These vegan sweet potato cinnamon rolls are by no means meant to be a healthy alternative to non-vegan cinnamon rolls. There is no way to make these oil-free/vegan butter free, though you may find success making them gluten-free––I've never tried it. I've given a "healthy" alternative to regular sugar in the filling––coconut sugar instead of brown.
Prep Time15 minutesmins
Cook Time1 hourhr30 minutesmins
Total Time1 hourhr45 minutesmins
Course: Breakfast, Dessert
Servings: 6
Author: Jenné
Ingredients
1tbspground flax seed + 3 tbsp water
¾cupunsweetened plain soy milk or other unsweetened plain non-dairy milk
¼cupvegan butter(I used Earth Balance), melted
2-2½cupsunbleached all-purpose flour
1packet active dry yeast
¼cupsugar
½tspsalt
¼cupwater
Filling
⅓cupvegan butter
½cupbrown sugar or coconut sugaror a mixture
½tbspcinnamon
¾cupchopped raw pecans
Sweet potato frosting
½cupsweet potato puree
2cupspowdered sugar
2tbspvegan butter
½tspvanilla extract
Instructions
Mix the ground flax seed and water in a small mixing bowl and set aside to thicken and become a flax “egg”.
In a small sauce pan warm the soy milk and vegan butter until the vegan butter has melted. Remove from heat.
Mix the flour, active dry yeast, sugar, and salt together in a large mixing bowl. Once the temperature of the melted vegan butter and soy milk has reduced to 100°-110° pour it into the dry ingredients.
Also add the water and flax egg and use a whisk to stir. If you have a standing mixer, you can use that instead.
Once it’s too sticky to whisk, use our hands to combine the ingredients.
Transfer the dough onto a floured workspace, and knead it until you’ve got a smooth dough ball.
Place the dough ball into a lightly greased mixing bowl, and cover with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel, and allow it to rise for at least one hour.
Filling
Make the filling for the rolls by combining the brown sugar and cinnamon in a small mixing bowl.
Chop pecans into small pieces.
Melt ⅓ cup of vegan butter.
Assemble Rolls
Preheat oven to 375°.
Once the dough has doubled in size, you can press out the air, then transfer it back onto your floured work space.
Roll the dough until it is about ⅙th inch thick, and about 12x16 inches.
Brush the dough with the melted butter, top with cinnamon sugar mix, and then top with your chopped pecans.
Roll the dough tightly.
Carefully cut the roll into 1 inch slices, you’ll have about a dozen.
Place the rolls onto a greased skillet or baking dish (about 10x10).
Bake for 25-30 minutes (less if your oven runs hot).
Make your sweet potato icing
Place powdered sugar, sweet potato, vanilla, and vegan butter into a food processor and blend until creamy and smooth.
Remove rolls from oven, and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes.
Top with sweet potato icing, and serve immediately.