After years of testing, I have come up with the ultimate healthy & vegan cinnamon roll recipe. It's extremely soft and fluffy with a gooey center, and yet it has no dairy or eggs. These rolls pack in more fiber and healthy fats than the average kind but still taste incredible.
In a large bowl, heat the milk until it is just warmer than room temperature–be sure it's not too hot. Mix in the maple syrup. Add the yeast and let it sit for 5-10 minutes until it "blooms" or activates and becomes bubbly/foamy.
Once the dough is done rising it should be about double in size. Fold in the rest (¾ c) of the all-purpose flour, then baking powder and salt, then transfer to a floured surface. Use more flour as needed (about 6 tablespoons or more) to knead. Knead the dough for 5-10 minutes. Do NOT keep adding flour until the dough is dry; only add flour if it is really sticking to the counter/surface. Divide the dough in two.
Make sure the surface is well-floured so it doesn't stick, then roll each dough (make sure your rolling pin is floured too). Roll until it is about ½" thick. Cut off the edges to make them super clean. You can use the scraps to make more later. This is optional, but it will result in the best-looking rolls. For the filling, brush on the avocado oil then sprinkle on the cinnamon and sugar. Spread it out evenly.
Prepare a baking tray with oil spray. They will not all fit in one pan so you can either use multiple or do multiple rounds. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
You can roll and cut the traditional way, but I find this method much easier and has a better-looking result: Cut the dough while it's flat, about 1" thick slices. Roll each slice individually and transfer to the prepared pan.
Bake for about 8 minutes. While they're baking, make icing with powdered sugar and a splash of plant milk. Serve warm with the icing or alone. If you aren't planning to finish them on the first or second day, freeze as soon as it cools, and microwave to reheat.
Notes
feel free to substitute more whole wheat flour for all purpose, or vise versa. however, be careful when substituting whole wheat for all purpose because this will result in a change in texture. it will be less soft and more dry, so I would not recommend changing it too much. if you want to increase fiber, you can add more flaxseed meal.also, I strongly recommend white whole wheat flour as opposed to regular whole wheat, so if you can find this then the result will be much better.