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. Trust me when I say these cinnamon rolls are JUST as incredible as regular ones. They’re big. They’re fluffy. They’re soft and never dry! They really are the real deal.
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. I love this recipe so much it has inspired seasonal versions, like my gluten-free pumpkin cinnamon rolls and gluten-free cinnamon roll wreath!
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 it in this gluten-free monkey bread!
- 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!
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.
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!
More Gluten-Free Bread Flour Recipes
Easy, Gluten-Free Cinnamon Rolls
These gluten-free cinnamon rolls are big, fluffy, and SOFT! Plus thanks to gluten-free bread flour, 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!NOTE: These gluten-free cinnamon rolls need to be made with gluten-free bread flour. Gluten-free all purpose flour will not yield the same results.
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!
Notes
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.
GLUTEN-FREE BREAD FLOUR: King Arthur 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.
Nutrition
Calories: 681kcal | Carbohydrates: 108g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 96mg | Sodium: 617mg | Potassium: 189mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 69g | Vitamin A: 888IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 123mg | Iron: 1mg
Could these be frozen before the last rise? And if so how long would they need to thaw/rise before baking?
Hi Bailey! We haven’t tried freezing them unbaked, but at least one reader has had success with that method. For best results, baked cinnamon rolls can be individually wrapped in plastic wrap and stored in an airtight container to freeze (unfrosted works best). Thaw, reheat, and frost when ready to serve. We hope you love them!
These cinnamon rolls are our family favorite! My celiac daughters both love them and even the rest of the gluten-eating family can’t tell the difference. The last time we made them, we took them up a notch by following the TikTok trend by adding heavy cream and an extra cinnamon glaze on top. Oh my goodness!!
We’re thrilled to hear the cinnamon rolls have become a family favorite, Amy! It’s great to hear the Tiktok trend works with these. Heavy cream and cinnamon glaze sound so good. We’ll have to try it! Thanks for sharing!
Best Cinnamon Rolls!
I made these the night before and the next morning they baked perfectly. Being gluten free is a piece of cake with delicious recipes like this! Make them ASAP. So easy and so good!!
Yay! We’re so glad the make-ahead option worked well for you and the cinnamon rolls were a hit the next morning. We know how much of a labor of love cinnamon rolls can be so we’re so excited when readers find this recipe easy and delicious. Thank you Abbey!
I don’t have access to this bread flour where I live. I was able to find a recipe for bread flour using all purpose gluten free flour (with Xanthan gum).
All-purpose gluten-free flour: 596 grams
Pea protein powder: 60. grams
Psyllium husk powder: 23 grams
The recipe turned out fantastic!! Thank you!
Hi Sheena! We’re so glad you found a homemade blend that mimics gluten-free bread flour well since it isn’t available in your area. Thank you for sharing in case others would like to try this out too. Happy baking!
The best recipe ever
Aww, thank you, Rachel! We’re so glad you loved the cinnamon rolls!
Hi there!! Can’t wait to try this – is it possible to use canned coconut milk instead of the cashew milk for a whole milk substitute? thank you!!
Hi Sophia! We haven’t tried canned coconut milk ourselves. The biggest considerations are the fat content and whether it contains gums or stabilizers. The fat content of the unsweetened cashew milk works well in the dough, so you’d want to use a dairy-free milk with a similar amount of fat. We hope you enjoy the cinnamon rolls!
Hi!! I have made these successfully at Christmas multiple times and they are a HIT!
However, I have made them a couple times in the summer and I can’t quite figure out a way for them to rise. At Christmas I put the rolls to rise near our fire place, but that’s definitely not an option. Any suggestions for a gal without a proofing drawer?
We’re so happy to hear this recipe has become a repeat favorite! Thank you for the wonderful feedback, Gabby. We definitely don’t expect everyone to have a proofing drawer. We’d try placing them in the oven with the oven OFF and oven light on. The gentle warmth from the light can create a good environment for the dough to rise. Just be sure the oven is completely off while they’re proofing! Happy baking!
Hi! I’m hoping I’ll hear back so I can try again. Everything went perfect except mine never doubled in size or changed in size at all. I know yeast has to be warm to be activated so maybe I misunderstood the part where you put it into the fridge before it doubles? If you wouldn’t mind letting me know so I can try again, I don’t want to waste expensive ingredients again
Hi Ari! We’re sorry you had that experience with the proofing! The dough is first put in the fridge so that it’s easier to work with when rolling, cutting, and shaping the cinnamon rolls. The pan of rolls is then covered and allowed to rise in a warm place for 45–60 minutes. If you did this and they didn’t increase in size, the water or milk may have been too cold or too hot, or the rising environment may not have been warm enough. Another factor could be if the yeast was old and no longer active. We hope your next batch goes much better!
tried this recipe, followed it SO carefully. When I turned the dough out to roll it – it came out wet and sticky and completely impossible to roll. I tried adding more flour, but it didn’t help. I ended up scooping it all off of the counter and blooping it into the pan – and served it as a coffee cake type treat. It was delicious – but do you have any suggestions what could have gone wrong?
Hi Tannis! We’re sorry you had this experience! The dough should be soft and sticky, but it should still be workable after chilling. Did you use King Arthur Gluten-Free Bread Flour? Other blends won’t work the same. It was a good idea to add a little more of the gf flour. Next time we’d also try chilling the dough again after adding the extra flour so that it has time to hydrate and absorb. If that doesn’t solve the issue and you’re using the gf bread flour, then it is typically an issue of a wet or dry measurement being off. We hope these ideas help!
These are delicious and so easy to make! I was so intimidated to attempt a yeasted recipe but was thrilled with how they turned out.
We’re so happy to hear the cinnamon rolls went well for you, Amber! We definitely understand the apprehension with yeasted recipes. We’re so glad you found this recipe both easy and delicious. Thank you for the wonderful feedback!
How do I modify the recipe to use quick acting yeast instead of instant yeast?
Hi Brenda! Typically quick acting yeast and instant yeast are the same thing, just labelled differently based on the brand. Unless the label says it needs to be activated before using, it can be used in this recipe without any modifications. We hope you enjoy the cinnamon rolls!
I don’t have access to King Arthur products as I don’t live in the US. Is there a self-made blend you recommend? Thank you!
Hi Suzanna! Unfortunately, this recipe was specifically designed with KA GF Bread Flour. No other flour blend will produce the same results. We’re sorry to hear it’s unavailable outside of the US!
Hello! I recently went gluten free and I am also plant-based. I know you mentioned a dairy free option, but have you ever tried doing this with dairy free milk and plant based butter? Just curious!
Hi Kyndall! Yes, the cinnamon rolls can be made with DF milk and plant butter. We recommend using a milk without added gums or stabilizers since they mess with the rise and crumb. Elmhurst unsweetened cashew milk is one we found works well. We hope you enjoy the recipe!