Friends, behold: The Gluten-Free Vegan Cinnamon Roll.
They’re like the unicorn of the gluten-free, vegan baking world. Many have attempted, few have succeeded. Yet I knew they existed and were possible if I just believed (and tried and tried again and again).
After 11 – read ELEVEN – attempts, I believe I’ve nailed it. Let’s bake!
These cinnamon rolls are surprisingly easy to make. They require just 10 ingredients you likely have on hand right now (!!) and come together using simple methods.
If you’ve ever been intimidated by yeast in baking, don’t be! I include my favorite yeast below, and as long as you don’t overheat your almond milk, you’re golden. It should activate right away and help your rolls rise to the heavens.
The cinnamon roll dough is kept light and fluffy with a blend of gluten-free flour and almond flour.
Vegan butter adds flakiness to the exterior and moisture to the interior, creating that perfect tender-on-the-inside, flaky-on-the-outside cinnamon roll. YUM.
The one part that looks intimidating (but totally isn’t) is the rolling-out process.
Simply line a cutting board with plastic wrap, dust with gluten-free flour, and plop your dough down. Then top with more plastic wrap and roll into a thin rectangle. And voila! You have a perfect cylinder for cutting your rolls. See? I told you we could do it.
Next is a short rise on a warm oven so the dough can expand. Once the rolls are almost touching, it’s time for a short bake in the oven.
We’re so close, friends. So close!
Whoop! Behold: perfectly crisp and tender cinnamon rolls.
At this point, you can glaze or not glaze. But…glaze. I include two frosting options below so there’s something for everyone.
I hope you all LOVE these rolls! They’re:
Tender on the inside
Flaky on the outside
Cinnamon-spiked
Perfectly sweet
Easy to make
& Seriously delicious!
These would make the perfect lazy weekend breakfast or special occasion dessert (like the holidays!).
If you’re into cinnamon rolls, be sure to also check out my World’s Easiest Vegan Cinnamon Rolls, World’s Easiest Sticky Buns, Vegan Cinnamon Roll Pancakes, Banana Bread Cinnamon Rolls, and Vegan Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Cookies.
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers and happy baking, friends!
*NOTE: Recipe updated July 10, 2018 for improved texture and taste.
Vegan Gluten-Free Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
WET
- 3/4 scant cup unsweetened plain almond milk (or other dairy-free milk)
- 2 Tbsp organic cane sugar
- 1 Tbsp vegan butter (We like Myoko’s brand or Earth Balance)
- 1 packet active dry yeast (~2 1/4 tsp as recipe is written // I like Fleischmann’s active dry original)
DRY
- 2 cups DIY gluten-free flour blend* (with xanthan gum)
- 3/4 cup almond flour (not almond meal // I like Wellbee’s brand)
- 2 Tbsp cane sugar
- 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 4 Tbsp cold vegan butter
FILLING
- 3 Tbsp melted vegan butter
- 2/3 cup organic brown sugar (light or dark)
- 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
FROSTING optional
- Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting
- Simple Powdered Sugar Glaze (see notes)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (176 C) and use vegan butter oil to lightly coat a standard pie plate or round baking dish. Set aside.
- Heat dairy-free milk in the microwave or on the stovetop to the temperature of warm bath water – approximately 110 degrees F (43 C). Be careful not to exceed that temperature or it can kill the yeast.
- To the dairy-free milk, add the vegan butter and sugar and stir melt. Then add yeast and stir once more. Set aside (uncovered) to proof for 10 minutes, or until it appears puffy on the surface (this indicates the yeast is activating. If it hasn’t activated at this point, either your yeast was expired or the liquid was too hot or not hot enough).
- Meanwhile in a medium mixing bowl whisk together gluten free flour blend (including xanthan gum), almond flour, cane sugar, baking powder, and sea salt. Then add cold vegan butter and use a fork or pastry cutter to mix or “cut” into the dry mixture. It should resemble the texture of wet sand (see photo).
- To the dry ingredients, add the almond milk-yeast mixture a little at a time and stir. A dough that resembles moist (not crumbly) cookie dough should form (see photo). Add more of the wet mixture as needed. If it gets too wet and tacky (you should be able to form it into a ball when rolled), add more almond flour or GF flour blend. Set aside.
- Get a large cutting board and wrap with plastic wrap (tuck the wrap down around the edges so it stays in place). Then dust the surface of the plastic wrap generously with gluten-free flour.
- Add the dough in the center of the board and sprinkle with more gluten-free flour. Then top with another sheet of plastic wrap and tuck down around the edges of the cutting board (so it stays in place). Use a rolling pin to roll the dough out into a large, thin rectangle. The dough should be about 1/8th-inch thick.
- Carefully remove the top layer of plastic wrap and brush on the vegan butter. Then sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon and spread gently with fingers to evenly distribute. Then, untuck the bottom layer of plastic wrap from the cutting board and use it to tightly roll the dough lengthwise into a cylinder (see photo).
- Use a serrated knife or floss (my preferred method) to cut into even rolls (as the recipe is written, 7-8). Then carefully transfer to the prepared pie dish or cake pan (they can be fragile to transfer).
- Cover with plastic wrap and a towel and set on top of the warm oven and let rise for about 30 minutes, or until the rolls have risen slightly and are touching (or close to touching) – they won’t get as voluminous as gluten-containing rolls, but they will puff up a bit!
- Remove towel and plastic wrap and place rolls on the center rack of your oven and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until tops are golden brown and the rolls have risen/expanded quite a bit. While the rolls bake, you can prepare a frosting / glaze (optional).
- Let the rolls cool at least 20 minutes before frosting (optional), then enjoy! Store leftover cinnamon rolls covered at room temperature up to 3-4 days or in the freezer up to 1 month. See notes for make-ahead cinnamon rolls to store in the freezer (unbaked).
Video
Notes
*To create a simple powdered sugar glaze, whisk 3 cups (300 g) sifted organic powdered sugar with 1 Tbsp (14 g) melted vegan butter and add 1-3 Tbsp (15-45 ml) dairy-free milk until smooth. To thicken, add more powdered sugar. To thin, add more dairy-free milk. Pour onto the rolls after cooling outside of the oven for 10 minutes.
*You can also make the dough ahead of time to the point of rolling and cutting the dough into rolls – at which point you would transfer them to a parchment-lined baking sheet, freeze, and then place in a freezer-safe bag or container and freeze up to 1 month. Then, when ready to bake, place in a prepare baking dish, cover, and set on top of the oven to thaw for 1 1/2-2 hours. Then heat the oven to 350 degrees F (176 C) and allow them to continue thawing / rising. Once they’ve thawed and visibly risen, bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown and expanded/risen. Glaze as instructed (optional).
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated without glaze.
*Recipe and method loosely adapted from Recreating Happiness.
Siobhan says
Hello I have a question. I am new to the world of Being Vegan. My youngest has an allergy to peanuts, I guess I just also avoided almonds. I try to bake with brown rice flour, but always a success and I have xanthan gum, nutritional yeast and tapioca flour: can I use any of these? I just want to see thank you for sharing your recipes, this transition would have been way more difficult. I think I may be winning over my other family members too!
Sarah says
I made these today. Still crumbly. The solution posted to add more milk doesn’t work, as the dough would get too wet. I got it the right consistency, but the dough breaks as you roll them up. I imagine there is not enough elasticity (what gluten would provide) to roll this dough when it’s as thin as it needs to be for this recipe. I managed to smoosh some mini ones together, and the taste is good. They are a bit dense like most GF stuff. Overall these are a solid choice for vegans. We can eat eggs, so we will probably find a recipe that can use eggs next go round.
Mk says
There must be something happening because this recipe has worked for me every time. Maybe a portion is off?
Kim says
Hello! Thanks for the recipe! What is a good substitute for vegan butter? Would palm shortening or cold coconut oil work? What is your recommendation for those who don’t use vegan butter? Also curious about xantham gum? Is it necessary<. If so, how much should I use? I used your GF flour blend recipe to make it in bulk and I don’t recall the gum being in the recipe I followed. Thank you for awesome alternatives for yummy foods!
Mk says
I used cold coconut oil (& coconut sugar for the sugar) and they turned out PERFECT! My non vegan, gluten eating friends were flipping out (& ate more than I wanted them to hahah).
Francesca Marks says
This look amazing! I have almost all the ingredients on hand except the xanthum gum… how critical is that ingredient? Thanks!! :)
Abby says
I only make GF recipes occasionally, and so I’m reluctant to go out and buy all the different types of flour. Trader Joe’s makes GF flour that uses the same ingredients except for xanthan gum! Could I sub that instead? And if I need to add xanthan gum how much should I add?
Thanks :)
Its worth a shot!
Katherine says
Hi there! Thanks for the great recipe! Any suggestions for an alternative GF flour? I try to stay away from rice. Thank you!
Hi Katherine! Check the comments on our GF Flour Blend page as readers have shared their substitutions there!
Erin says
Wow. I made this yesterday and could not be more pleased with how it turned out.
I used all purpose flour and added a bit more butter and almond milk to the dough as it was still too dry, but otherwise I followed this to the letter. Everyone I gave them to was raving. Delicious and not too hard to make. The house smelled amazing afterward (and during). THANK YOU!
Mari says
Hi!
I know the recipe calls for 2 cups of gf flour. Does it also call for 2 cups of xanthan gum?
Chloe says
Hi Dana,
Thanks for all the great recipes! I love cinnamon rolls and want to make these, but unfortunately I’m allergic to yeast (+ eggs, gluten, and milk). Any suggestions for a substitute for the yeast?
Thank you!
Chloe, Brooklyn NY
You could just try leaving out the yeast and relying on the other leavening ingredients for a rise!
Alina says
Hey! I wanna try this recipe this afternoon but won’t have enough time to create your flour blend. Are there any obvious drawbacks to using buckwheat flour instead? Thank you for the recipe :)
Hi Alina! For the best success, we recommend using our flour blend and we haven’t tried making this recipe with just buckwheat flour and can’t say for sure how it would turn out. If you experiment with it though, report back on how it goes!
Pascale Alders says
Hi, I love all your recipes and so does the rest of the family, yay! :)
We live in Beijing and I can’t find earth balance vegan butter or any vegan butter for that matter.. Can i substitute it with a nut butter like almond butter? Or make vegan butter myself?
Thanks!
Leon Harris says
Came out great!! I can’t believe these are vegan though lol
Lori says
I made these, my first foray into gluten-free baking! I used the exact recipe including the homemade gluten-free flour mix. The dough was moist enough to roll out, but once I rolled it up it was a bit sandy and dry and crumbly. The results were mixed. They ended up delicious and enjoyable, but they were more like cookies than like a cinnamon role. My coworker dubbed them “very moist snickerdoodles”, which is about right. They also didn’t stick together to themselves, so I think I needed a more goopy filling than I accomplished with coconut oil.
So, they were delicious, but they weren’t quite cinnamon rolls.
Hi there! I wanted to let you know we’ve updated this recipe to improve the texture and flavor! Hope you’ll give the new and improved version a try!
Kylee C says
I have a culinary degree, but even with my knowledge and recipe index, I haven’t been able to perfect a gluten free version that is also vegan. I’ve tried and tried many that were nothing short of cardboard haha. These were SOOOOOO good! A pretty simple recipe, I love the short proof time, and the result was the closest thing to a Pilsbury cinnamon roll I’ve had in YEARS. 5 stars for sure!
Yay! We are so glad you loved them Kylee!
Emily says
Followed exactly, turned out fantastic.
Woot woot!
Tara says
As an experienced baker and someone who’s tried most of the Minimalist Baker’s recipes, these cinnamon rolls are delicious(!) but definitely tricky to make. I waited to comment on this recipe until I’d made them several times. For this recipe specifically, it’s important to use the gluten free flour blend Dana recommends (or your own, very close version). I’m very confident adjusting recipes and baking vegan/gluten free, but I have yet to “master” this recipe. Maybe I’m a perfectionist :)? They always turn out yummy, though, and my teenage son with major food intolerances is SO HAPPY!
Thanks for sharing, Tara! What are the primary issues you feel you’ve yet to “master.” Hoping to retest again this week to help others troubleshoot.
Tara says
The issue for me has been liquid:flour ratio & bake time. Following the recipe exactly, mine are far too soft & don’t hold shape during rise –unlike most people complaining about dryness. I’ve adjusted different measurements each time (5x) & today hit gold! I live in a very dry desert area & as a result reluctant to ADD dry ingredients but today I added a full 1/4 cup flour blend & an extra Tbsp of almond flour. Had rise 35 minutes, bake for 20 min then covered w/foil & bake another 4. Put a very thick confectioners sugar frosting on quickly out of oven to add to tenderness (I usually wait on the frosting). For me it comes down to getting a feel for what the dough should look & feel like –how moist or dry etc. You have inspired me to experiment with recipes. I just want to encourage people to experiment w/the recipe to find what works in their climate, flour blend, & particular oven. These rolls were good before but now that I’ve found the right combo –they are AMAZING.
Hi there! I wanted to let you know we’ve updated this recipe to improve the texture and flavor! Hope you’ll give the new and improved version a try!
Azure says
Can I use brown sugar instead of cane sugar?
Yes! And actually, we’ve updated this recipe to improve the texture and flavor to now include brown sugar! Hope you’ll give the new and improved version a try!
YAJAIRA says
If I don’t mind gluten, how can I adjust this recipe?
Hi! I would follow this recipe if you don’t need gluten free!
Rebecca says
Hello I have a question about the cinnamon roll recipe. I have made these rolls a number of times and I always have the same problem occur….When it comes to rolling the dough into a cylinder and then cutting the rolls they always fall apart..they are so crumbly that by the time they get to the pan they do not look like cinnamon rolls at all.. What am I doing wrong? I love the flavor of the rolls and no matter how ugly mine always turn out the flavors are always spot on. Do you have any tips or tricks that might help me with my crumble problem? Please and thank you.
Hi Rebecca! The dough should appear moist like cookie dough. Perhaps it just needed a bit more moisture from almond milk? The moisture level will fluctuate depending on if you used my gluten-free blend or store bought. Hope this helps!
Kris - MyHealthyAngel.com says
I just came across these and cannot wait to try them! Maybe to bring to Easter breakfast…NOM!!! Thank you for making it easy to go Vegan, this is the number one most helpful site for me since last Aug when I made the change to plant -based. Bravo!
We hope you love them, Kris!
Breanne says
Just made these – they are sooo good! I followed the recipe exactly, and made them with the vegan butter in the filling (I used an Earth Balance stick as suggested)
I found that squishing the dough together as you roll with the plastic wrap really helps it to stick. Make sure to “squish” all along the roll and keep the plastic wrap tight – go slow and be patient!
Thank you SO much for posting a treat that I can enjoy without the gut rot!!
carissa says
hi! looking forward to trying these SOON! i’ve made your GF flour blend without the xanthan gum, so wondering how much to add to this recipe – thanks!
Aiste says
Hi,
would it be ok to change almond flour to coconut flour? :)) Would it be ok? :D
Hi! Another reader tried that, and I would recommend you read their comment for suggestions!
Megan says
Hi Dana and minimalist baker team!
I was diagnosed with food allergies this past November and yalls recipes have been a lifesaver! Thank you for working hard at making delicious alternatives. I made these cinnamon rolls this morning and they’re delicious! For those thinking about making them – You can’t really expect them to be the fluffiness you get from regular cinnamon rolls, but they were tasty nonetheless (:
Dakota says
What if I am lactose and gluten intolerant but not vegan? Could I substitute an egg for the 1 tbsp of coconut oil in the wet preparation?
We haven’t tried doing that and can’t say for sure. If you don’t have coconut oil, we’d recommend vegan butter!
Bailey says
Somebody needs to say it out loud here but these rolls don’t taste anything like their gluten counterparts. Perhaps this was not the intention of the receipe owner but I got confused and dissapoonted after the first bite. They are more of a crunchy rolls with a bit of a funny overpowering yeast aftertaste. I’d reduce the amount of yeast or even eliminate it completely to make it more healthy.
Sophie says
I liked how crumbly it turned out! A tad too salty thoughhhhhh
Love your recipes regardless:):)
jess says
Can you sub alternative sugar, maple syrup or honey for these?
We haven’t tried and can’t say for sure! If you give it a try, report back on how it goes, Jess!
Jelena says
This is delicious!! But I still haven’t gotten the consistency right… it’s the second time I make it and this time it has risen but more horizontally! So I have a sort of cake…? I am wondering if the gum is really necessary, because I haven’t used it. And instead of almond flour I used very fine almond meal. In general I substitute cane sugar with coconut sugar and it’s as delicious!
Anyone having any advice?
Cathy Glover says
I am the most excited coeliac right now: can’t wait to try these gf beauties! I have one question – could you freeze them?? There are only 2 of us here and 8 cinnamon rolls is a lot of cinnamon rolls!
Cayra says
THese look great Dana! I’m not gluten intolerant but am vegan so can I just sub all-purpose for the flours? Thanks for sharing all your amazing recipes!!
Lindsay says
I made these. The first time was a disaster…..too dry to roll. The second time they turned out good. I added a few extra tablespoons of Almond milk and an extra teaspoon of Coconut oil. They were a bit sticky so I added a bit more flour bit-by bit until the consistancy was perfect for rolling.
Hi there! I wanted to let you know we’ve updated this recipe to improve the texture and flavor! Hope you’ll give the new and improved version a try!
Nancy says
Store up to 3 or 4 days !!! Sorry, but not at our house ???. They will probably be gone as soon as they come out of the oven. Lol. Thanks for the recipe. I am making them right now for the first time.
Xox
Daniele says
I made this recipe with the DIY blend and followed the entire recipe to a T. It tasted delicious, but came out completely in crumbles :( I’ve read a few comments that are similar but they substituted the flour. Wondering why mine had the same luck? Great flavors, but would love to get texture correct.
Hi there! I wanted to let you know we’ve updated this recipe to improve the texture and flavor! Hope you’ll give the new and improved version a try!
Lynne says
You’re my hero! These are fabulously amazing! They turned out perfect! I didn’t flour the plastic, used my own gluten free, used half butter and half coconut oil. So so good! Unfortunately I’ve eaten 3 out of the oven tonight so I need to save some for breakfast. :)
Lynne says
Also – I reheated this morning in the toaster oven, and they were perfect! Again! I kept them in the refrigerator, but this will be a great breakfast this week. =)
Vaira says
This seemed so easy and well explained but my dough became very dry. I tried increasing the oil with no success :( Was pretty tasty crumble but I could never roll it, just plasted it out with fingers in the pan and made a sort of a cinnamon filled pie. What could have happened?
Hi Vaira! So the dough should appear moist like cookie dough. Perhaps it just needed a bit more moisture from almond milk? The moisture level will fluctuate depending on if you used my gluten-free blend or store bought.
Maz says
Hi Dana
Is there a particular reason why you can’t use Almond Meal instead of Almond Flour? I only have Almond Meal on hand and wondering whether this will dramatically impact the results?
Cheers
It just negatively affects the texture.
Lily says
can’t wait to make these! love your website. i was excited to see a vegan cinnamon roll recipe here, could one use regular flour instead of the GF blend? or would there need to be some alterations to the original recipe to do so?
Hi Lily! I would follow this recipe if you don’t need gluten free!
ML says
Can’t wait to make these!! I definitely want to try making them babka/rugelach-style too–with chocolate filling. Thank you!
Liz A says
Made this using Bob’s Redmill gluten free flour blend that already includes xanthum gum. I used additional flour mix instead of almond flour because I didn’t have almond flour on hand. I ended up having to add a little bit more almond milk (~2T) to the dough to get the right texture, but after that it was perfect! Rolling and cutting the dough went better than expected. I found that the rolls did not rise hardly at all before or while baking, but they tasted yummy none the less! Couldn’t tell that they were gluten free.
Hi there! I wanted to let you know we’ve updated this recipe to improve the texture and flavor! Hope you’ll give the new and improved version a try!
Elizabeth says
I followed the directions exactly except two things: 1) I substituted corn starch for potato starch in the DIY flour blend and 2) rolled out the dough on saran wrap without a cutting board underneath, as I didn’t have a big enough board. The results were sweet, flaky rolls that tasted true to their non-vegan/gf counterpart! I will be making these again and again!
Laurie says
I finally understand what people mean when they say about something delicious, “they should not be legal!” These are BY FAR one of the most wonderful things I have EVER eaten in all my years! The crazy thing was we were at our cabin where there was no plastic wrap so I had to use wax paper. Next time will surely be easier but no way could they be more delicious. Thank you Dana! You are a superstar!
Elisha says
I’m not GF and don’t want to take the time to make the GF blend…Can I sub whole wheat flour for the GF and almond flour?
Ron says
I’d like the same: Idc about GF and would prefer WW, Buck Wheat or another flour other than White
Shelby says
These look heavenly! How would you adjust for high-altitude baking?
Hi Shelby! I would refer to this website for high-altitude baking. Hope it helps!
Elizabeth says
Hi! These look fantastic. Do you think I can use a blend of buckwheat flour, oat flour and Pamela’s “not xantham not guar gum” binder mix (and the almond me) I don’t do well with GF blends. I made your wonderful GF carrot muffins and used buckwheat, oat and the binder and they came out delicious. Might it work in this recipe as well? Thanks!
Hi Elizabeth! We haven’t tried it so we can’t say for sure, if you give it a go let us know how it turns out!
Robert says
I made these for Christmas of this year and everyone loved them but it was very crumbly and could not roll them out and cut them into slices without falling apart. I ended up cutting the roll in half and baked them as two separate rolls. Any suggestions when you’re at Altitude (7880)?
Thanks!
barb says
I noticed after I rolled them it was limp. I let it raise than baked it, very good, but very crumbly. I read quite a few comments, are they suppose to be so crumbly? I though I used too much liquid because they were so limp and not circular after I cut them but the end result was delicious
Taylor says
ah, this was a finicky recipe! The dough was super crumbly and didn’t roll out well or into the dough tube. I had to use coconut flour instead of almond flour (it was all I had)… perhaps that is what did it? Maybe I should’ve added more milk? I will see how they bake and turn out….
That’s definitely what made it crumbly. Coconut flour is super absorbent.
Donna in Inwood says
Hmmm… do you ever work with cassava flour? These cinnamon rolls look de-lish, but I have digestive issues and have to stay totally grain-free. So your DIY gluten-free flour mix won’t work for me. (the rice flours are the problem)
I have a few recipes for Paleo breads that use a mix of cassava flour, potato starch psyllium husks. These always turn out pretty nicely.
I realize every baker is different, but I would love to see you come up with a DIY grain-free flour mix one of these days — especially if it could be used in this cinnamon roll recipe! ;-)
thx
Whitney says
I would like to make these even lower in carbohydrates. What would happen if I used all almond flour?
Hi Carol! We are sorry to hear you didn’t have luck. Did you change the recipe at all by chance?
Chloe says
I have a friend who is gluten free AND nut free- is there a substitute for the almond meal or could I try leaving it out all together??
Hi Chloe! I’d probably recommend another nut flour, like hazelnut or a seed meal like sunflower?
Chloe says
Can I make my own sunflower meal? Or what about coconut meal?
Ann says
My daughter and I made these but they did not rise. Delicious tho’. Will try another time!! My daughter has used many of your recipes. ???
Hmm did you check the best before date on your yeast? If it was out of date, this may have been the reason why.
Robin Runner says
Prepared today (Christmas Eve) for breakfast tomorrow. The recipe was so easy and worked perfectly. Thank you for this creation. Finally a great gf/vegan cinnamon roll recipe. Merry Christmas Dana & happy 2018!
Hannah says
Just made this morning and they were delicious!!!!!! The vegan cream cheese frosting is out of world!!!
Only this is the dough did not rise much at all maybe because I used “non instant yeast “?? So will use instant yeast next time.
Thanks for the amazing recipe , I have a feeling that making cinnamon rolls is gonna be our new Christmas tradition now.
Merry Christmas!!!
Alex says
Used bobs 1:1 flour. Everything else followed exactly. Dough was way too liquidy to roll. Resembled cake batter. Added more flour and it did nothing. Oh well.
Hi there! I wanted to let you know we’ve updated this recipe to improve the texture and flavor! Hope you’ll give the new and improved version a try!
Marisa says
hi! My oven is built into the wall so I can’t place the cinnamon rolls above the heated oven. Is there another way I can make the dough rise before baking them?
Wendy says
Just made these fabulous cinnamon rolls; so good! Beyond good! Such a great recipe. Thank you!!
Jen says
Mine turned out crumbly, and it was soggy in the inside. I just baked one of them in the toaster oven to test it out and I froze the rest since I like mine fresh out of the oven. Can someone help me figure out the problem?
Hi there! I wanted to let you know we’ve updated this recipe to improve the texture and flavor! Hope you’ll give the new and improved version a try!
Jeanie says
Do you think subbing hazelnut meal would be okay instead of almond meal? I have an almond allergy.
Faith Rush says
Thank you for this recipe!!!!!
Greg Jensen says
Do you roll the dough along the length of the rectangle or from end to end? Really looking forward to these!
You got it!
Cristina says
My dough is a little crumbly… I had to double the recipe so not sure if that impacted the consistency but any suggestions on how to get it right would be most appreciated! :)
Hi there! I wanted to let you know we’ve updated this recipe to improve the texture and flavor! Hope you’ll give the new and improved version a try!
Angela says
Hi Dana! I was just wondering what flour you would recommend buying/using if you don’t make the DIY gluten free flour blend? Would organic all-purpose flour work? Let me know!
They’re all so different it’s hard to recommend, plus I haven’t tested it any other way. But if I had to recommend, I’d say Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 GF blend.
Greg Jensen says
I used the Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 blend and it worked perfectly.
Yay! Glad to hear + thanks for sharing, Greg!
Kimberly says
I wonder if I can make these in advance, freeze them unbaked, take them out the night before to defrost and rise, then pop them in the oven the morning needed. If anyone has tested this, please advise me. Happy holidays!
I would make them to the point of putting in the pan and rising, then cover and refrigerate (or freeze) and bake the next day (or week) as instructed. Set them on top of the oven as it preheats for extra fluffiness (let frozen rolls completely thaw before baking). Hope that helps!
Emma says
I don’t know when you posted this but I wish I’d seen it last night! Haha I attempted your other cinnamon rolls recipie gluten free but just subbing the flour for gluten free flour. They worked really well I just had to add extra liquid to get it to a good texture pastry. Your awesome and thanks for making and giving us these recipes!
Carly says
Can’t wait to try! Is there a reason for the DIY GF flour blend or would you be able to use Cup4Cup or 1×1 GF flours? Thank you!
I recommend my blend because I know it works. But if you try it with a store bought let me know how it goes!
kellyssewing says
I made these tonight. Cup 4 Cup gf flour blend and Bob Mills almond flour. Added pecans and dried cranberries before rolling them up. Having never rolled out between plastic wrap, I didn’t know if it would work. Wrapping the wrap around the cutting board is genius! It rolled out and then rolled up perfectly! I baked them for 32 min. Hubby says they were delicious too! Thank you! Five stars!
So glad you loved them! xoxo
Courtney says
I made the GF flour blend for this recipe, and I found the cinnamon buns to be very crumbly. The flavour turned out fantastic though! I’ll use more liquid next time.
Thanks for sharing, Courtney! Mine were tender with a flaky exterior. Is that what you experienced?
Hi there! I wanted to let you know we’ve updated this recipe to improve the texture and flavor! Hope you’ll give the new and improved version a try!
Sarah Vaughn says
I made these last night with the cream cheese frosting and they were good! They came out a little crumbly and I don’t know if it’s because I used Bobs red mill 1:1 gluten free flour? I also might’ve over floured the cutting board so maybe that’s why? Thanks for the recipe though!
Yeah! Their blend is much different than mine but is still good. Glad you still enjoyed them!
Cristina Santana says
Same issue here! I used Bob’s and the dough was a bit too crumbly, made it hard to roll, cut and transfer to the dish. They’re still in the oven so I hope they come out all right! Will have to try your blend for sure or add a bit more milk if using Bob’s. Thanks anyways! Your recipes are always delicious and never fail! Merry Christmas!
Hi there! I wanted to let you know we’ve updated this recipe to improve the texture and flavor! Hope you’ll give the new and improved version a try!
Emily says
HOLY COW these rolls!!! i have been looking for a gluten/dairy free cinnamon roll recipe for ages, and they never seem to turn out right, but these were absolutely amazing! i will definitely be making these again in the future!
Betty C Rivera says
What a blessing to see this recipe! I have a whole bag of Almond Flour to use and I was on line last night searching for Almond Flour recipes without eggs. I will definitely give this a try ! I love Cinnamon rolls and my stepson is Gluten Free, so this comes at a very good time! I will definitely let you know how it turns out for us!! Thank you!
Brittany says
Followed this to a T and the mixture is so dry my roll is crumbling all over my cutting board!!!! What happened!?!? I’m so disappointed. :(
Hi Brittany! So the dough should appear moist like cookie dough. Perhaps it just needed a bit more moisture from almond milk? The moisture level will fluctuate depending on if you used my gluten-free blend or store bought.
Brittany says
I used store bought but it was just like cookie dough until it was on the plastic wrap being spread out. Maybe the excess flour dried it up too much. I’ll have to play around with it. The taste was GREAT but it was just dry and crumbly and the outsides ended up like a pie crust. I’ll try more milk and maybe less flour on the board next time!
I’d say the blend was suspect. If you’re up for it, try with my blend next time!
Brittany I wanted to let you know we’ve retested, perfected, and updated this recipe as of July 10, 2018. Hope you’ll give the new version a try!
Victoria says
I made these with 56 grams of coconut flour instead of almond flour, and they turned out pretty well. I would say that because coconut flour is a bit more fibrous and absorbent than almond flour, you need to add more liquid. Mine turned out a bit crumbly and they were hard to roll. Next time, I will do a full cup of almond milk in the yeast mixture instead of 3/4 of a cup. Otherwise, they were so nice! Flaky, soft, and delicious. Thanks for revamping the recipe!
Thanks Victoria!
Vanessa L says
Still sitting on the oven rising- though not really :/ Did anyone have trouble with the yeast “breaking thru” the layer of melted coconut oil on top? This was a crumbly mess when rolling up and getting in the pan. I followed all to the tee- Any ideas why the fail so far?
So the rise is subtle – don’t worry about that. But I certainly didn’t experience any issues with the yeast breaking through. Was your yeast fresh? That’s the only thing I can think of…
Vanessa L says
Thanks for replying, Dana. So they were delicious in taste, but didn’t rise at all. Some factors to consider for next time: I converted to using instant yeast (which I don’t think needs the soak, though I did anyways), didn’t warm the almond milk enough (no thermometer but it couldn’t used a bit more heat), and probably the biggest possibility- didn’t use your gf blend, rather a different brand that had the same ingredients, but likely not the same proportions as your mix. I made the gf blend up yesterday after the roll debacle to make the fluffy sugar cookies and they were fab! Will definitely try the roll recipe again and really stick to letter next time.
Paul Kahler says
That happen to me too! What can I add in to make it not crumbly except an egg?
Debbie says
Love this!! We just made them last night, and made the filling out of date paste (300 g of super soft dates blended with at least 1 tbsp of cinnamon and a bit of plant-based milk to make it all smooth and creamy). They turned out beautiful, and it made them so soft, moist and full of flavour. Thank you for sharing this amazing recipe!
Thanks Debbie!! xo
Cassie Autumn Tran says
Yes. YES, PERFECT! <3 How do you prevent the cinnamon rolls from sticking to each other?
You mean after they bake? They shouldn’t stick together after baking…
Marin Haning says
Made these this morning – once I saw the recipe I couldn’t wait!! Used Bob’s Red Mill GF flour and they came out great! Flaky but OMG delicious! And that frosting! My husband suggested that he might use a tad less salt next time but that could be our butter (Earth Balance Soy Free). Anyway… They are delicious and THANK YOU for being such a genius to make our lives much easier and more delicious!!!
Thanks Marin! xoxo
Amy says
Can these be made with all purpose flour too? Look delicious!
Hanusia says
Dana has a couple of non-GF cinnamon roll recipes that I’m sure you could use instead :)
https://minimalistbaker.com/the-worlds-easiest-cinnamon-rolls/
https://minimalistbaker.com/vegan-pumpkin-cinnamon-rolls/
Thanks for sharing!
Carla says
Any reco with changing the almond meal/flour? I’m intolerant to those (also corn, potato, wheat, cashew and pistachio). Thanks!!!
I’d probably recommend another nut flour, like hazelnut or a seed meal like sunflower?
Becky says
These look awesome! I’ve tried so many recipes and all have failed so I’m looking forward to this one! Is there a flour you might recommend in place of almond? We have almond allergies over here. thanks so much!!! :)
Hmm, I’d probably recommend another nut flour, like hazelnut or a seed meal like sunflower?
Genevieve says
Can you make the dough and let it sit overnight? We’re having family stay over and rather than doing the dough in the morning, it would be great to wake up and cut / bake?
I would make them to the point of putting in the pan and rising, then cover and refrigerate and bake the next day as instructed. Set them on top of the oven as it preheats for extra fluffiness. Hope that helps!
Faith Rush says
Thank you! I have been trying to find one for awhile!
Elle says
Can I use spelt flour instead of gf flour?
Let me know if you try it! I haven’t tested it that way.
Julianna says
Could I use oat flour instead? We don’t have great luck with any gluten-free flour blend.
Let me know if you try it! I haven’t tested it that way.
rebecca says
The rolling out process is still really confusing to me…help!
Cover a cutting board with plastic wrap. Dust on some tapioca or GF flour. Add dough. Sprinkle on a little more tapioca or GF flour. Top with another layer of plastic wrap and tuck the plastic down under the edges of the cutting board. Then use a rolling pin to roll out!
REBECCA says
Hi Dana thanks for your reply! I mean specifically the step after that- when you need to roll it into a cylinder: “Then untuck the bottom layer of plastic wrap from the cutting board and use it to tightly roll the dough lengthwise into a cylinder (see photo).” How does the plastic wrap not get wrapped along with it? I’m sorry if this is so obvious but I can’t visualize it.
Oh, first remove the top layer of plastic wrap and then use the bottom layer to pull and roll the dough from one end to another. Make sense?
Brendan says
I wonder how this would be with a little oat flour? I’ve noticed lots of your gluten free baked goods have both almond and oat flour, and I think the oat flour might gives this a nice crumb? Was that something you tried in one your earlier attempts?
Hmm, I think that might work! Perhaps subbed in a little of the GF flour for it? Let me know how it goes!
Lorraine says
These look so good. We have Swedish family coming to stay and these are perfect. Thank you!
Linda says
OMG! Bless you, my child. This is the best gift you could give to your GF fans.
haha, I was hoping you’d all feel that way! xoxo
CAROLYN PASK says
OMG, looks like I found my Christmas morning offering!! These look amazing!
Kathy Stoner says
I was really hoping you would do a gluten free cinnamon roll I’m so excited to try this! I will give a review after I make it. I’m sure it be great as I love your recipes so much!
Thanks!
Bridget says
Yaaaaaas! Christmas morning breakfast planned! ? thank you for amazing recipes!
Mama Bear says
Can I use a storebought flour blend (Pamela’s, Bob’s, etc)?
I didn’t test it that way, but if you do let me know how it goes!
Ashley says
I’m going to try this with Bobs for Christmas morning!!
Ana says
I made it with Trader Joe’s Gluten free flour blend and Almond flour. They were sooo good. I have a gluten allergy and haven’t had anything remotely flaky in years. I loved these! They had a flaky outside and soft inside. It was an emotional experience.
Lovely – thanks for sharing, Anna!
Leslie says
Thanks for sharing that Anna! Was wondering how they’d turn out with Trader Joe’s GF flour blend!
Kate says
How would you store and bake them if you made them the night before or one day ahead?
I would make them to the point of rising, then cover and refrigerate, than bake the next day as instructed. Set them on top of the oven as it preheats.
Kate says
Thank you! Made these last night and they are AMAZING!
Genevieve says
I should have read all the comments before adding mine. You can ignore mine as it is the same question! Thanks xx GF
Casey says
To be clear, does this mean I should set them out to rise before I put them in the refrigerator, and then again in the morning as the oven is preheating? Or should I just roll them up and put them in the fridge overnight and set them out to rise while preheating the oven in the morning?
Sara says
Hi! My dough would NOT roll out. They turned out as squashed cinnamon roll balls :( I wish I could post a picture so you could see the disaster. I cut in cold earth balance butter with my pastry cutter. What can I do to solve this?
I used to make cinnon rolls every year as gifts for Christmas. I have not made a successful pie crust, tart, or cinnie since becoming vegan. Tragedy, I know.
Hmm, that’s odd! And you did the plastic wrap trick?
Emily says
Add more milk.
Sindhu says
Wowww!! I’m always in deep admiration with your work.. we don’t get Gluten free flour in India, any other alternative you’d suggest?
Thank you! I’ve shared a link to my DIY blend above, so hopefully you’re able to find those things!
Adriana says
Thanks for sharing the blend, I had been trying to perfect it myself too!
rohini says
the Upavas company and also Nirav brand make gluten free ekadashi flour blends. in the usa they sell in indian grocery stores. they use a combo of singoda flour, amaranth flour, sawa millet flour and tapioca flour. I’ve made cookies with it and they came out great.
Carly says
India is the gluten free flour paradise. Chick pea flour, besan flour, tapioca flour, potatoes starch, rice flour etc etc I fine combining about 7 types of flour works best and watch the dryness as the pea powders tend to dry out in baking. I usually find the combination of about 7 kinds of flours mix and bake well. The more combinations the better.
J says
I have a child with a tree but allergy. Can I substitute the almond flour with something else?
Hmm, that’s tough. It definitely provides a certain texture. Perhaps sub a seed meal, such as sunflower?
Vaira says
I substituted with sunflower seeds. The only side effect – it turned green :D As in very bright green which as I understand is a chemical reaction between the seeds and baking soda and powder.
Emily says
I’m looking for a cinnamon roll recipe that is just gluten free, it doesn’t need to be vegan… would this one work the same with dairy butter and milk? Thank you!
I think so, yes! Let me know if you try it.
Kristina says
I made these with whole milk and butter. I did end up needing to increase the GF flour to 2 cups to decrease the stickiness and kept everything else the same. They were perfect ! I really appreciate this recipe as I’ve been looking for a good gluten free cinnamon roll and I use your blend exclusively! This is our go to cinnamon roll now!
JD says
Booooooo. Go Vegan.
Fiona says
…Or, you know, just let other people make their own decisions. We don’t boo you and tell you to eat meat, so maybe you should l stop being all ‘holier than thou’
Carol Janzen says
Vegans don’t hurt any animals!! There is absolutely no need to!!
Adriana says
Kristina, minewere very wet too and I used exact ingredients. I added almost whole cup more of gluten free flour, and about 1/4 of almond. I was afraid to keep adding more and they didn’t roll very well, but still taste good! Guess that means I’m eating cinnamon rolls again next weekend with a reattempt!
Adriana says
*with bobs gluten free blend, may have caused the wetness
Ashli says
Can you sub palm shortening for the coconut oil? I’m just curious if it will do better.. to avoid the melting in the bottom of the pan that you mentioned.
Hmm, perhaps! Let me know if you try it.
Rocky says
Thank you for changing the world with vegan recipes!
Emaleigh Downey says
OMG YESSSSS! I have been waiting for these!!!!!!! Look amazing :) absolutely going to make these for christmas morning brunch!!!
Gillian says
Ashli! This is exactly what I was going to say! Soooooooooopoo excited for these….been waiting for them as Ive seen you Dana working on them through insta stories! Thank you for continuing to try! 7 times! Wow!
Gillian says
Sorry I meant Emaleigh Downey!