The “2 ingredient” bread dough made famous by Weight Watchers is a shortcut way to make easy gluten free cinnamon rolls that taste like the yeasted kind and make any morning special.
Gluten free breakfast on the go
I have a long-abiding love for gluten free breakfast ideas, especially ones that you can grab and take on the go. But I’ve been stocking my freezer for busy mornings for so long that I had begun to take it for granted and not think it was anything special. Until recently…
This past holiday season, my family and I spent a beautiful week at an all-inclusive Caribbean resort. We knew ahead of time that they were able to accommodate my gluten free son’s diet, but we weren’t prepared for how limited his options would be—and how poor the quality would be.
I guess we should have just been grateful that they could feed him safely at all, but I had thought we were beyond that. He struggled quite a bit with watching everyone else eat at least a variety—including baked goods for every meal.
I guess I was reminded all over again that our gluten free food should be at least as good as the conventional food, if not better. And variety is also really important, because it makes you feel cared for and nourished. I’m grateful to be able to do that for my son, and hopeful that the rest of the world will catch up so when he leaves the nest, he always feels “normal.”
How to make these cinnamon rolls sugar-free
The dough for these 30-minute gluten free cinnamon rolls is based upon the “2 ingredient” Weight Watchers bread dough, the one we first used to make gluten free bagels. It’s referred to as “2 ingredient” dough because the original recipe is made with self-rising all purpose flour and plain nonfat Greek-style yogurt.
We’ve done enough variations on that dough that there’s even a “Weight Watchers-friendly” category on this blog. I use the concept for that dough every single week in my house, to make practically everything. The tang of the plain yogurt mimics the flavor of yeast development at a fraction of the bother and time of yeasted rolls.
But this recipe is not designed to be quite as WW-friendly, since it has added flour to make the dough stiffer, and, more importantly, a brown sugar and cinnamon filling. But you can most definitely make these cinnamon rolls with a sugar replacement.
My favorite granulated sugar replacement is Lankato monk fruit granulated sugar replacement, and I think it would work beautifully here. You don’t really need to bother with a brown sugar replacement, as the cinnamon is the dominant flavor here in the filling.
Use a light touch
When making this bread dough, as when making any gluten free bread dough at all, it’s best to have a light touch especially when adding additional flour for shaping. It is a rather forgiving dough, but this particular recipe already has more flour than usual.
Whenever you add extra flour, you lower the hydration ratio of the dough, which can lead to tougher bread. That’s especially true when you’re making a fat-free bread dough like this one.
Since this dough works best when all of the ingredients, and therefore the dough, are quite cold, you should find that you don’t need a significant amount of additional flour to shape it. Try sprinkling a very small amount of additional flour sparingly but widely, rubbing it between your thumb and forefinger as you move your hand over the dough.
Ingredients and substitutions
Dairy: I haven’t tried this exact recipe with plain nondairy yogurt, such as So Delicious brand, but I have tried that substitution on our Weight Watchers Gluten Free bagel recipe and was successful. Please click through to that post for all the information I have about making these sort of recipes with nondairy (non-Greek-style) plain yogurt.
Eggs: The full egg in this recipe adds richness and tenderness to the dough. If you can’t have eggs, it can be replaced.
You can try replacing it with a “chia egg” (1 tablespoon ground white chia seeds + 1 tablespoon lukewarm water, mixed and allowed to gel). I would also replace 1 tablespoon of the Greek-style yogurt with 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter, though, to replace some of the richness of the egg white.
Corn: The cornstarch in the filling helps keep it from leaking out of the rolls during baking. You can easily replace it with an all purpose gluten free flour or any other sort of gluten free starch you can imagine.
Shortening: The small amount of shortening that is spread in a thin layer over the top of the rectangle of dough is there to help the filling stick to the dough. The low moisture content of shortening helps prevent the filling from leaking out during baking. You can try replacing it with virgin coconut oil.
Sugar: Please see the full discussion above about the brown sugar in the filling of these easy gluten free cinnamon rolls.
HELLO! I’m Nicole! I make gluten-free food enjoyable & affordable. If they can make it with gluten, we can make it without. That’s a promise!
Comments are closed.
Hi nicole you say that you dont recommend Bob’s red mill flour would you recommend Doves farm flour ?
Hi, Christine, I’m afraid I’ve never tried Dove’s, since it’s not available in the U.S., but I know that their “plain” gluten free flour is very commonly used in the U.K. and readers seem to like it. Since I haven’t tried it myself, I can’t attest to whether or not it will work in all my recipes. If you don’t have any of my recommended blends available to you for purchase, you can always build one of the “mock” blends. I created those blends for people who can’t find my recommended brands for purchase.
I made these and was surprised that I wasn’t a huge fan of them as I am of all your other recipes. However, they were better than others I’ve had, just not as awesome as I was expecting. I used very little flour when rolling out, was careful not to over knead the dough and weight measured all my ingredients yet they seemed tough and chewy. Heating in the microwave helped. I’m in FL and our weather often affects pastry baking, so I’ll try again and see what happens.
That’s strange, Heather. I’m sorry you didn’t have a great experience. I wouldn’t describe these as tough at all, although they’re not exactly like yeasted rolls, as nothing but yeasted bread will have that same texture. Perhaps you’d prefer those? Here’s a link.
I think I just found this weeks project!!
I didn’t use fat-free yogurt and substituted with whole Greek yogurt they came out really runny. Could that have been the reason?
Whole yogurt would definitely change the consistency yes, but I doubt it would make it truly “runny.” Make sure you’re not making other substitutions, measuring by weight not volume, and only using one of my recommended flour blends.
Hi someting is wrong as the wet ingredients nearly double of the dry ingredients it came out a butter insted of dough
There’s nothing wrong with the recipe as written. I’d look first to whether you made any substitutions, including using a flour blend that isn’t one of my recommended blends, and whether you measured by weight or by volume.
Can I use rice malt syrup in place of sugar as I have diabetes as I’m trying to keep my sugars down do you think it will work.
Thanks
Teresa
I’m afraid you can’t use a liquid sugar in place of a granulated one, Teresa. I discuss making the rolls with a sugar alternative in the post, though. Please see that discussion.
Hi Nicole,
The McCormick butter flavor is one I remembered you recommending in the past, so that’s the one I picked up. I’ll have to keep an eye out for the birthday cake flavor!
Also, I often use ghee in place of butter but haven’t tried it for this purpose. I’ll try it this week 😋
Thank you!
Nicole, I am not getting your emails. I have been signed up for years, I have checked all my spam and junk folders. This is so frustrating! I miss your columns. Do you have any idea why this is happening? Help!
Hi, Alene,
I looked up your email address in my email service provider, and it indicates that your email was listed as “bounced” which means that it was undeliverable, which unsubscribes you automatically. I’m afraid I can’t do anything about that on my end, as it’s an issue with the ability to deliver emails to you. So sorry!
Hmmm…. I’m wonder if ghee would work, as a ‘butter shortening’, as it seems to have the ‘solids’, and likely the moisture, removed. Must try it ! Everything is better with butter …
That’s a good idea to try, Nancy. I’ve used nonhydrogenated vegetable shortening many, many (many) times on here, but I think this recipe reached beyond my “regular” audience so there’s a big reaction to a small amount of shortening. It’s not Crisco I use, but even 1 tablespoon of Crisco really would be fine!
Has anyone tried using King Arthur measure for measure ?
I’m afraid I don’t recommend that flour for use in my recipes, Michael. I tried really hard to like it, since it’s so widely available, but it is just too starchy and the rice flour is too grainy.
Hi NIcole,
I am looking forward to trying this recipe. I have all of the other Weight Watchers style recipe so practically memorized. I wanted to share my personal tweak. I had some leftover buttermilk from making one of your quick bread recipes. I decided to use it to replace the yogurt in the pizza crust recipe. ALL i can say is Wow! The flavor and texture was fantastic. THE amount need was reduced but i think the flavor is a new level of delicious. THAnk you for the awesome recipes.
I’m really glad you are enjoying the WW-style recipes, Beth. Replacing the yogurt with buttermilk would make for a very, very different moisture content, which would make the dough a lot more difficult to handle and the baking time would be different, etc. I just want to mention that in case anyone decides to follow suit!
I am not good in the kitchen (people say I’m allergic to the kitchen so its appropriate I have food allergies) but I tried this recipe today and while it did not turn out that good I will try again as I can see the end result could be soo yummy. Thank you for your hard work and dedication to GF eating.
I was looking for an answer if butter is an acceptable alternative for the filling with the brown sugar?
Hi, Stu, please see the ingredients and substitutions section for a replacement for the shortening. I do not recommend butter because of its water content and it leaks much more in baking.
I do not use yogurt because of both the dairy and histamine. Do you have a sub idea?
June
Please see the ingredients and substitutions section, June. If you have a histamine reaction to dairy, you should be able to use the nondairy instructions without a problem.
Sound awesome – except we can’t have eggs. Any suggestions for an egg-free version? Cheers!
Hi, Dana, please see the ingredients and substitutions section.
How do you think full fat organic sour cream would do instead of Greek yogurt?
I’m honestly not sure, Am. But if you can use Greek yogurt, I’d at least make the recipe once with that so you know what the dough is meant to be like. I’d always recommend following a recipe before you modify it if it’s not out of necessity.
Can the yogurt be replaced with sour cream?
I haven’t tried that, Teresa, and I’m honestly not sure!
Hi, so no topping/glaze?
Hi, Pam, I didn’t include a glaze for these, since they’re made to be quick and simple. You could always use the glaze from any of my other cinnamon roll recipes. Just use the search function!
That looks delicious! Do you happen to have a list of staples for the pantry in any of your cookbooks? I read this every week and always seem to be missing one or two ingredients. :(
Hi, Wendy, Actually I have created a list like that to go along with other virtual products I’ve created over the years! I haven’t ever shared it on the blog, though, but it’s a good idea. I’m having some trouble locating that document right now, though, but if I find it I’ll share a link to download it!
This answers a question I’ve had about the bagels, which are now closed to comments. I’ve always wondered if the hole in the middle is necessary for correct baking. It’s just me. Can I split the recipe, or how would you suggest storing them?
These can easily be cooled, frozen, and stored in the freezer in a proper container. I defrost in the microwave and then refresh in the toaster oven, Janet.
Did you use the real Better Batter or your “Mock Better Batter”? I am noticing you’re not using the word “mock” in some recipes lately. Are you still using your flour blends?
Hi, there, Kathy Sue, I rarely blend my own flour when it’s just an all purpose gluten free flour. I do so much baking, between recipe testing, photography and videography, that I simply don’t have the time to budget for blending my own all purpose gluten free flour—and I actually don’t consider it generally cost-effective. Those blends are something I made available so that these blends were available to everyone, even if you can’t or don’t want to buy them. I do make my own specialty flours, like the gum-free blend, because I can’t buy them. If I did blend my own all purpose flour, it would be Better Than Cup4Cup, since I believe that is the very best all purpose. If someone made it, I’d buy it in an instant!
I made these yesterday, and they were awesome. Used Better than cup4 cup, recipe from this site, no xanthum gum as in the mix already. Added half tsp dough conditioner and made 8. Dough was pretty easy to work with. Also decreased greek yogurt by 1 T and add 1 T vegan “butter.” My husband, who is not gluten free loved them, as they are chewy, which he really likes. Thanks for the great recipe. Alot less fat and sugar then most recipes but sweet enough for us. :)
These were a hit with my husband who went gluten free 3 years ago. It’s nice to have an easy recipe for those of
us who are not great bakers. We will definetly be making these again! Thank you Nicole!
Kelly
I don’t believe anyone isn’t a “great baker,” Kelly. You just need the right ingredients, the right way to measure, and the right recipe! Well done. :)
I found this amazing page this morning, I am totaly taken aback at the simplicity easy to understand put your page on my home screen. Im new to all this and being 75 no time for complications Thank You
I’m so glad to hear you don’t find it overwhelming, Linda. Welcome!
Hi Nicole, made these for breakfast today and they were delicious! Quick question that occurred to me as I was eating them, do you think this WW style dough would cope with steaming as opposed to baking? I just kept thinking how it seemed like it would make a nice Chinese steamed duck egg custard bun!
I’m so glad you enjoyed them Chelsea! I’ve made steamed Chinese buns before, but they’re yeasted (although they also have baking powder). I’m honestly not sure, but it’s worth a shot if you’re willing to risk it!
Oh my goodness! I tried my hand at these just one week ago, modifying your Pizza Pinwheels recipe by simply using a cinnamon-sugar filling instead of pizza filling. They were tasty enough, but I’m very excited to try your improvements. These look beautiful! I picked up some butter extract to flavor the dough a bit richer, so I’ll try that too. Here’s to cinnamon rolls every week! Thank you Nicole!
I really love McCormick butter extract, Julie. Have you ever tried their cake batter flavoring? It’s also really good. I imagine many people would scoff at that, but I love the instant richness those flavorings and extracts add.
I am interested in how to adjust this recipe to high altitude baking (5280 ft).
I am just learning to bake out of necessity.
I’m afraid I don’t know, Marion. There’s nothing special about baking gluten free at high altitude beyond baking conventional things at high altitude, but I don’t know the adjustments. Sorry!
What if you don’t have shortening, or coconut oil, could you use butter?
I really recommend using something with less moisture, Amber.