Dairy-Free Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls (Copycat)
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Some might say these are better than Cinnabon! They're seriously indulgent, but still a touch less sweet than the mall favorite. Read the post above for more notes and tips! Please note that the Prep time is hands-on time only. Allow 1½ to 2 hours for rising.
Author:
Recipe type: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Serves: 12 cinnamon rolls
Ingredients
Rolls
  • 1 cup unsweetened dairy-free milk alternative, lukewarm
  • 2¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 2 eggs, room temperature
  • ⅓ cup dairy-free butter alternative, softened
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 4 to 4 ½ cups bread flour, plus additional as needed (see Flour Note below)
Cinnamon Filling
  • 1 cup packed brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
  • ½ cup (1 stick) dairy-free butter alternative, softened
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
Dairy-Free Cream Cheese Frosting
  • 4 ounces (1/2 tub) dairy-free cream cheese alternative
  • ¼ cup (1/2 stick) dairy-free butter alternative, softened
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Generous pinch salt
  • 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
Instructions
  1. To make the rolls, Pour the warm milk alternative into a large mixing bowl, and sprinkle in the yeast and just a dash of your measured sugar. Let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes. It should become bubbly or foamy. If not, your yeast might be inactive. Get fresh yeast and start again!
  2. Add the remaining sugar, eggs, butter alternative, salt, and 2 cups flour. Mix until combined (I use dough hooks on a hand mixer). Add 2 more cups flour and mix until combined.
  3. Bring the dough together with your hands, adding more flour, as needed, to create dough that is a little sticky, but still workable. Try not to add too much flour! Knead the dough for about 5 minutes.
  4. Place the dough in a large bowl, lightly cover, and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour. It should double in size.
  5. While the dough is rising, make the cinnamon filling.
  6. Place the brown sugar, butter alternative, cinnamon, and vanilla (if using), in a microwave-safe mixing bowl, and beat until combined.
  7. Punch the dough down and let it sit for 5 minutes. While it sits, grease a 9x13-inch or larger baking pan and sprinkle a large, flat work surface with flour.
  8. Plop the dough out onto your work surface, and roll the dough out into roughly an 18- to 20-inch square. You want the dough to be relatively thin - about ¼ inch thickness.
  9. Heat the brown sugar mixture for about 10 seconds in the microwave. Stir it and then spread evenly on your dough, leaving about a 1 inch border on the far edge.
  10. Starting with the edge closest to you, roll the dough up, as tightly as possible and seal.
  11. Press the scraggly ends of the log in a little to even the rolls out. Cut the log into 12 rolls, roughly 1½ inches each. For clean slices, I use the dental floss method.
  12. Place the rolls in your greased baking dish, cut side down. Lightly cover, place the dish in a warm place, and let rise for 30 minutes to an hour, or until almost doubled. (See before and after rising photo in post above.)
  13. Preheat your oven to 350°F.
  14. Bake the rolls for 20 to 27 minutes, or until a meat thermometer inserted in a center roll reaches about 180 to 190°F. They should be just beginning to tan on top.
  15. While the rolls bake, make the cream cheese frosting.
  16. In a mixing bowl, mix the cream cheese alternative, butter alternative, vanilla, and salt until creamy. Add the powdered sugar, and blend in with the mixer on low. Once combined, turn the mixer up and beat until creamy.
  17. Let the cinnamon rolls cool for 10 minutes.
  18. Slather the entire pan of rolls with the frosting while still warm (like Cinnabon does) or serve the cinnamon rolls warm and let each person frost their own (preferred for storing leftovers!).
Notes
Flour Note: You can substitute all-purpose flour in a pinch, but bread flour gives these cinnamon rolls a better texture. To make Bread Flour for this recipe, measure out 4 cups of all-purpose flour, remove 2 tablespoons of the flour, and whisk in 2 tablespoons of wheat gluten. Use plain all-purpose flour for any additional flour needed.

Vanilla Frosting Option: In a small bowl, mix ¼ cup salted dairy-free buttery sticks, 2 teaspoons dairy-free milk alternative or creamer, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and ¼ teaspoon lemon juice. Mix in 1½ cups powder sugar until smooth and creamy. Add more milk alternative or creamer, as needed, to reach your desired consistency. Spread on warm cinnamon rolls.
Nutrition Information
Serving size: 1 cinnamon roll with icing Calories: 501 Fat: 19.5g Saturated fat: 5.9g Carbohydrates: 74.4g Sugar: 35g Sodium: 474mg Fiber: 2.1g Protein: 7.2g
Recipe by Go Dairy Free at https://www.godairyfree.org/recipes/dairy-free-cinnabon-copycat-cinnamon-rolls