Gluten-Free Cinnamon Rolls as Good as Traditional!

A well-made cinnamon roll is a game changer! I have a great recipe for traditional gluten cinnamon rolls that is very popular with my friends and loved ones. Creating a gluten-free version was a true labor of love for me. After many test batches, I finally landed on a truly delicious gluten-free recipe!

When I first went gluten-free, I settled for a pretty good recipe that was made with a gluten-free flour blend containing pea protein. They were wonderfully soft with good structure, but that pea protein left a slight bean flavor in your mouth. I would always take a bite and end up slightly disappointed. Add one more to the column of: Well, it’s okay…. for gluten-free. I decided, though, that I didn’t want just OKAY. I wanted a truly delicious gluten-free cinnamon roll.

After trying several different flour blends and stabilizing ingredients, I have found that my DIY GF Flour Blend with the addition of psyllium husk powder and non-fat milk powder gives the perfect structure with the most delicious flavor. Be sure to use blonde psyllium husk powder! The NOW brand one on Amazon gives the best flavor, in my opinion. I promise I tried premade commercially available blends, and they just did not meet my standards. If you want a truly delicious cinnamon roll, I am telling you, use the DIY blend.

I hope you enjoy these! If you try them, leave me a comment below!

Truly Delicious Gluten-Free Cinnamon Rolls

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These gluten-free cinnamon rolls are a truly perfect! Wonderfully soft and full of cinnamon flavor, these will satisfy the most discerning cinnamon roll lover.

• Author: Jessie
• Prep Time: 90 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Total Time: 2 hours
• Yield: 7 large cinnamon rolls 1x
• Category: Breads
• Diet: Gluten Free

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Dough

16 ounces (455 grams) DIY GF Flour Blend (using this blend is what yields the perfect flavor)

1TBS (10g) psyllium husk powder (I strongly recommend this one for flavor and color)

1 TBS (6g) non-fat milk powder

1/2 cup (88g) maple sugar (or 1/2 cup (100g) of white granulated sugar if refined sugar doesn’t bother you)

4 1/2 tsp (14g) rapid/instant yeast

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 1/4 cups (300g) water

1/2 cup (110g) unsalted butter

1 tsp apple cider vinegar

1 large egg + 1 egg white

Starch (corn or tapioca) for dusting the counter surface

Cinnamon Sugar Filling

6 TBS unsalted butter, very soft

1/2 cup (85g) coconut sugar (or 1/2 cup (100g) of light brown sugar if refined sugar doesn’t bother you)

2 TBS ground cinnamon

Cream Cheese Icing

1/4 cup (55g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

4 oz (113g) cream cheese, softened to room temperature

1 tsp pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste

1 1/2 cups (170g) powdered sugar OR 3/4 cup (117g) maple sugar

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Instructions

1. In the bowl of your stand mixer, whisk together DIY flour blend, psyllium husk powder, milk powder, instant yeast, maple sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
2. In a heat safe liquid measuring cup, measure out the water and then add the butter (cut up into chunks to help with melting) and the vinegar. Microwave for 1-2 minutes and stir. With a digital thermometer, you want the mixture to read between 110 – 115 degrees F. If it is colder than that, the yeast will not activate. Hotter than that will kill the yeast. It’s okay if the butter does not completely melt.
3. Pour the warm water mixture into the dry ingredients and mix well with a rubber spatula until you can see almost no more dry ingredients. Add the egg and egg white and continue mixing until you all the dry ingredients and the eggs are mixed in. Put the bowl onto your stand mixer and connect your dough hook. Turn the mixer on to medium-high speed and mix for 5-6 minutes to create a smooth and slightly stretchy dough.
4. Take the bowl off of the stand mixer and set aside to rest for 10-15 minutes. You can keep the bowl on the counter at room temperature for this resting period. While the dough rests, prepare your baking pan. I like to use a 10” cast iron skillet that I line with parchment paper. It will easily fit 7 rolls – 1 roll in the center with 6 rolls surrounding it. This is also a great time to prepare your countertop for forming the rolls. I like to put about 3 or 4 pieces of plastic wrap down on the counter first for ease of cleanup. I put tapioca starch down in a pretty thick layer to prevent sticking.
5. After the 10 minute resting period, plop the dough out onto the layer of starch and flatten with your hands and/or rolling pin. The dough is quite soft, so handle with care. You want to roll the dough into a rectangle that is about 13”x19.”
6. Spread the butter all over the dough. Because of how soft the dough is, you want to make sure the butter is VERY soft, almost melted, so it doesn’t tear the dough when you spread it. In a small bowl, mix together the cinnamon and coconut sugar. Sprinkle the coconut sugar/cinnamon mixture over the butter once it has been spread on the dough.
7. Using a pizza cutter, trim the edges on the left and right hand side of the rectangle so you remove any edges not covered in the butter/sugar mixture. Then cut the remaining rectangle into 7 strips. You will then roll each individual strip into a roll and place the roll in the prepared cast iron skillet. Arrange the rolls so that they have a good inch between them with 1 in the center and the other 6 surrounding it.
8. To create a warm proofing environment, preheat your oven to the lowest possible setting (usually around 125 degrees) then turn it off. Place the rolls inside the warm oven and allow the rolls to rise. You want them to rise until they are about double in size, which will take about 45 minutes to an hour. *see note for overnight rolls.
9. When the rolls have doubled in size, take them out of the oven and place on the counter. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees, then return rolls to the oven and bake for 25 – 30 minutes. The rolls are done when the tops are golden brown and the dough has a nice spring to it when you touch the rolls.
10. While the rolls cool, make the icing. Place the room temperature butter and cream cheese into a mixing bowl. I like to use a handheld mixer to beat them together, then add vanilla and my chosen sweetener (either powdered sugar or maple sugar, depending on if I want refined sugars or not). Once you have a smooth mixture, dollop the icing onto each roll and spread it smooth. If the rolls are still a bit warm, the icing should melt into the rolls some. This is delicious when it happens!
11. These are best enjoyed when they are still slightly warm and fresh, but they can also be saved. I like to save extras in the fridge and reheat them gently in the microwave for only about 45 seconds.

Notes

*to make overnight rolls, right after you get the rolls assembled, cover them with plastic wrap and put them in the fridge. Pull them out in the morning and let them come to room temperature and finish rising on the counter. When they have doubled in size, bake as directed above.