My gluten free cinnamon rolls recipe is super popular (it’s based on my grandma’s recipe, so how could it not be amazingly delicious, right?!), but I was Pinterest-surfing one day and a giant skillet roll caught my eye. Think of it: one enormous cinnamon roll instead of individual rolls … it’s so unexpected! So, of course I thought I’d try it for myself.
In the middle of my preparations, my hubbie walked in and I told him I was making a giant cinnamon-roll-thingy and his first question was “Why? Your recipe is already amazing, why mess with it?”
Now, the thing you have to understand about my hubbie is that, somehow, he always seems to be right. Seriously, as much as I sometimes hate to admit it, he really always seems to have the best ideas (how does he do that?!!). So I decided not to mess with my well-loved cinnamon rolls recipe and make this giant skillet roll totally different; I made it lemony instead! And boy is it yummy!
If you’d prefer to go the more traditional brown sugar-cinnamon route, it’s an easy switcheroo – just use all dark brown sugar in the filling, add 3 tablespoons of cinnamon, and omit the lemon and lemon zest with the glaze. Voilà ! A giant gluten free cinnamon roll!
Either way, this recipe is a lot easier than you might think. The dough when made with my gfJules Flour is easy to work with, so it’s not hard to wrap the strips around themselves to make this impressive treat, and you certainly don’t have to tell anyone it wasn’t as hard to make as it looks!
It’s always nice to have options, and now you have two: make my Grandma’s Cinnamon Rolls the old fashioned way, or make this giant Gluten Free Lemon (or Cinnamon) Roll! Maybe choose one for Saturday and another for Sunday? Too much? Ok, you pick, but it is nice to have options!
Gluten Free Lemon Roll Recipe
Ingredients
Dough
- 1 cup coconut milk (not lite) (or may use other non-dairy or whole milk; rice milk not recommended)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp. sea salt
- 2 packets (4 1/2 tsp.) quick rapid dry yeast (Red Star® Quick Rise)
- 1 tsp. granulated sugar
- 1 cup warm water (90-110°F)
- 2 eggs, room temperature (or 2 Tbs. flaxseed meal steeped in 6 Tbs. warm water)
- 6 cups (810 gr.) gfJules™ All Purpose Gluten Free Flour
- 4 Tbs. butter or non-dairy alternative, melted (e.g. Earth Balance® Buttery Sticks)
Filling
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 4 Tbs. butter or non-dairy alternative, melted (e.g. Earth Balance® Buttery Sticks)
Glaze
- 4 oz. cream cheese (dairy or non-dairy like Go Veggie®), slightly melted
- 4 Tbs. butter or non-dairy alternative, melted (e.g. Earth Balance® Buttery Sticks)
- 2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
- 2 Tbs. hot milk (dairy or non-dairy)
- 2 Tbs. lemon juice
- Zest of one-half lemon
- ÂĽ cup raisins (optional)
Instructions
To make the dough, combine coconut milk, 1/2 cup sugar and salt in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir constantly until the sugar granules melt and the mixture begins to bubble, approximately 3-5 minutes. Remove to cool.
While the mixture is cooling, combine yeast packets with 1 teaspoon sugar and warm water a large mixing bowl. Stir with the beater paddle attachment or a whisk until integrated. Let stand for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile add raisins to a small bowl and cover with very hot water. Set aside. Stir the two sugars of the filling together in a small bowl and set aside. Melt 4 tablespoons of butter in a small bowl and set aside.
After the yeast has begun to grow and bubble, whisk in the eggs and cooled (not cold) milk mixture. Begin stirring in gfJules Flour using the paddle attachment on a stand mixer or a large wooden spoon. Stir in 4 cups of the flour, then add the melted butter, and finally add the remaining 2 cups of flour, mixing until fully incorporated and the dough is sticking together.
Prepare a pastry mat or clean counter by lightly flouring with more gfJules Flour. Divide the dough in half and gently press one half out onto the floured surface to flatten, then begin to roll in each direction until the dough is approximately ¼ - ½ inch thick. Using a bench scraper, rubber spatula or butter knife, push the edges of the dough in and even them to form a rectangle approximately 12x9 inches.
Brush the dough with melted butter and sprinkle with half of the mixed sugars.
Measure approximately 1¾ inches down the short side of the rectangle and cut dough in a straight line horizontally so a 1¾ inch strip is made. Repeat so 5 even strips are cut.
Take one strip and begin rolling up from one end to the other as if you were making a regular cinnamon roll. When you get to the end, add the next strip of dough and wrap around the first roll. Repeat with one more strip wrapped around the first roll, then gently transfer the entire roll to the center of a well-oiled 12- or 14-inch cast iron skillet or spring-form pan.
Wrap the last two strips of dough around the large roll in the center of the pan, then repeat the same process with the second half of the dough, rolling it out, topping it, cutting strips and wrapping them around the roll in the pan until all the dough is used and the roll has reached the outside edge of the pan.
Cover with oiled parchment and set aside to rise, either in a warm place for 1 hour or at room temperature for longer (or cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight, removing to allow the dough to come to room temperature before baking the next day).
Preheat oven to 400°F or 375°F (convection). Bake for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the roll comes out clean. Remove to cool and top with glaze. Do not overbake.
To make the glaze, whisk together ingredients and spoon over top of the warm roll when removed from the oven. Sprinkle with raisins and lemon zest. Serve warm.
(Inspired by SpinkleBakes.com Giant Skillet Cinnamon Roll on Pinterest)
Pin it for later!
Hello, I was wondering if there is a video of this lemon roll being made? I feel confused about rolling it into the pan.
Hi Angie, I’ll add this to my video to-do list! I don’t have a video yet, but in the meantime, if you just imagine making strips of dough that have been slathered with the yummy toppings already, then roll one up, then roll another around that roll, then another around that one … it just makes the dough easier to handle if you add them in strips. I hope that makes more sense! Enjoy the recipe!
~jules
My mother used to make cinnamon rolls with a basic yeast bread recipe and cut into about 3-4″ round 1″ thick pieces and stand up on edge in a pan and around in a circle and bake – cinnamon rolls similar to biscuits. This recipe would be good like that. I remember eating too many and feeling sick, but they were that good. I look forward to trying them with lemon. Thank you for posting.
Those baking memories with mom (and in my case, with my grandmothers, as well) are absolute treasures!!! To be able to bring them back is such a gift. I hope you love experimenting with this recipe or give any of my MANY gluten free cinnamon roll recipes a go, as well! Maybe one of those base cinnamon roll recipes is even more like the one you made with your mother? I can’t wait to hear all about your delicious experiments!
~jules
I have used and loved yours Jules but cannot use it either due to a high corn sensitivity. The absolute best CORN free flour I have found in 15 years of being wheat and corn free and used successfully in baking is Steve’s Authenic Foods Cake flour. I’ve used them all and this one is my all time favorite corn free flour! Especially for flaky pie crust and doughs! Love and appreciate all your yummy foodies!!
Organic corn can make a big difference. My stomach is sensitive to GMO corn.
I have heard this as well, Terri. I only source NON-GMO corn for all of my gfJules products for that reason.
~jules
Hi Sue, I’m glad you’ve found one that’s working for you! Stay tuned because I’m releasing a corn-free blend this fall and I’m so excited! I can’t wait for you to try it!!! It works great in all my recipes 1:1 and also in your family recipes, so it stays within my mission to make gluten free baking easy for everyone.
Happy baking!
~jules
Jules do you have a video of how you actually roll this into the strips? I’m such a visual person! Thank you! Looks devine!
Give this gluten free cinnamon rolls recipe a look, Sue. It has a video of making gluten free cinnamon rolls with the dough strips and you can use that same idea for rolling this dough as well.
~jules
Sorry, I guess it is the glaze that you use for the lemon. I missed that.
Thanks.
No worries! The glaze is super yummy and not to be missed!!!!
~jules
Looks so yummy! What is the recipe for the lemon filling Jules?
Hi, would Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 work here? We have a pretty strong corn allergy, or I’d try your flour blend in a heartbeat. This recipe looks amazing!
Thanks!
Hi Heather, I haven’t worked with Bob’s at all; if it doesn’t already contain gums like xanthan or guar, make sure to add that. I’d use 1/4 – 1/2 tsp. per cup of flour in a recipe like this. One more note, if you’re avoiding corn, I recommend Better Batter Flour. Most of my readers who have tried it when they need to avoid corn have been very happy with its performance. Happy baking!
~jules
Jules my husband and son would have a fit over this! Of course I’d have to add lemon oil for it to be more lemony. The one half would have to have plain glaze no lemon for my other little man.
Mmmmmm – lemon oil! If only I’d had some … next time! Good thing this roll is big enough to make two different glazes to suit everyone’s taste!
~jules
I love your recipes and this one looks sooooo good!. But, since I’m watching the amount of carbs eaten, I would appreciate it if you could list the nutritional facts on your recipes. Thanks!
Hi Marie,
It’s definitely in my plans for the future, but right now we’re still working out the bugs on my new site, just migrating the recipes over! Look for the nutritionals to come in time. Thanks for your input and I’m so glad to hear you’re loving my recipes!
~jules