Gluten Free Cinnamon Rolls

It's baking season!

Time for 

Gluten Free Cinnamon Rolls.

These are seriously amazing (amazing!!!) cinnamon rolls.

They are light, chewy, cinnamon-y, gooey.

Seriously, the cinnamon rolls that we celiacs dream about.

The first time I made these, I cried.  

Cried tears of joy!

I had finally found a "real" cinnamon roll recipe.

I had tried mixes and a bun-style cinnamon bread, but it wasn't the same.  I wanted to sink my teeth into a cinnamon roll.

And here it is!  

What more could we ask for?!?

These can be made the night before up to the baking stage, kept in the fridge and baked in the morning if that would helpful.

These really are the perfect Christmas morning treat.

(The original recipe came from iamglutenfree.blogspot.com)

Gluten Free Cinnamon Rolls

Dough:

2 T. butter

1/4 cup sugar

2/3 cup milk, room temperature

1 T. yeast

1 egg

1/4 cup canola oil

1/2 cup potato starch

1 cup corn starch

1/4 t. baking soda

1 T. xanthan gum

2 t. baking powder

1/2 t. salt

1 t. vanilla

2 T. sugar to sprinkle on the cutting board for rolling

Filling:

2 T. butter

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 t. cinnamon

Optional fillers: 1/3 cup of nuts, raisins/craisins, coconut, mini marshmallows, chocolate chips, cinnamon chips, whatever suits your fancy.  (I've never added anything.)

Glaze:

3/4 cups powdered sugar

1 t. vanilla

1 T. milk, or enough for desired consistency

or if preferred instead of a glaze, use your favorite cream cheese frosting

Preheat oven to 375.

In a medium bowl, combine butter and sugar.  Mix well.  

In a bowl or glass measuring cup, measure out the 2/3 cup room-temperature milk.  Add the yeast and lightly whisk.  Cover with plastic wrap to proof yeast. 

Add remaining ingredients to the butter/sugar mixture.  Mix well.  Add the milk/yeast mixture removing all lumps.  The dough will be soft.  

Take a piece of plastic wrap and cover a cutting board.  Sprinkle sugar on the plastic.  Spoon the dough onto the middle of the board.  Place another piece of plastic wrap over the top and roll out the dough into a square, about 1/4 inch- 1/2 inch thick, depending on how "bready" you want your rolls to be.  

Remove the top piece of plastic.  Combine the filling ingredients, except for the butter.  Dot the dough with the 2 T. of butter.  Spread the combined filling ingredients onto the dough.  Leave about an 1" edge around the square, this way when the dough is rolled the filling won't fall out the ends.

Using the bottom piece of plastic lift the edge of the longer side and start to roll the dough into a cylinder.    Don't roll the plastic into the dough!

You should now have a nice long cylinder log.

Cut 8-9 slices, 1 1/2 inches wide with floss or thread.  

(This is the best method for cutting the soft dough.  Cut a long piece of thread or dental floss.  Slide the middle of the thread underneath the dough to where you want to cut your first cinnamon roll.  Then cross your hands while lifting and it will create a perfect slice.  Let me know if this doesn't make sense...)

Place the cinnamon roll into a greased glass pie pan.

Cut about 8-9 cinnamon rolls.

(If you are going to bake the next morning, cover and put in the fridge now.  In the morning, continue onward.)

Let rise for 20-30 minutes or until they look puffy and have filled out the pan.

Bake for 20 minutes or until the tops are lightly browned.

Make the glaze by combining the powdered sugar, vanilla and milk.  Stir until smooth.

Drizzle over warm rolls to make really gooey, or let rolls cool to have an actual glaze.  

Or frost with favorite cream cheese icing.

Hope you enjoy them!