These vegan gingerbread cinnamon rolls are soft, fluffy, sticky, and warmly spiced with ginger, cinnamon, treacle, and brown sugar. They are a festive twist on classic cinnamon rolls and make a wonderful special breakfast, brunch, or sweet snack.
Gingerbread cinnamon rolls combine everything that is comforting about homemade sweet bread with the deep, warming flavour of gingerbread. The dough is enriched with dark brown sugar, treacle or molasses, and vegan butter, giving it a soft texture and a rich, caramel-like taste. Inside, a fragrant filling of brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and chopped crystallised ginger adds sweetness, spice, and a little fiery warmth.
These vegan cinnamon rolls are ideal for the colder months, especially when you want something cosy and homemade. They are delicious served warm, when the rolls are at their softest and the glaze melts slightly into the swirls. The ginger glaze adds a final sweet finish without making them overly heavy.
Crystallised ginger, candied ginger, or stem ginger can be used in the filling. If you do not have any, you can leave it out, but it does add a lovely burst of flavour. The rolls are still beautifully spiced without it, thanks to the ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and treacle in the dough.
These gingerbread cinnamon rolls are perfect for a festive breakfast or brunch, but they are also lovely with coffee or tea as an afternoon treat. You can make them in one day, or shape them the night before and let them rise slowly in the fridge overnight, which makes them much easier to bake fresh in the morning.
How To Make Vegan Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls:
For the full ingredient quantities and detailed instructions, see the recipe card below.
For the best results, follow the recipe closely. Baking is most reliable when ingredients are weighed, so gram measurements are strongly recommended. Cup conversions are less precise and may affect the final texture.
To make the dough, place the white bread flour, instant yeast, salt, and dark brown soft sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Stir briefly so the dry ingredients are evenly combined.
Add the lukewarm non-dairy milk, melted vegan block butter, and treacle or molasses. Mix until a rough dough forms. Soy milk works especially well, but another unsweetened non-dairy milk may also be used.
Knead the dough on high speed for 5 to 10 minutes, until it becomes smooth, elastic, and pulls away cleanly from the sides of the bowl. The dough should remain soft and slightly sticky. Avoid adding extra flour, as too much flour can make the finished cinnamon rolls dry.
If you do not have a stand mixer, knead the dough by hand on a lightly oiled surface. It will be sticky, so a bench scraper can make the process much easier.
Shape the kneaded dough into a ball, place it in an oiled bowl, cover it, and leave it somewhere warm until doubled in size. This usually takes 1 to 2 hours, depending on room temperature.
While the dough rises, prepare the filling. Mix the light brown soft sugar, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, and ground cloves in a bowl, then set it aside.
Once the dough has doubled, punch it down and knead it briefly for about 30 seconds to remove large air bubbles. Roll it out on a lightly floured surface into a rectangle measuring approximately 30×45 cm / 12×18 inches.
Spread the softened vegan butter evenly across the dough. Sprinkle the ginger cinnamon sugar mixture over the surface and press it down gently. Scatter the chopped crystallised ginger, candied ginger, or stem ginger over the top.
Roll the dough tightly from one long edge into a log. Use a sharp knife to cut it into twelve even slices.
Arrange the rolls cut side down in a 23 cm / 9 inch square tin or a 25 cm round skillet lined with baking parchment. Cover loosely and leave to rise for about 1 hour, until puffy. When gently pressed, the dough should spring back slowly. If it springs back quickly, give it a little longer.
You can also refrigerate the shaped rolls overnight. Place them in the fridge straight after shaping, before the second rise. The next morning, let them sit at room temperature for 30 to 60 minutes, until puffy, while the oven preheats.
Bake the risen rolls for about 30 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 94°C / 201°F. If the tops begin to brown too much before the rolls are fully baked, cover them loosely with foil.
Let the cinnamon rolls cool in the tin for about 30 minutes, then carefully lift them out using the baking parchment and transfer them to a wire rack.
To make the ginger glaze, sift the icing sugar into a bowl. Stir in the syrup from a jar of stem ginger, then add enough lemon juice or milk to make a thick but pourable glaze. Drizzle it over the rolls and serve.
Can I Make These Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls In Advance?:
Yes. These rolls are best on the day they are baked, but you can prepare them in advance by shaping them the evening before and refrigerating them overnight. Cover the shaped rolls loosely and place them in the fridge before the second rise.
The next morning, remove the rolls from the fridge and let them come to room temperature for 30 to 60 minutes, until they look puffy. Bake them as directed. This method is ideal if you want fresh vegan gingerbread cinnamon rolls for breakfast without starting from scratch early in the morning.
Can I Freeze Them?:
Yes, baked gingerbread cinnamon rolls can be frozen. Let them cool completely before freezing. Defrost at room temperature, then warm them briefly in the microwave for 10 to 20 seconds before serving.
Top Tips:
- Use foil-wrapped vegan block butter rather than spreadable vegan butter from a tub, as the spreadable type contains more water and is less suitable for baking.
- Check that your yeast is fresh. Expired yeast may prevent the dough from rising properly.
- Do not add extra flour unless absolutely necessary. The dough should be soft and slightly sticky for tender rolls.
- Bread flour gives the best texture, although plain all-purpose flour can also work.
- You can add chopped nuts or dried fruit to the filling if you like.
- For the most accurate result, check that the rolls reach an internal temperature of at least 94°C / 201°F.
- Leftovers are best stored in an airtight container for up to two days and warmed slightly before serving.
More Vegan Ginger Recipes:
Easy vegan ginger cake
No-bake chocolate stem ginger tart
Vegan ginger bundt cake
Pear and ginger jam
Chocolate gingerbread biscuits
If you try this recipe, share your bake and enjoy these warm, spiced vegan cinnamon rolls fresh from the oven.
These gingerbread cinnamon rolls are a festive vegan bake made with soft enriched dough, a spiced ginger cinnamon filling, and a simple sweet glaze.
Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls (Vegan)
Ingredients
Dough:
- 450 g (3 + ¾ cups) white bread flour
- 8 g (2 ¼ tsp) fast action or instant yeast
- 1 tsp salt
- 40 g (¼ cup) dark brown soft sugar
- 250 ml (1 cup) lukewarm unsweetened non-dairy milk, soy is best
- 60 g (¼ cup) vegan block butter, melted and cooled slightly
- 50 g (2 Tbsp) treacle or molasses
Filling:
- 120 g (⅔ cup) light brown soft sugar
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- 60 g (¼ cup) softened vegan butter
- 55 g (2 oz) chopped crystallised ginger, candied ginger, or stem ginger
Glaze:
- 130 g (1 + ¼ cups) icing or powdered sugar
- 1 Tbsp syrup from a jar of stem ginger
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice or milk, as needed
Instructions
- Add the bread flour, instant yeast, salt, and dark brown soft sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Stir to combine.
- Add the milk, melted vegan butter, and treacle or molasses. Mix until a rough dough forms.
- Knead on high speed for 5 to 10 minutes, until smooth, stretchy, and pulling away from the sides of the bowl. The dough should be soft and sticky, so do not add extra flour.
- Shape into a ball, place in an oiled bowl, cover, and leave in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 to 2 hours.
- For the filling, mix the light brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves in a bowl.
- Punch down the risen dough and knead briefly for 30 seconds to remove air bubbles.
- Roll the dough into a 30×45 cm / 12×18 inch rectangle. Spread with softened vegan butter, sprinkle with the spiced sugar mixture, and scatter over the chopped ginger.
- Roll tightly from a long edge into a log. Slice into twelve even rolls and arrange cut side down in a lined 23 cm / 9 inch square tin or 25 cm round skillet.
- Cover loosely and leave to rise for about 1 hour, until puffy. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180°C / 350°F / gas mark 4.
- Bake for about 30 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 94°C / 201°F. Cover loosely with foil if the tops brown too quickly.
- Cool in the tin for about 30 minutes, then lift out using the baking parchment and place on a wire rack.
- For the glaze, sift the icing sugar into a bowl. Stir in the ginger syrup, then add enough lemon juice or milk to make a thick but pourable glaze. Drizzle over the rolls and serve.
Notes
- Use gram measurements with a digital scale for the most reliable results.
- Use vegan block butter rather than spreadable vegan butter from a tub.
- Make sure the yeast is in date before starting.
- The shaped rolls can be refrigerated overnight before the second rise.
- Bread flour gives the softest, fluffiest texture.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to two days and warm briefly before serving.
