These cinnamon roll cookies are healthy, vegan, gluten free, and paleo! It uses only minimal ingredients, but yields such a delicious result. Low in added sugar, yet sweet and chewy, these cookies taste just like cinnamon rolls but in cookie form!
I love cinnamon rolls with my whole heart. These Healthy Vegan Zucchini Cinnamon Rolls are one of my favorite desserts on the blog, and that's saying a lot.
I am well aware that many of you either don't have yeast or used it all to make bread in quarantine. I am also well aware that cinnamon rolls would really be nice to have now.
So don't get me wrong-- I'm not saying there's anything wrong with regular cinnamon rolls; I'm just saying maybe you want something that you don't need to knead, or rise, or get the liquid temperature just right so you don't kill the yeast.
Well folks, here's the solution: Healthy Cinnamon Roll Cookies! If you look at the time listed in the instructions, it may seem like a lot, but most of it is just the chilling and baking time (which you will see in almost any cookie recipe). Only 20 minutes are needed for you to actually be doing stuff.
Plus, this recipe is vegan, gluten free, grain free, and paleo friendly! Plus there's no flour, no refined sugar and WAY less added sugar than what you would find in a regular cookie or cinnamon roll (or cinnamon roll cookie)!
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Ingredients in Healthy Cinnamon Roll Cookies
As always, the ingredients are different from what you would find in most cookie or cinnamon roll cookie recipes, but so important for a healthy cookie with perfect flavor and texture.
The Cookie
The cookie is actually really simple. It only requires one bowl and a few ingredients that you just mix together.
Instead of using flour, this recipe uses almond flour! It’s low in carbs but high in healthy fats and binds these cookies beautifully, giving them a texture similar to shortbread, but slightly chewier. It also makes these cookies grain free and gluten free!
It’s very important that you buy super fine, blanched almond flour, otherwise the texture will be off. This is my favorite brand, and it comes in a large bag so you get a better value for your money!
There’s also no butter! Instead, we use avocado oil (or light-tasting olive oil) and cashew butter! Both are high in healthy fats, and cashew butter is also high in protein!
As a sugar replacement, maple syrup is used. It’s a fairly small amount and the result won’t be super sweet, but that’s a good thing because the filling is sweet too. Pure maple syrup is an unrefined natural sweetener that has more benefits, like antioxidants, than table sugar.
The Cinnamon Filling
If you’ve been following my blog for some time, you know I love adding medjool dates for sweetness with no added sugar. And that’s just what we’re doing here!
Medjool dates are super sweet, but have so many health benefits such as extra fiber. They work perfectly for the filling not only for sweetness, but for texture with no butter.
Make sure you're using medjool dates, not regular dates! Medjool dates are much sweeter, softer, and caramel-like than regular dates--this is my favorite brand because they always have the best quality!
A small amount of cashew butter also helps with the texture, and some almond milk (or any milk) to thin it out slightly.
Then of course, the cinnamon! Don’t skimp here, it adds so much flavor! And of course, what's a cinnamon roll (or cinnamon roll cookie) without cinnamon?
I really hope you like this recipe! If you decide to make it, be sure to post a picture and tag me @nutritiousdelights on Instagram—I’d love to see it!❤️
More recipes you might love:
Healthy Vegan Pumpkin Spice Cinnamon Rolls
Healthy Vegan Zucchini Cinnamon Rolls
Healthy Homemade Oreos (Vegan, Gluten Free, Paleo)
Healthy Cinnamon Roll Cookies
Ingredients
Cookies
- 2 ¼ cups fine almond flour blanched
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup
- ¼ cup avocado oil or light olive oil
- ¼ cup cashew butter
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
Cinnamon Filling
- 8 medjool dates (pitted) Soak if dry
- 1 - 1 ½ tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 3-4 tablespoons almond milk or milk of choice
- 1 ½ tablespoons cashew butter
Glaze
- ¾ cup powdered cane sugar
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice or more
Instructions
Cookie
- In a medium or large bowl, mix together the cashew butter, maple syrup, salt, avocado oil, vanilla, and baking powder. Immediately after (so the baking powder doesn't foam), fold in the almond flour. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Cinnamon Filling
- In a food processor, blend dates, cinnamon, milk, and cashew butter until a very smooth paste forms. There should be no chunks.
Forming the Cookies
- Once the dough has chilled, Roll it out on top of parchment (or wax) paper into a thin rectangle, less than ½ centimeter thick. Cut off rough edges and roll them back in so that the edges are straight lines.
- Spread the cinnamon filling in an even layer, all the way to the edges.
- Carefully lift one end of the parchment paper to start rolling, and use it to help keep the dough in one piece. Try to roll it as tight as possible without ripping it. Once it is completely rolled, transfer to plastic wrap and wrap tightly. Refrigerate for 2 hours.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a baking tray with parchment paper. Take the roll out of the fridge and cut into slices about ½ inch thick. Place on the prepared tray and bake for 20-25 minutes.
Glaze
- In a small bowl, whisk the powdered sugar with lemon juice*. You will probably need to add more lemon juice, depending on desired consistency. Either drizzle with a spoon, or place in a bag and pipe out.*the lemon juice helps it set and harden, with a very slight lemon taste. If you don't want that, replace with milk of choice, just keep in mind that it will not set.
bella
These were so easy to make! the hardest part about these were waiting for it to chill in the fridge. it resulted in a soft cookie.