Vegan cinnamon buns with dark chocolate, figs and an orange vanilla bean glaze make an indulgent recipe for Fall baking! Great for breakfast, brunch or anytime of day. This post was originally created by Laura Wright and updated by the Baked team.
Vegan cinnamon buns with dark chocolate and figs just sounds like fall, right? The season was on my mind in a heavy way when I was working on this recipe. All those notions of nesting and cranking the oven at every opportunity. The arrival of ripe figs marks the beginning of the end as far as summer’s concerned. There’s the juicy sweetness that speaks to sunny days. But that underlying deep, wine-y note really gets me excited for the cozy months ahead.
Pairing them with chocolate in a cinnamon bun seemed almost too indulgent, but I had to try it to see if it would work. There’s a little spelt flour and coconut oil in there to increase the vibrational frequency though, don’t worry. These cinnamon buns are most ideal within a couple hours of baking for obvious reasons. They’re gooey, soft and the fresh orange in the glaze brings a bit of brightness.
Need more baking inspiration like this? Try our baked cinnamon sugar donuts or our white chocolate cardamom babka!
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Vegan cinnamon buns with dark chocolate, figs and an orange vanilla bean glaze make an indulgent recipe for Fall baking! Great for breakfast, brunch or anytime of day.
Ingredients
cinnamon buns ingredients:
1 1/2 tsp dry yeast
3/4 cup coconut milk
2 + 2 tbsp non-hydrogenated vegetable shortening OR room temperature coconut oil, divided
2 tbsp cane sugar
2 cups light spelt flour (all purpose works too)
1/2 tsp fine sea salt
1/2 cup demerara OR maple sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon
5–6 ripe figs, sliced thin
1/3 cup chopped dark chocolate
orange vanilla bean glaze ingredients:
1 cup unrefined powdered sugar
zest of 1/2 an orange
1–2 tbsp fresh orange juice
1/4 tsp vanilla bean paste OR vanilla powder
Instructions
- Grease a medium bowl with coconut oil or vegetable shortening and set aside. Line an 8 inch round or square baking dish with parchment paper, making sure it overhangs on the sides. Set this aside as well. Place the yeast in a small bowl.
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, stir together the coconut milk, 2 tablespoons of vegetable shortening/coconut oil, and cane sugar. Keep stirring until the sugar is dissolved, about 4 minutes. If the mixture feels lightly warm to the touch, add it to the bowl with the yeast and stir lightly. If the milk mixture is too hot, let it cool a bit before adding to the yeast. You’re aiming for warm. Once you’ve combined the milk mixture and yeast, let it sit until foamy, about 5 minutes.
- While the yeast blooms, whisk the flour and salt together in a large bowl. Once the yeast and milk mixture is all foamy, add it to the large bowl to the flour. Stir until a dough starts forming. Lightly flour a clean surface and knead the dough with your hands until you have a smooth and supple ball of dough with just a slight amount of tackiness, about 5-6 minutes. Place the ball of dough in the greased bowl, cover it with plastic wrap, and let it rise in a warm place until it doubles in size, about 40 minutes.
- Lightly dust a clean working surface with flour and roll the risen dough out. You’re aiming for a rectangular shape about 1 foot by 1 1/2 feet. Spread the remaining 2 tablespoons of shortening/coconut oil all over the surface of the rolled out dough. In a small bowl, lightly mix the demerara sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle the dough with half of the demerara sugar mixture. Evenly lay out the fig slices on top and sprinkle with the chocolate. Sprinkle the remaining demerara over top.
- Start rolling up the dough from the long side of the rectangle. Once you’ve sealed it at the end, cut the roll into 8-9 even slices. Arrange slices in parchment lined baking dish. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and allow to rise in a warm spot for an hour. They should fill out the pan nicely.
Preheat oven to 375 Degrees F. Once the buns are risen, slide them into the oven and bake for 18-22 minutes, or until edges are golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly. - For the glaze, in a small bowl, mix the powdered sugar, orange zest, orange juice and vanilla until you have a smooth mixture. Spread it evenly over the cinnamon buns.
Notes
I’ve tried these with coconut sugar, maple sugar, and brown sugar in the filling. All results were similarly jammy.
Keywords: vegan cinnamon buns
valentina - sweet kabocha says
September 10, 2014 at 6:26 amOh. My. Gosh.
Laura Wright // the first mess says
September 10, 2014 at 12:33 pm🙂 Thanks Valentina!
lynsey says
September 10, 2014 at 7:20 amYeah to Canadians and baking! So excited to see everything this blog will hold. Such a fan of all of you individually so I know this is going to be a new favourite landing spot of mine! Congrats on the launch. xo
Laura Wright // the first mess says
September 10, 2014 at 12:32 pmHigh five to another awesome Canadian! Thanks Lynsey 🙂
Christine says
September 10, 2014 at 7:40 amThese look so amazing. I’ve never paired figs with dark chocolate but the combination sounds incredibly lovely – and your figs? They are so beautiful! The last few I have purchased were definitely not ripe and rich-looking as these. Gorgeous photos, Laura!
Laura Wright // the first mess says
September 10, 2014 at 12:31 pmThey were definitely a particularly good batch of figs. Thanks Christine!
Fresh and Foodie says
September 10, 2014 at 9:52 amOH GAWD.
Laura Wright // the first mess says
September 10, 2014 at 12:31 pmHehe, thanks Bobbi! xo
Jessica Murnane says
September 10, 2014 at 10:58 amSo excited for this new site! And this recipe looks ridiculous. But everything Laura does is sorta that way. CONGRATS!
Laura Wright // the first mess says
September 10, 2014 at 12:30 pmBlushing! Thanks girl.
michelle says
September 10, 2014 at 1:46 pmThank you for making this (and so many of your delicious creations) vegan. Beautiful photography! Can’t wait to try these!
Laura Wright // the first mess says
September 10, 2014 at 4:16 pmSo happy you’re enjoying the vegan goods. Thanks Michelle!
Alisha says
September 10, 2014 at 6:36 pmHi Laura,
These. Look. Irresistible! Figs are not in season in Australia right now, we have just started spring. What other kinds of fruit do you think these could work with…?
Just love everything you do, thanks for the endless inspiration… 🙂
Laura Wright // the first mess says
September 10, 2014 at 6:55 pmHey Alisha! Any sorta soft fruit would be great in this recipe I think. Sliced strawberries with a bit of cardamom instead of the cinnamon could be nice for spring, no? Maybe some chopped pistachios in the mix too? Let me know what you come up with if you try anything out 😉
cynthia says
September 10, 2014 at 8:44 pmThis sounds and looks insanely dreamy, Laura. What a masterpiece — and the photos are stunning! Yay for this new project of yall’s!! I’m reveling in all the magic!
Laura Wright // the first mess says
September 11, 2014 at 8:52 amThanks for peeping in and saying hello here, Cynthia! You rule. xo
raphaela says
September 11, 2014 at 6:35 amWow this looks delicious I wanna try it soon thanks for sharing!!!
Vyk says
September 12, 2014 at 4:13 amWow… These look amazing. Could you use dried figs ( soaked first to soften ) ?
🙂
Laura Wright // the first mess says
September 12, 2014 at 8:40 amHey Vyk, I think chopping up and then soaking some dried figs for these would work out nicely–more of a traditional sticky bun feel. Let me know what it’s like if you try it.
Grace says
September 12, 2014 at 11:07 amOh wow Laura… these photos – so up close with sticky sweetness! I’m in love, seriously. It all looks amazing.
Laura Wright // the first mess says
September 12, 2014 at 12:37 pmHey Grace! I so appreciate you saying hi here. And you know I’m not afraid to get up close and personal with icing 😉 xo
Susi Buho says
September 13, 2014 at 11:02 amI am cooking this at the moment! My First sooo looked foward Mess recipe. (Baked too, in extension;) will be taging on instagram for sure later on….. Cheers from Donostia (Basque Country)
Rachel says
September 13, 2014 at 1:15 pmHey Laura,
I usually make buns like these the night before, up until the second rise, and then let then slow rise in the fridge overnight. Do you think that would work with these? I am so inspired by the combination!
Laura Wright // the first mess says
September 13, 2014 at 1:42 pmHey Rachel, This is a pretty classic cinnamon bun/roll-inspired recipe, so I don’t see why an overnight rise in the fridge wouldn’t work. They might even turn out better 😉
Sini | My Blue&White Kitchen says
September 14, 2014 at 6:17 amI love how you used figs in these! I have to admit that I’m not really good at using figs in my kitchen. When I find good ones around here (which isn’t always that easy) I usually enjoy them pure or with a bowl of breakfast yogurt and homemade granola. These buns look wonderful; almost too good to be true.
Laura Wright // the first mess says
September 14, 2014 at 8:00 amHey Sini! They are particularly abundant this time of year around these parts. I mostly like them real pure-like as well. Thanks for stopping by here and saying hi! 🙂 xo
Ceara @ Ceara's Kitchen says
September 15, 2014 at 10:18 amThese cinnamon rolls look too good to be true! I actually want to reach into my screen and grab one! Can’t wait to try these 🙂
Tamara says
September 16, 2014 at 6:27 pmThese were super delicious! I am not a baker, but I am a fig fanatic, so I had to make them.
Really love the hint of orange in the glaze.
Loved them
Laura Wright // the first mess says
September 16, 2014 at 10:24 pmHey Tamara! So glad you made these and that they worked out. The little zesty bit of orange is my favourite part too 🙂
Stephanie says
September 18, 2014 at 6:42 pmHey Laura – quick question:
If I made these the night before a brunch and then warmed them in the morn, do you think they would keep/still be as yummy?
Thanks!! Love your blog!
~Stephanie
Laura Wright // the first mess says
September 19, 2014 at 1:05 pmHey Stephanie! I would advise on getting the buns to the second rising stage–the one where you have them filled, cut and all snuggled in the pan–and then covering them loosely with plastic wrap and letting them rise in the fridge overnight. Then bake + glaze them in the morning. They don’t take long to bake and you can always glaze them right before you’re ready to serve if they need to cool down. Let me know how it goes! 🙂
Stephanie says
September 20, 2014 at 4:00 pmThanks Laura! They turned out great and lunch was delicious!
Sonja says
September 22, 2014 at 12:34 pmHi, couldn’t resist and made them Saturday night, the smell was so crazy that had to have a taste at 10pm!!!!
next time trying the slow rise in the fridge over night for sure, they were delicious, thanks for the idea…..
Laura Wright // the first mess says
September 22, 2014 at 1:30 pmThrilled that you liked them, Sonja! Can’t blame you for trying them at 10pm 😉
Mason says
October 11, 2014 at 11:54 amThese look nothing short of amazing!
Kansenlee says
October 19, 2014 at 1:29 pmCould I make this a couple of days prior to actually serving by freezing them right before the second rise and then the night before serving pull it out of the fridge and let rise on the counter overnight?
Laura Wright // the first mess says
October 19, 2014 at 1:47 pmHi Kansenlee,
I honestly have no clue how these would perform if they were frozen before the second rise. I’ve never tried that strategy with any kind of cinnamon roll before. I think they might actually be fine just in the refrigerator prior to the second rise for a couple days (cut + placed in the pan you’re going to bake them in). Just as long as they’re covered and you let them come to room temperature before you bake them. Let me know what works if you try it!
-L
Annie Tucker says
October 28, 2014 at 12:03 amoh my wow. chocolate and figs? i must try!
-Annie
takeabiteblog.com.com
Sarah says
January 3, 2015 at 10:28 pmDo you think I could use frozen figs in these? Trader Joe’s has a bag of organic green ones.
Laura Wright // the first mess says
January 14, 2015 at 10:12 amI think you could, Sarah. But I would thaw them first, slice, then drain/towel dry off any excess liquid before rolling them into the buns.
-L
Caterina says
July 23, 2015 at 12:57 pmI’ve just cooked these now and they smell absolutely delicious! When making them, i accidently forgot to add the second batch of cinnamon and sugar on top of the fruit so I decided to cook them with the sugar on top of the buns instead… it created a gorgeous, caramel, brown glaze (i used dark muscavado as I didn’t have any demerara sugar).
Also I didn’t use as the figs here in England are rubbish so I used peach and apple instead and it still smells delicious! The only problem with the apples is that the points of them are so hard against the delicate, thin dough that they poked a few holes in the dough… but i’m sure it’ll be fine 🙂
Oooh… before I forget, just thought that I should mention that the dough is a bit difficult to work with as it gets so thin once you roll it out (a bit like a pizza dough) so I definately would recommend using a pastry scraper to pick the dough. It was a definite friends of mine when making these.
Cheers for the recipe 🙂
Caterina says
July 23, 2015 at 12:59 pmI’ve just cooked these now and they smell absolutely delicious! When making them, i accidently forgot to add the second batch of cinnamon and sugar on top of the fruit so I decided to cook them with the sugar on top of the buns instead… it created a gorgeous, caramel, brown glaze (i used dark muscavado as I didn’t have any demerara sugar).
Also I didn’t use figs as the figs here in England are rubbish so I used peach and apple instead and it still smells delicious! The only problem with the apples is that the points of them are so hard against the delicate, thin dough that they poked a few holes in the dough… but i’m sure it’ll be fine 🙂
Oooh… before I forget, just thought that I should mention that the dough is a bit difficult to work with as it gets so thin once you roll it out (a bit like a pizza dough) so I definately would recommend using a pastry scraper to pick the dough. It was a definite friends of mine when making these.
Cheers for the recipe 🙂
Caterina says
July 23, 2015 at 1:00 pmwhoops… didn’t mean to post that twice, I just wanted to make a little adjustment to my comment… I’m so bad at technology 🙂