Cinnamon Rolls for the People; this is Cinnamon Love

There is something special about the whiff of a freshly baked cinnamon roll topped with gooey white icing. This was a vision I only found in my dreams for many months after I became gluten-free, dairy-free and refined sugar-free. I needed more cinnamon in my heart, and tummy.

Just the other day, my cinnamon dream came to life as I told myself I wouldn't gorge every last roll I’d just baked. Let's just say the day ended with a clean, scraped pan and a full belly.

I am not someone who went gluten-free, dairy-free and refined sugar-free by choice. I will happily admit bread is my favorite food and someday I plan to eat entire loaves of bread with cheese. But after months of feeling like crap and dealing with poor digestion, I decided it was time to see a specialist.

I took my results (via the VEGA test) as a challenge. Turns out you can make a lot of yummy foods while also meeting dietary restriction. I discovered that almond flour and maple syrup go a long way when mixed with a series of other ingredients. Also turns out I have a new found love for some foods I had detested in the past, like peanut butter and dates. These two are an amazing combo, and I used to loathe them both.

But of course there are still many foods I miss, and sometimes there is a social barrier based on where/what I’m eating. I've begun to feel like less of a pest when I order at restaurants asking to sub or change items. I am lucky to live in Bellingham, where food I can eat is easy to come by.

However, that dream kept reappearing in my head. Even as I write this now I can't stop my mouth from salivating. There ain’t nothing quite like a damn sticky cinnamon roll. So, my Google mission began. 

I shortly arrived at the website of Minimalist Baker, a true godsend. I made a few adjustments to their recipe for the rolls to fit my dietary needs. They may be a bit timely and a little difficult to perfect but they are so, so worth it. Enjoy your feast on these little spirals of love. Happy baking!

GF, Vegan, Refined-Sugar Free Cinnamon Rolls

• Prep Time:45 mins
• Cook Time:30 mins
• Total Time:1 hr 15 mins
• Servings:8
• Medium

Ingredients

• Wet:
• 3/4 cup milk choice I used coconut milk
• 1 Tbsp coconut oil
• 2 Tbsp coconut sugar
• 1 packet active dry yeast 2 1/4 tsp
• Dry:
• 1 3/4 cup GF Flour with xanthan gum
• 1/2 cup almond flour or almond meal
• 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 3/4 tsp sea salt
• 4 Tbsp cold scoopable not melted coconut oil
• Filling:
• 3 Tbsp melted coconut oil
• 1/3 cup coconut sugar
• 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
• Frosting:
• 1/2 cup coconut cream
• 1 Tbsp maple syrup

• Step 1

  Preheat oven to 350° F and coat a baking dish with coconut oil. Set aside. In the microwave or on a stovetop, heat the milk until it reaches a temperature close to warm bath water - approximately 110° F. Make sure it’s not too hot as it could kill the yeast.

  

• Step 2

  To the milk, add 1 Tbsp coconut oil and stir until melted. Mix in yeast and coconut sugar just until combined. Then set the mixture aside for 10 minutes. It should get puffy.

  

• Step 3

  In another bowl, whisk together gluten-free flour, almond flour, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt until well combined. Add firmly scoopable coconut oil, cutting it into the mix until it resembles a sand like quality.

  

• Step 4

  To the dry ingredients, add the milk-yeast mixture and stir. It should form a dough (cookie dough quality).

  

• Step 5

  Cover a flat surface with plastic wrap and dust it with GF flour. Place dough in the center, another piece of plastic wrap over it and roll it out into a large, thin rectangle about 1/8th of an inch thick.

  

• Step 6

  Remove the top layer of plastic wrap. Brush the dough with 3 Tbsp melted coconut oil and sprinkle it with coconut sugar and cinnamon.

  

• Step 7

  Next, use the bottom layer of plastic wrap to tightly roll the dough lengthwise.

  

• Step 8

  Using a knife, cut the log into 8 even pieces and place in baking dish. Cover with plastic wrap and a towel, set on top of the warm oven, and let rise for 15-30 minutes or until the rolls have risen slightly and are almost touching.

  

• Step 9

  Place rolls in prepared dish on the center rack of your oven and bake for 25-30 minutes or until tops are golden brown.

  

• Step 10

  To make the frosting, simply combine the cream and syrup and spread on the rolls.