GLUTEN FREE CINNAMON ROLLS with Dairy Free Instructions

Posted by Bryna Bear aka Gluten Free Baking Bear

     I love cinnamon rolls!  Every time I enter a mall there is that wonderful smell of Cinnabon rolls.  Why don’t they have gluten free Cinnabon rolls at the mall?  If I want to eat a cinnamon roll I must bake it.  I found this recipe on the Recreating Happiness blog.  It is great.  Delicious, soft and gives you an experience that is absolutely equal to wheat cinnamon rolls.

     I made these a few times. The first time as written, then I switched up the flours. I just don't like using rice flour in baking.  Sweet rice flour is fine, but regular rice or brown rice flour makes the end product odd after it is a day old. When I say odd I mean the texture changes from ‘“I can’t believe this is gluten free” the first day to “This is definitely gluten free” the next day.  I find that substituting either sweet rice flour or sorghum for rice flour in a recipe produces good results. Most of the starchy flours like potato starch, tapioca, arrowroot, corn starch, etc. are usually interchangeable.  I tend to use tapioca since I have a lot on hand for making batches of Brazilian Cheese Rolls or Yeast Free Bagels.  I use the coconut flour in place of almond flour because some people I know have nut allergies and it is also less expensive.  You do need one or the other in the recipe to make the rolls soft and fluffy.  I made them with and without the cream cheese frosting and actually prefer them plain.  The cream cheese frosting makes these rolls a Cinnabon copycat.

     Best eaten the same day, leftover rolls eaten after the first day will be better if reheated.  Enjoy!

GLUTEN FREE CINNAMON ROLLS

Makes 8 rolls

INGREDIENTS

DOUGH

⅔ cup	Milk for Dairy Free use non dairy milk of choice.
1 Tbs.	Butter for Dairy Free use margarine or oil or vegan butter
2 ¼ tsp./1 packet/7gm	Yeast
¼ cup	Sugar
¾ cup	Tapioca Flour
¼ cup	Coconut Flour
½ cup	Sorghum Flour
½ tsp.	Baking Soda
1 ½ tsp.	Xanthan Gum
2 ½ tsp.	Baking Powder
½ tsp.	Salt
1 large	Egg
¼ cup	Vegetable oil with milk taste such as sunflower or canola
½ tsp.	Vanilla Extract

FILLING

⅓ cup	Butter - soft for Dairy Free use vegan butter, margarine or ¼ cup oil
½ cup	Brown Sugar
2 Tbs.	Cinnamon

FROSTING

3 Tbs.	Butter-soft for Dairy Free use use vegan butter or margarine
2 Tbs.	Cream Cheese-soft for Dairy Free use vegan or dairy free cream cheese
¾ cup	Powdered Sugar
½ tsp.	Vanilla Extract
pinch	Salt

DIRECTIONS

1)    Preheat oven to 350℉.  Grease and lightly flour a pie pan or 9” round cake pan.

Greased and floured pie tin.

2)    In the bowl of a stand mixer mix the yeast and sugar.

3)    Place the milk and 1 Tbs. butter or oil in a microwave safe bowl or measuring cup and heat to 110-115℉ and add to the yeast mixture.  Stir and allow to proof for 10 minutes.  The yeast mixture should ‘foam up’. If the yeast doesn’t  foam up check the expiration date on the yeast.  If it is fresh you may have killed the yeast by using milk that was too hot.  Try to proof the yeast again being careful about the temperature of the milk.  If the yeast is not fresh you will need to get fresh yeast before proofing again.

4)    While the yeast is proofing add the flours, baking soda, baking powder, salt & xanthan gum to a medium bowl and mix well.  Set aside.

5)    When the yeast has ‘foamed up’ add the egg, ¼ cup oil & ½ tsp. vanilla extract and mix well.

6)    Add the flour mixture to the yeast mixture in the bowl of the stand mixer. Beat 2 ½ minutes, scraping down the bowl after the first ½ minute. The dough should be smooth and like a thick cake batter.

Dough all mixed.

7)    Place plastic wrap on the counter and, using a pastry brush, brush the plastic wrap with oil.

8)    Use a large silicone spatula to scrape the dough out onto the plastic wrap.

9)    Cover the dough with another piece of plastic wrap and, using a rolling pin, roll the dough out into a rectangle (approximately)10”x13”. 

Dough rolled into a rectangle between two pieces of plastic wrap.
The bottom plastic has been brushed with oil to prevent sticking.

10) Remove the top piece of plastic wrap and discard. 

11) The Filling: Gently spread out the filling butter or vegan butter or margarine or oil over the dough, leave a ½” border all around the edges.

12) Mix the brown sugar and cinnamon together in a small bowl.  Sprinkle evenly over the dough leaving a border around the edges. 

Dough with filling. 

13) Use the plastic wrap to help lift the long edge of the dough.  Still using the plastic wrap lift and roll the dough until it is rolled into a long log.

Dough rolled into a log and sliced into 8 pieces.

14) Oil a long knife and use it to cut the dough into 8 slices.

15) Gently lift the slices into the prepared pan.  Place one in the center and the other slices around the edges of the pan.  To make it easier to transfer the pieces you can grease a spatula lift the slices.

Raw rolls in pan.

16) Cover the rolls with a dish towel and allow to rise for 15 minutes.

17) Bake 22-27 minutes until the tops are golden brown.

Baked GF Cinnamon Rolls.

18) If using the frosting:  While the rolls are baking beat all the frosting ingredients together until smooth.  Spread over the tops of the rolls as soon as they come out of the oven.

Frosting.

Frosting put on most of the rolls right out of the oven.
I left some plain to see how they were.
I actually prefer them unfrosted.

Frosted warm GF Cinnamon Roll!

Best if eaten the same day.  Reheat any leftovers eaten after the first day.

You can prepare the rolls a day ahead, cover with plastic wrap and store in the fridge until ready to bake.  Allow the rolls to rest at room temperature for at least 25 minutes before baking.

GLUTEN FREE CINNAMON ROLLS Makes 8 rolls INGREDIENTS DOUGH ⅔ cup Milk for Dairy Free use non dairy milk of choice. 1 Tbs. Butter for Dairy Free use margarine or oil or vegan butter 2 ¼ tsp./1 packet/7gm Yeast ¼ cup Sugar ¾ cup Tapioca Flour ¼ cup Coconut Flour ½ cup Sorghum Flour ½ tsp. Baking Soda 1 ½ tsp. Xanthan Gum 2 ½ tsp. Baking Powder ½ tsp. Salt 1 large Egg ¼ cup Vegetable oil with milk taste such as sunflower or canola ½ tsp. Vanilla Extract FILLING ⅓ cup Butter - soft for Dairy Free use vegan butter, margarine or ¼ cup oil ½ cup Brown Sugar 2 Tbs. Cinnamon FROSTING 3 Tbs. Butter-soft for Dairy Free use use vegan butter or margarine 2 Tbs. Cream Cheese-soft for Dairy Free use vegan or dairy free cream cheese ¾ cup Powdered Sugar ½ tsp. Vanilla Extract pinch Salt DIRECTIONS 1) Preheat oven to 350℉. Grease and lightly flour a pie pan or 9” round cake pan. 2) In the bowl of a stand mixer mix the yeast and sugar. 3) Place the milk and 1 Tbs. butter or oil in a microwave safe bowl or measuring cup and heat to 110-115℉ and add to the yeast mixture. Stir and allow to proof for 10 minutes. The yeast mixture should ‘foam up’. If the yeast doesn’t foam up check the expiration date on the yeast. If it is fresh you may have killed the yeast by using milk that was too hot. Try to proof the yeast again being careful about the temperature of the milk. If the yeast is not fresh you will need to get fresh yeast before proofing again. 4) While the yeast is proofing add the flours, baking soda, baking powder, salt & xanthan gum to a medium bowl and mix well. Set aside. 5) When the yeast has ‘foamed up’ add the egg, ¼ cup oil & ½ tsp. vanilla extract and mix well. 6) Add the flour mixture to the yeast mixture in the bowl of the stand mixer. Beat 2 ½ minutes, scraping down the bowl after the first ½ minute. The dough should be smooth and like a thick cake batter. 7) Place plastic wrap on the counter and, using a pastry brush, brush the plastic wrap with oil. 8) Use a large silicone spatula to scrape the dough out onto the plastic wrap. 9) Cover the dough with another piece of plastic wrap and, using a rolling pin, roll the dough out into a rectangle (approximately)10”x13”. 10) Remove the top piece of plastic wrap and discard. 11) The Filling: Gently spread out the filling butter or vegan butter or margarine or oil over the dough, leave a ½” border all around the edges. 12) Mix the brown sugar and cinnamon together in a small bowl. Sprinkle evenly over the dough leaving a border around the edges. 13) Use the plastic wrap to help lift the long edge of the dough. Still using the plastic wrap lift and roll the dough until it is rolled into a long log. 14) Oil a long knife and use it to cut the dough into 8 slices. 15) Gently lift the slices into the prepared pan. Place one in the center and the other slices around the edges of the pan. To make it easier to transfer the pieces you can grease a spatula lift the slices. 16) Cover the rolls with a dish towel and allow to rise for 15 minutes. 17) Bake 22-27 minutes until the tops are golden brown. 18) If using the frosting: While the rolls are baking beat all the frosting ingredients together until smooth. Spread over the tops of the rolls as soon as they come out of the oven. Best if eaten the same day. Reheat any leftovers eaten after the first day. You can prepare the rolls a day ahead, cover with plastic wrap and store in the fridge until ready to bake. Allow the rolls to rest at room temperature for at least 25 minutes before baking.