Nothing quite like the aroma of these freshly baked homemade gluten free cinnamon rolls. Topped with a gooey icing and served warm, they’re a delicious treat for any time of day!
Cinnamon rolls are usually reserved for special occasions right? A special celebration or a holiday with friends and family. But why should special occasions get all the fun?! Cinnamon rolls should be enjoyed any time the mood strikes. But the problem with typical cinnamon roll recipes is the time involved with actually making these luscious treats is usually so intensive that one look at the recipe and well, these breakfast sandwiches are also delicious, so let’s just do those.
Cinnamon rolls are saved for yet another special occasion.
But here’s the good news, there is such a thing as quick cinnamon rolls that use a yeast dough. So why not surprise your loved ones with a batch of warm, fresh from the oven gluten free cinnamon rolls?!
What makes these gluten free cinnamon rolls the best?
For these four reasons:
- These cinnamon rolls taste like something you’d find in a bakery. They really do. They’re soft, fluffy and just the right balance of sweet and bread-y.
- They use our gluten free flour blend, so there’s no measuring all different kinds of flours and starches.
- They use melted butter in the filling. Softened butter just isn’t the same. Melted butter is delicious.
- They use cream cheese in the icing. Cream cheese is absolutely delectable on these cinnamon rolls. It’s like they are made for each other.
Can I make these gluten free cinnamon rolls dairy free?
I wish I could say yes here, but unfortunately, I haven’t tested them without the butter, cream cheese and milk so I can’t say for certain how they will turn out.
But check out this Delicious Crusty French Bread that IS Dairy Free!
How can I make sure the dough doesn’t stick to the counter too much?
Before turning the dough out of the bowl, position a large sheet (or use two sheets overlapping if needed) on top of counter. Then sprinkle it with a bit of gluten free flour blend. This will allow you to easily roll out the dough, but prevent it from sticking.
What’s the best way to slice cinnamon roll dough?
A common, everyday item makes slicing cinnamon rolls a breeze. Tooth floss! Tooth floss cuts right through the dough without disrupting all the cinnamon filling, like a knife has a tendency to do.
Can I make the dough the night before?
Actually, you can make the whole recipe the night before and then just pop them into the oven to bake the next day. After placing the rolls into the baking pan, cover the pan with plastic wrap and place it into the refrigerator. The next day, take the pan out and let it come to room temperature for 20 minutes. Then bake as usual.
Tips for Making the Best Gluten Free Cinnamon Rolls
Room temperature ingredients
With the exception of the milk, which should be warmed to 100 F, the other ingredients for making these cinnamon rolls should be at room temperature. This is very important so that the ingredients mix together well.
Tip for warming eggs: To quickly bring an egg to room temperature, place it whole into a glass of warm water. Depending on the temperature of the water, you may only need to keep it in there for a minute or so.
Dough texture
After all the mixing has been done, the dough will look uniform and should stick together nicely. It won’t be as solid as gluten dough, but it should be soft and holds its shape when positioned on the wax paper.
Rolling out the dough
The key to the lightest, fluffiest gluten free cinnamon rolls is to not get carried away when rolling out the dough. An 11” by 10” section is what you want to aim for. Any larger than that and the dough gets thinner. Thinner dough has a tendency to rip and not stick together.
Assembling the filling
The delicious brown sugar-butter filling is the star of the show, well, as far as cinnamon rolls go that is. You’ll want to brush the melted butter onto the rolled out dough and then quickly sprinkle the filling onto the butter. You’ll need to work quickly as the melted butter will spread and possibly pour off the dough.
Rolling up the dough
After the filling comes the fun part… rolling up the dough.
For the easiest way to both roll the dough and keep it all together, use the wax paper as your helper. Start with a long side edge, then start rolling, using the wax paper as you continue to roll up the entire, filling topped dough. You should end up with a log that looks like this…
Slicing the rolls
You’re almost there to the best GF cinnamon rolls ever!
To easily slice this long cylinder of dough, all you need is tooth floss and a knife. Yes, you read right – plain old tooth floss.
First, score the dough into 8 pieces with the knife.
Then, start at the end of the dough furthest from you. Take out a long piece of tooth floss and slide it underneath the log of dough at the furthest end from you. Pull it all the way to the front of the log (keeping it underneath it).
Once you come to your first dough score, pull the floss through the dough, making a criss-cross as you come through it.
Repeat this process for the remaining slices. Position the floss under the log, moving it down to your score mark, slicing, then again.
Placing in the baking pan
A flat spatula makes moving these freshly cut cinnamon rolls a breeze. Just slide it under each one and move it to the prepared pan.
Spreading icing over hot cinnamon rolls
After baking, the rolls should be a lovely golden brown. Wait just a couple minutes and then spread the icing over the warm cinnamon rolls. It will seep in between the rolls and make for an amazing, ooey gooey cinnamon roll.
If your mouth is watering for these best ever gluten free cinnamon rolls, here is the recipe to satisfy the cinnamon roll craving any time of year!
Best Gluten Free Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
Roll Ingredients
- 3 Tbsp. butter softened
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ⅔ cup milk warmed to 100 F
- 1 Tbsp. instant yeast
- 1 egg
- 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
- 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- 270 g. gluten free flour blend about 2 cups
- ½ tsp. xanthan gum
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- ½ tsp. salt
Filling Ingredients
- 4 Tbsp. melted butter
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
Cream Cheese Icing
- 2 oz. cream cheese softened
- 3 Tbsp. milk
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 F. Grease a 9” round baking pan or spray well with cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a small bowl or measuring cup, stir together the milk and yeast. Let sit for 5 minutes or until mixture is foamy.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together butter and sugar. Mix on medium for 1 minute.
- Add egg, vegetable oil and vanilla. Mix until fully combined, about 1 minute, scraping down bowl as needed.
- Slowly add yeast mixture to the butter-sugar mixture. Mix for 10 seconds.
- In a medium bowl, mix together the gluten free flour blend, xanthan gum, baking powder and salt. Gradually add to the liquid ingredients, scraping down the bowl as you go.
- Take a piece of wax paper and lay it out so it covers at least a 13” x 13” area. Lightly sprinkle with flour blend.
- Lay the ball of dough on top of the paper. Then pull out another sheet of paper and gently lay it over the dough.
- Use a rolling pin to roll out the dough in between the two layers of paper. You should finish with an approximately 11” x 10” piece of dough.
- In a small bowl, combine brown sugar and cinnamon.
- Remove the top piece of wrap. Spread the butter evenly over the dough and immediately sprinkle with brown sugar-cinnamon.
- Use the bottom piece of wrap to lift the edge of the dough and start to roll it up forming a long cylinder. Score the cylinder of dough into 8 pieces.
- Using a piece of tooth floss, slice into each section to make the cinnamon rolls. Place each roll into the greased pan.
- Bake approximately 25 minutes until the tops are lightly golden brown.
- In a medium bowl, crema together the cream cheese and powered sugar. Add milk until the icing reaches a spreadable consistency.
- Ice the rolls when they come out of the oven so the icing can melt around each one.
Notes
- Let yeast and milk mixture proof for 5 minutes.
- Use a piece of wax paper to easily roll out the dough.
- Once you spread the butter, immediately sprinkle with the cinnamon-brown sugar mixture.
- Use the wax paper to help in rolling up the rolls.
- Use a long string of tooth floss to easily slice the rolls.
- Spread with icing while the rolls are still warm.
Nutrition
Originally published 2/21/2013. Updated with new pictures and directions 12/10/2019.
For more delicious gluten free bread recipes, head over to:
- Gluten Free Apple Bread {Egg Free}
- Buttery Gluten Free Crescent Rolls
- Gluten Free Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
- Almond Flour Graham Cracker Crust
More gluten free baking tips:
Diane Foss
I just finished making my first batch. They are delicious I feel the recipe needs the addition of flour to the surface of the dough before putting on the second sheet of waxed paper. That may have prevented the sticking I experienced. I will definitely make these again.
Christine
Hi Diane,
Thanks so much - glad you enjoyed them!
I can definitely see where you're coming from with the extra flour. Thanks for the feedback!
~Christine
Mel A Linnemeyer
These tasted just as great as gluten-full ones. So good! And the icing was a huge hit, even for those of us who don't like overly sweet foods. For our next batch, we'll adjust to our preferences and decrease the butter by 25% in the filling and half the icing. Really, very good! Thanks for sharing!
Christine
Hi Mel,
So glad you enjoyed them - always love hearing feedback!
Thanks!
~Christine
Jeanne
I was so looking forward to this treat. Unfortunately, we have allergies to xanthan gum and eggs. I know how to substitute one or the other in recipes, but when the need is to substitute both or more than one egg, the flavor and textures are off. Sure would appreciate some help along this line. Thanks for the great gluten free recipes.