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These gluten free cinnamon rolls are soft, gooey, and full of cinnamon-sugar flavor—just like the kind you thought you couldn’t have anymore.
The dough is easy to work with, they rise beautifully, and you can even make them ahead.
“OMG! These were incredible. Light, fluffy and the perfect sweet I have been missing. Will definitely make these again.”
my take
Why You'll Love These Rolls
Soft and tender: They rise beautifully and have that classic pillowy texture.
Easy to handle: The dough is simple to shape, especially after a quick chill.
Make-ahead friendly: Parbake and freeze so they’re ready when you are.
Balanced sweetness: Just enough sugar to satisfy without overpowering the cinnamon.
Tastes like the original: No one will guess they’re made without gluten.
Recipe ingredients
For the rolls
- Gluten free flour blend: Use one of my recommended gluten free flour blends. Add xanthan gum only if your mix doesn’t include it.
- Tapioca starch: Adds extra stretch and softness.
- Milk powder: Adds richness and helps with browning.
- Instant yeast: For rise and flavor. Active dry yeast also works—see FAQs.
- Cream of tartar + baking soda: Work together to help the rolls rise and brown.
- Brown sugar + salt: For balanced flavor and tenderness.
- Apple cider vinegar: Adds a slight tang and helps with lift.
- Butter + egg + milk: Enrich the dough and keep it soft. Use full-fat milk.
For the filling
- Butter: Softened so it spreads easily.
- Brown sugar + cinnamon: Classic flavor and gooey center.
For the optional glaze or frosting
- Confectioners’ sugar + milk: For a simple pourable glaze.
- Butter + heavy cream: For a thicker, rich frosting. Use at room temp for best texture.
How to make gluten free cinnamon rolls
Make the dough
Whisk together the dry ingredients, then mix in the wet. Beat the dough in a stand mixer until smooth and pulling away from the sides. Chill it for 30 minutes so it’s easier to handle.
Roll it out
Divide the dough in half. Roll each half into a 9×12-inch rectangle about ½-inch thick on a lightly floured surface.
Add the filling
Spread with softened butter, then sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon. Pat the filling down gently to help it stick.
Shape the rolls
Roll the dough tightly from a short side into a coil. Slice into 6 even pieces using dental floss or a very sharp knife. Repeat with the other half.
Let them rise
Place the rolls cut side up in a greased baking dish, cover, and let rise until puffy—about 50% larger, not doubled.
Bake and frost
Bake at 350°F until risen and lightly golden. While still warm, top with glaze or frosting, if using.
My Pro Tip
Expert tips
Chill the dough before shaping: Cold dough is easier to handle and less likely to absorb too much flour, which can lead to dense rolls.
Don’t let them overproof: They should rise to about 50% bigger—not double. Overproofed rolls lose structure and bake up flat.
Roll evenly and not too thin: A ½-inch thickness gives the best swirl without tearing the dough or losing filling.
Use dental floss to cut cleanly: It slices without compressing the rolls. If using a knife, saw gently with a very sharp blade.
substitutions
Ingredient substitutions
Dairy-free: Use powdered coconut milk in place of milk powder. Substitute vegan butter for dairy butter, and choose a nondairy milk with fat (like almond milk, not fat-free).
Egg-free: Replace the egg with a chia egg (1 tablespoon ground white chia seeds + 1 tablespoon lukewarm water, mixed and gelled).
No apple cider vinegar or cream of tartar: Use white wine vinegar instead of apple cider vinegar, and lemon juice (½ teaspoon) in place of cream of tartar.
make ahead tip
Parbake and freeze
To make fresh cinnamon rolls in the morning without overproofing:
- Shape the rolls and let them rise as usual.
- Bake at 300°F for 15 minutes—until puffed but very pale.
- Let cool completely, then wrap tightly and freeze.
- When ready to serve, defrost at room temp.
- Bake at 350°F for about 10 minutes, until browned and bubbling.
Gluten Free Cinnamon Rolls Recipe
Equipment
- Stand mixer with paddle attachment
Ingredients
For the rolls
- 3 cups (420 g) all purpose gluten free flour blend, (See Recipe Notes), plus more for sprinkling
- 2 teaspoons xanthan gum, omit if your blend already contains it
- ¼ cup (36) tapioca starch/flour
- ½ cup (43 g) dry milk powder, or buttermilk powder; make sure it's powder, not liquid!
- 3 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
- 4 tablespoons (56 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 (50 g (weighed out of shell)) egg, at room temperature, beaten
- 1 ¼ cups (10 ounces) warm milk, about 95°F (plus a bit more, only as necessary)
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 an optional glaze
- 1 cup (115 g) confectioners' sugar, sifted
- 1 tablespoon milk, any kind, plus more by the 1/4 teaspoonful
For an optional frosting
- 6 tablespoons (84 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 2 cups (230 g) confectioners' sugar, sifted
- 3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream, at room temperature, plus more as necessary
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, whisk together the flour, xanthan gum, tapioca starch, milk powder, yeast, cream of tartar, baking soda, and sugar. Add the salt and whisk again.
- Add the vinegar, butter, egg, and milk, and mix to combine.
- Increase the mixer speed to high and beat for about 3 minutes, until the dough is smooth and pulling away from the sides.
- Transfer the dough to a sealed container and refrigerate for 30 minutes to make it easier to handle.
Roll out the dough
- Turn the chilled dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently to smooth.
- Divide in half, keeping one half covered. Roll the other into a 9×12-inch rectangle about ½ inch thick, dusting with flour as needed.
Add the filling and shape
- Spread half the softened butter over the dough, leaving a 1-inch border. Sprinkle with half the brown sugar, pat it down, then sprinkle with cinnamon.
- Starting from a short side, roll the dough tightly into a coil. Slice into 6 rolls using floss or a sharp knife.
- Place in a greased 9×13-inch pan, 1 inch apart. Press each roll down about ⅓ of the way to flatten slightly.
- Repeat with the second half of the dough and filling.
Let rise
- Cover the pan with lightly oiled plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm spot until the rolls are about 50% larger—about 45 minutes.
Bake
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Remove plastic wrap and bake for 20 minutes, until risen, lightly golden, and baked through.
- Let cool for 5 to 10 minutes before icing or frosting, but no longer.
Optional glaze.
- Whisk together confectioners’ sugar and milk until thick but pourable. Add more milk ¼ teaspoon at a time if needed.
- Drizzle over warm rolls.
Optional frosting
- Beat butter and confectioners’ sugar until smooth. Add cream gradually to reach a spreadable consistency.
- Spread generously over warm rolls.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
leftovers
Storage instructions
Let the rolls cool completely before storing. Wrap tightly and freeze in a single layer before adding glaze.
To reheat, defrost at room temp, sprinkle with a bit of water, and warm in a 275°F oven until soft and heated through.
FAQs
Be patient. Gluten free yeast dough takes time to rise and usually won’t double. If they seem stalled, the environment may be too cold.
Most likely causes: too much flour during shaping or not enough proofing time. Make sure to let the dough rise until noticeably puffy.
Check that you used the correct flour blend, measured by weight, and used dry milk powder—not liquid. Sticky dough often means it’s overhydrated.
They may have overbaked, or the flour blend may have absorbed too much moisture. Avoid adding extra flour while shaping.
Yes. Use 25% more (about 8g total) and dissolve it in some of the milk before adding it to the dough.
Amazing hit!! Both kids loved them and were so happy to have warm cinnamon rolls. I can’t thank you enough for all the fantastic recpies.
That’s awesome, Sharon. Thanks for letting us know! I think you may have tried to post a photo, but for some reason it didn’t come through properly and just posted as a code.
I have been trying to figure this out everywhere on your site. Better Batter blend contains xantham gum so leave that out right if using that as the all purpose flour? You mention you prefer to use this blend but then also list xantham gum. So I am assuming you are writing recipe as if people aren’t using better batter blend? Newly trying to wrap head around cooking/baking gluten free for health reasons for my kids. Have the better batter blend flour on order.
That’s correct, Jain, which is why it says next to the xanthan gum ingredient “(omit if your blend already contains it).” I don’t specify Better Batter, but rather link to my page of all purpose gluten free flour blends, as any of my recommended all purpose blends will work in this recipe. When, like Better Batter, the blend you select already contains xanthan gum, you omit that ingredient.
Do you have make-ahead suggestions? is it possible to refrigerate the rolls at some point before baking and then bake the next morning?
Hi, Katie, please see my response to Michele’s question in this thread about parbaking the rolls. That’s really the only way to prepare them ahead of time. Hope that helps!
Can you make these and then freeze them before rising and then let them rise over night and then bake them.
Hi, Gloria, please see my response to Michele’s question in this thread about parbaking the rolls. That’s really the only way to prepare them ahead of time. I don’t recommend freezing unbaked yeast bread dough.
NIcole, you mention that your aunt partakes them, is that something you can do here, and if so how long do I bake them before freezing. I assume I let them rise as usual?
I’ve never tried that with this recipe, Michele, but I bet it would work. To parbake, you’ll shape them, let them rise, and then you want to actually bake at a lower temperature for longer, and take the rolls out before they’ve browned. You can try baking them at 300°F for as long as possible without browning. The idea is for the yeast to be activated in the oven and the dough to “set” enough to hold its shape. My guess is that would be about 15 minutes at 300°F. You’ll have to experiment, though!
Your cinnamon buns look divine! Do you have a recipe for measured either by weight or cups for your gluten free flour mix as opposed to % of flours? Thanks! Ina
I’m afraid you can’t build a flour blend with volume measurements, as it’s just too unreliable and inherently inaccurate. Sorry, Ina!
Can you use anything other than Corn Starch
There’s no cornstarch in this recipe, Debbie.
Your other cinnamon roll recipe was a hit here so I know these are going to be amazing. I’ll whip up a batch for breakfast this weekend!
That’s so great, Meghan! Thanks for the kind words. :)
Any idea how long the cinnamon rolls can be kept at room temperature after baking?
Hi, Pamela, good question! I kept them (once cooled) sealed in a plastic container at room temperature for 2 days and they were still good by the second day. But like any yeasted bread of any kind, day-old bread just isn’t the same as fresh!
Can I sub the dry milk? Instead of water use warm milk? I have everything BUT the dry milk.
Please see the ingredients and substitutions section for all the information I have on those. I’m afraid you can’t use milk in place of the water and the dry milk/buttermilk powder. Sorry!