Amazing 380-Calorie Vegan Chai Tea Latte Cinnamon Rolls

There is truly nothing better than waking up, knowing a warm, spiced treat is waiting for you. Forget those dry, store-bought pastries! I spent ages perfecting this recipe because I wanted cinnamon rolls that tasted like the best cozy coffee shop morning. The secret, I found out, was roasting my own cardamom for the spice blend. When I finally nailed the perfect balance of warm spices, I knew I had created something special. These Vegan Chai Tea Latte Cinnamon Rolls are unbelievably soft, wonderfully sweet, and just complex enough to make breakfast feel like a celebration. Trust me, you need these in your life for cozy weekend baking!

Why You Will Love These Vegan Chai Tea Latte Cinnamon Rolls

Honestly, these rolls checked every single box for me, and I think they will for you too. They aren’t just *good* for vegan baking; they’re just plain phenomenal.

• They are ridiculously soft! We’re talking pillowy, cloud-like texture that melts in your mouth.
• That deep, warm chai flavor—cardamom, ginger, clove—really shines through, making them feel gourmet.
• Totally dairy-free and egg-free, so everyone can enjoy them. Seriously, you won’t miss the butter the dough traditionally calls for!
• The process is actually quite simple once you nail the first rise. It makes your kitchen smell like heaven for hours, which is a huge bonus.

Essential Ingredients for Perfect Vegan Chai Tea Latte Cinnamon Rolls

Getting this recipe right absolutely hinges on having the right building blocks. I always splurge a little on good quality spices because that’s where the chai magic really happens. Remember, since these use plant-based ingredients, the texture of your butter matters a lot! Check out what you’ll need for the dough, the incredible filling, and that necessary sweet topping.

If you are looking for another great breakfast idea after you master these, you absolutely have to check out my favorite Hawaiian Roll French Toast recipe. It’s fantastic!

For the Dough

• 1 cup warm plant milk (Make sure it’s just warm, not scalding hot—we don’t want to kill our yeast!)
• 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar plus 1 teaspoon for the yeast activation
• 1/4 cup vegan butter, melted
• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

For the Chai Spice Filling

This part is key! For the best flavor, I highly recommend mixing your own chai spice blend using equal parts ground cardamom, ginger, cloves, and a tiny pinch of black pepper. That pepper really wakes up the other spices!

• 1/2 cup vegan butter, softened—it needs to be nice and spreadable!
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon of that amazing chai spice blend we talked about

For the Simple Glaze

This glaze is quick, easy, and sets perfectly on the warm rolls.

• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons plant milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Step-by-Step Instructions for Vegan Chai Tea Latte Cinnamon Rolls

Don’t be intimidated by yeast; if you follow these steps, you’ll have fluffy rolls every time. This recipe flows beautifully once you get past the first rise. Baking is a timeline, so pay attention to those waiting times—they are non-negotiable for soft dough!

Preparing and Proofing the Dough

First things first, we need to wake up that yeast! Mix your warm plant milk—again, warm, not hot—with one teaspoon of sugar and the yeast. Let it sit on the counter for about five to ten minutes. If it gets foamy on top, success! Now, stir in the rest of your sugar and that melted vegan butter. Then, start adding your flour and salt gradually. Once it’s shaggy, turn it out and knead it by hand for a solid five to seven minutes until it feels unbelievably smooth under your palms. Pop that into a lightly greased bowl, give it a cover, and stick it somewhere warm for an hour to an hour and a half. It needs to double in size. That’s your main waiting period!

Expert Tip: If you want an even deeper chai flavor that blows everything else away, try this: in the dough step, use cooled, very strong brewed chai tea instead of about a quarter cup of the plant milk. It really boosts that spice!

Assembling and Cutting the Vegan Chai Tea Latte Cinnamon Rolls

While that dough is resting, whip up that filling—just smash the softened vegan butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and chai spice blend together until it’s one glorious, fragrant paste! Once the dough has doubled, gently punch it down. On a lightly floured surface, roll it out into a big, thin 12 by 18-inch rectangle. It needs to be long! Spread that buttery filling right to every edge. Seriously, don’t skimp near the sides. Then, roll it up tightly, starting on the long side, like you’re rolling up a yoga mat. Make sure that roll is snug! Use a sharp, un-floured knife or dental floss to cut the log into 12 even pieces. Place those beauties cut-side up in your greased 9×13 inch baking dish. Cover them up again and let them rest for a quick 30 minutes.

Baking and Glazing Your Chai Rolls

Time to bake! Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (that’s 190 Celsius). After their second little rise, pop them into the oven and bake them for about 20 to 25 minutes. You want them golden brown on top. While they are cooling just slightly—they should still be warm—whisk up the glaze ingredients until smooth. Then, drizzle that powdered sugar magic all over the warm rolls. That sweet, melty glaze hitting the warm chai spices? Pure bliss. If you want gooey rolls that stick together, check out my favorite Cinnabon-style guide or maybe try something savory next with maple bacon rolls!

Expert Tips for Fluffy Vegan Chai Tea Latte Cinnamon Rolls

Listen, making yeast dough can sometimes feel like magic, but it’s really just about paying attention to temperature and technique. My biggest rookie mistake, years ago, was using plant milk that was way too hot—it killed the yeast dead, and I ended up with hockey pucks instead of rolls! Never skip that five-minute foam-check; it tells you everything.

When you knead, don’t be tempted to add too much flour to stop the dough from sticking. It needs to stay slightly tacky. That slight stickiness is what keeps the final rolls soft and chewy. If you add too much flour during kneading, your final product will be dense, trust me. I learned that lesson the hard way! For the best rise, I always place my bowl near a slightly warm oven—not turned on, just warm from a recent bake. It creates that perfect cozy environment. If you want to see how much temperature matters in bread making in general, my guide on Grandma’s bread secrets goes into great detail!

There are so many little decisions about ingredients here, I wanted to chat about them!

Okay, let’s talk specifics because when you go vegan, ingredient choices can make or break a classic recipe like cinnamon rolls. It’s not just about swapping out dairy; it’s about choosing the right *kind* of vegan butter and milk that plays nicely with yeast!

First up, that vegan butter for the dough. You need melted butter for the initial mix, but the filling requires softened butter. For the softened butter, aim for something that spreads easily but isn’t greasy or melted when you press it. Brands that are firmer at room temperature usually work best here. If yours is too soft, your filling will run everywhere when you try to roll the dough, and nobody wants a runny chai spice mess!

When it comes to plant milk, I’ve had success with both soy and oat milk. Oat milk tends to be a bit richer, which I love for that extra creaminess in the dough. But soy milk works great too, especially because it has a higher protein content which yeast loves. Just make sure whatever you use is lukewarm when you activate the yeast—seriously, this is crucial!

The Chai Spice Blend: Substitutions Are Your Friend

I swear by making my own blend, but if you’re in a rush, don’t sweat it! If you don’t have a full chai spice mixture ready to go, the recipe notes give you a fantastic backup plan. You can use about 1 1/2 teaspoons of cinnamon combined with half a teaspoon of ground ginger.

That combination gives you a profile that leans heavily on the classic cinnamon roll flavor but still has that recognizable warmth from the ginger. You lose a little bit of the complexity you get from the cardamom and clove, but honestly, they still turn out delicious. Think of it as a ‘Cinnamon-Ginger Roll Lite’!

Using Brewed Chai Tea in the Dough

This is one of those optional steps that makes a massive difference if you’re a true chai fanatic. Instead of using a quarter cup of your plant milk in the initial dough mix, try substituting it with a quarter cup of *strong*, cooled chai tea. You have to be careful that it’s fully cooled down, though! This infusion deepens the flavor right into the dough itself, so every bite tastes like you dunked your roll straight into a latte. It’s my favorite way to make these for a holiday brunch.

Storage and Reheating Instructions for Vegan Chai Tea Latte Cinnamon Rolls

These rolls are best devoured the day you bake them, that’s just a fact of life with cinnamon rolls! But if you have leftovers, don’t stress. Store them tightly covered at room temperature for up to two days. I find the fridge dries them out a little too fast, so I try to avoid it unless it’s really hot in the kitchen.

The key to reheating is moisture! Pop a single roll on a small plate and microwave it for a quick 15 to 20 seconds. That little burst of heat softens everything right back up. If you’re doing a bigger batch, wrap them snugly in foil and warm them in a 300-degree oven for about 10 minutes. That gets them warm all the way through without burning the glaze!

Variations on Your Vegan Chai Tea Latte Cinnamon Rolls

Once you’ve mastered the basic, glorious recipe for these Vegan Chai Tea Latte Cinnamon Rolls, you might start thinking, “What else can I do?” Because, believe me, I have! These rolls are total crowd-pleasers, but sometimes you want to switch things up just a bit without losing that incredible chai base.

My absolute favorite variation, especially when I want something extra indulgent, is ditching the simple glaze for a full vegan cream cheese frosting. It brings a tanginess that cuts through the richness of the filling perfectly. You just mix softened vegan cream cheese, powdered sugar, a splash of vanilla, and a tablespoon of lemon juice until it’s smooth and luscious. Spread it on while the rolls are still warm!

Nutty Additions to the Filling

If you enjoy a little texture when you bite into your sweet roll, adding some chopped nuts inside the filling is a game-changer. Walnuts are classic, but for chai flavors, pecans work wonders because they have that slightly buttery taste. I usually toast about half a cup of nuts lightly before chopping them roughly—toasting really brings out their essential oils, making them taste even better once baked.

Make sure you mix the nuts into the softened butter and sugar mixture right before spreading. If you add them when the butter is too cold, they won’t distribute evenly, and you’ll end up with one side having all the pecans and the other having none. We want equal distribution!

Adding Dried Fruit for Chewy Pockets

For those who like a little chew, dried fruit is fantastic in these rolls. Golden raisins or dried cranberries are my go-to options. Cranberries pair wonderfully with the warming spices in the chai blend.

Here is the trick, and this is vital: always soak your dried fruit for about 10 minutes in hot water or a little almond extract before draining and patting them thoroughly dry. If you skip this, those little dried bits will suck the moisture right out of your soft dough as they bake, leaving you with dry patches. Nobody wants that!

If you love dessert variations but prefer something baked in a dish rather than rolls, you must try my recipe for Irresistible Apple Crisp Cheesecake next. It’s a showstopper.

Frequently Asked Questions About Vegan Chai Tea Latte Cinnamon Rolls

I know when you try a new recipe, especially one involving yeast, questions just spring up! It’s totally normal. I’ve gathered the ones I get asked the most about these wonderful dairy-free sweet rolls right here. Hopefully, this helps you feel super confident before you even start mixing!

Can I use instant yeast instead of active dry yeast in these Vegan Chai Tea Latte Cinnamon Rolls?

Oh yes, that’s an easy swap, and it saves you five minutes! Instant yeast doesn’t need to be ‘proofed’—meaning you don’t have to mix it with the warm milk and sugar first to see if it’s alive. You can just mix the instant yeast right in with your dry ingredients (flour and salt). Then, when you add the liquids (the warm milk mixture), it will start working its magic right away. I still recommend letting the dough rest for the full rising time, though, because that’s what develops the structure.

How do I get the perfect swirl in my Vegan Chai Tea Latte Cinnamon Rolls?

The swirl is all about your assembly technique, not so much the ingredients, although a soft dough helps! You need to focus on two things: spreading that filling clear to the edges of your 12×18 rectangle, and then rolling it up as tightly as humanly possible without tearing the dough. Imagine you are flattening a tiny mouse—snug, snug, snug! When you cut the log, use a sharp knife or unflavored dental floss, pulling the floss through the roll rather than sawing back and forth. That action keeps the spiral shape intact right until it hits the baking pan. If you’re looking for more general tips on achieving fluffy results like those in my favorite Cloud Bread recipe, the principles of gentle handling still apply here!

I only have plain cinnamon; what happens if I skip the full chai spice?

If you only have plain cinnamon, don’t panic! You won’t get the authentic ‘latte’ undertone, but you will have incredible cinnamon rolls. Follow the substitution note I left: use 1 1/2 teaspoons of cinnamon and add half a teaspoon of ground ginger. That ginger provides that necessary background warmth that mimics the complexity of true chai spice. They will still be amazing, just leaning more toward a classic cinnamon roll flavor profile.

Why does my dough feel sticky even after kneading?

This is typical, especially when using vegan butter instead of traditional dairy butter. Vegan fats sometimes absorb liquid a bit differently. If your dough is just slightly tacky—meaning it sticks to your hands lightly but peels right off easily—you are perfect! That slight stickiness equals maximum softness in the final bake. If it’s genuinely gloopy and won’t handle at all, add flour one tablespoon at a time during the kneading process. More than that, and the rolls will stiffen up, which defeats the whole purpose of a soft chai roll!

Nutritional Estimates for Vegan Chai Tea Latte Cinnamon Rolls

I know some of you are seriously dedicated to tracking what you eat, and I totally respect that! Keeping things honest, these treats are delightfully rich because we used plenty of vegan butter and brown sugar!

Here’s a general breakdown based on 12 rolls. Please remember these are just estimates, okay? The exact brand of plant milk or vegan butter you use can swing those numbers a little bit. Baking is science, but kitchen substitutions mean the final tally might look slightly different!

• Serving Size: 1 roll
• Calories: 380
• Sugar: 30g (Yes, they are sweet!)
• Fat: 18g
• Carbohydrates: 50g
• Protein: 5g

The good news is that since these are entirely dairy-free and have zero cholesterol, you can feel a little bit better about indulging in these incredible Vegan Chai Tea Latte Cinnamon Rolls!

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