If these cinnamon roll pancakes aren’t the epitome of a comforting breakfast, I don’t know what is. They combine the deliciousness of both cinnamon rolls and pancakes into one soft, sweet delicacy. These seriously taste like dessert, and you will definitely not miss the eggs and dairy in these. These take a little bit longer than normal pancakes because of the yeast, but they are quicker to make than typical cinnamon rolls. It would still be best to prepare the batter for these ahead of time though. Ingredients: For the Batter: 2 cups unsweetened almond milk (or other non-dairy milk) 2 1/2 Tbsp vegan butter (such as Earth Balance, or use coconut oil) 2 Tbsp sugar 1 package (~2.5 tsp) rapid rise or active dry yeast 1/2 tsp salt 1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry OR unbleached all purpose flour For the Cinnamon Swirl: 2 1/2 Tbsp pancake batter 1 Tbsp vegan butter, softened/melted 3 Tbsp brown sugar 1/2 tsp cinnamon Directions: In a large mixing bowl, heat the almond milk and 2.5 Tbsp Earth Balance until melted on the stovetop or microwave. Let cool until warm, but not hot so that it doesn’t kill the yeast, then add the yeast and let sit 10 minutes. Add 2 Tbsp sugar, salt, and the flour 1/4 cup at a time, stirring as you go. The batter will become sticky but it shouldn't be like dough. 1.5 cups should be the ideal amount, but add more if it appears too runny. It will resemble normal pancake batter, thick but pourable. Cover with plastic wrap and set in a warm place to rise for at least 1 hour if not 2, or until doubled in size. Once risen, gently scoop out 2.5 Tbsp of your batter and add 1 Tbsp melted vegan butter, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, and 3 Tbsp brown sugar. Thin it with almond milk if it's too thick to pour. Whisk until well combined and add to a sandwich bag (which you'll snip the corner off of) or a plastic squeeze bottle. Preheat a griddle or large skillet to medium heat and lightly grease surface. Scoop on 1/4 cup measurements of batter and then swirl on the cinnamon sugar filling in a circle, starting at the center and traveling out. It doesn't have to be perfect - you could even make other shapes/designs. Flip when bubbles form on top and the edges appear dry. Cook for 1-2 minutes more and transfer to a large plate or serving dish. Keep warm in a 200 degree oven until serving. Optional but recommended: Frost with dairy free cream cheese frosting or a mixture of 2 cups powdered sugar, 1 Tbsp melted vegan butter and 1-2 Tbsp almond milk. Or just top with maple syrup. Source: minimalistbaker.com

Nothing is more comforting on a chilly day than the smell of apples and cinnamon. These apple cinnamon muffins taste like an apple pie in muffin form and the apples get slightly soft when they bake to give them the perfect texture. These muffins are also so easy and quick to make that they are perfect for cozy morning baking sessions when you’re lounging around on a chilly day. These are actually quite healthy for you if you use a whole grain flour, but you would never guess that they’re vegan just by tasting them. Ingredients: Apples: 1 1/2 cups apple, diced small + 1/4 cup apple, diced small, reserved for topping (I used 1 large unpeeled Fuji, and it yielded about 1 3/4 cups) 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon cinnamon Batter: 1/2 cup mashed ripe banana (about 1 large) 3/4 cup granulated sugar 1/2 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk (other milks may be substituted including coconut, soy, rice, cow), at room temperature 1/3 cup coconut oil, melted (vegetable or canola oil may be substituted) 1 tablespoon vanilla extract 2 teaspoons cinnamon 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1 cup plus all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking powder pinch salt, optional and to taste pinches turbinado sugar, optional for sprinkling pinches cinnamon, optional for sprinkling Directions: Preheat oven to 400F. Spray a Non-Stick 12-Cup Regular Muffin Pan very well with floured cooking spray or grease and flour the pan; set aside. For the apples - In a medium bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups apples, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, and toss to coat. The flour helps prevent apples from sinking during baking; set aside. Batter - In a large bowl, mash the bananas with a fork. Add the sugar, milk (room temp milk will prevent coconut oil from re-solidifying; if it does anyway, some small clumps are okay), oil, vanilla, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, nutmeg, and whisk until combined. Add 1 cup flour, baking powder, optional salt, and stir until just combined; don't over-mix. Batter is quite thick and if yours is seemingly too thick, add a tiny additional splash of milk to thin it. Fold in 1 1/2 cups apples and any loose flour in bottom of bowl. Divide batter equally among the cavities of the prepared pan. Using the reserved 1/4 cup diced apples, top each muffin with a couple pieces, divided equally. Optionally add a pinch of turbinado sugar and a pinch of cinnamon to each muffin top. Bake for about 17 to 18 minutes, or until tops are domed, puffed, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, or with a few moist crumbs dangling but no batter. Allow muffins to cool in pan for about 10 to 15 minutes before removing and placing on a rack to cool completely. Source: averiecooks.com

My favorite breakfast to eat during the winter time is oatmeal. When I have enough time, making baked oatmeal takes it to a whole other level of crunchy and soft textures – it’s almost like having oatmeal topped with granola. This variation is based on “Chunky Monkey” ice cream, containing a mixture of bananas, walnuts, and chocolate chips. It’s basically like eating a healthier chocolate chip cookie for breakfast. Oh, and it’s vegan too, but you would never guess it. Ingredients: Oatmeal: 1 C. Water 1 C. Non-Dairy Milk 1 C. Very Ripe Banana, Broken into Chunks ¼ C. Coconut Sugar 1-2 T. Maple Syrup 1 T. Ground Flaxseed 1½ tsp. Vanilla Extract Pinch of Salt 2 C. (Gluten-free) Rolled Oats ¼ C. Walnuts, Chopped 3 T. Vegan Chocolate Chips Topping: ½ C. Banana, Sliced 2 T. Walnuts, Chopped 1 T. Chocolate Chips + 1 tsp. Hot Water (Stir together for simple chocolate sauce) Directions: Preheat oven to 350F. Place water, non-dairy milk, 1 C. banana, coconut sugar, maple syrup, flaxseed, vanilla extract, and salt into a blender and pulse for 10 seconds. Next, add the oats, walnuts, and chocolate chips to the blender and pulse a couple of times to mix them in (or stir together if you think you might puree it on accident). Pour the mixture into a high-walled, round, 7-8" baking dish. Top with a couple of banana slices if you feel so inclined. Bake for 45 minutes, making sure that the top and edges are golden brown. Top with freshly sliced bananas, walnuts, and chocolate drizzle. Serve hot, and add a little maple syrup over the top for extra sweetness. Enjoy! Source: veganyackattack.com

Amaranth is an ancient grain that is gluten-free and full of protein. It is used in this recipe like oatmeal, so you can just use rolled oats if you don’t have amaranth. If you want to try something new, you can get amaranth in bulk at Whole Foods. Either way, this porridge is so delicious and comforting, and it’s great if you want something quick in the morning (if you use oats, that is). I like pureeing my oatmeal or amaranth when I make this recipe to make it even more like a porridge. Ingredients: ½ cup amaranth (or rolled oats) 1 cup water ⅛ teaspoon salt ¼ cup pecan pieces 1 tablespoon walnut oil 1-2 tablespoons maple syrup ½ teaspoon cinnamon 2 bananas Milk (whole, almond, or coconut), to serve Directions: Soak Amaranth overnight (if using oats, skip this step). Drain and rinse amaranth. Combine with one cup water and salt. Bring amaranth to a boil, and reduce to a simmer (all the way to low.) Cover and let simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit for 10 more minutes to thicken amaranth. Add a bit of milk/water to thin the texture out if desired. Add pecans to a dry skillet and toast over medium-low heat, stir often. Toast until fragrant, 2-3 minutes. Remove from skillet and set aside. Heat walnut oil, maple syrup, and cinnamon over medium-low heat. Cut bananas in ½" slices and add to skillet, cook until bananas are extremely tender and maple syrup has absorbed into the slices. To serve, stir together ¾ of the bananas and amaranth. Pour into bowls and top with remaining bananas, pecans, and a drizzle of almond milk. Source: naturallyella.com

Nobody will ever believe you when you tell them that this beautiful, festive pumpkin loaf is vegan. The pumpkin taste is very prominent in this bread, making it an especially delicious treat for chilly fall mornings. The addition of a streusel crust takes this pumpkin bread to another level of deliciousness, and will leave nobody guessing that it’s vegan. Ingredients: Streusel Crust: 1/4 cup (half of 1 stick) unsalted butter (or vegan buttery spread), slightly softened 1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, plus 1 to 2 tablespoons additional if needed Bread: 3/4 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling) 3/4 cup granulated sugar 1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed 1/3 cup coconut oil, melted (vegetable or canola oil may be substituted) 1/4 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk (other milks may be substituted, including coconut, soy, rice, cow), preferably at room temp 2 tablespoons mild or medium molasses 1 tablespoon vanilla extract 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice 1 teaspoon allspice 3/4 teaspoon ground cloves 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg pinch salt, optional and to taste 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking powder Directions: Preheat oven to 375F. Spray one 9-by-5-inch loaf pan (or a 12-cup muffin pan) with floured cooking spray, or grease and flour the pan; set aside. Streusel Crust - In a medium bowl, combine butter, brown sugar, 1/4 cup flour, and toss with a fork until mixture combines and crumbs and clumps form. This is a moist streusel, but if yours seems very moist and is paste-like, add another 1 to 2 tablespoons flour, as needed to dry it out. Set aside. Bread - In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients through nutmeg, and whisk to combine. Using room temp milk will prevent coconut oil from re-solidifying, but if it does, a few small white clumps are okay. Stir in the flour and baking powder until just combined, don't overmix. Batter is quite thick. Turn batter out into prepared pan, smoothing the top lightly with a spatula. Evenly sprinkle the streusel topping over the top, using your fingers to break up large clumps if necessary. Bake for about 40 to 44 minutes, or until center is set and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, or with a few moist crumbs, but no batter. Allow bread to cool in pan, on top of a wire rack, for at least 30 minutes before turning out onto the rack to finish cooling completely. Slice bread with a serrated knife in a sawing motion, going over any stubborn patches of the crust a few times, taking care to be gentle to not compress the loaf. Source: averiecooks.com

I already included a recipe combining two delicious breakfast items: pancakes and cinnamon rolls. This recipe is also by Minimalist Baker, and includes two more delicious foods combined: banana bread and cinnamon rolls. These cinnamon rolls are so soft and taste like a cinnamon-infused frosted loaf of banana bread – you will not be missing the eggs and dairy in this recipe! If you have more time in the morning, or want to prepare these the night before, these are perfect to make on a chilly morning when you need some comfort. Ingredients: 1 packet (2 1/4 tsp) instant/fast acting yeast 1 cup unsweetened plain almond milk 1/2 cup vegan butter (I use Earth Balance), divided 1/3 cup + 2 Tbsp sugar, divided 1/4 tsp salt 1/2 cup mashed ripe banana + 1/2 cup sliced banana, divided 2 3/4 - 3 1/4 cups flour (I used a ratio of 2/3 unbleached all purpose, 1/3 whole wheat pastry) 1/2 - 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon 1/2 cup raw walnuts or pecans, crushed (optional) Directions: In a large mixing bowl, heat the almond milk and 3 Tbsp Earth Balance in the microwave in 30 sec increments (or heat over medium heat in a large sauce pan), until warm and melted (never reaching boiling). Let cool to 110 degrees, or the temperature of bath water. It should be warm but not too hot or it will kill the yeast. (If you used a saucepan to heat the milk, transfer to a large mixing bowl now.) Sprinkle on yeast and let activate for 10 minutes. Then add 1 Tbsp sugar, salt and stir. Next add in 1/2 cup mashed ripe banana and stir. Add flour 1/2 cup at a time, stirring as you go. The dough will be sticky. When it is too thick to stir, transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead for a minute or so, adding flour as needed, until it forms a loose but still springy ball. Only use as much flour as it will take. Rinse out your mixing bowl, coat it with canola or olive oil, and add your dough ball back in seam side down. Cover with plastic wrap and set in a warm place to rise for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size - mine only took 40 minutes. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a long rectangle ~1/4 inch thick. Brush with 1/4 cup melted vegan butter and top with 1/3 cup sugar (I used a little brown sugar mixed in with the cane sugar) and 1/2 - 1 Tbsp cinnamon (up to preference). Then add about 20 very thin banana slices so it's easy to roll, and most of the walnuts. Slowly and tightly roll up the dough and situate seam side down. With a serrated knife or a string of floss, cut the dough into 1.5 - 2 inch sections and position in a well-buttered 8x8 square or comparable sized round pan (you should have about 10 rolls). Brush with remaining 1 Tbsp melted vegan butter and sprinkle with a bit more sugar (brown or cane) and remaining walnuts. Cover with plastic wrap and set on top of the oven to let rise again while you preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Once the oven is hot, bake rolls for 28-35 minutes or until slightly golden brown. Let cool for a few minutes, then serve warm. Optional: Frost with dairy free cream cheese frosting or a simple dairy-free glaze. Source: minimalistbaker.com

This vegan French toast recipe may seem basic, but don’t underestimate it. It turns out that you don’t need eggs or milk to make French toast that is soft, yet slightly crisp and packed with flavor. Plus, this recipe only takes minutes to make, and can even be made gluten-free if you use gluten-free bread. It’s the perfect recipe to make on chilly mornings when it’s almost too cold to want to cook anything, yet you’re craving some serious comfort food. Ingredients: 6 slices, slightly stale ciabatta bread, sliced about 3/4-inch thick* 1 cup Almond Breeze Almond Milk, vanilla flavor 1 tablespoon maple syrup (plus more, for serving) 2 tablespoons millet flour (or any flour) 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast (optional, for added protein and B-vitamins) 1 teaspoon cinnamon small bit of freshly ground nutmeg tiny pinch of salt coconut oil, for the pan Serve with: powdered sugar, a dab of vegan butter, maple syrup & fresh fruit Directions: Whisk together the almond milk, maple syrup, flour, nutritional yeast, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Place bread in a shallow dish (with sides) that holds all of the bread. Pour the mixture over the bread, flipping it around to coat thoroughly. Heat coconut oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, place the bread slices and cook for a few minutes per side, until golden brown. Serve with powdered sugar, a dab of vegan butter, maple syrup & fresh fruit. Source: loveandlemons.com These vegan breakfast ideas are perfect for the fall and winter when you’re looking for some extra warmth in your food. If you make these recipes to share with people who aren’t vegan, I’m certain that they won’t even be able to tell the difference. Most of these breakfasts are easy to make, and they are all pretty healthy too, making them an ideal breakfast for almost any occasion. Comfort food doesn’t have to be unhealthy, but it also doesn’t need to sacrifice any flavor – which is where these recipes come in. Do you have any favorite breakfasts that you wish were vegan or healthy?