Amazing Gluten-free Cinnamon Rolls for Special Occasions! Perfect for Valentine's.

                             

         

Happy February one & all!

                          
Today is a recipe post from another blogger, for gluten-free cinnamon rolls, that we truly enjoyed over the holidays this year; and I really wanted to share it with you.
Although we had it for Christmas morning brunch, cinnamon rolls are perfect for all kinds of special occasions, particularly Valentine's!
What says love like a soft, ooey, gooey, warm, cinnamon laced, frosted pastry?
                                         
  Rachel from Recreating Happiness gluten free, has created a gem!
She claims it is a cinnabon copycat recipe, as I live in Québec, Canada, I will have to take her word for it. I have never come across a Cinnabon here, however, I have tasted Saint Cinnamon cinnamon rolls way back in the day, and I can tell you, this recipe sparked up some old high school nostalgia, of me and my girl Marcia drooling at the baker window, watching pats of butter, and glorious puffs of cinnamon, nestling brown sugar laden dough. And that smell-whoa la!
                             

                            
We always caved in and bought one to have with tea, when money allowed; and although I can no longer indulge is such gluten filled delights fom them, they have never been forgotten.
                             
The link to the original post is here but the recipe does follow below:
http://recreatinghappiness.com/breakfast-recipes/gluten-free-cinnabon-copycat-cinnamon-roll-recipe-updated-and-now-easier-to-make/

There's also a video tutorial for them, which I highly recommend you watch. These babies are a bit tricky as the dough is rather sticky (Ha! That rhymes.), we watched the video twice before attempting this recipe.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pk3g0Pj7ZaQ

I must say we were sceptical when we made this, there have been way too many Pinterest fails that leave a gluten-free baker super pissed. Anyone who has to throw away a Pinterest gluten-free fail,is NOT a happy camper.
Gluten-free ingredient's are much more expensive than gluten filled baking products, you get less of them for triple the price, and they are notoriously more difficult to source-how about that run to 5 different stores, my gf peeps?
                          
Time is also precious and the feeling of utter sadness and dejection just makes it all the less appealing to try to roam in gluten-free, unchartered, Pinterest territory.
Luckily pour moi, mom decided to tackle it (Thanks MOM!), as a Christmas present.
I think she got fed-up of my whining and melancholy over the lack of true cinnamon bun goodness, but hey, I will take it! It was nice because I was able to take pics and document the whole process, with way less stress and mess. Yipee!!
                                   

                                  I kid you not, these were freaking boomtastical!!!!!
                                       

They do have dairy in them, I have yet to try a vegan version but I feel that one could make a successful go of it with Earth Balance buttery, soy-free spread. I may try this at some point, will get back to you on this, if I do.
So, here is the cinnamon bun recipe in all its' glory, with picture breakdown of all the steps down below. I tell you, this was such a win, we have made it a few more times.So go forth into cinnamon bun heaven with true zeal! I promise you, cinnamon bun dreams can come true!

Make sure to watch the video, have all your ingredient's/equipment on hand and already measured out before you begin, and make the frosting while these babies bake.

GLUTEN FREE CINNABON COPYCAT CINNAMON ROLL RECIPE, UPDATED AND NOW EASIER TO MAKE!

 

Rolls (these can be prepared the night before)

Author: Recreating Happiness

Yields/Serves: 8

INGREDIENTS

DOUGH:

• ⅔ cup milk
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 packet (7 g) yeast
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup (83 g) potato starch
• ½ cup (80 g) brown rice flour
• ¼ cup (29 g) finely ground almond flour
• ¼ cup (34 g) tapioca starch plus more for flouring your surface
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1½ teaspoon xanthan gum
• 2½ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 large egg
• ¼ cup olive oil
• ½ teaspoon vanilla
• good quality plastic wrap for rolling out (and up!) the dough

FILLING:

• ⅓ cup butter, softened
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons cinnamon

FROSTING:

• 3 tablespoons butter, softened
• 2 tablespoons cream cheese, softened
• ¾ cup powdered sugar
• ½ teaspoon vanilla
• dash of salt

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and lightly flour a pie plate.

DOUGH:

1. Combine yeast and sugar in large mixing bowl.
2. Microwave milk and 1 tablespoon butter to approximately 110-115 degrees. Whisk into yeast mixture and set aside to proof.
3. Meanwhile in small bowl whisk together potato starch, brown rice flour, tapioca starch, almond flour, baking soda, xanthan gum, baking powder, and ½ teaspoon salt.
4. Once yeast is proofed add in egg, oil, and ½ teaspoon vanilla. Mix for a moment and then slowly add in the flour mixture. Turn the mixer up to medium-high and beat for 1½ minutes - beating long enough is essential, GF flours are "thirsty," the dough will thicken & lose it's stickiness as you beat it.
5. Roll out the dough: (please watch the video!) this is a sticky dough that you'll want to roll out to approximately a 13" x 10" rectangle. What I have found works best is covering my work surface with a good quality plastic wrap and then a light layer of tapioca starch. I place my dough in the center and cover with a bit more tapioca starch and another sheet (or two) of plastic wrap. Roll out to the needed size and then carefully peel off the top layer of plastic wrap.
6. Using a knife or spatula gently spread the ⅓ cup softened butter over the dough evenly leaving ½" space around the edges.

FILLING:

1. In a small bowl combine brown sugar & cinnamon. Sprinkle evenly over dough.
2. To roll your dough: start on one of the shorter sides and gently begin rolling your dough into a log form. Use the plastic wrap to help you "lift and roll" the dough as you go along. Try to make it a nice tight roll, however do not try to unroll it and re-do it. You'll end up with a sticky mess.
3. Sprinkle lightly with tapioca starch again. Dip a sharp knife into tapioca starch then cut the rolls into 8 pieces.
4. Place the rolls, cut side down, in the prepared pie plate*. Cover with plastic wrap and a towel, place in a warm spot, and let them rise for 15 minutes.
5. Bake 22-27 minutes until tops are golden brown.

ICING:

1. Meanwhile, in mixing bowl, beat 3 tablespoons softened butter, cream cheese, and powdered sugar until smooth. Beat in vanilla and a dash of salt.
2. Drizzle over the tops of cinnamon rolls as soon as they come out of the oven.

NOTES

*Night before preparation: Once the rolls are in the pie plate, cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge. In the morning set them out for at least 25 minutes before baking.

  

I will have to cop to being very impatient and deciding not to let these rise in my Excalibur dehydrator, which has worked wonderfully well for breads I have made in the past. The kitchen was a bit chilly, as such, we did not get the same rise as Rachel did in her original recipe. They still baked beautifully and tasted wonderful!                     

 I tried one with frosting and one without, I am definitely a frosting woman. Sorry waistline.

This is an amazing dough for a gluten-free product. I have eaten my fair share of gf cinnamon buns from local health food stores & gf bakeries, and I must say they are not right. Always a pasty, or more bread-like, dry dough, that just vexes your taste buds. This recipe has that right texture, good dough to sweetness balance, perfect cinnamon to frosting ratio, very buttery rich, and they are just as good reheated. Let me know down below if you tried making these and don't forget to share them with your special someone!

Take care, be well, love freely...Chef Kiki