Mmmm – gluten free cinnamon rolls. Just the name makes me drool a little — how about you?
We hear every day from readers who have used my gfJules® Gluten Free All Purpose Flour in their favorite family recipes, and how overjoyed they are to be able to enjoy these special recipes again with their families.
When Mindy G. wrote in to share these drool-worthy pictures of her gluten free cinnamon roll recipe though, I knew other readers would definitely want to try the recipe too! (What’s the difference between cinnamon rolls and cinnamon buns, by the way? I think these could safely be called either one ….)
What I didn’t know was just how many other readers would be clamoring for the recipe to make these gluten free cinnamon rolls when we shared her yummy pictures!
Lucky for all of us, Mindy was happy to share her family cinnamon rolls recipe. Mindy says she used her tried and true recipe “with only your gfJules Flour subbed in :)”
She also reports, “My gluten free friends I shared them with when I made them are begging for more! I told them to order your flour and they can make their own ;)”
Another reader shared her photo on Instagram (above) and reader Laura O., shared these photos of her before and after cinnamon rolls made from this recipe. She rolled hers even thinner and loved the results!
I’ve now made this recipe many, many times myself, and have added my notes and some process photos for your reference.
If you’re put off by the large amount of flour required to make this recipe, or you and your thighs don’t want that many cinnamon rolls sitting around begging to be eaten, simply halve the ingredients — it works great! I’ve added the half recipe amounts I used in (parenthesis) next to each ingredient for your reference….Although, then again, why halve this recipe? You’re just going to wish you’d made more!
Check out the video below to watch me walk you through making these yummy gluten free cinnamon rolls, step-by-step (so there’s no excuses not to make them yourself!)
Here’s another Gluten-Free Cinnamon Rolls recipe from This Vivacious Life. Looks like it requires some advanced planning, so budget for time, but one can never have too many amazing cinnamon rolls recipes, can one? 🙂
The steps (as you saw in the video are really simple when you’re using my gfJules Flour because it stretches and makes it easy to roll out and up! (Don’t try this recipe with store-bought rice-based blends or bean-based blends or the rolls won’t taste good and it won’t be easy to roll out and roll up)
Simply roll out the dough and sprinkle on the fillings. Then roll it up on itself ….
Then you just cut them into the size rolls you prefer ….
Then set them aside to rise ….
Then bake them ….
Then ice them!
Then just look at this gorgeous result!
Many thanks to Mindy for sharing her now famous Gluten Free Cinnamon Rolls recipe! I can’t wait to see YOUR gluten free cinnamon rolls! And speaking of sharing, what recipes do you wish you could make again, gluten free? What are you waiting for? With my gfJules Flour, anything is possible!
Do you have a family favorite that you’ve already converted to gluten free just by using my gfJules® Flour? I’d love to hear all about it, or better yet, share a picture in the comments below!
Here’s one more look at these drool-worthy gluten free cinnamon rolls. I whipped these up in no time on Easter morning. They really are just TOO EASY. You’ll see when you make them and wonder where they’ve been all your life!
2 Make Ahead Options for Gluten Free Cinnamon Rolls
Refrigerate Unbaked Gluten Free Cinnamon Rolls Overnight
For this make ahead option, rise the gluten free cinnamon rolls as the recipe specifies, then cover with oiled cling wrap then foil. Make sure the pan is sealed well to keep moisture in, but don’t smash the rolls! Refrigerate for up to 24 hours. When ready to bake, remove the pan to come to room temperature for 30 minutes while preheating the oven, then remove the foil and wrap before baking. The rolls may require extra bake time if the dough is still cold, so test with a toothpick before removing from the oven and cover with foil, if necessary, to prevent the tops from over-cooking.
Freeze Unbaked Gluten Free Cinnamon Rolls
For this make ahead option, roll and cut the rolls as the recipe specifies and rise them, then wrap loosely with oiled cling wrap until they come to room temperature (unless you rose them at room temperature). Then wrap on top with foil, sealing well. Freeze them in the pan (make sure there’s room in your freezer!). They can stay in the freezer for up to 2 weeks. The night before you want to bake them, place the pan in the refrigerator overnight.
The morning you intend to bake the rolls, take the pan out of the refrigerator, remove the foil and loosen the cling wrap so it’s just laying gently on top of the rolls. Set out while you preheat the oven, then bake according to the directions. The rolls may require extra bake time if the dough is still cold, so test with a toothpick before removing from the oven and cover with foil, if necessary, to prevent the tops from over-cooking.
Mindy’s Famous Gluten Free Cinnamon Rolls Recipe
Mindy's Famous Gluten Free Cinnamon Rolls Recipe
There's hardly ANYTHING better than a homemade cinnamon roll. And these gluten free cinnamon rolls are no exception! Light, airy, sweet and melt-in-your-mouth delicious ... just like they're supposed to be!
Ingredients
DOUGH {Half Recipe amounts noted in parenthesis}
- 1 cup {1/2 cup} room temp buttermilk (or non-dairy milk with 1/2 Tbs. lemon juice or white vinegar added)
- 1/4 cup {2 Tbs} melted butter (or vegan butter like Earth Balance® Buttery Sticks)
- 3 Tbs* {1 packet} quick rise OR regular yeast like Red Star® or Fleischmann’s® (Jules’ note: do NOT use Red Star® Platinum yeast, as it is not gluten-free)
- 5 1/2 cups (=742 grams) {2 3/4 cup = 371 grams} gfJules® Gluten Free All Purpose Flour
- 1/2 cup {1/4 cup} sugar
- 1/2 Tbs {1 tsp} salt
- 2 eggs OR 2 Tbs. flaxseed meal steeped in 6 Tbs. warm water {1 egg OR 1 Tbs. flaxseed meal steeped in 3 Tbs. warm water}
- 1 cup+ {1/2 cup+ 3 Tbs.} warm water
FILLING
- 4 Tbs butter, melted {2 Tbs} (or vegan butter like Earth Balance® Buttery Sticks)
- 1/2 cup - 3/4 cup {1/4 cup+} brown sugar
- 1/2 cup - 3/4 cup {1/4 cup+} sugar
- 2 Tbs - 3 Tbs. {1 Tbs+} cinnamon
FROSTING
- 1/4 cup {2 Tbs} butter, softened (or vegan butter like Earth Balance® Buttery Sticks)
- 3 cups {1 1/2 cups} sifted powdered sugar
- 1 tsp {1/2 tsp} pure vanilla extract
- enough milk to make spreading consistency
- dried cranberries or raisins (optional)
Instructions
Pro tip: Open a separate window and watch my how-to video to follow along with this recipe!
- Preheat oven to 200 F to rise the rolls.
- To make vegan buttermilk, add lemon juice to vegan milk and set aside.
- If using regular yeast: Mix together buttermilk, 1 Tablespoon sugar, melted butter and yeast in a bowl. Allow to sit for 15 minutes. The mixture should be frothy at this point, if not, discard and start over because the yeast is not active. Then whisk these dry ingredients in a separate bowl: gfJules® Flour; remaining sugar ingredient; salt.
- If using quick rise yeast: Whisk yeast in with these dry ingredients: gfJules® Flour; sugar; salt. In a separate bowl, mix together buttermilk and melted butter.
- Whisk eggs together in a small bowl or prepare flaxseed meal and water egg replacement.
- Slowly stir dry ingredients into liquid ingredients, adding eggs or flax egg together with water ingredient last in order to keep the flour from flying out of the bowl. If needed, add extra tablespoons of water in order to get the dough to be soft and pliable as shown in the video.
- Mix just until ingredients are integrated and the dough is soft, then mix 2 minutes more if using a stand mixer and paddle attachment. If mixing by hand, mix well until the dough is soft and smooth. Do not allow the dough to rest after mixing, but begin the rolling out process immediately afterwards so that the dough can rise in the shape of the rolls.
- Prepare your filling by mixing together brown sugar, sugar, and cinnamon and melt butter to brush on the dough.
- Roll the dough out into a rectangle approximately 12x16 inches on a clean surface floured with gfJules® Flour to keep it from sticking. Knowing that the dough will rise, roll the dough thinner if you prefer less bun and more filling.
- Brush on melted butter then sprinkle sugar + cinnamon across the rolled out dough.
- Roll the dough up into a spiraled log by rolling up from the long end. A bench scraper makes this easier. Cut into 12 rolls (6 -9 if making a 1/2 recipe).
- Place rolls on cookie sheet covered with parchment paper OR into a well-oiled or buttered baking pan or one lined with parchment. Cover rolls loosely and place in preheated 200°F oven TURNED OFF; allow to rise for 30 minutes.
- (If there is any extra melted butter left from the filling, brush it on the rolls before baking to help them brown!} Uncover and bake at 325°F for 12-15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the rolls comes out with only some dry crumbs.
- Remove to cool for a few minutes before icing.
To prepare these gluten free cinnamon rolls in advance, make the dough and rise it according to the recipe. Cover with well-oiled plastic wrap and cover again with foil and place in the refrigerator overnight. Bring to room temperature by removing from the refrigerator for 30 minutes, then remove the plastic wrap and foil and place in preheated oven, baking according to the recipe directions. (It may be necessary to bake longer to fully cook the rolls after they've been in the refrigerator overnight, so be sure the toothpick has dry crumbs on it and/or the rolls are not squishy on the bottom before removing from the oven.)
___
To prepare icing, sift powdered sugar and bring butter to room temperature or soften gently in a microwave. Mix together with vanilla and 1-2 Tablespoons milk, adding more milk as needed to create icing consistency. Spread on rolls just before serving.
Notes
* regarding yeast: I have found that with Mindy's full recipe, 3 packets of yeast is sufficient; with a half recipe, only 1 packet of yeast is actually sufficient.
If using non-rapid rise yeast, proof the yeast first using the proofing methods outlined in this article; if using rapid rise/quick rise yeast, the yeast can be added directly to the dry ingredients.
and I KNOW you’re gonna want to pin this for later!
Hello! I cannot wait to try these! Do I bake the rolls covered?
Hi Deanna – no need to bake them covered, but you could. When I baked them in the casserole dish they stayed nice and soft; on the parchment, the edges did get more crunchy, so foil could have helped that, or turning a casserole upside-down and covering them on the parchment-lined tray could work, too. Enjoy the recipe!
~jules
Can this recipe be made ahead of time and just put in the fridge and baked the next day?
I was wondering this too.
Hi Rachel, as with other yeast doughs, you can certainly make ahead, cover and refrigerate to bake the next day. I find it works best when doing this if you remove to warm to room temperature then rise then bake. Make sure the buns are covered well so they don’t dry out. Happy baking!
~jules
I sure hope so. That’s what I’m going to do in a few minutes and will bring it out in the morning to rise and bake.
Jules did you say I can use your bread flour to use for the cinnamon buns or your regular flour.. TY
Hi Pam, I haven’t tried this recipe with my bread mix yet. Not sure the adjustments necessary, I’ll have to give that some thought. The recipe is written for my gfJules Gluten Free All Purpose Flour. Do you have that on hand?
~jules
Hi Pam, you certainly can, but they will not turn out the same. My bread flour has other whole grains in it so the dough will look more like whole grain rolls and won’t be quite as soft and white. I hope that answers your question!
~jules
3 Tablespoons of Yeast – that seems like a lot for the amount of flour. I’m going to try it but it seems like a lot. According to my calculations that would be 4 packets of yeast.
Hi Cindy, I halved the recipe (therefore using 1 1/2 Tbs. yeast) and it is a lot but turns out well. I think you could use less yeast and still have them turn out deliciously, but note that there are over 5 cups of flour, so you need enough yeast to work on that much dough. Enjoy the recipe!
~jules
They turned out great. I may try just to half the recipe for Christmas as I am the only one Gluten Free and make regular cinnamon rolls for everyone else.
I’m confused. In your recipe, it states 3 tablespoons yeast for 5 1/2 cups flour OR 1 1/2 tablespoons yeast for 2 3/4 cups flour. In your reply, you mention using 1 1/2 tbsp yeast for over 5 cups flour.
I was also wondering about the amount of yeast for amount of flour called for. Wouldn’t there be a “metallic” taste because of too much yeast? Can’t wait to try these.
Hi Khandi, there doesn’t seem to be any odd or metallic taste with the amount of yeast called for in the recipe, so I wouldn’t worry about that; usually such flavor comes from baking soda, not yeast.
~jules
Yes in the recipe it says one packet of yeast for 5.5 cups flour. That isn’t sufficient
It’s 3 Tbs. yeast if you’re making the full recipe; 1 packet if you’re halving the recipe. Hope that helps for next time!
~jules
I only had two packets of yeast on hand, so we went with it. Totally worked okay! They rose decently.
Great! So glad they worked for you!
~jules
Do you think there is anyway to sub the eggs? I am allergic to them and would love more than anything to make these cinnamon rolls!
Hi gfbrunette – I think you could easily make these egg free using one of the egg subs in my article on baking vegan. I would suggest trying the flaxseed meal + water sub first.
~jules
Awesome thank you! I will give it a try and report back!
Great Heidi! Thanks!
~jules
So yummy…just like Cinnabon! My son loved them. Thank you for making it so easy. Worked great with EnerG Egg replacer, going to try applesauce next time to see if a little less dry. Overbaked the first batch as I expected them to brown. Second tray baked was much better..
Wow! Wow! Wow! This cinnamon roll recipe is AMAZING!! I’m late to the game, just now discovering gfJules flours. My all purpose flour arrived and I decided to try these cinnamon rolls first, as a special treat. Delicious – and mine turned out just like the picture shown! Each roll is a generous size, they do not have that bad gf taste, and the house smells amazing now! My teenage son walked in the door shortly after I put the frosting on the warm rolls, and he has been devouring them since! My son and husband won’t normally touch my gf foods, but so far they (surprisingly) haven’t even asked me if these are gluten free. All that cinnamon and sugar and the frosting pooling all down them and on the bottom of the pan, the look, the smell – they can’t resist. We have all gone to heaven here!! Lol!! Thank you so very much Mindy for sharing your amazing recipe and thank you Jules for posing it and for making this amazing flour!! I look forward to more gf baking, including possibly playing with the rolls and making orange rolls (using orange zest, sugar, butter in rolls and orange juice and orange zest in frosting) or caramel frosted cinnamon rolls sometime.
Mndy’s instructions of letting the dough sit 10 min before rolling, really helps a lot with the dough not being sticky to roll it out. Dump it on a floured surface, spread it a bit and let it rest 10 min. Also Mindy’s instruction to bake on parchment paper is great, this also helps to catch
the butter and cinnamon that oozes out slightly and all that wonderful frosting that drips down the rolls and collects on the bottom for scooping back up when eating one.
If I could give this recipe more than 5 stars I would!!!
That’s so fantastic to hear, Chris!! Yay for gluten free victories like this one!!!! Happy baking!
~jules
We subbed out the eggs with EnerG egg replacer. Worked well!
Fantastic to know, Jen – thanks!
~jules
I made these today and they were amazing! I cannot believe I have been so afraid to try! After having to go gluten free I have made several failed attempts with other brands of flours. GF Jules has been such a blessing!!!! These were so good! Thank you!
I’m thrilled that you dove in and made these, Koren! Sounds like they were a hit with the whole family!!!! YAY for gluten-free victory!
~jules
I’m wondering if I can use the Saf Premium instant yeast? I have a lot of it and need to use it up.
Thanks
Hi Kim, yes, that yeast will work fine. Happy baking!
~jules
I have a question. Looking at the cinnamon buns, which I can’t wait to try. What would be the difference is using the all purpose flour or the whole grain bread flour?
Plus, Jules, I sent you a personal letter requesting that you look at a recipe (enclosed) I received for onion bread and asked how to de-gluten it. I sent the letter to your business address and have never heard back from you. could you look into that, please? thanks
Hi Marti,
The “bread flour” is actually a mix to make bread, so it contains more than just flour. I would suggest just using my gfJules All Purpose Flour here so you don’t have to worry about taking out or putting in ingredients that differ from the recipe as written. I’m betting you’ll love this recipe – let me know how it goes!
About the letter, I did receive it and the recipe and I responded on January 28 to your email address (I responded to the address from which you wrote to me). Maybe check your spam folder or I’m happy to resend to a different email – just let me know! I was wondering why I never heard back from you! 🙂
~jules
Jules, I’ve had trouble with my yahoo if that’s where you sent it. I had to cut yahoo out of computer. Could you please change (I’ve tried) the same address but to gmail.com and I bet we can finally connect.
I have another source for your flour I think. interested? It’s a Good Samaritan assisted living restaurant in the center of our “Village” .
I’ll be watching.
BTW the cinnamon buns were so good. I wanted to test making them before the grands and their parents come to visit next month.
Hi Marti, I actually had sent it to the gmail (I just responded to the email from which you sent yours), but I resent my response just now. I hope you get it!
Regarding the restaurant near you, please do inquire as to whether they’d like information on my flour — we’re happy to send it to them! How wonderful it would be for those at the assisted living center there to be able to have delicious gluten free options at the restaurant, as long as they can keep cross-contact at bay.
And that’s WONDERFUl to hear that that the cinnamon buns were so delicious! Good you got your taste test done for quality control’s sake! 😉
All the best, Marti!
~jules
These cinnamon rolls are the bomb! I tried another recipe and it was a total flop so I searched and found this one that was obviously much more compatible with my beloved GF Jules flour! Will definitely make these again!
YAY! So glad you made and loved this recipe, Catrina! There’s not much that could beat an amazing cinnamon roll! 🙂
~jules
Am looking to make Mindy’s Cinnamon Rolls and have never worked with yeast in a recipe. Do I put it dry in the recipe or do I soak it in water first? Thank you.
Hi Bonnie – great question! In gluten free recipes, it’s generally not necessary to proof the yeast by adding it to water first, but some recipes will still specify it. If not specified, just add the yest in after all the other ingredients have been mixed together, then mix the dough well enough to integrate the granules throughout. Enjoy the recipe!
~jules
Yeast free version*** i was out of yeast so subbed 1/4 tsp baking soda and 1 tbsp lemon juice per cup of flour.. (so for this recipe it was 1 1/4 tsp baking soda and 5 1/2tbls lemon juice.. these turned out incredibly light and fluffy…the extra liquid did not affect the recipe.. amazing recipe! !
Fantastic to hear, Hailey! Thanks so much for taking time to write out your yeast-free version and I’m thrilled that it worked so well!
~jules
How many cups per pound are your flours? I would like to try making the cinnamon rolls, but do not want to buy more than I need, just in case I don’t like it.
Thanks!
Hi Susanna, while I know you’re going to love my flour :), I’m happy to tell you the weights. One cup of flour equals 135grams. A 1.5lb box of my flour has approximately 5 cups in it; the 4.5lb box of flour has 3 separate packets of 1.5lbs so you only have to open one at a time. I hope that helps – can’t wait to hear what you think of my flour!
~jules
Does corn have gluten in it?
Hi Bonnie – corn does not contain gluten. Check this article for more information on where to find gluten and how to avoid it. Let me know if you have any other questions!
This recipe is amazing! Tastes like the real deal and something I would be proud to share with gluten free and gluten eaters a like. The dough is sticky so I put the dough on parchment paper sprayed with cooking spray then sprayed the top of the dough with a little cooking to roll it out… worked great and was easy to do.
Fantastic, Gina! So glad you loved the recipe. And thanks so much for sharing how you handled the sticky dough – great suggestions! The best recipes are truly the ones we would be happy to share with gluten and gf eaters, alike. Thrilled you have another winner to add to your recipe box!
~jules
Thank you for all your recipes! Our dairy free, gluten free, soy free family loves all the things I can finally start making for them. I now can’t have corn, and your flour mixture contains exactly that, so while I can make treats for my family I can no longer eat them. Do you have a flour recipe that is like yours that doesn’t have corn in it? You can email it to me if you’d like. Thank You!
Hi Kristine, I’m so happy that you’ve been able to make your family favorites again using my flour! But that’s too bad about the corn issue now. Have a look at this article I wrote on gluten-free flours – at the end there is a formula with proportions you can follow to make your own corn-free blend. I also recommend Better Batter flour as a ready-made corn-free alternative.
Wishing you and your family the tastiest of holidays!
~jules
My family is dairy-free/soy-free. What can I use as a substitute for the buttermilk? Thanks.
Hi Beth, we are dairy-free as well, and I always do the lemon juice or white vinegar trick. To make one cup of buttermilk, add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar to a measuring cup, then fill to the 1 cup mark with your non-dairy milk of choice. Let stand to curdle for about five minutes. I don’t recommend rice milk for this, but another non-dairy milk with some fat should work well here.
Enjoy!
~jules
Thanks! I will try that. I just bought your GF flour and am looking forward to trying it in my favorite holiday recipes… gingerbread cookies and lemon bars, among others.
Just checking proportions before I make these. 5 1/2 cups flour seems like a lot… by the way, I made your croissants yesterday. They are lovely.
Fantastic, Beth!!! So glad to hear you loved the croissants!
As for this recipe, it’s a reader recipe and I haven’t had time to make it myself yet (it’s on my VERY long to-do list!) but everyone who has made it and reported back says it’s wonderful, so I would go with the proportions as written. Let me know how it turns out!
~jules
Jules, was wondering about your crescent rolls, years ago before being gluten free, I would use the crescent rolls for a crust for the vegetable pizza, can this be used for that and any suggestions? Thank you for the great recipes!
Hi Ellen, have you tried my pizza mix or homemade pizza recipes? They make the hands-down BEST gluten-free pizzas around! If you are looking for crescent roll dough for a particular recipe like pizza though, why don’t you try my crescent rolls dough? I think the cinnamon roll dough would be too sweet. Let me know what you end up making – I’d love to know how it turns out!
~jules
Is there really no rising time? Excited to start practicing these for the Holidays!
Hi Dee – I can’t wait to make them either! I haven’t tried her recipe yet myself, but because she indicates to cover the rolls with parchment, I’m guessing she sets them aside to rise and then bakes them. For clarity sake (and because this is what I would do) I added in a note about rising. Let me know how the recipe turns out for you!
~jules
Hi Jules, Will substituting the buttermilk for something non-dairy (Soy, curdled with ACV / lemon juice) affect the rise? Making for a more dense roll? Thanks for your time!
Hi Jen, I always make that non-dairy substitution in recipes calling for buttermilk, and I’ve never had a problem with rise caused by the switch. I’d say you’re safe to do it in this recipe, as well. Let me know how it goes!
~jules
I try to stay away from soy, so I was thinking about trying it with almond milk, cashew milk, or maybe coconut milk. What should I do to make one of those a substitution. (I am still fairly new to GF baking and am just now starting to try recipes without milk.) I am SO incredibly grateful to you for making such an amazing flour! It has made learning to bake GF painless. 🙂
My grand daughter loved the buns and so did her dad. I had trouble rolling them up. They were very sticky, so I put some flour on my fingers to roll them. Can you tell me what I might have done wrong thank you Betty
I’m so happy to hear your family loved these rolls!!! It sounds like you did the right thing to flour your hands to help with the stickiness. I have a tool called a bench scraper that’s like a large flat metal spatula – it helps me when I’m rolling doughs that are non-compliant! You could try using a spatula next time as another option. Thanks so much for taking the time to let me know your family enjoyed this recipe, and thanks for taking the time to make it for them!!
~jules