Craving cinnamon rolls but not ready to commit to the hours of wait time? SOLUTION: no-bake cinnamon rolls! These naturally sweetened treats combine the ease of energy bites with the flavor of cinnamon rolls. Not to mention, how cute are they?!
They’re the perfect treat for lunch boxes and mid-day energy slumps. Just 8 ingredients, 20 minutes, and 1 food processor required! Let’s get rolling.
Whether it’s a classic or no-bake version, cinnamon rolls need dough! For a safe-to-eat-raw batter, we combine homemade oat flour and almond flour with just a touch of sea salt. Coconut oil, maple syrup, and vanilla add sweetness and bring the “dough” together.
Then, after a brief chill, it’s time to roll out the “dough” and add the filling. This delectable no-bake filling has dates for sweetness and structure plus cinnamon (you knew that!), coconut oil, vanilla, salt, and a splash of water for easy spreading.
Next, it’s (cinnamon) roll time! After rolling, simply slice ’em up and enjoy right away! Why wait?!
We hope you LOVE these no-bake cinnamon rolls! They’re:
Soft
Buttery
Chewy
Nutty
Perfectly sweet
with BIG cinnamon flavor!
Enjoy as an after-meal treat or sweet snack — or to quickly fulfill the cinnamon roll craving!
More No-Bake Treats
- No-Bake Almond Butter Cup Bars
- DIY Ferroro Rocher Chocolates
- 5-Ingredient No-Bake Cookie Energy Bites
- No-Bake Vanilla Cake Bites
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo @minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!
No-Bake Cinnamon Roll Bites
Ingredients
NO-BAKE “DOUGH”
- 3/4 cup oat flour (ground from gluten-free rolled oats)
- 3/4 cup almond flour*
- 1/8 tsp sea salt
- 2 ½ Tbsp coconut oil*, softened or melted
- 2 Tbsp maple syrup
- 3/4 tsp vanilla extract
FILLING
- 1 cup packed pitted dates (11 medjool dates yield ~200 g or 1 cup // measured after pitting)
- 1 Tbsp coconut oil*, softened or melted
- 1 ½ Tbsp cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 – 1 Tbsp water
Instructions
- NO-BAKE “DOUGH”: To a food processor add oat flour, almond flour, and salt. Pulse 3-4 times to combine. Next add the coconut oil, maple syrup, and vanilla. Pulse again to distribute the liquid and then run the food processor for about 10 seconds until it starts to come together.
- Place the dough on a piece of parchment paper and gently knead it into a ball. Shape the ball into a rectangle. Cover the top of the rectangle with more parchment and use a rolling pin to shape it into a ~7-inch square, about 1/6 of an inch thick. If you don’t have a rolling pin, it’s quite forgiving if you need to shape it into a square with your hands. Place the rolled-out "dough" in the refrigerator while you make the filling.
- FILLING: To the now empty food processor add dates, coconut oil, cinnamon, salt, vanilla, and water (starting with the lesser amount). Let the machine run until a thick, cohesive paste is achieved. This should take a few minutes. If the food processor is having trouble blending, add the remaining 1/2 Tbsp water.
- Once you have a smooth paste, retrieve the cinnamon roll dough from the refrigerator and spread the cinnamon filling over the dough. If your dates were super sticky, spreading will be easier if you lightly grease your spatula with coconut oil before you begin. Once the filling is spread evenly, roll up the cinnamon roll starting from the bottom, peeling the parchment away from the dough as you go.
- Slice into 12 rolls – each should be about 3/4-inch thick. We recommend using either a sharp knife or sliding a long piece of dental floss under the dough, wrapping it around the top, and pulling tightly in opposite directions to pull the floss through the roll. Enjoy at room temperature or let refrigerate for about 30 minutes if you prefer them cold!
- Leftover cinnamon rolls will keep in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or in the freezer for 1 month.
Video
Notes
*Almond flour sub: We haven’t tried this recipe without almond flour, but you could try more oat flour. We’d suggest adding a little at a time until the right consistency is reached. Check out the photos above to gauge it!
*See comments for other flour sub questions.
*Inspired by Meet the Source.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate.
Beth says
Could you use coconut flour instead of oat flour?
Hi Beth! That should work, but you will most likely need less of it. We suggest starting with half and checking the consistency as you slowly add more!
Rachel Abrams says
Have you used date syrup for this?
Thanks!
Hi Rachel, we haven’t, but think it might be too runny! Let us know if you do some experimenting.
Kim says
These are really really good!
I used butter instead of coconut oil, and added a tbsp of water to the dough.
I found I couldn’t get a smooth paste in my processer, I might try the smoothy blender next time. But that didn’t really change much, so good!
We’re so glad you enjoy them, Kim! A few things that could cause it to not become a paste: 1) if the dates are too dry, 2) a food processor that’s not powerful enough, 3) a food processor that’s too large, or 4) making a smaller amount. We hope one of those ideas or the blender helps for next time!
Alice Rochow says
This may be heresy, but has anyone made this with just regular all purpose flour?
Hi Alice, we wouldn’t recommend it!
Bianca says
I loved this recipe, nothing to change, perfect taste and satisfaction ♥️ Thank you
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Bianca! xoxo
Beth Ann Simpkins says
I have made this recipe over a dozen times, love love love it. Smaller dates work better.. too much filling makes them a bit messy. The last 2 times I have added a tbsp of ground flaxseed to the filling and it helps them keep their shape better. I always roll into parchment and chill in the fridge before slicing.
So glad you are enjoying them, Beth Ann. Love your tips as well! Thanks!
CLAIRE DOVYAK says
These are incredibly delicious! The dough did crack a bit. How can I fix that next time?
Hi Claire! Before you roll them up you can let them come to room temperature! You can also try adding a bit of water to the dough if it doesn’t seem sticky enough!
Rozalyn Oliver says
I have made these twice, & they are my husbands new favorite! The second time I added just a tiny smidge of water to the dough so I could roll it out super thin. I use the parchment paper to roll the dough super tightly & I refrigerate the dough in between handling it. I cut the rolls with a serrated knife while still rolled in the paper & they turned out beautifully & individually wrapped 🥰
We’re so glad you enjoyed them, Rozalyn! Thanks so much for sharing! xo
Mina says
Amazing! So easy and definitely satisfies my sweet tooth, will be a repeat for me. I followed the recipe exactly and it turned out great, my roll wasn’t as perfect as the pictures but not bad for first time.
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Mina. Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo
A says
This recipe was laughably bad. I usually love Minimalist Baker too! First off unless you want to break your food processor, should probably soak your dates first – not sure why that wasn’t included. Secondly, the dough cracked as soon as I took it out of the fridge and did not hold up at all after cutting. Couldn’t even pick up one “roll” without it falling apart.
So sorry this one didn’t work out for you. We find that our food processor can handle dates very well. However, if your dates aren’t fresh we could see how it could be a bit harder to blend them. Did you make any modifications in the crust? This is usually a reader favorite!
Renee says
I agree with you as far as not, letting people know that you should soften up the dates. I opted to not refrigerate it because I knew that it would not be though that would be really easy to work with in the first place so even not refrigerating it it cracked, but it still worked really well after I use the rolling pin on it quite a few times. Other than that I’ve had great luck with it. It freezes well in pieces once you cut it up and I’ve made it multiple times in the last couple months.
Thanks so much for sharing, Renee! Love your tips.
anthony says
No need to be so negative bra. didn’t like it, move forward and try another. thank the author for trying to share some love with you. we are all just doing our best. negativity never made anyone feel better, right?
Angie says
Amazing!! So yummy and easy to make! My husband and his non vegan friends loved them!
We’re so glad you enjoyed them, Angie. Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo
Nicole says
Neat recipe! Like another reviewer I found these more like cinnamony fig newtons than cinnamon rolls but still a nice treat.
We’re so glad you enjoyed them overall, Nicole! Thanks so much for sharing! xo
Valerie says
Wow, these were fantastic. I followed your instructions and they came out great. I messed up later putting them in the refrigerator and it got hard but once left out they were fine. My only issue is making myself stop eating them!
We’re so glad you enjoyed them, Valerie. Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo
Atara Dahan says
I made this twice.
Both times it turned out looking nowhere near as nice as yours, you couldn’t see where the dough and cinnamon part met, they kind of mushed together when I cut. They were also oval shaped because they got squished when I cut them no matter how delicate I tried to be.
They were a bit crumbly, but after sitting in the freezer for a bit were perfectly fine.
Taste was 10/10, although they were very too heavy for me. Very dense.
Hi Atara! We’re so glad you enjoyed them overall. Next time we suggest using the floss method to cut them! It might help them hold their shape better. xo
The Vegan Goddess says
I made this tonight and it was delicious.
However, the dough was dry and crumbly and hard to work with so I added water to help.
It still didn’t roll easily for me and wasn’t a pretty looking log when it was rolled up like your pics; however, when I sliced it, it looked fine and tasted great which is what really counts.
Thanks for sharing your experience!
Lisa says
I love this recipe! It was easy to make and tasted delicious. I had to use about 3 tablespoons of water in order to get the filling to a smooth spreadable consistency. I will definitely make these again.
We’re so glad you enjoyed them, Lisa. Thanks so much for the lovely review! Depending on the moistness dates you may need more or less water. Hope this helps!
Jeanette says
I am a fan of no bake recipes. They are usually quick and easy to do with my kids and this recipe was no different. It reminder me more of a fig newton than a cinnamon roll. This is why I gave it 4 stars- plus four out of five of my family wanted seconds. When rolling up, mine did start to crack some, but it was still moist enough to fix along the way. The recipe is already added to one to repeat.
Thank you for sharing your experience, Jeanette! Glad to hear they were a hit with most of the family!
Kristen Bianco says
Hi! I tried to make this recipe, but I’m having some trouble. The dough came out kind of dry and crumbly, and wasn’t wet or stick enough to roll out. Any suggestions?
Hi Kristen, sorry to hear this! Did you make any modifications to the ingredients? It’s possible that more oil would help!
Sarah says
This was a total success with my entire family! Will definitely be making this again.
Thanks!
Yay! Thanks for the great review, Sarah!
Elena says
delicious recipe! very simple if you have a decent food processor.
I felt that I had extra date paste and could’ve potentially increased the amount of dough (~x1.5) because I wished I had more! 😋
Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your experience, Elena!
Ally says
This looks delicious! I was wondering if there is something I could use in place of dates?
Also, I really love your vegan cream cheese frosting; it’s amazing and tastes almost exactly like dairy frosting!!
We’re so glad you love that recipe, Ally! We haven’t tried replacing the dates with another fruit, but possibly dried figs, raisins, or prunes. The flavor might be slightly different and depending on the freshness of the dried fruit, you may need to soak it a little. Let us know if you do some experimenting!
Judith Cullugan says
Made these yesterday. They’re wonderful. I sprinkled a handful of chopped walnuts over the date filling before rolling the dough, which I really liked. I also found that the dough hardened a lot while sitting in the fridge while I made the date filling (because of the coconut oil probably), so the dough cracked when I tried to role. No problem. I just let everything sit for fifteen minutes or so till it softened a bit. Then it rolled up fine. I was thinking it might be fun to try this dough with your filling for healthy fig Newton’s from a few years ago. Thanks for the great recipe.
Great idea, Judith! We’re so glad you enjoyed them! Love your tips as well. xo
Laura says
Hi! This looks amazing! Do you think anything can be sunbed for the oat flour to make it grain free?
Hi Laura! You could try using more almond flour and a bit of coconut flour. We suggest checking the consistency of the dough in the videos and photos to gauge how much flour to add!
Emma says
I made this today subbing oat flour for the almond flour using the exact gram measurements + added an extra tablespoon of maple syrup to get it to the consistency I wanted. It did not disappoint and I’m going to be making these bites all the time!! They tasted so incredible and my family loves them. Perfectly amount of sweetness and the cinnamon really comes through. Thank you for the recipe!!!
We’re so glad you and your family enjoyed them, Emma! Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo
Irene says
Is there a way to turn off the hearts thing? It keeps messing up the browser and making viewing the content impossible on certain pages. I literally have to use the back button to exit the page to make it stop freezing the page. I’d send you a screenshot if I could.
Sorry for the trouble, Irene! We’ll look into it and try to fix ASAP. In the meantime, we’d suggest trying a different browser, device, and/or clearing the cache on your browser.
Wendy says
I just made them with my daughter.
They are delicious, we will definitely make them again.
Thank you for sharing .❤️🥰
We’re so glad you and your daughter enjoyed them, Wendy. Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo
Kim arneson says
Can you substitute coconut oil for olive oil or avocado oil?
Hi Kim, we use coconut oil because it hardens when refrigerated so we don’t think olive or avocado oil would work here!
Casie Mair-Miley says
The recipe looks lovely, hoping to try it. (Wish I had it when we were trapped in the blizzard without yeast to make our cinnamon roll Christmas breakfast!) I would like to commend your patience with your audience who are happy to ask a question without reading previous comments! Wow!! (Maybe you should put an asterisk in the recipe about coconut oil and flour substitutions ;op). Thank you for sharing your work!!!
We wish you had the recipe then too! Thank you for your kind words, Casie! xo
maria says
I REALLY WANT TO TRY THIS YUMMY RECIPE BUT I AM, SADLY, ALSO SENSITIVE TO ANYTHING COCONUT AND CASHEWS. IS THERE ANOTHER NEUTRAL NUT BUTTER OTHER THAN THE CASHEWW YOUR SUGGESTED? MAYBE WALNUT NUT BUTTER, OR ALMOND?
Hi Maria, you could try almond butter! It will change the flavor slightly. Let us know if you try it!
Joanna D says
I’m wonder if and how you could add protein powder to this. Do you have any suggestions for that?
Hi Joanna! Protein powder might change the texture a bit, but you could try lowering the flours and replacing them with protein powder! Let us know if you try it. xo
Tiffiny says
Could I use dried figs in place of the dates in the recipe?
Thanks!
Hi Tiffany! We haven’t tried it with other dried fruit but it should work. The flavor might be slightly different and depending on the freshness of the figs you may need to soak them a little. Let us know if you try it!
vera says
Hi. Love your recipes! Can I substitute a nut butter for the coconut oil? Thanks
Hi Vera! We haven’t tried it, but it might work!
Melody Sieglitz says
HI there these look fabulous as do all of your recipes! Can i just use oat flour solely as allergy to all nuts ? ALso hmmm wonder if I could bake them anyway LOL I love a hot cinnamon bun VEGAN of course? thanks
Thank you, Melody! The texture will be different if you use all oat flour but it could work. You might need a bit less of it because oat flour is more absorbent than almond flour. We don’t think these will bake well, but we do have a gluten-free, vegan cinnamon roll here.
Sandra says
Can these be made oil free? They look yummy but I can’t have the oil. Thanks
Hi Sandra! We haven’t tried it, but you could try leaving the coconut oil out of the filling (it will probably be a bit stickier) and replacing it in the dough with a neutral nut butter like raw cashew butter!
sandy says
Can I make this without oat flour and substitute for something else? I cant have oat
Thanks, Sandy
Hey Sandy! You could try adding more almond flour and some coconut flour. You will need quite a bit less coconut flour so we suggest adding a little at a time until the correct texture is reached. Check out the video or photos above to help gauge the consistency!
Alyssa Chase says
These look amazing! Any ideas for substituting the coconut oil? I’d love to make these oil free. Thanks!
Hi Alyssa! We haven’t tried it, but you could try leaving the coconut oil out of the filling (it will probably be stickier) and replacing it in the dough with a neutral nut butter like raw cashew butter! Hope this helps. xo
Atara Dahan says
Why do you put vanilla in when there are other stronger flavors like chocolate or cinnamon?
Does it really make so much of a difference?
Can I leave it out?
Hey Atara! Vanilla helps balance flavors in baking which is why we use it so much! You could leave it out, however, we really prefer the flavor of the bites with it!
Lisa Z says
Hello, I’m curious…. is there an option to coconut oil in this recipe? I would love to make this but have coconut allergy. Thank you!!
Hi Lisa! We haven’t tried it, but you could try leaving the coconut oil out of the filling (it will probably be stickier) and replacing it in the dough with a neutral nut butter like raw cashew butter! Hope this helps. xo
Jess says
Can I sub something else for the coconut oil? I avoid using coconut oil due to its impact on my cholesterol/health.
Hi Jess! You could leave the coconut oil out of the filling (it might be harder to work with) and you could also try adding a neutral nut butter like raw cashew butter in the dough. We haven’t tried it this way but it might work! Let us know how it goes. xo
Lucy Series says
These look great! Can you suggest an alternative to oat flour, for allergic reasons. Perhaps coconut flour? Thanks.
Hi Lucy! If using coconut flour, we suggest upping the amount of almond flour slightly and adding a little coconut flour at a time until the right consistency is met. Check out the photos above for the correct texture!
Anne says
Hi Dana!
Can coconut oil be replaced or omitted if looking to stay oil free?
Thank you! :)
Hi Anne! We haven’t tried it , but you could probably leave the coconut oil out of the filling (it might be harder to work with) and replace it in the dough with a neutral nut butter like cashew butter!
Sam says
Can I make my own oat flour if I have rolled oats? Is there a substitute for coconut oil? I’m not a fan of an overly coconut flavor in baked goods. Thanks!
Hi Sam! You can definitely make your own oat flour in a blender. As for the coconut oil, if you use refined coconut oil it is flavorless. We haven’t tried the recipe without coconut oil, but you could probably leave it out of the filling and use a neutral nut butter like raw cashew butter in the dough!
Rachel K Chapman says
What can I used other than almond flour? I am gf, but also allergic to almonds…
Rachel K Chapman says
nevermind – just saw the below answer you already posted!!!
Glad you found your answer Rachel! Another reader also suggested blending shredded coconut until it looks like flour if you don’t mind the flavor of coconut!
Carey says
Is there alternative to coconut oil? Coconut oil tends to upset my stomach!
Hi Carey! We haven’t tried this recipe without coconut oil and can’t guarantee results, but you could try leaving the coconut oil out of the filling and use a neutral nut butter like raw cashew butter to the dough. Let us know if you try it!
Stacy says
This sounds delicious! Do you have a substitution for the coconut oil in both pieces? We are trying very hard to limit/exclude added oils.
Hi Stacy! We haven’t tried this recipe without coconut oil and can’t guarantee results, however we think you could leave the coconut oil out of the filling and try adding a neutral nut butter like cashew butter to the dough. Hope you enjoy!
Sara says
Love the recipe! Do you have an oil free suggestion as an alternative for the coconut oil?
Hi Sara! We haven’t tried this recipe without coconut oil and can’t guarantee results, but you could try a neutral nut butter like raw cashew butter. Let us know if you try it! xo
Jessica says
What would a safe alternative to almond flour be, we’re nut allergic. More oat flour?
Hi Jessica! We haven’t tried this recipe without almond flour and can’t guarantee results, but you could try more oat flour. We suggest adding a little at a time until the right consistency is reached. Check out the photos above to gauge it! Hope this helps. xo
Mista says
That is always my question too on these recipes that use almond flour. I have used unsweetened coconut that I blend until its a flour. It seems to work best even though I often ask too… just in case the author of the recipe has tried/recommends something else. Coconut can add a flavor that doesn’t benefit the recipe.
Hi Mista, that is a great suggestion! Especially if you like the flavor of coconut, thank you for sharing!
Ann says
I’m just wondering…. wouldn’t the oat flour not have enough fat? Maybe a seed flour would be a good alternative, like sunflower seeds ground to the consistency of almond flour? Just a thought.
Ann says
Oops, meant for the message to be in reply to the person asking about not using almond flour. :-)
Hi Ann! The flour is just there to give the mixture body. If you don’t mind the flavor of ground sunflower seeds that could work too! Thanks for sharing!
Melody Sieglitz says
im gonna try with more oat flour were allergic to nuts over here as well
Elizabeth says
I wonder if using seeds would work…like turning sunflower seeds into a “flour”?
Hi Elizabeth! If you don’t mind the flavor of sunflower seeds you could definitely blend them into a flour!