Sweet, tender gluten free cinnamon rolls made with an all purpose gluten free flour and instant yeast. Make weekend mornings special with these gf cinnamon buns!
A family tradition of warm cinnamon rolls
Rolls a lot like these warm, fluffy gluten free cinnamon rolls were a family staple of mine growing up. They were homemade, but we didn't make them ourselves.
I had an aunt from Sweden who made the best cinnamon rolls. They used to call them “Bia's buns,” and everyone thought that was hysterical. I had no clue why, but I laughed like I was in on it (I got the “Bia part, because that was her name). I just wanted the rolls.
Why these are the best gluten free cinnamon buns you'll ever try
These tender, fluffy, gluten free cinnamon rolls are just sweet enough for you to enjoy the yummy icing. And what are cinnamon rolls without icing!
The raw gf cinnamon bun dough can be made in advance, too, as can the rolls themselves, since they reheat quickly and easily. You can bake them halfway, freeze, then finish baking—or bake them fully, and freeze them unglazed.
If you'd like to reheat any baked goods and return some moisture to them, especially yeast bread, try sprinkling with a bit of water before reheating them. They'll be good as new!
Parbaking gluten free cinnamon rolls
Bia's cinnamon buns were packed with cinnamon and cardamom. She used to make them in these round disposable tins.
She'd parbake them about halfway at about 300°F until puffed and very very pale golden. Then, we'd stick them in the deep freezer when they were nice and cool. They'd be so perfect for a whole gluten free breakfast spread…
Then, we'd defrost them at room temperature and then finish baking until they were piping hot. Bia's buns most definitely had plenty of gluten in them.
This recipe is adapted from a very early recipe on this site for gluten free pretzel rolls, and they remind me of those buns from long ago…
It's easy to make gluten free cinnamon rolls with yeast from scratch
Are you reluctant to bake with yeast? Maybe you're afraid you won't get it to rise or that it just won't taste good to you. I get it. If you just can't take the plunge, I have a recipe for yeast free gluten free cinnamon rolls that you'll love. Start there.
If you're ready to make the leap to yeasted dough, though, there are some secrets to success that I'll share with you. I think that will help. I also have a full page of Yeasted Bread FAQs, but most of those questions are about the type of recipes in Gluten Free on a Shoestring Bakes Bread.
They use my recipe for “gluten free bread flour” which combines an all purpose gluten free flour blend (usually Better Batter or my mock Better Batter) with whey protein isolate and Expandex modified tapioca starch. This recipe for gluten free cinnamon rolls is in the old school style, the one that relies upon a batter-style dough.
This cinnamon roll dough is an enriched dough, with an egg and butter. An enriched dough is much easier to handle than a so-called lean dough, which is mostly just flour, water, and yeast.
Secrets to making perfect gluten free yeasted dough
Practice patience while your yeasted dough rises
If you only take away one piece of advice about baking with yeast, it should be the importance of patience. Of course, you don't want your rolls to overproof (or over-rise), as they'll break apart even before they bake in the oven. But yeast takes time to grow.
Baking with yeast is also very environment-dependent. If the environment is cooler, the yeast will continue to grow, albeit much slower.
Try to maintain the proper temperature and for the right amount of time
Extremely high temperatures and extremely low temperatures can kill the yeast. But if the air temperature in your kitchen is either that high or that low, you probably aren't spending time baking cinnamon rolls!
Once the dough is about 50% larger than when it started rising, it's considered fully risen. Unlike my recipes that call for gluten free bread flour, this batter-style gluten free yeast dough won't usually double in size during the rising phase. Before it reaches a true doubling, it will start to get pock-marked and overly soft.
The bulk rise, which is the only necessary rise for this dough, should take about 1 hour. I typically turn on my oven to 300°F and set the covered and shaped dough on top. But if it takes longer than an hour, let it go longer.
Overproofing happens when the dough has proofed too much, not when it's been left to rise for “too long.” There is no “too long” for proofing unless the dough has over-proofed. But if you don't let the dough rise for long enough before baking, it will be dense after baking.
Another note about rising temperature
This dough is easiest to work with when it's cold. If you can, place the raw dough in a tightly sealed container (plastic is fine) and refrigerate it for at least 30 minutes before working with it.
When the dough is cold, you'll be much less likely to incorporate a lot of extra flour into it during shaping. And that will help with our next tip (moisture)…
Make sure you follow the recipe precisely, so your gluten free cinnamon bun dough has the right moisture balance
Another key to successful baking with yeast is moisture content. If the dough isn't moist enough, the yeast simply won't grow. Yeast thrives in a wet environment.
That's why we always cover the shaped dough with oiled plastic wrap as it rises. If it dries out during the rise, it will simply stop rising.
Since these batter-style doughs are pretty moist by nature, even if you live in a dry climate you should be fine with the exact amount of liquid specified in the recipe below.
If you're at all worried that your climate is very dry, try adding an extra tablespoonful of water to the dough initially. And be sure not to work very much additional flour into the dough during shaping.
I'm concerned that my kitchen is a bit dry, especially in the middle of the winter, I'll spray the shaped rolls with a bit of water before covering them and allowing them to rise. It certainly doesn't hurt their rise.
Measure all your ingredients by weight
Another one of the reasons that baking with yeast can seem so intimidating is the precision that is necessary for (really all) successful baking. But since moisture is so important in yeast bread baking, precision in measurement becomes even more important than usual.
Water is the one liquid for which the volume measurement is equivalent to the weighted measurement. So 1 fluid ounce of water (a volume measurement) is equal to 1 ounce (a weight measurement) of water. I measure water on a digital kitchen scale, by weight.
Volume measurements are inherently unreliable. They aren't standardized, so 1 “cup” from one manufacturer can be significantly larger or smaller than another. Plus, user error is inevitable. For all of us! It's not a judgment, just a statement of fact.
So measure by weight if at all possible. Trust the recipe, and trust yourself. I promise you can do this, and the yeasted flavor and tenderness of these amazing, tender and fluffy gluten free cinnamon rolls makes it all worthwhile.
How to make gluten free cinnamon rolls: more tips for perfecting this recipe
Use fresh baking soda and instant yeast
For the best rise, make sure your baking soda is fresh, and that your instant yeast is well within its freshness date. if you have to use active dry yeast in place of instant yeast, dissolve it in the some of the liquid in the recipe first, and use 25% more, by weight.
Don't worry about the soft gluten free dough
Your gluten free yeasted dough won't have the same “stretch” as conventional yeast bread dough, so you'll need to use a lighter touch and not pull or tug at it. Just follow the instructions and you'll do great!
Roll your cinnamon roll dough 1/2-inch thick
Be sure not to roll your cinnamon roll dough too thin, or the dough will break as you roll the filling inside. Too thick, and you won't be able to fit in enough filling—or get much of a pretty swirl!
Use a sharp knife for slicing for the cinnamon roll dough
To slice the roll into buns cleanly, use a very sharp knife (and saw gently, rather than cutting in one motion, or you'll compress the dough). You can also use unwaxed, plain dental floss to the cleanest, easiest slices.
Don't fret over the presentation — messy is okay!
Give yourself grace when you judge your cinnamon rolls! Especially if this is your first try at baking shaped gluten free yeast bread dough, they may not look beautiful, but they'll still taste great.
Watch the cooking time
Overbaking your cinnamon buns will take away the tenderness, so watch the color of your rolls as they brown in the oven.
How to store gluten free cinnamon rolls
Storing baked gf cinnamon rolls
Once your rolls are baked, before you add the glaze, you can cool them completely and freeze them in a single layer. Just wrap them first very tightly in freezer-safe wrap, and they warm up perfectly.
Reheating gluten free sweet rolls
If your rolls aren't just out of the oven, we can still make them taste like they are! Try letting them defrost at room temperature until they're no longer frozen in the center, then sprinkle them with some water and refresh them in a 275°F oven or toaster oven.
Making gluten free cinnamon rolls in advance
Parbaking and then freezing
My Aunt Bia’s buns were packed with cinnamon and cardamom. She used to make them in these round disposable tins.
She’d parbake them about halfway at about 300°F until puffed and very, very pale golden. Then, we’d stick them in the deep freezer when they were nice and cool. They’d be so perfect for a whole gluten free breakfast spread…
Then, we’d defrost them at room temperature and then finish baking until they were piping hot. Bia’s buns most definitely had plenty of gluten in them, but parbaking is parbaking!
Substitutions for ingredients in these gluten free cinnamon buns
Gluten free dairy-free cinnamon rolls
You can try replacing the buttermilk blend can be replaced with powdered coconut milk. The butter in both the rolls and the filling can be replaced with a vegan butter that softens nicely at room temperature, like Melt brand or Miyoko's Kitchen brand.
If you can have dairy but don't have buttermilk powder, you can use powdered milk in its place. Do not use liquid buttermilk in this recipe.
Gluten free egg free cinnamon rolls
Since there is only 1 egg in this recipe, I expect that it would work well with a “chia egg” substitute (1 tablespoon ground white chia seeds mixed with 1 tablespoon lukewarm water and allowed to gel).
Apple cider vinegar
The cider vinegar and the baking soda combine during baking to give the rolls a bit more lift along with the yeast. Think of them like insurance. In place of apple cider vinegar, you can use freshly squeezed lemon juice.
Choosing a gluten free flour blend
You really must use one of my recommended gluten free flour blends for this recipe. All of my gluten free recipes are designed to be made with one of my recommended blends, but yeast bread in particular is even more sensitive to flour substitutions.
I highly recommend using Better Batter (or my mock Better Batter) gluten free flour blend in yeast bread applications like this. I have successfully made this recipe with both Cup4Cup and my Better Than Cup4Cup blends, though, and the rolls just don't brown quite as much but the recipe still works.
Make sure you're using buttermilk powder, which is a powder/flour, and not liquid buttermilk, or your dough will be too sticky to handle.
Gluten free cinnamon roll variations
Add nuts to make gluten free sticky buns
For a fun spin on the gf cinnamon bun concept, try adding some chopped, relatively soft nuts like walnuts or pecans to the filling.
Use a thicker cream cheese frosting
This recipe calls for a simple confectioners' sugar glaze, but you can also make a thick, decadent cream cheese frosting. Just use the frosting recipe from our gluten free carrot cake, and never apologize for loving cream cheese!
FAQs
Are cinnamon rolls gluten free?
No! Cinnamon rolls that aren't made specifically to be gluten free aren't safe on a gluten free diet. You need to use this recipe, or another one like it, made with reliably gluten free ingredients.
Can I make gluten free cinnamon roll mix in advance?
You can assemble the dry ingredients for these gf cinnamon rolls, including the instant yeast, whisk them together, and store them in the refrigerator until you're ready to make the cinnamon roll dough. No need to warm up the mix before proceeding with the recipe.
Can I freeze gf cinnamon rolls?
Yes! You can freeze either parbaked or fully baked and cooled gf cinnamon rolls.
Can I double this recipe for gluten free cinnamon rolls?
If you have a very large stand mixer, you can double this recipe for gluten free cinnamon rolls. Otherwise, make 2 batches, one after the other, to ensure even combining of ingredients.
Why isn't my gluten free cinnamon roll dough rising?
Patience is the #1 virtue in yeast bread baking! Overproofing is a matter of not rising enough, not rising for too long, so don't fear overproofing. Just cover your raw dough properly to avoid its drying out, measure your water by weight so you don't undermeasure it, and wait!
Why did my gluten free cinnamon buns come out dense?
If you didn't make any changes to the recipe as written, used one of my recommended gluten free flour blends, and measured by weight, you likely either added too much additional flour during shaping, or didn't let your rolls rise long enough before baking.
Why is my gf cinnamon roll dough so sticky?
Here are some questions to ask yourself as you troubleshoot:
- Did you use Better Batter classic blend GF flour, and measure by weight? Not all gf flour blends are created equal, particularly for yeast applications.
- Did you use butermilk powder, or dry milk powder in its place, and not liquid buttermilk? That is a relatively common error and will lead to overhydrated dough.
- Did you measure your water slowly, and by weight, not volume? It's very easy to overmeasure water.
- Did you make your dough with a stand mixer, and beat the dough until it began to pull away from the sides of the mixer bowl?
Why are my gluten free cinnamon rolls so dry?
Dry cinnamon rolls were maybe overbaked, or were dense because of one of the reasons shared above. Practice makes perfect! And also, measuring a proper gf flour blend by weight. :)
How to make gluten free cinnamon rolls, step by step
Gluten Free Cinnamon Rolls
Equipment
Ingredients
For the rolls
- 3 ¼ cups (455 g) all purpose gluten free flour blend (I highly recommend Better Batter; please click thru for full info on appropriate blends), plus more for sprinkling
- 1 ½ teaspoons xanthan gum omit if your blend already contains it
- ½ cup (43 g) cultured buttermilk blend powder dry milk powder; make sure it's powder, not liquid!
- 2 teaspoons (6 g) instant yeast
- ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 tablespoons (26 g) packed light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons (28 g) unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1 (50 g (weighed out of shell)) egg at room temperature, beaten
- 1 ½ cups (12 ounces) warm water about 95°F
For the filling
- 4 tablespoons (56 g) unsalted butter at room temperature
- ¾ cup (164 g) packed light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
For the optional glaze
- 1 cup (115 g) confectioners' sugar
- 1 tablespoon milk any kind, plus more by the 1/4 teaspoonful
Instructions
- Grease a 9-inch x 13-inch casserole dish and set it aside.
Make the dough.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, place the flour, xanthan gum, buttermilk powder, yeast, cream of tartar, baking soda and sugar in the bowl of your stand mixer. Whisk to combine well with a separate, handheld whisk.
- Add the salt, and whisk with a separate whisk again to combine well.
- Add the cider vinegar, butter, and egg, and mix to combine well.
- With the mixer on low speed, add the water in a slow but steady stream. Once you have added 1 1/4 cups of water, or 10 fluid ounces), turn the mixer up to high and let it work for about 3 minutes. If necessary to help the mixture come together into a smooth cohesive dough, add the remaining water a bit at a time.
- The dough will be moist but continue to mix until the dough starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl in spots.
Roll out the dough.
- Turn the dough out onto a flat, lightly floured surface. Sprinkle it with some extra flour and knead it gently until it’s somewhat smoother.
- Divide the dough in half, and place one half under a tea towel to prevent it from drying out. Using a rolling pin and sprinkling lightly with flour as necessary to prevent sticking, roll the remaining half of dough into a rectangular shape about 1/2-inch thick, and about 9 inches x 12-inches.
Add the filling and shape the dough.
- Using an offset spatula or spoon, spread the softened butter all around the rectangle, leaving 1-inch border clean all around.
- Sprinkle with the brown sugar evenly on top of the butter and pat the brown sugar down lightly with your fingers to help it stick to the butter. Sprinkle the cinnamon evenly on top of the sugar.
- Starting at a short side, roll the dough tightly into a coil. Using a piece of unwaxed dental floss or thread or a very sharp knife, cut rolls in cross-section each about 2-inches wide.
- Place the rolls in the prepared baking pan, about 1-inch apart. Apply even pressure to the top of each roll with your fingers to compress the coil about 1/3 of the way down.
- Repeat the process with the other half of the dough.
Let the rolls rise.
- Cover the pan with lightly oiled plastic wrap and set in a warm, draft-free location to rise until about 150% its original size. It should take about 1 hour, but may take much longer in a cold, dry environment.
Bake the rolls.
- When the dough is nearing the end of its rise, preheat your oven to 350°F. Remove the plastic wrap and place the pan in the center of the preheated oven.
- Bake for about 25 minutes or until the cinnamon rolls are golden brown on top and cooked in the middle. Remove from the oven and let the rolls cool to room temperature.
Make the (optional) glaze.
- In a small bowl, place the confectioners’ sugar and milk. Mix well, until a thick paste forms.
- Add more milk by the 1/4-teaspoon, mixing to combine well, until the glaze falls off the spoon slowly, in a thick but pourable glaze.
- Drizzle the glaze on top of the cooled rolls and allow to set briefly before serving.
Gluten Free Cinnamon Rolls
Equipment
Ingredients
For the rolls
- 3 ¼ cups (455 g) all purpose gluten free flour blend (I highly recommend Better Batter; please click thru for full info on appropriate blends), plus more for sprinkling
- 1 ½ teaspoons xanthan gum omit if your blend already contains it
- ½ cup (43 g) cultured buttermilk blend powder dry milk powder; make sure it's powder, not liquid!
- 2 teaspoons (6 g) instant yeast
- ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 tablespoons (26 g) packed light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons (28 g) unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1 (50 g (weighed out of shell)) egg at room temperature, beaten
- 1 ½ cups (12 ounces) warm water about 95°F
For the filling
- 4 tablespoons (56 g) unsalted butter at room temperature
- ¾ cup (164 g) packed light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
For the optional glaze
- 1 cup (115 g) confectioners' sugar
- 1 tablespoon milk any kind, plus more by the 1/4 teaspoonful
Instructions
- Grease a 9-inch x 13-inch casserole dish and set it aside.
Make the dough.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, place the flour, xanthan gum, buttermilk powder, yeast, cream of tartar, baking soda and sugar in the bowl of your stand mixer. Whisk to combine well with a separate, handheld whisk.
- Add the salt, and whisk with a separate whisk again to combine well.
- Add the cider vinegar, butter, and egg, and mix to combine well.
- With the mixer on low speed, add the water in a slow but steady stream. Once you have added 1 1/4 cups of water, or 10 fluid ounces), turn the mixer up to high and let it work for about 3 minutes. If necessary to help the mixture come together into a smooth cohesive dough, add the remaining water a bit at a time.
- The dough will be moist but continue to mix until the dough starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl in spots.
Roll out the dough.
- Turn the dough out onto a flat, lightly floured surface. Sprinkle it with some extra flour and knead it gently until it’s somewhat smoother.
- Divide the dough in half, and place one half under a tea towel to prevent it from drying out. Using a rolling pin and sprinkling lightly with flour as necessary to prevent sticking, roll the remaining half of dough into a rectangular shape about 1/2-inch thick, and about 9 inches x 12-inches.
Add the filling and shape the dough.
- Using an offset spatula or spoon, spread the softened butter all around the rectangle, leaving 1-inch border clean all around.
- Sprinkle with the brown sugar evenly on top of the butter and pat the brown sugar down lightly with your fingers to help it stick to the butter. Sprinkle the cinnamon evenly on top of the sugar.
- Starting at a short side, roll the dough tightly into a coil. Using a piece of unwaxed dental floss or thread or a very sharp knife, cut rolls in cross-section each about 2-inches wide.
- Place the rolls in the prepared baking pan, about 1-inch apart. Apply even pressure to the top of each roll with your fingers to compress the coil about 1/3 of the way down.
- Repeat the process with the other half of the dough.
Let the rolls rise.
- Cover the pan with lightly oiled plastic wrap and set in a warm, draft-free location to rise until about 150% its original size. It should take about 1 hour, but may take much longer in a cold, dry environment.
Bake the rolls.
- When the dough is nearing the end of its rise, preheat your oven to 350°F. Remove the plastic wrap and place the pan in the center of the preheated oven.
- Bake for about 25 minutes or until the cinnamon rolls are golden brown on top and cooked in the middle. Remove from the oven and let the rolls cool to room temperature.
Make the (optional) glaze.
- In a small bowl, place the confectioners’ sugar and milk. Mix well, until a thick paste forms.
- Add more milk by the 1/4-teaspoon, mixing to combine well, until the glaze falls off the spoon slowly, in a thick but pourable glaze.
- Drizzle the glaze on top of the cooled rolls and allow to set briefly before serving.
Annie says
Hi Nicole I’m living in Ireland and I don’t think that better batter or cup4cup is available here, but I use the dove farm freee flour blend and it works great! I love all of your recipes, and you are definitely my go
To for gluten free food! I will say though, sometimes your gram to cup conversions are sometimes wrong, like in your other cinnamon roll recipes. Thank you🥳
Anna says
Love all your recipe’s, definite go to for Gluten Free.
What would you recommend replacing the powdered Buttermilk with? I have not come across it in Australia.
Thank you.
Nicole Hunn says
Please see the text under the title “Gluten free dairy-free cinnamon rolls”, Anna.
Rebecca says
Just the one rise? Not 2?
Nicole Hunn says
Correct. One rise.