Recipe

Cinnamon Rolls for the People; this is Cinnamon Love

By Anna Rollins at Western Washington University

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
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

Anna Rollins

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.

Anna Rollins

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.

Anna Rollins

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.

Anna Rollins

Step 4

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

Anna Rollins

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.

Anna Rollins

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.

Anna Rollins

Step 7

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

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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.

Anna Rollins

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.

Anna Rollins

Step 10

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

Anna Rollins