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 and 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

Gluten-Free Vegan Cinnamon Rolls

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

5 from 6 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: gluten-free cinnamon rolls, vegan cinnamon rolls

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Proving time: 1 hour

Total Time: 40 minutes

Servings: 8 rolls

Calories: 258kcal

Ingredients

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:

• Mix together all the ingredients in a small bowl

For the rolls:

• 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
• Place the coconut oil in a large bowl and melt over a saucepan of boiling water or in the microwave
• 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
• Lay out some cling film on a smooth kitchen surface or chopping board and sprinkle with a generous amount of flour
• 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)
• 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
• Turn the dough rectangle to make it vertical with the filling-less margin at the top
• 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
• 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
• 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
• 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
• Once the rolls are ready to bake, preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius (390 degrees Fahrenheit)
• Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes, until an inserted skewer comes out clean
• 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
• See notes for frosting options***

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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