Recipes
gluten free cinnamon rolls
If you've missed gluten-free cinnamon rolls that taste like the "real thing," this is the recipe for you. I always thought cinnamon rolls were mysteriously hard — but once you get the hang of it (make dough, roll it out, cut it up, bake), it’s actually quite easy.
This recipe is inspired by The Art of Gluten Free Baking’s recipe. If you need a visual tutorial, she provides one.
Gluten Free Cinnamon Rolls
Dough Ingredients
3 cups gluten free flour (we use Namaste GF Flour Blend from Costco)
2 tsp xanthan gum
4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 c sugar
2 TB active dry yeast
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
4 TB neutral-tasting oil (we use avocado oil)
2 eggs
1-1/4 c warm (but not hot!) water, about 100F
tapioca starch (for rolling out dough), approximately 1-1/2 c
butter, melted for brush (~1/2 stick)
Filling Ingredients
1/4 c (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
3/4 c brown sugar
2 TB gluten free flour
1 tsp cinnamon
Icing Ingredients (optional)
1/2 c sugar
2 TB salted butter, softened
1/2 tsp vanilla
1-2 TB orange juice
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease jelly roll pan and set aside. I like to use an 8×8 pyrex or a 7×9 disposable pan (easy to freeze!).
Prepare FILLING mixture. Combine all FILLING ingredients in a small saucepan and cook over low heat, melting the butter. Stir to combine. Mix will form a sandy/gritty texture. Take off of heat and set aside.
In a medium bowl, mix together dry DOUGH ingredients: flour, xanthan gum, baking powder, salt, yeast, and sugar. Set aside.
Attach a paddle to a stand mixer. In the mixer bowl add together eggs, oil, and vinegar until just combined.
Add the warm water slowly, so as not to cook eggs.
On low, add the dry ingredients. Beat with paddle attachment on medium high for 3 full minutes. The dough will be stiff but sticky.
Generously sprinkle a rolling mat with tapioca flour. The surface should be completely covered, like snow. Scrape dough onto the tapioca-sprinkled work surface.
Liberally sprinkle the top of dough and a rolling pin with tapioca flour.
Roll out dough until it is a 12″ x 15″ rectangle. You can also use your fingers to nudge it into a correct shape. It will be about 1/4″ thick.
Sprinkle the warm filling over dough. You may need to use your fingers to break it into small pieces. Dust the top with extra cinnamon, if you desire.
Starting at the short end, carefully roll the dough into a tight cylinder. If it starts sticking to the mat, scoot tapioca starch under the sticking part. You should now have a roughly 12″ long cylinder.
Coat a large chef’s knife in tapioca starch. Cut your rolls in 1” increments, making 12-15 slices.
Place rolls on a greased jelly roll pan, slightly set apart and not touching.
Your oven should already be warm at 350F. Place cinnamon rolls on top of oven to proof while preheating. Proof until risen almost double in bulk, about 30-45 minutes. To retain moisture, cover with Saran Wrap or a tea towel.
Once the rolls have doubled in size, brush the top of each roll with melted butter.
Bake at 350 degree for 20-30 minutes. Cooking time depends on size and spacing of cinnamon rolls. Cover the rolls with foil if it begins to brown.
While rolls cook, prepare the ICING. In a small sauce pan mix all icing ingredients together (sugar, butter, orange juice, vanilla). Warm slowly over low heat. If it is runny, add a little tapioca starch.
Remove cinnamon rolls from the oven. Spoon on icing.