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Home » Breakfast

April 19, 2022

Cinnamon Rolls with Apple Pie Filling {GF}

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Fluffy and soft gluten free cinnamon rolls with apple pie filling! These cinnamon rolls are packed with cinnamon and apples that they are difficult to resist.

Cinnamon rolls with apple pie fillings being frosted with cream cheese frosting.

I love having cinnamon rolls any time and any day. These cinnamon rolls taste just like apple pie but even better.

This recipe was inspired by my Japanese milk bread recipe and gluten free cinnamon rolls. I decided to use the Japanese milk bread dough as the base for these cinnamon rolls and they turned out great!

What You Need

This cinnamon rolls recipe consists of three major parts: the dough, the filling, and finally, the cream cheese icing. So I warn you, this is an extensive list of ingredients, but it is worth it!


Please note that some ingredients do cross over.

Dough Ingredients

  • White Rice Flour
  • Tapioca Flour
  • Corn Starch
  • Brown Rice Flour
  • Xanthan Gum
  • Baking Powder
  • Salt
  • Milk
  • Buttermilk
  • Eggs
  • Granulated White Sugar
  • Unsalted Butter
  • Instant Active Yeast

Apple Pie Filling Ingredients

  • Brown Sugar
  • Ground Cinnamon
  • Ground Nutmeg
  • Apples (Peeled & Diced)

Cream Cheese Icing Ingredients

  • Cream Cheese
  • Powdered Sugar
  • Vanilla Extract

The Perfect Gluten Free Cinnamon Rolls

For fluffy and moist gluten free cinnamon rolls, we will be using an Asian technique called Tangzhong. This is the same technique used in the Japanese Milk Bread recipe. Anyways, let's begin making these cinnamon rolls!

Making The Tangzhong

  • In a medium-sized saucepan, add the flour, milk, and water. Then whisk until no lumps remain.
  • Set the saucepan over medium-low heat, and cook the Tangzhong until it thickens while continuously stirring. If you stop stirring, then lumps will form, and you will end up with a mess.
  • Let the Tangzhong cool down to room temperature before using it in your dough.
milk, water and flour in a saucepan with a pink whisk.
Tangzhong mixture over medium-high heat, being stirred with a pink whisk.
Tangzhong mixture is thick and slurry in a medium-sized saucepan, with a pink whisk.

Prepare The Dough

  • Activate The Yeast: Add and combine the water, sugar, and instant active yeast. Then cover the mixture and let it sit at room temperature for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, you should see bubbles forming. The bubbles indicate that the yeast is active, and we are ready to go!
yeast, water and sugar in a glass beaker.
activated yeast with bubble formation in a glass beaker.
  • Form The Dough: Start by combining the flours, xanthan gum, baking powder, and salt. Then add the buttermilk, egg, sugar, and melted butter. Using a standalone mixer with the paddle attachment fitted, beat the dough at medium-high speed until formed (3-4 minutes). Then, transfer the dough to a greased bowl and tightly cover it. Allow the dough to rest for 60-90 minutes or until it has doubled in size.
dry ingredients in a stainless steel bowl with a gray whisk.
The milk, eggs, sugar and melted butter are added to the dry ingredients.
The gluten free cinnamon rolls dough in a stainless steel bowl.
The dough in a greased glass bowl, covered with plastic wrap.

Finalizing The Cinnamon Rolls

  • Shape The Dough: Transfer the dough to a lightly dusted surface. I like to roll the dough on parchment paper to prevent it from sticking. Roll the dough into a 30 x 45 cm (12 x 18 inch) rectangle. If the dough sticks to the rolling pin, then sprinkle a little bit of gluten-free flour on it and the rolling pin.
The gluten free cinnamon dough on parchment paper.
The gluten free cinnamon dough rolled into a rectangle on parchment paper.
  • Add The Fillings: Evenly brush the dough with butter, leaving a 1 cm (¼ inch) of dough exposed at the end for sealing. Then sprinkle the brown sugar on the butter, and toss the sliced apples.
Brushing the rolled cinnamon dough with butter using a pastry brush.
Adding the cinnamon and sugar mixture to the rolled out dough.
The gluten free cinnamon roll dough covered in cinnamon sugar mixture with 1 cm of dough exposed.
Diced apple is tossed onto the dough.
  • Roll The Dough: Roll the dough into a 30 cm (12 inches) log. Then cut it into 6-7 equal pieces. I ended up with seven pieces, each around 3.5 cm long. Place the cinnamon rolls with apple pie filling on a deep baking tray aligned with parchment paper.
Rolling the dough into a log.
Cutting the dough into 6 equal parts and placing the parts in a baking tray aligned with parchment paper.
  • Second Rise: Cover the baking tray with plastic wrap, and let the gluten free cinnamon rolls rise for another 60 minutes. During the second half of the rising hour, preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F).
  • Bake The Cinnamon Rolls: Bake the cinnamon rolls for 23-25 minutes or until the edges are golden. Add the cream cheese icing and serve while the cinnamon rolls are still warm.

Dairy-Free Option

For a dairy-free option, please see the suggestions below:

  • Unsalted Butter - I recommend using vegetable shortening as a substitute for the dough. Use 60 grams of Vegetable shortening instead of 60 grams of Unsalted Butter. Meanwhile, you can use vegan butter for brushing and the cream cheese icing.
  • Milk - use almond or coconut milk instead.
  • Buttermilk - Substitute the 120 ml of buttermilk with 120 ml of almond or coconut milk. Add ½ tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar to the almond or coconut milk and let it sit for 10 minutes until it thickens. 

More Gluten Free Cinnamon Inspired Recipes

  • Gluten Free Cinnamon Rolls
  • Gluten Free Snickerdoodle Cookies
  • Gluten Free Cinnamon Coffee Cake
  • Gluten Free Cinnamon Bread
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5 from 4 votes

Cinnamon Rolls with Apple Pie Fillings {GF}

Fluffy and soft gluten free cinnamon rolls with apple pie filling! These cinnamon rolls are packed with cinnamon and apples that they are difficult to resist.
Prep Time15 mins
Active Time25 mins
Resting Time2 hrs
Total Time2 hrs 40 mins
Course: Breakfast, Dessert
Cuisine: American
Diet: Gluten Free
Keyword: apple pie, apple pie fillings, cinnamon rolls, gluten free
Yield: 6 Cinnamon Rolls
Calories: 867kcal

Ingredients

Metric - US Customary

Cinnamon Roll Dough

    Tangzhong

    • 13 grams of White Rice Flour
    • 13 grams of Tapioca Flour
    • 60 ml of Full-Fat Milk
    • 60 ml of Water

    Activating the Yeast

    • 60 ml of Water at 49 - 55 °C
    • 12 grams of Granulated White Sugar
    • 7 grams of Instant Yeast

    Main Dough

    • 240 grams of White Rice Flour
    • 96 grams of Tapioca Flour
    • 48 grams of Corn Starch
    • 96 grams of Brown Rice Flour
    • 3 teaspoons of Xanthan Gum
    • ½ teaspoon of Baking Powder
    • ¼ teaspoon of Salt
    • 120 ml of Buttermilk at room temperature
    • 2 Large Eggs at room temperature
    • 50 grams of Granulated White Sugar
    • 60 grams of Melted Unsalted Butter

    Apple Pie Fillings

    • 100 grams of Brown Sugar
    • 1 ½ Tablespoon of Cinnamon
    • ¼ teaspoon of Nutmeg
    • 40 grams of Unsalted Butter at room temperature
    • 2 Apples Peeled and diced.

    Cream Cheese Icing:

    • 55 grams of Unsalted Butter at room temperature
    • 140 grams of Cream Cheese at room temperature
    • ⅛ teaspoon of Salt
    • 165 grams of Icing Sugar
    • 1 teaspoon of Vanilla Extract or Vanilla beans

    Instructions

    Tangzhong

    • Add and combine the white rice flour, tapioca flour, full-fat milk, and water in a medium-sized saucepan. Whisk the ingredients until smooth.
    • Set the saucepan over medium-low heat, and cook the Tangzhong until it thickens (2-3 minutes), stirring continuously.
    • Remove the Tangzhong from heat, and let it cool down to room temperature before use.

    Activating the Yeast

    • Add and combine the water, granulated sugar, and yeast. Gently mix the mixture and set it aside for 10 minutes until bubbles start to form to indicate that the yeast is active.

    Main Dough

    • Add and combine the white rice flour, tapioca flour, corn starch, brown rice flour, xanthan gum, baking powder, and salt. Set the dry ingredients aside.
    • Using a standalone mixer, with the paddle attachment fitted, beat the buttermilk, eggs, sugar, and melted butter until combined. Then, add the yeast mixture and Tangzhong, and beat until combined. Now, add the dry ingredients and beat until the dough is formed. The dough will be sticky.
    • Transfer the dough to a greased bowl and cover it with plastic wrap, followed by a damp kitchen towel. Let the dough rise for 60 – 90 minutes or until it has doubled in size. This is the first rise.

    Apple Pie Filling

    • Add and combine the brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

    Assembling the Cinnamon Rolls

    • Transfer the dough onto a lightly floured parchment paper. Roll the dough into a 30 x 45 cm (12 x 18 inch) rectangle.
    • Evenly brush the dough with butter, then sprinkle the brown sugar and cinnamon mixture over it, leaving 1 cm (¼ inch) of dough exposed at the end for sealing the dough. Then, evenly toss the diced apples on top. Roll the dough into a 30 cm (12 inch) log, and cut it into 6-7 equal pieces; each piece will be approximately 3.8 cm (1.5 inches) long.
    • Transfer the cinnamon rolls to a greased casserole or baking tray. Cover the cinnamon rolls with plastic wrap and allow them to rise for another 60 minutes. This is the second rise.
    • Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F).
    • Bake the rolls for 25 minutes or until the edges are golden. Then while the cinnamon rolls are still warm, drizzle the cream cheese icing.

    Cream Cheese Icing:

    • Using a standalone mixer, with the paddle attachment fitted or a handheld mixer, beat the butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy (2-3 minutes). Then add the salt, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract and beat until combined (1-2 minutes).

    Notes

    • Make-Ahead Instructions: To prepare the cinnamon rolls the night before, make the dough and after the first rise, wrap it in plastic wrap. Store the dough in the fridge for up to 24 hours. Then, bring the dough back to room temperature and proceed with assembling the cinnamon rolls. 
    • Storing Instructions: The baked cinnamon rolls can be stored in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to a week. When storing the cinnamon rolls, I suggest storing them unfrosted. 

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1Cinnamon Roll | Calories: 867kcal | Carbohydrates: 138g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 19g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 137mg | Sodium: 458mg | Potassium: 295mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 62g | Vitamin A: 1126IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 137mg | Iron: 1mg
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    Hi, I'm Aya, an engineer by degree and a self-taught baker who happens to be gluten-intolerant. Here you will find creative gluten-free recipes made easy!

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