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Gluten-Free Cream Cheese Cinnamon Buns

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Gluten-free Cream Cheese Cinnamon Rolls | The Baking Beauties
Well, although I didn’t get accepted as a finalist in this dessert round (I know, right? I was a little surprised as well), I will keep cooking, and keep entering recipes, because in two weeks, we’ll be starting desserts again. Time to kick it up and really impress them with my gluten-free desserts then! But, here is my recipes for these amazing gluten-free Cream Cheese Cinnamon Buns.

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

Gluten-Free Cream Cheese Cinnamon Buns

Yield: 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 9x13 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.

    Did you make this recipe?

    If you've made this recipe, I'd love if you could leave a 5 star review and comment. Share it to Instagram and tag @faithfullygf or use the hashtag #faithfullygf . I'd love to see it!

    © Jeanine Friesen

     

    About Jeanine Friesen

    Jeanine Friesen is the creator of gluten free recipes that are so good, you can't tell they are gluten free. Her site, Faithfully Gluten Free, has been helping the gluten free community live a life filled with delicious food since 2008. She has also published a beginner guide for those on the gluten free journey called "The Everything Guide to Living Gluten Free".

    Comments

      • Ann says

        Hello, I am making 4 batches of these for a friend tomorrow morning. She is going to take them to work for her Birthday and needs them by 9am. Well, I don’t really want to get up at 4am and so I was wondering…have you ever made these the night before and let them rise in the refrigerator? P.S. The recipe is WONDERFUL! When she had these for the first time she cried 🙂

        Reply

    2. Veronica Hill says

      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?

      Reply

      • Tonia says

        Hi All! I just finished making these (actually I made the Pumpkin cinnamon rolls). It was almost a big gooey mess. I think watching the video really would help. Unfortunately, I didn’t watch the video until AFTER I made them…was just trying to get them done. Part of the problem that I saw was that the recipe maybe should say, “sprinkle enough granulated sugar on the plastic wrap to cover the whole surface of where the dough will touch.” My husband loves cinnamon rolls. So, I was making them for him. He said, “For gluten free, I’d give them 4 out of 5 stars”

        Reply

    3. Iris says

      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!

      Reply

    4. Kim-Cook It Allergy Free says

      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! 😉

      Reply

    6. Jeanine - The Baking Beauties says

      @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!

      Reply

    8. Becky says

      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.

      Reply

    9. Jeanette says

      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?

      Reply

    11. Jacquie says

      I am so excited to try these this weekend when my family is here for our dear granddaughter’s baptism!! My daughter, son, grandson and I all have celiacs, so this will be a wonderful treat. I may alter the caramel mixture from “pre-celiac” days. my version is so creamy and does not harden. My carmel is 1/2 c cream, 1/2 c sugar, & 2 TB of butter…heat until the butter melts and pour over the rolls. I will let you know how this turns out!! Thanks so much for this recipe and the work you have put into it!

      Reply

    12. Chris says

      I made these cinnamon rolls too. I had the sticky problem but just dusted the dough with a little flour to help manage them and all was good. They are heavenly! I didn’t have the heavy whipping cream so I used coconut milk and it worked great. My husband and friends that tried them loved them also and they don’t eat gluten free. I will definetly be making more of these!

      Reply

    13. Kathy says

      Made these for a group of friends. Everyone enjoyed them whether they were gluten-free or not. The taste and texture was superb. And the video for rolling out was very helpful. Much easier to make then what I anticipated

      Reply

    14. Anne says

      Would love to try these but am on the other side of the world where Jell-o instant vanilla pudding mix isn’t available. Any ideas for a substitute?

      Reply

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