Raw Vegan Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls Recipe

Get ready to make the most incredible raw vegan gingerbread cinnamon rolls inspired by my original best raw cinnamon bun recipe! These festive, warming rolls combine all the classic gingerbread spices you love with the soft, fluffy texture of raw cinnamon buns. Perfect for the holiday season or any time you’re craving something cozy and delicious!

This raw vegan gingerbread recipe takes a bit of planning since it’s made over the course of about 16 hours using a dehydrator, but I promise the results are absolutely worth it. These rolls are incredibly satisfying, naturally sweet, low fat, and packed with wholesome ingredients that’ll keep you feeling amazing.

What You’ll Need for Raw Vegan Gingerbread Rolls

Before you start making these raw vegan gingerbread cinnamon rolls, you’ll want to make sure you have the right equipment. You’ll need a strong blender such as the Vitamix blender (I promise it’s worth the investment if you don’t have one), as well as a dehydrator with teflex sheets. I highly recommend the Excalibur dehydrator for consistent results and the brand most used by raw chefs, festivals and retreats around the world.

The Secret Ingredient: Plantains

The key to making thick, fluffy raw vegan gingerbread rolls is using plantains instead of regular bananas. Plantains are bigger, more dense, high-calorie bananas that require more fine-tuned ripening in order to be tasty raw. You essentially want to ripen them until they have at least some black spots and are starting to get just a bit soft.

If you want really sweet raw vegan gingerbread buns, let them get more and more black and squishy. If you want fluffier, less sweet buns, then use less ripe plantains with just some black showing. We’re using plantains because they’re a thick, dense banana that makes the “batter” thicker, thus allowing for those perfect thick, fluffy cinnamon roll textures.

If you can’t find plantains, burro bananas, quadradas, ice cream bananas, or even red bananas can work. If you can’t find any of these alternatives, double or triple the amount of chia seeds, use regular bananas, and let the “batter” sit for 10 minutes to thicken before pouring onto the teflex sheet.

Check out my full blog post on How to Eat Raw Uncooked Plantains

for more detailed info on plantains and the different stages of ripening.

Why Raw Vegan Gingerbread is Perfect for the Holidays

These raw vegan gingerbread cinnamon rolls bring all the cozy, warming spices of traditional gingerbread into a healthy, smooth digesting, low fat treat. The combination of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice creates that classic gingerbread flavor we all love during the holiday season, but without any refined sugars, flour, or baking required.

Raw vegan gingerbread treats like these rolls are also surprisingly filling and calorie-dense thanks to the plantains, dates, and raisins, making them a great choice when you need something satisfying that still aligns with a high carb, low fat raw vegan lifestyle.

The Best Raw Vegan Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls Recipe

Makes 8-12 rolls

Ingredients:

7-12 ripe or semi-ripe plantains (enough to make ~1.9 L purée)
¼ cup chia seeds
¾ cup raisins
0.9 lb (400g) pitted dates
2-3 tbsp cinnamon
2.5 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp nutmeg
½ tsp ground cloves
½ tsp allspice
1 tbsp cacao powder (optional, for deeper color)
Pinch black pepper (optional, adds warmth)
1 tsp freshly grated ginger (optional, for extra spicy kick)

Directions:

Evening (7-9 PM – the day before):

Prepare soaks: Soak the raisins overnight in filtered water. Refrigerate and reserve the raisin soak water.
Make the dough: Slice 3 plantains into the blender with chia seeds, 1½ tbsp cinnamon, 2 tsp ground ginger, ½ tsp nutmeg, ¼ tsp cloves, ¼ tsp allspice, and optional black pepper, cacao, and grated ginger. Blend until smooth in your Vitamix. Add remaining plantains and blend until thick. Let sit 3-5 minutes.
Spread and dehydrate: Spread the batter evenly on a dehydrator tray lined with a teflex sheet about ⅓-½ inch thick. Dehydrate overnight at 118°F.

Morning (7-9 AM):

Flip and prep strips: Flip the sheet onto a mesh tray and peel off the liner. It should be tacky, not wet. Cut into 9-12 strips and dehydrate 1-3 hours until pliable.
Make the filling: Blend pitted dates with a splash of raisin soak water until thick and smooth, along with 1 tbsp cinnamon, ½ tsp ginger, ¼ tsp nutmeg, ¼ tsp allspice, and optional fresh ginger. Stir in most of the soaked raisins, reserving some for the centers.

Assembly & Serve:

Spread filling on each dough strip. Add a few raisins at one end for the roll centers.
Roll each strip tightly, seam-side down. Keep ends touching for stability.
Dehydrate another 1-3 hours to warm slightly.
Serve plain as soft or lightly warm raw vegan gingerbread rolls!

Chef’s Tips for Perfect Raw Vegan Gingerbread

Spice control: Reduce ginger and cloves for milder flavor, or keep full amounts for that bold, traditional gingerbread taste.

Soaking tip: The raisin soak water adds natural sweetness and creamy texture to the filling – don’t skip this step!

Storage: Keep your raw vegan gingerbread rolls in the fridge for up to 5 days, or longer in the freezer. Gently rewarm them in the dehydrator at 118 for 30 – 60 minutes before serving for that fresh-made texture and warmth.

These raw vegan gingerbread cinnamon rolls are perfect for holiday gatherings, special breakfasts, or anytime you want to treat yourself to something truly special. The warming spices combined with the natural sweetness from dates and raisins create a flavor that’s both nostalgic and nourishing.

I feel so blessed to have been able to share this recipe with my friend Daniel aka @enzyme.333 on IG and now with you! Be sure to check out his YT channel Here too!

I hope you absolutely love this recipe and make it part of your holiday traditions!

For the classic Cinnamon Buns / Rolls