1-Hour Vegan Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls

These delicious Vegan Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls are ready in 1 hour with minimal prep time. They are fluffy, delicious and packed with chocolate, cinnamon sugar and toasted coconut all topped with a thick glaze.

I love making cinnamon rolls and other buns and pastries and often opt for the “cheat’s” method using my magic no-yeast dough or using puff pastry. For these rolls, I wanted to create a recipe that was as fluffy as regular yeasted dough while being quick and easy to make. Say hello to the one-hour cinnamon roll filled with chocolate, toasted coconut and cinnamon sugar that’s ready with 15 minutes of preparation, a little 20-minute rise and then a 25 minutes baking before devouring them from the oven.

Frosted 1-Hour Vegan Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls
1-Hour Vegan Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls

Why will I love these rolls?

These rolls are divine, they are:

  • Light, fluffy, tender and pillowy-soft
  • Ready in one hour with minimal prep time, kneading or proofing time
  • Filled with chocolate spread, toasted coconut ad cinnamon sugar
  • Great to make in a rush when you crave fluffy rolls
  • Better than shop-bought
  • Made with lighter ingredients like yoghurt
  • Delicious for weekend brunch, afternoon tea delights or dessert
  • Naturally vegan and easily nut-free

If you already love these 1-Hour Vegan Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls then skip ahead to the recipe card below. Or, first let’s discuss the recipe in more detail.

What ingredients do I need?

This recipe sticks to the basics with a few nourishing tweaks to make them stand out.

For the dough:

  • Plant-based milk: use your favourite milk like oat, almond, soya or coconut (from the carton).
  • Vegan butter: use your preferred vegan butter or margarine to add the buttery richness to the dough. Compared to similar recipes, this dough uses only half the amount of butter, so they are much lighter.
  • Quick action yeast: for the rise, use quick or fast action yeast.
  • Caster or coconut sugar: for a slightly sweet dough. I love using coconut sugar for the richer flavour and colour but golden or regular caster sugar is also great.
  • Thick coconut yoghurt: this replaces some of the butter and is great for a moist and rich dough. The yoghurt must be thick and creamy like Cocos Organic as runny yoghurt will not work.
  • Plain flour: this keeps the dough really light. Start with the smaller amount of flour and add more as needed.
  • Vegan vanilla or caramel protein powder: I love finding ways to add protein into bakes and this works so well. I love the caramel popcorn, cinnamon bun or vanilla buttercream proteins from Macromike here, and you can save 10% off everything with code AMB-AMY. If you’d prefer to not use protein powder, swap this for more flour.
  • Salt: for flavour.
A dish of 1-Hour Vegan Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls with one missing
1-Hour Vegan Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls

And for the filling we need:

  • Homemade chocolate spread: I am obsessed with this Homemade Vegan Nutella which has a sugar-free option that I used here. But you can also use the version with sugar for a sweeter filling or use a shop-bought dairy-free chocolate spread. Biona Organic, Mr Organic and KoRo have great options.
  • Toasted desiccated coconut: to toast your desiccated coconut, add the coconut to a clean tray and bake for 7-10 minutes at 160Fan/180ºC, stirring often as it turns quickly. Allow to cool.
  • Cinnamon: for flavour.
  • Coconut, demerara or brown sugar: for the filling, it is best to use a crunchier sugar.
  • Maple syrup: for the glaze. You can use any sticky syrup like agave, brown rice or vegan honey.
  • Olive oil: this is also for the glaze and I love the richness it adds instead of using an “egg” wash.

The glaze relies on the same ingredients as above:

  • Thick coconut yoghurt
  • Vegan vanilla or caramel protein powder
  • Plant-based milk
  • Maple syrup

How do I make them?

These buns are easy to make and follow a similar method to most doughs:

  • Warm the milk and butter till just melted: making sure it is lukewarm so as not to kill off the yeast.
  • Sprinkle over the yeast and wait 5 minutes: it will smell like dough, and you know the yeast is blooming.
  • Stir in the sugar and yoghurt and transfer to a mixing bowl: of a freestanding mixer with a dough hook.
  • Start the mixer and gradually add in the dry ingredients: or work by hand using a spoon.
  • Once fully incorporated continue to knead for 5 minutes: or for 8-10 minutes if using your hands.
  • Place the sticky dough in a greased bowl, cover and leave somewhere warm for 20 minutes: to rise a little. It will not double in size but will increase in volume.
  • Prepare the fillings and light flour a work surface: ready for the dough.
  • Roll out the dough to a rectangle: mine was 40x30cm or there abouts.
  • Spread over the chocolate Nutella: and sprinkle over the coconut and cinnamon sugar.
  • Using the long edge, roll up the cinnamon dough into a log: and trim the edges.
  • Cut into 6 or 7 rolls using a knife or a piece of cotton: and nestle the buns into a round or square dish.
  • Brush over the glaze and bake: for 25 minutes or until risen, golden and cooked through.
  • Cool for 10 minutes and make the glaze: till smooth.
  • Spread over the glaze and add on extra coconut: and enjoy the rolls.
A 1-Hour Vegan Chocolate Cinnamon Roll on a plate with a fork
1-Hour Vegan Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls

How long will they last?

These will keep in a sealed container for 2-3 days although best eaten as fresh as possible. You can also freeze the rolls for 1 month and allow to defrost at room temperature before eating.

Are these gluten-free and nut-free?

These are easily nut-free just check that none of your ingredients contain nuts and opt for a nut-free chocolate spread. I am yet to make these gluten-free.

Can I use other fillings?

Here are some other filling suggestions:

Tearing open a 1-Hour Vegan Chocolate Cinnamon Roll on a plate
1-Hour Vegan Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls

What else can I bake?

If you are looking for more buns and rolls, how about my:

A dish of 1-Hour Vegan Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls with one missing

1-Hour Vegan Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls

Yield: 6-7
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Additional Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour

These delicious Vegan Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls are ready in 1 hour with minimal prep time. They are fluffy, delicious and packed with chocolate, cinnamon sugar and toasted coconut all topped with a thick glaze.

Ingredients

For the Dough:

  • 240ml plant-based milk
  • 30g vegan butter, cubed
  • 2 ½ tsp quick-action yeast (1 sachet, 7g)
  • 40g caster or coconut sugar
  • 30g thick dairy-free yoghurt
  • 240-280g plain flour
  • 40g vegan vanilla or caramel protein
  • A pinch of salt

For the Filling:

  • 140g chocolate spread, or homemade Nutella
  • 25g toasted desiccated coconut, plus extra to serve
  • 2 tbsp coconut or demerara sugar
  • 1 tbsp cinnamon
  • 1 tbsp maple syrup
  • 1 tbsp olive oil

For the Glaze:

  • 100g thick dairy-free yoghurt
  • 20g vegan vanilla or caramel protein
  • 2 tbsp plant-based milk
  • 1 tbsp maple syrup

Instructions

  1. To start the dough: warm the milk and butter together till just melted and it is lukewarm. Pour over the yeast and let is sit for 5 minutes (it will smell like dough). Now add this into the bowl of a freestanding mixer (or large mixing bowl, if working by hand) and stir in the sugar and yoghurt.
  2. For the dough: stir together 240g flour and protein powder. With the mixer running at a low speed, gradually spoon in the flour and protein mix and once fully mixed in, continue to knead the dough for 5 minutes on a low-medium setting, adding more flour as needed so that the dough balls up. After 5 minutes, it will still be quite sticky but this is OK. If kneading by hand, knead for 8-10 minutes.
  3. For the quick proof: lightly grease a mixing bowl and place the dough inside. Cover loosely and leave somewhere warm for 20 minutes, until risen (it won’t quite double in size).
  4. Preheat the oven to 160Fan/180ºC and grease or line an 8-inch round tin (or similar) with parchment paper. Stir together the sugar and cinnamon for the filling.
  5. To shape the dough: punch down the dough and tip onto a floured work surface. Roll out to a 40 x 30cm rectangle (approximately). Spread over the chocolate spread, leaving a small border and sprinkle over the coconut and cinnamon sugar. Using the long edge of the dough, tightly roll up the dough into a log. Trim the edges and then divide into 6 or 7 rolls. Cut using a sharp knife of use a piece of cotton or floss.
  6. To bake: arrange the buns in the dish. Stir the olive oil and maple syrup for the glaze and brush this over the buns. Place in the middle of the oven for 25 minutes, covering with foil if some parts are browning too much. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 10 minutes.
  7. For the glaze: whisk together the ingredients till smooth.
  8. To serve: spread the glaze all over the buns and sprinkle on more coconut, if desired. Enjoy straight away or allow to cool.
  9. To store: once cool, keep the buns tightly covered for 2-3 days although best eaten fresh. You can freeze the cinnamon rolls for up to1 month, wrapped well, and allow to defrost at room temperature before eating.

Recommended Products

As a brand ambassador and affiliate, I may earn commission from links.

I look forward to hearing what you think of these 1-Hour Vegan Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls so please leave a comment below and a star review above. If you do make these, I’d love to see so please tag me, I’m @nourishing.amy on Instagram and use the hashtag #nourishingamy. I’m also on TwitterFacebook and Pinterest  – please say hello!

With one-hour of love x

Leave a Reply

Skip to Recipe