These vegan Taco Bell Cinnabon Delights were dangerous. Very dangerous. After making them once, I immediately understood why Taco Bell’s Cinnabon Delights have such a cult following – crisp on the outside, fluffy inside, rolled in cinnamon sugar and oozing with creamy filling. But making them at home? Honestly even better. I started with a soft, yeasted vegan doughnut dough (light, airy, and pillowy), followed by that iconic Cinnabon inspired cream cheese filling. We first had these at a Taco Bell one Halloween in Orlando and were immediately hooked. They really are delicious. So we knew we had to recreate them here in the UK and they were both easy and just as tasty. Fully plant-based, rich, and just the right level of indulgent. These are very much a “make them, eat them warm, and wonder where they all went”, kind of situation.
👩💻 About the author – Nichola is a family travel expert (and food fanatic) and has written for The Guardian, The Telegraph, LonelyPlanet Magazine and Wanderlust amongst many others. She’s spent over a decade travelling the world with her children and loves recreating recipes from those travels.
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Table of Contents
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What are vegan Taco Bell Cinnabon Delight doughnut bites?
These are bite-sized, deep-fried doughnut balls inspired by Taco Bell’s famous Cinnabon Delights – but made entirely vegan at home. They’re rolled in cinnamon sugar while still warm and filled with a smooth, sweet cream cheese-style filling.
Think soft, fluffy doughnuts with a crisp shell, coated in cinnamon sugar, and filled with sweet, creamy goodness.
A taste of my travels – where in the world is this recipe from?
The inspiration is pure American fast-food nostalgia, Taco Bell’s Cinnabon Delights. But the technique is classic European doughnut-making. Yeasted doughnuts like this are common across Europe, from German Berliner-style doughnuts to Italian bomboloni.
This recipe is very much a joyful mash-up: American indulgence meets proper from-scratch baking.
What do these vegan Taco Bell Cinnabon Delights taste like?
- Light, fluffy, soft-centred doughnuts
- Crisp golden exterior
- Warm cinnamon sugar coating
- Sweet, creamy, vanilla-scented filling
- Comforting, nostalgic, and completely addictive
They taste indulgent without being heavy – which is dangerous knowledge.
Why you’ll love these vegan Cinnabon Delight doughnut bites
- Fully vegan, but no one would ever guess
- Light and fluffy thanks to the yeasted dough
- Crisp outside, pillowy inside
- Perfect for sharing (or not)
- Better than the takeaway version
- Ideal for weekends, brunches, or treats
Key ingredients
OGGS® aquafaba
Creates a soft, enriched dough without eggs.
Dried active yeast
Gives that classic fluffy doughnut texture.
Vegan butter and vegan cream cheese
Essential for the rich, Cinnabon-style filling.
Caster sugar and cinnamon
The iconic coating that makes these irresistible.
Ingredients for our vegan Taco Bell Cinnabon Delights
Doughnut dough (Makes 24 bites)
- 60ml warm water
- 50ml OGGS® Aquafaba
- 10g dried active yeast
- 300g plain flour, sifted, plus extra for kneading
- 50g caster sugar
- 20g vegan margarine, melted and cooled
- Pinch of salt
- 90ml dairy-free milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Sunflower oil, for deep-frying
For the cinnamon sugar coating – vegan Taco Bell Cinnabon Delights
- 100g caster sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
Vegan cream cheese filling
- 120g vegan cream cheese, softened
- 40g vegan butter, softened
- 120g icing sugar, sifted
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
How to make our vegan Taco Bell Cinnabon Delight doughnut bites
1. Activate the yeast
Pour the warm water and Aquafaba into a large bowl. Sprinkle over the yeast and leave for 5 minutes until slightly foamy.
2. Make the dough
Add the flour, sugar, melted margarine, salt, dairy-free milk and vanilla. Mix by hand until a dough forms, then knead for 5 minutes until smooth and elastic.
3. First prove
Place the dough back into the bowl, cover with a damp cloth and leave somewhere warm for 1 hour until doubled in size.
4. Shape the doughnuts
Knock back the dough, divide into 24 even pieces (around 25g each) and roll into balls. Place on a lightly oiled tray, spaced apart.
5. Second prove
Cover loosely and leave to prove for another hour until puffy.
6. Fry the doughnuts
Heat the oil to around 175°C. Fry the doughnut balls in batches for 1–2 minutes per side until golden brown. Drain on kitchen paper.
7. Coat in cinnamon sugar
Mix the caster sugar and cinnamon in a bowl. Roll the warm doughnuts until fully coated.
8. Make the filling
Beat the vegan butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add icing sugar gradually, then vanilla and cinnamon, until thick but pipeable.
9. Fill the doughnuts
Using a chopstick or skewer, make a hole in each doughnut. Pipe in the filling generously — if it spills out slightly, you’ve done it right.
Variations
- Extra indulgent: Add a drizzle of vegan caramel
- Chocolate twist: Add cocoa powder to the filling
- Orange cinnamon: Add orange zest to the sugar coating
- Mini version: Make 36 smaller bites for parties
Vegan Taco Bell Cinnabon Delights serving suggestions
- Serve warm with coffee or hot chocolate
- Perfect for brunch spreads
- Ideal for sharing boards
- Best eaten immediately
Recipe success tips
- Don’t overcrowd the oil – fry in small batches
- Keep the oil temperature steady to avoid greasy doughnuts
- Fill while the doughnuts are still warm
- Eat on the day for best texture
Frequently asked questions – vegan Taco Bell Cinnabon Delights
Can I bake or air fry these?
These really shine when deep-fried – baking won’t give the same texture.
Can I make the dough ahead?
Yes – prove overnight in the fridge, then shape and fry the next day.
Can I freeze them?
Freeze unfilled doughnuts only. Fill fresh for best results.
Nutritional information (approx. per doughnut)
Calories: 165
Carbohydrates: 20g
Protein: 3g
Fat: 7g
Sugar: 9g
Recipe card for our vegan Taco Bell Cinnabon Delights
Vegan Taco Bell Cinnabon Delights
Ingredients
Method
- Activate the yeast
- Pour the warm water and Aquafaba into a large bowl. Sprinkle over the yeast and leave for 5 minutes until slightly foamy.
- Make the dough
- Add the flour, caster sugar, melted margarine, salt, dairy-free milk and vanilla extract. Mix by hand until a dough forms, then knead for about 5 minutes until smooth, elastic and pulling away from the bowl.
- First prove
- Return the dough to the bowl, cover with a damp cloth and leave somewhere warm for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
- Shape the doughnuts
- Knock back the dough and divide into 24 even pieces (around 25g each). Roll into smooth balls and place on a lightly oiled baking tray, leaving space between each.
- Second prove
- Cover loosely and leave to prove again for 1 hour, until puffy and risen.
- Fry the doughnuts
- Heat the sunflower oil to around 175°C. Fry the doughnut balls in batches for 1–2 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through. Drain on kitchen paper.
- Coat in cinnamon sugar
- Mix the caster sugar and cinnamon in a shallow bowl. Roll the warm doughnuts until fully coated.
- Make the filling
- Beat the vegan butter and cream cheese together until smooth. Gradually add the icing sugar, then mix in the vanilla extract and cinnamon until thick but pipeable.
- Fill the doughnuts
- Use a chopstick or skewer to make a hole in each doughnut. Pipe in the filling generously — if it spills out slightly, that’s exactly what you want.
Notes
Enjoyed our vegan Taco Bell Cinnabon delights – copycat recipe? Why not check out more of our vegan and vegetarian world recipes.
Have been looking to recreate these after trying them in the US and this was perfect!