Monica Swanson

the grommom

Simple, Quick-Rise Cinnamon Rolls {Gluten-free or Regular}

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The holidays may be over…But long live the Cinnamon Roll!
Amen?

Cinnamon rolls at thegrommom.com

I know I know, I should be sharing some healthy recipe for all of you New-Years Resolution types who are trying to behave well for AT LEAST the month of January…But since I made my fourth batch of these this morning, I felt that the honest thing to do would be to share.

And really, they tasted just as good to me this morning as they did on Christmas morning.  Maybe even better.

cinnamon roll, quick and easy!--at thegrommom.com

Everything in moderation, right?
I mean, I only ate ONE smallish one for breakfast.
(Ok, maybe one and a half.)
(…give or take another half…but it doesn’t count when you’re just picking it out of the pan, right?)

So what got me started on cinnamon rolls?, you may ask.   Well, you might remember me mentioning in this post that I was looking for a gluten-free recipe for cinnamon rolls to serve on Christmas morning.  Since my dad has Celiac Disease, I wanted to do something special that he too, could enjoy.

But the other problem I had was that I waited until WAY past bedtime on Christmas eve to get serious about making these.

And when you’re a mom of four high-energy boys, come way-past-bedtime Christmas eve, YOU ARE VERY TIRED.  And very much not in the mood to do anything for anybody.  Especially if that anything requires kneading, rising, and waiting.  Just no.

Therefore,  my criteria became two-fold as I hunted for a recipe:
1.  Gluten-free
2.  As fast and easy as possible.

So, I searched the internet for any recipe that combined “gluten free” with words like “quick” or “easy.”  I found a few, and then (like usual,) I kind of winged it, knowing Dad would love me even if I failed.

And call it a Christmas miracle–They turned out amazing!

My dad said that they were the best gluten-free cinnamon rolls he’s ever had (and I have a feeling he has tried a few,) and requested a second batch for New Years.  The filling and the frosting were wonderful.  These are my new go-to recipe, whether I’m making them gluten-free or not.

So as not to be misleading, I’ll admit that the gluten-free version do not puff up nearly as much as the regular (seen above.)  Bummer, but that’s just how it is!
This recipe puffed up way more than any others I’ve tried, especially considering the fact that they barely has time to rise before baking them.

GLUTEN-FREE BATCH:
Gluten Free Cinnamon rolls at thegrommom.comLook inside!  I promise you:  A very nice texture!

gluten free cinnamon rolls, fluffy and delicious!

REGULAR BATCH:

(pre-frosting,)
Cinnamon rolls…Mmmmm.

Frosted with vanilla bean frosting…

Cinnamon Rolls, straight from the oven. Cinnamon rolls, quick-rise, and simple to make!

Here’s the printable recipe.  Remember, if you are not on a gluten-free diet, you can make them the exact same way using regular, all-purpose flour, and you can leave out the Xanthum gum.

See you soon!
Aloha,
Grommom

4.67 from 6 votes
Print

Simple, Quick-Rise Cinnamon Rolls {Gluten-free or Regular}

Simple, Quick-rise Cinnamon Rolls {gluten-free or regular} at www.monicaswanson.com
Course Breakfast, gluten-free

Ingredients

  • DOUGH:
  • 1 cup warm milk
  • 2 tsp. quick-rise yeast 1 standard packet.
  • 2 1/2 cups gluten free all purpose flour.
  • 3 tsp. xanthum gum
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp. baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/4 cup cold butter cubed into small pieces.
  • FILLING:
  • 1/4 cup butter melted
  • 2/3 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon cinnamon
  • FROSTING:
  • 1 oz. cream cheese
  • 2 Tablespoons butter softened
  • 1 vanilla bean scraped out and mixed well, OR 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp. corn syrup
  • 1 tsp lemon juice
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar or a little more depending on consistency.

Instructions

  1. DOUGH:
  2. Stir yeast packet into warm milk with a pinch of sugar and set aside while you prepare the dry ingredients.

  3. In a large bowl, combine flour, Xanthem gum, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together until combined.

  4. Cut cold butter into dry ingredients until it forms pea-sized pieces.
  5. Pour warm milk mixture into the dry ingredients and stir until dough just comes together.  Use hands to work it just a bit, and then lay out on lightly floured surface.
  6. Roll dough out to be about a 16 X 20 inch rectangle.
  7. Spread melted butter over the dough evenly, and sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon.
  8. Carefully roll up keeping it fairly tight.   Cut off uneven ends.
  9. Cut roll into pieces (usually makes eight,) that are approximately two inches long.
  10. Place into a greased baking sheet and cover with clean kitchen towel.
  11. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and place pan of rolls on top of warm oven to rise slightly while it preheats.
  12. When oven is heated, remove towel and bake fifteen-eighteen minutes, and tops are lightly browned.
  13. Mix all ingredients for frosting in a bowl and whip into smooth.
  14. Spread frosting over warm rolls and serve.
  15. ENJOY!!
Aloha, Monica
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Comments

  1. I just made these and they came out tasty but kind of mushy. This recipe says work it into a dough but doesn’t say how long that should be. I think next time I will work it more so that the layer actually show like the picture above. I did leave them on the stove to rose for an extra 10 min and they rose nicely.

    Reply

  2. Can you just use the cup 4 cup multi poupose flour in this recipe which already contains the xanthum gum instead of gluten free all purpose flour and adding the xanthum gum as you have written in the recipe? Please advise. Thank you.

    Reply

  3. Just made the gluten free cinnamon rolls this morning and am pleasantly surprised. My first time ever making cinnamon rolls, and the recipe was very easy to follow!

    For those who are fairly new to gluten free options: the won’t taste exactly the same as a recipe with traditional flour, as most gluten free foods don’t, but you won’t be disappointed with the results. They won’t rise quite the same or look as pretty, but they still taste great! Kind of almost like a shortbread flavor to them.

    Thanks for publishing the recipe!

    Reply

    • Niki–You said it perfectly. If anyone offers a GF bread recipe (of any kind) that tastes like a recipe with flour, they will make a million! haha. So glad the recipe worked for you…I know (for my family) the key is in the butter and sugar. 🙂 XO aloha!

      Reply

  4. Thank you for the recipe however mine did not turn out. I used bobs 1:1 red mill and since it had xanthan gum, I didn’t add it. It was goopy and more like a mush. The dough kept breaking when rolling it up.

    Reply

    • Oh shoot! I’m so sorry…I wish I could help or suggest a change…Most people have found these to work out really well, and I’m just sorry it didn’t for you. 🙁 Thanks for trying!

      Reply


  5. Since my daughter-in-law has problem with gluten, I tried this recipe today, in anticipation of going over to see her tomorrow to surprise her with something she really misses–cinnamon rolls. First off, I couldn’t understand why the baking powder and baking soda are needed if you’re using yeast, but nevertheless, I followed the recipe. I used the type of GF flour that contains xanthum gum, so did not add any additional. As anticipated, the dough was different than with gluten flour, but still I found it manageable. I placed the rolls on a baking sheet, covered and let them rise for about 45 minutes, then put them in the preheated oven. After 18 minutes they were done. They taste like a slightly compact biscuit, but grainy tasting due to the GF flour. This recipe is the only one I have seen on the internet, so far, that the dough isn’t gloppy and needing to be put into muffin tins. Can you tell me if you’ve tried this recipe without the baking powder and baking soda? Seems like that is what made these seem biscuit-like.

    Reply

    • Hi Mary, Sorry I have not tried it without baking powder and baking soda, because we’ve been happy with how they turn out. GF anything won’t be as nice in texture as those with gluten, but that is to be expected. (unfortunately.) Maybe someone else will comment on your question, but thanks for trying them and I do hope your daughter-in-law enjoys them. 🙂 Aloha-

      Reply

      • I have found adding Xantham Gum, even if your flour has it already, transforms the texture in cakes, breads and muffin mixes! I can’t wait to give your recipe a try for my GF daughter!

        Reply


  6. I made these today. Trying to post the pic? I added one egg. Used mamas almond blend gf flour. And let rise 30 minutes before baking. Then turned out upside down on the pretty plate immediately. Turned out wonderful!!

    Reply

  7. These turned out so well! I have been trying various cinnamon roll recipes since I was diagnosed back in 1992-ish, and this one wins. I also considered that reducing the sugar in the dough to a few teaspoons would make it a great GF biscuit.

    Reply


  8. I found this recipe in an attempt to make something deliciously sweet for everyone. Not a single one of us was disappointed! I’m not a baker. I do not do yeast. WOW! These were so easy! The only thing I deviated from in the recipe is how to roll the dough. Instead of using flour, I used two separate pieces of plastic wrap- one affixed to a large board and the other on top of dough (as seen on another blog with video)–it was a cinch! So easy to roll up. I cannot wait to make these again! Thank you!

    Reply

    • So glad to hear that, Jenna! And that sounds like a great technique with the plastic wrap–thanks for sharing! I have been so happy to find a simple no-fuss way to make cinnamon rolls–hope you get to make them again soon. 🙂 Aloha!

      Reply

    • Great question Amber! That is what I’m planning to do this year, but honestly in the past I have always baked it ahead and then just warmed them up in the morning. I might try a batch this week to see how it works prepping ahead and then baking in the morning. (If I do I’ll hop back on and let you know how it goes. :))

      Reply

      • I just did that and they turned out even better! I made them last night, rolled and sliced, placed in a greased baking dish and stored in the fridge overnight. Just be sure to let them warm up on top of the stove while preheating, mine took about half hour to warm up. And they are fluffier than they have ever been before. So, yes, you can pre-make them on Christmas eve and bake them on Christmas morning 🙂 I am totally doing that from now on!

        Reply

  10. Hi,

    Do you think using egg whites instead of xathan gum would work? cant find it at any local markets anywhere!!

    Reply

    • Katrina–that is a great question! I’m so sorry I don’t now. I think there are some GF flours that have Xantham gum in them…maybe that is a good option. Or perhaps you’ll find it on Amazon? I know Xanthum gum is pretty magic in GF recipes, so I just don’t know if egg whites would do the job. If you try it please do let me know how they turn out! 🙂
      Much aloha–

      Reply


  11. I made these this morning. SOOOO GOOOOOD!! I was nervous about the whole rolling process but was surprised by how easy and quick I was able to roll them. Ever since I went on gluten free diet I envied everyone who was able to engoy cinnamon rolls. That was the one thing I missed in my new GF world. But then I thought I’d look for a recipe and I did and I came across this one. Monica Swanson, you brightened my life and I am eternally grateful 😀 😀 😀

    Reply

    • Oh thank you Vera! I am so happy to hear that! I’d love to hear what kind of flour you used…Recently I had one person tell me they didn’t work out for them and it made me so sad, I thought I should be specific about which kind of flour works and which does not. They always work great for me with an all-purpose gluten free flour! Thanks so much for commenting! Aloha-

      Reply

      • I was using Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 baking flour. It’s a blend of rice, brown rice, tapioca, sweet sorghum (I have no idea what that is) flours, potato starch and xanthan gum. This is my favorite blend and I use it for everything. It doesn’t give that weird aftertaste to baked goods like some other GF blends do. I didn’t even use additional xanthan gum and my dough still rolled. I watched a tutorial on someone else’s website, they show how to roll GF dough, you need two sheets of plastic wrap, one underneath and one on top. And my own trick is to use oil instead of flour on the plastic wrap, that way it rolls without sticking. I’m writing this in case someone else has trouble rolling the dough. I’ll admit though, one piece almost fell apart, but it was the one from the center and I didn’t roll it tight enough.

        Reply

        • Thanks for these details! I was reading the comments specifically hoping someone tried Bob’s 1 to 1 with these! I am going to make them for Christmas morning! Yay!

          Reply

          • Yes I really appreciated people commenting with their experience…I’m gearing up to make another batch myself! 🙂 Much aloha to you and hope the cinnamon rolls turn out wonderful!

        • Think we’ve all seen that ” how to roll ” video w/2 sheets of plastic wrap, that part turned me off so I didn’t use her recipe. Now I just need to see where I saved this roll recipe ..

          Reply

          • I actually started to just use one sheet of plastic wrap and I use oil instead of flour, that way dough doesn’t stick to the wrap. I place the plastic wrap on top of a large cutting board, coat it with oil (I use avocado oil for everything) And then slowly pull the wrap away from me, making a roll. Works every time!


    • Never mind! I added it to the dry ingredients and it was perfect! I served them to my family and they said that they will never buy the store bought kind again ? And they didn’t even know they were gluten- free. I love this recipe! Thank you

      Reply

      • SO Glad your family enjoyed the cinnamon rolls!! Yay. (and sorry I didn’t get to respond to your question faster…but that’s exactly what I do with the anthem gum.) Happy New Year and Aloha-

        Reply

    • I have, and they were fine. I just warmed them in the oven and they softened up nicely. (I still think best fresh, but sometimes you have to do that! :))

      Reply

  15. Recipe was fine until rolling then broke into a million pieces is something missing like an egg? Waste of expensive ingredients.

    Reply

    • So sorry Irma! I’ve never had a fail on this recipe, though if you’re making it Gluten free, the texture is not what you’d normally expect in a cinnamon roll.
      You might try adding an egg, sure. But it really ought to work just how he recipe is! Bummer, and of course it’s a shame to waste good ingredients! 🙁
      Thanks for Trying!

      Reply

  17. Pinned! These look amazing. I’ve only made cinnamon rolls a handful of times in my life because they take so long but I’m going to give these a try over the weekend. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply