Gluten-Free Cinnamon Rolls

Classic Gluten-Free Cinnamon Rolls with an ooey-gooey center and buttery rolled dough that taste just like the ones you remember! See the notes for easy dairy-free and vegan substitutions.

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Keyword gluten free cinnamon rolls

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 40

Resting Time 1 15

Servings rolls

Calories 572kcal

Author Jamie

Ingredients

Dough

1 cup + 2 tablespoons milk (dairy milk or unsweetened almond milk)
¼ cup maple syrup
1 ¼ teaspoon active dry yeast
2 ¼ cups All Purpose Gluten-Free Flour with xanthan gum, plus more for dusting hands and surfaces (I used Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1 GF Baking Flour, 308 grams)
1 ½ tablespoons psyllium husk powder
½ teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons salted butter , melted but not hot

Filling

¼ cup brown sugar , lightly packed
½ tablespoon cinnamon
3 tablespoons salted butter , melted but not hot

Frosting

4 tablespoons salted butter softened at room temperature
2 ounces cream cheese or the solid part of a can of coconut cream for vegan, softened at room temperature (¼ cup)
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups powdered sugar

Instructions

Milk + Yeast: Warm the milk to 110-115 degrees F in the microwave or on the stove (no more than 120 degrees F, or it could kill the yeast). Then add the maple syrup and stir to combine. Then add the yeast, stir, and set aside for 5 minutes to activate the yeast. After 5 minutes, the mixture should begin frothing. If not, wait an additional 5 minutes. If no frothing occurs, you need to start over because the yeast is bad.
Make the dough: In a large mixing bowl, combine the gluten-free flour, psyllium husk powder, and salt. Whisk to combine. Then add the milk mixture and 6 tablespoons of melted butter. Stir with a spatula or wooden spoon until well combined. Then wait 5 minutes for the dough to solidify.
Knead: On a lightly floured surface with lightly floured hands, knead the dough for about 5 minutes. This adds a little stretch to the dough to help it rise nicely without cracking. When finished, the dough should be soft, smooth, and uniform with a little spring back when poked with a finger. If the dough is too soft, place it in the refrigerator for up to 30 minutes before trying again.
Filling: Using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll the dough into a rectangle that is about 10 inches by 12 inches. Use your fingers or a silicone brush to smooth 3 tablespoons of melted butter across the dough, reaching the edges on all except for one inch on one of the shorter sides. Whisk together the brown sugar and cinnamon before sprinkling it evenly over the butter.
Roll and rise: Cutting along the longer side (so dough strips are 12 inches long), cut 7 strips of dough that are about 1 ½ inches wide. Roll them snugly (but gently) from the sugared edge to the bare edge. Tuck the end of the bare edge underneath the cinnamon roll. Arrange the rolls evenly in an 8 or 9 inch cake pan that has been greased or lined with parchment paper. Cover with a tea towel and leave in a warm place for 1 - 1 ½ hours or until the rolls have double in size.
Bake: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Bake the rolls on a middle oven rack for 35-45 minutes or until the internal temperature of a gluten-free cinnamon roll is between 190 and 200 degrees F. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes.
Frosting: Meanwhile, make the frosting by adding the 4 tablespoons of softened butter, cream cheese or coconut cream, and vanilla extract to a bowl. Mix well with an electric mixer. Then add the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time and mix in. Frost the tops of the cinnamon rolls and enjoy!

Notes

See the blog post for step-by-step photos and expert tips. There are also alternative instructions and photos for making this recipe without psyllium husk powder (the recipe prior the 8-17-2024 update).

Storage: Store leftover gluten-free cinnamon rolls in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Freeze baked rolls for up to 2-3 months.

Kneading: I recommend kneading the dough for at least 5 minutes, but they will be a little softer and rise a little more nicely if you knead longer. For more information on kneading gluten-free dough (including the importance of kneading through the sticky phase), check out the tips in my Gluten-Free Artisan Bread recipe.

* Yeast: Yeast begin to die above 130 degrees F. Therefore it is very important to make sure the wet ingredients are below 130 degrees F when adding them to the flour and yeast mixture.

12 rolls (double batch): For a double batch, use a 9 x 13 inch baking pan (metal pan preferred). Double the recipe and roll the dough into a 12 by 16 inch rectangle. The dough strips will be 12 inches long and about 1 ⅓ inches wide. Place them in the baking pan with 3 rolls across the short end and 4 rolls across the long end. Bake as listed in the recipe.

Rising time: Rising time can vary greatly depending on the temperature of your house, and therefore the season. In the winter, I use the oven to help. Check out the expert tips in the blog post for instructions on how to do this without a bread proof setting.

Extra gooey: For extra soft and gooey gluten-free cinnamon rolls, warm 3 tablespoons of milk to room temperature or slightly warmer and drizzle it over the just rolls before baking. If using unsweetened plant milk, also add 1 teaspoon of maple syrup to the mixture.

Dairy-Free + Vegan: Use dairy-free butter and unsweetened almond milk in equal amounts to replace the butter and milk in this recipe. For the cream cheese frosting, use the same amount of solid coconut cream to replace the cream cheese. Read the section on "ingredients + substitutions" in the blog post for links to the dairy-free and vegan brands I used in my recipe trials, as well as tips for using coconut cream in place of cream cheese.

Nutrition