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5 from 1 vote

Vegan Nutella Cinnamon Rolls

These vegan nutella cinnamon rolls are a chocolaty brunch dream. Pillowy swirls of dough are filled with vegan nutella and cinnamon-sugar. After being baked to perfection, the warm buns are generously drizzled with a simple nutella glaze and sprinkled with hazelnuts.
Prep Time25 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Rise Time1 hour 45 minutes
Total Time2 hours 35 minutes
Course: Breakfast, Brunch
Keyword: chocolate, cinnamon rolls, hazelnuts, nutella
Servings: 12 cinnamon rolls
Author: Ashley

Ingredients

Nutella Cinnamon Rolls

  • ¾ cup warm water (105F–115F)
  • 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast (1 packet)
  • ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon organic cane sugar, divided
  • 3 ½ cups all purpose flour, plus more for kneading and dusting
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • 5 tablespoons vegan butter
  • ½ cup unsweetened plant-based milk
  • ½ cup Homemade Vegan Nutella
  • 1 to 1 ½ tablespoons ground cinnamon, depending on how cinnamony you like your cinnamon rolls
  • ½ cup toasted hazelnuts, finely chopped, divided (optional)

Nutella Glaze

  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons Homemade Vegan Nutella
  • ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened plant-based milk, more or less as needed

Instructions

For the Nutella Cinnamon Rolls

  • In a small bowl, gently whisk together the warm water, yeast, and 1 tablespoon of the sugar. Let stand for 5 to 7 minutes, or until a foams develops on the surface.
  • Meanwhile, generously flour a clean work surface. Gather two large glass mixing bowls (one for mixing and one for rising). Lightly grease one bowl.
  • Add the flour and salt to the un-greased mixing bowl. Whisk together and then create a well in the center and set aside.
  • In a small saucepan, melt the butter. Remove from the heat and whisk in the milk, and ¼ cup of the sugar. The mixture should be warm but not hot. If it's hot, let it cool off before moving on to the next step.
  • Pour the butter mixture into the bowl with the flour. Add the yeast mixture and use a large wooden spoon to stir and mix until all of the flour has been incorporated.
  • Turn the dough out onto the floured surface. Knead for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the dough is smooth, springy, and elastic, adding more flour as needed. You'll know it's ready when it holds its shape and springs back when pressed.
  • Shape the dough into a ball and place it in the greased bowl. Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel and let the dough rise in a warm place for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
  • Prepare the homemade Nutella while the dough is rising. [link recipe here]
  • When the dough has just a few minutes left to rise, lightly grease a 9- by 13-inch casserole dish with oil. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the remaining ¼ cup* sugar and the cinnamon. Set aside.
  • Punch down the dough and turn it out onto a clean, generously floured work surface. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough into a rectangle that is approximately 12 x 24 inches in size.
  • Pour the Nutella over the dough and use a spatula to smooth into a thin, even layer (leaving a ½-inch perimeter around the edge of the dough). Sprinkle with the sugar-cinnamon mixture and ¼ cup of the chopped hazelnuts (if using).
  • Starting at the front of the long edge of the rectangle, carefully roll the dough away from you until you have a tightly wound roll. Use your fingers to pinch the seam closed. Use a sharp serrated knife to slice the roll into 12 2-inch-thick rolls.
  • Gently transfer the rolls to the greased baking pan, swirled-side up, leaving ½ an inch of space between each. Loosely cover the pan with parchment paper and let the rolls rise in a warm place for 45 minutes, or until doubled in size.
  • Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350F.
  • Bake for 22 to 26 minutes, or until the rolls are just barely turning golden and the tops feel firm to the touch.

For the Nutella Glaze

  • While the cinnamon rolls bake, prepare the glaze.
  • In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, Nutella, and milk until smooth and glossy. If the glaze is too thin, add more powdered sugar. If it's too thick, add more milk.

To Assemble

  • Drizzle the warm rolls with the glaze (you may have leftovers depending on how much glaze you prefer). Top with the remaining chopped hazelnuts (if using). Serve warm and enjoy!

Notes

*If you prefer sweeter rolls, increase the amount of sugar in the filling to ⅓ cup or ½ cup. I typically use ½ cup sugar in cinnamon rolls but halved the amount to accommodate for the sweetness of the Nutella.
**These cinnamon rolls can be prepared ahead of time and baked later. To do this, prepare the rolls through step 13, cover, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Then, proceed with baking and frosting as directed.