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    You are here: Home | Recipes | Breakfast

    Vegan Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls with Candied Pecans

    Sep 30, 2022 by Faith VanderMolen

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Topped with a simple sugar glaze and crunchy candied pecans, these Vegan Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls will be your go-to recipe for any holiday breakfast! They are easy to make, light and fluffy and full of pumpkin flavor. Your chilly, fall mornings just got sweeter!

    glazed pumpkin cinnamon roll topped with candied pecans

    Whenever I think of a special fall or holiday breakfast, I always think of cinnamon rolls!

    Yeah, you could do baked pumpkin donuts, vibrant vegan pumpkin bread, or orange chocolate chip scones, but seriously...how beautiful are these pumpkin cinnamon rolls?!

    Who wouldn't want to wake up on Thanksgiving or Christmas morning to the smell of sweet, spiced pumpkin rolls wafting through the house?

    Making homemade cinnamon rolls always intimidated me, but they really are so easy to make!

    Let me show you...

    glazed pumpkin cinnamon rolls in a pan

    Ingredients for Vegan Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

    If you bake on a regular basis, then you'll probably already have all of the ingredients for these vegan cinnamon rolls in your fridge and pantry. They don't require anything fancy!

    Cinnamon Rolls

    • Non-dairy milk
    • Vegan butter
    • Pumpkin puree
    • Brown sugar
    • Aquafaba (the liquid from a can of chickpeas)
    • Active dry yeast
    • Flour
    • Ground cinnamon
    • Ground nutmeg
    • Ground cloves
    • Sea salt

    Glaze Ingredients

    • Powdered sugar
    • Non-dairy milk

    Candied Pecans

    • Pecans
    • Vegan butter
    • Sugar
    two vegan pumpkin cinnamon rolls served on plates with candied pecans

    How to Make Vegan Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

    Now that you've got the ingredients, here are the steps to make this delicious vegan pumpkin cinnamon roll recipe.

    • Step 1: To make the dough, start by warming the milk and vegan butter together until warm and the butter has melted. You want the mixture lukewarm, not hot. You should be able to put your finger in the mixture without it feeling too hot. Set this mixture aside.
    • Step 2: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, brown sugar, salt and cinnamon until smooth. Add in the warm milk and butter mixture. Then whisk in the aquafaba and yeast. Next, using a wooden spoon, stir in 1 cup of flour. Lastly add in another 1 ¼ cup of flour until a soft dough forms. Place the dough into a greased bowl, cover it and allow it to rise in a warm place for 1-1 ½ hours until doubled in size.
    pumpkin cinnamon roll dough before and after the first rise
    • Step 3: After the dough has risen, punch it down to deflate it. Pour it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead it a few times, adding more flour as needed until it's smooth and not sticky.
    • Step 4: Roll the dough out into a large rectangle, about 18x10 inches. Spread 3 tablespoons of softened butter across the surface of the rectangle. Combine the brown sugar and spices in a small bowl and then sprinkle it evenly over the top of the butter. Roll the rectangle up tightly, sealing the edges. Using a sharp knife, cut the log into 12 even sections.
    the pre-baked pumpkin cinnamon rolls arranged in a baking pan

    Step 5: Grease a 11x17 inch baking dish and arrange the rolls in the dish. Cover the baking dish and allow the rolls to rise again for about 30 more minutes while you preheat the oven to 350F/175C.

    Step 6: Bake the rolls for 22-28 minutes, covering them with aluminum foil after 15 minutes to keep the tops from getting too brown. Remove them from the oven to cool.

    vegan pumpkin cinnamon rolls in a pan after baking

    Making the Cinnamon Roll Glaze

    While the rolls are baking, you'll want to start to prepare the glaze for the cinnamon rolls.

    vegan pumpkin cinnamon rolls being glazed with a healthier coconut butter frosting

    For the glaze, whisk 1 cup of powdered sugar with 1 tablespoon of milk. Add more milk as needed until a thick, but pourable glaze forms.

    Pour this over the still-warm cinnamon rolls and watch it sink down into all those fluffy, brown sugar-packed cracks and crevices!

    Healthier Version of Cinnamon Roll Glaze

    I've discovered a new favorite glaze for things like cinnamon rolls and scones. Have you ever tried coconut butter? Think peanut butter, but with coconut.

    Coconut butter is creamy, rich and sweet and it makes for an amazing healthy substitute for powdered sugar-based glazes.

    To make a coconut butter glaze, simply stir 1-2 tablespoons of maple syrup into ⅓ cup of coconut butter until it's thick and combined. Then stir in some non-dairy milk a little bit at a time until a thick, but pourable glaze forms.

    It's delicious and a lot lower in sugar in case that's something you're looking for!

    Give it a try and let me know what you think!

    How to Make Candied Pecans

    Making vegan candied pecans couldn't be easier, and it adds so much wonderful texture to this vegan cinnamon roll recipe!

    vegan candied pecans cooling on a plate

    Start by melting 2 teaspoons of vegan butter in a skillet over medium heat.

    Once melted, add in 2 tablespoons of sugar and ½ a cup of chopped pecans. Stir everything together. Cook the pecans, stirring constantly, until the sugar melts and the pecans start to toast.

    Pour the pecans out onto a place and allow the sugar to harden.

    Pour the glaze over the warm cinnamon rolls and top with the candied pecans. Serve and enjoy!

    light glistening off a glazed pumpkin cinnamon roll
    a fork cutting a bite out of a glazed pumpkin cinnamon roll

    More Vegan Pumpkin Recipes

    If you're a fan of pumpkin, then you need to check out these other recipes! Some are sweet, some are savory. They're all perfect for fall!

    • Creamy Vegan Pumpkin Soup with a Peanut Butter Twist
    • Vegan Pumpkin Scones (Starbucks Copycat Recipe)
    • Vegan Pumpkin Chili Recipe
    • Red Lentil Pumpkin Soup
    • Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Layered Muffins
    • The Fluffiest Pumpkin Sheet Pan Pancakes
    • Baked Pumpkin Donuts!

    📖 Recipe

    Vegan pumpkin cinnamon rolls topped with candied pecans!

    Vegan Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls with Candied Pecans

    Faith VanderMolen
    Fluffy, full of warming spices and creamy pumpkin puree, these vegan pumpkin cinnamon rolls topped with candied pecans will become a holiday family tradition!
    4.50 from 2 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 2 hours hrs 30 minutes mins
    Cook Time 25 minutes mins
    Total Time 2 hours hrs 55 minutes mins
    Course Breads
    Cuisine American
    Servings 12 cinnamon rolls
    Calories 287 kcal

    Ingredients
     
     

    DOUGH

    • ⅓ cup non-dairy milk
    • 2 tablespoons vegan butter
    • ½ cup pumpkin puree
    • ¼ cup brown sugar
    • ½ teaspoon sea salt
    • ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
    • 3 tablespoons aquafaba
    • 2 ¼ teaspoon active dry yeast
    • 2 ⅔ cups flour divided

    FILLING

    • 3 tablespoons vegan butter softened
    • ½ cup brown sugar
    • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
    • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
    • ¼ teaspoon ground cloves

    POWDERED SUGAR GLAZE

    • 1 cup powdered sugar
    • 1-3 tablespoon non-dairy milk

    CANDIED PECANS

    • 2 teaspoons vegan butter
    • 2 tablespoon sugar
    • ½ cup chopped pecans

    Instructions 

    • To make the dough, start by warming the milk and vegan butter together until warm and the butter has melted. You want the mixture lukewarm, not hot. You should be able to put your finger in the mixture without it feeling too hot. Set this mixture aside.
    • In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, brown sugar, salt and cinnamon until smooth. Add in the warm milk and butter mixture. Then whisk in the aquafaba and yeast. Next, using a wooden spoon, stir in 1 cup of flour. Lastly add in another 1 ¼ cup of flour until a soft dough forms. Place the dough into a greased bowl, cover it and allow it to rise in a warm place for 1-1 ½ hours until doubled in size.
    • After the dough has risen, punch it down to deflate it. Pour it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead it a few times, adding more flour as needed until it's smooth and not sticky.
    • Roll the dough out into a large rectangle, about 18x10 inches. Spread 3 tablespoons of softened butter across the surface of the rectangle. Combine the brown sugar and spices in a small bowl and then sprinkle it evenly over the top of the butter. Roll the rectangle up tightly, sealing the edges. Using a sharp knife, cut the log into 12 even sections.
    • Grease a 11x17 inch baking dish and arrange the rolls in the dish. Cover the baking dish and allow the rolls to rise again for about 30 more minutes while you preheat the oven to 350 °F.
    • Bake the rolls for 22-28 minutes, covering them with aluminum foil after 15 minutes to keep the tops from getting too brown. Remove them from the oven to cool.
    • While the rolls are baking, prepare the glaze and candied pecans. For the glaze, whisk 1 cup of powdered sugar with 1 tablespoon of milk. Add more milk as needed until a thick, but pourable glaze forms.
    • For the candied pecans, melt 2 teaspoons of butter in a skillet over medium heat. Once melted, add the sugar and pecans and stir everything together. Cook the pecans, stirring constantly, until the sugar melts and the pecans start to toast. Pour the pecans out onto a place and allow the sugar to harden.
    • Pour the glaze over the warm cinnamon rolls and top with the pecans. Serve and enjoy!

    Notes

    Aquafaba is the liquid in a can of chickpeas.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 287kcalCarbohydrates: 50gProtein: 5gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.03gSodium: 150mgPotassium: 126mgFiber: 3gSugar: 26gVitamin A: 1878IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 41mgIron: 2mg
    Tried this recipe?Let me know how it was!

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    Comments

    1. Cookingsisterloves says

      March 05, 2021 at 11:54 am

      Hello!

      Could I use butternut squash instead of pumpkin for this recipe?
      X

      Reply
      • Faith VanderMolen says

        March 09, 2021 at 4:08 pm

        I don't see why not! Let me know how they turn out!

        Reply
    2. Faith VanderMolen says

      April 06, 2014 at 12:59 pm

      Thanks Yuliya! That sounds like the perfect occasion:) If you make them, please let me know how they turned out!

      Reply
    3. Yuliya Fruman says

      April 06, 2014 at 4:15 am

      Wow! These still look fantastic! I'm definitely going to save this for a special occasion... my husband's birthday is coming up and that sounds like the perfect excuse to give these a try!
      Pinning 🙂

      Reply
    4.50 from 2 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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