Soft Gluten-Free Cinnamon Rolls

This is the fluffy, SOFT gluten-free cinnamon rolls recipe you’ve been waiting for! Made with gluten-free bread flour, they’re easy to make and deliver delicious results every time.

I’ve been baking gluten-free for 11+ years, and one of the most common recipe requests I get is for a great homemade gluten-free cinnamon rolls recipe. I GET IT.

Well, I’ve been playing with recipes for years, and it wasn’t until this gluten-free bread flour was released last year that I got it just right. It was the final piece to my quest for delicious, fluffy gluten-free cinnamon rolls. They have everything I’m looking for!

• They’re EASY TO MAKE. Just one special ingredient (gluten-free bread flour), and made in a little over 2 hours (including the rise time!). If this is your first time making cinnamon rolls (or your 100th!), I’ll walk you through every single step. 
• They’re ACTUALLY SOFT & FLUFFY. Watch the video if you don’t believe me. These tender rolls have a serious fluff factor!
• They’re DELICIOUS. All the traditional flavor you’ve been missing–delicious yeasted dough, plenty of brown sugar cinnamon filling, and delicious frosting or glaze on top.
• They’re VERSATILE. Want to make them the night before? You can! Want to add glaze instead of frosting? Easy. Need a dairy-free option? We’ve got one!

It’s the reliable, consistent recipe I’ve been holding out for, and I’m finally ready to share! Here’s all you’ll need to get started…

Simple Ingredients To Get Started

• King Arthur Gluten-Free Bread Flour. This is the ONLY gluten-free flour blend that will work for this recipe. No 1:1 or measure-for-measure gluten-free flour blends will work, and not even other brands of gluten-free bread flour will work for this recipe. I order on Amazon for the best price!
• Sugar. Regular granulated sugar (white sugar) goes into the cinnamon roll dough to keep it moist & a little sweet.
• Instant Yeast. This gluten-free cinnamon roll recipe recipe uses INSTANT (or rapid rise) yeast, rather than regular active dry yeast. Active dry yeast must be proofed in warm water before adding it to the recipe, and we’re not doing that here. The rise time & instructions are for instant yeast. You’ll just need one (1/4-ounce) packet!
• Baking Powder. I use this trick in gluten-free focaccia, too! Adding some baking powder gives these sweet rolls extra puff and softness.
• Salt. To balance the flavor.
• Butter. This is an enriched dough, meaning it has the addition of butter and eggs. Melted butter goes into the dough, while softened (or melted) butter goes into the cinnamon filling. I like salted butter, but unsalted butter works, too!
• Warm Water. To help activate our yeast!
• Warm Whole Milk. This is a time where whole milk is worth it. The extra fat helps keep the dough moist and pliable.
• Eggs. Another trick for delicious, tender dough!
• Brown Sugar & Cinnamon. Then, we’ll add brown sugar to the filling. I usually use light brown sugar, but dark brown sugar can work too, if you prefer a deeper molasses note. Plenty of cinnamon gives these homemade cinnamon rolls their signature flavor!
• *Maybe* Vanilla Bean Powder. IF you have it (and only IF!), some vanilla bean powder is a great addition to the cinnamon roll filling. It definitely makes these taste like a gluten-free Cinnabon cinnamon roll dupe!
• Vanilla Glaze, Cream Cheese Frosting, or Buttercream! Lastly, we’ll top these gluten-free cinnamon rolls off with a quick vanilla glaze, cream cheese frosting, or buttercream. There are directions for each in the recipe card!

Get The Right Flour!

You MUST use this King Arthur Gluten-Free Bread Flour for these cinnamon rolls. No different flours will work in this recipe!

SHOP THE FLOUR

How To Make Gluten-Free Cinnamon Rolls, Step By Step

As always, you can find the full recipe, with ingredient amounts, detailed instructions, and tips in the recipe card below.

First, Make The Dough

1. Combine Dry Ingredients. Add gluten-free flour, sugar, yeast, salt, and baking powder to the bowl of a stand mixer and gently pulse with the paddle attachment on low speed to combine. (Don’t use a dough hook attachment, hand mixer, or whisk attachment!)
2. Add Wet Ingredients. With the mixer on LOW speed, gradually add warm milk, warm water, melted butter, and eggs, one at at time.
3. Beat. Turn the mixer speed up to HIGH and mix the dough for 3 full minutes to allow the dough to fully blend. It will look VERY sticky and wet–more like thick, sticky cake batter than bread dough. This is normal!
4. Cover & Chill. Use an oiled spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl and form the dough into a ball. (Make sure to also scrape the bottom of the bowl to check for any unmixed spots!) Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill 20 minutes to make the gluten-free dough easier to handle. After chilling, you’ll have a more workable, soft dough.

Make The Filling & Shape The Cinnamon Rolls

1. Combine Cinnamon Filling. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar with cinnamon, vanilla powder (if using), and a pinch of salt. Mix until well blended, to evenly distribute the cinnamon into the sugar.
2. Roll Out. Lay down a large piece of parchment paper or very lightly flour your countertop or work surface. Transfer the dough from the bowl to your parchment or counter and cover with another sheet of parchment paper. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough out into a 15-inch square (15″x 15″).
3. Fill The Rolls. Spread Softened Butter over the 15-inch dough square in an even layer. The butter should be VERY soft so it’s easily spreadable. If you can’t get the butter soft enough, you can melt it and cool it slightly before spreading. Sprinkle the cinnamon brown sugar mixture over the butter in an even layer.
4. Form The Rolls. Use a sharp knife or pizza cutter to cut the dough into twelve (1.25-inch) strips. Roll each strip up to form a roll, starting at one end and tightly rolling to make a spiral as you go. (We find this method works MUCH better with gluten-free sweet rolls than the traditional rolling the dough into a long cylinder and slicing or using dental floss to cut them.) Place rolls into a greased 9×13-inch pan.
5. Cover & Rise. Then, cover the pan with plastic wrap and set in a warm place to let dough rise 45-60 minutes. They’ll look puffy but won’t double in size at this point. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees as the cinnamon rolls rise.
6. Bake. Remove the plastic wrap from the pan, then bake cinnamon rolls in preheated oven 30-35 minutes, or until golden brown on top. The interior of the dough should read at least 190-200 degrees F. Set rolls aside to cool for 15-20 minutes, while you make the glaze.

Mix Up The Frosting & Finish The Rolls

1. Combine. In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer, combine cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, heavy cream, pure vanilla extract, and salt. Beat 1-2 minutes until smooth and fluffy.
2. Frost. Let cinnamon rolls cool 15-20 minutes, then add cream cheese frosting while they’re still warm (but not piping hot!).
3. Serve & Store. Enjoy warm cinnamon rolls right away for best results, or cover cinnamon rolls and store in the refrigerator 1-2 days. Or, freeze up to 2 months.