Gluten Free Cinnamon Rolls
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My gluten-free cinnamon rolls are soft, fluffy, and loaded with gooey cinnamon filling. They’re easy to make, can be prepped the night before, and taste just as good as any traditional cinnamon roll.
I’ve tried plenty of gluten-free cinnamon rolls, and there was always something missing. I’m not sure whether it was the preparation method or the flour blend, but they never quite lived up to my expectations. Luckily, my homemade gluten-free cinnamon roll recipe ticks all the boxes and honestly rivals any version made with regular flour.
When testing this recipe, the biggest issues I ran into were dough that crumbled, baked up dense, or turned out dry. I realized my mistake: I was treating gluten-free cinnamon roll dough like it was regular dough. In reality, it needs to be softer, stickier, and handled far less.
Once I stopped overworking the dough and resisted the urge to add extra flour (very hard to do!), everything fell into place. They’re soft, fluffy, and gooey in all the right places, and they reheat beautifully if you’d like to make them ahead of time. The best part? No one can tell they’re gluten-free.
Table of Contents
Arman’s tips before starting
Make sure the yeast is active. If the yeast mixture doesn’t become foamy after a few minutes, the yeast is likely dead. I’ve made the mistake of continuing anyway, and the rolls barely rose. It’s best to start again with fresh yeast.
Don’t add extra flour. This is the biggest mistake I made when testing these. Gluten-free cinnamon roll dough is supposed to be softer and stickier than traditional dough. Adding extra flour will make the rolls dense and dry.
Handle the dough gently. Unlike regular dough, gluten-free dough doesn’t benefit from lots of kneading. I mix it until it comes together, then stop.
Use dental floss to cut the rolls. I find it much easier than using a knife. The floss creates clean cuts without squashing the dough or pulling out the filling.
Key Ingredients
Because this is gluten-free baking, I don’t recommend making ingredient substitutions. The recipe was tested exactly as written, and even small changes can affect the texture of the finished rolls.
- Sugar. To help bloom the yeast and add sweetness to the dough.
- Milk. Warm milk activates the yeast. I typically use whole milk, but unsweetened almond milk works well. I find 110°F (43°C) to be the sweet spot.
- Instant yeast. This is my yeast of choice because it’s easy to use and activates quicker than active dry yeast.
- Butter. Adds richness, flavor, and moisture to the dough.
- Eggs. To bind the dough.
- All-purpose gluten-free flour. This is the most important ingredient in this recipe. I consistently have success with King Arthur and Bob’s Red Mill gluten-free flour blends. Whichever brand you use, make sure it contains xanthan gum.
- Heavy cream. Brushed over the rolls before baking. It helps keep them soft and encourages a beautifully golden top.
- Cinnamon sugar filling. A mix of butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla.
- Cream cheese frosting. Either store-bought or my homemade frosting that uses cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and salt.
How to make gluten-free cinnamon rolls
I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step 1 – Activate the yeast. Whisk the sugar, warmed milk, and yeast in a large mixing bowl. Set it aside until the mixture is foamy.
Step 2 – Make the dough. Beat the eggs and melted butter into the yeast mixture until smooth. Next, stir in ½ cup of flour at a time.
Step 3 – Knead the dough. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, then place it in a warm spot to rise.
Step 4 – Roll and fill. Transfer the now risen cinnamon roll dough to a lightly floured surface and use a rolling pin to roll it out into a rectangle. Spread the filling over the dough.
Step 5 – Assemble. Roll into a log, slice into 8 pieces, then place in a greased baking dish. Brush the tops with heavy cream.
Step 6 – Bake, then frost. Bake until golden brown, then frost.
Frequently asked questions
Once the rolls are cut and placed in the baking dish, cover them tightly and refrigerate them. The next morning, let them sit at room temperature while the oven preheats, then bake as directed.
First of all, patience is key when waiting for the dough to rise! My dough took about 1 hour to rise in a warm spot, but every environment is different and times will vary. If your kitchen is cold, place the covered bowl with the dough in a preheated oven, then turn it off to help it rise faster.
Avoid adding extra flour and be careful not to overbake the rolls. Gluten-free dough should feel softer and stickier than regular dough, and the rolls will continue to set as they cool.
Storage instructions
To store: The rolls are best when they’re eaten the day they’re made. However, if you have leftovers, they can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two days.
Reheating: I actually prefer reheating them in the microwave for 15-20 seconds, which keeps the rolls soft and fluffy. You can also warm them in a 350°F oven for 5-6 minutes.
To freeze: Keep the baked cinnamon buns in a freezer bag and freeze for up to 6 months. Let them thaw in the fridge overnight.
Gluten Free Cinnamon Rolls
Video
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup sugar 50g
- 1 cup milk warmed to 110F, 240mL
- 1 tablespoon instant yeast 9g
- 3 tablespoons butter melted, 42g
- 2 large eggs
- 3 cups gluten free flour * See notes, 360g
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream 30mL
Filling
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter 57g
- 1 cup brown sugar 200g
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon 8g
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 5mL
Cream cheese frosting
- 6 ounces cream cheese softened, 170g
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter softened, 75g
- 1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar 180g
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Start by making the dough. Combine sugar, warmed milk, and yeast in a large bowl. Cover and set aside for 15 minutes. The mixture should look foamy and bubbly on top.
- Once the yeast is activated, add eggs and melted butter and beat until smooth. Gradually fold in the flour, ½ cup at a time.
- Knead the dough for 5 minutes. It will be tacky and soft, but do not add more flour, as gluten-free flour dough is softer than traditional dough. Cover the dough with a clean wrap and allow it to rise for 1 hour in a warm spot. The dough should look puffed up and nearly double in size.
- Make the filling by combining the butter, sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla in a bowl until creamy.
- Dust a kitchen counter or flat surface with gluten free flour. Roll out the dough to a 1/4-inch thick rectangle.
- Spread the filling over the dough. Roll the dough, starting from the longer side, into a firm log. Cut the dough into 8 large or 10 smaller pieces and arrange the rolls into a butter-greased baking dish.
- Brush the rolls with heavy cream and allow them to rest for 15 minutes. The rolls should look slightly puffed and begin touching one another.
- Preheat the oven to 190C/375F.
- Bake the cinnamon rolls for 35-40 minutes, until the tops are lightly golden and the centers are set. The rolls should spring back lightly when touched.
- Make the cream cheese frosting by beating together butter, cream cheese, confectioners sugar, and salt in a bowl until smooth.
- Once the cinnamon rolls have cooled to room temperature, spread the frosting on top.
Notes
Nutrition
More gluten-free baked goods
Originally published April 2023
Can you use GF bread flour?
Hi Ann- I haven’t tried a specific bread flour. If you do try these out with it, please let me know how it goes, I’m curious!
Best Cinnamon Roll recipe. Soft rolls that pull apart easily and melt in your mouth.
Thank you Paula! So glad you enjoyed them 🙂
Would this work to make ahead, refrigerate after rolling and then allow to come to room temp before baking?
Yes, Kim 🙂 I added that to our FAQ’s section, but what you’ve written is exactly what happens 🙂
Hi, what yeast do you use?
Hi Shelby- I use instant yeast, but active dry yeast will also work for this recipe, because it’s being dissolved in warm milk and sugar.
You missed adding cinnamon in the “make filling” step. I haven’t made these yet but will be testing out this recipe this week.
Apologies for the oversight, May- I’ve amended it now 🙂