The BEST Gluten-Free Dinner Rolls: they're soft, fluffy, and pull apart like brioche! They're also vegan, yeast-free, nut-free, oil-free and refined sugar free (or can be made with no sugar). The recipe is super easy as there's no kneading required, no rise or proving time needed, and they're ready in just 30 minutes!
Gluten-free bread can be gummy if you're making it using 100% shop-bought gluten-free flour blend and not mixing in other flours.
Xanthan gum, although a great gluten-free binding agent, can also create a gummy texture when used in bread recipes without yeast.
This Gluten-Free Dinner Rolls recipe is not gummy because it's made without xanthan gum and contains ground flaxseeds mixed together with gluten-free flour.
Ground flaxseeds work amazingly in gluten-free recipes (such as my Flaxseed Pancakes) because they act as a binding agent, and also create a soft and fluffy texture. So I knew they'd be the perfect ingredient for soft, fluffy, pull-apart dinner rolls made with no yeast.
I tested this recipe with coconut oil (as a dairy- free alternative to butter) and the texture was surprisingly much better without the oil. Which means this recipe happens to be oil-free too!
Flaxseeds, which are also sometimes known as linseeds, are a type of seed.
You can buy either brown flaxseeds or golden flaxseeds.
You can buy either flaxseed meal (partially ground-up flaxseeds) or whole flaxseeds.
You can buy flaxseeds in most supermarkets, local health stores or online.
You can use either brown or golden flaxseeds, but I found the colour was much nicer with golden flaxseeds, plus they have a milder flavour.
You can buy either whole flaxseeds or flaxseed meal - it doesn't really matter because either way you'll need to grind them up into a fine powder.
I recommend using a large square, rectangular or circular baking dish.
You will need to make sure to use a baking dish that's the right size for the dinner rolls to be touching the sides of the dish and also touching each other. It is crucial for them to be pushed together as they bake as this makes them soft and fluffy and creates a pull-apart texture.
I used a rectangular baking dish measuring 26 cm (10 inch) by 18 cm (7 inch) and 7 cm (2 ½ inch) tall).
Make sure to grease the bottom and sides of the baking dish with a small amount of oil to make them easier to remove from the dish.
Store these covered in the fridge.
These Dinner Rolls are best eaten within the day they're made - they're quick and easy enough to make as a side dish for dinner. But they do keep for up to a few days - if not eaten on the day, slice in half and put in the toaster.
Yes - leave to thaw at room temperature, then slice and put in the toaster.
How to make this recipe
Scroll down to the bottom of the post for the full recipe.
- Whether using whole flaxseeds or flaxseed meal, you'll need to grind them up into a fine powder. Store-bought flaxseed meal isn't fine enough for making these pancakes.
- Place the flaxseeds in a food processor.
- Whizz until you get a fine powder.
Tip: This can take quite a lot of time and it's much easier if you have a powerful/high-speed food processor.
- Transfer the flaxseed powder into a glass mixing bowl, along with the gluten-free flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt.
- Mix well, ensuring you’ve got rid of any clumps of flaxseed powder.
- Add the vinegar, maple syrup and plant-based milk and mix again.
Tip: Add the plant-based milk a small amount at a time, to make sure you don’t add too much.
- Leave the batter to sit for 5 minutes to allow the flaxseed powder to absorb the excess liquid before shaping the rolls.
- Divide the dough into 8 by keeping the dough in the bowl and using a spoon to divide it into half, then half again, and half again.
- Put a small amount of flour on a plate (for shaping the dough).
- Use the spoon to scoop up one eighth of the mixture.
- Use your hands to roll it into a round ball, using some of the flour on the plate to help with shaping.
- Place into a greased baking dish - I used one measuring 26 cm (10 inch) by 18 cm (7 inch) and 7 cm (2 ½ inch) tall.
Tip: Make sure that the rolls are all touching each other - this will help them become fluffier.
- Brush over a small amount of plant-based milk over the tops of the rolls, using a pastry brush or your fingers.
- Bake in the oven for 15 minutes, until slightly risen and an inserted skewer comes out clean.
Substitutions you can make
- You can use any type of plant-based milk: almond milk, rice milk, soy milk, cashew milk, oat milk etc.
- You can use any type of liquid sweetener: maple syrup, agave syrup, brown rice syrup etc.
- You can omit the maple syrup to make these free from sugar.
- You can replace the apple cider vinegar with lemon juice.
- To make them nut-free, use a nut-free plant-based milk.
- If you're not gluten-free, you can use plain flour.
How to serve
- Spread with vegan butter.
- Dip into strawberry jam or maple syrup.
- Brush with olive oil (or vegan butter) and sprinkle over fresh herbs.
- Brush with olive oil (or vegan butter) and sprinkle over flaky sea salt.
Recipes to serve these with
More gluten-free vegan bread recipes
- Gluten-Free Vegan Bread
- Gluten-Free Vegan Blueberry Banana Bread
- Gluten-Free Vegan Irish Soda Bread
- Gluten-Free Vegan Seeded Buckwheat Bread
- Gluten-Free Vegan Cornbread
- Gluten-Free Vegan Almond Bread
If you try out this recipe or anything else from my blog, I’d really love to hear any feedback! Please give it a rating, leave a comment, or tag a photo @rhiansrecipes #rhiansrecipes on Instagram! Thank you.
Watch how to make this recipe
Gluten-Free Dinner Rolls (Vegan)
Ingredients
- 100 g (½ cup) whole flaxseeds * (I used golden but brown works too)
- 300 g (2 ½ cup) gluten-free flour blend plus more for shaping (or sub plain flour if not gluten-free)
- 4 heaped teaspoons baking powder (ensure gluten-free if necessary)
- ¼ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
- ¼ teaspoon salt to taste
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar ** (ensure gluten-free if necessary)
- 4 tablespoons maple syrup *** (or sub any other liquid sweetener)
- 300 ml (1 ¼ cup) unsweetened almond milk (or sub any other plant-based milk)
To brush (optional):
- Unsweetened almond milk (or sub any other plant-based milk)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit).
- Place the flaxseeds in a food processor and whizz until you get a fine powder – this can take quite a lot of time and it’s much easier if you have a powerful/high-speed food processor.
- Transfer the flaxseed powder into a large bowl, along with the gluten-free flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt.
- Mix very well, ensuring you’ve got rid of any clumps of flaxseed powder.
- Add the vinegar, maple syrup and almond milk and mix again - add the almond milk a small amount at a time, to make sure you don’t add too much.
- Leave the batter to sit for 5 minutes to allow the flaxseed powder to absorb the excess liquid before shaping the rolls.
- Divide the dough into 8 by keeping the dough in the bowl and using a spoon to divide it into half, then half again, and half again.
- Put a small amount of flour on a plate (for shaping the dough).
- Use the spoon to scoop up one eighth of the mixture.
- Use your hands to roll it into a round ball, using some of the flour on the plate to help with shaping.
- Place it into a large greased baking dish - I used one measuring 26 cm (10 inch) by 18 cm (7 inch) and 7 cm (2 ½ inch) tall).
- Repeat until you use up the rest of the dough.
- Make sure that the rolls are all touching each other - this will help them become fluffier as they will push together as they bake.
- Brush over a small amount of almond milk over the tops of the rolls, using a pastry brush or your fingers.
- Bake in the oven for 15 minutes, until slightly risen and an inserted skewer comes out clean.
- Best eaten when fresh, but keeps covered in the fridge for up to a few days. If not eaten on the day, slice in half and put in the toaster.
Video
Notes
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Gemma Singsam
Hi rhian
Is there a substitute I could use for flaxseed or flaxseed meal? It's not accessible where I live.
Thanks!
Rhian Williams
You can use ground almonds, ground walnuts or ground sunflower seeds, though the texture will be slightly different!
Annie
If I already have ground flax meal, how much should I use for this recipe?
Rhian Williams
You can use the same amount - 100g!
Evodia Monica Martin
The rolls came out great! Thank you for sharing the recipe!! It's amazing how simple to make is😊 and the texture is really nice.
Rhian Williams
Thank you so much, so happy to hear that!
Cort
15 min was not long enough for mine. After 15 min at 350, I turned the oven up to 400 and baked them 15 more min and they were finally starting to brown a little. Probably could have used even more 🤷🏻♀️
Rhian Williams
Sorry to hear that - what type of gluten-free flour did you use? Did you make any substitutions? I think this could have affected the baking time.
Alyssa
Made these for Thanksgiving and they came out AMAZING! I did use the darker brown flax as that's what I already had on hand, but they looked just like wheat rolls 🙂 I LOVE subbing ACV for lemon juice! So much better for your health. Thank you for this recipe!
Rhian Williams
Thank you so much, so happy to hear you liked them!