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These 30-minute cinnamon swirls from The Happy Pear 20 by Stephen and David Flynn are quick, easy, and totally plant-based. You don’t need yeast or proofing time – just mix, roll, bake, and enjoy. They’re perfect when you want something sweet but don’t want to spend hours in the kitchen.
The dough comes together fast using self-raising flour, cold vegan butter, and oat milk. It rolls out easily and holds the cinnamon sugar filling well. The swirls bake in just 25 minutes, or even quicker in an air fryer.
Each roll is soft and golden, with sweet cinnamon layers in every bite. What really sets these apart is the vegan cream cheese icing. It’s creamy, tangy, and balances the sweetness perfectly.
These swirls are great for weekend treats, brunch with friends, or a quick dessert. Serve them warm, drizzle on the icing, and watch them disappear. You can store leftovers for a couple of days, but they’re best fresh out of the oven. If you’re looking for a fuss-free vegan bake, this recipe delivers flavor fast.
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A dairy-free and egg-free treat
Ingredients
Dough
- 200 g self-raising flour
- 35 g icing sugar
- ¼ tsp salt
- 80 g cold vegan butter cut into cubes, plus extra for the tin
- 100 ml oat milk
Cinnamon filling
- 2 tbsp vegan butter
- 90 g brown sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
Cream cheese icing
- 4 tbsp vegan cream cheese
- 65 g icing sugar
- ¼ tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp oat milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven and grease the tin: Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan/400°F/gas 6, or the air fryer on bake function to 160°C. Grease and line a 2lb (900g) loaf tin.
- Prepare the dough: Add the self-raising flour, icing sugar and a teaspoon of salt to a mixing bowl, and stir together. Add the butter, and use your fingers to rub the butter into the flour mixture until it looks like damp sand or breadcrumbs. Stir in the milk. Using your hands or a wooden spoon. bring the dough together into a rough ball. Coat the dough in a little flour so it is easy to handle. Dust your counter with flour, place the dough on it and knead for 2–3 minutes. Using a rolling pin, roll out into a rectangle roughly 45cm × 30cm.
- Prepare the filling: Melt the butter. In a separate bowl, mix the cinnamon and sugar together. Using a pastry brush, spread the melted butter over the dough, bringing it right to the edges. Then sprinkle over the cinnamon sugar as evenly as you can.
- Roll and cut the dough: Starting at the long end of the rectangle, roll the dough up tightly into a log. Cut the log in half, then halve both pieces, and then halve each remaining piece – you should have 8 evenly sized swirls. Place them in the loaf tin face up, so you can see the cinnamon layers.
- Bake: Place the loaf tin into the preheated oven and bake for 25 minutes, or bake in the air fryer for 18–20 minutes.
- Make the icing: While the rolls are in the oven, place the cream cheese in a bowl, then add the icing sugar, vanilla and milk. Use a fork to break it down and stir until smooth and super creamy.
- Ice and serve: When the rolls are ready, remove them from the oven or air fryer and drizzle the glaze over the top. They’ll keep for 2–3 days in an airtight container.
The Happy Pear 20: Learnings and recipes from the first 20 years, is on sale now, priced £23.99. Published by Gill Books.
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