The dough is based on my vegan cinnamon rolls, but instead of adding apple chunks to the filling, I use my apple curd. It spreads into a thin, even layer, giving you apple and warm spice throughout every spiral without weighing down the dough.
You can also shape the rolls the night before and let them finish proofing the next morning, which makes them especially handy for brunch or holiday mornings. For another cozy apple classic, try my vegan apple pie.
Jump to:
Why this recipe works
- Soft, fluffy dough. Vegan buttermilk gives the rolls a tender, bouncy texture while block-style vegan butter adds richness.
- Apple in every spiral. The apple curd spreads evenly across the dough rather than leaving large pieces of fruit that can fall out while rolling and slicing.
- A sweet-tangy glaze. Apple curd is used in the frosting too, with apple cider vinegar or apple juice balancing the sweetness.
- Easy to prepare ahead. The shaped rolls can be refrigerated overnight and proofed the following morning before baking.
Key ingredients
Here's everything you need to make this recipe. Find the complete list of ingredients, quantities, and instructions in the recipe card at the end of this post.
Apple curd: This is what gives the rolls their apple flavor without adding bulky chunks of fruit. If it has been refrigerated, let it soften toward room temperature so it spreads easily without pulling at the dough.
Soy buttermilk: Soy milk is my preferred base for vegan buttermilk here. It works especially well for creating a soft, fluffy yeast dough.
Vegan block butter: Use firm block-style butter rather than a soft tub spread. Let melted butter cool slightly before adding it so it doesn't overheat the yeast mixture.
Instant yeast: This can be added directly to the flour. If you're using active dry yeast instead, activate it in the warm buttermilk with a little sugar first and wait until it looks foamy before continuing.
How to make it
Here's a visual overview of this recipe. Please refer to the detailed card at the end of this page for full written instructions.
The dough will feel quite sticky when you first start kneading, and that's intentional. Resist adding extra flour. As the gluten develops, it should become smoother, more elastic, and easier to handle while still feeling soft and slightly tacky.
For both rises, pay more attention to the dough than the clock. It should look visibly puffy and roughly doubled in size. A cooler kitchen will simply mean a longer proofing time.
When filling the rolls, make sure the apple curd is soft enough to spread into a thin, even layer without dragging the dough. Roll everything into a snug log, but don't squeeze it so tightly that the filling gets pushed out.
Slice the log into even rolls without squashing the spirals. Unflavored dental floss works particularly well for this because it cuts cleanly through the soft dough.
After shaping, let the rolls proof until they look soft, swollen, and noticeably larger. If they've been refrigerated overnight, don't bake them straight from the fridge - let them come to room temperature and finish rising first.
The rolls are ready when the tops are lightly golden, and the center rolls are puffed and baked through. Look at the dough between the spirals: it should appear set rather than wet or raw.
Let them cool for around 15 minutes before adding the glaze. They should still be warm enough for it to soften and settle into the spirals without completely melting away.
Christina's Recipe Tips
Measure the flour by weight. Too much flour is one of the quickest ways to make cinnamon rolls dense or dry.
Don't "fix" sticky dough with extra flour. The dough becomes smoother as you knead it. It should remain soft and slightly tacky rather than becoming firm.
Use unflavored dental floss for slicing. It gives you cleaner spirals without compressing the soft log.
Make the apple curd ahead. Preparing it in advance makes the cinnamon rolls much easier to put together the following day.
Let overnight rolls fully proof before baking. The two-hour estimate is only a guide. If your kitchen is cool, give them longer and wait until they look properly puffy.
For another apple-and-cinnamon bake, try my apple pie cookies.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. Once the rolls are shaped and arranged in the baking dish, cover them and refrigerate for up to 24 hours.
The next morning, take them out of the refrigerator and leave them at room temperature until they look fully proofed and noticeably puffy, then bake. This will usually take around 2 hours, but allow longer in a cooler kitchen.
These are at their softest on the day they're baked.
Keep leftovers tightly covered at room temperature for 1-2 days, or refrigerate them for up to 3 days. Let chilled rolls come toward room temperature before serving, or warm them gently to soften the dough again.
More fall recipes
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star ★★★★★ rating in the recipe card below and consider leaving a comment as well, thanks!
Stay in touch with me through social media @ Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok, and Facebook, and subscribe via email to get all our new recipes!
📖 Recipe
Vegan Apple Cinnamon Rolls
Equipment
Ingredients
Dough
- 1 batch (1 cup) vegan buttermilk
- 75 g (2.65 oz) block-style vegan butter melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 460 g (3 ⅔ cups) all-purpose flour *note 1
- 60 g (⅓ cup) granulated sugar
- 2 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast *note 2
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
Filling
- 250 g (1 cup) vegan apple curd *note 3
- 20 g (5 tsp) light brown sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Frosting
- 50 g (3 ½ tbsp) vegan apple curd *note 3
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar or apple juice or non-dairy milk
- 150 g (1 ¼ cups) powdered sugar
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon plus extra for garnish
Instructions
- Please read the recipe thoroughly before getting started. For the most accurate results, measure with a digital kitchen scale. You can prepare the apple curd up to 3 days ahead and keep it in the fridge until you're ready to fill the rolls.
- Preparation: Make a batch of vegan buttermilk. Slowly melt the vegan butter (for the dough) in a saucepan over low heat or in the microwave. Be careful not to heat it, you just want to warm it enough to melt.
- Make the dough: Add the melted butter and vanilla extract to the vegan buttermilk and mix. In a separate large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, yeast, and salt. Pour the buttermilk mixture into the bowl with the dry ingredients and use a spatula to bring the mixture together into a shaggy dough.
- Knead: (By hand) Turn the dough out onto a clean dry surface. Knead the dough for 5-7 minutes until it forms a smooth ball. DON'T be tempted to flour the surface, the dough will be very sticky at the start but it will come together once ready. If it gets too messy, you can wash and dry your hands halfway through the process. A dough scraper is also very useful to frequently scrape up any dough that sticks to the surface.
- 1st proof: Clean and dry the bowl and lightly grease it with some oil. Place the dough ball into the bowl and cover the top of the bowl tightly with plastic wrap. Place in a warm part of your kitchen to proof for 1-2 hours until the dough has puffed up and doubled in size. Meanwhile, take the apple curd out of the fridge and let it sit at room temperature so it becomes more spreadable.
- Punch the air out of the dough + roll it out on a lightly floured surface into a large rectangle (about 11"x16").
- Fill the rolls: Carefully spread the apple curd in a thin layer using a spatula - going all the way to the edges. Mix together the brown sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over the curd in an even layer.
- Carefully and tightly roll the dough into a log. Mark the log into 9 portions. Use unflavored toothfloss to cut them into sections, with slow and steady pressure. You can also use a very sharp knife - toothfloss works best!
- 2nd proof: Place the rolls in a baking dish (I use a 10.5"x 7.5" dish) lined with parchment paper + cover with plastic wrap or foil. Let them proof in a warm place for 1-2 hours until they rise and double in size. Alternatively, to make overnight cinnamon rolls you can place them in the fridge for up to 24 hours at this stage. Then take them out to sit at room temperature for about 2 hours, or until they double in size.
- Bake: Preheat the oven to 175°C(347°F). Bake for 20-24 minutes until the tops are light golden brown. Cool slightly for 15 minutes.
- Frosting: Whisk together the ingredients until smooth + swirl on top of the warm buns. Dust with a little more ground cinnamon if desired.
- Storage: Tightly cover any leftover rolls, or place them into an airtight container. They will keep at room temperature for 1-2 days, or you can refrigerate them for up to 3 days. Take them out of the fridge an hour before serving to let them soften.
Notes
- I recommend measuring with a scale. If you must measure with cups make sure to measure your flour correctly.
- Yeast: This recipe calls for instant dry yeast, if you are using active yeast, it will need to be activated first. to activate, add the yeast to warm buttermilk with a spoonful of sugar and stir. Once the mixture begins bubbling and foaming (about 5-10 minutes), it's ready.
- My apple curd recipe makes 500g, so you will need a half batch for this recipe. You can prepare the apple curd up to 3 days ahead and keep it in an airtight container in the fridge.
© addictedtodates.com. All content and images are protected by copyright. If you want to share this recipe, please do so using the share buttons provided. Do not screenshot or republish the recipe or content in full. Instead, include a link to this post for the recipe. Thank you!
