Bake up a pan of these Gluten Free Raspberry Sweet Rolls, filled with lightly sweetened cream cheese, orange zest, and tart raspberries.
I know a lot of you have found The Baking Beauties by searching for gluten free Cinnamon Buns. Hopefully you’ve given them a try, they were a huge success for you, and now you can’t wait to see what other recipes I have for you. OK, maybe that’s just my imagination working overtime. Either way, I hope that you will love these gluten free Raspberry Sweet Rolls as much as my family did.
The recipe for the dough is very similar to my Cinnamon Bun recipe, just tweaked a little. Slathered with cream cheese, a little hit of orange zest, and tart juicy raspberries before they are rolled up, these sweet rolls are brimming with richness and flavour.
A little note: If you’re going to make these, and you want them to work out, please use a kitchen scale that measures in grams. Using a scale will ensure that you and I are both measuring things exactly the same.
If your 1 cup is a little less than my one cup – the dough will be sticky and difficult to work with. But 100 grams is 100 grams – no arguing with that. Having an accurate kitchen scale is handy when you do a lot of baking – especially breads.
Gluten Free Raspberry Sweet Rolls
Bake up a pan of these Gluten Free Raspberry Sweet Rolls, filled with lightly sweetened cream cheese, orange zest, and tart raspberries.
Ingredients
Dough:
- 335 g (2 1/2 cups) brown rice flour
- 178 g (1 1/4 cups) tapioca starch/flour
- 135 g (3/4 cup) potato starch (NOT flour)
- 99 g (4 serving size) dry vanilla instant Jello pudding mix OR 1/3 cup dry milk powder
- 56 g (1/4 cup) granulated sugar
- 12 g (1 Tbsp) instant rapid rise yeast
- 9 g (1 Tbsp) xanthan gum
- 6 g (1 1/2 tsp) baking powder
- 3 g (1/2 tsp) salt
- 3/4 cup (175 ml) water
- 85 g (6 Tbsp) unsalted butter, soft
- 1 cup plus 2 Tablespoons (270 ml) milk (Start with 1 cup, add additional 2 Tbsp if necessary)
- 2 large eggs
- 3 tablespoons (45 ml) oil
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) pure vanilla extract
Filling:
- 8 oz (250 g) cream cheese, very soft
- 42 g (3 Tbsp) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) pure vanilla extract
- zest of 1 orange (reserve some for garnish, if you want)
- 28 g (2 Tbsp) granulated sugar
- 3 g (5 ml) cornstarch
- 240 g (2 cups) individually frozen raspberries
Glaze:
- 125 g (1 cup) confectioners' (icing) sugar
- 30 ml (2 Tbsp) fresh orange juice
- 15-30 ml (1-2 Tbsp) heavy cream or milk
Instructions
- Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking pan and set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together the brown rice flour, tapioca starch, potato starch, pudding mix, 1/4 cup sugar, yeast, xanthan gum, baking powder, and salt.
- Place the water and 6 tablespoons butter in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave for 1 minute, or until the butter has melted. Add the milk to the mixture, followed by the eggs, oil, apple cider vinegar, and vanilla. Whisk together.
- With the mixer running on low, add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. If the dough is too dry, add another 30 ml (2 Tablespoons) of milk.
- Let the mixer run on medium speed for 3-5 minutes or until the dough is smooth. The dough should be too sticky to handle, if it isn't, add more milk, a few teaspoons at a time, until the dough sticks to your fingers slightly.
- While the dough is mixing, stir together the softened cream cheese, 3 Tbsp sugar, 1 tsp vanilla, and orange zest. It should be soft enough to mix with a spoon, if not, heat it in the microwave in 15 second intervals until it is very soft and smooth, but not hot. Set aside.
- Wipe a smooth counter with a damp cloth, and lay 2 strips of plastic wrap, over lapping each other, on the counter. You want to have an area that is at least 24" x 20". Sprinkle the plastic wrap with about 1 tablespoon granulated sugar. This will keep the dough from sticking to the wrap.
- Scrape the dough out onto the prepared plastic wrap. Cover with another sheet of plastic wrap, and using your hands and a rolling pin, shape the dough into a rectangle, about 12"x16" big. Reposition the plastic wrap as necessary.
- Spread the softened cream cheese mixture onto the dough, leaving about 1 1/2-inches on one long edge free from cream cheese.
- In a bowl, stir together the 2 Tbsp granulated sugar and cornstarch. Toss in the frozen raspberries and toss until the berries are evenly coated. Spread the raspberries over the cream cheese layer, and sprinkle any remaining sugar over the berries. Lightly press the berries into the cream cheese.
- Working on the long edge that has cream cheese, use the plastic wrap to help you roll the dough up. Try to use the plastic wrap to form the roll rather than touching the dough. Once the dough is all rolled up, use the plastic wrap to squeeze the roll slightly, to ensure that you have a nice tight roll.
- Using a piece of bright coloured thread (so you won't lose it in the dough), make marks on the top of the roll, first dividing it in half, then quarters, and finally dividing each quarter into 3. You should have 12 rolls marked off. Slide the thread underneath the roll at one end, line it up with one of the marks that you made, and bring the threads to the top, crossing them, to cut through the dough.
- Place the rolls, cut side up, in the prepared pan.
- The rolls will take a long time to rise, since the filling has frozen fruit in it. Cover lightly with a towel and let rise in a warm place for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. I like to turn my oven on to 100, then turn it OFF when it is warm (not hot) in there. Keeping the oven light on helps it to stay warm in there while the dough rises.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C). Bake the rolls in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, or until they are lightly browned on top.
- While the rolls are baking, whisk together the confectioners' sugar, orange juice, and cream to make your glaze. Spread over the rolls while they are still hot.
- Let the rolls cool in the baking pan for at least 15 minutes before eating. The filling is very hot, and the texture of the rolls improves if they are eaten warm instead of hot.
- You can FREEZE leftover rolls by placing them in the freezer on a parchment lined baking sheet. Once they are frozen, you can wrap each individually in plastic wrap, and store in an airtight container or zipper seal bag. Remove one at a time, let it defrost, and reheat for a few seconds in the microwave before serving.
Notes
The recipe calls for individually frozen raspberries - defrosted or fresh raspberries will not give the same result, they make a mess when rolling up the rolls.
Lorraine says
Oh Jeanine! I made your Cinnamon buns/rolls and they worked out beautifully and these look equally delicious! Thanks so much for sharing! Can’t wait!
Jeanine says
So glad to hear that, Lorraine! 😀
Megan | Allergy Free Alaska says
These look SO GOOD, Jeanine!! You’re a baking genius, seriously! Now pardon me while I wipe up the drool! 😉
Jeanine says
Aw, coming from you, Megan, that is quite the compliment! You’ve got me drooling on a regular basis. lol
Nicole Allen says
Do your recipes call for anything different for high altitude? Ive tried making several breads but they come out like bricks. Yeast is new and in date, but they never rise. Help, please! Thank you.
Jeanine says
Hi Nicole, I don’t know much about baking at high altitudes. I know some have mentioned they’ve baked it without a problem, but now I can’t remember which bread it was. 🙁 Sorry!
Linda says
My mom has diverticulitis and the raspberry seeds are a problem for her. I assume that other frozen berries would work equally as well??
Jeanine says
I know blueberries work well too! 😉 I’m planning on sharing that version in the next few weeks. 🙂
Jeanette says
Made these today. Dough was a little too soft. Did weigh the ingredients. Just had to move them quick from the counter into the pan. Taste is fantastic. Thanks for another great recipe. Almost paska rolls time! Wanted to send you a pic, but can’t on here.
Jeanine says
Yeah! Glad to hear you got them made today, Jeanette! The dough is soft, quite a bit softer than wheat dough, but it needs to be, or the dough will be DRY once it is baked. Ack! You can try 1-2 tbsp less milk next time, just to see how that works for you.
Jeanette says
I posted a pic on your facebook site. You can see the dough was soft as it was a little hard to put in the pan but the taste was great. Yes, next time I will watch as I pour in the liquid. I have done a lot of gf baking so I was guessing it was a little too soft and it was, still tastes great!
Jeanine says
Thanks for the feedback, Jeanette! Loved the pic too – thanks for sharing it!
Jodie says
These look delicious. I was wondering if I could use gluten free four in place of the flours you use?
Jeanine says
It will all depend, Jodie. I don’t use pre-blended flours, because all of them are different, and they will all act differently. It would be a matter of trial & error to see if your blend would work.
margo says
Do you if using flax eggs would work & what about coconut milk? Thanks
Jeanine says
I haven’t tried it, Margo. Sounds like a good experiment though. If you try it, please let me know how it works.
Bethany says
Is it possible to substitute guar gum for the xathan gum?
Jeanine says
I haven’t tried it with guar gum, Bethany. If you try it, please let me know how it works.
Michelle says
These are in the oven right now 🙂 I had a roll-up malfunction (lol) … I think I rolled out the dough a little too long and wide. When I went to roll it up, things kind of got away on me! It was a very sticky mess, but I think I managed to somewhat recover from that little mishap. The buns have just risen and they look pretty good!! …. Could be better … But they should still work 🙂
Jeanine says
Oh no! Yeah, if the dough is rolled too thin, it becomes pretty difficult to roll up. Food that isn’t picture perfect can still taste amazing!
DEBBIE says
hi there, i converted this to dairy free bt stuck to the exact same weights etc. my mix was super wet?
it tasted amazing but ended up a big blobby cake : ) any tips? could the kind of milk (almond milk) have effected it that much?
DEBBIE says
hi there, i converted this to dairy free and stuck to the exact same weights etc. as in the recipe but my mix was super wet? i managed to pour it out and spread with a coconut mis and roll up but it was too wet to stay together when cut
it tasted amazing but ended up a big blobby cake : ) any tips? could the kind of milk (almond milk) have effected it that much?
Jeanine says
Good question, Debbie, I’m not sure. I haven’t tried using almond milk for this, so I’m not sure if that makes a difference or not.
Shirley @ gfe & All Gluten-Free Desserts says
Such gorgeous sweet rolls as I said before (and everone has said!!), Jeanine. Just shared on All Gluten-Free Desserts, All the Time and now I see you have a new Blueberry Sweet Rolls recipe! So awesome on all! Off to check that recipe out …
Shirley
Jeanine says
Thanks so much for sharing the recipe with your readers, Shirley! I appreciate it!
Joan says
Hi Jeanine, I am a former “Manitoba girl” and recently gluten-free. I have found your recipes very helpful in learning how to bake gluten free. I just wanted to let you know that I used this sweet roll dough as the basis to make danishes this morning and they turned out great. Thank you for the recipe and the inspiration!
Jeanine says
Your danishes look great, Joan! Thanks for letting me know!
Sue says
I was wondering what pudding mix you use. I am assuming it’s the Jell-O brand.Kraft has changed their supplier for 5 things (spices, flavorings…) and they can’t guarantee they are gluten free this past year. Their labels used to be so trustworthy but not anymore. Any substitutes that you might know?
Jeanine says
Hi Sue,
I do use the Kraft Jell-o brand, I haven’t heard anything about the ones in Canada. I know they are not labeled GF, but the ingredients also don’t contain any gluten. Something may be unsafe due to cross contamination, that is true. You can always make your own mix though if you can’t find one that is GF. http://glutenfreeonashoestring.com/gluten-free-instant-pudding-mix-recipes/
Sue says
Hi Jeanine, thanks for the site to make your own pudding. I like that idea. Your recipe looks great. Looking forward to making it. Thanks for your recipes.