Move over, Cinnabon — these Ultimate Gluten Free Cinnamon Rolls beat the chain at its own game. Warm, gooey, and incredibly soft, you’ll hardly believe these are gluten free.
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There are plenty of gluten free cinnamon roll recipes online that taste fine, and I’ve tried many. What so many of them lack, though, is the right texture. Flavor is often there, but the soft, feathery, tear-apart texture that makes a cinnamon roll irresistible is usually missing. If you follow a gluten free diet, you know what I mean — so many breads end up dense or dry. I refused to accept that for cinnamon rolls.
After years of testing and discarding far too many rock-hard attempts, I finally developed a version that’s light, pillowy, and tender. The photos here show the real gluten free rolls — no tricks, no gluten-filled stand-ins. If you want an even more indulgent version with all the extras, check out my other recipe for an over-the-top cinnamon roll experience.
What You’ll Need to Make These Cinnamon Rolls
Dough
- Gluten free bread flour blend
- Granulated sugar
- Baking powder
- Instant yeast
- Psyllium husks (optional) — whole or powdered; they add a subtle wheaty note and improve dough handling
- Salt
- Milk (or dairy-free alternative)
- Butter (or dairy-free butter)
- Eggs
Filling
- Butter, softened
- Brown sugar
- Cinnamon
Frosting
You can top the rolls with either a classic cream cheese frosting for a Cinnabon-style finish or a simple powdered sugar glaze. Choose the option you prefer.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- Cream cheese, softened
- Butter, softened
- Powdered sugar
- Vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
Powdered Sugar Glaze
- Powdered sugar
- Milk (or dairy-free alternative) to thin
- Vanilla extract
How to Make Cinnamon Rolls
The Morning Before
- Make the dough: measure ingredients and combine. This dough comes together quickly — about seven minutes.
- Bulk ferment: let the dough proof in a warm, draft-free spot for 1–2 hours until it has roughly doubled in size.
- Refrigerate: chill the dough for at least four hours, preferably six, to make it easier to shape and to develop texture.
The Evening / Night Before
- Make the filling: beat together butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon until light and fluffy, about 3–4 minutes. This helps the filling stay inside the rolls during baking.
- Knead and roll: lightly knead chilled dough until smooth, then roll it into a rectangle about 1/4 inch thick on a well-floured surface.
- Spread the filling evenly, leaving about a 1/2-inch border so you can seal the roll.
- Roll tightly, seal the edge, and cut into individual rolls. Dental floss makes clean cuts; you can also use a serrated knife.
- Place rolls in a baking pan, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight (or until you’re ready to bake).
The Morning Of
- Bring to room temperature: remove the pan from the fridge at least one hour before baking so the rolls can warm and finish rising.
- Make the frosting: prepare cream cheese frosting or the glaze and set aside, covered.
- Bake: preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and bake for 20–25 minutes, or up to 30 minutes for larger rolls, until golden brown.
- Frost while warm: spread cream cheese frosting or drizzle glaze over the warm rolls and serve.
Gluten Free Cinnamon Rolls FAQs
Yes. Use dairy-free milk and a dairy-free butter alternative in the dough and filling. Some readers have also reported success using Just Egg as an egg substitute. Results will vary slightly depending on substitutions.
Chilling the dough makes it much easier to shape and roll. Properly chilled dough is less sticky and holds its shape during cutting, which improves the final texture.
Absolutely. The glaze is quicker and pourable, while the cream cheese frosting is richer and more traditional for a Cinnabon-style finish.
Psyllium husks are optional but useful. They improve dough elasticity and make the dough easier to work with. If you skip them, reduce the milk slightly and the rolls will still be tasty.
Go ahead — bake yourself one of the best gluten free cinnamon rolls you’ll ever taste. They’re warm, gooey, and delightfully soft: everything a cinnamon roll should be.
The Ultimate Gluten Free Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
DOUGH
- 3½ cups (490 g) gluten free bread flour blend
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 1¾ teaspoon baking powder
- 2 tbsp plus 1½ tsp (24 g) instant yeast
- 2 tbsp whole psyllium husks (or 1½ tbsp psyllium husk powder), optional
- 1 tsp salt
- 1½ cups (360 ml) milk (or dairy-free alternative)
- ¾ cup (169 g) butter, very soft or melted
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
CINNAMON SUGAR FILLING
- ½ cup (1 stick, 8 tbsp, or 113 g) butter, softened
- 1 cup (220 g) brown sugar
- 4 tsp cinnamon
CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
- 4 oz (113 g) cream cheese, softened
- 4 tbsp (½ stick or 57 g) butter, softened
- 2 cups (250 g) powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
OR GLAZE
- 2 cups (250 g) powdered sugar
- 3–4 tbsp milk (or dairy-free alternative), as needed
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
MIX THE DOUGH AND PROOF
- Combine the dry ingredients in a stand mixer bowl. With the mixer on low, add the wet ingredients. Once combined, increase speed to medium and beat for 5 minutes until the dough is smooth and somewhat stretchy but still fluid.
- Scrape into a mound, cover, and proof in a warm spot for about 2 hours until the dough has noticeably increased in volume. Chill for 4–6 hours before shaping.
MAKE THE FILLING
- Beat filling ingredients until fluffy, about 3–4 minutes. Cover and set aside.
KNEAD, FILL, ROLL, AND CUT
- On a well-floured surface, knead chilled dough to a smooth ball and roll to a ¼-inch-thick rectangle.
- Spread filling, leaving a ½-inch border. Roll tightly and place seam-side down. Cut into rolls with dental floss or a serrated knife (freeze for 15 minutes first if using a knife).
- Place rolls in a greased baking dish, cover, and proof until noticeably larger. If refrigerating overnight, let them sit at room temperature for about an hour before baking.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake 20–25 minutes (larger rolls may need an extra 5 minutes) until golden. Frost while warm.
MAKE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
- Beat frosting ingredients until smooth and spreadable.
…OR GLAZE
- Whisk glaze ingredients until smooth and drizzle over warm rolls.
Notes
*Psyllium husks improve dough elasticity and handling; if you omit them, reduce the milk to 1¼ cups (300 ml).
**If you only have active dry yeast, bloom it first in warm milk (100–110°F) with a teaspoon of sugar until foamy, then continue with the recipe.
***A stand mixer makes it easier to reach the right dough consistency. A handheld mixer may work with additional mixing time; mixing by hand is possible but may require more effort and different equipment.
*****Rolls can be frozen after shaping, before the final proof. Wrap well and freeze in the pan; thaw in the refrigerator overnight before baking.
These cinnamon rolls were originally posted on September 11, 2019 and have been updated with new photos and improved tips.