Coconut Rolls
Want to make soft, fluffy Coconut Cinnamon Rolls topped with a smooth and creamy vegan cream cheese frosting? This easy, dairy-free recipe delivers bakery-style results with a rich coconut filling and perfectly golden rolls that everyone will love.
Estimated Time & Nutrition Info for Coconut Rolls
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 3 hours 12 minutes (includes kneading, rising, baking, and frosting)
Calories per Serving: ~497 calories per roll (based on 12 servings)
Makes: 6-12 rolls
Shopping List
Bread flour or all-purpose flour
Granulated sugar
Light brown sugar
Unsweetened shredded coconut
Powdered sugar
Fine kosher salt
Active Dry Yeast or Rapid Rise Yeast
Unsalted vegan butter
Vegan cream cheese
Unsweetened, unflavored plant milk
Neutral oil (avocado, grapeseed, canola, or vegetable )
Equipment:
Stand mixer w/ dough hook and paddle attachment- you can definitely make these by hand, but if you have a stand mixer, I would say use it
Large bowl (if not using a stand mixer )
Liquid measuring cup
Scale, if using (optional, but recommend )
Candy thermometer (optional, but helpful)
Rolling pin
Medium size bowl (filling)
9 x 13 “ baking pan
Cooling rack
Kitchen towel, bowl cover, or plastic wrap
Very sharp knife or dental floss (for cutting rolls)
HELPFUL NOTES
Why You’ll Love These Coconut Cinnamon Rolls
These soft and fluffy Coconut Rolls are the ultimate indulgence! Made with buttery dough, shredded coconut, and a rich cream cheese frosting, they’re completely vegan and dairy-free but taste just as rich and decadent as classic cinnamon rolls. Whether you're making them for a cozy weekend brunch, a holiday breakfast, or just because—you won’t regret it!
Ingredients for Vegan Coconut Cinnamon Rolls
This recipe uses simple pantry ingredients to create a light and fluffy dough with a rich coconut filling. Here’s what you’ll need:
Flour: Bread flour gives the rolls a chewier texture, but all-purpose flour works too.
Yeast: You can use Active Dry Yeast or Rapid Rise Yeast (see below for instructions).
Plant-Based Milk: Use unsweetened and unflavored plant milk like soy or almond.
Unsalted Vegan Butter: Adds richness and flavor to the dough, filling, and frosting.
Sugar & Brown Sugar: A mix of sugars creates the perfect caramelized sweetness.
Shredded Coconut: The star ingredient for a nutty, tropical twist!
Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting: The perfect finishing touch—smooth, tangy, and delicious!
Should I Use a Scale?
Using a kitchen scale instead of measuring cups ensures precision and consistency in baking. Flour and sugar can vary in weight when scooped, leading to dense or dry dough if too much is used. A scale eliminates guesswork, helping achieve the perfect dough texture and rise every time. It also reduces cleanup, speeds up prep, and makes scaling recipes effortless. For bakery-quality results, weighing ingredients is the best choice!
Products I Prefer
Links provided below-
Violife Unsalted Butter- I’ve used salted in the past when I couldn’t find unsalted, but using unsalted butter really is the best way to go if you can swing it. That being said, feel free to use whatever’s your favorite, affordable or readily available to you. If you use salted butter, try reducing the recipe amount down by half. Honestly, it’s hard to say the exact amount due to the varying salt levels in different butters.
Violife Cream Cheese Block- I've had a bit of a challenge finding the right vegan cream cheese. I expected Philadelphia’s version to be amazing, but it was a letdown. For bagels and savory fillings, I love Kite Hill, but I don’t find it works as well in frostings. When Violife released a block version of their cream cheese (as an alternative to their tub, which I didn’t love), it became my go-to for sweet applications. That said, when it comes to both cream cheese and butter, use whatever tastes best, fits your budget, and is easily available to you.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q Can I use all-purpose flour instead of bread flour?
A Yes! Bread flour creates a chewier roll, but all-purpose flour works well too.
Q How do I know when my dough is kneaded enough?
A Do the windowpane test: Stretch a small piece of dough—if it’s thin enough to see light through without tearing, it’s ready!
Q Can I make these without a stand mixer?
A Absolutely! I’ve included a step-by-step method for kneading the dough by hand here
RECIPE
INGREDIENTS:
Dough
7g (1 packet) Active Dry Yeast (or Rapid Rise)
60ml (¼ cup) warm water (90°–110°F)
4g (1 tsp) granulated sugar (to activate yeast)
240ml (1 cup) unsweetened plant milk, lukewarm
480g (4 cups) bread flour (or all-purpose flour)
38g (3 tbsp) granulated sugar
9g (1½ tsp) fine kosher salt
30g (2 tbsp) neutral oil
56g (4 tbsp) unsalted vegan butter, room temp
Filling
112g (½ cup) unsalted vegan butter, softened or slightly melted
50g (¼ cup) granulated sugar
50g (¼ cup) light brown sugar
80g (1 cup) unsweetened shredded coconut
Pinch of salt
Cream Cheese Frosting
112g (8 tbsp) unsalted vegan butter, room temp
56g–112g (2–4 oz) vegan cream cheese, cold (adjust for taste)
120g (1 cup) powdered sugar
15–30ml (1–2 tbsp) plant milk or cream
½ tsp vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
Watch me make Coconut Rolls by hand!
DIRECTIONS:
Step 1: Activate the Yeast
Warm 60ml (¼ cup) water to 90°–110°F.
Add the yeast and 4g (1 tsp) sugar. Stir and let sit for 10 minutes until foamy.
👉Using Rapid Rise yeast? Click here for special instructions.
Step 2: Make the Dough
Using a Stand Mixer:
In a stand mixer bowl, whisk together 480g flour, 38g sugar, and 9g salt.
Add yeast mixture, 240ml warm plant milk, and 30g oil. Mix on low speed with a dough hook until shaggy.
Add 56g unsalted vegan butter, 1 tbsp at a time, while mixing on low.
Increase to medium speed and knead for 10–12 minutes, until dough is smooth and elastic.
Form dough into a ball and place it back in the bowl. Cover and let it rise until doubled (about 1 hour).
👉Making the dough by hand? Click here for instructions!
Step 3: Make the Filling
(Optional) Pulse the shredded coconut in a small food processor for a finer texture.
Mix 80g coconut, 50g granulated sugar, and 50g brown sugar together. Set aside.
Step 4: Roll & Fill the Dough
Roll dough into about a 30x40cm (12x16-inch) rectangle onto a clean surface. The dough isn’t very sticky, but you can lightly flour it if you feel you need to.
Spread 112g unsalted vegan butter evenly over the surface, leaving ¼-inch border at the top.
Sprinkle the coconut-sugar mixture over the buttered dough.
Step 5: Roll & Cut
Roll the dough into a tight log from bottom to top.
Seal the edge by pressing it down gently.
Slice into 6, 9, or 12 pieces using a sharp knife or dental floss.
Step 6: Proofing Dough- Second Rise
Place rolls in a buttered or parchment-lined 9x13-inch pan, cut-side up.
Cover loosely with a towel and let rise again for 35–55 minutes, until puffy and nearly doubled in size.
Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C) while rolls are rising.
Step 7: Bake
Bake in a preheated oven for 20–25 minutes, or until golden brown.
Let cool for 10–15 minutes before frosting.
Step 8: Make the Frosting
Beat 112g unsalted vegan butter and 120g powdered sugar in a bowl until combined.
Add 2 to 4 ounces of cold vegan cream cheese and mix until smooth.
Stir in ½ teaspoon of vanilla and a pinch of salt until smooth and well incorporated.
Spread the finished frosting over the cooled rolls and sprinkle with coconut (optional).
HOW TO MAKE THE DOUGH BY HAND
In a large bowl, add flour, sugar, salt, activated yeast, and warm milk. Stir well.
Use a silicone spatula or wooden spoon to mix until a shaggy dough forms.
Let the dough rest in the bowl for 20 minutes.
After resting, turn the dough onto a clean work surface. The dough will be a bit sticky.
Knead with the palm of your hand for about 5 minutes to build up gluten.
In a small bowl, whip together the room temperature butter and oil until smooth and combined.
Stretch the dough into a rectangle and spread the butter-oil mixture evenly over the surface.
Squish the butter mixture into the dough with your hands. It will feel greasy and messy—this is normal!
Once most of the butter is absorbed, knead the dough again using the palm of your hand.
Continue kneading until the dough becomes smooth and supple and passes the windowpane test (stretch a small piece without tearing).
Place the dough in a bowl, cover, and let it rise until doubled (about 1 hour).
USING RAPID RISE YEAST?
Check the expiration date on the packet.
Heat wet ingredients to 120°–130°F.
Mix yeast directly into the dry ingredients.
Adjust liquid: Remove the 60ml (¼ cup) water and instead use 300ml (1¼ cup) warm plant milk.
Skip the first rise: After kneading, let the dough rest for 10–15 minutes only.
Shape the rolls immediately, then let them rise for 30–60 minutes (depending on room temperature).
KNOW WHEN YOUR DOUGH IS PROPERLY KNEADED
The better your dough is kneaded, the better the result will be for your final baking product!
Here’s how to know when your dough is ready to go!
Your dough has gone from shaggy to smooth, with a nice supple sheen
The sides of your bowl (or your hands) are mostly free from any dough sticking to it/them
If you’re using a mixer, your dough will often form a tight ball around the hook and “slap” the sides of the bowl
And the number one sign- Your dough doesn’t immediately break when you pull at it. You can test this by tearing a piece of dough from the ball. If you can stretch the piece of dough so you can see through it without it breaking apart, your dough is properly kneaded and good to go!
STORAGE AND LEFTOVERS
Rolls taste best fresh, but here is how to handle the leftovers:
If you’re not eating all of the rolls right away, make sure not to frost or ice them until you are ready to eat- this way, you can reheat, then add the fresh icing.
Store rolls in an air-tight container and store in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
When ready to eat, place in the microwave and warm with bursts of 30 seconds until warmed through or place in the oven set to 350° for 5- 7 minutes to warm through again.
TRIED THE RECIPE?
Let’s Chat!
I’d love to hear how your Coconut Cinnamon Rolls turned out! 🥥 Did you go with Active Dry Yeast or Rapid Rise?How did you like the coconut filling and cream cheese frosting?
Drop a comment below and let me know how they worked for you! If you have any questions or need troubleshooting tips, I’m happy to help.
📸 Share your bakes! Tag @YourVeganHome on Instagram and use #YourVeganHomeBakes so I can see and share your delicious rolls.
🤎 Loved this recipe? Save it on Pinterest and share it with friends who love baking!
