Apple Pie Cinnamon Rolls with Vanilla Maple Icing

So what if I told you could have cinnamon rolls that were super easy, made in under 1 hour, refined sugar free and tasted like a fresh baked pie? Would you be in? I know I would be. Oh did I also mention that they require no kneading, proofing of yeast or hours of rise time? Ridiculous I know.

The fall baking bug has completely hit me full force. I don’t know what it is. It was like the minute it turned into September my oven was on and there were apples everywhere. Maybe because it’s my favorite time of year. I love the slightly cooler yet still warm days and chilly nights. I love apple picking, fall boots and the gorgeous colors of the season. There is something just so comforting about big cozy sweaters too. It just brings a smile to my face.

One of the many things I love about fall too is the smells. Omg..is there anything better? These little cinnamon rolls made my whole house smell like warm cozy cinnamon and sweet pie. It was awesome.

These rolls are made using spelt flour which I adore. It’s a nutritious flour that is easy on the belly to digest and I find it pretty easy to work with. Since the rolls themselves contain no yeast they are a bit denser than the yeasted kind but I really liked the hearty texture of them. The buns are not too sweet as the apples and icing pretty much do a good job at adding in the extra sweetness to them.

I’ll admit I haven’t made cinnamon rolls in forever. I don’t know why and I think cinnamon rolls should become more of a breakfast staple. To me, a nice roll requires sitting down, drinking some fresh coffee and enjoying a few quiet moments in the morning. I think that is something we should all enjoy. Peace and quiet before the craziness of the days set in.

For the buns I used a whipped sweetened tofu frosting but feel free to use any kind you like. If tofu isn’t your thing, a nice cashew frosting or a traditional icing with powdered sugar would do just fine.

These buns were warm, cinnamon-y and had a lovely taste of apples. Perfect for these fall mornings. I hope you enjoy them!

Easy Apple Pie Cinnamon Rolls with Vanilla Maple Icing

 

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Author: Chrysta Hiser

Recipe type: Dessert

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients:

• 3½ c. spelt flour (reserve ¼ c.)
• 1½ tsp. baking powder
• ½ tsp. baking soda
• ½ tsp. cinnamon
• dash of salt

Wet Ingredients:

• 1 scant cup of vanilla almond milk
• 1 Tbsp. vinegar
• ¼ c. agave or maple syrup
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 Tbsp. coconut oil

Filling:

• 2 c. apples, small diced
• 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• ½ tsp. nutmeg
• 4 Tbsp coconut oil (for brushing)
• 3-4 Tbsp. coconut sugar

Maple Frosting:

• 1 pk. silken tofu
• ¼ c. maple syrup**
• 3 Tbsp. coconut oil
• ½ tsp. vanilla

Instructions

For the buns:

1. Preheat oven to 425F and spray a 9.5' pie pan with a non stick spray.
2. In a small bowl combine the almond milk with the vinegar and set aside for a few minutes.
3. In a medium sized bowl, sift the 3 ¼ c. spelt flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Set aside.
4. Once the almond milk has set for a few minutes, add in the rest of the wet ingredients to the almond milk mixture and mix to combine. Pour into the bowl with the dry ingredients and mix lightly to combine. Be sure not too over mix. Spelt is a bit delicate. Dough will be a bit shaggy and this is ok.
5. Lightly dust surface and dump dough out. Roughly knead together for 2-3 minutes until the dough starts to come together. If you feel it’s too sticky slowly add in the reserved spelt flour as needed. Dough should not stick to your hands while kneading. Once you get a nice round dough ball, place in a bowl that has been sprayed with a non stick spray and set aside for a few minutes.
6. While the dough is resting combine the apples pieces, lemon juice and spices. Mix well. Now we are ready for the dough.
7. Place a large piece of parchment down on your work space and lightly sprinkle with flour. Using a rolling pin, roll out dough into a large rectangle about ¼" thick. Brush dough with coconut oil and sprinkle with coconut sugar. Top with diced apple mixture. Roll up dough length wise so that it forms a long roll. Then using a serrated knife, gently cut cinnamon rolls into pieces.
8. Place pieces into pie pan and bake roughly 15 minutes.
9. Once buns are done, top with icing and serve warm.

Frosting:

1. Combine all ingredients into food processor and blend until desired consistency.

Notes

*these buns are best eaten on the same day.
**If you like a sweeter icing just add more maple syrup.

3.2.2925

Chrysta Hiser is the creative genius and recipe developer behind Noshed. Her food philosophy is simple and comes from when she was little. Growing up her mom always cooked everything from scratch and taught her family the importance of locally sourced, plant-based whole foods. She follows a vegan diet and eats copious amounts of plants and plant-based proteins.

Thank you for sharing this beautiful and healthy Fall desert with us today Chrysta!