This gluten-free cinnamon rolls recipe makes big and beautiful traditional style cinnamon rolls. They are exceptionally fluffy, and have the most delicious dairy-free cinnamon swirl. Top your gluten-free cinnamon rolls with a light glaze, or dairy-free vanilla frosting – I’ve provided you with recipes for each below!
Gluten-Free Cinnamon Rolls
Years ago I shared with you my original gluten-free cinnamon rolls recipe, that continues to be a reader favorite. That original recipe is absolutely delicious, but it makes smaller cinnamon rolls and only requires 4 cups of flour.
This new recipe, requires 8 cups of flour, and makes bigger and fluffier cinnamon rolls. These rolls are double in size than the original recipe and average 5-inches each!
Also, with this new recipe, I’ve been able to omit some of the excess ingredients found in the original recipe, yet still maintain integrity of the rolls.
How to Make Gluten-Free Cinnamon Rolls
Sometimes it can be intimidating to work with yeast, or to try your hand at making cinnamon rolls gluten-free. Let me assure you though, if you follow the instructions below and use the ingredients that are called for in the recipe, these dairy-free cinnamon rolls are actually very easy to make.
So let’s get to it!
- Make the dough. The wonderful thing about this recipe – there’s no kneading involved! You simply add the ingredients to your mixer, and mix using the paddle attachment. It’s a very straightforward and easy dough to make.
- Rise. The dough might seem sticky and shaggy right after it’s mixed, but don’t let this worry you. As the dough rises, the gluten-free flours, starch, and psyllium husk powder absorb the liquid. The dough transforms, becoming pliable and easy to handle.
- Form the rolls. Roll the dough into two 15×15″ squares (you can do this one at a time). Brush with melted vegan butter, and then evenly sprinkle on the topping. Form into cylinders, and cut 16 rolls total, 8 per cylinder. Place rolls cut side down in two 9×13″ greased baking pans.
- Rise. Cover the baking pans with clean kitchen towels and let the formed rolls rise for about 1 hour.
- Bake. Bake for 25-35 minutes, just until the rolls are set, and the undersides are golden.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Dry Ingredients
Brown Rice Flour, Millet Flour, Sorghum Flour, Tapioca Starch– Those of you who have followed me for any length of time know I don’t normally bake with gluten-free all purpose flour blends. This recipe is no exception.
This recipe has only been testing with the flours/starches listed. I don’t recommend substituting a gluten-free all purpose flour blend, as different flours/starches have different moisture requirements (and tastes).
Psyllium Husk Powder– Psyllium husks are often sold as a fiber supplement, but you want to use the powder variety specifically for this recipe. Whole psyllium husks will not absorb as much liquid or provide as much structure within the dough as the powdered version.
If you can’t find psyllium husk powder, you can buy the whole psyllium husks (usually sold in the dietary supplement aisle) and grind them into a powder using a clean blender or coffee grinder. Blend until finely powdered, and then measure the amount you need after it’s powdered.
The brands of powdered psyllium husk I use and recommend are NOW Foods and Anthony’s. Other brands may possibly lend a purplish hue to your baked goods. There is no substitute for psyllium husk powder in this recipe.
Yeast
SAF Instant Yeast– SAF Instant Yeast (red package, not the gold one) yields very consistent results and does not require proofing before being added to the dough. You add it directly to the dry ingredients and it dissolves in the dough. It is designed to allow for many rises (unlike rapid rise instant yeast, that only allows for only 1-2 rises), and even performs well in cold-proofed dough (so if you’re planning to overnight your cinnamon rolls in the refrigerator, the SAF Instant Yeast really is ideal). In short, as long as it is fresh, it’s guaranteed to work.
Are SAF Instant Yeast and active dry yeast are interchangeable? Yes, they should be, though SAF Instant Yeast seems to lend a stronger rise. Just remember, active dry yeast must be proofed first with sugar and water before being added to the dough. I recommend first swapping them at a 1:1 ratio. If you find you aren’t quite getting the rise needed, the next time you make the recipe, increase the amount of active dry yeast by 1/4 teaspoon.
Wet Ingredients
Canned Coconut Milk (Full Fat)– Gluten-free yeast breads require structure in order to be successful. Canned coconut milk, because it is high in fat, aids in providing that needed structure. While I haven’t tried making this recipe using a substitute, I think hemp milk may possibly work well, as it is also thick and high in fat.
Vegan Butter– I realize not everyone can use vegan butter, so if you need a substitute, I recommend using olive oil within the cinnamon roll dough, and melted coconut oil for the filling. Ghee, if it’s tolerated, also works well in both the dough and filling (ghee is what I use).
Eggs– I have not tested this recipe egg-free, but suspect it would do well with a chia egg replacement. 2 tablespoons ground chia meal + 6 tablespoons hot water = 2 chia eggs.
Overnight Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Cinnamon Rolls
You can easily enjoy freshly-baked cinnamon rolls in the morning without any a.m. fuss.
- The night before, make the rolls as directed and place them in the pan to rise. Let them rise for just 30 minutes, cover the pan with plastic wrap, and refrigerate the rolls overnight.
- In the morning, pull the pan out of the refrigerator and let the rolls warm to room temperature. This can take 1 to 2 hours.
- Remove the wrap and bake the cinnamon rolls in your preheated oven as directed in the baking instructions.
Freezer Gluten-Free Cinnamon Buns
Once baked, these gluten-free cinnamon rolls freeze beautifully.
- Let the rolls cool completely, separate them, and individually wrap each roll in plastic wrap.
- Place the wrapped rolls in an airtight container (for an extra layer of insulation) and freeze. They should keep in the freezer for up to 6 weeks.
- When cravings strike, let a roll thaw at room temperature, and then heat it for 20 to 30 seconds in the microwave to soften.
Important Recipe Note
As stated above: you need a mixer that can handle 8 cups of flour to make this gluten-free cinnamon bun recipe. Check your owners manual to be sure. If 8 cups of flour is too much for your mixer, try my original GF cinnamon rolls recipe. It only uses 4 cups of flour!
Gluten-Free Cinnamon Rolls Recipe:
This gluten-free cinnamon rolls recipe makes big and beautiful traditional style cinnamon rolls. They are exceptionally fluffy, and have the most delicious dairy-free cinnamon swirl. Top your gluten-free cinnamon rolls with a light glaze, or dairy-free frosting, I've provided you with recipes for each below! This recipe requires a mixer that can handle 8 cups of flour. Check your owners manual prior to making this recipe, otherwise, you could potentially ruin your machine. If 8 cups of flour are too much for your mixer, try my original GF cinnamon rolls recipe. It only uses 4 cups of flour! Don’t use additional flour to roll your dough. This dough is very easy to work with and shape. If you do struggle with rolling it out, cover the dough with plastic wrap, and roll the dough out between the layers. I prefer to bake my cinnamon rolls in glass pans, that way it’s easier to tell when they are finished baking. The underside of the rolls becomes more golden than the tops do. If you do use metal pans, your rolls may bake quicker, as metal conducts heat differently than glass. Dairy-Free Vanilla Frosting Recipe: Glaze Recipe: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
Gluten Free Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
For the dough:
For the filling:
Instructions
and overlapping slightly (the oil or water will keep the plastic wrap sealed to the work surface). Sprinkle the plastic wrap with 1 tablespoon of organic cane sugar.Notes
1/2 cup palm shortening
1/4 cup vegan butter (or ghee if tolerated)
1 lbs. organic powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3-5 tablespoons water
4 cups organic powdered sugar
3-5 tablespoons waterRecommended Products
Don’t forget to snap a pic and tag me on Instagram @allergyfreeak and #allergyfreealaska with your gluten-free dairy-free cinnamon roll pics!
Alene
Could I just cut the recipe in half and use this recipe rather than the other one? And can I use fine ground brown rice flour? I find that easier to eat, as it doesn’t taste crunchy. Thank you!
Mēgan
Hi Alene,
I don’t see why you couldn’t cut the recipe in half?
I do believe fine ground brown rice flour should work fine.
🙂 Megan
Onesti
YUM!! I can’t wait to try these! I actually just tried out the original recipe from your cookbook a few weeks ago, using real butter and chia eggs. They were amazing! Every time I make one of your recipes my children say, “This is another Mrs. Ancheta recipe? She is a genius!” I agree.
Mēgan
Awe – your comment totally made my day, Onesti! Thank you so much! And so happy you liked the original gluten-free cinnamon rolls recipe!
Colleen Fowler
Megan, These are the most delicious cinnamon rolls I have had that are gluten free!! OMG!! I made a few changes but not in the flours. I didn’t have vegan butter so used organic coconut oil. I also used coconut sugar for the bread and for the filling I used maple sugar and coconut oil. I also didn’t have Instant yeast so used the regular. It made HUGE rolls…rose so well. Thank you so much for this recipe!! I plan to use the dough for base for kuchen. I have had such a hard time finding a dough that had mouth feel of “normal” raised sweet bread! You perfected it!!
Mēgan
That’s such a high compliment – thank you, Colleen! I’m thrilled you enjoyed them so much!
Joani Rogers
So , what if you don’t own a mixer? I only have my hands. What do you suggest?
Mēgan
Hi Joani,
This dough is really sticky. I know personally, I wouldn’t be able to mix this dough by hand (but I also have 4 autoimmune diseases that target my joints/soft tissues). So I’m not quite sure what to suggest.