Erin’s Recipe Rundown
Texture: Moist, tender cake with a smooth, creamy filling.
Taste: Spiced pumpkin and rich cream cheese are the perfect pairing.
Ease: This recipe requires a few steps but is totally doable! See the step-by-step instructions in this post for mode details.
Top Tips: Generously coat the towel with powdered sugar before rolling up the cake. Make sure the cake cools rolled up in a tea towel to get the perfect structure and prevent cracking!
Recommended GF Flour: For best results, use a high-quality flour blend that contains xanthan gum. King Arthur Flour is my top pick for this recipe.
Would I make these again? Definitely! It’s an understatement to say I love this recipe — it’s one my very favorite treats and perfect for when my family gathers on Thanksgiving!
xoxo erin
This post was originally published in November 2014. It was updated with new photos and instructions in October 2024.
Everyone always goes crazy for a pumpkin roll! It definitely has that wow factor that makes it perfect for holidays, parties, and other celebrations.
This gluten-free pumpkin roll has the perfect texture and balance of fall flavors, all while looking really impressive. It’s a showstopper that all will love — even those who don’t need gluten-free! Plus it earns bonus points for being easy to make dairy-free too!
Check out this full collection of gluten-free thanksgiving recipes!
Featured Comment
From Victoria: “This was my first every pumpkin roll that turned out looking like a pumpkin roll! And it’s gluten free!! The recipe was so simple that I had doubts it would turn out, but it is perfect. My kids absolutely love it. Thank you so much for such an easy and delicious recipe!”
Table of Contents
- Erin’s Recipe Rundown
- Ingredients You’ll Need
- How to Make the Perfect Gluten-Free Pumpkin Roll
- Make-Ahead/Storage/Freezing Instruction
- Can this gluten-free pumpkin roll be made dairy-free?
- Can this cake be made sugar-free or reduced sugar?
- Can I add pumpkin pie spice or other spices to this recipe?
- More Gluten-Free Pumpkin Desserts
- Perfect Gluten-Free Pumpkin Roll (Dairy-Free Option) Recipe
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here are a few notes on some of the key ingredients to make this gluten-free pumpkin roll. Jump to the recipe card below for the exact measurements.
- Gluten-free flour: I highly recommend using a high quality gluten-free measure-for-measure flour blend that contains xanthan gum. King Arthur Flour Gluten-Free Measure-For-Measure Flour is my favorite for this recipe!
- Canned pumpkin: Make sure to use 100% pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling! Besides creating the pumpkin flavor, the canned pumpkin also adds moisture, sweetness, and richness to the cake. This cake needs the right amount of moisture to make it easy to roll!
- Eggs/sugar: Two typical ingredients for a cake, but super important for one that gets rolled up! The eggs and sugar provide the right structure for the cake so that it bakes thin and moist.
- Cream cheese/powdered sugar: The cream cheese adds tangy flavor that balances the sweetness of the powdered sugar. Their combined creaminess makes the filling spreadable too. Use dairy-free cream cheese, like Kite Hill, to make it dairy-free!
- Butter: The butter creates a smooth consistency for the filling. Use vegan butter when making this dessert dairy-free.
How to Make the Perfect Gluten-Free Pumpkin Roll
Here’s an overview of how to make this pumpkin roll. You can jump to the recipe for the full instructions!
- In a medium bowl: Whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon.
- Make it smooth: Whisk the eggs and canned pumpkin into the dry mix until smooth.
- Pour in prepared pan: Pour the cake batter into the pan. I recommend using a 15×10 jelly roll pan lined with parchment paper and lightly greased. Make sure the parchment paper hangs over the short ends of the pan by at least an inch!
- Bake: With the oven on 350°F, bake the cake for 16-18 minutes. You want the edges to pull away from the sides of the pan and the center to be done.
- On a tea towel: The key is a thin towel without any texture — a tea towel works best! Spread a thick dusting of powdered sugar all over the towel and then turn the cake upside down onto it as soon as the cake comes out of the oven.
- Roll it up: Peel off the parchment paper. Start at the short end and roll the cake up with the tea towel.
- Let it cool: The cake needs to cool completely in the rolled up tea towel.
- Make the filling: I like to use a stand mixer, but a bowl with a hand mixer works too! Whip the cream cheese, butter, vanilla, and powdered sugar together. You want to mix it until it’s light and creamy.
- Unroll and fill: Once the cake is cool, unroll it gently. Use an offset spatula to carefully spread the filling evenly all over the cake.
- Roll up and refrigerate: Roll the cake back up. This time without the tea towel. Wrap the roll tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate it for at least an hour before serving. Slice and enjoy!
Make-Ahead/Storage/Freezing Instruction
To Make-Ahead: You can definitely make the icing a day or two ahead and store it in an airtight container in the fridge. It’s best to bake the cake the same day you assemble the roll.
To Store: Store the pumpkin roll wrapped tightly in plastic wrap. It will keep in the fridge for up to 2 days.
To Freeze: Wrap the pumpkin roll in plastic wrap then foil and freeze for up to 3 months. To thaw, refrigerate overnight or let sit at room temperature for roughly 30 minutes before serving. You can also freeze slices of pumpkin roll by wrapping them individually before freezing.
Can this gluten-free pumpkin roll be made dairy-free?
Absolutely! Swap the cream cheese for a dairy-free version, like from Kite Hill. Use vegan butter in place of the regular butter. Enjoy!
Can this cake be made sugar-free or reduced sugar?
Unfortunately, there isn’t a great sugar-free option for this recipe. Sugar is key as it gives the cake its needed structure.
Can I add pumpkin pie spice or other spices to this recipe?
You can definitely spice up the cake with pumpkin pie spice, a little nutmeg, or a pinch of cloves. I like to keep it simple with cinnamon, but this cake adapts well to extra spice!
More Gluten-Free Pumpkin Desserts
Perfect Gluten-Free Pumpkin Roll (Dairy-Free Option)
Ingredients
For the Cake Roll:
- 3/4 cup (113g) gluten-free measure-for-measure flour
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3 large eggs
- 2/3 cup (151g) canned pumpkin
- powdered sugar for rolling
For the Filling:
- 8 ounces cream cheese room temperature
- 1 tablespoon butter melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup (120g) powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 15×10 jelly roll pan. Cut parchment paper to fit the bottom of the pan and leave an inch overhang on each of the short ends of the pan. Lightly grease the parchment paper and sides of the jelly roll pan.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine the gluten-free flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon. Whisk to combine. Add the eggs and canned pumpkin and whisk until smooth.
- Once mixed, pour the mixture over the parchment paper. Bake for 16-18 minutes, until the edges pull away from the sides of the pan and center is done.
- Lay a large tea towel on the counter top (it is best to use a thin towel without any texture a tea towel or similar towel works best). Starting at one of the short ends, spread a thick dusting of powdered sugar all over the towel.
- When the cake comes out of the oven, turn the pan upside down on the powdered sugar-laden towel so the parchment paper is on the top. It is best to turn it out right on the short edge of the towel. Peel off the parchment paper. Starting at the short end near the edge, roll the pumpkin cake up with the towel to cool.
- While the roll is cooling, make the filling. Using a hand or stand mixer, whip the cream cheese, butter, vanilla, and powdered sugar together until it is light and creamy.
- Once the roll is cool, unroll and with an offset spatula, carefully spread the filling in an even layer over the cake. Roll it up without the towel and wrap tightly in plastic. Refrigerate for about an hour before serving. The roll will be good in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Can you please let me know why this is cracking every time I roll it after I put the cream cheese in it?
I cannot tell you how good this is! It was a hit with the entire family. I am making two of them now. One for Christmas Eve with the family and one for us on Christmas Day.
So easy to make too.
Thank you for this! Two bites in and my 13-yr-old said this was the best dessert of his life-nice to hear from a kiddo who misses “the good ol’ days” before celiac disease.
Yum! I made this for Thanksgiving and it was delicious! I let the batter sit for 30 minutes before baking. It was really, really good!
Everyone loved this
Do you know if I need to make adjustments for using fresh cooked, puréed pumpkin? Or just try to get as much moisture out of the pumpkin as possible?
I made this once before, and it was ahh-mazing! Quick question…would I be able to freeze this for a week or so? I’ve got to make my desserts ahead of the holiday this year, and I’m really hoping to include this. Any info would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!
Hi Erin. I really enjoyed how quickly this cake went together…..
The filling also!! We really enjoyed it. Thanks so much! It’s Diane from the villa. I can’t wait to try your rolls. They look great also.
So great to hear from you! I’m glad the recipe turned out for you!
I use Better Batter gluten free flour blend. I was using Bobs Red Mill but it had a grainy feel. I LOVE pumpkin cake/bread anything pumpkin!! This was my first try at a jelly roll!! Thank you for sharing this recipe and knowledge!! I also found out that Better Batter has powdered sugar without any cornstarch in it!! It really tastes a lot better!! I never knew it had cornstarch until I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease I heard so many people needed even harder to find food items due to allergies! Thank you again for an awesome recipe!!
Thank you for a wonderful alternative to a fall favorite! I cut the sugar in half, used “flax eggs” and whipped coconut cream, powdered sugar and vanilla to make a very satisfying healthy alternative. (I did have to double the recipe to fit my jelly roll pan since the original didn’t begin to fill the pan)
Thanks for sharing! How far ahead of time can I make it?
This looks so good! Do you use this cake base for any other recipes?
I made this for a Thanksgiving dinner and it is incredible! I’m used to lower-sugar desserts, so I cut the sugar in half for both the cake and the filling. It was plenty sweet for me. Great flavor. This is something I crave year-round, but haven’t found a good alternative until now. Thank you! I’m making it again tomorrow for a holiday party. I’m sure it will be a big hit.
So great to hear! Glad it satisfied your craving 🙂
This is absolutely delicious!! I used King Arthur’s GF measure for measure blend (with xanthum gum) and part of the cake broke as I was flipping it onto the towel. I covered the towel in A TON of powdered sugar. I rolled up the remains just fine, but when I unrolled it, it split in about five or six places from end-to-end. I was really careful not to overcook the cake since I knew it would crack. I’m wondering if I undercooked it, which led to it cracking. We definitely enjoyed eating the resulting mound of yummy pumpkin cake 🙂 Any tips or pointers? Thank you!
I’m glad it tasted good – but sorry it cracked! I would actually err on the side of overcooking rather than undercooking this cake. Gluten-free baked goods can be gummy and unstable if they are slightly undercooked. So I would try baking the cake an extra 2-3 minutes next time – I hope this helps! 🙂
Hi,
I was thinking about trying your recipe out for Thanksgiving. I was wondering if you are not using a flour that contains xanthan gum already, how much would you add?
This won’t work with a flour without xanthan gum. It will fall apart. Sorry about that!