These gluten free peanut butter cinnamon rolls with a peanut butter glaze are about to become your family's favorite morning treat. Roll them up with cinnamon and butter, bake, then drizzle peanut butter glaze all over them when they come out of the oven! (I also include nut-free and dairy-free options!!)
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Today you get this post from my husband's point of view. Mr. Fearless Dining is quite witty, and he is a die-hard peanut butter fan. If you want to skip the long story, straight to the recipe, and hit that big Jump to Recipe button at the top.
Do you know how books give the "his" and "hers" versions of a story? You have to understand, that my husband has never wanted much to do with my blog, except eat what I make. Well, this gluten free peanut butter cinnamon rolls recipe inspired him to write a few words for you today.
Hi Everyone, it is Mrs. Fearless Dining's husband, David.
It’s Christmas morning, and your kids are up faster than Santa’s sleigh sped around the world last night. They need some kind of breakfast to fuel the present-opening frenzy. There’s the usual daily breakfast stuff (blah).
This holiday season, Sandi (Mrs. Fearless Dining and my wife) made peanut butter cinnamon rolls for our family. She’s made a lot of recipes for you, the readers of this blog, but this one, with the combination of cinnamon rolls and peanut butter more than doubling the appeal, disappeared faster than, well, let’s just say much faster than she wanted it to.
Please let Sandi know how your family enjoys these Peanut Butter Cinnamon Rolls! (She already knows how much I enjoyed them - it meant a trip to the virtual doghouse, but it was so worth it!) If you prefer regular cinnamon rolls, try her Gluten Free Cinnamon Rolls recipe!
Cinnamon rolls have universal appeal (there’s a whole chain of stores that makes just these!), and, well, peanut butter. I needn’t say more.
Peanut butter is even more delicious and also more healthful than cinnamon rolls, and it’s just as tempting. Combine peanut butter and cinnamon rolls, and even those with the steeliest wills will be wiping crumbs off their faces (while your wife is not looking and after she asked you to wait until the photos were done.
I’m only human, and these were sitting around for hours!).
But there is more to say: by using peanut butter in these delicious rolls, the protein content slows down the hyper-burn rate a bit. We’ve lowered the likelihood of sugar-crash-temper-tantrum-driven tears falling among the shreds of wrapping paper.
And that, my friends, is a blessing on Christmas morning.
If you celebrate holidays other than Christmas, then make these peanut butter cinnamon rolls on New Year's Eve to help you recover on New Year’s morning. (But good luck on keeping them around that long!)
Note this post was updated from an old December 2019 post with more information.
You may also love these Gluten Free Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls!
Ingredient Notes:
This Authentic Foods Steve's Gluten Free Bread Blend is hands down the best gluten-free flour for yeasted bread recipes. With this flour, you can braid, shape, and roll incredible bread, cinnamon rolls, and pizza crust. (Note, it doesn't work in a bread machine.)
- Gluten free flour blend - I recommend Authentic Foods Steve's GF Bread Blend or Cup4Cup to make this recipe. These are by far the best for cinnamon rolls. This doesn't mean other blends won't work, I just haven't tested any others. Try to avoid flour blends that are high in starch.
- Xanthan gum - As always, if your blend does not contain Xanthan Gum, you will need to add 1 teaspoon.
- Honey - You can use cheap honey for this recipe...no need to use expensive local honey.
- Butter - I recommend unsalted butter.
- Eggs - Use size large
- Yeast - Use one packet of dry yeast. I used regular, not rapid rise. Double-check that the brand you use is gluten free. Red Star Platinum is NOT gluten free!
- Milk - Dairy-free or regular milk is fine. If you are making this gluten free cinnamon rolls recipe dairy-free, use dairy-free butter.
- Peanut butter - I recommend using unsalted peanut butter for this recipe.
Recipe Step By Step Directions:
Step 1: Add the yeast, honey, and warm water to a small bowl. Be sure your water is no hotter than 110º F. Allow the yeast to get bubbly, for about 10 minutes.
Step 2: Add your wet ingredients to a large bowl of a standing mixer. Add the peanut butter and other ingredients to your mixer. Use the paddle attachment or dough hook attachment.
Step 3: Slowly add the dry ingredients and mix at low speed, gradually increasing the speed until you have a dough ball.
Step 4: You only get one good rise in gluten free so you need to shape the rolls before rising the dough.
Step 5: Roll the gluten free cinnamon roll dough out flat. I rolled my dough to a ½ inch thickness. It is fine to dust the counter or silicone mat with rice flour to prevent sticking.
Mix up the cinnamon sugar filling in a medium bowl.
Step 6: Sprinkle the brown sugar and cinnamon filling. Carefully roll the dough.
Use thread to cut the dough to make even rolls. I loop the thread under the roll. Pull each end up. Twist the ends and pull each so that it cuts through the dough.
Step 7: Place the cut rolls in a greased 9x13 baking pan. Cover the pan with plastic wrap and place it in a warm place to rise. Rise the rolls for 45 minutes, or until they double in size.
Step 8: Bake the rolls at 375º F for 25-30 minutes.
Step 9: Mix up the peanut butter glaze and brush and whisk to get any lumps out. Drizzle the peanut butter glaze over the warm cinnamon rolls.
Expert Tips and Recipe FAQ:
You can easily make this nut-free. Either use Sunbutter for the glaze or make a simple glaze with just powdered sugar and water.
This recipe is very easy to make dairy-free by using vegan butter and non-dairy milk.
These cinnamon rolls will keep fresh for up to 4 days in an air-tight container in the refrigerator, or up to 4 months in the freezer.
If your cinnamon rolls turned out tough and dense, it is because there was too much flour and not enough liquid, or you used gluten free flour that doesn't work well with yeast. If you use a starchy gluten free flour blend, you may need to add a little more liquid.
You can also use this super creamy keto peanut butter to make this recipe!
More Gluten Free Sweet Treats:
📖 Recipe
Gluten Free Peanut Butter Cinnamon Rolls
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cup Gluten Free Flour Blend * see note
- 2 teaspoons yeast
- ¼ cup peanut butter * see note
- ½ cup warm water
- ½ cup almond milk * see note
- 3 tablespoons melted butter
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 large eggs
For the Filling:
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon cold butter for rolls
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
For the Glaze:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- ¼ cup Skippy Natural Honey Peanut Butter
- 2-3 tablespoons water
Instructions
- In a dish, add ½ cup warm water, yeast, and honey. Make sure your water is no warmer than 200º F.
- Let sit for 10 minutes until yeast starts to bubble.
- In a mixer, add eggs, peanut butter, melted butter, yeast mixture, and almond milk.
- Mix on low to blend.
- Add flour ¼ cup at a time and continue mixing on low.
- Once all flour is added, turn up the speed to medium high.
- Blend one to two minutes.
- Put plastic wrap over the mixing bowl and set in a warm spot to allow the dough to rise.
- Rise 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350º F.
- Cut off a large piece of wax paper.
- Dust with flour.
- Drop the dough on and sprinkle a little flour on top.
- Place another piece of wax paper on top and roll to ½ inch thickness with a rolling pin.
- Place tiny chunks of cold butter along the dough.
- Spread the cinnamon sugar mixture on top.
- Slowly roll the dough into a log.
- With a sharp knife, cut the dough into 2 inch slices. You can also use baker's string or thread to cut the rolls. This is actually the best way to keep your rolls perfectly rounded. To do this method, put the string under the roll. Twist the string over the roll and pull to cut each roll.
- Arrange into a greased 8x8 baking dish.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes.
- While the rolls are baking, add Skippy Natural Honey Peanut Butter and powdered sugar into a small bowl.
- Add 2-3 tablespoons water.
- Mix with a whisk to blend.
- Spread over the cinnamon rolls and enjoy!
Notes
- I have tested this recipe with Authentic Foods Steve's GF Bread Blend and Cup4Cup. That doesn't mean others will not work, I just have not tested other flours.
- If your gluten free flour blend doesn’t contain Xanthan Gum or Guar Gum, please add 1 teaspoon.
- To make this recipe dairy-free, substitute the butter for vegan butter and use dairy-free milk.
- Other dairy-free kinds of milk will work but I do not recommend canned coconut milk.
- These rolls will keep up to 4 days in an air-tight container, or up to 4 months in the freezer.
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, you may need to adjust your moisture levels in your baked goods.
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.
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(*This post was updated from an old 12/15 post.)
Susan
I really want to try this recipe, but I'm wondering if I could halve it successfully. Do you know if that would be OK? Even 6 rolls is more than enough for me, living alone!
Sandi Gaertner
you can definitely half this recipe, or make all and freeze some 🙂