Heat 3/4 cup plant-based milk so it's warm, but not hot. (about 100° F - about 45 seconds in the microwave does the trick) and add it to a mixing bowl with 1 packet of dry active quick rise dry yeast. Give it a stir and let it sit for a few minutes.
Add 1/4 cup vegan butter, 1/4 cup sugar, and 1/2 tsp salt and stir again until no clumps of butter remain.
Slowly add 2 1/4 cups of flour and keep stirring until you get a soft dough that you can hold without it sticking to you. (You may need to add another tablespoon or two of flour until the dough is able to be handled without being sticky.)
Knead the dough on a floured surface for about 3 minutes until the dough is soft, but no longer sticky. (At this point you can put the dough in the refrigerator for up to 4 days and finish the rest of the steps when you are ready.)
Place the dough in an oiled bowl and then flip it over so the dough ball is covered in a thin layer of oil.
Put the dough in a warm spot to rise. (I usually turn on the oven to 150° F for a few minutes to get a little heat in there, then turn the oven off and put the dough in the oven to rise for about 1 1/2 hours.)
Assemble the cinnamon rolls:
Once the dough has doubled (usually about 1 1/2 hours depending on how warm it was when rising) punch the dough down and roll it out on a floured flat surface into a large rectangle about 9x14 inches.
In a small bowl, mix 1/3 cup of brown sugar and 2 tsp of cinnamon and set aside.
Melt 3 tbsp of vegan butter and spread it evenly over the dough, then sprinkle it with the cinnamon and sugar mixture.
Tightly roll the dough into a log shape and cut about every 1 1/2 inches to form 9-10 even rolls.
Bake the rolls:
Preheat the oven to 375° F.
Arrange the rolls on a parchment-lined or lightly oiled cookie sheet or pie dish. (Note: If you want beautiful individual cinnamon rolls, bake separated on a cookie sheet. If you want them to bake together and frost the top of them bake close together in a pie pan or an 8" x 8" baking dish.)
Bake at 375° F for 25-30 minutes until slightly golden brown on the tops.
Make the vegan cream cheese icing:
Mix together 1/4 cup of vegan cream cheese, 2 tbsp of vegan butter, and a dash of vanilla extract and stir until combined.
Add 1 1/2 cups of powdered sugar until a sticky icing is formed and spread or drizzle it over the cinnamon rolls.
How to make vegan sticky buns instead:
Follow the directions for the cinnamon buns the same until you get to the baking step. At this point, line a pie dish with parchment paper. Melt 1/3 cup of vegan butter and mix in 1/3 cup of brown sugar and spread the mixture over the parchment-lined pan. (You can also give it a sprinkle of cinnamon and add 1/3 cup of crushed nuts to this too if you choose.)
Arrange the cinnamon rolls in the pie dish so the are just barely touching each other and bake at 375° for 25-30 minutes until they are slightly golden brown on the top.
Allow to cool in the dish for about 10 minutes, then pick up the parchment paper and flip it over on a tray so the sticky side of the gooey rolls is facing up.
Notes
The amount of flour needed may vary slightly. Go by the feeling of the dough more than the measurement. Add just enough flour that your dough is no longer sticky and you can knead it without it sticking to your hands, but still remains very soft.
The warmer the air the faster your dough will rise. About 80°- 90° F is a great temperature for this. Turn your oven on for about 3 minutes until it is just barely warm, then turn it off. Place the dough in the oven to rise.
You know that your dough is ready to roll out when it has doubled in size.
Don't put more butter and sugar than recommended on the dough or it will just fall out and make a mess.