Gluten Free Cinnamon Roll Recipe

We are heading north for the big Holm Christmas. We outgrew everyone’s houses for Christmas so for the last couple of Christmases, we rent a cabin big enough to hold us all!

This year we are congregating in South Dakota. It’s a 15 hour drive for us southerners, so at 6 months pregnant and with two littles, I find myself asking the question “are we there yet” …on repeat. ?

Growing up, every Christmas morning my mom would make Greek Orange Braid Bread. It’s AMAZING but I have yet to master that in a GF version. So in lieu of the braid bread, a couple years ago I started making gluten free cinnamon rolls.

It had been 10+ years since I had had a cinnamon roll. And well. That first bite was a taste of heaven.

Gluten Free Cinnamon Roll Recipe

Ingredients

Rolls

1 cup warm milk

2 tsp yeast

2 ½ cups gluten free flour (I’ve used Cup 4 Cup, Bob’s Red Mill and Pamela’s Artisan — all good but Pamela’s is bomb, with Cup for Cup at a close second)

1/4 cup honey

1 ½ tsp baking powder

¼ tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

¼ cup cold butter, cubed

2 egg whites

Filling

¼ cup melted butter

1 ½ tbls cinnamon

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup coconut sugar

Frosting

4 ounces cream cheese softened

¼ cup butter, softened

1/4 cup maple sugar

½ tsp vanilla

Directions

Combine warm milk, honey and yeast, cover with plastic wrap to proof. In standing mixer with paddle attachment, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

Cut cold butter into the flour mixture, until pieces are the size of a pea. Pour in warm milk and yeast into the flour combination. Stir together, then add egg whites and beat on medium speed for 3 minutes.

Pour dough out onto floured workspace, and roll dough out into 16×20 rectangle. Using pastry brush, spread butter over dough. Combine cinnamon, brown sugar and coconut sugar and sprinkle over butter.  

Roll dough short end to short end. Cut dough into 9 cinnamon rolls. Place in greased glass pan. Let rise in warm location, covered with a dry dish towel, for a half hour.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 22-25 minutes, or until golden brown.

While rolls bake prepare frosting by whisking together the butter, cheese, maple sugar, and vanilla.

Remove from oven. Put half of the frosting on while still hot. Let cool 10 minutes then add the rest of the frosting.

Grab a fork and some coffee and dig in!!