Apologies in advance, this is a very loose recipe. As I was driving back from Yosemite this weekend I started thinking of flour tortillas, and how they're made, and how many different kinds there are, and what the difference between them is, and... you get the point. My favorite kind of tortilla, (& yes, I have a favorite— I grew up in Southern California.) is the fluffy dessert tortilla. It's light, sort of sweet, fluffy, misshapen and delicious. It sort of looks the way that Cinnabon cinnamon roll dough looks when they're rolling it out. I know this because I am an avid Cinnabon consumer (or was, in my wonder years) and have been taught how to make many kinds of tortillas by various friend's moms and abuelitas who know their stuff. So as I drove I formulated this recipe in my head and tested it today! In my opinion, it worked splendidly.
With that said, there are two parts to this recipe, as there would be with any cinnamon rolls worth their salt, or whatever.
Part One: The Roll
1-2 cups Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1 tablespoon Baking Powder
1/3 cup Powdered Sugar
1/4 cup Coconut Oil
1-2+ cup of Warm Water
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1/4 cup Organic Earth Balance Vegan Butter
1/3 cup Sugar
Lots of Cinnamon
- Option one: Bowl, or countertop. I prefer countertop, less transfers.
- Pile your Flour, Baking Soda, Salt, and powdered sugar on the countertop in a volcano shape, caving out the center.
- Option two: melt your coconut oil on the stovetop or the microwave. I prefer stovetop. I try to avoid microwaves.
- In the mouth of the volcano dump the vanilla, and melted oil, then carefully (because the oil is hot!) fold the oil in to the flour mixture, until it's not seeping. Recreate your volcano.
- Option three: Boil water and fill a measuring cup with part room temperature water and part how water to get a nice warm bath temperature, or run the faucet until it is hot and fill your measuring cup. I prefer to just make tea at the same time and utilize that. Now pour about half of your warm water into the mouth of your volcano.
- Quickly and carefully fold your flour mixture into itself until it soaks up the water, gradually add more as needed. If the dough becomes too sticky simply sprinkle a tablespoon of flour over the counter and continue. Do this as many times as needed.
- You will want to mix your dough thoroughly for between 5-10 minutes, gradually adding warm water and flour as needed. You may use up to a cup and a half of warm water, there's no hard & fast rule. You are simply looking for the gluten to mend to itself, so you should be able to stretch and pull your dough until it snaps and recoils.
- This is an excellent time for you to preheat your oven to 375.
- Next, sprinkle the counter with flour, and roll out your dough to about a 1/4-1/3 inch thickness, in a rectangular shape.
- Melt your Earth Balance, and paint, or drizzle and spread around the rolled out dough. You don't need to use all of your butter on this part, we will continue using it. Simply cover the dough in a thin layer.
- Make a mixture with your Sugar and a tablespoon of Cinnamon, sprinkle and spread most of it onto the dough. Sprinkle extra cinnamon on top!
- Use some of your melted Earth Balance to butter a glass pan, and sprinkle the remainder of your Cinnamon Sugar mixture into the bottom of the pan.
- Now begin rolling the dough, pausing every full rotation to butter and sugar the dry side.
- Squish the ends into themselves if they are uneven, and then cut into one inch + thick rolls and place in prepared pan.
- Bake 30-45 minutes or until exposed edges are golden brown.
- Let cool.
Part Two: The Frost
1 1/2 cups Powdered Sugar
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1/2 cup Room Temperature Earth Balance Butter
1 1/2 tablespoons Califia Vanilla Almond/Coconut Creamer
- Whip Butter and Vanilla Extract in a bowl by hand using a fork, slowly whip in Powdered Sugar until fully incorporated.
- Stir in the creamer, and then the rest of the Powdered Sugar.
- You may absolutely add more or less of any of these ingredients to get a preferred texture out of your frosting. This method should come out as a soft buttercream, light and fluffy, but still stiff enough to hold texture when cooled.
- Frost your rolls while they're a little warm! And Enjoy!!
*These are best when fresh, and may dry out when heated. Also, if you are planning on reheating them, hold off on frosting until they are reheated, due to the nature of vegan butter being composed of whipped oils, this type of frosting will crystalize when heated in a toaster oven, or hot case. but melts deliciously on top of a warm bun.