These Vegan Maritozzi (Italian cream buns) are the perfect sweet treat. Find out how to make them below.
Maritozzi (also known as Italian cream buns) are soft, enriched buns that are split and filled with whipped cream, before being dusted with icing sugar.
The traditional recipe includes eggs, butter, and dairy cream, but I've come up with a Vegan Maritozzi recipe that has the same pillowy texture and rich flavour but without any animal products.
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Ingredients
There are quite a few ingredients in my Vegan Maritozzi recipe but everyone has been carefully chosen to create the most light and fluffy texture and sweet flavour.
To make this recipe you will need the following ingredients.
For the buns:
- strong white bread flour
- caster sugar
- fast-action dried yeast
- plant milk (soy or oat milk both work well)
- vegan block butter (I prefer to use Flora or Naturli)
- vegetable oil
- orange
- salt
- vanilla (bean, paste or extract all work fine)
For the glaze:
- maple syrup
- plant milk
For the filling:
- vegan whipping cream
- icing sugar
- vanilla
You can find the full quantities in the recipe card below.
Step-by-step instructions
Follow these 8 simple steps and you will have Vegan Maritozzi in no time!
- Step 1: Mix the lukewarm plant milk with a teaspoon of sugar and the yeast. Let it sit until frothy.
- Step 2: Combine the flour, sugar, salt, and orange zest. Add the yeast mixture, oil, vanilla, and softened vegan butter. Knead until smooth and elastic.
- Step 3: Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover, and let it rise for 1–1.5 hours until doubled.
- Step 4: Divide the dough into 6 portions, shape into ovals, and place on a lined baking tray.
- Step 5: Cover and proof again for 30–40 minutes
- Step 6: Brush with plant milk and bake at 180 C / 356 F / gas mark 4 for 18–20 minutes until golden.
- Step 7: While warm, brush with maple syrup mixed with plant milk that has been heated in a saucepan. Let cool completely.
- Step 8: Whip the vegan cream with icing sugar and vanilla until stiff peaks form. Slice buns almost in half and fill generously.
Substitutions
Need to tweak the recipe to suit what you have in your fridge and your cupboards? That's no problem at all! Why not try one of these substitutions:
- Plant milk: I use soy milk as it is the most similar to dairy milk in its properties but other plant milks will work just fine
- Vanilla: I use vanilla paste but you could use a vanilla bean with the seeds scraped out or vanilla extract
- Vegan butter: you could replace the vegan butter with coconut oil if you were in a pinch but it would change the flavour of the buns
Variations
Why not tweak the flavours to make these Vegan Maritozzi your own! Here are some suggestions:
- Chocolate chip: add the chocolate chips to the dough after kneading
- Fruit: add candied orange peel or raisins to the dough after kneading for a fruity flavour
- Jam filled: add strawberry or raspberry jam under the whipped cream when you fill the buns
If you try any of these variations do let me know!
Equipment
Before you start making your Italian cream buns, make sure you have all of this equipment to hand!
- Large mixing bowl
- Scales and measuring spoons
- Baking tray
- Baking paper
- Mixer with dough hook (optional but helpful!)
- Clean tea towel (to cover the dough as it rises)
- Small saucepan
- Whisk (an electrical whisk will make the recipe much quicker and easier)
- Serrated knife (for slicing the buns)
Storage
Make the buns ahead of time and store them for up to a day in advance before you fill them with the cream.
The buns can also be frozen unfilled for 2 - 3 months. Just make sure to defrost them fully before filling them.
Top tip
Don’t rush the proofing! Give the dough enough time to rise until it’s properly doubled in size. This is what gives the Vegan Maritozzi their signature pillowy, airy texture. Under-proofed dough will result in dense buns, even if all other steps are followed perfectly.
Frequently asked questions
The buns are best served fresh once they are filled but you can bake the buns ahead of time and store them before filling if you need to.
You probably haven't whipped the cream long enough or aren't using a vegan whipping cream (this is different to vegan pouring cream). Make sure you have the right cream and have whisked it to stiff peaks before trying to fill the buns.
Stiff peaks is a baking term which means when you pull the whisk out of the bowl the cream holds its shape in a "peak". This is the stage when it's thickest and most stable.
Make sure the dough isn't too cold as this can prevent rising. Proofing times are estimates and it may take longer if your room isn't as warm as mine.
The recipe
Vegan Maritozzi
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl
- Measuring scales and spoons
- Baking tray
- baking paper
- Stand mixer with dough hook optional
- Clean tea towel
- small saucepan
- Whisk preferably an electric whisk
- Serrated knife
Ingredients
For the dough
- 250 g strong white bread flour
- 50 g caster sugar
- 7 g fast-action dried yeast
- 120 ml plant milk warm
- 30 g vegan butter
- 2 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 orange zest only
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla paste
For the glaze
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon plant milk
For the filling
- 250 ml vegan whipping cream
- 1 tablespoon icing sugar
- 0.5 teaspoon vanilla paste
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix yeast, lukewarm plant milk, and a teaspoon of the sugar. Let sit for 5–10 minutes until frothy.
- In a large bowl, combine flour, remaining sugar, salt, and orange zest. Add the yeast mixture, vegan butter, oil, and vanilla. Mix and knead for 10 minutes by hand or 5 minutes in a mixer with a dough hook until smooth.
- Cover the bowl with a tea towel and leave the dough to rise for 1 to 1.5 hours, until doubled.
- Divide the dough into 6 pieces. Shape into ovals and place on a tray lined with baking paper.
- Cover and let rise again for 30–40 minutes until puffy.
- While they are proofing, preheat your oven to 180C / 356F / gas mark 4. Brush the buns with plant milk and bake for 18–20 minutes until golden brown.
- Mix maple syrup with a tablespoon of plant milk and heat in a pan until combined. Brush over buns while still warm. Cool completely on a wire rack.
- Whip vegan cream with icing sugar and vanilla until stiff peaks form.
- Slice each bun down the centre (but not all the way through), fill generously with whipped cream, and dust with icing sugar.
Nutrition
More sweet treats
If you like these vegan Italian cream buns you might like some of these other baked treats:
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