There’s something extra special about cinnamon rolls made from sourdough—slow-fermented, soft, and full of depth of flavor. And yes, you can have all of that goodness without gluten. These gluten-free sourdough cinnamon rolls are tender, fluffy, and perfectly swirled with cozy cinnamon sweetness, without being gummy or dense.
This recipe is designed for real life and real kitchens, using a naturally fermented gluten-free starter to build structure, flavor, and that classic bakery-style rise. Whether you’re baking for a holiday morning, prepping ahead for a slow weekend breakfast, or just craving a comforting treat that loves your gut back, these cinnamon rolls deliver everything you miss—minus the gluten.
Let’s get baking.
Gluten-Free Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls
Dough Ingredients
- 15 g whole psyllium husk or 13 g psyllium husk powder
- 95 g warm water
- 170 g active starter
- 160 g arrowroot powder
- 50 g millet flour
- 25 g sorghum flour
- 25 g maple syrup or 50 g sugar
- 6 g baking powder
- 5 g xanthan gum
- 5 g salt
- 100 g whole milk, warm
- 1 egg
- 35 g butter, melted (2 1/2 tbsp)
- 80 g (1/3 cup) heavy cream, warm (for pouring over rolls before baking)
Cinnamon Filling Ingredients
- 85 g (6 tbsp) butter, very soft but not melted
- 100 g (1/2 cup) light brown sugar
- 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
Cream Cheese Icing
- 115 g (1/2 cup) butter, room temperature
- 115 g (4 oz) cream cheese, room temperature
- 180 g (1 + 1/2 cups) powdered sugar
- 3 g (1/2 tsp salt)
- 180 g (3/4 cup) heavy cream*
- 13 g (1 tbsp) vanilla
*For a thicker frosting (instead of icing), reduce cream to desired thickness.
I source all my gluten-free flour and baking staples through Azure Standard. They offer high-quality groceries and offer the option to purchase in bulk and save. If you’d like to find a drop location near you or see what they have to offer, click here.You can also use code ‘SOURDOUGH15’ at checkout for 15% off your first order of $100 or more.
Thinking about substituting flours? Because gluten-free sourdough behaves differently than traditional bread, not all swaps work the same. I walk through the best gluten-free flour swaps in the Gluten-Free Sourdough Beginner’s Guide, available here.
Directions
- Whisk psyllium husk into the warm water and let sit for 1-2 minutes for a gel to form.
- In a separate bowl, mix together the other dry dough ingredients.
Into the psyllium husk gel, whisk the starter, eggs, maple syrup (if using), milk and butter. - Pour the gel mixture into the dry ingredients and mix with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for approximately 5 minutes until a very smooth dough has formed.
Using a spatula, occasionally scrape down the edges and bottom of the bowl. - Turn dough out of the bowl onto a well floured piece of plastic wrap or parchment paper (I typically use brown rice flour). If your dough seems a bit sticky, it should. Don’t worry, it will quickly improve. If you need, you can refrigerate your dough for 15 minutes – 1 hour. This will give your dough time to hydrate and cool which will make it less sticky.
- Generously flour your hands and the dough so you can gently form it into a ball and then press flat into a rectangle shape.
- Lightly flour the top of the dough and place a layer of plastic wrap or parchment paper on top.
- Roll the dough into a large rectangle (about 12″ x 14″)
- In a bowl, mix together the cinnamon filling ingredients.
- Remove the plastic wrap or parchment paper from the dough and spread the filling evenly over the dough, making sure to get the edges.
- Using the bottom layer of plastic wrap or parchment paper to help you, roll your dough into a log – like this.
- Using a sharp knife, cut log into 6-7 rolls.
- Place rolls in a greased baking dish. A 9″ pie plate or 9×9″ baking pan work well.
- Cover pan with greased plastic wrap to proof. Because of the filling, I suggest letting these rolls proof longer in a cooler environment. Try a cool spot in the house or in the fridge overnight. You can proof on the counter, just know your butter may liquefy some before baking depending on how warm your kitchen is (fermentation creates extra heat). Your rolls should approximately double in size. See this post on fermentation times and how you can freeze rolls for future baking. If I want to make my dough at night, I make it in the evening and let sit on the counter (1-2 hours). Before I go to bed, I place them in the fridge. In the morning, I remove from the fridge and place on the counter to warm up and finish proofing while pre-heating my oven. Leaving them on the counter overnight will likely result in over-proofing. During the day on my counter these take 6-8 hours to rise. My house is 70-72°F.
- Once your rolls have approximately doubled in size, remove the plastic wrap and pour warm cream evenly over all the rolls.
- Lightly cover the pan with aluminum foil.
- Bake the cinnamon rolls for 20 minutes at 350°F.
- Remove the aluminum foil and bake for another 20-25 minutes. Thee tops of the rolls should just start to get golden.
- Allow the rolls to cool for 10 minutes before frosting.
For the Frosting
- Cream together the butter & cream cheese.
- Mix in the powdered sugar and salt.
- Mix in the cream* & vanilla.
*Pour cream in slowly until desired thickness is reached.
Enjoy!
I expand on these foundational sourdough recipes inside The Recipe Club. So if you’re ready to take your bread to the next level, join here!
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If you’re rebuilding your gluten-free pantry, Azure Standard is my go-to source for quality flours. Grab your first order of $100 or more for 15% off using code ‘SOURDOUGH15’ at checkout.
This 15% off promotion is exclusively available to new customers. To qualify, customers must create a new Azure account and place a minimum order of $100 or more in products, which will be shipped to a drop location of their choice. The promo code must be entered at checkout. This offer expires on December 31, 2026, unless extended.
