Raw, vegan cinnamon rolls! The most delicious date and nut crust rolled with a creamy cinnamon cashew filling, and topped with a sweet glaze and cinnamon. Truly all the best flavors.
These no-bake cinnamon rolls are one of my favorite freezer treats, and I can’t wait for you guys to try them!
About eight years ago, I started experimenting with raw desserts. I loved visiting vegan bakeries and tasting all of the amazing no-bake sweets they were able to whip up with just nuts, dried fruit and a few other basic ingredients.
I slowly started to get more creative with simple ingredients like dates, cashews, natural sweeteners and some spices, and realized there are so many things you can make with them!
There was a point where I sold raw cakes in my community in Brooklyn because I enjoyed making them so much. I made this recipe for the first time around seven years ago, and it’s been a family favorite ever since.
The combination of the creamy cashew glaze and cinnamon is one that just can’t be beat. These vegan cinnamon rolls make for the perfect freezer dessert, and even pack in some fiber, omega-3 fats, and protein.
Here’s what you’ll need for these no-bake cinnamon rolls:
- walnuts & pecans
- medjool dates
- raw cashews
- non-dairy milk- I love using an unsweetened vanilla almond milk for this!
- pure maple syrup, to sweeten
- cinnamon
- vanilla extract
- salt
- water
The ingredients are so simple, and truly ones I keep in my pantry at all times.
Since this recipe has multiple steps, I included a video at the bottom of the recipe card to guide you through it! It’s a labor of love, as I like to say, and totally worth it at the end!
Be sure to leave a comment and star-rating if you tried it. I’d love to hear your thoughts.
Other vegan desserts you may like:
Peanut Butter Cups
Homemade Butterfinger Bars
Vegan Almond Joy
Raw Vegan Cinnamon Rolls
Course: Dessert15
servings30
minutes3
hours3
hours30
minutesNOTES:
The crust may be sticky and hard to work with, but I included a video tutorial at the bottom of the recipe card to help simplify the process!
**You can use all walnuts, or all pecans for this recipe
Ingredients
- Crust
1 cup walnuts
1 cup pecans
2 cups Medjool dates (about 12 dates) pitted and soaked in hot water for 10 minutes
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
2 tbsp water
- Filling and glaze
3/4 cup raw cashews
1/4-1/3 cup non-dairy milk, I used unsweetened vanilla almond
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp cinnamon
Directions
- In a high speed blender or food processor, pulse the walnuts and pecans until they’re finely chopped.
- Drain your dates, and add them to the blender with the nuts, along with the cinnamon and salt. Pulse until a dough begins to form. Add in the water by the tbsp until a sticky mixture forms.
- Remove the dough from the blender and place on a cutting board lined with parchment paper. Flatten out the dough into a rectangle, about 9″ x 5″. You can use a rolling pin wrapped in plastic wrap to help prevent sticking, and straighten out the edges with a knife or pizza cutter (see video below)
- Set the crust in the freezer for at least 20 minutes while you clean out the blender and prep the filling.
- For the filling, blend together all the filling ingredients until smooth. Start off with 1/4 cup of the milk, and add more as needed to smoothen it out. The glaze should be somewhat thick, and not too watery.
- Set the glaze in the fridge for 10 minutes, while your crust is in the freezer.
- Remove both, and spread 3/4 of the glaze over the crust. Gently begin to roll your dough into a log. Reserve the remaining filling as a topping. You can add 2-3 more tbsp of almond milk to thin it out if needed.
- Freeze the roll on the parchment lined board for at least 3 hours.
- Remove the roll from the freezer, and slice into about 15 bites. Roll the bites between the palm of your hands to help round out the edges (see video below)
- Drizzle with the extra glaze and cinnamon and enjoy! They’re best when served straight from the freezer.
- Keep stored in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Recipe Video
Did you make this recipe?
Tag @somethingnutritious on Instagram- I’d love to see your creations!
So so good! And we finished them so quickly. I’m honestly surprised by how nutritious and delicious these are.
So happy to hear that!
Hi there! Is there any way to serve these up warm? Would they just completely melt if I popped them in the oven for a little after they’ve sat in the freezer for 3 hours?
Hey Katie, I’ve actually never tried that! I don’t believe they would melt completely, but the filling may just soften. I would suggest trying it with one and seeing how it turns out!
I have been wanting to try these so bad, but I am wondering if there is a whole food substitute for the maple syrup? I can’t have any sweeteners including artificial or liquid sweeteners, sugar alcohols. None. Could the glaze be made with a few medjool dates or raisins in a vitamix?
Unfortunately the glaze won’t be as smooth with dates or raisins, but I have seen 100% date syrup before that you can use instead!
So I did the glaze with just cashew and blended it with some of the sage soaking water. Cashews already have a natural sweetness to me so it didn’t need much. The glaze was great. The actual dough though was just such a pain to work with I cannot recommend this recipe. I think if I had maybe started everything in the food processor it would have turned out a bit better. I started the nuts in my Vitamix which worked great to turn them into a flour. Then I added the dates and it would not move. I tried to add a few tablespoons of water (I think I added 3) and it still would not blend. Made everything into a sticky goopy mess. I transferred to a food processor but the dough was so sticky it wouldn’t process well either. Eventually I got something together but it was so sticky and hard to work even after adding extra nuts to the food processor. In the end I had this sticky mess in my food processor and blended to clean up. I had to use a sheet of parchment on top just to flatten it because it would just stick to my hands or even a rolling pin with parchment over it didn’t work. I was able to sort of roll it into a cinnamon roll shape after freezing it but it does not taste good when it is not straight from the freezer. It is too soft and mushy when warmed to room temperature. This was the most expensive and frustrating recipe I’ve ever attempted. The only saving grace is the end product when eaten straight from the freezer is quite good.
Hey Haley, I’m so sorry this recipe didn’t turn out well for you. It’s definitely a little messier to work with, and I apologize you wasted expensive ingredients. The bites are meant to be eaten from the freezer and not at room temp for best results though, in case you have any leftover!
do you need to use walnuts in the dough for this? i love the glaze and understand the one…but nuts are kinda expensive
Hey Ava, I totally get it! I believe using rolled oats should work well with this recipe, and is a lot more cost friendly. I would start with about 1 1/2 cups, and add more as needed if the dough is too sticky.