Gluten Free Cinnamon Rolls
Gluten free cinnamon rolls that are soft, fluffy with gooey centers. They have a rich buttery flavor and deliciously sweet cream cheese 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 (same with my gluten free poptarts).
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 try the Bob’s Red Mill gluten free bread flour which turned out amazing and gave that classic gooey cinnamon roll texture, all without any gluten.
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!
Since Cinnabon doesn’t do gluten free, and you can’t find gluten free versions of the Pillsbury ones in the grocery store, we have to take matters into our own hands and make them ourselves! If you love this recipe, try my cinnamon roll blondies, banana bread cinnamon rolls or gluten free soft pretzels next!
How to make gluten free cinnamon rolls
Combine dry ingredients. To the bowl of a stand mixer, add the flour, yeast, sugar, salt and baking powder. Mix on low until combined with the dough hook.
Warm milk. Warm the milk in the microwave for about 1 minute or until warm like bath water. You don’t want it too hot or it will kill the yeast, but too cold and it won’t activate the yeast.
Add wet ingredients. With the mixer running on low, pour in the milk, then the melted/slightly cooled butter, eggs and vanilla extract.
Mix for about 30 seconds, then scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure everything is well combined.
Knead. Turn the mixer to medium/low speed and let knead the dough for about 5 minutes. Let the dough sit for a few minutes.
Prep filling. Meanwhile, whisk together the cinnamon and sugar in a bowl.
Add the 6 tablespoons of butter to a bowl and melt for about 15-20 seconds, then stir so it just looks softened and not fully melted.
Transfer the dough to a floured surface (I usually use parchment paper and flour it to really ensure no sticking).
Roll. Roll into a 12×15 rectangle using a floured rolling pin. Carefully brush the butter on top, then sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar.
There are two methods we can use to slice the rolls, but for this recipe, my preferred is to use a pizza cutter to cut the dough into strips.
Slice. Working from the 15 inch end, cut out 12 strips about 1 1/4 inch wide (so each strip will be 1 1/4 inch x 12 inches). Roll each strip into the roll and place in a greased 9×13 baking pan.
Let rise. Cover with plastic wrap then top with a dish towel and let rise for 1 hour. I will usually just place on top of my oven. You want a slightly warm environment, so if your house is cold, preheat the oven first.
Toward the end of the hour, preheat the oven to 350 Fahrenheit.
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Bake. Once the rolls have risen (they won’t quite double in size but will puff up a bit), bake for 22-28 minutes, depending on your oven and preference.
Frost and serve. Meanwhile, whisk together the melted butter and cream cheese for the glaze, then slowly add in the powdered sugar, 1/2 cup at a time until smooth. Whisk in the vanilla.
When the rolls are done, let cool for about 5 minutes, then top with the glaze and enjoy! Try my single serve cinnamon roll next!
Substitutions
Flour. This recipe calls for the Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Bread Flour. This is a very specific flour blend and unfortunately, I do not recommend any flour substitutions here. A gluten free all purpose flour blend will not work.
Egg. You need two full eggs for this recipe. Unfortunately, there is not a good substitute for the egg because it is key for that fluffy gooey texture. Instead, try my vegan cinnamon rolls!
Dairy. You can make these dairy free by using dairy free milk (I used almond) and vegan butter like Earth Balance. I usually use regular butter and almond milk because that’s what I have on hand.
Sugar. You can use coconut sugar in the cinnamon sugar filling for a more refined sugar free option, but in the actual cinnamon rolls, I suggest sticking with regular white sugar for best results.
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 hour, cover the pan tightly with plastic wrap or foil and place in the fridge overnight. You can also freeze them for longer.
When you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 and let the rolls sit on top of the oven while the oven preheats. If they were frozen, let thaw on the counter. Bake as usual for 22-28 minutes and enjoy!
Do I need a stand mixer?
I highly recommend using a stand mixer with the dough hook for this recipe. If you don’t have one, you can mix all ingredients by hand, (you don’t want to use a handheld electric mixer) and then knead by hand.
How long do they keep?
To be honest, these gluten free cinnamon rolls are definitely best served fresh.
If you want to store them, your best bet is to freeze them after they bake, then let thaw and reheat in the oven until warm through the center. Glaze/frost them once they are re-heated for best results.
If you don’t want to freeze them, just store at room temp, keeping them tightly covered and reheat in the microwave for about 15-20 seconds.
Can I make these with no yeast?
No. The yeast is essential for that fluffy texture! Please use instant yeast for best results. The Bob’s Red Mill bread flour comes with a package of active dry yeast, but you want instant yeast instead.
Regular gluten free flour can be used with yeast, but for this recipe, the bread flour is the best approach!
You’ll also love..
- Cinnamon Roll Baked Oatmeal
- Gluten Free Coffee Cake
- Cinnamon Swirl Banana Bread
- Cinnamon Roll Blondies
Lastly, if you want more recipes straight to your inbox, be sure to subscribe to my email list. As always, if you make this recipe, be sure to tag me on instagram and leave a comment below so I can see your creation!
Gluten Free Cinnamon Rolls
by: claire cary
Ingredients
Rolls
- 1 16 ounce bag Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Bread Mix NOT all purpose flour!
- ½ cup white sugar
- 1 packet instant yeast
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ¼ cup milk
- 2 eggs room temperature
- ⅓ cup butter melted then cooled slightly
- 2 teapsoons vanilla
- ~ ¼ cup GF all purpose flour for rolling the dough do not add into the dough itself- just for rolling it out!
Filling
- 6 tablespoons softened butter dairy free or regular
- ¾ cup white sugar
- 2 tablespoons cinnamon
Frosting
- ¼ cup melted butter
- 4 ounces cream cheese
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoons vanilla
Instructions
- Please read through the recipe and notes section before starting for best results!
- To the bowl of a stand mixer, add the flour, yeast, sugar, salt and baking powder. Be sure to use instant yeast and not the yeast packet from the flour.
- Mix on low until combined with the dough hook.
- Warm the milk in the microwave for about 1 minute or until warm like bath water. You don’t want it too hot or it will kill the yeast, but too cold and it won’t activate the yeast.
- With the mixer running on low, pour in the milk, then the melted/slightly cooled butter, eggs and vanilla extract.
- Mix for about 30 seconds, then scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure everything is well combined.
- Turn the mixer to medium/low speed and let knead the dough for about 5 minutes.
- Let the dough sit for a few minutes.
- Meanwhile, whisk together the cinnamon and sugar in a bowl and set aside.
- Add the 6 tablespoons of butter to a bowl and melt for about 15-20 seconds, then stir so it just looks softened and not fully melted. Set aside.
- Transfer the dough to a floured surface (I usually use parchment paper and flour it generously with GF all purpose flour to really ensure no sticking).
- Roll into a 12×15 rectangle using a floured rolling pin.
- Carefully brush the butter on top, then sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar.
- There are two methods we can use to slice the rolls, but for this recipe, my preferred is to use a pizza cutter to cut the dough into strips.
- Working from the 15 inch end, cut out 12 strips about 1 1/4 inch wide (so each strip will be 1 1/4 inch x 12 inches). You can also make 10 large rolls and cut each 1 1/2 inch wide.
- Roll each strip into the roll and place in a greased 9×13 baking pan. They puff up a lot while they bake, so ensure you have enough space between each.
- Cover with plastic wrap then top with a dish towel and let rise for 1 hour. I will usually just place on top of my oven. You want a slightly warm environment, so if your house is cold, preheat the oven first.
- Toward the end of the hour, preheat the oven to 350 Fahrenheit.
- Once the rolls have risen (they won’t quite double in size but will puff up a bit), bake for 22-28 minutes, depending on your oven and preference.
- Meanwhile, whisk together the melted butter and cream cheese for the glaze, then slowly add in the powdered sugar, 1/2 cup at a time until smooth. Whisk in the vanilla.
- When the rolls are done, let cool for about 5 minutes, then top with the glaze and enjoy!
Notes
Comments
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Can these be made ahead and frozen until ready to use
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Yes! I would make them, let rise, then freeze until you’re ready to bake, then thaw and bake as usual.
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Can you make these ahead & freeze?
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I’d probably make them, let rise, then freeze before baking. Let them come to room temperature, then bake as usual.
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The recipe was fine, but I was going to make these for a friend who is gluten free. I searched four different stores before I found the right flour, but then after I had used it all in the recipe it said to cover the surface in flour. Naturally, I don’t have gluten free flour on hand, so I ended up having to ditch the recipe as a whole and try it a different time when I could get more gluten free flour. Should this have been something I considered before hand, definitely. But, I do think it is a little confusing when the ingredients ONLY say one 16 oz bag of the GF Bread mix that you use all of in the very first step.
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Will definitely clarify that! A lot of people making this recipe have other gluten free flour on hand, but understand that’s not the case for everyone. Will update this in the recipe.
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Ummm holy cow these are amazing!! I’ve tried multiple GF cinnamon rolls over the years. Some were total fails, others were meh. But these were absolutely delicious. Soft and fluffy with amazing flavor. I’m the only GF person in my house and my whole family loved these. Not just good for being GF but actually really good. Thank you so much for the amazing recipe.
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Thank you, just made my day! They were a true labor of love so I’m so happy they were enjoyed by all!
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I am sure these are amazing, but I am still in the middle of letting them rise. I live in Puerto Rico, so my choices for GF Bread Flour are slim because I have to have it shipped here. Not all suppliers ship to PR. I chose Extra White Gold GF Bread Flour. I used a scale to measure my ingredients; somehow, it came out super soft. I could not roll it. I tried adding more flour, which didn’t do anything. Was it the flour? I cannot determine what it may have been otherwise. I finally peeled it off the parchment paper and put it in the pan to rise. I know it won’t look like your beautiful rolls, but maybe I can salvage them as they are. Any thoughts? My other ingredients are all standard products. I did use whole milk because I had some on hand for another recipe. Was it the milk?
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Unfortunately, it was probably the flour! Whole milk should be fine, you honestly may have just needed to add a lot of extra flour. What were the main ingredients in the one you used? Let us know how they turn out!
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I tried a different recipe last year and it was awful, so I’ve been too discouraged to try again. But today I tried this recipe and they turned out incredible! It was an easy recipe to follow and the end result is delicious! I will definitely be making these again!
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Amazing! GF cinnamon rolls can be tricky, took me a while to get this recipe right so I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
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Can these be frozen after rolling and baked at a later time?
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Yes! Just let them sit at room temperature for a bit before baking. And still let the dough rise before freezing.
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I could not find the bread flour anywhere (in Canada), so I substituted with Bob’s Red Mill GF Pizza Crust Mix. They still turned out really good! I haven’t had cinnamon rolls since I stopped eating gluten 8 years ago; it was a good day. 🥹
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Great idea, so glad that worked out!
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In case anyone else attempts this, I did have to add about 1/2 cup of GF 1-to-1 Baking Flour to the mix because it was so sticky.
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I’m having a hard time finding the Bob red Mill bread mix. I found Pamela gf bread mix. Can I substitute for that? Or should I keep looking?
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I usually just buy it from amazon! You can try the Pamela one, but I haven’t tested that myself!
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I loved the recipe. Made it more sugar free since my husband is diabetic. Forgot the eggs (lol) so my dough was a looser consistency so scooped up my strips and placed them in a muffin pan. Everything else the same. Delicious my husband says! Thank you for this recipe
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Love that idea! Glad it worked out!
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Any chance to make this vegan? Flaxseeds for the eggs and oat or almond milk for whole milk?
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I have a recipe for vegan/gluten free cinnamon rolls also! Just do a quick search on the site.
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THE BEST CINNAMON ROLLS!!!
Hi Claire,
I have been gluten free for about 6 or more years. I have tried 4 other cinnamon roll recipes and had to throw them all out!
This recipe made cinnamon rolls closest to what I made prior to going GF. They were soft and had butter and cinnamon oozing throughout! They were the size of a large cinnamon bun, and I had fun rolling them up in strips!
I shared some rolls with a friend that has been GF for 23 years. She thought they looked amazing when I gave them to her. I got a text a couple hours later “WOW THESE ARE DELICIOUS”!!! She said these rolls were the best she’s had, including the rolls she’s purchased at a GF bakery!
Thank you for the delicious recipe and making me and my friend so happy!
Suzanne Charles
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Such a nice comment, thanks so much Suzanne! Just made my day 🙂
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I’m dairy and gluten free. I’ve tried so many cinnamon roll recipes and this has been by far the best. I didn’t have the correct flour on hand but decided to risk it. The dough ended up being super sticky and I used my floured parchment paper like a sushi mat to roll my dough. I’m excited to try it with the correct flour.
All of my family ended up enjoying these rolls. They were light and tender.-
What milk alternative did you use?
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Did you use Bobs Red Mill Glutin Free Bread Mix? I can’t find just Red Mill Bread Flour. Thank you I am excited to try these.
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Yes! It’s the “mix” you just want to discard that yeast packet and use an instant one.
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Tried making this recipe but my dough never got to the consistency it needed. It was super runny, so after the first few steps I wasn’t able to continue. I’m sad and not sure what I did wrong, but it sounds great!
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Sorry that happened! Did you use the Bob’s flour? You can try adding a tablespoon or so of cornstarch if you keep having issues.
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My house is cold and the top of my oven does not get warm as it has melt grates over the burners. Would you recommend setting on top of a toaster over with it on warm for that hour?
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Yes, that would probably be your best bet!
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I turned my toaster oven on 350 and then turned it off. I put a bread board on top of the oven and then the covered cinnamon rolls. I also have some small under the counter lighting that I think may have helped…
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