Gluten Free Cinnamon Rolls

Gluten free cinnamon rolls that are soft, fluffy and even dairy free. They have a rich buttery flavor and deliciously sweet glaze to top them off. These are truly the best homemade cinnamon buns made entirely from scratch!

I have had these gluten free cinnamon rolls on my list for a *very* long time. I’ve tested them, failed, tested again and again and kept on failing.

The flavor was always great (except for the time I used expired yeast- oops!), but I just couldn’t get the texture right.

I tried using gluten free all purpose flour blends, but they never turned out the way I wanted. Instead, I decided to make my own flour blend using tapioca starch, potato starch, brown rice flour and oat flour. This way I had total control of the ratios of each.

After a lot of trial and error, I finally nailed the perfect soft, fluffy, tender and sweet cinnamon bun. I love making these Christmas morning or just for a fun treat! Don’t be turned off by the total time it takes to make these, most of that is just the dough rising or chilling!

Since Cinnabon doesn’t do gluten free, and you can’t find gluten free versions of the Pillsbury ones, we have to take matters into our own hands and make them ourselves! Try my cinnamon roll blondies or gluten free soft pretzels next!

How to make gluten free cinnamon rolls

Shake up the can of coconut milk until it’s completely smooth. If you open it and it seems chunky, just add it to your blender until it looks like a normal smooth milk.

Measure out 1/2 cup and warm in the microwave for about 30 seconds or until it reaches about 110 degrees Fahrenheit. it should feel like warm bath water but not too hot.

Add in the yeast and 1 tablespoon of sugar. Whisk together and set aside for 5-10 minutes.

Meanwhile, measure all four flours in a bowl (zero out the scale between each). Whisk in the xanthan gum, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.

Check your yeast/milk. It should look quite bubbly on top. To the bowl with the flours, add in the pumpkin puree, vanilla, egg plus extra egg white, and milk once it looks bubbly.

Mix together with a rubber spatula, then start to fold in the melted and cooled butter. Mix together until a smooth dough forms.

Cover your bowl with plastic wrap, then cover with a dish towel and set aside to rise for 1 hour. It should roughly double in size.

After 1 hour, transfer to the fridge to set for 1 more hour. This will make the dough much easier to roll out. Otherwise, it will be very very sticky!

Once the dough has chilled, transfer to a lightly floured piece of parchment paper. Roll into a 14×14 square.

Brush the softened butter on top. Mix together the cinnamon and sugar in a bowl and add on top. Press with your fingers to ensure the cinnamon sugar is stuck on there.

Roll into a log. Use a piece of dental floss or sewing thread and cut off the ends just slightly to clean them up.

Cut the log into 9 even pieces (about 1 1/2 inches thick for each piece) using the thread or floss. This is much easier and cleaner than using a knife.

Place into a greased 8 inch square aluminum pan or 9 inch cast iron skillet. Cover with plastic wrap, then cover with a towel and rise for 1 more hour. During the final few minutes, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Lightly brush the tops of the cinnamon rolls with melted butter then bake, uncovered for 25-30 minutes. I usually cover them after about 20 minutes with foil so the tops don’t brown too much.

While they are baking, whisk together your frosting ingredients until smooth. I thin it out a bit so it drizzles, but you can use less milk so it’s thick and spreads.

When the cinnamon rolls are done, remove from the oven and let cool for 5-10 minutes, then frost and enjoy!

Substitutions

Flour. This recipe calls for tapioca flour, potato starch, brown rice flour and oat flour. The only safe substitution you can make is swapping the tapioca for arrowroot starch.

Please do not use white rice flour in place of brown rice, the flavor and texture will not be right.

Egg. You need one full egg plus one egg white for this recipe. Unfortunately, there is not a good substitute for the egg. Instead, try my vegan cinnamon rolls!

Pumpkin. Yes, there is pumpkin in this recipe, but I promise there is no pumpkin flavor! It’s just the right amount to help give these a very moist and fluffy texture.

Please do not sub for sweet potato puree etc. the pumpkin is key!

Coconut milk. You can use full fat or light canned coconut milk, though I suggest full fat. If you are not dairy free, you can use regular whole milk, but I do not recommend a regular non-dairy milk from a container.

Frequently asked questions

Can I prep these the night before?

Yes! Follow all of the steps as usual. Once the cinnamon rolls have been rolled, sliced and risen for the final hour, cover the pan with plastic wrap or foil and place in the fridge overnight.

Don’t brush the tops with butter before refrigerating. Instead, brush just before and after baking.

Can I make them dairy free?

This recipe as written is already dairy free (just use dairy free butter), so there are no substitutions that need to be made!

How long do they keep?

To be honest, these gluten free cinnamon rolls are best served fresh.

If you want to store them, your best bet is to freeze them after they bake, then let thaw and reheat until warm through the center. Glaze/frost them once they are re-heated for best results.

Can I make these with no yeast?

No. The yeast is essential for that fluffy texture! Please use active dry yeast for best results. Instant yeast will also work if that is what you have on hand.

You’ll also love..

• Cinnamon Roll Baked Oatmeal
• Gluten Free Coffee Cake
• Cinnamon Swirl Banana Bread
• Cinnamon Roll Blondies

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