Gluten-Free & Paleo Cinnamon Rolls

I’ve been working on a cinnamon roll recipe for quite a while (more than a year!!!) and I finally got them exactly perfect. Then, hoping it wasn’t just chance, I made them again and they turned out exactly perfect again! These are bakery-like cinnamon rolls that are big, fluffy, gooey, and are just as good as any other gluten and dairy-filled cinnamon roll! Or if you prefer Keto, I have a killer Keto Cinnamon Roll Recipe!

Easy Cinnamon Roll Steps

In a small bowl, mix together some non-dairy milk and vinegar. Set aside. This will be our homemade buttermilk mixture.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together blanched almond flour, arrowroot or tapioca flour, pectin, xanthan gum, salt, baking soda, sugar, and yeast… all the dry ingredients.

Next, add 2 eggs, softened butter (can use non-dairy), and vanilla to the milk mixture. Then, add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix well. Knead the dough until it comes together then wrap tightly in plastic wrap.

Allow the dough to rest in the fridge for 6 hours to overnight. 

When the dough is finished resting in the fridge, tear off a piece of parchment paper that’s at least 20 inches long. Generously sprinkle the parchment with tapioca or arrowroot flour. 

Using a well-floured rolling pin, roll the dough out to 15 inches tall x 20 inches wide – the size of the parchment paper. Add additional starch as needed to prevent sticking.

Melt some butter (can use non-dairy) or ghee and spread over the dough. Leave the bottom 1 inch dry. In a small bowl, combine some cinnamon, coconut palm sugar, and xanthan gum. The xanthan gum is optional but helps keep the filling from oozing out during baking.

Sprinkle the cinnamon/sugar mixture over the butter.

Starting on the side farthest away from you, start rolling the dough tightly making at least 4 or 5 rotations. You can lift up the parchment paper to help get the dough up and rolling. When you come to the end, pinch the bottom edge of the dough into the log so it creates a seal.

Cut the dough into 16 equal-sized rolls and place in a parchment-lined baking dish. Slightly press down on each roll.

To proof the yeast:

Bring a medium-sized pot of water to a boil. 

Place rolls in the center or top rack of the oven with the boiling water on the bottom rack and allow to proof for 1 hour. They won’t double in size but they will rise and plump up. Covered with a clean, damp kitchen towel while rising.

Baking the rolls:

After they have finished rising, remove the rolls from the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Once preheated, bake the cinnamon rolls for 16 -20 minutes, rotating halfway through to ensure even baking. Bake until rolls are nicely browned to prevent the centers from being doughy. 

Frost the rolls you plan on eating while hot and enjoy!!!

Expert Tips:

• The dough needs to sit in the fridge 6 hours to overnight, so plan ahead 🙂
• To make the rolls ahead of time: 1) Bake as directed then let rolls cool 2) Freeze 3) Heat in a 250-degree oven for 15 minutes 4) Ice while rolls are hot.
• Instead of the powdered sugar frosting below, sometimes I use my Paleo “Cream Cheese” Frosting and thin it out with a non-dairy milk as needed, it’s awesome too 🙂
• To make your own unrefined powdered sugar: Add Truvia baking mix into a coffee grinder and blend until it’s a fine powder. Stir in 1 Tbsp of arrowroot per cup. I’ve used this homemade powdered sugar with the frosting recipe below and we LOVED it! You can also use powdered xylitol or erythritol. Coconut palm sugar does not work well with this recipe – trust me!
• Leftovers can be stored, unfrosted, at room temperature 2 to 3 days or frozen.

The Best Cinnamon Roll Recipe!!! {Gluten, Grain, & Dairy Free}

These gluten free cinnamon rolls are big, fluffy, gooey, and are just as good as any other gluten and dairy filled cinnamon roll!*See above for instructions to make Paleo Cinnamon Rolls.

5 from 1 vote

Print Pin Rate

Course: Breakfast, Dessert, gluten free

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 1 hour

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes

Servings: 16 rolls

Calories: 426kcal

Author: Cassidy Stauffer

Ingredients

For The Dough:

• 3 cups blanched almond flour very finely ground
• 2 1/2 cups tapioca flour + more for rolling dough I've also successfully used arrowroot
• 2 tsp. pectin on the baking aisle
• 1 tsp. xanthan gum
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp. yeast
• 2 Tbsp butter (can use non-dairy) or ghee softened
• 1 Cup non-dairy milk
• 1 tsp. distilled white vinegar
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla

Filling:

• 1/2 cup butter (can use non-dairy) or ghee melted
• 2 Tbsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/4 C brown sugar or coconut palm sugar
• 1 Tbsp. xanthan gum

Frosting (or try my dairy, soy, & refined sugar free cream cheese frosting, link above):

• 1 lb. powdered sugar
• 1/4 C Earth Balance butter or ghee melted
• 3 Tbsp. Non-Dairy Milk
• 1 Tbsp. strong brewed coffee optional
• 1 tsp. vanilla or maple extract

Instructions

• In a small bowl, mix together the milk alternative with the vinegar (we're making buttermilk). Set aside.
• Whisk together the almond flour, tapioca flour, pectin, xanthan gum, sugar, salt, soda, and yeast... all the dry ingredients.
• Add the eggs, butter, and vanilla to the milk mixture and mix well. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and knead with a dough hook until it comes together, scraping down bowl as needed. If you don't have a dough hook, mix together with a spoon the best you can and then use your hands to knead the dough until it is very well combined. Batter will be thick and sticky.
• Scrape/pour batter into plastic wrap and wrap tightly. Place in refrigerator 6 hours to overnight.
• Tear out a piece of parchment paper that is at least 20 inches long and sprinkle generously with arrowroot or tapioca flour. Using a well-floured rolling pin, roll the dough 15 inches (the height of the parchment paper) by 20 inches long. Use tapioca flour as needed to help prevent sticking.
• Bring a medium to large pot of water to a boil... we'll come back to this 🙂
• Melt the butter and spread over the dough, leaving the bottom 1 inch dry.
• In a medium-sized bowl, mix together the cinnamon, sugar, and xanthan gum. Spread evenly over the butter.
• Starting on the side farthest away from you, start rolling the dough tightly making at least 4 or 5 rotations. You can lift up the parchment paper to help get the dough up and rolling. When you come to the end, pinch the bottom edge of the dough into the log so it creates a seal.
• Using a very sharp knife, cut the log in half. Then, cut each half in half. Then cut each roll in half again. You should have 16 rolls.
• Transfer rolls to the baking dish and slightly press down on each roll.
• Place rolls in the center or top rack of the oven with the boiling water on the bottom rack and allow to proof for 1 hour. They won't double in size but they will rise. I covered mine with a clean, damp kitchen towel.
• Remove rolls and preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Bake for 16 - 20 minutes, rotating half-way through to ensure even baking. Make sure they are very nicely browned so the centers aren't dough-ey.
• Whisk all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Icing will be thick. Pour over hot rolls.

Notes

• The dough needs to sit in the fridge 6 hours to overnight, so plan ahead!
• To make the rolls ahead of time: 1) Bake as directed then let rolls cool 2) Freeze 3) Heat in a 250-degree oven for 15 minutes 4) Ice while rolls are hot.
• Instead of the powdered sugar frosting, sometimes I use my Paleo "Cream Cheese" Frosting and thin it out with a non-dairy milk as needed, it's awesome too!
• To make your own unrefined powdered sugar: Add Truvia baking mix into a coffee grinder and blend until it's a fine powder. Stir in 1 Tbsp of arrowroot per cup. I've used this homemade powdered sugar with the frosting recipe below and we LOVED it! You can also use powdered xylitol or erythritol. Coconut palm sugar does not work well with this recipe - trust me!
• Leftovers can be stored, unfrosted, at room temperature 2 to 3 days or frozen.

Calories: 426kcal | Carbohydrates: 57g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 46mg | Sodium: 189mg | Potassium: 25mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 33g | Vitamin A: 35IU | Vitamin C: 3.8mg | Calcium: 22mg | Iron: 1.3mg

Nutritional information is approximate and may vary.

Did You Try This Recipe?Mention @CassidysCraveableCreations or tag #CassidysCraveableCreations

To Make Yeast-Free Paleo Cinnamon Rolls

If you prefer honey-sweetened, yeast-free Paleo cinnamon rolls, use the following recipe instead:

INGREDIENTS:

Dough:

•    3 Cups Blanched Almond Flour, very finely ground
•    2 1/2 Cups Arrowroot Flour or Tapioca Flour
•    1/2  tsp. Sea Salt
•    3 tsp. Pectin, on the baking aisle
•    1 tsp. Baking Powder*
•    4 Tbsp. Butter (can use non-dairy), ghee, or coconut oil, melted
•   1/2 Cup + 1 Tbsp. Non-Dairy Milk
•   1 tsp. Distilled White Vinegar or Apple Cider Vinegar
•   2 Large Eggs
•   1/4 Cup Honey
•   1 tsp. Pure Vanilla

Filling:

•   1/3 Cup Butter, can use non-dairy
•   2 Tbsp. Ground Cinnamon
•   1/4 Cup Coconut Palm Sugar
•    1 Tbsp. Pectin or Xanthan Gum, optional (keeps filling from oozing out when baking)

Frosting:

• Paleo “Cream Cheese” Frosting

INSTRUCTIONS:

• Mix together the milk substitute and vinegar, set aside. This is our homemade buttermilk 🙂
• Whisk together all of the dry ingredients, the almond flour, arrowroot, salt, baking powder, and pectin.
• Melt the coconut oil or butter and set aside to cool.
• Stir in the buttermilk mixture we made, the eggs, honey, vanilla, and cooled oil. *Note-If you spray your measuring cup with cooking oil before you measure the honey it will slide right out 🙂
• Scrap/pour batter into plastic wrap and wrap tightly. Allow to rest in refrigerator until firm enough to roll, a few hours to overnight.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Line a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with parchment paper and lightly spray with cooking oil.
• Roll out a piece of parchment paper at least 20 inches long and liberally sprinkle with arrowroot flour.
• Using a rolling pin that is covering with arrowroot flour, roll dough out to about 15 inches tall and 20 inches wide,- about the size of the parchment paper. Make it as square as possible and add flour as needed to keep it from sticking.
• Melt the butter and spread over the dough, leaving the bottom 1 inch dry.
• In a medium-sized bowl, mix together the cinnamon, sugar, and pectin or xanthan gum, if using. Spread evenly over the butter.
• On the side farthest away from you (roll towards the 1 inch you left bare), start rolling the dough as tightly as possible, making at least 4 or 5 rotations. You can lift up the parchment paper to help get the dough up and rolling. When you come to the end, pinch the bottom edge of the dough into the log so it creates a seal.
• Using a floured serrated knife, cut the log in half. Then, cut each half in half. Then cut each roll in half again. You should have 16 rolls roughly 1 1/2 inches thick.
• Transfer the rolls to the baking dish and slightly press down on each one.
• Bake 18 – 22 minutes or until very nicely browned.
• Pour frosting over hot rolls and serve!!!

*For grain-free baking powder combine 1 part baking soda with 2 parts cream of tartar and 2 parts starch (such as potato, arrowroot, or tapioca).