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Warm, comforting gluten free yeast free cinnamon buns take no time at all, since they don't have to be left to rise like our classic yeasted gluten free cinnamon rolls. They're still gooey and soft, and taste so sweet!
Why you'll love these yeast free cinnamon rolls
When you're sad about something and, say, eat your feelings, that works for, like, the moment that you're actually eating. That warm, cinnamon goodness all through the tender dough of the cinnamon roll might feel like love.
But what about baking for someone else? I'm telling you right now, as I've experienced this first hand more times than I can count, that that is love. It's not like every time my kids feel sad, I ply them with sugar. But when I know that cinnamon rolls are a favorite, and that saddest teenage child smells them baking in our kitchen?
LOVE. On both sides of that equation. The fact that you went out of your way to bake for someone feels like love for the baker and the eater. It just does.
And if you're worried about baking with yeast, these yeast free cinnamon rolls are the perfect place to start. Leavened only with baking powder and eggs, they're a sure thing. No finicky yeast to deal with!
Why you'll love these yeast free cinnamon rolls
The dough for these yeast free cinnamon rolls is smooth and even silky. With no more than a sprinkling here and there of flour as you work, it's truly a pleasure to roll out.
In just a few minutes, you're rolling up the dough. Then, all that's left is to slice it into 1-inch sections and nestle them into the wells of a muffin tin.
How to make clean slices for each cinnamon roll
You can slice the roll of dough into individual pieces with a sharp knife, or even a piece of unflavored, unwaxed dental floss. It's a great way to get razor-sharp edges without crushing the roll at all.
After just 25 minutes in the oven, they're done. Classic, fluffy and soft cinnamon buns, with that perfect buttery cinnamon-sugar filling bursting out of the center and making those edges almost crispy. A light drizzle of a simple glaze is all you need.
Yeast Free Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
For the dough
- 3 ½ cups (490 g) all purpose gluten free flour blend, plus more as needed (please click thru for info on appropriate blends)
- 1 ½ teaspoons xanthan gum, (omit if your blend already contains it)
- 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 6 tablespoons (84 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 2 (100 g (weighed out of shell)) eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten
- 1 cup (8 fluid ounces) milk, at room temperature
For the filling
- 1 cup (218 g) light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 tablespoons (56 g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
For the glaze
- 1 cup (115 g) confectioners’ sugar
- 1 tablespoon milk, plus more by the 1/4 teaspoonful if necessary
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease the wells of a standard twelve-cup muffin tin and set it aside.
Make the roll dough
- In a large bowl, place 3 1/2 cups (490 g) of the flour, the xanthan gum, baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon of the salt, and the granulated sugar, and whisk well.
- Add 6 tablespoons of the butter, the eggs, and the milk, and mix until the dough comes together.
- The dough should be smooth and relatively easy to handle.
- If the dough seems sticky, add more flour by the tablespoon and knead it in with well-floured hands until the dough is smooth.
Shape
- Turn the dough out onto a piece of lightly floured unbleached parchment paper.
- Sprinkle the dough very lightly with extra flour and roll it into a 12-inch by 15-inch rectangle, about 1/4 inch thick (no thinner).
- Trim any especially rough edges.
Make the filling and fill the dough.
- In a medium-size bowl, place all of the filling ingredients and mix to combine well.
- With a small offset spatula or large spoon, spread the filling in an even layer over the top of the rectangle of dough, leaving about 1/4 inch clean around the perimeter.
- Starting at a short side, roll the dough away from you into a tightly formed roll. Slice the roll in cross-section into twelve equal pieces, each about 1 inch thick.
- Place each roll in a well of the prepared muffin tin.
Bake
- Place the tin in the center of the preheated oven, and bake for about 25 minutes, or until the rolls begin to turn golden brown and the filling starts to bubble out of them.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool until the rolls are firm enough to handle (about 10 minutes), then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.
- Be sure to remove the rolls from the muffin tin before they are completely cool, or they will begin to stick to the muffin tin.
Make the icing
- In a small bowl, place the confectioners’ sugar and 1 tablespoon of 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.
- Add milk very slowly, as it is much easier to thin, than to thicken, the glaze.
- If you do thin the glaze too much, add more confectioners’ sugar a teaspoon at a time to thicken it.
- Drizzle or spread the icing on the cooled rolls before serving.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Will these freeze well without the frosting? If so, how long?
Hi, Marge, I haven’t frozen these, but once they’re completely cooled, I think they would freeze well if each is wrapped tightly individually in freezer-safe wrap. Defrost at room temperature, then sprinkle with water and refresh in a toaster oven.
Hi Nicole. I just made these and they turned out great! Thank you! My only problem was spreading out the filling. It was quite dry. Any suggestions what I did wrong?
Did you use melted butter, or did you use any ingredient substitutions. There should be plenty of melted butter to spread the filling evenly over the dough.
I tried making these (I used namaste perfect blend flour with xanthan gum) and the dough was just falling a part. I got it to roll out but when I tried rolling it up it started breaking in pieces. I was able to somewhat salvage it, but when I tried cutting them into rolls they completely fell apart ?. I have been diagnosed with celiac for a year and a half and it still have yet to successfully bake ANYTHING!!! I don’t understand what I am doing wrong. I’ve even tried pre mixed goods. Everything either falls a part or it comes out soggy in the middle. Any suggestions? I did use almond milk, but I’ve read that shouldn’t pose a problem.
Angela, you simply cannot use Namaste flour blend in my recipes. They will not work. It’s a terrible, unbalanced blend. That’s why, in every recipe, I link to the page where I have all of my recommended flour blends, both off-the-shelf and DIY. That is your problem.
Gotcha. That is disheartening as I read many positive reviews before I bought the expensive flour. Also, as mentioned, in the past I’ve used other flours/pre mixed baking mixes and never had any luck. I will check out your flours. I just like being able to buy things at the store out of convenience.
Thanks
I used Namaste Organic Flour when I made these cinnamon rolls and the dough was a bit dry when I was rolling it out, but it didn’t fall apart on me. I made a double batch, because I was using these cinnamon rolls for a pie crust (idea from facebook) and didn’t know if your recipe would make enough. It did, and then some! So, I made the pie AND cinnamon rolls by themselves. However, I put the second half of the dough back in the mixer and added a bit more milk. It rolled out perfectly, then.
BTW, this recipe made an awesome apple pie crust on the bottom. I’m still fiddling with the dough for the top crust as it just seemed stale and too hard for slicing nicely. But, I am encouraged! I haven’t had a good piece of apple pie in years and I think I’m almost there!
Lisa Marie, if you would like to be successful in baking my recipes, any of them, you simply cannot use that flour blend. It is unbalanced and won’t work.
Just made these. Delicious! Although they didn’t come out nearly as pretty as yours, and I ended up with a baker’s dozen, so I had to bake one on its own. Still good.
Absolutely wonderful recipe- tender cinnamon rolls, gooey cinnamon and (I used dark) brown sugar filling that bubbles over… and I made my own cream cheese dairy free frosting using: 2.5 c Conf sugar, 1/4 tsp vanilla, 4 oz. Tofutti vegan cream chz, pinch of salt, & 4 Tbsp earth Balance baking stick. The thick, rich frosting slathered on top make these cinnamon rolls taste deliciously amazing! My family said they didn’t realize they were gfdf- Score! ;-)
OMG I’m making these very soon!!!! Question, can I sub Almond Milk for the reg milk?