Mindy’s Famous Gluten Free Cinnamon Rolls Recipe

gluten free cinnamon rolls with icing square

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Mmmm – gluten free cinnamon rolls. Just the name makes me drool a little — how about you?

gluten free cinnamon rolls with icing

 

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!

gluten free cinnamon rolls with berries

Mindy's Gluten Free Cinnamon Rolls in the pan
Mindy’s Cinnamon Rolls

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 ;)”

reader gluten free cinnamon rolls

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!

Laura O's cinnamon rolls
Laura O: “I made the gluten free cinnamon roll recipe with your gfJules Flour for Thanksgiving and they were absolutely delicious!! I will never use another gluten free flour! Thank you for making such a great substitute for those of us who need to eat gluten free!!”

 

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!

gluten free cinnamon rolls with frosting gfJules

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)

Gluten Free Cinnamon Roll Dough 2

Simply roll out the dough and sprinkle on the fillings. Then roll it up on itself ….

gluten free cinnamon roll log

Then you just cut them into the size rolls you prefer ….

gluten free cinnamon rolls before rising
Full recipe of gluten free cinnamon rolls in Emile Henry tart pan. There were also two leftover ends of the cinnamon roll dough that I baked separately … and ate, of course!

 

Then set them aside to rise ….

gluten free cinnamon rolls after rising

Then bake them ….

gluten free cinnamon rolls after baking

Then ice them!

gluten free cinnamon rolls with icing CU

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!

annella-ms-cinnamon-rolls-made-with-gfjules-flour
I recently made some delicious GF Cinnamon Rolls, using gfjules flour (my favorite!). The recipe is a bit unconventional, but the results took me right back to my pre-Celiac days. Yum!! ~Annella M.

 

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!

Easter morning gluten free cinnamon rolls

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.

gluten free cinnamon rolls on Christmas morning | gfJules
Homemade gluten free cinnamon rolls on Christmas morning. These rolls were made and risen the week before and frozen. I put them in the fridge on December 24, then baked them on December 25. Perfection! | gfJules

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 is an old family favorite, converted to gluten free just by using my gfJules Gluten Free All Purpose Flour!

gluten free cinnamon rolls on pan

Mindy's Famous Gluten Free Cinnamon Rolls Recipe

Yield: 12 rolls, depending on size
Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 12 minutes

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!

  1. Preheat oven to 200 F to rise the rolls.
  2. To make vegan buttermilk, add lemon juice to vegan milk and set aside.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. Whisk eggs together in a small bowl or prepare flaxseed meal and water egg replacement.
  6. 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.
  7. 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.
  8. Prepare your filling by mixing together brown sugar, sugar, and cinnamon and melt butter to brush on the dough.
  9. 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.
  10. Brush on melted butter then sprinkle sugar + cinnamon across the rolled out dough.
  11. 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).
  12. 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.
  13. (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.
  14. 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.

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

I KNOW you’re going to love this recipe! Please leave a 5-star review if you do!

and I KNOW you’re gonna want to pin this for later!

 

Homemade Gluten Free Cinnamon Rolls | gfJules

Mindy's Famous Gluten Free Cinnamon Rolls Dairy Free - gfJules

 

Gluten Free Cinnamon Rolls just like you've been missing! |gfJules.com

Mindy's Famous Gluten Free Cinnamon Rolls Recipe is an old family favorite, converted to gluten free just by using my gfJules Gluten Free All Purpose Flour!

Mindy's Famous Gluten Free Cinnamon Rolls Recipe is an old family favorite, converted to gluten free just by using my gfJules Gluten Free All Purpose Flour!

 

Mindy's Famous Gluten Free Cinnamon Rolls Recipe

Mindy's Famous Gluten Free Cinnamon Rolls Recipe

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  1. Hello,
    I am confused by how much flaxseed meal and water I need to use in your recipe. If 1 Tbs. flaxseed meal steeped in 3 Tbs. warm water replaces one egg, would I need to use 2 TBS of flaxseed meal and 6 TBS of water since the recipe calls for 2 eggs?
    Thank you!
    Deb~

    Reply
    • Hi Deborah, yes that is correct! This recipe does get a little confusing because I halved it in parentheses to make a smaller batch so it can get a bit hard to keep track of, but you seemed to follow it with no problem!
      ~jules

      Reply
  2. Hi! I was looking over the recipe and it calls for 3Tbs. That means Tablespoons? I was always taught the (T) was tablespoons and the (t) was teaspoons. I’m assuming it’s supposed to be teaspoons as 3 Tablespoons seems a bit much. I just got my gfJules flour in and wanted to make this recipe for my mom. 😁 I am very excited! Thank you!

    Reply
    • Hi Jamie, it’s always good to ask, but to clarify, Tbs means Tablespoons, tsp is teaspoons. Mindy’s original recipe calls for 3 Tablespoons yeast; I halved the recipe (in parenthesis) and use only 2 1/4 teaspoons yeast for half if you only want to make half the amount of rolls. I can’t wait to hear how you and your mom love this recipe!!!
      ~jules

      Reply
  3. HI!

    Can I use the your sourdough starter instead of yeast? How would that work? Would it replace the dairy and the yeast?

    Thank you!

    Reply
    • Hi Kayleigh, you can certainly use the active gluten free sourdough starter in place of yeast in these rolls. Use it in place of some portion of the water or buttermilk. Since I haven’t done it myself yet in this recipe, I’m only guessing, but perhaps try 1/2 cup or 2/3 cup of starter and give that a go? I’m anxious to see how they turn out so please let me know!
      ~jules

      Reply
  4. Baking time of 12 minutes at 325 degrees, as you mention in your notes, was nowhere near long enough to bake them all the way through. Otherwise, everything worked out well. I look forward to trying them again and baking for longer and at a higher temperature.

    Reply
    • Hi Elizabeth, so glad to hear you loved this recipe for gluten free cinnamon rolls as much as I do! And yes, longer bake time is definitely necessary for me too! 🙂
      Happy baking!
      ~jules

      Reply
  5. Hi Jules,
    I finally made the cinnamon rolls for the first time. They are very tasty but didn’t rise much, any thoughts?
    Thanks you so much for all you do, helps a lot.

    Reply
  6. Hi Would love try these but was wondering I do not have a KA Mixer can I put in bread machine on dough cycle
    Also the flour says 5 1/2 cups then also mentions 2 3/4 cups in brackets not sure what that means is it 5 1/2 or 2 3/4
    I live in Edmonton Canada and have tried several methods and none work

    Reply
    • Hi Kathy, the brackets for the ingredients (not just flour ingredients) are if you want to make HALF the recipe. It’s a long post introduction but I mention it above the recipe card, since not everyone wants to bake that many cinnamon rolls! 🙂
      Are you using my gfJules Flour? I know you mentioned you’re in Canada, but we do sell on Amazon.ca now — finally! So happy to be able to offer my gfJules Flour to our Canadian friends finally, after all these years! Anyway, since you mentioned you had tried several methods and nothing had worked, I was unsure if you meant gluten free cinnamon rolls recipes, this recipe, or making this dough in general or whether it was a gluten free flour issue?
      Back to your dough making question: you may use your bread machine on dough setting, for sure. You can also simply mix by hand using a wooden spoon and bowl. It’s all about your muscles at that point, but it’s not THAT thick of a dough. You just need to make sure that the yeast gets mixed in well.
      I hope that answers your questions! Let me know, if not. Happy baking, Kathy!
      ~jules

      Reply
      • Hi
        Yes I am using your flour I purchase it on Amazon and thanks for the information on half of recipe
        The other methods was with other gluten free flour and other peoples recipes. I have not tried this one as of yet
        Will give it a try and let you know how they turn out.
        Thanks

        Reply
  7. I made these today!! People, give these a try! They are WONDERFUL!! They are light, fluffy, very flavorful. The dough acted just like regular yeast dough . I actually got a dozen in one pan and 9 in another! They did not brown, but everything else was just like using wheat flour. When iced, you cannot tell they’re not brown. I cannot believe these do not hurt my tummy!! Jules, THANK YOU!!!!!

    Reply
  8. Finally got around to making these! i will definitely be making them again, with a little tweaking on the rolling & filling process.

    Reply
    • Wonderful to hear, Marisa! You definitely need to make them again soon so you can get the process down for yourself and take good notes before you forget! At least, that’s what I always seem to need to do with recipes I don’t make often enough. I’m glad you see the potential for how great they can be with a minor tweak here and there with the process, and hopefully the gluten free cinnamon roll video helps, too! Happy baking!
      ~jules

      Reply
  9. My dough was impossibly sticky and soft, impossible to roll, a huge mess, and the “rolls” turned into sticky unmanageable blobs covered in flour just so I could touch the dough… traumatizing… what did i do wrong?

    Reply
    • Oh dear, Abby! So sorry – can you tell me if you made any recipe ingredient substitutions? Do you weigh or measure your flour using a measuring cup? Did you end up baking the dough?
      ~jules

      Reply
    • Hi Jean, you can absolutely cut back or eliminate the salt in this recipe (or use a salt sub). They’re so worth making! I hope you both enjoy!
      ~jules

      Reply
  10. made these today for the first time. so super easy to make and BY FAR the best cinnamon rolls that I have had in the 6 years that I have been gluten free. Have tried 3 others by people who sell gluten free for a living and they were all terrible. the first one I tried was 1 bite and done it was that bad. I would change some things the next time. no white sugar in the filling and more cinnamon, but those are personal choices. Light fluffy, again super easy to make and people who eat gluten thought they were good! thanks so much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Reply
    • SO happy you loved the recipe, Sheila! I’m so glad you didn’t give up on great gluten free cinnamon rolls and kept at it. And I’m glad the recipe was easy to make, as well. Life’s too short to have to work TOO hard for a great recipe. Here’s to great gluten free baking from here on out!
      ~jules

      Reply
  11. Thank you so much for this amazing recipe. 8 years gf and recently dairy sensitive. I was a baker at one time years ago but had to quit my job due to a back injury. I can’t tell you how happy I was to discover your flour and wonderful recipes. I tried to mix my own flours to save money with several different recipes but nothing seemed to work. My first loaf of bread was like a brick. Just ordered 6 bags of your flour and worth every penny. Since restaurants aren’t my friend, I do all my own cooking and baking from scratch.

    Reply
    • That means so much, coming from a baker! I can imagine a back injury would sideline you in that profession, for sure! I’m so happy that you’re back to baking now and no more frustrating brick-like results! Thanks for letting me know. Happy baking, Sue!
      ~jules

      Reply
    • Hi Craig, sorry the recipe didn’t turn out for you. Are you using my gfJules Flour? Are you weighing your flour or are you scooping it into measuring cups? If the latter, be sure to spoon it into the measuring cup and level it off, not scoop with the measuring cup itself. Also, are you sure your yeast was active? Unless the dough was too tight and needed a bit more liquid, you shouldn’t have had any issues with the light and airy-ness of these rolls. Anyway, those are my thoughts. Let me know what you used and did and I’ll see if I can help you get it right for next time!
      ~jules

      Reply
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