Gluten Free Cinnamon Roll Cookie Recipe

Gluten Free Cinnamon Roll Cookies! Yes, you read right! These little gems melt in your mouth just like miniature cinnamon rolls, but take a lot less time to prepare and are easier to carry in lunch boxes!

You may have heard of my annual gfJules Gluten Free Cookie Swap. I love to pick a few of my favorites and whip them up for family and friends (who doesn’t love a great new cookie recipe?). Well, way back in 2014, I  had my eye on these German Cinnamon Roll Cookies, and was happy to find any excuse to try them. 

I’ve made them many times since then, and I’ve tweaked the original recipe quite a bit. I really like LOTS of swirls of cinnamon and sugar (nothing wrong with extra, right?!), so I like to roll this dough quite thin — almost like a pie crust pastry. 

When it’s rolled very thin, it’s easier to work with if rolled directly onto parchment paper (a staple in my gluten free kitchen) or a pastry mat.

Then spread the melted (vegan) butter and lots of yummy cinnamon and sugar on top.

At this point, it’s easy to use the paper/pastry mat under the dough to help it roll over onto itself to form the roll … like so:

And keep it going, rolling a little more at a time so it forms a fairly tight log of cinnamon-sugar-dough deliciousness.

At this point, if you’re particularly hungry or impatient, or both, you can either cut the log into cookie-discs …

… and then place onto parchment-lined cookie sheets to bake …

or place the entire log of dough into a freezer bag and let it freeze for 1/2 hour – 1 hour, then slice and bake! Freezing the dough makes it less sticky and soft, and makes for a cleaner cut.

Any way you slice them (pun intended), they’re absolutely delicious, and super easy to make. Actually, this is the best kind of recipe, because they look fancy and complicated but they are truly simple. You don’t have to tell anyone that, though.

Just look at these beauties! With or without the glaze … they’re the kind of cookie everyone can agree on!

If you do decide to top them with traditional cinnamon roll icing, it’s an easy solution to cinnamon roll cravings that doesn’t involve waiting for yeast rolls to rise! (Although, if you’re looking for a delicious Gluten-Free Cinnamon Rolls made with yeast, you simply must try my recipe! And if you want a breakfast cinnamon roll that’s gluten-free AND yeast-free, I’ve got one of those recipes for you, too!)

A quality blender like my Blendtec* makes quick work of whipping up this decadent icing, too!

Head over to the Gluten Free Cookie Swap on Facebook or Pinterest if you’d like some more Gluten Free cookie inspiration. In the meantime, I think I’ll pop in another cinnamon roll cookie, if you don’t mind.

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Gluten Free Cinnamon Roll Cookie Recipe

Yield: 24 cookies

Prep Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Cook Time: 12 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 22 minutes

All the goodness of a cinnamon roll ... in a cookie! These Gluten Free Cinnamon Roll Cookies are destined to be a family favorite!

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Ingredients

• 6 Tbs. butter or non-dairy alternative (e.g. Earth Balance®) softened
• 1/4 cup cream cheese (dairy or non-dairy - go here for recommendations)
• 7 Tbs. granulated sugar
• 1 Tbs. pure vanilla extract
• 1 egg yolk (or egg sub like 1 Tbs. vegan mayonnaise)
• 1 1/4 cup gfJules® All Purpose Gluten Free Flour (169 gr)
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 2 Tbs. butter or non-dairy alternative (e.g. Earth Balance®), melted
• 2 Tbs. ground cinnamon
• 3 Tbs. brown sugar or coconut palm sugar
• 1/3 cup confectioner’s sugar
• 2 tsp. +/- milk (dairy or non-dairy)

Instructions

Whip butter, cream cheese and sugar until combined, then stir in vanilla and egg yolk.

Sift together flour and baking powder, then slowly add to wet ingredients. Mix until dough is thick and smooth.

Prepare a piece of parchment paper or pastry mat by dusting liberally with gfJules Flour. Transfer dough to the parchment and pat out to an elongated rectangle shape using the palms of your hands. Roll out to the thickness of pie crust dough, dusting the top with more gfJules Flour if sticky.

Mix cinnamon and brown sugar in a small bowl and set aside. Brush on the melted butter to cover the entire surface of the dough, then sprinkle cinnamon-brown sugar over the melted butter, leaving the long/vertical edges slightly exposed without topping.

Lift the parchment paper under one vertical/long side of the dough to gently start the dough rolling upon itself. Use a bench scraper or rubber spatula to help, if needed.

Continue to roll gently until the dough is rolled into a long log. Arrange the log of dough so the seam is down when finished rolling. Consult the photos above the recipe card for how-to method.

Cut the log in half and place each half of the dough in a zip-top gallon freezer bag, laid gently in the freezer until hardened - 1/2 hour to 1 hour works well. This step is only necessary if the dough is super sticky and warm or you want very crisp, neat cookies.

Once frozen, preheat your oven to 350°F.

Remove the dough logs from the freezer and slice into approximately ½ inch thick pinwheels.

Arrange on parchment-lined baking sheets one inch apart and bake for 11-12 minutes in the preheated oven. You will start to see texture to the dough once fully cooked, as opposed to smooth, uncooked dough, but the cookies should not be browning or they’ll have cooked too long. These cookies should be tender, not crunchy, once cooked and cooled.

Remove to cool on wire racks and ice if desired before serving.

Makes 24 cookies.

Recommended Products

I may earn a small amount from qualifying affiliate purchases; this amount goes to fund this blog and does not cost you anything additional.

• 
  Hampton Creek Just Mayo, 30 oz
• 
  Big Tree Farms Organic Brown Coconut Sugar, Vegan, Paleo, Gluten-Free, Non-GMO, Low Glycemic, Unrefined and Fair Trade, Natural Sweetener, 2 Pound (Packaging May Vary)
• 
  gfJules Gluten Free All Purpose Flour
• 
  Earth Balance Vegan, Lactose Free, Non-Dairy, Gluten Free, No MSG, Non-GMO Buttery Sticks 16 ounce (Pack of 6)
• 
  Silpat Premium Non-Stick Silicone Baking Mat, Half Sheet Size, 11-5/8" x 16-1/2"
• 
  PaperChef Culinary Parchment Multipurpose Non-Stick Paper, 205 sq ft

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment (and maybe even a picture!) below or share a photo on Instagram! Be sure to tag me! @gfJules

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*I am a Blendtec Ambassador because I love and believe in the quality of their products. I use my blender for everything from daily smoothies to cinnamon roll icing! As always, all opinions are my own.  See my disclosure policy for more information. Working with select brands I love allows me to keep bringing you free recipes, and I hope that in the process, you’ll learn about some of the safe gluten free products I choose for my family. Thanks so much for your support! (Enter code GFJULES at for 20% off at https://www.blendtec.com)