Looking for gooey, pillowy cinnamon rolls that are vegan-friendly? These Vegan Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls are perfect for you. This recipe combines the delightful tang of sourdough with warm cinnamon and sweet juicy apples. Light and airy rolls reminiscent of rich brioche, but completely vegan – no dairy or eggs needed.
This recipe was originally published in Aug. 2022. It has since been reformatted and updated with step-by-step photos as well as tips for success.
Why I love this recipe
- Delicious apple flavor!
- Fluffy brioche-style buns with no dairy or eggs.
- Mixed by hand, no stand mixer required.
- Naturally leavened recipe with no commercial yeast needed.
Ingredients and Substitutions
Apples: Use baking apples that won’t break down or get mushy as they bake. I like Granny Smith or Honey Crisp. I used these apples in my recipes for Sourdough Apple Cake and Sourdough Apple Hand Pies.
Applesauce: Adds softness without the need for eggs or dairy, I also use it to make my Vegan Sourdough Discard Sandwich Bread extra fluffy. Substitute canned pumpkin, or mashed sweet potatoes.
All-purpose flour: Keeps these cinnamon rolls light and fluffy. Do not substitute bread flour or whole wheat; your rolls will turn out dense and gummy.
Oat milk: Water or any plant-based milk of your choice will work for this recipe.
Apple cider vinegar: Adds a little tang that balances the sweetness of the glaze, optional but highly recommended.
See recipe card for detailed ingredient information.
Baking with a sourdough starter
Sourdough takes patience – expect a longer rise time compared to commercial yeast. But the wait is absolutely worth it, as this slow process improves your bread's nutrition and taste!
Wild yeast breaks down complex sugars in the flour, creating a depth of flavor unmatched by commercial yeast. Additionally, this slow rise acts as a pre-digestion stage, breaking down some of the flour's phytic acid. This makes essential minerals like magnesium, iron, and zinc more bioavailable for your body to absorb. So, sourdough isn't just about deliciousness, it's a more nutritious way to enjoy the benefits of whole grains!
Short on time? Try my recipe for Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Rolls instead.
How to make Vegan Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls
STEP 1: Make the dough
Dissolve the sourdough starter in applesauce and oat milk. Fold the dry ingredients in. Knead lightly until the flour is hydrated and a cohesive dough forms. Knead the oil into the dough.
Tip
Your dough will feel a bit oily at first, this is totally normal. Keep kneading for about 5 minutes and the oil will gradually become absorbed and the dough will feel much less greasy.
STEP 2: Knead the dough
Knead the dough until completely smooth. Round the dough into a tight ball.
Tip
Your dough will feel a bit oily at first, this is totally normal. Keep kneading for about 5 minutes and the oil will gradually become absorbed and the dough will feel much less greasy.
STEP 3: Bulk fermentation and cold proofing
Place the dough in a clean, lightly-greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise for 4 to 6 hours or until doubled in volume. Move the bowl to the refrigerator to rise overnight.
STEP 4: Shape the dough
Toss the apples in cinnamon.Flatten the dough into a 15 by 10-inch rectangle. Sprinkle an even layer of brown sugar on top of the dough and top with cinnamon apples. Roll the dough into a tight log and divide it into 10 even portions.
Tip
To bake these rolls in a 9 by 13-inch baking pan, roll the dough into an 18 by 10-inch rectangle and divide the log into 12 portions.
STEP 5: Final proofing
Nestle the shaped rolls into a 12-inch cast-iron skillet lined with parchment paper. Cover with plastic wrap and let the dough rise untouched for 2 to 4 hours or until puffy and doubled in volume. Once the dough is fully proofed, pour oat milk into the skillet, this adds moisture to the dough and will make your rolls extra moist and fluffy.
STEP 6: Bake
Make the glaze.Bake rolls at 350 F for 30 to 35 minutes or until the rolls are golden brown or the center registers at 190 F when probed with an instant-read thermometer.
Baker’s Tips
- Make sure your starter is active before starting this recipe. An inactive or immature starter can hinder your dough from rising, resulting in dense, gummy rolls.
- Weigh your ingredients! Measuring by weight is much more accurate than by volume (with tablespoons and cups)
- Watch the dough, not the clock! I’ll be giving time cues throughout this recipe, but Fermentation times can vary depending on the health of your starter and the conditions in your kitchen. Rely on visual and sensory cues, like a noticeable increase in volume and bubbles under the surface of your dough.
Recipe FAQs
Yes - you can mix your ingredients in a stand mixer. Follow the instructions as they are written, but instead of using your hands and a mixing bowl, use a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Once your dough comes together, slowly drizzle the oil into the bowl until it is fully absorbed.
Your rolls might be dense and gummy due to a weak starter, under fermented dough, or over proofing.
Since these sourdough cinnamon rolls contain apples, they should be refrigerated in an airtight container.
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Vegan Sourdough Cinnamon Roll Recipe
Equipment
- 12-inch cast-iron skillet
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Ingredients
Dough
- 170 grams oat milk
- 226 grams applesauce
- 50 grams cane sugar
- 113 grams active sourdough starter
- 600 grams all-purpose flour
- 8 grams salt
- 56 grams vegetable oil or any neutral-flavored oil
Mix-ins
- 10 grams ground cinnamon
- 2 apples peeled, cored and diced
- 150 grams brown sugar
- 56 grams oat milk
Glaze
- 60 grams powdered sugar
- 28 grams oat milk
- 14 grams apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoon vanilla
Click US Customary to view volume measurements
Instructions
- Make the dough: Whisk together the apple sauce, sugar, oat milk, and sourdough starter. Stir until sourdough starter has fully dissolved.170 grams oat milk, 226 grams applesauce, 50 grams cane sugar, 113 grams active sourdough starter
- Fold the flour and salt into the starter mixture. Switch to your hands if necessary and bring the mixture together until no traces of dry flour remain and a cohesive dough forms.600 grams all-purpose flour, 8 grams salt
- Knead the oil into the dough. The dough will feel greasy at first and gradually feel smooth as the oil is absorbed, this could take 3 to 5 minutes.56 grams vegetable oil
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rest for 30 minutes. This will allow the flour to hydrate fully and make the dough much easier to handle.
- Knead the dough: Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead for 5 to 10 minutes or until it looks completely smooth. Round the dough into a tight ball.
- Bulk fermentation: Place the dough into a clean, lightly-oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Set the bowl in a warm place and let the dough rise until bubbly, and doubled in size, about 4 to 6 hours. (Fermentation could proceed at a faster or slower rate depending on the health of your starter and the temperature in your kitchen).
- Cold proof: Transfer the dough to the refrigerator and let the dough proof in the refrigerator overnight. In addition to breaking up the baking process, this will enhance the flavor of the dough resulting in tastier rolls. (You can skip this step if you would like to bake these rolls the same day).
- Shape the rolls: Toss apples in cinnamon. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and turn it out on to a lightly floured work surface. Using a rolling pin duster with flour, flatten the dough out into a 15 by 10-inch rectangle. Cover the dough with an even layer of brown sugar and cinnamon apples.10 grams ground cinnamon, 2 apples, 150 grams brown sugar
- Working with the longer side of the rectangle, roll the dough into a tight log. Divide the dough into 10 portions. Nestle the dough into a 12-inch cast-iron skillet lined with parchment.
- Final proof: Cover the skillet with a lightly-oiled piece of plastic wrap and let the dough rise until puffy and doubled in volume, about 2 to 4 hours.
- Prep: Preheat oven to 350 F. Combine glaze ingredients and stir with a spatula or wooden spoon. Don’t whisk or it will aerate your glaze too much.60 grams powdered sugar, 28 grams oat milk, 14 grams apple cider vinegar, 2 teaspoon vanilla
- Bake: Pour oat milk over the proofed rolls. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until the rolls look evenly golden brown and the center of the rolls register at 190 F when probed with an instant-read thermometer.56 grams oat milk
- Enjoy: Glaze the warm rolls. Let the cinnamon rolls cool slightly before serving, about 15 minutes.
Tips
These recipes were developed and tested using grams for precise measurements. To increase your chances of success, I recommend investing in a kitchen scale. I've included rough volume estimates (in tablespoons and cups), but they might not be totally accurate.
Remember all ovens are unique, these recipes were tested in my oven which runs cooler than others. You might need to lower the temperature if your bake appears to be browning too quickly. Monitor your bake closely and make adjustments if needed.
Notes
- Proofing or fermentation times given in this recipe are estimates based on the use of a healthy, active starter and a temperature controlled environment set at 78 F. If your kitchen is colder, rise time may be slower.
- Pumpkin puree or mashed sweet potato make good substitutes for apple sauce.
- Feel free to omit the apples in this recipe.
Nutrition
I am not a nutritionist or dietitian, any nutrition information provided is an estimate.
Maddie says
Can the dough be proofed in the fridge overnight?
Hannah Dela Cruz says
Hi! I believe this recipe uses a cold proof. If you prefer, you can skip it and shape the dough after bulk fermentation. The proof the shaped rolls in the fridge. Just be sure it doubles in volume before baking.
Marcy says
how can I make this with your sweet stiff starter?
Hannah Dela Cruz says
Use 113 grams of stiff starter. Use 190 grams of oat milk and 580 grams of flour instead of the amount indicated in the recipe. The rest of the ingredients should be the same. Good luck!
Shell-Shell's🐚tipsandtricks says
Looks delish! A healthier alternative. Thanks for sharing.
Make It Dough says
You're welcome!
KettleAndCakes says
I shouldn't have read this before breakfast! Looks delicious x
Make It Dough says
Thank you!
shivankesh says
Wow yamm🥣 great looking