Christmas Morning Cinnamon Rolls

Cinnamon rolls are a holiday breakfast tradition in our home. We used to make them with loads of butter and sugar. Now with a healthier plant-based rendition, I am able to join in the morning festivities--although my kids are petitioning for the old version! Note that these are more of a yeast biscuit dough that does not require any rising time.

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups flour (I used spelt) plus extra for rolling

• 1/2 tsp salt, heaping

• 1 1/2 tbsp baking powder (6 tsp)

• 2 tsp dry yeast

• 2 tbsp warm water

• 2 1/2 tbsp maple syrup

• 1/2 cup cashew butter (I used this one)

• 1 cup plant milk (I used almond)

• 2 tsp cider vinegar

Filling

• 8 pitted medjool dates

• 1 tbsp cinnamon

• 1/8 tsp salt

• 1/4-1/2 cup hot water

Cream Cheese Glaze

• 1/4 cup Kite Hill cream cheese

• 1/2 cup Powdered Sugar (monk fruit), sifted

• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

• Pinch of salt

• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

• 2-3 tbsp lite canned coconut milk (or plant milk)

Instructions:

1. Mix yeast and warm water and let sit for 5-10 minutes until bubbly.

2. Put vinegar in the plant milk and set aside for 5 minutes (until milk is 'soured').

3. Mix dry ingredients together in a mixing bowl and set aside.

4. Place cashew butter, syrup, and soured milk in food processor and blend. Stir in yeast.

5. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until you can form a ball with the dough. You can add a bit more flour as necessary if it is too sticky, but it's ok if it's a little sticky.

6. Wrap the ball of dough in plastic and place in the fridge until ready to use. (You can store it overnight in fridge or freeze the dough.)

Make the Filling

Place the dates, salt, cinnamon, and 1/4 cup hot water in a Vitamix and let them sit for 15-30 minutes to soften the dates a bit. Blend, adding more water as necessary to create a spreadable paste.

Assemble the Cinnamon Rolls

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

2. Roll the dough on a floured surface into a large rectangle about 1/4 inch thick making sure to lightly reapply flour if the dough is sticking to the counter/table.

3. Spread the filling mixture onto the rectangle stopping about 1/2 inch from the edges (leave 1/2 inch border unfilled).

4. Starting from the short end of the rectangle (not the long end), roll the dough tightly into one "log" like roll.

5. Take a knife and cut the "log" into 1/2-3/4 inch cinnamon rolls and place on a parchment lined baking sheet.

6. Bake for 9-12 minutes or until slightly browned on top.

7. While the rolls are baking, whisk up the cream cheese glaze into desired consistency by combining all ingredients, adjusting the liquid as needed. Either spread the glaze on top of the cooked rolls or pipe it on by cutting a tiny corner off of a small zip loc bag and pushing the icing through the hole to make a drizzle. Dust lightly with additional cinnamon if desired.