This video also shows you how I make my gluten-free cinnamon buns, maybe a visual is helpful to some.
Until now, a good gluten-free cinnamon roll as was elusive as Big Foot, the Holy Grail, or a pair of comfortable jeans that also look good. Filled with cream cheese goodness and chopped pecans, these Gluten-Free Philly Cream Cheese Cinnamon Buns will leave the boring cinnamon buns getting stale on the shelves. Gluten-Free doesn’t mean boring, crumbly dry baked goods anymore. These Philly Cream Cheese Cinnamon Buns are moist, delicious, and full of “wheat-like” flavour.
Gluten-Free Cream Cheese Cinnamon Buns
Author: Jeanine Friesen
Serves: 8
These Cream Cheese Cinnamon Buns are filled with cream cheese goodness and chopped pecans.
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose gluten-free flour (see note) OR 1 2/3 cup brown rice flour, 1/2 cup potato starch and 1/3 cup tapioca starch
- plus an additional 1/2 cup(s) of tapioca starch
- 1 tablespoon rapid rise yeast
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons xanthan gum
- 1 teaspoon guar gum
- 1/4 cup Jell-o instant vanilla pudding mix (dry)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/2 cup water
- 3/4 cup milk
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons Canola Oil
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar (for sprinkling on plastic wrap)
- 1/4 cup butter, melted
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons corn syrup (or maple syrup)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
- 4 ounces cream cheese, warmed up slightly to soften
- 2 tablespoons butter, very soft
- 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
- 1-2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans (optional)
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 2 tablespoons butter, softened
- 1/2 cup confectioners’ (icing) sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- For the topping: Over low heat, in a small saucepan, heat 4 Tbsp. butter, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 2 Tbsp. corn syrup, stirring until sugar dissolves. Add 1 tsp. vanilla extract, 2 Tbsp. whipping cream and a pinch of salt. Stir to incorporate. Remove from heat and pour into the bottom of a greased 9×13 pan. Set aside.
- In the bowl of your stand mixer, mix gluten-free flour, tapioca starch, yeast, granulated sugar, salt, xanthan gum, guar gum, dry pudding mix and baking powder until combined. Set aside.
- Put water and 1/4 cup butter in a glass measuring cup and microwave just until the butter has melted. Remove from microwave and stir. Add milk, stir. Add egg, cider vinegar, oil and vanilla and whisk to combine.
- With the stand mixer running (using the paddle attachment), pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Scrap down the bowl if you have to. Allow to mix on medium speed for 3 minutes.
- Take a piece of plastic wrap and lay it out on a slightly damp counter top, so it covers an area bigger than 12″ x 18″. Sprinkle 2 Tbsp of sugar on the wrap. Lay ball of dough on top of that. Gently lay another piece of plastic wrap over the top of the dough. Pat the dough down into a roughly square shape. Lift and reposition the top plastic wrap whenever you need to. Roll the dough out (with the plastic wrap on top) to a square approximately 12″ x 18″.
- Carefully spread 4 ounces of softened cream cheese over the dough, Leave 1 1/2″ along one long end without any filling, this is where your cinnamon rolls will be sealed.
- Mix 2 Tbsp softened butter, 1/2 cup brown sugar, and 1-2 Tbsp cinnamon together. Sprinkle over the cream cheese.
- Spread the finely chopped pecans evenly over the brown sugar/cinnamon mixture. Using your hand, lightly press down the filling to hold it in place.
- Starting along the long end, use the bottom sheet of plastic wrap to lift the edge of the dough and roll it up, forming a long cylinder. Start with the edge that has filling on it, that will be the center of your finished rolls.
- Using a long piece of bright coloured thread (light colours can be lost in the dough), cut the long “cinnamon bun log” into 8 pieces, about 1 1/2″ wide. You can do this by placing the thread underneath the roll, crossing it at the top, and pulling the threads so they cross each other, pulling it through the dough. This way, you won’t be squishing your dough down by cutting with a knife. Place rolls in prepared pan, with cut side up. I like to push the rolls down to about 1″ high.
- Allow the cinnamon rolls/buns to rise in a warm, draft free place for about 20-25 minutes, or until nearly double in size.
- Bake in preheated 350 degree F oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the tops are a nice golden brown.
- While the Cream Cheese Cinnamon Rolls are baking, mix together the Cream Cheese frosting. In a small bowl, combine 4 ounces of softened cream cheese, 2 Tbsp of softened butter, 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar and 1 tsp of vanilla. Stir together until smooth.
- Allow to cool for about 5 minutes before inverting on a serving tray, and let the syrup run down over the rolls. Spread the tops with the cream cheese frosting.
- These are best served warm, however, I had great success with reheating them in the microwave for a few seconds when they were a day old as well.
Notes
The all-purpose gluten-free flour blend consists of 4 cups superfine brown rice flour, 1 1/3 cups potato starch (not flour), 2/3 cup tapioca starch. Combine all ingredients in a large zipper-top bag. Shake until well blended.
You are wonderful!! We think you are the best!! ~Margaret
Help! I tried makeing these for my hubby this morning and ended up with a big gooey, plastic wrap mess
Everything was going great (I followed the recipie to the letter) but when I tried to roll up the dough it stuck…please help. What did I do wrong?
this happened to me too….:(
These look wonderful!
Veronica, I've had problems making cinnamon rolls gluten-free too. Everything went well until I tried to roll them and then they fell apart…but I ended up just patting the whole mess into a cake pan and it made the most delicious coffee cake!
These look amazing! I have in the past had problems with cinnamon buns too. But then other times my dough turns out amazing and easy to cut. Not sure what makes the difference, but I cannot wait to give this recipe a go! They look quite decadent and naughty!
Thanks…very delicious and they turned out perfectly. Watching the video really helped me.
@Anonymous, Anon, that is awesome! So glad that the video helped, sometimes it's just easier to see things being done than to write them out clearly enough.
Enjoy!
Hi, just wondering if real butter can be subsituted for margarine?
Absolutely!
I made these for the first day of school this fall. They were a hit. A cousin and her kids were here and enjoyed them as well. The cousin’s daughter just texted me and asked for a link to the recipe to make them for her family Christmas morning. I’ll also be making them for Christmas morning in our house.
I am making these right now. I am using Better Batter flour, so I assume I dont need to add the Xanthum and guar gum? Would you still add a little or not?
Better Batter already has some xanthan in it, right? I’d maybe add 1 tsp xanthan, since this recipe has quite a bit because it is a bread dough. But, it might work well as is too, I’d never tried it. Let me know!
Worked just fine without extra Xanthan, but maybe I will add a bit more next time and see.
Thanks for reporting back, Jeanette! Glad to hear that!
I don’t have a stand mixer. Can this still work with a hand mixer?
The dough may get too stiff for a hand mixer. If it does, get out that wooden spoon and start stirring!