Tender, fluffy, and perfectly spiced, these easy vegan apple raisin cinnamon rolls are delicious with an afternoon cup of tea or as a special treat on a weekend morning (or any other time!).
1apple, chopped small and thin (I use a Gala apple)
Instructions
In your stand mixer bowl, add the yeast, 1 teaspoon of sugar, and lukewarm water. Let stand for a few minutes.
When the yeast has foamed up, add the room temperature/lukewarm milk, oil, salt, ground cinnamon, sugar and 1 cup of flour. Mix with a spoon to combine.
Put stand mixer bowl in place, add 2 more cups of flour and using the dough hook, allow the mixer to knead.
If the dough is sticky, add flour ½ cup at a time.
Let mixer knead dough for about 4 minutes and until it is no longer sticky.
Remove dough from mixer bowl and oil the inside lightly. Place dough back in bowl, cover with a towel and let it sit in a warm spot until it has doubled in size, about 1 hour.
After the hour has passed, punch the dough down and let it sit for a few minutes while you prepare the pan and filling.
Line an 9" x 13" pan with parchment paper. Allow an overhang on each side so they can be easily removed from the pan when done.
Slice apples into ¾" pieces (see images above to get an idea of how they should look).
Prepare raisins (see tip above).
In a small bowl, mix the brown sugar and the cinnamon.
Lightly flour your work surface, stretch and roll your dough into a rectangle that is approximately 12" x 18".
Brush melted coconut oil over the entire surface.
Sprinkle brown sugar/cinnamon mixture onto dough.
Sprinkle raisins and then apples onto the dough.
From the long side, firmly roll the dough. Roll slowly to ensure it is tight as can be.
Pinch the entire length of the seam to seal and turn the entire roll seam side down so it's at the bottom.
Slice off an inch of dough from each end.
Slice the roll into 12 slices.
Place each slice into the parchment lined pan. It's OK if they are close together.
Cover with a towel and place in a warm spot. Let rise for 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 375°F.
After the rolls have rested, bake for about 20 minutes or until they are lightly browned.
Remove from oven and let sit for a few minutes in pan.
Remove using parchment paper overhang and place on a cooling rack.
Notes
I use my stand mixer to knead the dough, if you don't have a stand mixer, knead by hand.
If adding a glaze, add it while the rolls are still warm.
Be sure to chop your apples small and make sure they aren't too thick. This ensures that they will bake thoroughly. See the images above.
These buns are their best when served warm, but of course, you may not be able to serve all 12 while they are still warm! After they have cooled, store in an airtight container and warm up when serving again.
Nutrition info is based on 1 roll without glaze. Nutrition info is only to be used as a rough guide. Click to learn how nutrition info is calculated on this website.