On a Roll!
By Rissa Miller
Little compares to the joy of sinking your teeth into a warm roll, straight from the oven. Bet you'd like one right now, wouldn't you? Well, no matter your baking experience, this divine confection is within your grasp. I mean right now, for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Because those heavenly swirls of dough should be for everyone, I came up with three variations and six fillings. Start with the classic Cinnamon Filling, with or without pecans, as you like. Move on to Citrus Cream, which comes together in minutes, and to really impress friends and family, roll out with the Chocolate S'mores Filling. There's an optional Sweet Vanilla Icing for any of them.
What about dinner? Kids are going to love helping make Pizza Rolls. For a more sophisticated palate, try my Sunflower Parsley Pesto or Exotic Curry fillings. Served beside a fresh green salad, any of these will make a satisfying winter meal. Want to go decadent? Top savory rolls with compound Garlic Butter.
If you're intimidated to try the Basic Dough (we included photo directions) or just have limited kitchen space, make any of these with vegan canned crescent-style dough. Depending on the filling, you can have fresh rolls in 30 minutes. Gluten-free friends, I have you covered as well, with a surprisingly light and fluffy dough designed just for you. Now, go preheat those ovens!
Pecan & Cinnamon Filling
Fills 12 rolls
3/4 cup coconut sugar or organic brown sugar
1/2 cup vegan margarine
1 Tablespoon cinnamon
1 Tablespoon maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla
Pinch allspice
Pinch nutmeg
1/2 cup chopped pecans
Add all ingredients except for pecans to a pan and heat over low heat. Stirring frequently, cook until the filling is melted together and has a few small bubbles, about 4-6 minutes. Remove from heat.
To use in rolls, spread cinnamon filling across prepared dough and sprinkle with chopped pecans.
| Total calories per serving: 133 | Fat: 11 grams |
| Carbohydrates: 11 grams | Protein: <1 gram |
| Sodium: 80 milligrams | Fiber: <1 gram |
Citrus Cream Filling
Fills 12 rolls
8 ounces vegan cream cheese, chilled (Tofutti recommended)
1/4 cup organic sugar
1 Tablespoon arrowroot starch
1 teaspoon orange extract
Zest of one orange
Zest of one lemon
Zest of 1/2 grapefruit
Place all ingredient into a bowl, and use an electric mixer or wooden spoon to combine thoroughly. To use in rolls, spread filling across prepared dough.
Cook's Note: Other brands of vegan cream cheese were tested but did not perform well in this recipe.
| Total calories per serving: 56 | Fat: 3 grams |
| Carbohydrates: 6 grams | Protein: 1 gram |
| Sodium: 76 milligrams | Fiber: <1 gram |
Chocolate S'mores Filling
Fills 12 rolls
1 cup vegan chocolate chips
1/2 cup vegan graham cracker crumbs
1/3 cup organic brown sugar
2 Tablespoons plain, unsweetened vegan milk
1 Tablespoon arrowroot starch
1 Tablespoon cocoa powder
1 Tablespoon instant coffee powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch cinnamon, ground cloves (optional)
1 cup mini vegan marshmallows
Place chocolate into a glass bowl. Microwave on Low for 30 seconds and then stir. Place the bowl back in the microwave and repeat the process of cooking for 30 seconds, stopping, and stirring until chocolate melts. Add all other ingredients except marshmallows; stir. To use in rolls, spread chocolate filling across prepared dough and sprinkle mini marshmallows on top.
Cook's Note: A double boiler also works to melt chocolate. For plain chocolate rolls, omit graham crackers, cinnamon, cloves, and marshmallows. If gluten-free, omit graham crackers.
| Total calories per serving: 189 | Fat: 7 grams |
| Carbohydrates: 31 grams | Protein: 1 gram |
| Sodium: 98 milligrams | Fiber: 1 gram |
Sweet Vanilla Icing
Tops 12 rolls
1 cup vegan powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (and up to 4) Tablespoon plain, unsweetened vegan milk
Beat all ingredients together using an electric mixer or by hand with a whisk until icing is silky. If a more liquid icing is desired, add more vegan milk one Tablespoon at a time. Drizzle over Chocolate S'mores, Citrus Cream, or Pecan & Cinnamon rolls when hot out of the oven.
| Total calories per serving: 40 | Fat: <1 gram |
| Carbohydrates: 10 grams | Protein: <1 gram |
| Sodium: 1 milligram | Fiber: <1 gram |
Simple Pizza Filling
Fills 12 rolls
1/2 cup vegan pasta sauce of choice
1/2 cup vegan mozzarella-style shredded cheese
2 Tablespoons nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4-1/2 cup favorite pizza topping, such as more vegan mozzarella, diced onion, vegan meatless crumbles, diced green pepper, etc.
Spread pasta sauce evenly over rolled dough. Sprinkle with vegan cheese, nutritional yeast, basil, oregano, and optional toppings. Do not overfill pizza rolls as they will become hard to roll and/or fall apart. To assure melty cheese, bake covered with foil, following directions for dough of choice.
Cook's Note: Follow Your Heart, So Delicious, and Violife vegan shreds tested best in this recipe. Daiya, Parmela, and Trader Joe's brands were also tested.
| Total calories per serving: 28 | Fat: 1 gram |
| Carbohydrates: 3 grams | Protein: 1 gram |
| Sodium: 81 milligrams | Fiber: 1 gram |
Exotic Curry Filling
Fills 12 rolls
15-ounce can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup jarred roasted red peppers
1/4 cup fresh cilantro or parsley
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
1 Tablespoon no-salt tomato paste
1 Tablespoon curry powder (or less, to taste)
2 teaspoons cumin
1 clove garlic, peeled
1 teaspoon vegan red curry paste
1 teaspoon onion powder
Pinch ground cinnamon
Pinch garam masala
Add all ingredients to a food processor or blender. Process until a smooth paste forms. Spread evenly over rolled dough and bake as directed.
| Total calories per serving: 95 | Fat: 0 grams |
| Carbohydrates: 18 grams | Protein: 6 gram |
| Sodium: 64 milligrams | Fiber: 4 grams |
Sunflower Parsley Pesto
Fills 12 rolls
2 1/2 cups fresh parsley, stemmed
1/2 cup unsalted, shelled sunflower seeds
2 Tablespoons reduced-sodium mellow miso
2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 Tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic
Add all ingredients to a food processor or blender, and purée to a smooth paste. Be sure to scrape the sides a few times during processing. If pesto is too thick to spread, add water by the Tablespoonful and purée again until smooth. To use in rolls, spread pesto across prepared dough.
| Total calories per serving: 47 | Fat: 4 grams |
| Carbohydrates: 2 grams | Protein: 1 gram |
| Sodium: 86 milligrams | Fiber: 1 gram |
Garlic Butter
Tops 12 rolls
1/4 cup vegan margarine, room temperature
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tablespoon fresh chives, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
Pinch red pepper flakes (optional)
Combine all ingredients in a saucepan, then gently heat over low heat until margarine is just liquefied. Serve poured over rolls made with Curry, Pesto, or Pizza filling, or serve as a dipping sauce.
| Total calories per serving: 34 | Fat: 4 grams |
| Carbohydrates: <1 gram | Protein: <1 gram |
| Sodium: 40 milligrams | Fiber: <1 gram |
Super Easy Refrigerator Dough Rolls
Makes 12
Not everyone has time for or interest in making homemade dough. Thanks to the grocery store, all you need are some cans of vegan crescent dough!
Two 8-ounce cans chilled vegan crescent-style dough (Annie's and Immaculate organic brands are options)
Additional flour
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 9x13-inch baking pan with non-stick spray and set aside.
Lightly flour a work surface and your hands. Open chilled dough cans and unroll side by side, but do not separate triangles. Using fingers, press perforations to seal dough, then press edges together to make one large rectangular sheet of dough.
Spread desired filling. Flour your hands again to prevent sticking. Starting from a long side of the rectangle, roll dough into a log. Press together any tears in the side of the log with fingers. Using a knife, slice into 12 rolls. Place rolls in prepared baking dish and bake 15-20 minutes, until light golden brown.
Remove from oven and cool for 15 minutes before slicing apart with a knife and adding the optional icing or topping. Serve warm.
| Total calories per serving: 125 | Fat: 4 grams |
| Carbohydrates: 20 grams | Protein: 1 gram |
| Sodium: 400 milligrams | Fiber: <1 gram |
Basic Dough Recipe
Makes 12 rolls
1 cup plain, unsweetened vegan milk (see notes)
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon organic sugar
1 packet (2 1/4 teaspoons) fast-rising yeast (such as Fleischmann's, Hodgson Mill, or Red Star)
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1/2 cup cold vegan margarine, cut into small cubes (see notes)
Non-stick spray
Extra flour for rolling
In a saucepan, gently warm the vegan milk and water over low heat to 100 degrees. Use a candy thermometer to measure the temperature. If you don't have one, warm until about the same temperature as your wrist, like you would test a baby's bottle. If unsure, err on the side of less heat, as too much heat can kill the yeast; make sure the liquid isn't cold.
Remove vegan milk from heat and sprinkle sugar across the top, then sprinkle yeast on top of that. Make sure the yeast is submerged gently in the milk using a spoon, but don't stir. Allow to sit for 5 minutes. During that time the yeast should activate and get bubbly and foamy. It might even have a sweet smell. If yeast does not get bubbly, it might be too old to activate, and you will have to repeat this process with another packet. This part is critical! (See notes.)
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour and baking powder. Add the cubed vegan margarine and cut into the flour using a pastry cutter or fork. The idea is to blend it roughly, without the margarine melting, softening, or smoothing out. When properly mixed, the margarine will be coated in flour and broken down to bits the size of a pea or brown lentil.
Pour in the activated yeast mixture and stir with a wooden spoon about 35-40 firm strokes to combine the wet and dry ingredients. From this point, use your hands to knead all the unincorporated flour into a ball. Keep working the dough for 3-5 more minutes until it's a smooth ball and no loose flour remains.
Spray a non-reactive bowl (ceramic, enamel, glass, plastic, stainless steel), roughly two times the size of the dough, with non-stick spray. Turn dough out into the center of the bowl.
Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel and place in a warm, non-drafty area to rise for 1 hour. During that time the dough will double in size.
While that's happening, make filling of choice and set aside so it's ready when the dough is done.
Close to the end of the hour, get out a rolling pin or sturdy jar to roll the dough and a knife to cut the rolls. Spray a 9x13-inch glass or metal baking dish with non-stick spray and set aside. Clear a flat work surface (about 2'x2' at least) and sprinkle flour across it. Have extra flour standing by.
After one hour, punch down the dough so it deflates. Turn onto the prepared work surface and sprinkle extra flour on the top of the dough ball, as well as coating your hands. Knead thoroughly for about 5 minutes until dough is a little firmer but still pliable. Do not overwork or the rolls will be tough.
Using a rolling pin or sturdy jar, roll the dough until it's a large rectangle about 20"x16". The surface should be fairly even with no large bumps or gaps on the edges. Flour as needed to prevent sticking.
Next, spread the prepared filling onto the dough rectangle. Leave about 1/2 inch around the edges bare. Working from the long side, begin to roll the dough into a long cylinder, being careful to tuck all the filling inside. Using a knife, cut into 12 equal rolls and carefully place into the prepared baking dish. Spray rolls lightly with a little non-stick spray. Preheat oven to 400 degrees at this time.
Allow the rolls to rest and have a second rise for about 20-30 minutes. Bake for 22-25 minutes, turning once half way through cooking time. When finished rolls will be cooked through and a light golden color. Cool for 15 minutes before slicing apart with a knife and adding the optional topping. Serve warm.
| Total calories per serving: 218 | Fat: 8 grams |
| Carbohydrates: 31 grams | Protein: 4 grams |
| Sodium: 180 milligrams | Fiber: 1 gram |
Cook's Notes: This recipe was tested with almond, cashew, coconut, oat, pea, rice, and soy plain vegan milks. By far, the best performing options were oat and pea vegan milks. They produced fluffy, soft dough every time. Soy also worked well. Almond, coconut, and rice milks made very flat rolls with a tough or crumbly texture and are not recommended for the recipe. Banana, flax, hazelnut, hemp, peanut, pecan, pistachio, sesame, and walnut vegan milks were not tested.
When selecting a vegan margarine, please note that Country Crock Plantbutter Olive Oil sticks, Earth Balance, I Can't Believe It's Vegan tub, Melt sticks, and Miyoko's Vegan Butter were all tested and performed about the same. Plain coconut oil was not tested.
A candy thermometer is a liquid-safe thermometer used for measuring the temperature of liquids. Costs range from $3 to $20 depending on style and retailer. It can also be used making for vegan candy, caramel, cheese/yogurt, and fudge.
Active yeast (not the same thing as brewer's yeast or nutritional yeast) is a live yeast culture. It is sold in small paper packets or glass jars at supermarkets and online. Look in the baking aisle or sometimes the deli or dairy sections. Some brands are shelf-stable; others are kept chilled. Store in your fridge at home.
A pastry cutter is a utensil used to mix solid fats into flour. Costs range from $5 to $20, but a fork will work just as well.
Gluten-Free Dough Recipe
Makes 12 rolls
2 1/2 cups plain, unsweetened vegan milk (see notes)
2 Tablespoons vegan margarine (see notes)
1 teaspoon organic sugar
1 packet (2 1/4 teaspoons) fast-rising yeast (such as Fleischmann's, Hodgson Mill, or Red Star)
2 cups gluten-free baking flour blend (see notes)
1 cup gluten-free oat flour (see notes)
1/2 cup unflavored brown rice protein powder (Naked Rice brand used in testing)
1/4 cup almond flour
1/4 cup ground flaxseed meal (use golden flaxseed if dough color is important)
1 Tablespoon arrowroot starch
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/2 cup cold vegan margarine, cut into small cubes
2 Tablespoons psyllium husk powder
2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
Parchment or wax paper, for rolling
1/2 teaspoon canola oil, for oiling baking dish
In a saucepan, gently warm the vegan milk and two Tablespoons vegan margarine over low heat to 100 degrees. Use a candy thermometer to measure the temperature. If you don't have one, warm until about the same temperature as your wrist, like you would test a baby's bottle. If unsure, err on the side of less heat, as too much heat can kill the yeast; be sure the liquid isn't cold.
Remove vegan milk from heat and sprinkle sugar across the top, then sprinkle yeast on top of that. Make sure the yeast is submerged gently in the milk using a spoon, but don't stir. Allow to sit for 5 minutes. During that time the yeast should activate and get bubbly and foamy. It might even have a sweet smell. If yeast does not get bubbly, it might be too old to activate, and you will have to repeat this process with another packet. This part is critical! (See notes.)
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the gluten- free flour, oat flour, brown rice protein powder, almond flour, flaxseed meal, arrowroot starch, baking powder, baking soda, and xantham gum. Add the cubed vegan margarine and cut into the flour using a pastry cutter or fork. The idea is to blend it roughly, without the margarine melting, softening, or smoothing out. When properly mixed, the margarine will be coated in flour and broken down to bits the size of a pea or brown lentil. Next, gently fold in psyllium husk powder.
Pour in the activated yeast mixture and apple cider vinegar, and stir with a wooden spoon about 25-30 firm strokes to combine the wet and dry ingredients. From this point, use your hands to knead all the unincorporated flour into a ball. Keep working the dough for 3-5 more minutes until it's a smooth ball and no loose flour remains. Note that gluten-free dough is not as smooth as wheat-containing dough and may be a little crumbly.
Place in a non-reactive bowl (ceramic, enamel, glass, plastic, stainless steel), cover with a kitchen towel, and allow dough ball to rest for about 10-15 minutes for binders to develop. This dough will not rise much, perhaps a 1/2 inch or inch. Gluten-free flours are dense and don't get as much lift as wheat.
While that's happening, make filling of choice and set aside. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Clear a flat work surface (2'x2' at least) and put down two large pieces of parchment or wax paper. Get a rolling pin or sturdy jar to roll the dough and a knife to cut the rolls. Coat a cast iron or heavy glass baking dish with canola oil and set aside.
After 10-15 minutes, punch down the dough. Turn onto the prepared work surface and top with a large piece of parchment or wax paper to prevent dough sticking or tearing.
Using a rolling pin or sturdy jar, roll the dough until it's a large rectangle, about 20"x16". The surface should be fairly even with no large bumps or gaps. If needed, repairs cracks in the dough by hand and roll over to seal.
Spread the prepared filling onto the dough rectangle. Leave about 1/2 inch around the edges bare. Working from the long side, begin to roll the dough into a long cylinder, using the parchment/wax paper to lift it from the counter. Try to tuck all the filling inside and repair any cracks in the dough with your hands while you roll, as needed. Using a knife, cut into 12 equal rolls and carefully place into the prepared baking dish.
Bake for 30-35 minutes. When finished, rolls will be cooked through and a light golden color. They will not fluff up very much. Cool for 15 minutes before slicing apart with a knife and adding the optional topping. Serve warm.
| Total calories per serving: 288 | Fat: 13 grams |
| Carbohydrates: 34 grams | Protein: 8 grams |
| Sodium: 302 milligrams | Fiber: 5 grams |
Cook's Notes: This recipe was tested with cashew, oat, pea, and soy plain vegan milks. The best performing options were cashew and oat vegan milks. They produced softer dough that held together better both raw and baked. Other vegan milks are not recommended for the recipe. Almond, banana, coconut, flax, hazelnut, hemp, peanut, pecan, pistachio, rice, sesame, and walnut vegan milks were not tested.
When selecting a vegan margarine, please note that Country Crock Plant Butter/Olive Oil Sticks, Earth Balance sticks, and Melt sticks were tested and performed about the same. Plain coconut oil was not tested, nor were other brands of vegan margarine.
This recipe was tested with Bob's Red Mill 1:1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour and King Arthur Gluten- Free Measure for Measure Flour. There are many other brands of gluten-free baking flour; however, results may vary by brand.
You can purchase gluten-free oat flour or get gluten-free oats and whip them in a blender or food processor until they are fine enough to use as flour.
A candy thermometer is a liquid-safe thermometer used for measuring the temperature of liquids. Costs range from $3 to $20 depending on style and retailer. It can also be used for making vegan candy, caramel, cheese/yogurt, and fudge.
Active yeast (not the same thing as brewer's yeast or nutritional yeast) is a live yeast culture. It is sold in small paper packets or glass jars at supermarkets and online. Look in the baking aisle or sometimes the deli or dairy sections. Some brands are shelf-stable; others are kept chilled. Store in the fridge at home.
A pastry cutter is a utensil used to mix solid fats into flour. Costs range from $5 to $20, but a fork will work just as well.
Looking for some of the more unusual ingredients in this recipe, like xanthan gum or psyllium husk powder? Many natural products stores carry these ingredients or shop online.
Rissa is the Senior Editor of Vegetarian Journal and an obsessed vegan baker. Wishing for a vegan version of your favorite baked good? Something you miss from pre-vegan days? Ask Rissa and see if your recipe request ends up in a future issue! [email protected]
