Strawberry Cinnamon Rolls with Homemade Chia Jam (Dairy-Free)

Well, I did something this weekend that I’ve had on every bucket list, new year’s resolution list, or kitchen to-do list for at least 4 years…

I made cinnamon rolls! YAY! Truth be told, I had moments where I thought it was easier than I thought, and others where I panicked that I’d ruined everything, but in the end, I’ll tell you that it is a bit of effort/time, but SO worth it and truly not intimidating at all.

I think if I had just gone the route of a traditional cinnamon roll instead of one filled with strawberry jam, I reallyyyyy would’ve been golden, but I had to go big, or go home, y’know? It was my first time baking with yeast too, and now I want to make sooo many things! This is just the start you guys – get EXCITED.

I will just say a few quick things before diving into the recipe: 1) I know it looks scary and like a lot of ingredients, but it’s really not that bad, just read everything out ahead of time so you’re prepared. And 2) it takes about 30 minutes of prep time, 40 minutes of resting time, and 30 minutes to bake. It makes 12 rolls, which is also important to note because I almost made 6 jumbo ones…

Vegan Strawberry Cinnamon Rolls

3/4 cup almond milk

1/3 cup vegan butter (I used Myokos)

3 1/4 cups all purpose flour

2 tsp instant yeast (or one packet)

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1 egg

1/4 cup water

For the chia jam filling:

1 cup frozen or fresh strawberries

2 tbsp chia seeds

1 tbsp water or lemon juice

1 tbsp maple syrup

cinnamon sugar (2 tbsp sugar + 1/2 tsp cinnamon)

Icing:

1 cup powdered sugar

1-2 tbsp almond milk

1. Heat the milk in a small saucepan until warm, then mix in the butter until melted.
2. While the the mixture is cooling, combine 2 1/4 cups of the flour with the yeast, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Then add in the egg and water, and mix well.
3. Add in the milk mixture and mix until a dough forms, then add in the final cup of flour. Once the dough comes together, flip it onto a lightly floured surface, then knead until smooth.
4. Return the dough to the bowl, cover with a damp towel, and let sit for 15 minutes.
5. While the dough is resting, make your chia jam by warming up the strawberries, water or lemon juice and maple syrup in a small saucepan over low to medium heat (I quickly rinsed and used the one from above!).
6. After a minute or two, add in the chia seeds and stir for another 10 minutes, or until the mixture starts to thicken. Remove from heat, carefully transfer the ingredients into a blender or food processor and pulse 1-2 times until combined.
7. Roll the dough out into a roughly 15×10 inch rectangle. Spread the chia jam into an even layer, then sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar.
8. Carefully roll up the dough then pinch the seam. Cut into 12 equal rolls and place cut side up into a greased baking dish or cake pan. Cover and let rise for about 30 minutes (or until rolls double in size. Use this time to preheat the oven to 375 degrees fahrenheit.
9. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown, then remove from the oven and drizzle frosting over top. Serve warm.

This is truly the perfect activity for a quarantine weekend – it made us happy and was a nice treat to have! Have you ever made cinnamon rolls or anything with yeast before?

xo Jordan