Warm, freshly baked, gluten free Cinnamon Rolls. There is nothing better!
The cinnamon sugar filling, the warm vanilla glaze that drips into every single bite of the soft baked bread. It is what dreams are made of!
Our family likes the traditional southern style of cinnamon rolls with raisins and pecans. There is something about the warm bread, gooey raisins and toasted pecans that send your taste buds into a delightful daze.
These are perfect for breakfast, brunch with friends, or the holidays with your family. A pure decadent treat. Your guests will never know they are gluten free.
This is truly my family’s favorite breakfast for the holidays.
We pair these cinnamon rolls with my Egg Casserole or Eggs Benedict Casserole and a fresh fruit bowl and our special brunch is complete.
I have tried for years to master the perfect Gluten Free Cinnamon Roll. I finally did it! Gluten free baking can be so tricky.
A little too much flour and you have rocks for rolls. A little too little flour and you have a sticky mess.
I have taken the guess work out for you and made an easy, tried and true recipe that you can add to your recipe box.
Step by step instructions
- Preheat your oven to 175 degrees. In a mixing bowl add your flour, yeast, salt, and sugar to your bowl.
- In another bowl melt your butter in the microwave and then add milk, water and stir. Add your egg and mix until everything is incorporated.
- Then add your wet ingredients into your dry ingredients and mix together. It will form a sticky dough.
- Use a spoon to “knead” the dough for about 1-2 minutes. Cover the bowl with parchment paper.
- Next Turn your oven OFF and place the covered dish in the warm oven to help activate the yeast and for the dough to slightly rise. Set the timer for 20 minutes.
- While your dough is rising. Mix together the coconut sugar, cinnamon, melted butter, pecans, and raisins. Set aside
- Once the timer beeps the dough is done, remove from the oven. Place a piece of parchment paper on the counter. Add a little flour and place the dough on the parchment paper.
- Next use your hands and flatten the dough out, then roll until you have a nice rectangle about a 1/4 inch thick.
- Then add your coconut sugar, pecan and raisin mixture and spread out towards the front of your dough.
- Roll the dough into a round “log”. Take this slow. We do not want to break the dough. The mixture will also move throughout the dough to help spread it out.
- Pinch the ends of the dough “log” and seal the top ends in the main section of the dough.
- Use a serrated knife and slice the loaf into 9 cinnamon rolls.
- Grease your pan. You can use a cast iron skillet, round pie pan, or a 9 X 13 pan. Whatever you have on hand. Place cut rolls, with “yummy” side up.
- Cover with parchment paper and place back into the oven for 20 minutes to rise again. I leave the light On to help create a warm environment.
- While the rolls are rising, you can make your glaze. Add powered sugar, vanilla, milk, and melted butter in a bowl. Mix until you have a nice, smooth glaze.
- Once the timer goes off. Remove the rolls from the oven and preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place pan back in the oven and bake for 17-20 minutes. Oven temps vary.
- Remove from the oven. Let the rolls sit for about 10 minutes.
- Finally smother the rolls with glaze. Serve warm!
Tips for success
- Make sure you use a Gluten Free 1:1 Ratio flour the cinnamon rolls. I used Cup 4 Cup with this recipe.
- If you and our family do not like raisins or pecans you can omit this from the recipe.
- You can replace the pecans with walnuts, almonds, etc with this gluten free cinnamon roll recipe.
- If you do not have vanilla on hand for your glaze, that is ok! The glaze will still taste wonderful.
- Make sure to really pinch your end seams on your roll.
- Turn your oven OFF when you are doing your first rise on the dough. You do not want to cook your dough. It just needs a warm environment to activate the yeast.
- In the final baking step, if your rolls start to look a little too cooked, place a piece of parchment paper over the top while they are baking.
Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 4 days.
You can reheat your Gluten Free Cinnamon rolls in the microwave for 30 seconds.
If you have tried this recipe, please rate and leave me a comment below.
Please check out some of my other recipes:
Gluten Free Cinnamon Rolls
Equipment
- Baking dish
- Parchment paper
Ingredients
For the Dough:
- 2 1/2 cup Gluten free 1:1 Ratio Baking Flour
- 2 1/2 tablespoon Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 packet Yeast
- 1/2 cup Water
- 1/4 cup Milk (milk of choice)
- 2 tablespoons Butter
- 1 Egg
Inside Mixture for Cinnamon Rolls:
- 1/3 cup Coconut Sugar
- 5 tablespoons Butter
- 1 tablespoon Cinnamon
- 1/3 cup Chopped Pecans
- 1/3 cup Raisins
Glaze for Cinnamon Rolls:
- 1 cup Powdered Sugar
- 2 tablespoons Milk (milk of choice)
- 1 tablespoon Butter
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 175 degrees. In a mixing bowl add flour, salt, sugar and yeast. In a separate bowl, add butter and microwave for 20 seconds until melted. Next add water, milk and egg. Stir to make sure everything is combined.
- Pour wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Mix completely. You will get a sticky dough. Knead with a stiff spoon or your hands. Knead for 1-2 minutes. Cover the bowl with parchment paper.
- Turn the oven OFF. Place bowl with dough into your oven. Let it sit for 20 minutes. This will help to activate the yeast.
- While the dough is rising you can make the inside mixture for your rolls. In a glass bowl melt your butter in the microwave in 20 second intervals. Once melted add coconut sugar, cinnamon, pecans and raisins. Stir until you have a nice thick mixture. Set aside.
- Once your rolls finish rising, remove from the oven. Place parchment paper on your counter. Add a little bit of flour and place the dough on the paper. Use your hands to flatten the dough out. You might need to add a little flour to your hands. Next with a rolling pin, roll the dough into a rectangle about a 1/4 inch thick.
- Add your pecan/raisin mixture that you made earlier. Place this towards the front of the rectangle. (As you roll the dough it will even out more)
- Start at the bottom of the rectangle and slowly roll the dough into a "log". Once done, pinch the ends together and make sure to pinch the longer seams together. We don't want anything to seep out.
- Slice into 9 cinnamon rolls. (10 if you want smaller rolls)
- Grease a pan and place the rolls with the "yummy" side facing up.
- Place back in the oven to rise again for 20 minutes. Turn your oven light on to create a warm environment. We want those rolls to rise again. While the rolls are rising, you can make the glaze.
- In a glass bowl, melt your butter. Then add powered sugar, vanilla and milk. Stir until you have a nice smooth glaze.
- After 20 minutes, remove the rolls. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Place cinnamon rolls into the oven and bake for 17-20 minutes. Remove from the oven. Let them sit for 10 minutes and then pour the glaze on top of the rolls. Serve warm!
Video
Notes
- Make sure you use a Gluten Free 1:1 Ratio flour this cinnamon rolls. I used Cup 4 Cup with this recipe.
- If you and our family do not like raisins or pecans you can omit this from the recipe.
- You can replace the pecans with walnuts, almonds, etc with this gluten free cinnamon roll recipe.
- If you do not have vanilla on hand for your glaze, that is ok! The glaze will still taste wonderful.
- Make sure to really pinch your end seams on your roll.
- Turn your oven OFF when you are doing your first rise on the dough. You do not want to cook your dough. It just needs a warm environment to activate the yeast.
- In the final baking step, if your rolls start to look a little too cooked, place a piece of parchment paper over the top while they are baking.
Gail Lavender says
What size baking dish did you use?
Kelly Rodrigue says
I have used a regular cake size pan and also just a plan 9X13 baking dish. I hope that helps! Thanks for stopping in and checking out my recipes 🙂
colleen says
Just a few quick questions. The receipe calls for 1 pkg yeast. I have bulk yeast, so what is the equivalent in tsp/tbsp.? Also, is it necessary to us gf flour containing xanthum?
Kelly Rodrigue says
It would be 7 grams. I hope that helps. I just use a Gluten free 1:1 ratio flour. I have used Cup 4 Cup, Bob Red Mill 1:1, and King Arthur 1:1 ratio flour. Would any of these work for you? I know that corn starch can be a substitute if you can eat corn products?
Mike says
These look fantastic. I can wait to try them.
Kelly Rodrigue says
I hope you like them as much as we do! Let me know what you think! 🙂
Karen says
Thank you for sharing this recipe. I’ve been searching for a good cinnamon roll recipe for five years. My search is over. These taste fantastic and are so quick and easy to make, although mine didn’t look as pretty as yours!
Kelly Rodrigue says
Yay!! That makes me so happy! I am glad you loved them. I think my family loves me even more when I finally got the recipe down. Hahaha. Thank you for letting me know. 🙂
Karen says
These look amazing!! I want to try the recipe for Easter brunch. If I were to start them tonight and cook them in the morning, where would I stop tonight — after the second time to rise? Do you think it would work to do it that way?
Kelly Rodrigue says
Thank you so much! I haven’t tried that to be honest but if I were, I would stop after the second rise like you suggested. If you try it that way I would love the feedback. Thanks!
Sue says
Amazing, like the rolls I remembered before gluten free!
Kelly Rodrigue says
Yay!!! I just love that you are trying and liking all these recipes! Happy you found my blog!:)