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.

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 really 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 this 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 helps 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

Make sure to scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full recipe instructions.

For the Dough

• Psyllium Powder: You can also use whole psyllium seeds.
• Water
• Tapioca Flour
• Oat Flour
• Sugar
• Active Dry Yeast: 1 packet
• Baking Powder
• Fine Sea Salt
• Whole Milk
• Egg
• Unsalted Butter
• Heavy Cream

Filling

• Unsalted Butter
• Brown Sugar
• Ground Cinnamon

Cream Cheese Frosting

• Cream Cheese
• Powdered Sugar
• Heavy Cream

How to Make Oat Flour Cinnamon Rolls

Make the Dough

1. Make the psyllium gel: In a bowl, mix together the psyllium husk and warm water. After about 30-45 seconds, a gel will form.
2. Make the flax seed paste: Whisk together the flax seeds and 4 teaspoons of water and let sit for 10 minutes.
3. Activate the yeast: Mix together the active dry yeast, 2 tablespoons of the sugar, and ½ cup warm milk. Set aside for 10-15 minutes until the mixture starts frothing. 
4. Whisk together the 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 the dough. With your hands, knead the dough until smooth and all the ingredients are evenly incorporated, then knead for up to 10 minutes. It's awhile! But it really helps make sure the dough is super smooth.

Make the Filling

1. Mix together the filling ingredients. In a small bowl, mix together 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 onto a lightly oat-floured surface and shape it into a ball. Roll it out into a roughly 11×15-inch rectangle.
3. Add the filling. Spread the filling out across the dough in an even layer, taking it all the way to the edges.
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 the rolls. Cover the pan with a sheet of plastic wrap. Place the pan in a warm place for about 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes, until about doubled in volume.
6. Bake the rolls. Preheat the oven to 350℉. Pour the heavy cream over the rolls, and cover the pan or skillet lightly with a piece of foil. Place in the oven and bake for 25 minutes, covered, then remove the foil and bake for another 20-30 minutes, 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.

Substitution Suggestions

• Oat Flour - Substitute sorghum flour or millet flour.
• Tapioca Flour - Substitute arrowroot or potato starch.
• To Make Dairy-Free - Substitute your favorite non-dairy milk for the 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

Store oat flour cinnamon rolls in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. 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.

Recipe