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    Home » Recipes » Desserts

    Published: Jan 17, 2017 · Modified: Feb 4, 2021 by Melanie McDonald · This post contains affiliate links · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. · 493 Comments

    Cinnamon Roll in a Mug

    GO TO RECIPE GO TO VIDEO PRINT RECIPE
    4.46 from 305 votes
    This single serving, oil-free Cinnamon Roll in a Mug is like magic. It’s so easy & perfect for when those sweet cravings hit & you NEED dessert, like now!

    This single serving, oil-free Cinnamon Roll in a Mug is like magic. It's so easy & perfect for when those sweet cravings hit & you NEED dessert, like now!

    A cinnamon roll in a mug turned out on a plate with dribbly frosting

    I'm not a big microwave fan. I have one but very rarely use it. I am however fascinated by super quick vegan desserts like vegan mug cakes. I have a sweet tooth and the thought of being able to go from zero to dessert in sixty seconds is extremely appealing! I had a taste of this with my Strawberry Mug Cake. Vegan mug cake recipes for the win!

    Back in October, I started experimenting with a Cinnamon Roll in a Mug recipe, or Cinnamon Bun in a Mug as some might think of it. A whole batch is lovely, but sometimes that's not what you want. A single-serving Cinnamon Roll is just plenty.

    It went well and I was about to publish it, until I came to edit my photographs. Someone (who shall remain nameless), looked at the photos and immediately fell about laughing. Apparently, my cinnamon roll looked a little rude !

    Now dirty mind or not, once this was mentioned to me, try as I might, I could not un-see it. I really wanted to get the recipe out to you guys so posted the photos in a food bloggers Facebook group and asked their opinion. They all agreed with the afore mentioned dirty minded person.

    So that was that. I couldn't use the photos and had to go out and buy a new mug, reshoot, then Christmas was nearly here, so the recipe has taken a back seat until now. Those of you who saw it on Instagram and wanted the recipe have had a long wait!

    (If you want to see the photos that caused all the fuss I have included two of them at the very end of this post under the recipe....see if you can see it....).

    cinnamon roll in a mug turned out and cut in half with a fork stuck in one half

    My Cinnamon Roll in a Mug is warm, sticky, doughy and cinnamony. The perfect indulgent treat for those times when you absolutely need dessert right now. It is completely oil-free and although not what I would call healthy, it is certainly better for you than most commercially made cinnamon rolls.

    If you love mug cakes, check out my Strawberry Sweet Roll Mug Cake and if mug cakes aren't for you but you like sweet rolls, then you might want to check out my Sticky Lemon Strawberry Sweet Rolls. They are divine and are cooked in more of a traditional way.

    The roll itself is not overly sweet, although you could add sugar to the actual dough if you wanted to make it a little sweeter. With the addition of the frosting though, the sweetness is perfect.

    cinnamon roll in a mug turned out but not frosted

    How to make a cinnamon roll in a mug

    (For detailed measurements and instructions, see the printable recipe card).

    It is so easy to make. It literally takes a minute or two to form and about fifty seconds to cook.

    Once it's cooked, turn it out onto a plate and admire it's cinnamon roll beauty for a second before anointing it with a generous dribble of frosting. Then tuck in immediately. Don't keep it hanging around. It is best eaten right away because once it cools it gets a bit tough.

    Here's how it's done:

    • Make the frosting by mixing powdered sugar with a drop of plant-based milk or water
    • Mix the 4 dough ingredients together in a bowl then roll out into a long strip
    • Sprinkle over the cinnamon and sugar then fold the edges inwards.
    • Roll up and plop into a mug.
    • Microwave, turn out and annoint with the sticky white frosting

    That's it! It really is that simple, but before you start please read the next paragraph.

    cinnamon roll in a mug taken from above

    Please read prior to making this recipe!

    I am adding this section after publication because of some of the feedback I have received. The vast majority of people have been very pleased with the results of this recipe, but some people have not, and in almost all cases it is because they have had very unreal expectations of the outcome, or they have nuked the hell out of it in the microwave. Quite a few people have also stuck things in the middle of it before cooking, like a Kit Kat Chunky then complained it burned. I cannot be held responsible for this.

    Regarding the unreal expectations:

    If you are expecting a Cinnabon type baked, yeasty, fatty, caramelized, super sweet cinnamon roll you will be disappointed. This recipe is not like that. For a start it is oil and yeast free. Secondly, it is a very simplified, quick and easy version. It is also microwaved. It will stay pale and it will not caramelize. This is not possible in the microwave. As long as you realize this and aren't expecting a miracle, then we are good. For a microwaved, simple, quick version it is great and it needs to be enjoyed as such.

    Regarding the overcooking issues:

    Please realize that if you cook this cinnamon roll for too long, it will become tough, as anything does in the microwave if you overcook it. I am only able to tell you how long it takes in my microwave. They are all very different and you need to adjust the cooking time to suit as per my directions.

    I can not be held responsible for you cooking it for so long it ends up like a hockey puck.

    As I explain in the directions it is better to slightly undercook then blast it in 5 second increments to finish it off. Microwaves are very powerful things and this is a very small item to be cooking. Even 10 seconds too much makes a heck of a difference.

    And lastly

    Do not forget the baking powder and DO NOT use baking soda (bicarbonate of soda in the UK) instead. This seems to be another recurring issue. If you do not use baking powder it will not work.

    This cinnamon roll must be eaten immediately. If you let it cool first or try to reheat it again it will become tough.

    All of my recipes are tested rigorously before publishing and if the directions are followed exactly,  and cooking time is adjusted to suit your microwave, you will get a good result.

    Thank you and I will now get off my soap box.

    cinnamon roll in a mug turned out on a square plate and frosted. Shot taken from above.

    I did experiment with different flour types while trialling this recipe and all purpose white flour works the best. Whole-wheat gives an ok result, and as much as I love spelt flour, I didn't really like it in this. I also tried  gluten-free blend and the results were not good. On the back of this I would recommend you use all purpose flour and not to try subbing it as I want you to have the best result possible.

    Just look at this inside shot!!! <double drool>

    If you have a mug, a microwave & a spoon you can make this single serving One minute Cinnamon Roll in a Mug. It's so easy & perfect for when those sweet cravings hit & you NEED dessert, like now!

    Hungry for more?

    For more vegan mug cake recipes check out these great options:

    1. Strawberry Mug Cake
    2. Chocolate Chip Cookie in a Mug
    3. Snickerdoodle Mug Cake

    One Minute Cinnamon Roll in a Mug

    Author: Melanie McDonald
    4.46 from 305 votes
    If you have a mug, a microwave & a spoon you can make this single serving One minute Cinnamon Roll in a Mug. It's so easy & perfect for when those sweet cravings hit & you NEED dessert, like now!
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe SaveSaved!
    PREP TIME: 5 minutes
    COOK TIME: 1 minute
    TOTAL TIME: 5 minutes
    Servings: 1 serving

    Ingredients
      

    For the cinnamon roll

    • 9 level tablespoons all purpose flour
    • ¾ teaspoon baking powder
    • a pinch of salt
    • Around 3-4½ tablespoons water
    • A tiny dab of oil for greasing the mug coconut or mild olive oil/vegetable oil
    • ¾ teaspoon cinnamon
    • 1½ tablespoons coconut sugar or brown sugar
    • ½ teaspoon water

    For the frosting

    • 3 tablespoons natural powdered sugar
    • A drop of plant-based milk or water around ¾ teaspoon
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    INSTRUCTIONS
     

    • Grease a normal sized drinking mug (just a standard medium sized one) with a tiny dab of oil. Be sure to reach into the bottom and the edges well.
    • First make the frosting. In a small bowl mix the powdered sugar with either plant-based milk or water. Add the liquid a tiny bit at a time. It doesn't take much at all and the most you will need is ¾ teaspoon of water, perhaps a tiny drop more if you are using milk. Stir well until smooth then set aside.
    • Add the flour, baking powder and salt to another small bowl and stir to combine.
    • Gradually add the water (from the 3-4½ tablespoons, stirring until it starts to form a dough then use your hand to bring it together, kneading a few times until its a smooth, flexible ball of dough. If you do accidentally add a drop too much water and it's a bit sticky, add a little tiny bit more flour. If it's very dry and won't come together, add a drop more water. Only handle it as much as you need to.
    • Dust your work surface with a little flour, then roll your dough out into a long strip about 4 inches wide and a couple of millimetres thick
    • Sprinkle the coconut sugar and cinnamon evenly over the dough then fold the edges inwards to seal it in and stop it all falling out when you lift it into the mug.(see my video above).
    • You will be left with a long narrow strip which you can roll up.
    • Roll it up and gently lift it and place it in the greased mug.
    • Pour over ½ teaspoon water then place in the microwave.
    • Microwave uncovered on full power for around 45 - 50 seconds. My microwave is 1200 watts. You may need to adjust the time a bit up or down. All microwaves are different so be careful not to overcook it. If you overcook it it will become tough so be sure to check how powerful your microwave is first and adjust accordingly. The very maximum time it will need is about 1 min 10 seconds and that is only if you have a really low powered microwave. Remember that it will continue to cook a little bit after you remove so a tiny bit under done is better than overdone as then it will go tough. If it needs longer cook in 5 second increments to avoid over cooking it.
    • It should have swollen up nicely when you check it and if you insert a toothpick or skewer into the dough it should come out clean. It is normal for the top and sides to be a little soft & damp & look a bit doughy when you first take it out because it has basically steamed in the mug.
    • Turn out onto a plate and spoon over the frosting. Eat immediately. 

    NUTRITION

    Serving: 1servingCalories: 413kcalCarbohydrates: 94gProtein: 7gFat: 1gSodium: 192mgPotassium: 75mgFiber: 2gSugar: 40gCalcium: 30mg

    Nutritional information is provided for convenience & as a courtesy. The data is a computer generated estimate so should be used as a guide only.

    Tried this recipe?Rate it & leave your feedback in the comments section below, or tag @avirtualvegan on Instagram and hashtag it #avirtualvegan

    Here are the first pictures I took!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. melisa says

      May 07, 2022 at 11:13 am

      could one use almond flour or cocnut flour instead? These look so good!

      Reply
      • Melanie McDonald says

        May 09, 2022 at 11:26 am

        No. This will only work with regular all purpose flour.

        Reply
    2. Pris says

      March 30, 2022 at 5:32 pm

      5 stars
      Can I use a 1/2 tsp of melted butter instead of the 1/2 tspof water?

      Reply
      • Melanie McDonald says

        March 30, 2022 at 7:19 pm

        The water helps the roll steam in the microwave. I wouldn't recommend not using it. You could add some vegan butter to the inside of the roll before rolling though if you wanted to.

        Reply
    3. Becks says

      March 25, 2022 at 10:08 am

      5 stars
      I never leave reviews but this was so nice, didn't have coconut sugar so changed it slightly and used melted margarine, cinnamon and icing sugar as the filling. Was craving a donut and this was the perfect alternative, definitely gonna be making a lot

      Reply
      • Melanie McDonald says

        March 25, 2022 at 2:48 pm

        So pleased you enjoyed it Becks!

        Reply
    4. Mekayla says

      January 17, 2022 at 7:50 pm

      4 stars
      I’m pregnant with a late night craving for cinnamon buns. As this is a microwaved mug-bun, I had little expectations. I was hoping for a cinnamon bun adjacent flavour, which is exactly what I got! Tastes like a cinnamon bun, but definitely had an unsurprisingly tough texture. I will definitely make these again when I am in a pinch!

      Reply
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    Melanie McDonald

    I'm Melanie McDonald (but you can call me Mel), best-selling cookbook author and creator of A Virtual Vegan. I share well-tested, flavour-packed vegan recipes with clear, step-by-step instructions. My goal is to give you the confidence to cook amazing vegan food from scratch.

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