Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Bites

These pumpkin cinnamon roll bites give you all the cozy cinnamon roll flavor with none of the yeast, rising, or rolling out dough. A quick pumpkin dough gets rolled into balls, coated in pumpkin spice sugar, and baked with a splash of coconut milk for soft, gooey centers. A drizzle of coconut milk glaze finishes them off. They’re vegan, gluten-free, egg-free, and ready in about 30 minutes!

These pumpkin cinnamon roll bites are everything I love about cinnamon rolls, with none of the waiting around. There’s no yeast, no rising, and no rolling out sticky dough. You just stir together a soft pumpkin spice dough, roll it into balls, and give each one a dip in butter and a roll in pumpkin spice sugar.

The secret to making them extra gooey is a little trick that’s been all over the internet: pouring heavy cream over cinnamon rolls before they bake. But we are doing it dairy-free with canned coconut milk—it soaks into the bottoms to make them soft and rich. The tops bake up with a crackly cinnamon sugar crust. Add a drizzle of vanilla glaze, and you’ve got the coziest, warm fall treat. And yes, they’re completely vegan and gluten-free!

Why You’ll Love These Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Bites

• No yeast, no waiting. There’s no proofing, rising, or rolling out dough. The dough comes together in one bowl in about five minutes.
• All the cinnamon roll flavor. All the finger-licking cinnamon roll magic in half the time (or maybe less!). Every bite gets a buttery pumpkin spice sugar crust, soft pumpkin centers, and a sweet glaze on top.
• Extra gooey. A splash of coconut milk poured over before baking makes the bottoms soft, rich, and almost caramelized.
• Vegan and gluten-free. They’re made without eggs, dairy, or gluten, but you’d never know.
• Perfect for fall. They’re great for a cozy weekend breakfast, a holiday brunch, or an afternoon treat with coffee.

Ingredients You’ll Need

For the dough, I used Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour. It already has xanthan gum in it, which helps hold the dough together and gives the bites that soft, slightly chewy cinnamon roll texture. If your gluten-free blend doesn’t include xanthan gum, add about 1/2 teaspoon. I haven’t tested this recipe with any other flours, but I am sure regular all-purpose flour would work too if you aren’t gluten-free.

Pumpkin puree adds moisture, color, and that cozy pumpkin flavor. Be sure to use plain canned pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling, which is already sweetened and spiced. And I prefer organic, it tends to have a brighter flavor and color. A flax egg (or regular egg if you aren’t vegan) binds and holds everything together. Baking powder creates the fluffy texture without any yeast or rising need. Vanilla and pumpkin pie spice add all the cozy fall flavor. And a little bit of melted dairy-free butter makes the dough extra moist.

The coconut milk shows up three times in this recipe: in the dough, poured over the bites before baking, and whisked into the glaze. I used Native Forest Organic Simple Coconut Milk from Edward & Sons—it’s made with just organic coconut and water, no guar gum. It adds wonderful tenderness to the dough without any dairy. If the can has separated a bit, which is totally normal, just whisk it up before measuring.

For the coating, you’ll need melted dairy-free butter or coconut oil, plus cane sugar mixed with pumpkin pie spice. The glaze is just powdered sugar, coconut milk, and a splash of vanilla.

How to Make Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Bites

Start by preheating your oven to 375°F and greasing a loaf pan or small casserole dish. This is the one I used, it’s the perfect size! In a mixing bowl, whisk together the gluten-free flour, baking powder, salt, and pumpkin pie spice. Then add the pumpkin puree, flax egg, coconut milk, melted dairy-free butter, and vanilla. Stir until everything comes together into a soft, moist dough. It should be a little tacky, but easy to roll.

Divide the dough into 12 equal portions and roll each one into a smooth ball between your palms. Mix the cane sugar and pumpkin pie spice in a small bowl, and put the melted butter in another. Dip each dough ball in the butter, then roll in the pumpkin spice sugar until it’s fully coated. Place the balls snugly in your prepared pan.

If you’re using it, pour the coconut milk over the top of the dough balls. Then bake for 18 to 22 minutes, until the bites are puffed and golden and the sugar coating looks crisp. While they bake, whisk together the powdered sugar, coconut milk, and vanilla to create the glaze. Let the bites cool for about 5 minutes, then drizzle the glaze over the top and serve them warm.

The Coconut Milk Trick for Extra Gooey Bites

If you’ve spent any time on food Instagram lately, you’ve probably seen people pouring heavy cream over cinnamon rolls before baking them. The cream soaks into the bottoms and mixes with the sugar and butter in the pan, making a rich, gooey sauce while the rolls bake. The result is softer, more indulgent cinnamon rolls with a caramel-y layer on the bottom of the pan that you can’t help scooping out and spooning on top.

This version is the dairy-free take on that trick, and full-fat coconut milk works beautifully here. The bites stay crisp and sugary on top and turn soft and gooey underneath. It’s technically optional, and the bites are still delicious without it, but I highly recommend it!

Tips for the Best Gluten-Free Cinnamon Roll Bites

• Use a 1-to-1 gluten-free flour blend. I used Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour, which already has xanthan gum mixed in. If you can, weigh your flour (175g). Gluten-free flour is easy to over-measure with cups, and too much flour can make the bites dry.
• Let the flax egg thicken. Give it about 5 minutes after mixing so it turns gel-like. This helps bind the dough, since there’s no gluten or egg to hold it together. Also note the lower than usual ratio of water to flax (2 tablespoons water to 1 tablespoon flax meal) in this recipe.
• Stir the coconut milk well. Canned coconut milk naturally separates, so give it a good shake or stir (or even blend!) before measuring. That way you get the right mix of cream and liquid in the dough, the pour-over, and the glaze.
• Pack them in snugly. Use a small baking dish (mine is 6.5 x 5 inches) or an 8×4-inch loaf pan, so the bites fit close together and touch. This helps them rise up instead of spreading out, and it keeps the coconut milk pooled around them so the bottoms get gooey.
• Watch for golden tops. The bites are done when they’re puffed, golden, and the sugar coating looks crisp. The coconut milk around the edges should be bubbly and syrupy.
• Let them cool briefly before glazing. Waiting about 5 minutes keeps the glaze from melting right off. If you like it thicker, add the coconut milk to the powdered sugar a little at a time until it’s a thick, pourable consistency.
• Serve warm. These are best fresh out of the oven, while the centers are soft and the cinnamon sugar syrup is still gooey.

Easy Variations

If you love the tangy frosting on classic cinnamon rolls, try whisking a few spoonfuls of softened dairy-free cream cheese into the glaze. You can also add a little crunch by sprinkling chopped pecans or walnuts into the pan before adding the dough balls for a sticky bun-style bottom. Or mix them right into the cinnamon sugar coating.

To switch up the flavor, use chai spice in place of the pumpkin pie spice, or use plain cinnamon for a more classic cinnamon roll taste. Or for chocolate lovers, fold a handful of dairy-free mini chocolate chips into the dough, because pumpkin and chocolate is always a good idea!

If you love cinnamon-sugar treats, don’t miss my Vegan Gluten-Free Cinnamon Swirl Loaf and Baked Apple Cider Donut Holes too!

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More Cozy Pumpkin Recipes You’ll Love

• Chocolate Swirl Pumpkin Bread
• Pumpkin Black Bottom Cupcakes
• Pumpkin Streusel Muffins
• Mini Pumpkin Bundt Cakes

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