Karen Gordon: The gooiest cinnamon rolls ever

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Finding a breakfast dish that appeals to a house full of guests can certainly be a challenge, particularly when your guests have varied diets. If you’re hosting family for Thanksgiving this weekend and are looking for a scrumptious breakfast, that’s not only vegan but also, gluten-free, then look no further.

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Today, I’m sharing the gooiest cinnamon roll recipe that you can make in advance.

Once rolled and sliced, they may either be allowed to rise and baked immediately; or alternatively, chilled in the refrigerator overnight before allowing them to rise, then baked in the oven, in the morning. A quick 25-minute bake is all it takes for a heavenly smelling kitchen and a to-die-for breakfast.

A few other items can help turn your cinnamon rolls into a hearty breakfast; they include scrambled eggs, bacon, sausages, and fruits. However, I do recommend staying away from sugary cereal only because the cinnamon rolls are sweet already.

This recipe makes 12 large cinnamon buns. Despite being vegan, they taste like the real deal. You’d never know that there was no dairy in these babies. The buns themselves are soft, light, and fluffy, while the filling is sticky and gooey. Unlike other cinnamon buns that harden within hours after baking, these remain soft, and chewy.

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Of course, these delicious rolls are best eaten straight out of the oven when they’re still warm. For extra decadence, I love slathering them with a vegan cream cheese frosting right as they come out of the oven. The combination of a soft and fluffy crumb, combined with a delicious filling, and that slowly melting cream cheese frosting makes for a party in your mouth. Be sure to have extra napkins on hand to wipe up any melting cream cheese frosting that dribbles down your chin.

Should you have leftovers, be sure to transfer the cinnamon rolls onto a plate and then cover with plastic cling wrap before putting them away. To reheat, microwave them for about 20 to 30 seconds before serving.

Note: For those on a regular diet, feel free to substitute oat milk for regular milk, vegan butter for regular butter and vegan cream cheese for Philadelphia cream cheese.

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The Gooiest Cinnamon Rolls

For the dough:

4-1/2 cup (540g) gluten-free, all-purpose flour

2 tsp xanthan gum (omit if your gluten-free flour blend already contains it)

1-1/2 cup (360ml) oat milk or any non-dairy milk, warmed to 110 degrees Fahrenheit

1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar

2-1/2 tsp (10g) instant yeast

1/3 cup (76g) vegan butter, melted and cooled

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp salt

*1/4 cup (60ml) oat milk to drizzle over the rolls before baking

Cinnamon Filling:

1/2 cup (113g) vegan butter, very soft but not melted

1 cup (220g) packed brown sugar

2-1/2 tbs ground cinnamon

1 tsp vanilla extract

Cream Cheese Frosting:

1/4 cup (56g) vegan butter sticks, soften to room temperature

1/2 cup (120g) vegan cream cheese, slightly softened

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2 cups (240g) sifted confectioners’ sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

pinch of salt

Directions:

If using xanthan gum, add this to the flour, to a large mixing bowl. Whisk well to combine, then set aside.

To a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, add warmed oat milk and sugar. Whisk to combine. Sprinkle yeast over the milk mixture and allow mixture to bloom for about 5 minutes. Add melted butter, vanilla extract, salt, and flour and mix on low speed until the dough comes together. Increase speed and knead for 6 to 7 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic. Note: dough will be somewhat sticky. Do not add additional flour.

Lightly coat a large bowl with vegetable oil.

Remove the dough from the stand mixer. Form the dough into a smooth ball and add it to the bowl. Turn the dough in the bowl to lightly coat it with oil. Loosely cover the bowl with plastic wrap and leave the bowl in a warm spot to rise for about 30 minutes or until doubled in volume.

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While the dough is rising, prepare the cinnamon filling. In a medium-size bowl, add the soften butter, brown sugar, ground cinnamon and vanilla. Using a silicone spatula, mix well until combined. Set aside until needed.

Grease a 9-inch by 13-inch baking pan and line the pan with parchment paper. Set aside until needed.

Once the dough is risen, remove the dough and place it on a generously floured work surface. Sprinkle extra flour over the dough and using a rolling pin, roll the dough out into a large rectangle measuring approximately 24 inches by 14 inches wide. The edge of the dough closest to you should measure 24 inches wide.

Using a silicone spatula, spread the cinnamon filling over the entire surface of the dough, leaving a 1/2 inch gap at the top edge of the rectangle, farthest from you.

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Starting at the edge closest to you, and working from left to right and back again, roll the dough into a log.

Continue rolling until you get to the opposite edge that’s farthest from you. Pinch the dough together, sealing in the filling.

Using a sharp knife, cut the log into 12 equal slices. Place the rolls into the prepared pan. If baking immediately, cover the pan with a tea towel and place in a warm spot for the dough to rise for about 30 minutes.

For overnight rolls, tightly seal the baking pan with plastic cling wrap and place the pan in the refrigerator. Do not allow the rolls to rise before refrigerating. In the morning, remove the baking pan and plastic wrap. Lightly drape a tea towel over the pan and place it in a warm spot to rise, for about 1 hour.

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In the meantime, preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

Lightly warm the 1/4 cup of oat milk in the microwave for about 10-15 seconds.

Once the rolls have risen, drizzle the oat milk over each of the rolls, allowing the milk to seep into the crevices.

Place the pan in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes until the tops are lightly golden and the centre registers 200 degrees Fahrenheit with a digital probe thermometer.

While the rolls are baking, prepare the cream cheese frosting.

To a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, add the cream cheese and butter, and beat until light and creamy. Add confectioners’ sugar, salt and vanilla extract and beat until well combined.

Remove the rolls from the oven and immediately spread a generous amount of cream cheese frosting over the hot rolls so that the frosting melts into the rolls. Serve immediately. Enjoy.

Makes 12 servings