Here’s a soft, fluffy, gluten-free Apple Cinnamon Rolls recipe that actually tastes like the real thing—gooey center, tender dough, and a warm apple-cinnamon filling. It’s written for home bakers using common GF ingredients.
Gluten-Free Apple Cinnamon Rolls
Makes: 9 medium rolls
Prep Time: 25 min
Rise Time: 1 hour
Bake Time: 25–30 min
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
2 ½ cups gluten-free all-purpose flour (with xanthan gum included)
¼ cup cornstarch (helps softness)
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
Wet Ingredients
1 cup warm milk (or almond/oat milk), ~110°F
¼ cup melted butter (or vegan butter)
1 large egg (room temp)
1 tsp vanilla extract
Apple-Cinnamon Filling
2 medium apples, peeled & finely diced
2 tbsp butter
⅓ cup brown sugar
1–2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp lemon juice
Pinch of salt
Optional: 1 tbsp cornstarch to thicken
Cream Cheese Icing
4 oz cream cheese, softened
2 tbsp butter, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
½ tsp vanilla
1–2 tbsp milk to thin
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Make the Apple Filling
In a small skillet, melt butter.
Add apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, lemon juice, salt.
Cook 5–7 minutes until soft and syrupy.
Optional: Stir in cornstarch if mixture is watery.
Let cool completely.
2. Make the Dough
In a large bowl, whisk flour, cornstarch, sugar, baking powder, salt.
In another bowl, mix warm milk, melted butter, egg, vanilla.
Pour wet into dry and mix with a spatula until a soft dough forms.
GF dough will be sticky like cookie dough, not bready.
Let dough rest 10 minutes to hydrate.
3. Roll It Out
Place dough on a large piece of parchment.
Dust top lightly with GF flour.
Roll into a 12×10 inch rectangle.
Spread apple mixture evenly, leaving ½-inch at the top unfilled.
4. Form the Rolls
Using the parchment, roll the dough from the long side into a log.
Chill the log in the freezer for 10 minutes (helps clean cuts).
Slice into 9 rolls with dental floss or a serrated knife.
Place rolls into a greased 8×8 or 9×9 pan.
5. Rise + Bake
Cover pan and let rolls rise 45–60 minutes somewhere warm.
(GF dough won’t double but should puff a bit.)
Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 25–30 minutes, until lightly golden.
6. Make the Icing
Beat cream cheese + butter until smooth.
Add sugar, vanilla, and milk until creamy.
Spread over warm rolls.
Tips for Perfect Gluten-Free Rolls
Use a high-quality GF flour blend (Cup4Cup, King Arthur Measure-for-Measure, Bob’s Red Mill 1:1).
Don’t overbake — GF dough dries fast.
If dough cracks while rolling, patch it with a bit of extra dough or damp fingers.
For extra gooeyness, pour 2 tbsp warm cream over rolls before baking.
