of the biggest conveniences we all miss about living in the States is Costco. Ah, how I’d love to be able to shop at one right now in our little town. Hey, maybe someday they’ll put a branch down here, that’d be awesome!

A quick note on types of cinnamon: Did you know there are more than one type of cinnamon? Some types of cinnamon are questionable for health so I recommend using Ceylon Cinnamon. I won’t go into the difference as I am not a health professional but definitely do some research.

I don’t know if they still have them but they used to sell these packaged mini cinnamon rolls. They were so cute and everyone loved them. Honestly, they’d probably be pretty disappointing if we could have them now. I guess it was the novelty of them that made them so memorable. Those are what my mind went to at the idea of going for minis because they were finger desserts and cinnamon rolls at the same time. Now that’s one thing that could never be said about mom’s huge, fluffy, caramely, frosted ones. You definitely need a fork for that experience.

Can you think of anything that’s more fun than mini-sized foods? I’m having a hard time coming up with one right now? These are an absolute must-make you guys! The kids were flipping out over the fact that I made baby cinnamon rolls and they disappeared super fast. I think my brothers are still investigating who took the last one. I know it was one of them so they get kudos for faking innocence pretty well.

Alright, you are going to try these right? You’ll be everyone’s bff if you do because these are a major crowd-pleaser!

FAQs about How to Make Mini Vegan Cinnamon Rolls

Can I make this recipe into large cinnamon rolls?

Yes, you can take this recipe and cut them into much larger rolls. Bake them in a deeper pan such as a 13×9 inch dish for best results. You should get about 10 or 12 large cinnamon rolls from this recipe.

How can you tell if cinnamon rolls are done?

Usually cinnamon rolls take about 30 minutes to bake for large rolls. With these minis the time will be much shorter. You can tell they are done when the center looks more dry than doughy. You can check for doneness by gently separating the center of the roll with a knife.

Do cinnamon rolls need to touch when baking?

Cinnamon rolls can be baked very close together to create more soft center area on all the rolls. However, they do not have to touch. With these, you can bake them separate like the ones in the photos or bake them together.

This post is all about Mini Vegan Cinnamon Rolls

Here are some other posts you may enjoy:

Simple Cinnamon Crumb Cake (Vegan+GF)

Chestnut Chocolate Chip Cinnamon Rolls

Easy Cinnamon Sweet Potato Quick Bread

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Mini Bite-Size Cinnamon Rolls

Mini things are just better, don't you agree? These tiny cinnamon rolls are so much fun to make and share with friends and family.

Prep Time 35 minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes

Rising Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes

Ingredients

Dough:

• 1 cup warm almond milk not hot
• 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 1/2 - 3 cups all purpose flour

Filling

• 1/3 cup coconut oil softened
• 1/4 cup coconut cream *see note
• 1 cup dark brown sugar packed
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 tablespoons cinnamon

Icing:

• 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 3 tablespoons almond milk
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil melted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• pinch of salt

Instructions

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with dough hook (or a large bowl if doing by hand), dissolve yeast in almond milk and allow to sit for about 5 minutes until bubbly. Stir in oil, sugar, and salt until combined. Add flour a cup at a time until your dough comes together and starts to pull away from the sides of bowl. (If doing by hand, knead the dough until it becomes smooth and resilient.) Cover bowl with a damp towel or plastic wrap and place in warm place to rise until doubled in size. (Alternatively, you can cover and refrigerate the dough overnight to have it ready for a quick breakfast. Just pull it out about an hour before you want to use it.)
2. Now make your filling. Stir together the melted coconut oil, cinnamon, brown sugar, and vanilla in a medium mixing bowl until well mixed. Line two half-sheet baking pans with parchment or silpads and set aside.
3. Divide dough in half and roll out one half on a lightly floured surface into a rectangle, roughly 1/8 inch thick. Spread 1/2 of the cinnamon filling in an even layer on top and sprinkle with. Starting from the long end, roll it up until you have a log-like shape, then using a sharp knife, cut into 1 inch sections (you should get about 20 for each half of the dough) and place them about 2 inches apart on prepared pans (spirals face-up). Repeat with other half of dough until you have around 40 mini rolls. Cover pans with plastic and allow them to rise while your oven pre-heats.
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 C). Bake for 12 -15 minutes until edges start to brown. Remove pan(s) from oven and allow the to cool for about 5 minutes before serving.
5. For the icing, whisk ingredients together in a medium bowl until thick and smooth. Use a fine tipped pastry bag or just a fork to drizzle over the warm buns. You can serve them warm and melty or allow them to cool completely and let the icing dry for a less messy option. (Tip: If you want the icing in solid lines as pictured then wait until the buns have cooled before piping the icing. If you pipe while they are still warm it'll melt and give a thinner, more even coat. Both options taste just as yummy!)

Recipe Notes

*If you have trouble finding coconut cream at your local grocery store it's completely fine to use full-fat coconut milk and scrape the cream off of the top. Just be sure that it's cold enough to separate.