Easy Gluten-Free Cinnamon Rolls

Our Easy Gluten-Free Cinnamon Rolls are the perfect Christmas morning treat! Enjoy watching your little ones opening presents with a cup of coffee and this delicious cinnamon roll recipe. Made from gluten-free flour and other traditional ingredients. Don't limit yourself to the holidays, this recipe is great all year!

this recipe

Cinnamon rolls are yeast-leavened dough. Rolled out, coated in butter, and heavily dusted with cinnamon and sugar. The dough is cut into 1-inch slices and baked until golden brown. A cream cheese frosting is a popular way to finish off these tender morning danishes!

In the spirit of everything gluten-free, why not cinnamon rolls. A traditional cinnamon roll recipe, but we swap out the flour for a gluten-free option. We use butter and eggs to make an enriched dough. Making the dough rich, tender, and soft. Typically in baking, the more fat you add, the softer the texture will be.

The combination of apple cider vinegar and baking soda will give the cinnamon rolls a bit of a lift. If you don't have cider vinegar on hand, lemon juice will do the job.

You can make my gluten-free flour blend or try Bob's Red Mill variety.

What makes these cinnamon rolls so good

• Delicious for Christmas morning - In our house, Christmas won't start until you have a cinnanom roll and coffee in hand
• Make Ahead - Roll and cut cinnamon rolls in advance. Place pan in the oven in the morning and top with your favorite cinnamon roll glaze.
• Par Bake - Partially cook in a oven until halway done and freeze. Are you craving cinnamon rolls? Take them out of the freezer, thaw, and bake the rest of the way!

Ingredients

• gluten-free flour - bobs red mill 1 to 1 flour works great
• eggs
• milk - whole milk for the high fat content
• yeast - active dry yeast
• sugar
• butter - I like to use kerrygold irish butter
• apple cider vinegar
• baking soda
• cream of tartar
• salt
• cinnamon/sugar blend
• cream chese
• powdered sugar

How to make this recipe

Making gluten-free cinnamon rolls is so easy, here's how to make it:

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer add sugar, warm milk (110-115 degrees), and yeast. Whisk. Let sit for 5 minutes or until foamy. Add the flour, eggs, melted butter, cider vinegar, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt. Using the dough hook, mix on medium speed until the dough pulls away from the side of the bowl. The dough should be sticky.
2. Place the dough into a butter stainless-steel bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a large towel. Let proof for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
3. Using a 12 x 16 piece of parchment paper or Silpat, press dough out to the edges. I like to use my hands to press the dough to the edges.
4. Brush the dough with softened butter and sprinkle cinnamon-sugar mixture on top.
5. Use parchment paper or Silpat to help roll the cinnamon rolls.
6. Cut into 12 equal-sized cinnamon rolls. I like to use non-flavored dental floss for a clean cut.
7. Place into a buttered casserole dish and bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Underbaking cinnamon rolls create a softer texture. Spread cream cheese frosting on top and enjoy!

Substitutions

• Flour - If you don't want to go the gluten-free route, you can swap it out for all-purpose or bread flour.
• Yeast - These cinnamon rolls are possible without yeast. Follow the recipe without the yeast and add 1 tablespoon of baking powder.
• Milk - Almond, macadamia, or oat milk work for a dairy-free alternative.
• Sugar - Replace with Swerve for a sugar-free option
• Cream of Tartar - You can swap out the cream of tartar and baking soda for 1 teaspoon of baking powder.

Variations

• Nuts - Adding a handful of chopped pecans makes a great addition to the cinnamon-sugar filling.
• Dairy-Free - Replace whole milk with nut milk of your choice. Replace butter with coconut oil. Use powdered sugar and a couple of tablespoons of nut milk for the glaze.
• Keto - To make this recipe keto-friendly, use Swerve sweetener, in place of sugar. The ratio is 1:1, so no need to adjust the measurement.

How to store and reheat gluten-free cinnamon rolls

How to Store: You can leave cinnamon rolls out at room temperature for 2 days. They will last 7 days under refrigeration and 2 months in the freezer.

To Freeze: Place cinnamon rolls into an airtight container and freeze for no longer than 2 months. I like to par-bake my cinnamon rolls at 300 degrees for 10-15 minutes. Place into an airtight container and fr

To Reheat: I like to par-bake my cinnamon rolls at 300 degrees for 10-15 minutes. Place into an airtight container and freeze. When I am craving a delicious danish, I will pop them into a 350-degree oven for 10 more minutes, and they come out perfect. You can also microwave for 30 seconds on high power.

Pro Tips

• Activate Yeast - It's a good insurance policy to activate your yeast first for a good rise. If your yeast is out-of-date or old, the dough will not rise. Activating your yeast will give the proofing process a head start.
• Sticky Dough - You never want dry dough in gluten-free baking. I like to hold back a cup of flour and add it if needed. If the dough is dry, it will not rise properly.
• Baking Soda + Vinegar - Gluten-free flour is not light like all-purpose flour. We use baking soda and vinegar to help with the rise.
• Press instead of roll - Press out the dough onto a 12 x 18 Silpat or parchment paper. Using a rolling pin can tear the dough. Think of it like shaping pizza dough.
• Roll Like a Pro - Use Silpat or parchment paper to help roll the dough. Roll over the parchment paper and shape with hands and continue rolling until completed.
• Cutting - I like to use unflavored dental floss to portion the cinnamon rolls. It gives you a nice clean-up instead of squashing them with a knife.
• Underbake - Most recipes will tell you to bake them for 30 minutes, but we don't like dry cinnamon rolls around here. Baking for 20-25 minutes will give your that soft center.

Frequently Asked Questions

Other dessert recipes to try...

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📖 Recipe

Easy Gluten-Free Cinnamon Rolls

mikecleavenger

Our Easy Gluten-Free Cinnamon Rolls are the perfect Christmas morning treat! Enjoy watching your little ones opening presents, with a cup of coffee and this delicious cinnamon roll.

5 from 1 vote

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 mins

Cook Time 25 mins

Total Time 45 mins

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Servings 12 muffins

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• ▢ DOUGH
• ▢ 1 cup warm milk 110-115 degrees
• ▢ 1 packet active dry yeast 2 ¼ teaspoons
• ▢ ½ cup sugar
• ▢ ½ cup butter melted
• ▢ 2 eggs
• ▢ 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• ▢ 3 ½ cup gluten-free flour
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon salt
• ▢ FILLING
• ▢ ½ cup brown sugar
• ▢ ½ cup white sugar
• ▢ 2 tablespoons cinnamon
• ▢ 6 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
• ▢ CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
• ▢ 4 ounces cream cheese softened
• ▢ 3 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
• ▢ ¾ cup powdered sugar
• ▢ ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

 

• Grease a large casserole dish with butter and set aside
• MAKING THE DOUGH
• In the bowl of a stand mixer combine sugar, yeast, and warm milk (110-115 degrees).  Stir with a whisk and let sit for 5 minutes.  The mixture should be foamy.
• Add in melted butter, eggs, vinegar, flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt.  Using the dough hook attachment, mix on low until incorporated.
• Increase speed to medium-high for 5 minutes or until dough pulls away from the bowl.  The dough should be sticky. 
• Transfer dough into a large bowl greased with butter and cover with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel.   Let the dough be proofed for 1 hour or until doubled in size.  
• ROLLING AND SHAPING THE DOUGH
• Place dough on a 12 x 16-inch piece of parchment or Silpat.  Using your hands, press the dough into a 12 x 16-inch rectangle.  
• Place softened butter on top of the dough and spread with a pastry brush.  Make sure to coat every inch of the dough.
• In a small bowl, mix sugars and cinnamon.  Sprinkle over the buttered dough covering every inch. 
• Using the parchment or Silpat, roll the dough into a log.  Fold over dough once with parchment and shape with hands.  Continue rolling until completed.
• Cut into 12 1-inch portions.  Using unflavored dental floss makes a clean cut.
• Place cinnamon rolls into the greased casserole pan and bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.
• FROSTING
• In a medium-sized bowl whisk butter, cream cheese, vanilla, and powdered sugar.  The consistency should be smooth.
• Using a spatula, spread the frosting over the top of the cinnamon rolls. Enjoy!

Notes

If your kitchen is cold, the dough will not rise. Find a warm place in your kitchen.  Some ovens have a proofing setting.  

Greasing your bowl will help the dough rise. Gluten-free flour is dense and needs all the help it can get to double in size.  

Make sure the milk is no hotter than 115 degrees, or you may kill the yeast. I like to heat my milk in 15-second bursts in the microwave until I reach the desired temperature.

Use hands to press out dough instead of a rolling pin. This dough is delicate and can tear easily. 

Using parchment paper or a Silpat helps roll the cinnamon rolls.

To cut the cinnamon rolls, use a thin wire or dental floss to a clean cut.

Brush with an egg wash to help with the browning.

Waiting 10-15 minutes after the cinnamon rolls are out of the oven is the optimal time to add the frosting. 

Keyword breakfast, christmas, cinnamon, cinnamon rolls, frosting, gluten free, holiday's

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