Cinnamon buns are something that I have had a very hard time mastering gluten free. I have found that Gluten-free flours often lack the cohesive properties that make dough pliable and fluffy, resulting in a texture that’s prone to dryness and crumbliness. This has been a battle that I have been fighting with all gluten baking, but specifically with yeast doughs. I have tried multiple cinnamon dough recipes that have had many different solutions to the dryness issue and below are two strategies that I have found to minimise crumply baking:

  1. Xanthan gum: This is a binding agent that helps mimic gluten in flours and helps achieve a better fluffy texture. Xanthan gum helps minimise this grittiness by improving the overall mouthfeel of the baked goods. However, too much xanthan gum can lead to a gummy or overly elastic texture
  1. Psyllium husk: Psyllium husk is derived from the seeds of the Plantago ovata plant, and its properties make it an excellent addition to gluten-free recipes. Psyllium husk acts as a binding agent and creates a structure that mimics gluten. As it absorbs water, it forms a gel-like substance that not only helps with dough structure but also contributes to the overall moisture content of your cinnamon buns, preventing them from becoming dry and crumbly. It is also a great source of fibre, which is just an added bonus to your baking. 

I had been looking for a gluten free cinnamon bun recipe for ages and I finally found one on Instagram that was amazing. It is from the loopy whisk blog and uses both psyllium and xanthan gum in the dough. I think this is why it has an amazing texture. 

Tips and Tricks

Below are some lessons that I learned while trialing the recipe.

  • Make your psyllium husk mixed after you have already mixed the dry ingredients. In the recipe its instructions say to mix this first, but I have had more success when the psyllium gel doesn’t sit for as long. I find that when it sits for more than a couple minutes it turns into a harder gel and is harder to mix in evenly. 
  • I have found more success when using a scale to measure all ingredients opposed to using the measurements in cups. 
  • The added heavy cream adds a lot of stickiness to the cinnamon roll, so keep this in mind when deciding to pour it over the rolls before cooking. I have made them both ways and it turns out just as good, but slightly less sticky.
  • Ensure that when you place cinnamon buns in the pan that they are slightly touching, otherwise when they bake they fill spread out, rather than rising up.

Full Recipe

For the full recipe go to either the loopy whisk Instagram, or follow this link! https://theloopywhisk.com/2023/02/04/gluten-free-cinnamon-rolls/