Gluten free from A to Z

• If you want to make the dough a day ahead of time there will be instructions for this as well. You will make up to rolling up and cutting the cinnamon rolls, and putting in 8×8 pans the night before. They will then go into the refrigerator.

Dough

• Take out eggs, and 2 sticks unsalted butter. Allow to come to room temperature
• Melt 1 stick of butter and set aside. Allow the melted butter to cool, but do not let it solidify
• Heat milk to room temperature.
• In a mixer, add yeast and water. Leave it sitting until the yeast starts to bubble. Once it starts to bubble immediately add the milk. If it has been 10 minutes and it is still not bubbling, the yeast is dead and you need to start this step over with new yeast.
• Add the butter, sugar and eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition.
• Add one cup of flour and the salt. Mix well.
• Add two more cups, making sure that it is well incorporated. Gluten Free yeasted doughs do not need to be kneaded. You are looking for the dough to look slightly sticky, but you should be able to work with it without it sticking to your hands. If it sticks to your hands, add more flour, 1/4 cup at a time.
• Put in an oiled bowl, oiled with neutral oil or cooking spray, cover with plastic wrap and allow to proof until double in size. The time it takes will vary depending on temperature of that you prove the dough. Higher temperature means shorter time (remember do not proof above 100 degrees)
Either use a proofing box, proofing setting on your stove, or put a bowl of hot water in the oven and put the dough in. You can prove on the counter at room temperature. If you proof on the counter, it will take longer. The colder the temperature proofed the longer it will take to prove. ***DO NOT proof above 100 degrees
• Once the dough is double the size, put on a pastry board or silicone pastry mat. Place the dough down on the mat that has been lightly floured. Knead the dough briefly until it is smooth. This should be done for only about 15-30 seconds.
• Start the process by using your hands to make a rectangle out of the dough. You are going to roll out the dough into a rectangle adding flour to the top as needed. You will leave the dough on the pastry mat or board. You will not turn the dough while rolling. It will be 12×16 at the end. Make sure the dough does not have spots that are thinner than other spots. Note: the dough will be longer rather than wider.

Brown sugar filling and Rolling dough to make the cinnamon rolls

• Make a mixture of the brown sugar, cinnamon and butter, mixing until well incorporated.
• Dot the dough with the brown sugar mixture pressing the brown sugar mixture lightly. Make sure to leave an inch at the top of the dough. Be careful not to press too hard as that will make the dough thinner.
• Slowly roll up the dough, starting with the side that has the brown sugar and ending with the end that has no brown sugar. Be very careful at this step. You may need to use an offset spatula across the bottom to get it to roll without sticking on the bottom. If there are any broken spots that show up as you work, try to carefully pinch the broken spot back together. If you do have a rip, you can either pinch the dough together, or if the spot it too big, continue to roll it.
• Cut into 8 pieces and using two 8×8 inch pans, put 4 in each.

Proof and Bake

• ***THIS STEP IS ONLY NEEDED IF YOU REFRIGERATED DOUGH OVERNIGHT*** If you are making ahead of time, put the cinnamon rolls in the refrigerator here. Cover the cinnamon rolls with plastic wrap before putting the refrigerator. The next day, you will leave the cinnamon rolls out for an hour before baking. You will not proof, just bring the cinnamon rolls up to temperature.
• Cover the cinnamon rolls with a clean kitchen towel and proof the cinnamon rolls to 1 1/2 times the size.
• While the dough is proofing, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Take out the cream cheese.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes. It will be slightly brown, and will be cooked on the inside. To test, slowly pull the cinnamon roll back at the edge and see if it is cooked.
• After baking leave on the counter to allow the cinnamon roll to come to room temperature.

Icing

• Make cream cheese icing, by putting the cream cheese, butter and powdered sugar in a mixer or using a hand mixer and mix until very well incorporated. Make sure the cream cheese and butter are room temperature otherwise you will have spots of cold cream cheese and butter in the icing.
• Once the cinnamon rolls are room temperature, separate the cinnamon rolls and put the icing on top of the cinnamon rolls. Serve.
• If you are not immediately eating the cinnamon rolls, DO NOT put on the cream cheese icing. Put the icing in the refrigerator and the cinnamon rolls on the counter, covered. An hour before eating the cinnamon rolls, take the icing out of the refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature before serving.
• The cinnamon rolls should keep for several days on the counter