Festive Cinnamon Buns with Orange, Cinnamon & Maple Icing

December 19, 2020
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Who doesn’t love a (vegan) cinnamon bun?!  Seriously, I’ve handed these out to people who insist they don’t like cinnamon buns only to turn around a minute later and tell me how delicious they are!  Carry these past anyone when they’re warm and they won’t be able to resist; they smell absolutely divine.

Soft, squishy, enriched dough rolled up with a swirly centre of sweet cinnamon and orange infused sultanas, and brushed with a sticky glaze.  These gorgeous cinnamon buns are finished off with a festive vegan icing flavoured with vanilla, cinnamon, maple syrup and orange – it tastes incredible and are you ready for it… it’s made from tofu! (but you absolutely wouldn’t know it).

These cinnamon buns, complete with tofu icing, have been tried and tested by many a non-vegan and even the HB who claims he doesn’t like cinnamon rolls and actively dislikes tofu, LOVES them!

Inspired by a trip to NYC with the bestie, where the glorious aroma of cinnamon rolls wafts down many a street.

Close up of a large baking dish filled with freshly cooked cinnamon buns, drizzled with festive tofu icing

These little beauties are just PERFECT!  

Beautifully soft

Satisfyingly squishy

Sweet, cinnamony and sticky

With juicy orange-infused sultanas

And

A festive-flavoured tofu icing that is TO-DIE-FOR!

I have no doubt that you will LOVE this recipe – be sure to tag me on Instagram when you make it @aveganvisit 🙂

Festive cinnamon buns on a wooden table drizzled with cinnamon orange icing

 

Cinnamon buns cooked two ways
Top: Cinnamon buns cooked together in one large dish.
Bottom: Cinnamon buns cooked in a large muffin tray with individual sections

The Video Recipe:

The Written Recipe:

Festive Cinnamon Buns with Orange, Cinnamon & Maple Icing 2 sq

Festive Cinnamon Buns with Orange, Cinnamon & Maple Icing

Soft, squishy, enriched dough rolled up with a swirly centre of sweet cinnamon and orange infused sultanas, and brushed with a sticky glaze. These gorgeous cinnamon buns are finished off with a festive vegan icing flavoured with vanilla, cinnamon, maple syrup and orange.
5 from 4 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Sweet Treat
Cuisine: American
Prep: 45 minutes
Cook: 18 minutes
Total: 2 hours 48 minutes
Serves: 12 buns
Calories: 407kcal
Author: Tara

Ingredients
 
 

Orange-infused sultanas:

  • 100 g sultanas
  • 100 ml orange juice

Dough:

  • 100 g dairy free margarine (melted)
  • 300 ml dairy free milk (warm)
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 7 g dried yeast
  • 500 g bread flour
  • 50 g soft light brown sugar
  • 1 tsp salt

Cinnamon filling:

  • 90 g dairy free margarine (room temperature)
  • 150 g soft light brown sugar
  • 12 g cinnamon
  • 20 g dairy free margarine (for greasing)

Sugar glaze:

  • 3 tbsp sugar
  • 3 tbsp hot water

Orange, cinnamon and maple icing:

  • 175 g silken tofu (drained)
  • 15 g maple syrup
  • 35 g icing sugar
  • ½ tsp vanilla extract
  • ½ tsp cinnamon
  • 25 g coconut oil (melted)
  • 1 tsp orange zest (approx 1/2 orange)

Equipment

Instructions
 

Infuse the sultanas:

  • Add the sultanas and orange juice to a shallow dish to soak for 1 hour whilst you are making your dough.
    100 g sultanas, 100 ml orange juice

Make the dough:

  • Melt the margarine and set it aside to allow it to cool to room temperature (or at least below 40°C / 104°F).
    100 g dairy free margarine
  • In a jug or bowl, mix together the warm milk (40°C / 104°F), tsp of sugar and yeast and set it aside to froth up for 10 minutes.
    300 ml dairy free milk, 1 tsp sugar, 7 g dried yeast
  • In a large bowl mix together the flour, 50g of sugar and salt, making sure there are no clumps in the sugar.
    500 g bread flour, 50 g soft light brown sugar, 1 tsp salt
  • Add the yeast mixture and melted margarine to the flour and mix it together into a dough. Make sure your margarine isn’t too hot when you add it, it should be 40°C (104°F) or below.
  • Knead the dough for 7 minutes on a smooth, well floured surface. Use just enough flour to make the dough manageable - it’ll be sticky to start with but after 2 minutes of kneading it should be smooth and no longer sticky.
  • Put the dough back in the bowl, cover and set it aside to prove for 60 to 90 minutes. The proving time will depend on how warm your kitchen is but you’re aiming for your dough to have doubled in size.

Create your swirly buns:

  • Once your dough has proved, roll it out into a rectangle around 1/2cm (1/4") thick - approx 35 cm x 45 cm (14" x 18").
  • Spread the room temperature margarine evenly over the entire dough surface.
    90 g dairy free margarine
  • Sprinkle evenly with the brown sugar and cinnamon.
    150 g soft light brown sugar, 12 g cinnamon
  • Drain the remaining orange juice off of the sultanas and then sprinkle the drained sultanas over the dough.
  • Starting from the long side of the rectangle, roll the dough up into a log.
  • Cut the uneven ends off and then cut into 12 swirly rolls.
  • Grease a large baking dish (approx 20 cm x 35 cm / 8" x 14") with dairy free margarine.*
    20 g dairy free margarine
  • Place the cinnamon buns, with the swirly side up, in the baking dish so that they are just touching.
  • Cover and side aside to prove for 45 minutes - 1 hour until they have nearly doubled in size again.
  • Preheat the oven to 180°C fan (200°C conventional / 400°F / gas mark 6) and then bake your buns for 18 minutes until golden brown. Prepare the sugar glaze whilst the buns are baking.

Glaze the buns:

  • Add the sugar to the hot water and stir until it has dissolved.
    3 tbsp sugar, 3 tbsp hot water
  • Brush the sugar glaze over the buns as soon as you take them out of the oven.
  • Set aside to cool in the baking dish.

Make the icing:

  • Place all of the ingredients into a blender or food processor and blitz until smooth. Refrigerate for a spreadable icing or use at room temperature for an icing that can be drizzled over the cinnamon buns. YUM!
    175 g silken tofu, 15 g maple syrup, 35 g icing sugar, 1/2 tsp vanilla extract, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 25 g coconut oil, 1 tsp orange zest

Video

Notes

Vegan / Dairy Free / Egg Free / Nut Free
* If you’ve got a deep muffin tin with removable bases you can also use this to make individual cinnamon buns/rolls instead of making them all in one dish, just make sure it’s well greased. See the photos on the blog for a comparison of what your buns will look like if you use one big dish vs a deep muffin tin.
Recipe inspired by:  New York, USA
Please check the allergens on the ingredients you purchase before use.  The allergen information provided in this recipe is intended as a guide only and is based on the specific ingredients and brands used at the time of creating the recipe, therefore we cannot guarantee that the same will apply to the ingredients you use.  Nutritional values are estimated.
We highly recommend you use the metric and 1x options on this recipe card for the best results. Please note that this recipe has not been tested using US measurements or increasing ingredient quantities to 2x or 3x, therefore results may vary.

Nutrition

Calories: 407kcal | Carbohydrates: 63g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 350mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 29g | Net Carbohydrates: 61g
Have you tried this recipe?Tag @aveganvisit on Instagram or hashtag it #aveganvisit!

Tara

Hi, I’m Tara! I’m taking you on a trip around the world in vegan cuisine and bringing the world’s most delicious dishes to your kitchen.