Sweet potato cinnamon Rolls (Paleo & Vegan)

Sweet potato cinnamon rolls make an amazing alternative to real cinnamon rolls for those who may have dietary restrictions or just want to sneak in an extra veggie during their day! 😉 They are vegan, gluten and refined sugar-free, but I cannot stress how much they satisfy a cinnamon roll craving. I was a skeptic at first, as I’m not the biggest fan of sweet potato, but you can’t taste it and it truly gives these such a fluffy/moist texture!

Why you’ll love these sweet potato cinnamon rolls

• Vegan, gluten free, & refined sugar free
• Great option for those with dietary restrictions
• Amazing texture – firm outer edges with gooey centers
• Made with nourishing sweet potato
• Easy to make
• Leftover cinnamon rolls freeze well

What if I don’t like sweet potato?

Okay, hear me out! I am not the biggest sweet potato fan. I can only eat them in savory ways (fries, etc.) But you REALLY cannot taste any sweet potato in this – like nada. And it really gives the rolls this natural sweetness and adds moisture so they turn out the perfect texture!

Texture of sweet potato cinnamon rolls

Obviously not the same as a yeasted, real cinnamon roll, but these are super delicious and satisfy the craving for me! They have a firmer outside with a gooey center – almost like that perfect, slightly underbaked cinnamon roll center, feel! If you make these, going into it knowing it’ll differ than the real deal, i’m sure you will be obsessed for what they are!

ingredients & substitutions

• White Sweet potato: I prefer using white sweet potato because I love the taste of them. However, you can use orange sweet potato, Japanese purple sweet potatoes, etc. They should all work the same (although I haven’t tested them).
• Cassava flour: Cassava flour is the only flour that works in this recipe. It really gives these rolls the perfect texture. I use the brand Otto’s!
• Coconut sugar: You can substitute brown sugar monk fruit for a lower sugar option or use regular brown sugar if you’re not refined sugar free.
• Coconut oil: You can sub any oil, vegan butter, ghee, etc.
• Cinnamon: Obviously a staple for cinnamon rolls!

How to make the rolls:

1. Boil the potatoes until tender. Mash them up, then measure them in the measuring cup. Place in your food processor.
2. Add the remaining dough ingredients, processing again.
3. Roll the dough out into a rectangle. Add the filling to the dough.
4. Roll the dough up into a log and cut into pieces.
5. Add the pieces to a muffin tin and bake.
6. Top with your favorite frosting or glaze. Enjoy!

Troubleshooting & FAQ’S

• What if my dough is too dry? You’ll want to make sure you boil your sweet potatoes long enough. They should be tender enough that you can mash them between your fingers. This is what gives the dough moisture. If you don’t boil them long enough, your dough could become dry.
• What if my dough is too wet? I’ve made these numerous times and have never had this issue. However, if your dough is too wet, you can add an extra tablespoon or two of cassava flour until its workable. The dough shouldn’t be wet or stick to your hands, but it shouldn’t be dry either.
• What if the filling oozes out of them while baking? It’s okay if some of the filling seeps out around the rolls. They will absorb it upon cooling!
• What if my rolls are still gooey after 30 minutes? If the center of your rolls are still really gooey, you can lower the temperature of the oven to 350F and bake them for 10 minutes longer, or as needed. The centers are supposed to be slightly gooey, though!

storing leftover sweet potato cinnamon rolls

Store leftover cinnamon rolls in an air-tight container. They will last in the fridge for a week or so and in the freezer for a month or two! I like to store them without glaze and rather top them with it after I reheat them.

Other recipes you will love:

• Paleo cinnamon rolls
• Peanut Butter Oatmeal Balls
• Sticky Bun Cookies
• Twix Cookies

Vegan Sweet Potato Cinnamon Rolls

These vegan sweet potato cinnamon rolls are absolutely to die for! They are vegan, gluten and refined sugar free, but you'd never guess it. Even if you don't love sweet potato, you will love these, as they don't taste like them at ALL. The sweet potato offers a natural sweetness and moisture to the recipe, creating the perfect fluffy dough. These are so simple to make and less time consuming than normal cinnamon rolls. I hope you love them!

5 from 2 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 40 minutes mins

Course Breakfast, Dessert, Snack

Cuisine American

Servings 8 Rolls

Calories 1 kcal

Ingredients

  

Dough

• 2 cups mashed white sweet potatoes *about 2 large sweet potatoes
• 3/4-1 cup cassava flour
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 2 tbsp monk fruit or coconut sugar

Filling

• 1/4 cup coconut oil or vegan butter melted
• 1 1/2 tbsp cinnamon
• 1/3 cup coconut sugar or monk fruit

Glaze

• 1/2 cup Monk fruit powdered sugar
• 3-4 tbsp milk, of choice
• 3/4 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 375F and grease a muffin tin.
• Peel and cube the sweet potatoes and add to a large pot of boiling water, allowing the potatoes to cook until they are super tender. You should be able to mash the chunks between your fingers (if they aren't tender enough, your dough could turn out dry).
• Mash them up a bit with a fork, then add to the measuring cup. Place the potatoes in the food processor, processing until there are no large chunks. Then add in the remaining dough ingredients, staring with 3/4 cup cassava flour, processing once more until the dough forms and holds together.
• The dough should not be wet or sticky, but workable. If your dough feels too moist, add another tbsp of flour at a time until it's moist, but doesn't stick to you. Place the dough onto a large piece of parchment paper, pressing it out into a large rectangle (about 8×11 & 1/4" thick).
• Mix together the filling ingredients and spread over the dough, keeping about an inch from the edges.
• Use the parchment paper to help roll the dough up into a tight log. Then cut the log into 10 rolls.
• Place the rolls in the muffin tin and bake for 35-40 minutes, until golden and the centers are firm to touch – you don't want them to be super gooey in the center. If your rolls are super gooey in the center, lower the temperature to 350F and bake for another 10 or so minutes. But keep in mind – the centers are supposed to be gooey!
• Once removing from the oven, there may be a little extra liquid in the muffin tins. The rolls will absorb it upon cooling.

Glaze

• Simply mix all of the glaze ingredients together in a bowl, adding a tbsp of milk at a time until it reaches your desired consistency.
• Glaze each one and enjoy! *Note – if planning to freeze these, i'd store them without the glaze. Reheat them, then add some on top!

Notes

Please see post above for any troubleshooting/FAQ’s

*Store these in the fridge in an air-tight container. Reheat before enjoying!

**Be sure to let them sit for a bit after baking. If there is any liquid in the muffin tins, the rolls will absorb it!

Keyword breakfast, cinnamon, cinnamon roll, desert, easy recipe, glaze, Gluten-Free, healthy dessert, healthy snack, plant based, raw vegan, sweet potato