How To Proof Yeast
- This is not a necessary step. This is only needed if your yeast is not new or fresh.
- Add the honey to the warm milk and stir until it dissolves.
- Add the yeast to the milk mixture and allow it to sit for 5 minutes until bubbly.
I have not tried active dried yeast in this recipe. Active dried yeast requires a proofing step. Active dried yeast also requires a longer rising time.
Best Tips For Making Gluten Free Cinnamon Rolls
Now, baking regular cinnamon rolls from scratch can be intimidating baking gluten free cinnamon rolls can be even more so. That said, after making countless batches of these cinnamon rolls, here are my best notes and tips. Be sure to read the post text for additional helpful tips:
Alrighty ready to do this?!
Can I Make Them With Gluten
I am going to say this loud and clear with stars around it. Not to seem abrasive, just so there is no misunderstanding
**If you want this true crescent roll result, stick to the individual flours and ingredients in this recipe, rather than using a gluten-free flour blend. These measurements have been tested over and over to get the crescent rolls just perfect.**
With that being said, I have made them with high quality GF flour like Cup4Cup or King Arthur gluten-free flour and both have turned out great. They just arent quite as amazing as when you blend your own flours.
Also Check: Does Dove Chocolate Have Gluten
How To Make Gluten
All of the recipes ingredients are in the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- Place the bowl with the dough inside of a larger heat-proof bowl. Heat 2 cups of water in the microwave for 2 minutes.
- Carefully pour the hot water into the larger bowl, and do not get any water into the covered dough bowl. See the recipe video.
- Cover the bowls with a kitchen towel and allow the dough to rise for 20 minutes.
- In a small bowl, mix together the softened ¼ cup of butter and the pure vanilla extract until combined and smooth.
- In another small bowl, mix together the brown sugar and cinnamon.
- Spray a piece of parchment paper with gluten-free cooking spray or grease with oil/butter. Place the risen dough on top of the greased parchment paper, dust the top of the dough with 1 tablespoon of gluten-free flour, and shape the dough into a rectangle.
- Dust your rolling pin with gluten-free flour and roll out the dough to about a ½-inch thickness and a 12×14-inch rectangle.
- Using a spatula, spread the butter mixture on top of the rolled-out dough all the way to the edges.
- Sprinkle the brown sugar mixture over the butter. Pat down with your hands.
- Using the edge of the parchment paper, fold the longest edge up to start the roll. Slowly roll the dough, keeping it tight, to form a log shape. See the recipe video.
- Cut the dough log in half. Then cut each half into 6 equal rolls. I use dental floss to easily cut the dough.
For The Gluten Free Flour Blend
You really must use one of my recommended gluten free flour blends for this recipe. All of my gluten free recipes are designed to be made with one of my recommended blends, but yeast bread in particular is even more sensitive to flour substitutions.
My preference in this recipe is for Better Batter gluten free flour blend. I have successfully made this recipe with both Cup4Cup and my Better Than Cup4Cup blends, though, and the rolls just dont brown quite as much but the recipe still works.
Read Also: Substitute For Gluten Free Bread Crumbs
Pro Tip For Measuring Gluten
First, its important to use a measuring cup made for dry ingredients to measure the flour. I always measure gluten-free flour with the spoon & level method. I use a spoon to scoop the flour into the measuring cup. Then I use the back of a knife to level off the top of the measuring cup.
Please do not scoop the flour out of the bag with your measuring cup. If you do, you could end up with more flour than is called for in the recipe.
The Most Important Tool Might Surprise You
The way you mix your dough is the key element to baking up a tender gluten-free cinnamon roll. When it comes to yeast breads, I usually lean on my stand mixer to do the hard work of kneading. But, as with most gluten-free baking, we need to step back and reevaluate our baking memory muscle.
Gluten-free doughs reach peak gluten-style performance on a bell curve, and all you need is a wooden spoon to make a cohesive dough. Be careful not to overmix, since doughs made with xanthan gum the ingredient used in gluten-free baking that mimics gluten can be overworked into an unappetizing gummy texture that will not hold the air bubbles that make cinnamon buns so light and tender.
For this recipe in particular, dont use the stand or hand mixer go the traditional bowl-and-spoon route.
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Is Cinnabon Safe For Nut Allergies
Although the nutritional and allergen information currently indicates that Cinnabon products may contain milk, eggs, wheat, soy, peanuts, pecans, other tree nuts or traces of nuts, Cinnabon is taking extra measures knowing that peanut allergens have been detected in the ingredients for the Cinnabon Stix, a release
How Do You Make Cinnamon Rolls Rise
Cinnamon rolls rise the best in a warm location. I rise my cinnamon roll dough in my oven.
My oven has a bread proofing mode. When the oven is set in bread proofing mode it is a 100°F.
If you do not have a proofing mode on your oven you can set your oven to the lowest setting and turn it off once it reaches 100°F.
I proof and I bake the cinnamon rolls on the middle rack. I never want the rolls to touch the top of the oven rack.
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Make This Recipe Ahead + Storage Tips
- To Store. Store leftover puff pastry cinnamon rolls in an airtight storage container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- To Reheat. Rewarm leftover cinnamon rolls on a baking sheet in the oven at 350 degrees F until heated through.
- To Freeze Before Baking. After you roll your dough into a log, you can freeze the whole log unbaked. Wrap the dough very tightly with plastic wrap, and place it in the freezer for up to 2 months. When youre ready to bake the cinnamon rolls, thaw the dough overnight in the refrigerator, and slice and bake as directed.
- To Freeze After Baking. Bake the cinnamon rolls as directed, and let cool completely. Then, arrange them in a flat layer on a baking sheet and place in the freezer. Once fully frozen, place the rolls in an airtight freezer-safe storage container and store for up to 1 month. Reheat pre-made cinnamon rolls directly from frozen on a parchment lined baking sheet at 375 degrees F until warmed through.
- To Make Ahead. To prepare your cinnamon rolls ahead of time, you can toast the pecans up to 3 days in advance, and make the glaze 1 day in advance and store in the refrigerator. Drizzle the glaze and top with pecans just before serving. You can also refrigerate the unsliced log for up to 1 day.
Combine The Dry Ingredients
Meanwhile, stir together the dry ingredients thats Bobs Red Mill Gluten Free 1:1 Baking Flour, Bobs Red Mill baking powder, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in two batches, stirring until the flour is just combined before adding the next batch.
Tip: The dough will be soft like cookie dough but shouldnt be incredibly sticky.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl then place it somewhere warm to let the dough double in size, about 1 hour. I use my ovens bread proof setting, though in the past Ive placed the bowl on top of a heating pad set to low. A warm sunny spot should work too!
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How Do I Store These Gluten
These rolls are fantastic right out of the oven nice and warm, but they are also good at room temperature the next day.
Once they have cooled, you can store them in an airtight container. They are good for up to 5 days at room temperature on the counter but are best within the first 3 days.
You can also make a double batch and freeze them. You can also make the crescent rolls up until the point where you are going to let them rise and instead, place them on a baking sheet and flash freeze for 1 hour then place in a freezer bag.
When you are ready to cook them, just pull them out of the freezer and place them in the oven on bread proof or 100 degrees for an hour to an hour and 15 minutes to rise. Then bake them as directed.
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Make Sure You Follow The Recipe Precisely So Your Gluten Free Dough Has The Right Moisture Balance
Another key to successful baking with yeast is moisture content. If the dough isnt moist enough, the yeast simply wont grow. Yeast thrives in a wet environment.
Thats why we always cover the shaped dough with oiled plastic wrap as it rises. If it dries out during the rise, it will simply stop rising.
Since these batter-style doughs are pretty moist by nature, even if you live in a dry climate you should be fine with the exact amount of liquid specified in the recipe below.
If youre at all worried that your climate is very dry, try adding an extra tablespoonful of water to the dough initially. And be sure not to work very much additional flour into the dough during shaping.
Im concerned that my kitchen is a bit dry, especially in the middle of the winter, Ill spray the shaped rolls with a bit of water before covering them and allowing them to rise. It certainly doesnt hurt their rise.
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What Makes This Recipe So Good
- We love having cinnamon rolls on Christmas morning, and these are perfect when you are catering for overnight guests. For a stress-free morning, you can also make these ahead of time.
- These cinnamon rolls taste just like the ones from Cinnabon, but they are 100% gluten-free. Because they are GF, they wont rise as much as dough with gluten would, but I promise you they taste exactly the same! The cream cheese frosting is to die for! Seriously, its so good, this is the only cinnamon roll recipe you will need!
- They can be made ahead of time and reheated for an easy breakfast or brunch option. Keep them in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days 5 days in the fridge. To reheat, warm in the microwave for about 30 seconds. Microwaving produces more moist and more tender reheated cinnamon rolls than the oven.
Tips For Making The Best Gluten
- Always use a brand of gluten-free flour that is recommended for yeast baking. Seriously, I cant express this enough! Not all brands of gluten-free flour blends can be used in yeast baking. I highly recommend Better Batter and Pillsbury gluten-free.
- Always use fresh, instant yeast and baking powder. Check the expiration dates.
- Do not overheat the milk or the butter, or it could kill the yeast, and the cinnamon rolls will not rise. They should be warm to the touch like bathwater.
- Use room-temperature eggs in the dough. Using cold eggs could affect the yeast or mix with the melted butter and cause it to coagulate. To quickly bring your eggs to room temperature, place them in a bowl of warm water for a few minutes.
- Flour your rolling pin. This will keep the dough from sticking to the rolling pin.
- Do not roll the dough too thin. Gluten-free yeast dough is not as pliable as traditional cinnamon roll dough.
- During rolling, you can seal any cracks in the dough with warm water. Dip your fingers in warm water and smooth over the dough.
- Use dental floss to cut the dough instead of a knife. Cutting the dough with a knife can flatten the dough.
- If you are baking at a high altitude, you will need to adjust the recipe. King Arthur has a good resource for adjusting recipes for high-altitude baking.
Recommended Reading: Gluten In Red Wine
Ultimate Gluten Free Cinnamon Rolls
Cinnabon, who? These Ultimate Gluten Free Cinnamon Rolls will put Cinnabon to shame! Warm, gooey, and SOFT, you wont believe theyre gluten free.
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There are some recipes floating around on the world wide web for gluten free cinnamon rolls that arent bad tasting. Believe me, Ive tried almost all of them. But what they always lack is not in flavor, but texture! Am I right, fellow gluten free people??? Isnt that usually the case with all gluten free foods, or at least breads? The texture is just beyond intolerable. Its what weve all settled for over the years. Its good, for gluten free. Blah, blah, blah.
Well, I refuse to settle for rock hard rolls that dont have that feathery-like texture that you can unroll and tear apart, if thats the way you eat your cinnamon rolls . I cant even begin to tell you how many hockey pucks I threw right in the trash over the years. Way too many to count! But I rarely give up when it comes to baking, so I just kept trying. And trying. And trying. Gluten free hockey pucks, 100. Soft and fluffy ones, zero! Until now
The picture below is not an illusion. Its not a trickery of a gluten-filled cinnamon roll pretending to be gluten free. This is the actual gluten free cinnamon roll in all its glory, and it is UNBELIEVABLE!!
