Cinnamon Buns 2.0

A while ago I posted a recipe for Cinnamon Buns, and, although it was a pretty good recipe then, I've been trying to create one that was closer to the rolls I remember from before I was gluten free.  Now, whilst these still aren't quite the same, they are a pretty decent take.  Using gluten free flour with as high a protein content as you can is key here - it's why bread flour makes such great bread; it has a high protein content and when it's wheat based, it, of course, produces a lot of gluten.  We can't replicate that with GF flours, but we can give our bakes a lot more structure by using these sorts of flours.  I use pea flour in this recipe combined with rice- and corn flours, but you could use quinoa flour, oat flour or amaranth flour if you have them.  I would recommend adding a little rice flour if you use one of these more savoury style flours to ensure your cinnamon buns have the right level of sweetness.

I will also try to add a short how-to style video to my YouTube and IGTV channels for these (if I can figure out how to make them work!)

CINNAMON BUNS

For the Dough:
180ml warm milk
7g sachet of instant yeast
65g granulated sugar
2 eggs (room temp)
50g unsalted butter (melted)
375-450g flour (depending on the flour used).  I used a mixture of 250g pea flour, 125g rice flour & 75g cornflour
½ tsp fine salt
1 tsp xanthan gum or psyllium husk (whatever you have)

For the Filling:
140g brown sugar
1 ½ tbsp ground cinnamon
50g very soft unsalted butter

For the Icing:
150g icing sugar
2tbsp warm water

METHOD:

• Warm the milk.  About 1 minute in the microwave, or on the stove until it reaches about 40-45 degrees
• Add to the bowl of a free-standing mixer or a large mixing bowl.  Sprinkle over the yeast and leave for a few moments
• Add the sugar, eggs and butter and mix well until combined

• Stir in 375g flour, xanthan/psyllium husk and salt and mix until a dough starts to form

• With the dough hook of a mixer, start to knead the dough until it starts to come together.  

• Add the rest of the flour a bit at a time until a ball forms.  Don’t over mix as it will become too sticky.  You may need to pat it all together by hand.

• Transfer to a well-oiled bowl, cover with cling film and leave in a warm spot for 2 hours or until doubled in size
• Add all the filling ingredients to a bowl and whip together.  You want the mix to be really spreadable.  Pop it in the microwave for a few seconds if it's not quite loose enough

• Roll the dough out into a large rectangle.  I do this between 2 pieces of parchment paper to save adding any extra flour to the dough.  You want to roll it until it's about 0.5cm thick.

• Spread the filling mix across your rectangle, leaving a margin of about 1cm.

• Roll the dough into a sausage from the long side as tight as you can.

• Trim off the ends (sadly these will probably need to be thrown away), then slice into even rounds - you should get 9-10 rolls.

• Grease and line a 20cm/9inch cake tin (square or round, whatever you have) and pop your rolls in swirl side up

• Cover and leave to prove again for about 45 minutes
• Pre-heat the oven to 180c / gas 4
• Bake the rolls for 25 minutes (checking after 20 to ensure the sugar doesn't burn)
• Leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes whilst making the icing
• Add 1 tablespoon of warm water to your icing sugar and start to beat together until it forms clumps.  Add the remaining tablespoon of water a little at a time until you have a lovely runny icing

• Remove the rolls from their tin and place on a serving plate.  Drizzle over the icing, leave for a few minutes for it to set, then devour! 

These are a great Easter-time treat, or just a treat in general, as right now I think we need all the treats we can get!

Happy Baking!

Back to Recipes