Moist and tender gluten free cinnamon roll cupcakes have all the flavor of the best cinnamon roll, made quick and easy in a muffin tin.
The flavor that unites us
You know how some people are chocolate people, and others are vanilla people? Well, almost everyone is a cinnamon-sugar person (I’m sure some of you hate the stuff, but I’ve yet to hear about it—and readers aren’t usually shy about sharing what they don’t like!).
We have plenty of recipes for cinnamon rolls here on the blog, but there is rolling and shaping involved in every single one of them. These gluten free cinnamon roll cupcakes are for those times when you just can’t be bothered to roll and shape!
The tops have a lightly crunchy cinnamon-sugar crust, and the cake is tender and buttery and not-too-sweet. Inside, there’s a perfect cinnamon-sugar swirl. But I promise it’s simple to do.
How do you make the cinnamon swirl?
The cinnamon swirl is a simple mixture of melted shortening or coconut oil, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Rather than mixing it into the cupcake batter, where it would change the consistency of the cakes, we place half of it in the center and half on top.
We begin by filling the muffin tins halfway full with the plain batter. That creates a solid base for baking. Then, we add half the cinnamon-sugar filling mixture, and swirl it around a bit to make sure it doesn’t just leak out during baking.
On top, we add the remaining plain cupcake batter, and the final swirl mixture. It takes just a few moments, and it’s the reason we’re not rolling and shaping cinnamon roll dough.
Of course, if you’d prefer an actual cinnamon roll, I’d begin with our yeast free gluten free cinnamon roll recipe. It’s the next easiest thing to these cupcakes.
What are the options for the glaze?
Since the cinnamon sugar on top creates a very light and crispy glaze, these cupcakes can be served plain. Since plain here isn’t really plain at all, and if you’re storing them for later use, you’ll want to leave them unglazed (see further discussion below).
In about half of the photos, like the one just below, you’ll find a simple white confectioners’ sugar glaze being spooned on top. It’s made by mixing a tiny bit of milk into confectioners’ sugar, and it’s delicious in its simplicity.
If you’d like a more spreadable, richer glaze, you can add butter and cinnamon to the confectioners’ sugar. Add water by the drop to create a paste with the consistency of frosting.
If you’d like to serve this glaze on top of the cupcakes, try spooning it over them while they’re still a bit warm from the oven. Otherwise, slice the cupcakes in half and spoon the glaze on each half.
Can you store the cupcakes after baking?
These gluten free cinnamon roll cupcakes are so moist and tender, and the cinnamon is so fragrant, that you’ll have to enjoy at least one right away. But if you don’t plan to serve them all right away, they’re easily stored for another time. Simply glaze only the cupcakes you plan to serve right away.
If you don’t plan to serve them all right away, freeze them unglazed. Wait until all of the baked cupcakes are completely cool, then freeze them in a single layer.
When you’re ready to serve them, just allow them to defrost at room temperature or even in the microwave for a few seconds. You can even refresh them in a toaster oven at about 300°F to crisp that cinnamon sugar on top. Then, make the glaze fresh and serve.
Ingredients and substitutions
Dairy
There is dairy in these cupcakes in the forms of butter and buttermilk. The butter in the muffin batter can be replaced with your favorite vegan butter replacement. My favorites are Melt brand and Miyoko’s Kitchen brand vegan butter.
In place of buttermilk, use half non-dairy plain yogurt (I like So Delicious brand) and half unsweetened nondairy milk (my favorite is unsweetened almond milk). This substitute also works with dairy yogurt and milk, if you can have dairy but you’ve run out of buttermilk.
Eggs
There are 3 whole eggs in this recipe. For that reason, I don’t believe that my usual suggestion of a “chia egg” for each egg would work. For reference, a “chia egg” is one tablespoon ground white chia seeds mixed with one tablespoon lukewarm water, mixed and allowed to gel.
If you are willing to create a boiled flax egg (by boiling ground flax seeds with water until a viscous liquid is produced, then straining out the seeds), that might work.
Vegetable Shortening
The vegetable shortening in the swirl/filling can easily be replaced with virgin coconut oil. I don’t recommend using butter, which solidifies too quickly and will make it more difficult to swirl into the cupcake batter.
Gluten Free Cinnamon Roll Cupcakes
Ingredients
For the swirl/filling
4 tablespoons (48 g) vegetable shortening, melted and cooled
1/4 cup (55 g) packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
For the cupcakes
2 cups (280 g) basic gum-free gluten free flour blend (185 grams superfine white rice flour + 61 grams potato starch + 34 grams tapioca starch) (See Recipe Notes)
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum (See Recipe Notes)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
8 tablespoons (112 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
3 eggs (150 g, weighed out of shell) at room temperature, beaten
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2/3 cup (158 ml) buttermilk, at room temperature
For the glaze (See Recipe Notes)
3/4 cup (86 g) confectioners’ sugar
1 to 2 teaspoons milk (any kind, including nondairy)
Notes
For the flour blend/xanthan gum
This recipe does not work well with our typical all purpose gluten free flour blend, like (mock) Better Batter or Cup4Cup. The blend should be our gum-free blend, with xanthan gum added.
The point is to use a much lower amount of xanthan gum than is in the all purpose gluten free flour blend. That is what allows us to swirl the cinnamon mixture into the middle and the top of the cupcakes. If you use (mock) Better Batter, you will find it very difficult to create the swirl as the cupcake batter will be much thicker.
For an alternative glaze
Instead of the classic confectioners’ sugar glaze, in some of the photos and in the how-to video here you’ll find a spreadable frosting-style glaze. You can make that spreading glaze easily.
Simply whisk together 1 cup (115 g) confectioners’ sugar with 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional). Then add 1 tablespoon (14 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature.
The mixture will be very thick and a bit crumbly. Add lukewarm water by the drop, mixing completely, until you have a thick, spreadable glaze. If you’ve added cinnamon, the glaze will be brown.
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease or line a standard 12-cup muffin tin, and set it aside.
First, make the swirl/filling. Place the melted shortening in a small bowl, and add the brown sugar and cinnamon, then mix to combine well. Set the bowl aside.
Make the cupcake batter. In a medium-size bowl, place the flour blend, xanthan gum, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, and whisk to combine well. Set the dry ingredients aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large bowl with a handheld mixer), beat the butter on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add the granulated sugar, and then the eggs and vanilla, beating on medium speed after each addition until well-combined. Add the dry ingredients, alternating with the buttermilk, in 3 parts, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. The batter will be thick but light and fluffy.
Place half of the cupcake batter in the prepared wells of the muffin tin, and top with half the filling. Swirl the filling around gently in the batter with the short end of a chopstick, or a toothpick or skewer. Top with the remaining cupcake batter, and then the remaining filling, and swirl again. Shake the tin back and forth until the batter sits in an even layer in each muffin well.
Place in the center of the preheated oven and bake for 19 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Do not over-bake. Remove the cupcakes from the oven and allow to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
While the cupcakes are cooling, make the glaze. In a small bowl, place the confectioners’ sugar and 1 teaspoon of the milk, and mix to combine well. You should have a smooth, but very thick paste. Add more milk by drop and mix well until you have a thick, but slowly pourable, glaze. Pour a bit of glaze over each cooled cupcake. Serve immediately.
Originally published on the blog in 2014. Some photos, video, and alternative glaze new. Recipe otherwise unchanged.
Jerrie George says
What else can you use besides buttermilk?
Nicole Hunn says
Please see the Ingredients and substitutions section, Jerrie.
Sally. Halls says
Hi. Nicole.
I love to read your intro. and feel I would like to know you. I hope you get some good news re. Your results. We are going to put put ina full lock down from Thursday so again have to try & ride the storm.
Stay Safe and all the best.
Sally (Halls)
Nicole Hunn says
Aw, Sally, that’s so sweet of you! I would like to know you, too. :) I’m so sorry about your lockdown, but it’s the right thing. We will come out on the other side of this. It feels like it’s forever, but it won’t be.
Julie L says
I’ve been making everything cinnamon and sugar lately (mostly your “quicker cinnamon rolls” from Quick and Easy) and am curious if you have suggestions for a cream cheese type glaze? I remember having something too light to be frosting, but too tangy to be regular glaze on Mom’s store-bought cinnamon rolls when I was a child, and I’m all thumbs when it comes to glazes and such.
These and your cinnamon biscuits are sure to be in the rotation when I don’t want to bother with rolling and shaping. Thank you!
Nicole Hunn says
Hi, Julie, yes, absolutely. You can use 1 ounce of cream cheese in place of the 1 tablespoon of butter in the alternative glaze listed in the recipe notes here. If you don’t want it to be cinnamon-flavored, just leave that out!
Marlene says
I am allergic to eggs- I don’t usually try to substitute flax eggs for more than 2 eggs in a recipee.
Will a sub work for this with 3 eggs? Recipe sounds wonderful!
thanks
Nicole Hunn says
Please see the Ingredients and substitutions section for all the suggestions and information I have, Marlene!
Dana Schwartz says
Oh. My. Goodness. I’m making these asap! They look FAB.
Diana Draper says
These were wonderful. I made them for breakfast with scrambled eggs. Hubby who is not GF really loved them. Thanks so much for sharing your talent.
Michele says
We had these for dessert tonight, following pancetta meatball soup from your 2nd book. Thank you for tonight’s dinner!
Nicole Hunn says
That’s awesome, Michele! I love that soup. Thanks for letting me know – that makes me smile pret-ty big. :)
sandy coleman says
These sound amazing as usual with your posts!! I read your emails first!
These will just make our night here..
Thank you!!
Rach@twolicious says
How is it possible? You totally read my mind, well the part where I was thinking I need a cupcake to send off with my mum for her birthday…something different, something that will travel well on the plane… Open my emails and here you are blessing me with doing my thinking for me!
Total champ- yeah that’s you… Oh and I’m making a a double batch btw (some for the kiddos too!) twice is nice.
Also just thought I’d let you know I used your confetti cupcakes (doubled) to make a 12 in round cake (for a donut cake, of course), it worked an absolute charm.
So thank you again :)
Oh and I will be up in your Pinterest board, putting in my 2 cents worth-awesome!
kclark says
I am working at home today because I have a stupid cold and don’t want to infect everyone at the office. So guess what I am going to do while I work? Make these little beauties. I don’t have superfine rice flour yet…it is on the way so I am going to use regular ole rice flour and will report back. I bet they will be a touch grainy and a little more dense but I can’t wait. I have no patience. I can smell these through the screen even though I can’t breathe at all! Thanks for this Nik. My daughter doesn’t like fruit in her muffins (gasp), so these could do the trick and I will freeze some and give a few to my Celiac neighbor. Honestly, you read my mind so much it scares me. She just asked me for a muffin that didn’t have fruit! Thanks again!
kclark says
I am checking back in. These are amazing! Kid approved! I brought them to work and my co-workers ate them and had no idea GF. They are so light and fluffy and not too sweet. Thank you again!
Mare Masterson says
Oh yes! Tonight, tonight, I’ll bake these treats tonight for eating in the cold morning sun (sung to Tonight tonight from West Side Story). Yes I am really singing this in my head while I am in my office! (I know what you are thinking, I am a dork and I embrace my dorkiness!)
Jennifer S. says
Yum! Of course I’m partial to buttercream ….on like everything! I’m going to try a vanilla cinnamon version on these….sounds soooooo good and perfect for a brunch. Thanks for another fab recipe!
Nicole Hunn says
Sounds fab, Jennifer!
Christina says
Was so excited to see this post. YUM! Already made them this morning for breakfast. They tasted GREAT. All four of my kids gave them a thumbs up and loved them. Thank you for the recipe and all your hard work! Thank you also for giving the weights (it helps).
Nicole Hunn says
That’s awesome, Christina! So glad you jumped right in. :)