Oat Flour Cinnamon Rolls

These soft and fluffy naturally gluten-free Oat Flour Cinnamon Rolls topped with a smooth and tangy cream cheese icing are perfect for a spring brunch - and you can make them ahead and bake them off the morning you want to serve them.

Easy Oat Flour Cinnamon Rolls Recipe

I have been on a quest to create perfect gluten-free cinnamon rolls and by "perfect" I mean "fluffy" and "almost indistinguishable from a regular cinnamon roll". I didn't want to use a pre-made flour mix or any xanthan gum. Impossible? Seemed so but actually, it was not! I am happy to report that I've finally achieved the ultra-fluffy, ultra-cozy, super-special cinnamon rolls of my dreams and they need only two gluten-free flours to make.

This recipe for oat flour cinnamon rolls is inspired by The Loopy Whisks's Softest Gluten-Free Cinnamon Rolls. I riffed off of her recipe and omitted a few ingredients, added a few new ones, and followed her method for pouring warmed heavy cream over the rolls just before baking. The theory is that the cream will soak into the rolls as they bake, helping them to result in the perfect cinnamon roll texture I was after.

My recipe uses gluten-free oat flour as the whole grain gluten-free flour base, with starchy tapioca flour for binding. Instead of xanthan gum I made a quick flax seed slurry which worked perfectly along with psyllium husk powder to mimic gluten's stretchy properties. This is the first gluten-free dough I've made that actually felt very similar to a dough made with wheat flour. It handled beautifully and baked up tender and fluffy.

If you want to try the original recipe as written, the cinnamon rolls look absolutely stunning. If you want a more streamlined version without any added gums, you're going to love the recipe I've posted below. Don't be intimidated by all of the steps; the recipe actually comes together really quickly, and the end result is beyond worth it.

Why You'll Love These

• So similar to "regular" cinnamon rolls. I've made a few gluten-free cinnamon roll recipes and they never had that fluffy texture I love about a bakery cinnamon roll. The mix of oat flour and tapioca results in a blend that is somehow magically similar to wheat flour.
• Cream cheese icing. Need I say more? The tangy cream cheese icing takes these cinnamon rolls to another level. If you don't feel like cream cheese, you could drizzle maple syrup over the warm rolls when they come out of the oven.
• Easy. Despite a semi-longish list of instructions, these rolls are actually not that complicated. The two gluten-free flours help keep things streamlined and you'll probably already have most of the ingredients you need in your pantry.

What You Need to Make Oat Flour Cinnamon Rolls

Here's a glance and what you'll need for this recipe. Make sure to scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full recipe instructions.

For the Dough

• Ground flax seeds - Flax seeds stand in for the xanthan gum. They help to bind the dough without the use of synthetic gums. Use ground flax seeds powder.
• Psyllium powder - I prefer to use ground psyllium seeds rather than whole seeds so that they incorporate better into the dough. Psyllium is a powerhouse in gluten-free bread and pastry recipes because it mimics the stretchy qualities of gluten.
• Warm water - A little warm water helps the seeds get nice and sticky.
• Tapioca flour - Starchy tapioca flour lightens the dough.
• Oat flour - Whole grain gluten-free oat flour combines with the tapioca flour to create a balanced flour blend for these rolls.
• Granulated sugar
• Active dry yeast - You'll need 1 packet of yeast.
• Baking powder - In addition to the yeast, baking powder will help the gluten free dough to rise.
• Salt - I always use fine sea salt!
• Milk - I use whole milk, but you can also use 2% if you like.
• Egg - Use a large egg.
• Butter - Unsalted or salted butter is fine.
• Heavy cream - Substitute half-and-half for the cream if needed with similar results.

For the filling

• Butter
• Brown sugar - You can use light or dark brown sugar.
• Ground cinnamon - For a hint of warming spice.

For the Cream Cheese Frosting

• Cream cheese - Use block cream cheese rather than
• Powdered sugar - Make sure to sift the powdered sugar before you add it to the frosting to eliminate any lumps.
• Heavy cream - Or substitute half-and-half.

How to Make Oat Flour Cinnamon Rolls

I've included an overview of how to make these rolls below - the detailed instructions are in the recipe card lower down.

Make the Dough

1. Make the psyllium gel: Mix the psyllium husk and warm water to form a gel.
2. Make the flax seed paste: Whisk together the flax seeds and 4 teaspoons of water.
3. Activate the yeast: Mix the active dry yeast, sugar, and warm milk until frothy.
4. Whisk dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the tapioca and oat flours, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
5. Add wet to dry: Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and add the psyllium gel, flax paste, yeast mixture, warm milk, egg, and melted butter.
6. Knead: With your hands, knead the dough until smooth, then knead for up to 10 minutes.

Make the Filling

1. Mix filling ingredients: Combine the soft butter, brown sugar, and ground cinnamon until you get a soft, spreadable paste.

Assemble

1. Prepare the pan: Lightly butter a 10-inch skillet or round baking pan.
2. Form the dough: Turn out the dough, shape it into a ball, then roll into a 11×15-inch rectangle.
3. Add filling: Spread the filling out across the dough in an even layer.
4. Roll and cut the dough: Gently roll the dough into a log and cut into 12 equal pieces. Arrange the cinnamon rolls in the buttered skillet or baking pan.
5. Proof: Cover the pan with a sheet of plastic wrap and rest until the rolls are doubled.
6. Bake: Preheat the oven to 350℉. Pour the heavy cream over the rolls, and cover the pan or skillet lightly with a piece of foil. Bake for 25 minutes, covered, then remove the foil and bake until golden brown.
7. Cool and make the icing. Remove the rolls from the oven and cool in the pan while you make the icing. In a large bowl, whisk or beat together the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and heavy cream.
8. Ice the rolls. Spread the icing over the warm cinnamon rolls and serve warm.

Tips & Substitution Suggestions

These beautiful rolls come together so well because of the balance of ingredients. I don't recommend substituting for the flax seeds or psyllium husk, although you can make a few flour changes if necessary. See a few of my tips plus variation suggestions below:

• The dough will be sticky. As with many gluten-free doughs, the dough for these oat flour cinnamon rolls is quite sticky after it's formed. I like to build in a little time to let it rest in the fridge so the flour can hydrate. If you don't have time for the full hour, even a 15-minute rest will benefit the dough and make it easier to work with.
• Don't add more flour. Building on the sticky dough idea, even though it may be tempting to add just a bit more oat flour to the dough, resist! You'll turn the dough out onto an oat-floured surface to knead, and that will give it just enough extra flour to come together. If you add too much extra oat flour the rolls will become heavy and dense.
• Knead. The longer knead time may seem, well, long. But, I promise it makes a difference. The longer you knead the dough the more the ingredients will meld together, making for a more smooth and cohesive dough.
• Use warm cream. Make sure to warm up the cream before you pour it over the rolls so that it doesn't affect the nice fluffy rise they've just undertaken.
• Bring ingredients to room temperature. Make sure to bring all the ingredients to room temperature before you begin - this will make for a smoother dough and frosting.
• Make ahead: You can make the dough and shape the cinnamon rolls, and then keep the tightly covered skillet or baking pan in the fridge overnight. The next day, bring the rolls to room temperature. If they haven’t doubled in size by the time they’ve reached room temperature, proof them for a while longer – and then, pour over the heavy/double cream and bake according to the recipe.
• Skip the cream cheese frosting. I love the tangy flavor contrast that comes from the sweet cream cheese frosting! However, I also love to keep these oat flour cinnamon rolls simple and drizzle over a little maple syrup when they come out of the oven. Or, sift a little powdered sugar over the top. For a decadent touch, spoon some homemade caramel sauce over their tops.
• Change the spices. These are oat flour cinnamon rolls, yes, but go ahead and add a different ground spice if you like! I love to make this recipe with a ginger or cardamom filling, too.
• Oat flour substitute: Substitute sorghum flour or millet flour.
• Tapioca flour substitute: Substitute arrowroot or potato starch.
• To make dairy-free: Substitute your favorite non-dairy milk for whole milk and heavy cream; substitute your favorite non-dairy butter for the butter.
• To make refined sugar-free: Substitute maple sugar or coconut sugar for the sugar and coconut sugar for the brown sugar.

Storage Options

These rolls are best on the day they're made, but they keep well for a few days. Here's how to store them:

• Fridge - Store oat flour cinnamon rolls in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
• Freezer - Place oat flour cinnamon rolls in an airtight container or freezer-safe bag and keep them in the freezer for up to 2 months. Defrost in the fridge before eating and reheating.
• To Reheat - The rolls are the ultimate best on the day that they are baked, but you can gently reheat them in the microwave and they will still be warm, fluffy, and delicious. Place them on a microwave-safe plate and heat in the microwave in 30-second increments until warm.

More Easy Breakfast Pastry Recipes

• Gluten Free Blueberry Coffee Cake
• Gluten Free Lemon Scones
• Oat Flour Blackberry Muffins