The Best Ever Soft and Gooey Cinnamon Buns by "Indian Rock Vegans" - Erin Ireland

Step 1

Warm the oven by turning on the oven light. This will be the perfect temperature for the dough to rise.In a medium bowl, mix the yeast, sugar and warm water together and set aside.In a saucepan, combine the non-dairy milk, sugar, vegan butter and salt over medium-low heat until butter is melted. Set aside and let it cool until it’s no longer hot to the touch.Once cool, add the yeast mixture (which should be foamy). Note: if the milk mixture is too hot, it will kill the yeast!In a separate large bowl, add 3 cups of flour. Add the warm milk/yeast mixture and mix gently with a spoon. Add the remaining 3 cups of flour and continue to mix gently. Transfer flour mixture to a lightly floured surface and knead for 8 minutes (which will feel like forever) until it resembles dough. Place in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with a slightly damp towel. Place the bowl into the mildly warm oven for 90 minutes.

Step 2

Place 1 cup of pear juice and 1 cup of soaked cashews in a high-powered blender. Blend until completely smooth. Add the rest of the pears, vanilla and salt. Blend until smooth, transfer to a small bowl and place in fridge.

Step 3

Once the dough has risen for 90 minutes, use a rolling pin to create a rectangle, about 20” x 15”. Use your hands to shape the edges. Next, add the filling mixture to the dough and, using a spatula or knife, spread it evenly. Sprinkle on toasted pecans, if you like.Begin rolling the dough from the short side of the rectangle. Use your hands to keep the edges symmetrical by rolling the entire roll back and forth till it feels cylindrical.With the seam down, use dental floss (yup) to “cut” the individual cinnamon buns by placing the floss under the roll and drawing it upwards and crossing it to cut the roll. This makes a nice clean cut without “squishing” the roll with a knife. Repeating the cutting step until you have 12 to 14 rolls, each appromixately 1” to 1 ¼” wide.Gently place each roll on top of the pan sauce. There should be a bit of room between the rolls so they can rise again.