Vegan Sweet Potato Cinnamon Rolls

A batch of freshly baked and frosted cinnamon rolls in a pan sit on a dark blue kitchen towel.

Vegan Sweet Potato Cinnamon Rolls

These sweet potato cinnamon rolls are fluffy, moist, and packed with the flavors of cinnamon and sweet potato. The vibrant orange hue makes them a beautiful treat!

Course Bread

Cuisine American

Diet Vegan, Vegetarian

Prep Time 2

Cook Time 25

Rising Time 1 30

Total Time 2 20

Servings rolls

Calories 294kcal

Author Marly McMillen

Ingredients

Sweet Potato Dough

1 medium-sized sweet potato (see notes)
¾ cup plant-based milk
4 tablespoons vegan butter
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
2 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast one packet
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon ground flax seeds

Cinnamon Roll Filling

½ cup brown sugar packed
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
4 tablespoons vegan butter softened

Almond Butter Glaze

1 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons almond butter
2 tablespoons unsweetened almond milk

Cups - Metric

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Instructions

For the Dough:

Wash and scrub the unpeeled sweet potato, removing any undesirable areas. Pierce it 3 to 4 times with a knife and cook in a microwave for 2 to 3 minutes. Prick it with a fork. If it’s still firm, cook it for another minute until the potato is tender.
Once the potato is cool enough to handle, chop it into chunks. Place that in a food processor with the milk, vegan butter, and brown sugar. Pulse until smooth. Transfer this to a microwave-safe bowl (or use a saucepan over medium heat) and heat until it's warm to the touch (about 110°F/43°C).
In a large bowl, add the all-purpose flour, yeast, salt, cornstarch, and ground flax seeds. Stir to combine. Pour in the sweet potato mixture and stir to combine. Knead the dough in the bowl for 3 to 5 minutes. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour as necessary to keep the dough from sticking to the sides of the bowl. Spray the top of the dough with vegetable cooking spray, cover with a kitchen towel, and set it aside to rest for about 15 minutes.
Once the dough is ready, cover a working area with a sheet of plastic wrap. Place the dough on top of the plastic wrap and cover it with another sheet of plastic wrap. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough out to approximately 14x9 inches in size. It helps if you pull the top layer of plastic wrap off the dough and cover it again with the same sheet. It also helps to place an anti-slip pad to keep the dough from sliding as you roll it.
Spray a 9-inch round cake pan with nonstick cooking spray. Place rolls in the prepared pan. Cover with a kitchen towel, and set aside to rise in a warm, draft-free area until doubled in size, about one hour.

For the Filling:

Combine the filling ingredients in a separate bowl. Pour this over the rolled dough, covering all of it except for about a half-inch of the long edge furthest away from you. Starting from the long end closest to you, roll the dough into a log. Cut into 12 evenly sized rolls.
When the rolls have doubled in size, preheat the oven to 375ᵒF/190°C. Place pan in a center rack and bake for about 20 to 25 minutes until the rolls are golden in color.

For the Almond Butter Glaze:

While the rolls are baking, prepare the glaze. In a medium bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and almond butter. Once combined add milk one tablespoon at a time until you reach a desired, spreadable consistency.
When the rolls are ready, remove them from the oven and allow them to cool for about 10 minutes before adding the glaze. Serve warm.
Store cinnamon rolls in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 7 days. These can be frozen for up to 2 months. To serve, cook in the microwave until heated through.

Notes

A medium sweet potato is approximately 5 inches long and 2 inches wide.

I prefer soy milk for my baked goods, but you can use any unsweetened plant-based milk, such as almond milk.

Nutrition