These gluten-free cinnamon rolls are big, fluffy, and SOFT! Plus thanks to a secret ingredient, they’re so easy to make!
I have been a gluten-free food blogger for over 10 years and never shared a gluten-free cinnamon roll recipe until now!
I tested and re-tested this recipe to get it just right. I am so proud of this recipe and I hope you love it too!
Are you ready for the BEST gluten free cinnamon rolls of your life?
I haven been eating gluten-free since 2012 and have tried dozens of gluten-free cinnamon rolls over the years. I’ve finally perfected my recipe and I’m so excited to share it!
This gluten-free dough is made with King Arthur gluten-free bread flour, which makes all the difference in creating a soft texture and lightly chewy dough.
Trust me when I say these cinnamon rolls are JUST as incredible as regular cinnamon rolls. They’re big. They’re fluffy. They’re soft and never dry! They really are the real deal.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- A tested & perfected recipe! I tested and re-tested this recipe to get these cinnamon rolls just right
- Big, fluffy, and SOFT
- Make-Ahead option – can be made the day before and baked in the morning
- Easy to make with gluten-free bread flour
Ingredients You’ll Need
For the Cinnamon Rolls
- Gluten-free bread flour: THIS IS THE SECRET INGREDIENT! I’ve been loving using this gluten-free bread flour, which contains wheat starch that is completely gluten-free. It’s easy to shape and yields a similar texture to traditional bread. It’s great for sweet breads, rolls, and any other gluten-free bread dough! I also use this flour in these gluten-free crescent rolls.
- Water and milk: I prefer whole milk for these cinnamon rolls. It gives the dough a richer flavor!
- Sugar: You need white granulated sugar in the dough, both for flavor and to feed the yeast.
- Baking powder: Any baking powder will work for this recipe! It’s an important ingredient that helps create a light, fluffy gluten-free cinnamon rolls dough.
- Instant yeast: Instant yeast can be added right into the dry ingredients. It doesn’t need to be mixed with warm water to create a yeast mixture. Be sure to get this type rather than active dry yeast!
- Eggs: Eggs create a rich, soft dough. For best results with these gluten-free cinnamon rolls, use large, room temperature eggs.
- Butter: Like the eggs, the butter creates a rich and flavorful dough. I recommend using salted butter for this recipe. It provides the best depth of flavor!
- Salt: I like to use fine sea salt for this gluten-free cinnamon rolls recipe!
- For the filling: I love a classic, easy filling with brown sugar, cinnamon and butter!
For more gluten-free special breakfast recipes, try this gluten-free coffee cake, gluten-free blueberry muffins, gluten-free scones and gluten-free baked donuts.
Dairy-Free?
These cinnamon rolls can easily be made dairy-free. You can use dairy-free milk in place of the milk. I like using Elmhurst Unsweetened Cashew milk in place of whole milk. It has a similar fat content to whole milk, and doesn’t have any added gums or stabilizers that could interfere with the rise/crumb of the rolls. I also use vegan butter in place of the butter.
How to Make Gluten-Free Cinnamon Rolls
Make the Dough
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the gluten-free flour, granulated sugar, instant yeast, salt, and baking powder. Mix to evenly combine.
- With the mixer running on low, slowly add the water, milk, eggs and melted butter. Turn it up to medium speed and mix for 3 minutes until very smooth. The dough will resemble thick cookie dough. This is normal!
- Use an oiled spatula to scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl.
- Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 20 minutes. (Refrigerating the dough makes it easier to roll out.)
- Turn out the gluten free cinnamon buns dough onto a lightly floured surface and shape it into a ball.
- Sprinkle with a little flour, then roll the dough out into a 15×15-inch square.
You also might like this gluten-free pizza crust, gluten-free cinnamon sticks or gluten-free breadsticks.
Make the Filling/Shape the Rolls
- In a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar and cinnamon.
- Lightly grease a 9×13 baking dish with butter or cooking spray.
- Spread the melted butter for the filing over the dough. Sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar all over the dough. Using a pizza cutter, cut the square into twelve 1.25-inch wide strips of gluten-free cinnamon roll dough. Roll each dough strip up into a cinnamon roll.
- Place in the prepared baking dish.
Rise/Bake the Rolls
- Cover the pan with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel. Place in a relatively warm place and allow the rolls to rise for 45-60 minutes or until doubled in size.
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the rolls are slightly golden brown.
- Set the rolls aside to cool for 15 minutes or until just slightly warm to the touch.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- Powdered sugar: Any powdered sugar will work for these gluten-free cinnamon rolls!
- Cream cheese: Be sure to set your cream cheese out and allow it to soften to room temperature before making the frosting. This will ensure the frosting is smooth and clump-free.
- Butter: I recommend using salted butter for this recipe. It provides the best depth of flavor!
- Vanilla: I prefer using real vanilla extract for this cinnamon roll frosting.
- In a large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the cream cheese on high speed until smooth and creamy.
- Add the butter and beat until smooth and combined, then beat in the powdered sugar and vanilla until combined.
- Using a knife or icing spatula, spread the icing over the warm rolls. Serve immediately and enjoy your fluffy cinnamon roll!
Maple Glaze Option
These cinnamon rolls are also delicious with a maple glaze instead of cream cheese frosting! For the glaze mix together 2 cups powdered sugar, ½ teaspoon maple flavoring, 4-6 tablespoons milk, 2 tablespoons melted butter and a pinch of salt until smooth.
Make-Ahead/Storage Instructions
MAKE-AHEAD/OVERNIGHT RISE: These cinnamon rolls can be assembled the day before and baked the following morning. Make the gluten-free cinnamon rolls as you normally would, following the steps through the “Make the Filling/Shape the Rolls” section. Cover the rolls tightly and refrigerate for 8–12 hours. (16 hours max. 8–12 hours is best, but 16 hours is okay if absolutely needed. Do not exceed 16 hours.) The next morning, remove from the refrigerator and allow to rise on the counter for 30-45 minutes before baking. Bake at 350F for 30-35 minutes.
STORAGE: Store these homemade gluten free cinnamon rolls in an airtight container or covered in plastic wrap for up to three days. If the cinnamon rolls have cream cheese frosting, I store them in the refrigerator.
Expert Tips & Tricks
- GLUTEN-FREE BREAD FLOUR: This gluten-free bread flour is key for these gluten-free cinnamon rolls to turn out correctly. Other gluten-free flour blends will not work in it’s place.
- DAIRY-FREE: For dairy-free, gluten-free cinnamon rolls, I like to use Elmhurst Unsweetened Cashew milk. It has a similar fat content to whole milk and doesn’t have any added gums or stabilizers that might interfere with the rise/crumb of the rolls. You can also use vegan butter in place of the butter, and make the frosting with dairy-free cream cheese. My favorite brand is Kite Hill.
- I prefer the paddle attachment instead of the dough hook attachment for gluten-free bread. It tends to knead gluten-free dough more evenly!
I also use this same flour/dough recipe in this amazing, gluten-free monkey bread!
Easy, Gluten-Free Cinnamon Rolls
Video
Ingredients
For the Dough:
- 4 ½ cups (680g) King Arthur Gluten-Free Bread Flour
- ⅓ cup (65g) granulated sugar
- 2 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast (1 packet)
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 ¼ cup (295ml) water warm
- 1 cup (236ml) whole milk warm
- 2 large eggs
- 6 tablespoons (85g) butter melted
For the Filling:
- 1 cup (200g) brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons cinnamon
- 8 tablespoons (113g) butter melted
Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 8 ounces (226g) cream cheese softened
- 4 Tablespoons (56g) butter softened
- 1 ⅓ cup (160g) powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Or Simple Glaze:
- 3 cups (340g) powdered sugar
- 1/3 -1/2 cup milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
Instructions
Make the Dough:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the gluten-free flour, granulated sugar, instant yeast, salt and baking powder. Mix to evenly combine.
- With the mixer running on low, slowly add the water, milk, eggs and melted butter. Turn the speed up to medium and mix for 3 minutes until very smooth. The dough will resemble thick cookie dough. This is normal!
- Use an oiled spatula to scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl.
- Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 20 minutes. (Refrigerating the dough makes it easier to roll out.)
Make the Filling/Shape the Rolls
- In a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar and cinnamon.
- Lightly grease a 9×13 baking dish with butter or cooking spray.
- Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and shape it into a ball.
- Sprinkle with a little flour, then roll the dough out into a 15×15-inch square.
- Spread the melted butter for the filing over the dough. Sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar all over the dough.
- Using a pizza cutter, cut the square into twelve 1.25-inch wide strips.
- Roll each dough strip up into a cinnamon roll. Place in the prepared baking dish.
Rise/Bake the Rolls
- Cover the pan with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel. Place in a relatively warm place and allow the rolls to rise for 45-60 minutes or until doubled in size.
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the rolls are slightly golden brown.
- Set the rolls aside to cool for 15 minutes or until just slightly warm to the touch.
For the Cream Cheese Frosting
- In a large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the cream cheese on high speed until smooth and creamy.
- Add the butter and beat until smooth and combined, then beat in the powdered sugar and vanilla until combined.
- Using a knife or icing spatula, spread the icing over the warm rolls. Serve immediately and enjoy!
For the Simple Glaze
- In a medium bowl, whisk together all of the glaze ingredients until well combined.
- Spread over the slightly warm rolls. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Would it be possible to omit the egg and replace with dairy free yogurt?
Hi Kennedy, we haven’t tried any egg replacers with this recipe so we can’t say how greatly different substitutions would impact the texture. Dairy-free yogurt most likely won’t offer as much structure so that is one thing to consider. If you decide to try an egg-free version, we’d love to hear how it goes!
Loved these the first time around!! The second time, I don’t know what happened. I cut them in half after the filling part to make 12 mini rolls They ended up super dense and heavy. Not light and fluffy. Any idea what happened? I’m so sad. I followed the recipe. I just assumed I could cut them smaller to make smaller rolls but maybe it made them not proof as much?
Hi Kelly, we’re so glad you loved them the first time! We’re sorry you had this experience with the mini rolls. Most likely making them mini did impact the texture/structure. They would need a different amount of time to both rise and bake. Underproofing and/or overbaking could lead to dense, heavy rolls. We hope your next bake goes much better!
Do you another gluten free bread flour substitute or brand that works with this recipe? King Arthurs has wheat in it and we we have a gluten and wheat allergy.
Hi Emily, unfortunately this recipe was specifically designed with the KA GF Bread Flour and no other flour blend will produce the same results. We’re sorry!
These turned out wayyy too good. I forgot my eggs and added them in after I had the dough fully mixed. It made no difference which is awesome!!
I also used my carmel recipe instead of a frosting. Put the Carmel down on the bottom of the pan then rolls on top, let rise, cook as normal. Dump upside down onto a pan once they have cooled for 15 minutes. Soo good!! Thanks so much!!
Hi McKenna, thank you for sharing your positive baking experience with us! We’re so pleased you loved the cinnamon rolls so much!
These are truly amazing cinnamon rolls! I made the mistake of not reading the recipe ahead and I mixed the filling ingredients together instead of brushing the butter on the dough and sprinkling the cinnamon sugar on top of it. They still turned out AMAZING although the filling escaped the top of the rolls while baking a little bit. Eating them warm after making them is best. After the first day, heating them in the microwave for 20-30 seconds then icing them is the way to go. You cannot tell these are gluten free AT ALL. I will definitely make these again!
Yay! We’re so happy to hear you loved them enough to make them again! Thank you for such amazing feedback, Dawn!
Can the sugar be swapped out for monk fruit sweetener to make them low carb?
Hi Lily, we don’t typically bake with sugar substitutes unfortunately. Sugar plays into taste and texture so it’s not always an easy swap. Sometimes readers share their successes using sugar swaps so this comments section might have some good tips on whether such substitutions will work with the cinnamon rolls. Thank you for your question!
I have made this recipe multiple times with all ingredients listed above but the dough is still really tacky. I had to add almost 1/2 a cup more of flour while rolling it out to get the flour to be think enough. What could I be doing differently? Do I need to chill for longer?
Seriously though, it’s still the best gf recipe I’ve found for these yet!
Hi Hannah, we’re sorry you had this experience! If you’re using the recommended flour and measuring the dry/wet ingredients accurately, but still experiencing this issue, it may be a humidity or elevation factor impacting the moisture in the dough. Chilling it longer may be beneficial along with adding extra flour, like you’ve been doing, to get to that desired cookie dough consistency. We hope the next batch goes better!
So we don’t have that specific flour available in the UK. I tried making this with Doves and used a whole 1kg bag and the flour was still too tacky and liquid to roll as a dough. Any one have any tips on fixing this?
Hi Katy, unfortunately this recipe was designed specifically for King Arthur Gluten-Free Bread Flour and other gluten-free flour blends will not produce the same results. We aren’t familiar with UK options that may work similarly to the King Arthur either unfortunately. We’re sorry!
Ok, you can ignore my question about freezing them because I see someone already asked. These were amaziiiing! Just made them. I will freeze half and save until Thanksgiving, I will come back and tell everyone if it worked ok.
Hi Maria, we’re so pleased you enjoyed the cinnamon rolls! Thank you for positive feedback. We hope the frozen leftovers are enjoyed just as much at Thanksgiving!
Heya! I used the Tesco gluten free bread white flour (think it is Doves) and basically used the whole bag so 1kg and though they didn’t rise fully and were still a little fluffy, I would add less water or milk next time and still use 1kg but they came out amazing! So the 1kg bag for Tesco flour did work for me, and so I would give them 5* but next time I’d probably add less liquid so I don’t need to use the whole bag! I hope that helps xxx and then I also used a very very floury surface too!
Thank you for sharing this advice, Shannon! We’re so pleased the Tesco gf bread flour seemed promising. Happy baking!
Katy- I’m also in the UK and found the flour on Amazon (but HUGELY expensive-£29/kg.) You could try Caputo Fioreglut GF four, also on Amazon but way less expensive (£8/kg).
A previous commenter used the Caputo with success, it appears. Caputo is GF wheat starch with dextrose, maize starch, buckwheat flour, rice starch, psyllium powder and guar gum. The ingredients are similar to those of the KA flour.
I have used both and achieved similar results with both, although I would say that the KA flour does absorb more liquid, so you might have to add slightly more flour using Caputo. Good luck!
I cannot use the King Arthur or any food with xanthan or guar thickner. I am intolerant to those thickners. What do I use for the thickner? Also I am lactose intolerant
Hi Ellen, unfortunately this recipe was designed specifically with King Arthur Gluten-Free Bread Flour and other gluten-free flours will not produce the same results. Dairy-free suggestions are included at the bottom of the recipe card which can help with making these lactose-free though. We’re sorry 🙁
Oh my goodness, these are delightful and so simple to make! I had no issues working with the dough and rolling them up individually was genius. I used vanilla bean paste in the cream cheese icing and it was divine. We will definitely be making these again!
We’re so pleased to hear how much you enjoyed this recipe, Sarah! Thank you for taking the time to share your positive baking experience with us!
Made these and they were amazing!?!
Do you think recipe could be modified slightly to make mini cinnamon rolls? Was thinking about making minis for a baby shower.
Hi Adam, we’re so pleased to hear how much you loved the recipe! We’ve never tried to make mini cinnamon rolls with this recipe before, but it sounds possible. We’d guess that they wouldn’t need quite as much time to rise and, of course, the baking time would need to be reduced. We’d love to hear how it goes!
I have made so many GF cinnamon rolls and they’re always gross, except the frosting. My sister in law (with celiac) is visiting so I tried this recipe. It is AMAZING!!!!! My sister in law raved and raved, as well as the rest of my family, who typically eat gluten. The rolls are so soft and chewy, with great texture (not dry or grainy). If you follow the recipe exactly, they will turn out perfectly. Thank you so much!!!
Wow, thank you for such amazing feedback, Betsy! We’re so happy to hear that the cinnamon rolls were a hit with the whole family, including those who can eat gluten! Happy baking!
I just purchased both of your cookbooks after trying this recipe. Since my diagnosis i haven’t had cinnamon rolls in over 5 years, they were always my favorite. I made these this morning for the first time and they’re absolutely everything my little heart needed. Thank you thank you for all the time you’ve put into making such incredible recipes!
Aww, we’re so happy to hear how much you loved the cinnamon rolls, Katie! Thank you for such kind feedback. We hope you enjoy the cookbooks!
Wow, I have to say I’m impressed! I’m known for my yummy gluten containing cinnamon rolls, but had to make GF cinnamon rolls for a friend and tried this recipe. I tested them out on my husband and he didn’t even know they were gluten free! Excellent!
Thank you for such amazing feedback, Deb! We’re so happy to hear this recipe was a hit!
Can these rolls be frozen either before or after baking?
Hi Deb, we don’t recommend freezing them before baking unfortunately. We haven’t tried freezing the baked cinnamon rolls, but at that stage you could try wrapping them in plastic wrap and storing them in an airtight container to freeze. Then defrost and re-warm when ready to serve. We hope this helps!
Loved these! My daughter said she couldn’t believe they were GF. Only complaint is gf bread flour is a ridiculous price. It took almost the whole 2lb bag.
We’re so pleased to hear both you and your daughter loved the recipe! We definitely understand the GF price frustration though. Thank you for sharing your feedback with us, Kendra!