Oat Flour Cinnamon Rolls -

A cinnamon roll on a plate on a napkin with a cup of coffee.

4.17 from 12 votes

Oat Flour Cinnamon Rolls

These soft and fluffy naturally gluten-free oat flour cinnamon rolls are perfect for brunch - and you can make them ahead and bake them off the morning you want to serve them.

Prep Time30

Cook Time40

Proofing time1 30

Total Time2 40

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Diet: Gluten Free

Servings: rolls

Calories: 196kcal

Author: Nicole Spiridakis

Ingredients

For the Dough

2 teaspoons ground flax seeds
2 teaspoons psyllium powder,
¾ cup warm water
1 ⅓ cups tapioca flour, (155 grams)
1 ½ cups oat flour, (180 grams)
½ cup sugar
2 teaspoons instant yeast (1 packet)
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
⅓ cup + 2 tablespoons whole milk
1 large egg
2 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Filling

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
½ cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

Optional Maple Syrup Topping

¼ cup maple syrup
¼ cup brown sugar
4 tablespoons unsalted butter

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Make the Dough

Make the flax paste: Whisk the ground flax seeds in 2 teaspoons of water and set aside for 10 minutes to gel.
Make the psyllium gel: In a small bowl, whisk together the psyllium husk powder and warm water for 30 seconds to form a gel.
In a large bowl, whisk together the tapioca and oat flours, sugar, yeast, baking powder, and salt.
Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and add the flax paste, psyllium gel, yeast mixture, milk, egg, and melted butter. Mix well. The dough will be very loose and sticky. Place it in the fridge for up to 1 hour, or until it is firmer and workable.
Turn the dough out onto an oat-floured piece of parchment. You may need to add a little more oat flour to help it come together in a smooth dough. Then knead the dough for 5-8 minutes until it is smooth and pliable.

Make Filling

In a bowl, mix together the brown sugar and cinnamon.

Assembly

Lightly butter a 10-inch skillet or round baking pan and/or line it with parchment paper. I used a 10-inch springform pan lined with parchment.
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. Brush the melted butter over the dough, then evenly sprinkle over the cinnamon and brown sugar mixture. Press down lightly to help the sugar stick to the dough.
Gently roll the dough into a log and cut it into 12 equal pieces.
If you are going to make the maple syrup topping, melt the butter, syrup, and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring it to a low boil and boil for 1 minute until thickened. Pour the topping into the pan, turning it so it spreads out evenly.
Arrange the cinnamon rolls in the pan and cover with plastic wrap. Place in a warm place for up to 3 hours; the dough will proof and the rolls will about double in volume.
Then, preheat the oven to 350℉. Cover the pan with foil and the rolls for 25 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for another 20-30 minutes, until golden brown.
Remove from the oven and cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove the rolls from the pan and gently divide them up, or serve them from the pan.

Notes

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.

It's OK to add a little more flour. But just a little! If you add too much extra oat flour the rolls will become heavy and dense. At the same time, the dough is quite sticky, so if needed I will add a tablespoon or two more of oat flour as I knead it so it's easier to roll out.

Knead well. 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.

Let the parchment paper help you. When rolling up the dough, take care as it's a bit delicate. Use the parchment paper to nudge and roll the dough into a tight log before slicing it.

Use warm cream. If you want a super soft and almost gooey roll, warm ½ cup of heavy cream and pour it over the rolls before adding the foil and placing them in the oven.

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.

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.

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