These gluten free sourdough cinnamon rolls come out of the oven soft and fluffy, with a gooey cinnamon sugar swirl and sweet icing that melts into every layer. The sourdough discard adds a subtle tang that makes the sweetness taste even better. One bite and you will not believe they are gluten free.
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❤️ Sandi’s Recipe Summary
The Quick Bite: This homemade gluten free sourdough cinnamon roll recipe is a great way to use up extra gluten free sourdough discard. These rolls turn out sweet with a slight sourdough tang, and bake up soft and fluffy.
I have been on a mission to use up more of my gluten free sourdough discard lately. I have a big jar in the fridge to experiment with, so I consulted with my daughter. She has a huge sweet tooth, so I knew she would come up with a good idea. When she mentioned trying sourdough cinnamon rolls, I got pretty excited for the challenge.
If you look at all of my gluten-free sourdough and discard recipes, most are savory. This recipe took a few tries to perfect, but I am so glad I kept trying because these fluffy gluten free sourdough discard cinnamon rolls are so good. They have a great balance of tanginess from the sourdough and sweetness from the sugar cinnamon swirl.
I also have several flavors of homemade cinnamon rolls. Check out my classic Gluten-Free Cinnamon Rolls to see what my inspiration was for these sourdough rolls.
Ingredient Notes and Easy Swaps:
For the full list of ingredients and amounts, please go to the recipe card below.
- Gluten-Free Flour Blend – I only tested this recipe with Authentic Foods Steve’s Gluten Free Flour Blend. It is magic in a bag and makes the most fluffy cinnamon rolls. Other blends will work, but it is really important to use a blend that works in yeast recipes. If you use another blend, you may need to reduce the amount of milk. Steve’s blend has a higher moisture need than other flour blends. Read Why Gluten-Free Flour Blends Vary to learn more about this.
- Binder – This is what holds your baked goods together. If your flour blend doesn’t contain a binder, add 3/4 teaspoon of xanthan gum. Learn Why Binders are Important in Gluten-Free Baking.
- Sourdough Starter – If you do not have an active sourdough starter, it is a great time to make one! Read my Gluten Free Sourdough Starter recipe for instructions.
- Yeast – I tested my recipe using rapid/instant yeast. You can use active dry yeast and bloom it in warm milk if you prefer. Do NOT use Red Star Platinum Yeast. This one brand is not gluten free.
- Butter – I used unsalted butter when testing this recipe.
- Sugar – I tested my recipe using white sugar, but you can easily swap brown sugar if you prefer.
- Milk – I used Oatly Super Basic to test this recipe. Any dairy-free milk should work, but do not use canned coconut milk. It is too thick. You can also use regular milk.
Make these rolls gum-free with my Gluten-Free All Purpose Flour Blend. It works really well in yeast recipes.
Testing Notes From My Kitchen
The first time I tried to use my discard in this recipe, I ended up using too much. This added too much of a sour flavor. After reducing the amount of discard to just 1/2 a cup, the flavor was much better. I only tested one flour blend in this recipe. Authentic Foods Steve’s Gluten Free Bread blend is by far the best flour for making cinnamon rolls. They rise beautifully, and they are so fluffy, you really can’t tell they are gluten free.
I also tested the recipe using Earth Balance dairy-free butter since so many of my readers are also dairy-free. The dairy-free version had great flavor, though I will say the butter softened a lot quicker when mixing it with the cinnamon and sugar.
How to Make Gluten Free Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls (Step-By-Step)
Step 1: Add the softened butter, sourdough starter, milk, and eggs to a stand mixer. Add the yeast and mix on low speed until blended. Use a digital scale to measure the flour, sugar, and salt. Combine them in a mixing bowl and whisk to blend. Then add the dry ingredients to the stand mixer. Insert a paddle attachment.
👀 Sandi Says: I like to premix my dry ingredients in a mixing bowl so that everything mixes in evenly.
Step 2: Blend on low speed until everything is blended. This helps prevent the flour from flying out of the mixer. Turn the speed up and let the dough beat against the edges of the bowl for 30 seconds.
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Step 3: Remove the dough from the stand mixer and shape it into a ball on a silicone mat. The dough should be workable and not sticky. If you used a different flour blend, you may need to sprinkle additional flour on the mat to prevent sticking.
Step 4: Use a rolling pin or your hand to press the dough into a rectangle shape. I pressed my dough to 1/2 inch thickness.
Step 5: In a small mixing bowl, melt the butter for 25 seconds. Add the sugar and cinnamon and mix well. Spread it over the dough.
Step 6: Tightly roll the dough the long way into a tight roll. It is important to shape the rolls before the rise because in gluten free baking, you only get one good rise.
Take a piece of sewing thread and place it under the roll towards the end. Twist the ends to cut through the roll. This is a great way to cut out the cinnamon rolls without squishing or flattening them.
Step 7: Place the gluten free cinnamon rolls in a parchment paper lined 8×8 pan. Place a piece of plastic wrap loosely over the top. I rise my dough in an oven warmed to 150 to 175ºF. I put the pan in the oven and then keep the door cracked open to rise.
Rise until the cinnamon rolls double in size, which should be between 40 and 45 minutes. Remove the rolls from the oven. Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
Step 8: Bake the sourdough cinnamon rolls for 25-30 minutes. A metal baking dish will bake a little quicker than the ceramic dish I used.
Step 9: Remove the rolls from the oven and place the pan on a cooling rack. Mix the powdered sugar and milk. Spread the glaze over the warm rolls.
If you love baking with sourdough as much as I do, try these delicious Gluten-Free Sourdough Scones and Gluten-Free Sourdough Muffins. They are fan favorites.
Cinnamon Roll Troubleshooting:
If your dough is wet, you need to add more flour. Every flour blend is different, and making adjustments of more flour or milk is normal.
If your rolls didn’t rise, check the expiration date of the yeast you used. Also, be sure to rise in a warm spot.
More Gluten Free Cinnamon Roll Recipes:
- These Gluten Free Nutella Cinnamon Rolls are easy to make with this sourdough discard. Swap the cinnamon sugar for Nutella.
- We love these Gluten Free Lemon Rolls. They have lemon curd swirled in each spiral.
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Homemade Gluten Free Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
- 220.1 grams gluten free flour blend * SEE NOTES (1 1/3 cups)
- 28.2 grams sugar (2 TBSP)
- 1.5 grams salt (1/4 tsp)
- 7.4 grams rapid yeast (1 packet)
- 138.5 grams sourdough discard (1/2 cup)
- 42.5 grams unsalted butter melted (3 TBSP)
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup milk or non-dairy (butter and milk = 99.7 grams)
Filling
- 50 grams sugar white or brown sugar (1/4 cup)
- 7 grams ground cinnamon (1 TBSP)
- 57 grams unsalted butter (4 TBSP)
Icing
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 3-4 tablespoons milk or non-dairy
Instructions
- Add the 42.5 grams unsalted butter, 138.5 grams sourdough discard, 1/2 cup milk or non-dairy, and 2 large eggs to a stand mixer. Add 7.4 grams rapid yeast and mix on low speed until blended. Use a digital scale to measure 220.1 grams gluten free flour blend, 28.2 grams sugar, and 1.5 grams salt. Combine them in a mixing bowl and whisk to blend.
- Add the dry ingredients to the stand mixer. Insert a paddle attachment.
- Blend on low speed until everything is blended. This helps prevent the flour from flying out of the mixer. Turn the speed up and let the dough beat against the edges of the bowl for 30 seconds.
- Remove the dough from the stand mixer and shape it into a ball on a silicone mat. The dough should be workable and not sticky. If you used a different flour blend, you may need to sprinkle additional flour on the mat to prevent sticking.
- Use a rolling pin or your hand to press the dough into a rectangle shape. I pressed my dough to 1/2 inch thickness.
- In a small mixing bowl, melt 57 grams unsalted butter for 25 seconds. Add the 50 grams sugar and 7 grams ground cinnamon and mix well. Spread it over the dough.
- Tightly roll the dough the long way into a tight roll.
- Take a piece of sewing thread and place it under the roll towards the end. Twist the ends to cut through the roll. This is a great way to cut out the cinnamon rolls without squishing or flattening them.
- Place the gluten free cinnamon rolls in a parchment paper-lined 8×8 pan. Place a piece of plastic wrap loosely over the top. I rise my dough in an oven warmed to 150 to 175ºF. I put the pan in the oven and then keep the door cracked open to rise.
- Rise until the cinnamon rolls double in size, which should take 40 to 45 minutes. Remove the rolls from the oven. Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
- Bake the sourdough cinnamon rolls for 25-30 minutes, until they have a light golden color. (A metal baking dish will bake a little quicker than the ceramic dish I used.)
- Remove the rolls from the oven and place the pan on a cooling rack.
- Combine the 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar and 3-4 tablespoons milk or non-dairy and whisk. You can add more liquid or powdered sugar depending on how thick you want your icing. Spread the icing over the warm rolls.
Notes
- I only tested this recipe with Authentic Foods Steve’s Gluten Free Bread Blend. It has a higher moisture need than most flour blends. If you use a different blend, you may need to add more flour to get the right dough consistency.
- If your blend doesn’t contain a binder, add 1 teaspoon xanthan gum.
- Dairy-free butter, such as Earth Balance, works if you are dairy-free. I tested this recipe using Oatly Super Basic Oat Milk.
- Serve warm or cool. Store leftovers in an airtight container. You can warm them in the microwave for 20 seconds to soften them. Gluten free tends to spoil more quickly, so I recommend freezing any rolls you don’t eat within the next day. Place cooled rolls in a freezer-safe zipper bag and freeze.
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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!
