Vegan Cinnamon Rolls

In a small pan, whisk together water and flour until there are no lumps. Heat the mixture over medium heat, stirring often, until it has thickened into a paste. Remove from heat and allow to cool for about 10 minutes.
1/4 cup bread flour, 2/3 cup water

In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together lukewarm soy milk and yeast. Allow to proof for about 5 minutes, or until foamy.
3/4 cup plain soy milk, 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
Add the aquafaba, sugar, cooled tangzhong, softened vegan butter, bread flour, and salt. Mix with the paddle attachment on medium speed until a shaggy dough forms, clearing the sides of the bowl.
1/3 cup aquafaba (liquid from a can of chickpeas), all of the tangzhong, 1/3 cup granulated sugar, 6 tablespoons vegan butter, 4 1/2 cups bread flour, 1 teaspoon fine salt
Switch to the dough hook attachment and knead for 6-8 minutes on medium-low speed, until the dough is elastic. The dough should be soft and slightly tacky, but not overly wet or sticky. It should clear the sides of the bowl, though it may stick a little to the bottom. If dough is overly wet or sticky, add extra flour 2 tablespoons at a time, kneading after each addition.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together lukewarm soy milk and yeast. Allow to proof for about 5 minutes, or until foamy.
3/4 cup plain soy milk, 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
Add the aquafaba, sugar, cooled tangzhong, and softened vegan butter. Give them a quick whisk to begin to break up the tangzhong a little.
1/3 cup aquafaba (liquid from a can of chickpeas), all of the tangzhong, 1/3 cup granulated sugar, 6 tablespoons vegan butter
Add bread flour and salt and mix until a shaggy dough forms. A Danish dough whisk or a wooden spoon are the best tools to use here.
4 1/2 cups bread flour, 1 teaspoon fine salt
Turn the dough out onto a lightly-floured surface and knead for 8-10 minutes, until elastic and fairly smooth. The dough should be soft and a little tacky, but it shouldn't stick to your hands. If dough is too wet/sticky, sprinkle on extra flour about 2 tablespoons at a time as needed, kneading to incorporate between additions. A bench scraper can be useful to keep your work surface clean.

Lift the dough out of the bowl and shape into a ball. Lightly oil a bowl (you can use a new one, or the same one you mixed your dough in).
Place the dough ball in and turn to coat with oil. Cover with plastic or a damp kitchen towel and allow to rise in a warm spot for about 1 hour, or until at least doubled in size. (It can take up to 2 hours if your kitchen is very chilly.)

When the dough is almost done rising, mix together the brown sugar and cinnamon and make sure your butter is softened. Generously grease or butter one 9x13” baking pan, OR two 9” cake pans. (Or line with parchment.)
3/4 cup packed brown sugar, 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon, 1/3 cup vegan butter
Lightly flour your work surface. Turn the risen dough out and roll it into a large rectangle, roughly 14x20” in size. (It doesn’t have to be too precise, as long as it’s about that size.)
Spread the softened butter across the dough. Then sprinkle the cinnamon & brown sugar mixture evenly across the dough, patting it down gently with your hands to help it adhere to the butter.
Starting from the long side, roll the dough into a log. Try to keep it as tight as possible while rolling.
You can use plain dental floss or a sharp knife to cut the rolls. I find using the floss trick helps me get slightly neater rolls. First, I like to trim off a little from each end of the log. (There tends to be less cinnamon-sugar on the ends. You can bake the scrap dough separately in a little ramekin if you like.) Then cut the log into 12 cinnamon rolls. It’s helpful to score the log before cutting to make sure the rolls will be uniform in size.
Transfer the rolls to the prepared pan(s). Cover and allow to rise for another 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until almost doubled in size.

Near the end of the rising time, begin preheating oven to 350°F. Place the rack in the middle of the oven.
Bake the risen rolls in the preheated oven for 25-28 minutes, or until golden brown. (If they seem to be browning a little too fast, you can loosely tent them with a sheet of aluminum foil.)
While the rolls bake, make the Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting. In a large mixing bowl, beat together softened vegan cream cheese and vegan butter until smooth. Sift in the powdered sugar, then add in vanilla extract and a pinch of salt. Beat until smooth and fluffy. (Note: If you like a super thick layer of frosting, I recommend doubling the recipe.)
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, 1/4 cup vegan butter, 4 oz vegan cream cheese, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, pinch of salt
Once the rolls are done baking, remove them from the oven and allow them to cool for about 20 minutes before frosting. (If they’re too hot, the frosting will immediately melt.) These are best enjoyed warm!

You can prepare the cinnamon rolls ahead of time and bake them the following morning. To do so, I recommend lining your baking dish with parchment before placing the shaped cinnamon rolls inside. Cover the rolls tightly and refrigerate overnight.
The following morning, remove from the refrigerator and allow to finish rising on the counter for up to 1 hour (until very puffy) before proceeding to bake according to instructions above. (I don't recommend preparing the rolls more than a day prior to baking, because the cinnamon sugar mixture will start to draw moisture from the dough and become a puddle on the bottom of the pan.)