Christmas Morning Cinnamon Rolls // Vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, Yeast-Free & paleo
There’s nothing better than waking the house up to fresh cinnamon rolls on Christmas morning, except when those cinnamon rolls are free from unhealthy or harmful ingredients. These yummy cinnamon rolls can be made in under an hour AND without yeast!
These gluten-free cinnamon rolls are perfect for the holidays for 2 reasons:
I love making memories with my family, and baking together is the perfect way to do it.
Store-bought cinnamon rolls are full of refined sugar, preservatives, unhealthy oils, and other ingredients that I don’t want to put in my family’s bodies.
Baking is mostly edible chemistry, so it’s not really my strong suit, however, this recipe is easy for anyone to pull off even if you need to substitute for an ingredient that you don’t have on hand.
We substituted all the bad ingredients you’re used to seeing in cinnamon rolls with arrowroot starch, coconut sugar, and other natural ingredients to make the most wholesome cinnamon rolls you’ve ever had. Oh, and we did not sacrifice the taste either!
Recipe Highlights
-Vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, and paleo
-Made with almond flour and arrowroot starch instead of some mysterious gluten-free flour products
-From start to finish in under an hour with no rise time
-Made without yeast
-Can be made in advance or frozen for later
Ingredients
If you don’t have gluten-free options in your pantry, you will need to purchase some to create these cinnamon rolls. The three main components of these cinnamon rolls are the dough, filling, and the topping.
The Dough
Almond flour - When it comes to cinnamon rolls, almond flour is the best gluten-free alternative to wheat flour. It keeps moisture better than other flour alternatives and is easy to rollout with a rolling pin.
Arrowroot starch - Almond flour can be dense after baking, arrowroot starch will help soften the cinnamon roll and help the dough stick together. This will help give you those light and fluffy cinnamon rolls that you desire.
Maple syrup - Pure maple syrup adds a sweet and caramel flavor to the dough. Be sure not to use any maple syrup with high-fructose corn syrup or simple syrup. (You can also swap with honey if you prefer)
Coconut milk - Full-fat coconut milk is used to help the dough stay moist and rise in the oven.
Apple Cider Vinegar - To avoid dairy, you will need to make a “vegan buttermilk” by combining the apple cider vinegar with coconut milk. Since there is no yeast or gluten, this helps the cinnamon rolls rise in the oven.
The Filling
Pecans - Feel free to use other nuts like walnuts or almonds if you don’t like pecans. For an added twist, feel free to substitute chopped dates or peanut butter.
Coconut sugar - When combined with the cinnamon, this provides the sweet, traditional cinnamon roll flavor you’re used to.
Coconut oil - Mix melted coconut oil, coconut sugar and cinnamon to make a spreadable filling for your cinnamon rolls.
The Topping
Almond milk - Mixing the almond milk and maple syrup together and brushing it on the tops of the cinnamon rolls after dusting with cinnamon and coconut sugar provides a tasty coating without the extra fat from cream cheese or non-dairy alternatives.
How to Make Cinnamon Rolls in Advance
Once you have cut your log into cinnamon rolls, place them in an airtight container in the fridge to make them in the morning.
If you don’t plan on baking them the next day, wrap the cut cinnamon rolls in plastic and place in a freezer bag. Thaw the cinnamon rolls on the counter or in the fridge overnight. Once the rolls are soft, bake in the oven as directed.
How to Store Cinnamon Rolls
These cinnamon rolls will keep for 3-5 days when stored properly. Store them in an airtight container and they will keep for 3 days on the counter. They will keep for upto 5 days in the fridge, however, they’re best enjoyed if you pop them in the microwave for 10 seconds.
Recipe:
Total Time: 50 minutes
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 12 two inch rolls
Ingredients:
For the Dough
● ¾ cup coconut milk - full fat
● 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
● 2 Tbsp maple syrup
● 1 tsp vanilla
● 3 cup almond flour
● 2 cup arrowroot starch
● ½ tsp baking soda
● 3 tsp baking powder
For the Filling:
● ¼ cup coconut oil - melted
● ⅓ cup coconut sugar
● 2 Tbsp maple syrup
● 1 Tbsp cinnamon - plus more to top
● 1 ¼ cup chopped pecans or other nuts
For the Topping:
● Coconut sugar and cinnamon for dusting
● 1 Tbsp almond milk - unsweetened
● 1 Tbsp maple syrup
● 1 tsp vanilla
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. In a large bowl, mix together the coconut milk, apple cider vinegar, vanilla, and maple syrup until a thick creamy texture is achieved.
Add in almond flour, arrowroot starch, baking powder and baking soda, then mix until a large dough ball forms. Set aside while you prepare the filling.
Whisk together in a medium bowl the coconut oil, coconut sugar, maple syrup until the coconut sugar is just about dissolved. Next stir in the cinnamon and chopped nuts to combine, and set aside when finished.
To add the filling to the dough, place a piece of parchment paper about 26 inches long and sprinkle extra arrowroot starch over the top of it. Roll the dough out into a ½ inch thick rectangle. Spread the filling gently spread the filling on the dough leaving an inch-wide border around the edges to prevent the filling from coming out during rolling. Sprinkle cinnamon if you wish.
Using the long edge of the parchment paper as a guide, pinch the edge of the dough and roll it up tight into a log shape. Use string or non-flavored floss to cut the individual cinnamon rolls. Wedge the string under the cinnamon roll log about 2 inches from the end. Pull the string upwards, cross it over each other and pull down to slice the log. Repeat this process until you have 11-12 cinnamon rolls.
Place the rolls in a baking dish and make sure there’s space in between each roll. You can use a 9 inch pie pan, or a 9X9 inch square baking pan.
Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the tops have risen full and turned a golden brown color. Let it cool for up to 5 minutes before adding the topping.
Dust the cinnamon rolls with cinnamon and coconut sugar. Mix the almond milk and maple syrup together and brush over the dusted cinnamon rolls. Serve and enjoy!
