Gluten-Free Vegan Cinnamon Rolls

I could not be more excited to share these Gluten-Free Vegan Cinnamon Rolls! They’re:

• perfectly fluffy
• sweet and buttery
• just as delicious as the traditional version!

I’ve posted so many vegan, gluten-free and refined sugar free baking recipes, but one thing I was really keen to master was Cinnamon Rolls.

I wanted to make something as close to the real thing as possible, so I needed to create a cinnamon roll using alternative ingredients, but with all of the following qualities:

• Moist and fluffy
• Soft and pillowy
• Chewy, but not too chewy
• Rich and buttery, but not greasy
• Sweet and sticky
• Fragrant and full of cinnamon flavour

“Is this even possible?” I thought to myself as I worked on my fifth (very) experimental batch.

It took me countless attempts to create the perfect Gluten-Free Vegan Cinnamon Rolls – there has never been a recipe that’s taken me longer.

I experimented with various combinations of rice, buckwheat, chickpea and tapioca flours. I made versions with and without yeast, with and without oil, considered aquafaba and apple sauce…all the while I also wanted to make the recipe as simple and user-friendly as possible.

What ingredients do these Gluten-Free Vegan Cinnamon Rolls require?

• Yeast – I experimented with a yeast-free version, but decided that adding yeast was essential for optimum taste and texture
• Coconut oil – in both the dough and the filling for a melt-in-your mouth texture and buttery flavour
• Coconut sugar – for a gorgeously sticky, toffee-like filling without refined sugar
• gluten-free white bread flour – crucial for a perfectly doughy, soft and fluffy cinnamon roll. See recipe notes for instructions on how to make your own
• Baking powder – yes, we’re already using yeast, but adding baking powder creates extra fluffiness
• Cinnamon – a generous amount, but not too much!

If you like, you could add raisins, chopped dates, chopped walnuts or pecans. But be very careful not to over-stuff the cinnamon rolls as this will make them harder to roll and cut!

Top tips for how to make perfect Gluten-Free Vegan Cinnamon Rolls:

• Don’t use expired yeast!
• Make sure that the plant-based milk you add is heated very gently until lukewarm – this means just warmed, but definitely not hot as this will make the yeast ineffective

• Make sure you roll out the dough on a well-floured surface
• It’s better to keep the dough on the thick side, as this is essential for creating thick, fluffy pillows of cinnamon roll rather than thin, hard and crumbly sheets of dough
• Make sure you create a perfectly neat rectangle of dough, otherwise the rolls on the ends of the log will be uneven and won’t look or taste as nice
• Make sure you sprinkle the cinnamon sugar filling right to the very edges of the dough to make sure it gets evenly distributed throughout each roll (but leave a little margin on one side – see recipe instructions for details)

• Use cling film to roll the dough into a log shape – it works the same way as a sushi mat!
• Make sure to roll it very gently away from you – don’t squash it or stretch it out

• Make sure to cut the log into evenly-sized cinnamon rolls using a sharp knife (or a piece of string) and to make sure the rolls aren’t too thin otherwise they won’t be fluffy!

• Use a smaller baking tin than you think you need to make sure the rolls are stuck together before baking to make them rise properly and keep them soft and fluffy inside
• As you’re not using normal wheat flour, there’s no need to leave the dough to prove in two batches – just make the cinnamon rolls and leave the rolls to prove once
• Be patient and make sure you leave them to prove until doubled in size – this should take around an hour, but may take longer depending on the temperature of your room and the brand of yeast you use

• Bake at a relatively high temperature (200 degrees Celsius/390 degrees Fahrenheit)
• Do not overcook them

How can I make a frosting for these Cinnamon Rolls?

Here are two vegan, gluten-free and refined sugar free frosting options! Pick your favourite:

• Coconut cream cheese frosting
• Cashew buttercream frosting – add some extra lemon juice for tangy flavour!

Do these Gluten-Free Vegan Cinnamon Rolls keep well?

These cinnamon rolls taste best when fresh out the oven, but keep covered in the fridge for up to a few days – best reheated in the oven or an oven toaster.

I really hope you’ll give these Gluten-Free Vegan Cinnamon Rolls a try! For more vegan, gluten-free + refined sugar free sweet breakfast recipes, check out my:

• Blueberry Banana Bread Muffins
• Apple Muffins
• Carrot Muffins
• Apple Bread
• Blueberry Muffins
• Fluffy Pancakes
• Chocolate Muffins
• Blueberry Banana 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 on Instagram! Thank you.

Helpful tools to make these Gluten-Free Vegan Cinnamon Rolls:

glass mixing bowl

measuring jug

rolling pin

square baking tin

baking paper

5 from 2 votes

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Gluten-Free Vegan Cinnamon Rolls

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

20 mins

Proving time

1 hr

Total Time

40 mins

 

These Gluten-Free Vegan Cinnamon Rolls are perfectly fluffy, sweet and buttery, and just as delicious as the traditional version!

Course: Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: gluten-free cinnamon rolls, vegan cinnamon rolls

Servings: 8 rolls

Calories: 258 kcal

Ingredients (click 'US Customary' for US measurements)

For the filling*:

• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 50 g (1/3 cup) coconut sugar (or sub normal sugar)

For the rolls:

• 10 g (0.35oz) yeast - the amount you need will vary depending on the brand so check instructions on packet
• 60 g (1/4 cup) coconut oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 tablespoons maple syrup
• 300 g (2 1/2 cups) gluten-free bread flour** plus more for rolling
• 4 teaspoons baking powder (ensure gluten-free if necessary)
• 200 ml (4/5th cup) any plant-based milk heated very gently until lukewarm

Instructions

For the filling:

1. Mix together all the ingredients in a small bowl

For the rolls:

1. Prepare the yeast according to the instructions on the packet - make sure to check the instructions and use the amount of yeast required for 300g (2 1/2 cups) flour
2. Place the coconut oil in a large bowl and melt over a saucepan of boiling water or in the microwave

3. Once melted, add the salt, maple syrup, bread flour, baking powder, milk and prepared yeast, and mix well until a firm dough forms - don’t worry about over-mixing

4. Lay out some cling film on a smooth kitchen surface or chopping board and sprinkle with a generous amount of flour
5. Place the dough on the cling film and use a rolling pin sprinkled with flour to roll it out into a rectangular shape measuring 24cm (9 1/2 inches) by 20cm (8 inches) - it should be about 1.5cm (1/2 inch thick)

6. Sprinkle the filling mixture over the rectangle of dough, making sure to go all the way to the edges, but leaving a 1.5cm (1/2 inch) margin on one side

7. Turn the dough rectangle to make it vertical with the filling-less margin at the top

8. Use the cling film to very gently roll the dough away from you until you end up with a log shape - don't squash it or stretch it out

9. Remove the cling film and use a sharp knife (or a piece of string) to slice the log shape in half, then each half into half, and each quarter into half, until you end up with 8 evenly-sized rolls

10. Use a spatula to carefully place the rolls about 1cm (1/4 inch) apart in a baking tin lined with greased baking paper - I used a 23cm (9 inch) square baking tin

11. Cover with a damp cloth and leave in a warm room for about 1 hour, until doubled in size - it could take longer depending on the temperature of the room and the brand of yeast you use

12. Once the rolls are ready to bake, preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius (390 degrees Fahrenheit)

13. Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes, until an inserted skewer comes out clean

14. These cinnamon rolls taste best when fresh out the oven, but keep covered in the fridge for up to a few days - best reheated in the oven or in an oven toaster

15. See notes for frosting options***

Recipe Notes

*You could add some raisins, chopped dates, chopped walnuts or pecans. But be very careful not to over-stuff the cinnamon rolls as this will make them harder to roll and cut!

**To make you own gluten-free white bread flour, use 300g (2 1/2 cups) gluten-free flour + 3 teaspoons Xanthan Gum

***Frosting options:

• Coconut cream cheese frosting
• Cashew buttercream frosting - add some extra lemon juice for tangy flavour! 

 

 

Nutrition Facts

Gluten-Free Vegan Cinnamon Rolls

Amount Per Serving

Calories 258

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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