No-Yeast Pumpkin Spice Babka Buns (Vegan Gluten-Free)

Small-batch, no-yeast individual babka buns with a sweet pumpkin spice filling, sticky sugar coating and a magic 3-ingredient dough. These buns are ready in 30 minutes and are so easy but impressive.

It’s time to be all onboard the pumpkin spice train right now, although you can eat these all year long. There’s no need to confine these to just Autumn/Fall season. There is something so nostalgic and warming about pumpkin spice and when combined with equally comforting and familiar fluffy sweet buns, you know these are going to be on repeat.

These No-Yeast Pumpkin Spice Babka Buns are:

• A cross between cinnamon rolls and babka
• Light and fluffy
• Sweet and sticky
• Packed with pumpkin spice cinnamon sugar
• Naturally vegan with gluten-free options
• Nut-free and soya-free
• Easy to make in 30 minutes with minimal effort
• Very impressive to serve for brunch or afternoon tea

I am totally in love with these No-Yeast Pumpkin Spice Babka Buns and hope you will be too. If you are already a fan of my no-yeast bakes, you will know how good they are. You get all the deliciousness and fluffy dough of a yeasted recipe without any of the yeast, kneading or time spent waiting around. This time round, I wanted to pull out all the stops so I upgraded the classic cinnamon roll with pumpkin spice sugar and then braided and rolled them like individual babka buns.

But don’t worry, they are so easy to make (not that you need to tell anyone that).

What goes into these No-Yeast Pumpkin Spice Babka Buns?

Let’s start with the magic dough:

• Self-raising flour: this is part of the magic 3-ingredient dough. This makes sure the dough is really light and fluffy without any yeast. If you are using gluten-free self-raising flour, you will need to add a little bit more as it absorbs liquid differently.
• Caster sugar: this makes the dough slightly sweet but not too sweet. You can use any sugar here, but I think caster sugar works best.
• Thick yoghurt: this is essential for the magic dough. I like thick coconut yoghurt, but thick dairy-free yoghurt will work, depending on what you have.

To make the dough, simply stir together all the ingredients to a shaggy dough and then bring together with your hands. It will be thick but as you give it a quick knead (only for 1-2 minutes I promise!) it will become much smoother and more pliable.

• Vegan butter: melt and spread this over the dough. I prefer to use vegan butter as opposed to coconut oil for the taste but coconut oil and margarine spread would also work, if you prefer.
• Coconut sugar: for the filling I prefer a crunchier, darker sugar like coconut or even dark brown sugar or demerara sugar. They add more flavour and richness to the filling but white sugar will work, too.
• Pumpkin spice: I tend to make my own blends as in the UK it is not as easy to find a ready-made blend, but you can use whatever you have. I have included my own DIY blend below using cinnamon, ground ginger, nutmeg and mixed spice. If you don’t have all of these, that is OK, you can use whatever you do have.

Sprinkle the pumpkin spice mix over the filling and then it’s time to make the babka buns. While these look intricate, they are really simple and use 2 instead of 3 braids which also makes them easier to make.

What steps are involved in making these buns?

• Step one: once the dough is covered with pumpkin spice sugar, fold it in half lengthways.
• Step two: slice the dough into 6 strips.
• Step three: with the fold at the top, slice each strip in half, keeping the top intact.
• Step four: plait the two strands together, folding one over the other and press the ends together.
• Step five: roll the plait into a circle, tucking the ends underneath and place in a greased muffin hole.

Now these No-Yeast Pumpkin Spice Babka Buns are ready to be baked. They smell amazing as they bake: lovely and sweet with lots of pumpkin spice. They rise up well and turn golden at the edges while staying tender in the middle, too.

Before serving these buns, while they are great as they are, I love to add a pumpkin spice sugar coating and a drizzle of sticky icing, too. The pumpkin spice sugar is the same recipe as the filling and simply coat the buns in maple syrup before sprinkling with the sugar. Now drizzle with icing sugar glaze and dig in.

Are these buns nut-free and gluten-free?

Yes, these are nut-free (just check the yoghurt you use) and to make these gluten-free, you will need slightly more GF flour, as detailed in my Strawberry No-Yeast Swirl Buns.

How long do these last?

Like most baked goods, these are best eaten on the day but will last for 1-2 days in a sealed container at room temperature.

These No-Yeast Pumpkin Spice Babka Buns really are the dream no-yeast, light and fluffy bun recipe perfect for Autumn. Packed with warming and cosy pumpkin spice flavours and coated liberally in spiced sugar, these moreish babka buns are such a great brunch to make for friends or family or to enjoy with a cup of tea on a cosy afternoon.

If you are looking for more no-yeast bakes, how about my:

• Strawberry No-Yeast Swirl Buns
• Vegan Chocolate Star Bread
• Quick Protein Cinnamon Rolls for 2
• Vegan Chocolate Hot Cross Bun Scones
• Vegan Espresso Cinnamon Roll Tear and Share

I look forward to hearing what you think of these delicious No-Yeast Pumpkin Spice Babka Buns so please let me know in the comments below. If you do make these babka buns, I would love to see them so please tag me in your buns – I’m @nourishing.amy on Instagram and use the hashtag #nourishingamy. I’m also on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest  – please say hello!

With babka bun love x