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These are the fluffiest Gluten-Free Cinnamon Rolls with a sweet white glaze and sticky cinnamon-sugar filling. They’re perfect with a cup of coffee in the morning or as an easy gluten-free dessert idea. And they are especially wonderful for Christmas breakfast!
The Best Gluten-Free Holiday Breakfast Treat
It’s hard not to love fluffy and pillowy cinnamon rolls. And if you’re gluten-free, now you can enjoy classic glazed cinnamon rolls whenever you like! I love serving these for guests on a holiday morning. There’s something so festive and comforting about waking up to the aroma of warm, buttery dough and cinnamon spice in the house.
Of course, these are pastries after all, so they work just as well as an after-dinner dessert. Why not change up your holiday dessert spread this year? You can finish off Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner with a tray of freshly baked and glazed cinnamon rolls! Even non-gluten-free guests will love these light, airy and fluffy rolls.
What You’ll Need
There are three components to this gluten-free cinnamon roll recipe. The dough, the filling and the glaze. Here’s what you need to make each component:
Cinnamon Roll Dough
- Gluten-free flour. Use gluten-free 1-to-1 all-purpose flour.
- Tapioca starch
- Sweet rice flour. This has a nice fine texture for the lightest and fluffiest rolls.
- Yeast. Make sure to use instant yeast.
- Milk. Warm it a bit to help activate the yeast.
- Butter. you can also use vegetable oil.
- Eggs
- Sugar
- Salt
Cinnamon Sugar Filling Ingredients
- Butter. Use softened unsalted butter that’s easy to spread.
- Brown sugar. Coconut sugar will also work.
- Cinnamon
- Vanilla
Cinnamon Roll Glaze Ingredients
- Powdered sugar. This is important to get the smoothest, creamiest glaze. Granulated sugar will create a grainy texture.
- Boiling water
How to Make Gluten-Free Cinnamon Rolls
Making your own cinnamon rolls is a fun baking project. If you have little ones at home, this is also a great time to get them involved in the kitchen. Kids can help measure, add ingredients to the mixing bowl, and shape the buns. They’ll also learn the importance of patience while the dough rises! And of course, they’ll be thrilled to enjoy the fruits of their labors.
Here’s how to make these easy and super fluffy rolls:
Make the dough: In a stand mixer, combine the dry ingredients for the dough. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs and melted butter or oil.
Mix the dough: Turn the mixer on low and slowly pour the wet ingredient mixture into the dry ingredients. Mix for 5 to 7 minutes, until you have a smooth, supple dough. Transfer the dough to a greased mixing bowl and cover the bowl with plastic. Place it somewhere warm to proof until it doubles in size.
Make the filling: In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar and cinnamon. Add the melted butter and vanilla and stir until combined.
Knead the dough: Place the dough on a flour work surface. Knead it into a smooth ball, then roll it into a rectangle 1/4- to 1/2-inch thick.
Shape the cinnamon rolls: Cover the dough with the cinnamon-butter mixture. Then, working from the long end, roll the dough up into a tight log. Use a serrated knife to divide the log into equal pieces about 1 to 1 1/2 inches thick.
Proof the buns: Place the cinnamon rolls in a parchment-lined baking dish. Cover the dish with a damp cloth and place somewhere warm to rise for 30 to 60 minutes.
Bake the cinnamon rolls: Bake the rolls in a 350°F oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until golden brown.
Make the glaze: In a bowl, combine the powdered sugar and boiling water until smooth. Pour the glaze over the cinnamon rolls when they’re still hot out of the oven. Serve warm!
Tips for Success
Since I’ve made these fluffy cinnamon rolls many times, I’ve compiled my best tips to help you perfect your rolls from the start. Keep these suggestions in mind when baking:
- The dough should be supple, not sticky. If necessary, add more gluten free all-purpose flour when mixing and kneading the dough.
- Spread the cinnamon-sugar filling all the way out to the edges when shaping the rolls.
- It can be handy to use a ruler to measure the rolls when you’re slicing the log to ensure equal pieces.
- Place the dough in an off oven, near a heater, or in the sun to rise.
- The rolls are ready to bake then they’re puffy and look light after the second rise.
- Adding the glaze to the hot cinnamon buns helps the dough absorb some of the glaze fora moist, sweet texture and flavor througout.
Other Frosting Ideas
You can substitute the white glaze with a whipped cream cheese frosting or even a decadent Homemade Chocolate Frosting. For extra flavor, try the maple glaze from this Gluten Free Pumpkin Bread recipe. Or feel free to skip the glaze, the rolls are delicious all on their own!
Make it a Meal
Complete your holiday breakfast by serving gluten free cinnamon rolls with these brunch dishes:
- Waldorf Fruit Salad
- Air Fryer Ham
- Hawaiian Scrambled Eggs
- Bacon (learn 5 different ways to cook it)
- Healthy Snickers Salad
Storage Suggestions
Store leftover cinnamon rolls in an airtight container at room temperature for two days, in the fridge for up to four days. You can serve them at room temperature or reheat them in the microwave in 10-second increments until heated through.
Can I Freeze Cinnamon Rolls?
Sure! If you’d like to freeze these cinnamon rolls, let them cool to room temperature. Then place them in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to three months. To serve, defrost the rolls in the fridge overnight. Enjoy them at room temperature or reheat in the microwave until warm.
More Gluten-Free Breakfast Baked Goods
- Gluten Free Apple Cider Donuts
- New York Style Gluten Free Crumb Cake
- Gluten Free Eggnog Coffee Cake
- Gluten Free Cornbread Muffins
Fluffy Gluten-Free Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
FOR THE DOUGH
- 3 cups 1-to-1 gluten-free flour blend,
- 1 cup tapioca starch
- 1/2 cup sweet rice flour
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 ½ Tablespoons instant (fast-acting) yeast
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups warm milk (90-110°F)
- ¾ cup melted unsalted butter , or vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs
FOR CINNAMON SUGAR FILLING:
- ½ cup unsalted butter , softened to rom temperature
- 1 cup brown or coconut sugar
- 4 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoons vanilla extract
FOR THE GLAZE:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 3-4 Tablespoons boiling water
Instructions
Dough
- Add the gluten free flour, tapioca starch, sweet rice flour, sugar, yeast, and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix dry ingredients using the hook attachment.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk, melted butter, and eggs.
- With the mixer running on low, slowly add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.
- Mix for about 5-7 minutes. The dough should be smooth. The dough shouldn't be dry. If you see that is very hard to work with just add some extra warm milk.
- Scrape the dough together into a lightly oiled bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place it in a warm place until it doubles in size. You should see many air bubbles.
Filling
- Line a 13×9-inch baking pan with parchment paper. In a small bowl, mix sugar and cinnamon. Melted butter mix with vanilla extract. Set aside.
- On a floured surface with gluten free flour, knead dough into a smooth ball. Add extra flour if needed until dough is smooth. A little sticking is normal.
- Roll out to a rectangle that's about ¼ to ½-inch thick
- Brush it with the butter mix and sprinkle generously with the sugar mix.
- Working from the longer end of the dough, roll it up into a log. Use some gluten free flour to flour your hands if the dough sticks too much.
- Using a sharp knife, gently cut into equal 12 equal slices, about 1-1 1/2 inch thick.
- Place the rolls into the prepared baking pan. You can place them close together or with big gaps if you want individual cinnamon rolls rather than pull apart rolls.
- Cover the rolls with a damp cloth. Place in a warm place to raise, about 30-60 minutes.
- When rolls have risen sufficiently,preheat the oven to 350°F. Remove the cover from the pan and bake for about 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove rolls from oven.
Glaze
- Mix glaze ingredients together, starting with 3 Tablespoons of water and adding more if needed, and pour over the hot cinnamon rolls.
Did you make this?
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You don’t address the yeast in the recipe.
It is in the first step for the dough. You add it in with the dry ingredients. Because it is Instant Yeast, you don’t have to proof it first.
These are flipping fantastic!! I was just curious is there any way to make these a day ahead and let them rise in the fridge overnight and bake them in the morning?
Thanks!
I haven’t tried that but it works with many yeast recipes. If you try it let me know.
Hi thanks for sharing this recipe !
Should I add xanthum gum in the dough?
Tia
Rifka
I recommend using something like King Arthur Flour Measure for Measure that already has xanthan gum in the blend.