Gluten-Free Vegan Cinnamon Rolls

These Gluten-Free Vegan Cinnamon Rolls are perfectly fluffy, soft and pillowy. They’re rich and buttery but not greasy, and sweet and sticky but not sickly. They’re also refined sugar free and perfectly fragrant.

I attempted this recipe around 20 times before I finally landed on this version. I experimented with yeast-free and oil-free versions and used loads of different flours. The following combination of ingredients turned out to have the best results:

• Yeast – I experimented with a yeast-free version, but discovered that yeast was essential in this recipe 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.
• Rice flours – a combination of brown rice flour and white rice flour creates a fluffy and pillowy texture.
• Tapioca flour – essential as a binding ingredient for the rice flours.
• Baking powder – yes, we’re already using yeast, but baking powder was also essential for fluffiness.
• Xanthan gum – crucial for a doughy, bread-like texture.

What is xanthan gum?

Xanthan gum is a thickening and stabilising agent often used in gluten-free baking. Although I don’t recommend adding it to cakes or quick-breads as it makes the texture too gummy, it works beautifully in yeasted gluten-free breads to create a doughy, bread-like texture.

Can you substitute or leave out the xanthan gum?

There isn’t a substitute for xanthan gum, unfortunately. You can leave it out, but the texture will be more crumbly and cake-like rather than bread-like. 

Where can you buy xanthan gum?

You can buy it in the flour aisle or gluten-free foods aisle in most supermarkets, or local health stores.

Tips for making these Gluten-Free Vegan Cinnamon Rolls:

• Don’t use expired yeast.
• The amount of yeast you need and the way it needs to be prepared will vary on the type and brand of yeast you are using – check the instructions on the packet.
• The maple syrup (or other sweetener) and salt in the dough are both essential for the yeast to be activated.
• 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.
• Add the milk to the dough a small amount at a time so that you don’t add too much.
• 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 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).
• Lightly press the cinnamon sugar filling into the rolled-out dough, otherwise the sugar might fall out and create a mess when you roll up the dough.
• 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.
• Once you have put the rolls into the baking dish, be patient and make sure you leave them to prove until doubled in size – this should take around 1 hour, but may take longer depending on the temperature of your room and the brand of yeast you use.

How to make these Gluten-Free Vegan Cinnamon Rolls

• Mix together all the ingredients for the cinnamon sugar filling.

• Mix together all the ingredients for the dough in a glass mixing bowl.

Tip: Add the milk a small amount at a time so that you don’t add too much.

• Cover with a damp cloth and leave in a warm room for about 1 hour, until risen slightly – it could take longer depending on the temperature of the room and the brand of yeast you use.

• Lay out some cling film on a smooth kitchen surface or chopping board and sprinkle with a generous amount of white rice flour – I like to lay it out the cling film on a sheet of baking paper for easier clean up.
• 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 ½ inches) by 20cm (8 inches) – it should be about 1.5cm (½ 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 (½ 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 place the rolls in a baking dish – I used a 21cm (8 ¼ inch) circular baking dish.

Tip: Make sure to place them close together so they are touching each other, as this will help them become soft and puffy.

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

• Bake in the oven for around 25 minutes, until an inserted skewer comes out clean.

How can I make a frosting for these Cinnamon Rolls?

You can see my Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting post, which includes two different recipes for vegan cream cheese frosting – one cashew-based, one coconut cream-based.

How long do these Gluten-Free Vegan Cinnamon Rolls keep for?

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

Substitutions you can make to this recipe:

• You can replace the coconut oil in the filling with coconut butter or vegan butter.
• You can replace the coconut sugar in the filling with normal brown sugar.
• You can replace the coconut oil in the dough with coconut butter, vegan butter or vegetable oil.
• You can replace the maple syrup in the dough with any other liquid sweetener, or normal sugar.
• You can use any type of plant-based milk in the dough.

Ingredients you can add to the filling:

• Raisins.
• Chopped dates.
• Chopped walnuts.
• Chopped pecan nuts.

Tip: But be very careful not to over-stuff the cinnamon rolls as this will make them harder to roll and cut!

More vegan breakfast recipes:

• Blueberry Banana Bread Muffins
• Apple Muffins
• Carrot Muffins
• Apple Bread
• Blueberry Muffins
• Fluffy Pancakes
• Chocolate Muffins
• Blueberry Banana Bread
• Chocolate Zucchini 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.

Watch this short video tutorial:

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!

4.75 from 12 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: gluten-free cinnamon rolls, vegan cinnamon rolls

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Proving time: 2 hours

Total Time: 45 minutes

Servings: 8 rolls

Calories: 234kcal

Author: Rhian Williams

Ingredients

For the filling:

• ▢ 1 tablespoon coconut oil (or sub coconut butter or vegan butter)
• ▢ 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• ▢ 50 g (⅓ cups) coconut sugar (or sub normal brown sugar)

For the rolls:

• ▢ 5 g (0.18 oz) yeast – the amount you need will vary depending on the brand so check instructions on packet
• ▢ 30 g (⅛ cup) coconut oil (or sub coconut butter, vegan butter or vegatable oil)
• ▢ ½ teaspoon salt
• ▢ 3 tablespoons maple syrup (or sub any other sweetener)
• ▢ 170 g (1 ⅛ cup) brown rice flour
• ▢ 105 g (⅞ cup) white rice flour plus more for rolling
• ▢ 30 g (¼ cup) tapioca flour
• ▢ 2 heaped teaspoons baking powder (ensure gluten-free if necessary)
• ▢ 1 teaspoon xanthan gum *
• ▢ 185 ml (¾ cup) any plant-based milk heated very gently until lukewarm

For the frosting (optional):

• ▢ Vegan cream cheese frosting

Instructions

For the filling:

• Mix together all the ingredients for the filling in a bowl

For the rolls:

• Make sure to check the instructions and use the amount of yeast required for 305g (2 ½ cups) flour
• Prepare the yeast according to the instructions on the packet – I dissolved my yeast in 2 tablespoons lukewarm water
• 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, brown rice flour, white rice flour, tapioca flour, baking powder, xanthan gum, prepared yeast and milk, and mix well until a firm dough forms – add the milk a small amount at a time so that you don't add too much
• Cover with a damp cloth and leave in a warm room for about 1 hour, until risen slightly – it could take longer depending on the temperature of the room and the brand of yeast you use
• Lay out some cling film on a smooth kitchen surface or chopping board and sprinkle with a generous amount of white rice flour – I like to lay it out the cling film on a sheet of baking paper for easier clean up
• 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 ½ inches) by 20cm (8 inches) – it should be about 1.5cm (½ 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 (½ inch) margin on one side
• Lightly press the cinnamon sugar filling into the rolled-out dough, otherwise the sugar might fall out and create a mess when you roll up the dough
• 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 place the rolls in a baking dish (I used a 21cm (8 ¼ inch) circular baking dish) – make sure to place them close together so they are touching each other, as this will help them become soft and puffy
• Cover with a damp cloth again and leave in a warm room for another 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 180 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit)
• Bake in the oven for around 25 minutes, until an inserted skewer comes out clean
• Spread over vegan cream cheese frosting once cooled, if desired
• 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, the microwave or in an oven toaster

Video

Notes

*There isn’t a substitute for xanthan gum, unfortunately. You can leave it out, but the texture will be more crumbly and cake-like rather than bread-like.

Top tips:

• You could add some raisins, chopped dates, chopped walnuts or pecans to the filling. But be very careful not to over-stuff the cinnamon rolls as this will make them harder to roll and cut!
• Don’t use expired yeast.
• The amount of yeast you need and the way it needs to be prepared will vary on the type and brand of yeast you are using – check the instructions on the packet.
• The maple syrup (or other sweetener) and salt in the dough are both essential for the yeast to be activated.
• 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.
• Add the milk to the dough a small amount at a time so that you don’t add too much.
• 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 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).
• Lightly press the cinnamon sugar filling into the rolled-out dough, otherwise the sugar might fall out and create a mess when you roll up the dough.
• 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.
• Once you have put the rolls into the baking dish, be patient and make sure you leave them to prove until doubled in size – this should take around 1 hour, but may take longer depending on the temperature of your room and the brand of yeast you use.

Nutrition Facts

Gluten-Free Vegan Cinnamon Rolls

Amount Per Serving

Calories 234 Calories from Fat 63

% Daily Value*

Fat 7g11%

Saturated Fat 5g25%

Sodium 201mg8%

Potassium 119mg3%

Carbohydrates 42g14%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 9g10%

Protein 3g6%

Calcium 58mg6%

Iron 1mg6%

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

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