My husband’s only baking request this week, cinnamon rolls. He is craving the ooey-gooey goodness of those tear apart treats and I can’t say that I blame him. It seems like everywhere we go, freshly baked cinnamon rolls are popping out of the oven.  I politely pass them up since only my home-baked pastries are dairy-free, but it looks like this potential new trend has just crossed the special diet line.

Cinnaholic, an all-vegan cinnamon bunnery, opened its doors in Berkeley, California in July 2010, only to sell out within hours. It would be a wonderful twist of fate to see a vegan bakery be an instigator of a new trend rather than following up with free-from versions, so I am hoping this one takes off.

Cinnaholic offers an amazing menu that stretches the cinnamon bun imagination. They have over two dozen frosting flavors (hazelnut, pomegranate, pumpkin spice, coffee, etc.) and an equivalent number of topping options (apples, almonds, brownie chunks, chocolate sauce, etc.) ...

Plus, you can indulge in specialty cinnamon rolls with names like Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, Gone Bananas, Oreo Explosion, and S’mores. And for those who aren’t in a cinnamon bun mood, their bakery also churns out cookies, pie rolls, brownies, quick bread, and frosting shots.

Until I make it to Berkeley, or until a vegan cinnamon bunnery reaches my town, I will still need to stick to home baked goodness. For those of you like me, here are a few dairy-free and vegan cinnamon roll inspired recipes that are sure to please:

• Alisa’s Double-the-Cinnamon Rolls 
• Perfect Cinnamon Buns with “Cream Cheese” Frosting
• Almost Fat-Free Cinnamon Swirl Muffins
• Gluten-Free Buckwheat Cinnamon Rolls

If you will be visiting the San Francisco Bay Area anytime soon (or if you live there!), you can find Cinnaholic at 2132 Oxford Street in Berkeley, CA, directly across from the UC Berkeley campus and close to Downtown Berkeley BART. They are open from 9am to 6pm daily. For more information visit their website: www.cinnaholic-berkeley.com.

For more vegan bakeries and bakeries that offer dairy-free and vegan items, see the Go Dairy Free Suggested Dining Section.

Article by Alisa Fleming, founder of GoDairyFree.org and author of Go Dairy Free: The Guide and Cookbook for Milk Allergies, Lactose Intolerance, and Casein-Free Living.