These honey-sweetened, gluten-free dinner rolls are pillowy-soft and almost melt in your mouth. They make the best dinner rolls or slider rolls. I share easy step-by-step directions with photos to walk you through making this incredible recipe.
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❤️ Sandi’s Recipe Summary: In a Nutshell
The Quick Bite: These gluten free honey dinner rolls are pillowy, yeast-risen rolls designed for dinner sides or slider buns. Unlike dessert “honey buns,” these are savory-leaning rolls with a soft, springy crumb that holds up perfectly to slider fillings. They are much easier to make than traditional milk-and-honey recipes, requiring only a single rise.
This new recipe is for my readers who love fluffy, soft dinner rolls and slider buns. I am talking game-day sliders that taste incredible. I tested this recipe multiple times to get it right, so you don’t have to waste ingredients. These rolls freeze well, so you can make a big batch and have some for later.
I was inspired to create a gluten-free version of this recipe after seeing these Milk Honey Rolls in an old issue of Better Homes and Gardens. Their recipe is complex; some ingredients must be cooked. I simplified the recipe, making it much easier to make in less time. These rolls are lightly sweetened with honey, but are not dessert rolls or honey buns.
If you enjoy baking gluten-free yeast breads for meals, you may also like these other gluten-free bread recipes. If you are looking for a faster, neutral-flavored roll with air fryer instructions, try these everyday Gluten-Free Dinner Rolls.
Testing Notes From My Kitchen
I only tested this recipe with Authentic Foods Steve’s Gluten-Free Bread Blend. It is my go-to flour blend for bread and rolls that require shaping. (Plus, it is like magic in a bag.) Several readers did test Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 and King Arthur Measure for Measure in this recipe. Unfortunately, these brands don’t say these blends don’t work with yeast on the bags, but these blends clearly state on their websites that they are not made for yeast recipes.
Readers using these blends commented that the buns turn out dense. If you want to use a 1:1 blend, I recommend Namaste or Cup4Cup, and start with 1/4 cup less milk. Check the dough consistency and add more flour if needed.
Ingredient Notes:
For the full list of ingredients and amounts, please go to the recipe card below.
- Gluten-Free Flour Blend – I have only tested this blend with the Authentic Foods Steve’s GF Bread Blend. Every flour blend performs differently, and many 1:1 blends do not work in yeast recipes. Two important notes: Ensure the blend you use is compatible with yeast, and if you use a different flour blend, start with less water. The Steve’s Bread Blend has a much higher moisture need than typical flour blends. Read Why Gluten-Free Flour Blends Vary to learn more. That being said, several readers left comments that they used Bob’s Red Mill 1:1, and it worked, though the rolls were not quite as fluffy.
- Binder – If your blend doesn’t contain a binder, you will need to add 1 teaspoon xanthan gum.
- Yeast – Use active dry yeast. I have not tested instant yeast, but it should work as well. Not all yeast is gluten-free. Avoid using Red Star Platinum.
- Honey – I highly recommend using inexpensive honey. There is no need to use expensive artisanal honey in this recipe.
- Milk – I used regular milk in this recipe. I have not tested plant-based milk, but a few readers have and had great success.
- Butter – Use unsalted butter.
- Eggs – Size large.
- Topping – Certified gluten-free rolled oats. I think sesame or poppy seeds would be even better.
These rolls are fluffy and springy. If you press down on them, they puff right back up! If you need a no-yeast recipe, try this easy Gluten-Free Bread Without Yeast.
How to Make Gluten-Free Dinner Rolls (or Slider Buns)
Step 1: Add the milk and honey to a glass dish or measuring cup. Heat in the microwave for 25 seconds. Do not allow the liquid to exceed 110°F. Stir to combine the honey and milk. Add the yeast and let it sit for 5 minutes until it gets bubbly.
Step 2: Add the yeast mixture, melted butter, and eggs to the stand mixer. Mix on low speed until they are blended.
Step 3: Add the flour and salt to the stand mixer. Mix on low and gradually increase to medium speed.
Every gluten free flour blend will be different due to its grain-to-starch ratio. Always use your best judgment and add more flour if your dough is wet and hard to shape.
Step 4: The dough forms well with this flour blend.
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Step 5: Use your hands to tear off some of the dough and roll it into balls. Place the dough balls on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. I used a 1/4 sheet pan, but a 9×13 pan will also work well.
Step 6: Loosely cover the rolls with plastic wrap and allow them to rise. As mentioned in the Tips for Success section. I let my rolls rise in a warm oven. Rise the rolls for 40-45 minutes. You can see how much my rolls rose.
Step 7: Use a whisk to mix the remaining egg in a small dish. Use a pastry brush to brush each roll with the egg wash.
Step 8: The original recipe called for rolled oats in the topping. I would recommend using sesame seeds instead. The rolled oats were slightly crunchy, taking away from the rolls. If you do use rolled oats, use certified gluten free oats only.
Step 9: Bake the honey rolls at 350º F for 20-25 minutes. The final baking time will vary depending on the size of the rolls you make.
Step 10: Transfer the rolls to a cooling rack and let cool slightly before serving.
Tips For Success:
- You only get one good rise when baking gluten free. It is important to shape your rolls before you rise the dough.
- Rise your rolls in a warm oven. I preheat the oven to 200º F. I then turn the oven off, loosely cover the rolls with plastic wrap, and place them in the warm oven. This may not be needed in the hotter summer months, but this is how I tested the recipe.
- Always ensure you are using a gluten free flour blend that works with yeast. Many brands do not and will state this on the bag or their website. This gluten-free flour blends article talks more about this, and I share a list of blends that will work with yeast.
- Store it the right way! Learn How to Store Gluten-Free Bread so you can keep it fresh.
I have a lot of resources to help you make incredible gluten free rolls and bread. If you need more tips, read my Gluten-Free Bread Troubleshooting Guide.
Slider Filling Ideas:
If you are making sliders, you want delicious filling ideas! Try some of these:
- Crispy Pulled Pork – Makes great slider filling!
- Pickled Onions – Easy to make, and they add so much flavor!
- Cheese – Always verify that your shredded cheese is gluten-free.
- Barbecue Sauce
- Sourkraut
- BBQ Chicken Sliders
Frequently Asked Questions:
You can swap the honey for maple syrup at a 1:1 ratio, though it will slightly alter the flavor profile. I do not recommend swapping honey for granulated sugar in this specific recipe. Honey attracts moisture, which gives these gluten-free rolls their signature “melt in your mouth” texture and helps prevent drying out.
Most yeast is gluten-free. It is still best to double-check the brand you use to ensure it is gluten-free. Note that Red Star “Platinum” is NOT gluten-free!
While these are incredible as a side for holiday dinners, their sturdy structure makes them the perfect gluten-free slider buns. They hold up beautifully to pulled pork, BBQ chicken, or even small burger patties without crumbling.
Store the leftover rolls in an airtight container. Gluten-free doesn’t keep fresh for long, so I highly recommend storing leftover rolls in a freezer-safe zip bag in the freezer. Microwave the rolls for 30 seconds to thaw them.
Serve these rolls with Apple Butter or this Kumquat Honey Butter.
More Gluten-Free Bread Recipes:
If you want gluten-free rolls with flavors like whole wheat, try these Gluten-Free Yeast Rolls.
- The best Gluten-Free Bread Machine Bread – This recipe makes a fluffy loaf of sandwich bread.
- Easy Gluten-Free Oat Bread – This dough would make great oat rolls, too!
- Fluffy Gluten-Free Hamburger Buns – These are perfect for hamburgers and sandwiches.
- Gluten-Free Garlic Knots – These buttery rolls are perfect for any meal.
Love This Recipe?
If you made and enjoyed this recipe, I would be incredibly grateful if you could leave a comment below. Please include which flour blend you used. This will help others know this recipe is delicious. Thank you!
Fluffy Gluten Free Milk Honey Rolls
Ingredients
- 4 cups gluten free flour blend (563 grams) * See Notes! (Weight for Steve's Blend Only!)
- 1 ¼ cup milk or non-dairy milk * See Notes
- 2 teaspoons active dry yeast *See Notes
- ⅓ cup honey
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 egg for the eggwash
Instructions
- Add the 1 ¼ cup milk or non-dairy milk and ⅓ cup honey to a small glass dish. Heat it in the microwave for 25 seconds. You do not want the liquid hotter than 110º F. Stir to mix the honey and milk. Add the 2 teaspoons active dry yeast and let it sit for 5 minutes until it gets bubbly.
- Add the yeast mixture, melted ½ cup unsalted butter, and 2 large eggs to the stand mixer. Mix on low speed until they are blended.
- Add the 4 cups gluten free flour blend (563 grams) and 1 teaspoon salt to the stand mixer. Mix on low and gradually increase to medium speed.
- Note, you can also mix this all by hand.
- Use your hands to tear off some of the dough and roll it into balls. Place the dough balls on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. I used a 1/4 sheet pan, but a 9×13 pan will also work well.
- Loosely cover the rolls with plastic wrap and allow them to rise. Rise the rolls for 40-45 minutes. You can see how much my rolls rose.
- Rise your rolls in a warm oven. I preheat the oven to 200º F. I then turn the oven off, cover the rolls loosely with plastic wrap, then place them in the warm oven. This may not be needed in the hotter summer months, but this is how I tested the recipe.
- Use a whisk to mix the remaining egg in a small dish. Use a pastry brush to brush each roll with the egg wash.
- Bake the honey rolls at 350º F for 20-25 minutes. The final baking time will vary depending on the size of the rolls you make.
- Move the rolls to a cooling rack and allow them to cool a little before serving.
- Store the leftover rolls in an airtight container. Gluten free doesn't keep fresh for long, so I highly recommend storing leftover rolls in a freezer-safe zip bag in the freezer. Microwave the rolls for 30 seconds to thaw them.
Notes
- I only tested this recipe with Authentic Foods Steve’s GF Bread Blend. I will test other blends, but note this is by far the best blend to use. Note: Cup4Cup and Namaste should work, but start with 1/4 cup less milk and add more flour as needed.
- I used whole milk; I haven’t tested any plant-based milk yet.
- I have not tested rapid yeast in this recipe.
- Verify your yeast is gluten free. Note: Red Star Platinum is not gluten free.
- It is critical to shape your rolls before the rise. Gluten free dough only gets one good rise.
- Store in an airtight container. Freeze if you don’t finish them; they will stay fresh longer in the freezer.
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SPECIAL NOTE
Please know that every gluten free flour blend has a different starch to grain ratio. If you use a blend I didn’t test, my rule of thumb is to add more flour if your dough or batter is wet and add more liquid if the dough or batter is too dry!
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the products and brands you are using with your preferred nutritional calculator.
I truly hope you enjoy this recipe. I have been testing and creating gluten-free recipes for over 15 years. Creating gluten-free recipes that do not taste gluten-free is my goal for every recipe. Sometimes I only have to test a new recipe a couple of times, and others it takes multiple times. I do this so you get reliable, delicious results every time!
Hi I’m new with GF can I use the Bob’s Red Mill 1to1 flour (this one have xathan included and add psyllium?
thx
Hi Pat, Welcome! Bob’s 1:1 doesn’t work well in yeast recipes. I have a huge resources section on my site if you are new to GF. This article, which gluten free flour blend works best in what types of recipes would be helpful. https://www.fearlessdining.com/the-best-gluten-free-flour/ As for your second question, adding another binder will make your baked goods turn out poorly. Do you prefer psyllium husk? If you do, I have an easy all purpose gluten free blend recipe on my site and it does work well with yeast. I haven’t tested it in this specific recipe, but it works in other bread recipes. https://www.fearlessdining.com/easy-gluten-free-all-purpose-flour-blend/ If you are new to gluten free I highly recommend using the suggested flour blend in that recipe, Authentic Foods Steve’s GF Bread Blend. It is seriously like magic in a bag.
No xantham gum is needed for this recipe?
Hi Ali, The blend I love the most, Authentic Foods Steve’s Bread Blend has another binder in it…so you do not need to add more. Same with the only other blend I tested in this recipe, Cup4Cup. It has xanthan gum. Which gluten-free flour blend are you planning to use? If you let me know, I can advise better.
Hi there. I made these rolls hoping to have something nice for our granddaughter. I haven’t tasted them yet but they seem very dense and not fluffy at all. I used “Bob mills 1to1 gluten free blend.” What could I have done differently? I followed the instructions as given.
Hi, I am sorry you had trouble with this recipe. Did you read my Tips for Success? I talked in my post a lot about the importance of using a gluten free flour blend that works with yeast. I also linked an article I wrote about it with a lot more details. The problem with most 1:1 blends, they do not work in yeast recipes. I wish these companies put it on the bag, but they only seem to state this on their website, which is frustrating. I would encourage you to try the recipe again and read my post because it has a lot of information and tips.
Are there any adjustments for high altitude?
Hi Sheri. I have no experience baking at a high altitude. I asked my readers for all of their gluten free high altitude baking tips a few months ago. This is a composite of all of their answers. I hope this helps. High Altitude Tips:
My cakes and cookies need to be baked at 375 not 350. What works best where I am is the 25/25 method. Bake at 25 degrees higher than the recipe – this helps the outside cook faster as it rises and the middle won’t sink in later. Also, bake for 20-25minutes less. Depending on what you’re making you can also add a little extra flour or baking soda. But for baked goods like cakes, muffins etc I add a little extra liquid and usually an extra egg and I cut back a little on baking powder or soda (so if it says 1 1/2 tsp baking soda I’ll do 1 tsp). I also bake at a slightly higher temperature so instead of 350F I’ll do 370F for the first part then drop it back down to 350F.
Hello just curious wanting to make these for my daughter who is celiac would the Krusteaz gluten free flour work? Thanks so much.
Hi Amanda, I have no experience with that flour blend. I looked on their website and I think it works with yeast. It is a grain heavy blend, I recommend starting with 1/4 to 1/3 cup less liquid, and add more as needed. The flour blend I used, Steve’s Bread Blend has a much higher water requirement than other blends.
After 2 failed attempts I had to make 3 modifications and that did the trick! The rolls were perfect, super soft, and a huge hit with the family. Like others, my rolls came out very dense despite following the recipe to the letter. The three modifications: 1. I heated up the milk for about a minute to get it warm enough to activate the yeast. 2. I added an additional 1/4 cup of milk to make the dough flexible enough to rise. The dough needs to be sticky and stretchy. 3. I oiled each roll with olive oil prior to rising to ensure the surface didn’t dry out. Perfection!
Hi Emily, What flour blend are you using? You definitely want to use warm milk. I mention heating it to 110º F, which is warm enough to activate the yeast. I am very glad you added more liquid. Every gluten free flour blend has a different grain to starch ratio, so adding more liquid or flour if needed is the right thing to do. I am glad you found what works so you could enjoy the recipe!
Thank you! I used the blend you recommended but now I’m going to experiment with others. I’m so grateful for this recipe. Thank you again! 🙂
You are very welcome. I appreciate the feedback and I love you plan to do more experimenting!
Hello! I’ve never been a good baker so this just might be me doing something wrong- mine came out okay in terms of taste, but for some reason it’s very dense. I used the same flour blend and the dough was very dry- maybe could of used a bit more liquid or something… My yeast mixture didn’t really bubble either though so that could be the cause as well? yeast’s expiration date was a month away.
I am thrilled you loved this recipe, Tarryn. Can you please tell me what flour blend you tried? If it was dense, most likely you needed more liquid, as you mention. A month away from the yeast expiration could have been the issue, but if your house is cold from air conditioning, it needs more warmth or time to bubble.
I can’t get these right. Mine keeps coming out so heavy and dense. The first time I made them I realized I accidentally used instant yeast instead of active yeast, so the second time I tried I was so excited and they didn’t turn out any better or fluffy. What am I doing wrong? does the milk and honey need to be warmer or should I let it rise longer than the 45 mins in a warm oven?
Hi! I am happy to troubleshoot. First, what gluten free flour blend are you using? Some blends do not work with yeast, and EVERY blend has a different starch to grain ratio, which greatly affects the moisture level.
just curious I can’t find your honey butter recipe that’s normally on this link. any suggestions?
Hi Patricia, That is odd, I don’t see it. I wonder if it was removed off the website I linked to? If you do a simple honey butter search, it will pull a lot of recipes.
I made these rolls on a whim to go with homemade chicken soup. They turned out really good considering I made them with gluten free Cup4cup flour and I used oat milk. They were a wee bit heavy so I’ll measure my flour differently next time. I’ll be making these again!
I am so glad you enjoyed these rolls! It is good to know Cup4Cup worked well for you. If they were a little heavy, you could go by the dough consistency and use a little less flour. Also, did they double in size? Maybe they just needed more time for rising?