Giant Gingerbread Cinnamon Roll (Vegan)

This Giant Gingerbread Cinnamon Roll is so light and fluffy, pillowy soft and deliciously vegan. It is filled with a gingerbread cinnamon sugar and spread thick with cream cheese frosting for a giant bun that is great to tear and share.

I will admit that I have a lot of favourite recipes but this one may just have to top them all.  I am such a big fan of buns, rolls ,swirls and scrolls but usually I opt for the quicker no-yeast option. For today’s recipe, I worked with Le Creuset (a pinch me moment as I love their products) to make this Giant Gingerbread Cinnamon Roll in a casserole dish. It’s huge, it’s fluffy and it’s such a fun recipe to make this Christmastime for friends and family.

How amazing is this Giant Gingerbread Cinnamon Roll?

If the photos don’t sell this enough, then let me say that this roll is:

  • Pillowy soft
  • Fluffy and light
  • Packed with gingerbread spices
  • Filled with a delicious buttery filling
  • Spread thickly with 2-ingredient cream cheese frosting
  • Naturally vegan
  • Easy to make in a few steps
  • Very impressive to serve to guests
  • Great to make for the holidays

All in all, this Giant Gingerbread Cinnamon Roll is a delicious bake and I hope you will want to make this straight away. If so, skip ahead to the recipe card, or let’s discuss the ingredients and method a little bit more.

A slice of Giant Gingerbread Cinnamon Roll
Giant Gingerbread Cinnamon Roll

What ingredients go into this Giant Gingerbread Cinnamon Roll?

Firstly, the dough which is yeasted, so soft and so easy to make:

  • Vegan butter: this adds the lovely soft and tender dough texture. Butter is best here but vegan margarine spread would also work. I have not tried this with coconut oil and suggest sticking to butter.
  • Plant-based milk: any milk will do like oat, almond, coconut or soya.
  • Apple puree: you may be suspired to see this here, but it keeps the dough really light, adds a dose of apple-y goodness and helps the dough to hold its shape. Non vegan dough may contain egg which acts in the same way as the apple puree does here. See this post to make your own apple puree (or applesauce in America).
  • Strong white bread flour: this is my preferred flour for doughs and buns as it’s more dough-y and bready-y which is perfect for cinnamon rolls. I would stick to this but white flour will also work but perhaps isn’t quite so bread-y in texture.
  • Dried active yeast: for the magic rise! No need to activate the yeast beforehand, just mix it into the flour and then add in the wet ingredients.
  • Gingerbread spices: cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg help bring this dough to life.
  • Light brown sugar: this adds to the gingerbread flavour but you can also use caster sugar, too.
  • Salt: to enhance the flavours and aid the yeast, too.

For the filling we need:

  • Vegan butter: as above, butter is best. It is ideal for the butter to be room temperature for the filling, so leave it out for 1-2 hours to soften.
  • Light brown sugar: as above, other sugars will work but it is nice to have the rich flavour and slightly coarse texture for the filling. I would swap this sugar for demerara or coconut sugar, if you prefer.
  • Gingerbread spices: cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg add to this gingerbread flavours.

The frosting is very simply a mix of:

Giant Gingerbread Cinnamon Roll with a slice removed
Giant Gingerbread Cinnamon Roll
Taking a slice of the Giant Gingerbread Cinnamon Roll
Giant Gingerbread Cinnamon Roll

How do I make a giant roll?

I was a little intimidated at first at how giant this roll is but it’s actually really easy to make. Here’s what to do:

  • Make the dough: warm the butter and milk and stir in the apple puree. Separately stir the dry ingredients then while mixing, gradually add the wet into the dry.
  • Knead the dough: I like to use a standing mixer for this as it takes all the work out of the recipe, but you can easily knead the dough by hand for 5-6 minutes.
  • Allow the dough to proof: somewhere warm for about an hour, it will really increase in size.
  • Make the filling: stir together all the ingredients until smooth.
  • Punch down the dough and roll it out: to a large rectangle.
  • Spread over the filling: to evenly cover the dough.
  • Slice the dough into 4 large strips: so they are evenly sized.
  • Roll up the first strip: like you would for a cinnamon roll.
  • Place the first roll on top of the second strip: and roll around this to make a larger roll.
  • Repeat for strips 3 and 4: to make a giant roll. You will need to use both hands as it gets slightly messier.
  • Proof the roll: place the roll in the lined dish and cover. Leave somewhere warm for 30 minutes to fill the tin.
  • Bake until golden brown: and well risen. Then smother with frosting and decorations like mini Gingerbread Cookies.
  • Tear and share: and enjoy this Giant Gingerbread Cinnamon Roll.

That is all there is to this delicious roll, which I hope you will fall in love with.

Close up of Giant Gingerbread Cinnamon Roll
Giant Gingerbread Cinnamon Roll

When should I eat this?

This Giant Gingerbread Cinnamon Roll is so good for festive brunch, an indulgent breakfast, with a cup of tea or served warm with more frosting (or even with extra custard or ice cream) for dessert. It is especially important to remember this is delicious all year long, don’t wait for the holidays.

Is this gluten-free and nut-free?

This sweet roll recipe is naturally nut-free (check your butter and milks as sometimes they are nut-based) but this is not gluten-free. For deliciously gluten-free dough recipes, try my no-yeast range which are happily gluten-free like my Mince Pie Swirl Buns, Pumpkin Spice Babka Buns and Vegan Chocolate Star Bread.

Can I make this Giant Gingerbread Cinnamon Roll into other flavours?

Yes, of course. The basic mix can then be used to make a regular cinnamon roll (omit the ginger spices and swap for more cinnamon) and you can even add on some chopped dried fruits. You could also make a fruity Lemon and Blueberry giant roll basing it on this recipe or opt for a chocolate one by spreading the dough with chocolate spread.

A slice of Giant Gingerbread Cinnamon Roll on a plate
Giant Gingerbread Cinnamon Roll

How long will this giant roll last?

This was gone in under 24 hours, that is how much we love baked goods in my house. I did give some out to the neighbours who were all very happy, too. This is best the same day it is basked, but you can bake it the night before and then frost it before you want to eat it, too. Once baked, it will last 1-3 days, make sure to wrap it up in parchment and then keep in a sealed container at room temperature. Any extra slices of roll can be frozen for up to 1 month and then defrosted at room temperature.

I love this giant roll, what other dough recipes can I make?

If you love this Giant Gingerbread Cinnamon Roll, then I hope you will also want to try:

Giant Gingerbread Cinnamon Roll (Vegan)

  • Servings: 12
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

This Giant Gingerbread Cinnamon Roll is so light and fluffy, pillowy soft and deliciously vegan. It is filled with a gingerbread cinnamon sugar and spread thick with cream cheese frosting for a giant bun that is great to tear and share.

Ingredients

    For the dough:
  • 90g vegan butter
  • 240ml plant-based milk
  • 200g apple puree
  • 700g strong white bread flour
  • 2 tsp active dried yeast
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 2 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg
  • 40g light brown sugar
  • A pinch of salt
  • For the filling:
  • 150g vegan butter, softened
  • 120g light brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp cinnamon
  • 2 tbsp ground ginger
  • 1 tsp nutmeg
  • For the frosting:
  • 60g vegan cream cheese
  • 200g icing sugar
  • To decorate:
  • Cranberries
  • Redcurrants
  • Gingerbread cookies

Directions

  1. Make the dough: add the vegan butter and plant-based milk to a saucepan and slowly warm to melt the butter but do not boil. Stir in the apple puree.
  2. Add the flour, active dried yeast, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, sugar and salt to a freestanding mixer with a dough hook or to a large mixing bowl. Stir the dry mix together.
  3. While stirring (by hand or dough hook) gradually pour in the butter mix and stir until fully incorporated. If using a machine, continue to knead the dough for 3-4 minutes on a medium speed to reach a thick, smooth and shiny dough. If using your hands, tip out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead for 5-6 minutes until you have a thick, smooth dough.
  4. Light grease a large mixing bowl and place in the dough. Cover with clingfilm or a tea towel and leave somewhere warm to double in size, for about an hour.
  5. Meanwhile, prepare the filling: stir together the softened butter, sugar, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg.
  6. Lightly flour a work surface and line the Le Creuset dish with parchment paper. Punch the dough down and transfer to the surface. Roll out to a rectangle roughly 50cm x 30cm. Spread over the filling using a spatula.
  7. Slice the rectangle into 4 long strips (approx. 7.5cm in width). Start with one strip and use the smaller edge to roll it up into a swirl bun.
  8. Place this roll on top of the second strip of dough and roll this second strip to make the roll larger. Repeat with strips 3 and 4. Carefully lift up the large roll and transfer it to the Le Creuset Dish, swirl side up.
  9. Cover again with clingfilm or a tea towel and leave somewhere warm for 30 minutes to double again and fill the dish.
  10. While the dough proofs, preheat the oven to 160Fan/180*C. When the dough is ready, remove the cover and transfer the dish to the oven. Bake for 25 minutes, cover with foil if it’s browning too much and bake for another 20 minutes, or until cooked through.
  11. Allow to cool for 10 minutes then carefully lift out the dish and cool fully on a wire rack.
  12. Make the frosting: stir together the cream cheese ad icing sugar until thick. Spread over the cooled giant gingerbread cinnamon roll and top with cranberries, redcurrants and gingerbread cookies.
  13. Best eaten on the same day or the roll will keep for 1-2 days in an airtight container at room temperature.
Giant Gingerbread Cinnamon Roll landscape image
Giant Gingerbread Cinnamon Roll

I look forward to hearing what you think of this Giant Gingerbread Cinnamon Roll so please let me know in the comments below. If you do make this giant roll, I would love to see your creations so please tag me in them. I’m @nourishing.amy on Instagram and use the hashtag #nourishingamy. I’m also on TwitterFacebook and Pinterest  – please say hello!

With giant rolls of love x

  1. CARAMEL says:

    Looking great! I love Le Crouset. One of their stores is a couple of minutes walk away from my little nest, and I love peering in through the windows and tempting myself.

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