This year I thought I would plan out the recipes I wanted to try in advance to better organize my time. I usually find myself trying things on a whim and then just moving on from one thing to the next. But I wanted this year to be different so that I could best serve our community and best serve my children by being more present. So I made a list of some of the things I wanted to perfect and I also asked the members in my Stay Gluten Free Community for feedback and one of the recipes that kept coming up was Gluten Free Cinnamon Rolls.
Now, I didn’t grow up eating cinnamon rolls, so this was going to be somewhat of a challenge. But when I set out to start this blog, one of the things I wanted to do was open ourselves up to more delicious food and more variety. And since my son loves all things cinnamon I figured, why not?
Like all recipes, before I can share them I make them several times. So let me just say, we have definitely had our fair share of cinnamon rolls over the past month. But I feel like each and every time I made them, I got closer and closer to the final result, and I am so happy I didn’t give up. They actually were much easier to make than I thought.
I started my research like I do every other recipe. I always look at how the “real” bakers do things. Ya know, the ones who don’t have to bake a certain way to survive. They’re the lucky ones!
I learned long ago not to compare or adapt recipes from other gluten free bakers because we’re all trying to get as close as we can to the real deal. And unfortunately, the real deal is NOT gluten free.
After reading so many recipes for cinnamon rolls, I discovered that they are all basically made up of the same staple ingredients. These recipes differ mostly in technique.
My first try making gluten free cinnamon rolls was with King Arthur’s all purpose gluten free flour. I had very high hopes, but they didn’t compare to the ones I made using a flour blend of my own.
For those of you that have had my pizza and pie crusts, you will understand, because the flour blend is almost the same. This makes for the softest dough you could ever imagine. So as much as I am trying to shy away from blending my own flours because it takes more time, for this recipe, it absolutely had to be done.
You can get all the details below. Please read through them thoroughly.
And most of all may your cinnamon rolls be warm and gooey and satisfy that long lost craving you have had since you became gluten free.
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My Ingredients
When I mix my own flour I always use Authentic Foods Brand. I discovered this brand long ago and haven’t switched since. In fact, I did a side by side comparison of their brown rice flour and Bob’s Red Mill brand. It didn’t even compare. My recipe did not turn out the same. That said, I highly recommend using my brands to have complete success with this recipe. I have found that no two flours are created equal, even if they have the same name.
These gluten free cinnamon rolls are also dairy and egg free. I use Earth Balance brand soy free butter sticks, Tofutti brand cream cheese, So Delicious brand coconut milk and Bob’s Red Mill egg replacer. The Tofutti is sometimes hard to find but Daiya also makes a dairy free cream cheese you can use. I prefer the Tofutti.
I also chose to use active dry yeast instead of instant quick rise. There are many recipes online that use both. There isn’t any particular reason I chose one over the other, except maybe some of my more trusted bakers used the active dry yeast over the instant.
My Method
I always mix up my flour and dry ingredients first and set them aside. I highly recommend using a scale. Since I have started using a scale my baking has become so much better. The other advantage is that you will always get the same exact results every time you make something.
Part of the art of baking is precise measurement. With cooking, you can kind of get away with a pinch of this and a dash of that. This is not the case with baking.
One of the other things I do when I start is preheat my oven to 200 degrees fahrenheit. I then turn it off once it is preheated to create a warm (not to hot) environment for my cinnamon rolls to rise in. This method absolutely works great for rising.
I also make my own buttermilk since we are also dairy free. I make it with 1 cup of So Delicious coconut milk and 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar. Some people say to take out the tablespoon of milk then the “buttermilk” will be exactly one cup, I don’t bother with this. Umm I was just talking about precise measurement right? Eek.
I also recommend using some type of cooking thermometer to get the temperature of the milk, butter and sugar mixture right before you add the yeast. And do not mix the yeast into the mixture, it should sit on top of the milk, butter and sugar mixture for 15 minutes.
Once you add the eggs and you are ready to add the dry mix, be sure to add just half, mix a little on low, then mix in the other half while adding the cold water. Your dough will begin to come together and you can mix the rest by hand.
I tested many different ways to make the filling. The best way I found was to make a spreadable paste. It is so important that your butter is room temperature and really soft. Cream it well so it is completely spreadable. Then add your brown sugar and cinnamon and mix. This will create a paste.
Same with your icing. The softer your butter and cream cheese the better. If you use them cold, your powder sugar will clump. And if you use organic powder sugar, we already work against clumps, we don’t need more.
I divide my dough into 2 parts. It is much easier and more manageable to work with smaller portions at a time. I roll out each part in between 2 pieces of parchment paper. Be sure to dust both bottom sheets with a little bit of brown rice flour. Once the dough is rolled out, I spread the paste and begin rolling it into a log very carefully.
The one trick that I learned from others that really is the only way to cut the log is to use unflavored dental floss. I was hesitant, but it worked so well. A dough scraper tends to squish each roll. It is a little difficult to get the very bottom cut but it does work.
I have used parchment paper as a liner in my baking dish and I have also used just a thin layer of dairy free butter. Both work fine. Use whatever you prefer.
Once you have your rolls cut and placed into the baking dish, cover them with plastic wrap that covers every edge and corner. Then add one layer of foil loosely over the top. Finally, put the dish into the pre “warmed” oven for about an hour and a half.
When the rise time has passed, take the rolls out of the oven and preheat it to 375 degrees. While the rolls are baking prepare the icing. You will need to have it made as soon as the tolls come out of the oven. Another trick I learned was to give them a thin layer of icing as soon as they come out of the oven. Ice every edge and corner so that none of them dry out and harden. Later you can add more icing if you wish. I just put all the icing on as soon as they come out of the oven.
Then we eat them warm and enjoy every last bite.
Take a “Look Over My Shoulder”
I think (and hope) I have covered all of the instructions. It may seem like a lot but I promise it’s not. And the more you make them, the easier they will become. If you have any questions at all, please do not hesitate to reach out to me. I am happy to help you. I really want (and hope) you to enjoy these delicious gluten free cinnamon rolls.
As always, if you are a member of my Stay Gluten Free community on Facebook (it’s FREE to join, click here), please don’t forget to share your results with all of us in the group. I would love to see them.
Until next time!
Gluten Free Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
Rolls
- 315g (2 1/2 cups) Brown rice flour I use Authentic Foods brand
- 189g (1 1/2 cups) Sorghum flour I use Authentic Foods brand
- 126g (1 cup) Potato starch I use Authentic Foods brand
- 126g (1 cup) Arrowroot I use Authentic Foods brand
- 2 tsp Xanthan gum I use Bob's Red Mill brand
- 2 tsp baking powder I use Hain brand, it is corn-free
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup Coconut Milk I use So Delicious brand
- 1 tbsp Apple cider vinegar
- 130g (a little over 1 cup) Organic cane sugar
- 1/2 cup Earth Balance butter sticks equal to 1 stick
- 2 pkg Gluten free dry active yeast
- 2 tbsp Bob's Red MIll Egg Replacer
- 4 tbsp Warm water
- 1 cup Cold water
Filling
- 1 cup Earth Balance butter sticks equal to 2 sticks at room temperature
- 232g (1 1/2 cups) Organic packed light brown sugar
- 2 tbsp cinnamon
Icing
- 2 tbsp Earth Balance butter sticks room temperature
- 1/4 cup Dairy free cream cheese I use Tofutti brand at room temperature
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- 1 cup oragnic powdered sugar
Instructions
Rolls
- Preheat oven to 200 degrees, when it is preheated turn it off.
- Line baking dish with a thin layer of Earth Balance butter or a piece of parchment paper. Set aside.
- Prepare filling and set aside. This can also be done while yeast is proofing if you have an extra bowl for your stand mixer.
- Whisk togethr flours, starches, xanthan gum, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
- In separate cup measure the coconut milk and apple cider vinegar and stir together. Let sit for at least 5 minutes.
- In small saucepan melt 1 stick of dairy free butter.
- Add buttermilk and organic cane sugar to melted butter. Bring the temperature of mixture to 110 degrees fahrenheit.
- Transfer butter, milk and sugar mixture to the bowl of stand mixer. Add the yeast, let it rest on top of the mixture. Do not stir it in. Cover the bowl with a towel and let yeast proof for 15 minutes.
- In a small bowl add egg replacer mix. Add the 4 tbsp of warm water when the yeast is done proofing. Let the egg replacer mixture sit one minute to thicken.
- Add egg replacer to the yeast mix and with dough hook attachment mix for 2 minutes on low.
- Add half of the flour mix and continue mixing on low.
- Add 2nd half of the flour mix and add the cold water slowly while mixing on low.
- Dough will begin to form.
- Form the dough the rest of the way by hand.
- Divide dough into two balls.
- Cut 4 pieces of parchment paper.
- Dust 2 pieces with a little bit of brown rice flour.
- Roll each dough ball in between the bottom floured piece of parchment paper and another clean piece on top.
- Remove the top piece of parchment paper. Rub the paste on each flattened piece of dough. Spread it evenly between the two portions of dough.
- Carefully begin rolling your cinnamon roll.
- Carefully cut it into pieces with a long piece of unflavored dental floss.
- Put each piece into the baking dish. And repeat steps for second portion of dough.
- Cover with a piece of plastic wrap, covering every edge. Then cover with aluminum foil.
- Place the baking dish into the "warmed" oven for 1 hour and a half to rise.
- When the rise time has passed, remove baking dish from oven.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees fahrenheit.
- Remove the plastic wrap and cover the rolls with only the aluminum foil.
- Bake for 13 minutes covered and 12 uncovered.
- Prepare icing to be ready when cinnamon rolls come out of the oven.
- Once they are baked. Remove them from the oven and spread the icing over the top immediately.
- Add more icing as desired.
- Serve warm and enjoy!
Filling
- In bowl of stand mixer with beater attachment cream 2 sticks of Earth Balance butter that is room temperature and very soft.
- In separate small bowl whisk together brown sugar and cinnamon.
- Add cinnamon sugar to creamed butter and mix on low.
- Once a paste as formed remove from mixer and spoon paste into another bowl. Wash mixer bowl to be used to make the dough (or use a spare stand mixer bowl).
- Set paste aside.
Icing
- In bowl of stand mixer with beater attachment cream butter and cream cheese (both soft and at room temperature).
- Add vanilla and powder sugar. Mix into icing. Set aside until rolls are baked.
Notes
