Gluten-Free Cinnamon Rolls
Tired of feeling restricted by your gluten-free diet? This gluten-free cinnamon rolls with cream cheese icing recipe is warm, gooey and just as mouth watering as the real thing—score!
The secret ingredient in this glorious breakfast roll is gluten-free flour. Just follow the simple instructions to make the dough, and once they’re baked and are oozing with yummy vanilla-flavored icing, you’ll be surprised to discover it’s not too grainy or lacking in flavor like traditional gluten-free recipes.
Even though this recipe targets those on a gluten-free diet, this dish is a delicious treat for everyone! Serve with coffee, orange juice and your favorite fresh fruits—your breakfast routine will never be the same. Yum!
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Gluten-Free Cinnamon Rolls Recipe
Ingredients
dough
- 1/4 cup water, lukewarm
- 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast, 1 pkg
- 1 3/4 cups whole milk, room temperature
- 2 large eggs, well beaten, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted, 1 stick
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 4 1/2 - 5 cups gluten-free flour
filling
- 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 6 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
icing
- 4 oz cream cheese, room temperature, ½ pkg
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature, ½ stick
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- pinch kosher salt
Instructions
- Fill a small bowl with ¼ cup lukewarm water then sprinkle in the yeast. Add a small pinch of sugar then stir until water and yeast are well combined. Set the mixture aside for about 5 minutes—the yeast should start to bubble and become foamy. If the mixture does not begin to bubble, give it another 5 minutes. If at that point it still has not activated, you will need to start from scratch with a new package of yeast.
- In a large mixing bowl or in the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the room temperature milk, eggs, melted butter, sugar and salt then mix until well incorporated. Stir in the bubbling yeast mixture then begin adding the flour, starting with about 4½ cups. Mix until well combined then add additional flour by ¼ cup until the dough is firm enough to handle. The dough will be much softer than regular bread dough—but you must be able to roll it out and handle it gently without the dough being too sticky or loose. Once the dough achieves the correct consistency, cover the bowl with plastic wrap then place it in a warm spot to rise for about 1 hour.
- After an hour, the dough should have nearly doubled in size. Generously dust a work surface with gluten-free flour then turn the dough out onto the floured surface. Sprinkle the surface with a little bit more of the gluten-free flour then roll the dough into a rectangle about 18" wide and 18" deep. In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar, granulated sugar and cinnamon until well combined then set aside.
- Spread the 6 Tbsp of unsalted butter evenly across the entire surface of the dough then cover the butter with the cinnamon sugar mixture. Roll the dough up jellyroll style until you have an 18"-long cylinder. Cut the dough every 1½" to yield 12 rolls.
- Spray a 9" x 13" baking dish with non-stick spray then space the rolls evenly inside the dish. Cover with plastic wrap then place in a warm spot to rise for about 1 more hour.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees and set out the ingredients for the icing so they can achieve room temperature.
- When the rolls have once again doubled in size, bake them for about 25−30 minutes. While the rolls are baking, mix together cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, vanilla and salt until nice and creamy and no lumps remain.
- Remove rolls from the oven when they’re firm to the touch and golden on top. Allow them to cool slightly, then serve nice and warm, coated in a generous helping of cream cheese icing. Enjoy!