Dairy-Free Cinnamon Rolls are a soft, fluffy treat that brings all the warmth and sweetness of the classic cinnamon roll without any dairy. These rolls are perfect for anyone following a dairy-free diet or looking for a lighter, yet indulgent, breakfast or dessert option. With a tender, slightly sweet dough that’s swirled with cinnamon and sugar and topped with a simple dairy-free glaze, these cinnamon rolls are a deliciously comforting treat everyone can enjoy.
The dough for dairy-free desserts is made using plant-based milk, such as almond, oat, or soy milk, in place of regular milk, and dairy-free butter or margarine to keep the rolls tender and rich. The combination of these ingredients results in a dough that’s just as soft and light as traditional cinnamon rolls. Yeast is used to help the dough rise, creating fluffy layers that are perfect for absorbing all the sweet cinnamon filling.
The cinnamon filling is made with a blend of brown sugar, cinnamon, and a bit of dairy-free butter. When rolled up, this mixture creates a beautiful swirl throughout the dough. As the rolls bake, the sugar melts into the dough, creating a gooey, caramelized center. The result is a sweet, aromatic treat with the perfect balance of cinnamon and sugar.
For the finishing touch, these dairy-free rolls are drizzled with a simple dairy-free glaze made from powdered sugar, plant-based milk, and vanilla extract. The glaze adds a touch of sweetness and gives the rolls a nice, glossy finish that makes them irresistible.
Dairy-Free Cinnamon Rolls are perfect for a cozy breakfast or brunch. They also make a wonderful treat to serve at holiday gatherings or any time you’re craving something sweet and comforting. Whether you’re dairy-free or simply looking for a delicious alternative, these cinnamon rolls will fill your kitchen with the wonderful smells of cinnamon and vanilla, making them a perfect indulgence that everyone will love.
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1 cup warm almond milk 110°F
- 1/2 cup sugar divided
- 1/3 cup coconut oil melted
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, dissolve the yeast in warm almond milk along with 1 tablespoon of sugar. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes until it becomes frothy.
- Add the remaining sugar, melted coconut oil, and vanilla extract to the yeast mixture. Stir to combine.
- Gradually add the flour and salt, mixing until a dough forms. Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for 5-10 minutes, until smooth and elastic.
- Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and let it rise in a warm place for about 1 hour, or until it has doubled in size.
- Roll the dough out into a large rectangle on a floured surface. Spread melted coconut oil over the dough, then sprinkle with brown sugar and ground cinnamon.
- Roll up the dough tightly from one end to the other, then cut into 12 even pieces.
- Place the rolls in a greased baking dish, cover with a damp cloth, and let them rise in a warm place for 30 minutes.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake the rolls for 25 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and let cool slightly before serving. Enjoy your Dairy Free Cinnamon Rolls warm!
Nutrition
I made these exactly as written and they turned out fluffy! The dairy-free part is legit—no weird taste at all. Cinnamon + brown sugar filling was a dream. 10/10 would bake again.
all LOOK SO GOOD,IM GOIN TRY CINNIMON ROLLS
I was skeptical at first, but these cinnamon rolls are so good! Definitely making them again.
Quick question: do you mean 4 cups flour total? I accidentally did 2 and it was way too sticky… oops. But hey, they still came out edible 😅
I don’t trust coconut oil in pastry honestly. Mine had a slight coconut taste, not terrible, just noticeable. Texture was okay.
Total failure! My dough didn’t rise. Maybe I messed up the yeast? So disappointed.
Yum!
Coconut oil? Really? Not a fan of the flavor, ruined it for me.
I’m not sure about the almond milk… It’s different. Might just stick to regular milk next time.
meh
My dough didn’t rise, like at all. I followed it but maybe my yeast was old. The yeast never got frothy, so I ended up with bread-ish rolls instead of cinnamon rolls.
I don’t have almond milk, can I use regular milk instead? Will it still work?
These turned out amazing! I can’t believe they’re dairy-free!
Nice recipe but I thought they were a bit too sweet for my taste. Maybe less sugar next time?
I totally agree! They were really sweet. Less sugar would taste better for sure!
Sweet? I didn’t think they were too sweet. But taste is personal, I guess.
umm… why no eggs? just curious 😅
I’m lactose intolerant so I was excited, but I couldn’t get the yeast to froth. I’m pretty sure my almond milk was too hot/cold, so it’s on me. Recipe otherwise seems fine.
Easy to follow! Just gotta make sure the milk ain’t too hot. I’ll keep making this!
Kinda skeptical if this would taste good without regular milk, but wow! These were great! Coconut oil really adds something special.
Soooo good!!! I made them for brunch and everyone asked for seconds. I did add a little extra cinnamon because I’m that person.
Simple ingredients and quick to make! My kids loved helping with the rolling part. Definitely making these again!
I had a hard time rolling the dough. It kept sticking! Any tips?
You should try using more flour on your surface next time. That helps with the sticking! 😊
Idk, maybe your dough was too wet? Try less almond milk next time. Can’t say I really get this recipe.
I dunno, these weren’t as fluffy as I hoped. Maybe I need to whip them more?
So good, I can’t believe they’re dairy-free! I thought that was impossible. Will make again!
Easy to follow! Just wish it didn’t take so long to make.
Yum! I added walnuts for some crunch. Best recipe I’ve tried in ages.
Really? Walnuts? I don’t know if that fits with cinnamon rolls… But to each their own, I guess!
Walnuts sound like a great addition! I’ll have to try that next time. Glad you liked the recipe!
Isn’t coconut oil unhealthy though? I don’t know if I can trust this recipe.
Cinnabon who? These are just as good, if not better! Can’t believe they’re dairy free.
Soo good! I added some nuts for crunch. They came out delicious!
Okay but 350°F for 25 minutes felt long for my oven. Mine browned a lot before the middle was fully done—maybe cover with foil next time.
I tried this recipe and it was a total flop! The dough didn’t rise at all, and I followed all the steps. Not sure what went wrong.
Yum! I added walnuts for a crunch, and they turned out amazing! Thanks for sharing!
I forgot to put the sugar in the dough. Oops. Still turned out ok but a little bland.
Nope. Something was off. My kids didn’t like them at all. 🤢
Followed the recipe exactly but they turned out flat. What did I do wrong?!
Not bad at all, though I think my dough was a little dry. I ended up adding a splash more almond milk while kneading. Flavor is great, but next time I’ll watch the flour measurement closer.
Too sweet for my taste. Maybe half the sugar next time?
These rolls made my kitchen smell incredible! I feel like a pro baker now. 😄
I totally agree! They smell amazing while baking! I didn’t think I could achieve that either! 🤩
Easy recipe! But I think olive oil would be better than coconut oil. Just saying. 🍞
Nah, coconut oil is the best for baking! Olive oil won’t taste right, trust me. 👎
I think coconut oil gives it a nice flavor tho! 😋 But I get what you mean. Olive oil’s nice too!
Yum!! cinnamon and sweetness is just right. Even my kids loved them! Will make it again.
Yummy!
These are the best cinnamon rolls I’ve ever made! So fluffy and delicious, my kids loved them!
Absolutely love this recipe! My family devoured them in minutes. Will definitely make again!
Dough didn’t rise at all! What did I do wrong? I’m confused.
Maybe your yeast was old? You gotta check those dates! Also, the water should be warm, not too hot or cold. Just a thought!
Who wants cinnamon rolls without butter? My grandma would roll in her grave if she saw this!
These cinnamon rolls are fantastic! I’ve been dairy-free for years and this is a game changer. 😍
I tried these and they came out too dry. Maybe I overcooked them? Not sure, but I’m disappointed.
The dough was way too sticky for me until I added extra flour. Also, I think my oven runs hot because 25 mins burned the bottom. Flavor saved it.
Oof—yeah sticky dough can happen with these. Extra flour is basically the fix. And if the bottoms burned, your oven probably runs hot like you said; I’d try lowering to 325°F or baking on the middle rack next time.
I’m not sure I agree—25 minutes should not burn the bottom if the oven is correct. Maybe your dish was too dark or you put it too close to the heating element? But glad the flavor worked out!
My dough was too sticky, I added more flour than it said. I think it turned out good still tho.
Not bad, but my dough felt a bit stiff after adding all 4 cups flour. I ended up adding a splash more almond milk and it worked. Next time I’ll measure by dough texture.
So much sugar in this! Isn’t cinnamon already sweet enough? 🤔
But sugar makes it sweet! Can’t have cinnamon rolls without sugar! 😋
I think it balances out the spice, but maybe it’s too much sugar for some? 🤷♀️
Y’all, these rolls are life! Wasn’t sure about that almond milk, but wow!
Wow, these cinnamon rolls turned out amazing! I was worried about the dairy-free part, but they were super fluffy and delicious.
I tried making these but the dough didn’t rise. I must have done something wrong! 😩
Why would anyone want dairy free rolls? Just eat real ones! Ugh.
These turned out sooo good! I was worried the almond milk temp would matter, but 110°F worked perfectly and they rose nicely. Cinnamon filling is legit—like bakery vibes.
Yes!! “Bakery vibes” is exactly what I’m aiming for. Love that 110°F worked for you—my biggest fear with dairy-free baking is always the yeast not waking up 😅
I think your temps are off? 350°F for 25 minutes seems long for cinnamon rolls unless they’re thicker. Mine were kind of dry on the edges and pale in the middle. Tastes good though.
These came out super fluffy! I was nervous about coconut oil instead of butter, but the cinnamon filling tastes really cozy. Will make again.
These are amazing! I loved how fluffy they turned out. Will make again for sure!
Glad you loved them! They really do come out super fluffy! 😊
These cinnamon rolls are bomb! I took them to a potluck, and everyone went nuts over them!
Honestly, didn’t think I’d like dairy free but these are sooo good! Definitely making more!
5 stars for sure! Finally, a recipe my lactose-intolerant friends can enjoy at our brunch!
Not gonna lie, I was skeptical about almond milk working with yeast. But the froth happened in like 7 minutes. That said, my rolls spread a bit—next time I’ll make sure I cut them evenly.
Ok listen. I followed steps but my yeast didn’t get frothy, so the whole thing was kinda sad. I might’ve used milk that wasn’t warm enough? Still, the cinnamon smell in the oven was nice.
These cinnamon rolls are amazing! So fluffy and delicious! Why would anyone want dairy when you can have this?
Totally agree! These rolls are so good without dairy. I never thought about using almond milk instead. Yum!
Not bad but why use almond milk? Can’t you use regular milk? This is so weird!
Almond milk is just a healthier option for those who can’t have dairy! It’s actually pretty good in recipes. 🤗
Hmmm, I’m not sure about the almond milk. Can I use regular milk instead? I mean, does it really have to be dairy-free?
Dairy free? LOL. I ain’t got no issue with dairy, but these did taste alright!
The cinnamon-to-brown-sugar ratio is great. One thing: I under-kneaded by like 2 minutes because I got distracted and they were less elastic, but still tasty.
The dough felt a bit sticky before kneading, but after 10 minutes it got nice and elastic. I proofed in a warm spot and they doubled like the recipe said. Mine browned a little too much at 25 min, so maybe start checking at 20.
Tastes kinda different from regular rolls. But still nice I guess. Will try again with some tweaks!
I followed the steps exactly and the rise time was weird—only puffed maybe 1.5x in an hour. Still delicious though. Flavor is on point.
1.5x in an hour seems low but hey if flavor is on point then maybe your yeast was a lil tired 😅 Also the coconut oil can firm up if the dough sits—next time try keeping it warm/room temp when mixing.
Glad they still turned out! If the rise was only ~1.5x, I’ve had that happen when the almond milk runs a bit too cool or the room isn’t warm enough—yeast just slows down. Did your milk feel “warm but not hot” (like you’d test on your wrist)?
I’m skeptical about using only coconut oil for the filling—mine kinda leaked and got messy. Still tasted good, just not pretty. Maybe chilling the dough or using thicker oil would help?
I had the same problem with coconut oil—definitely leaked out. Chilling the dough helped mine firm up, but I also started using solid coconut oil (not fully melted) and it got less messy.
Not sure about the coconut oil part. I think you need something thicker or maybe use less oil overall. Mine also slid around instead of staying put.
These were good but I wish there was icing or glaze. They tasted like cinnamon rolls without the “wow.” Also I might reduce the sugar slightly next time because mine were pretty sweet.
I actually like them without icing, but I feel you on the sweetness. My first batch was kinda candy-sweet too—next time I’ll try cutting the sugar in half and see.
Totally agree—these are tasty, but they’re more “cinnamon roll-ish” than *dessert-y*. I added a simple powdered sugar glaze (plus a splash of almond milk) and it made a huge difference.
Ok so I used coconut oil and it was solid when I spread it—was not fun lol. I heated it but still. Flavor was nice, texture was kinda dense though.