Who doesn’t love the smell of freshly baked cinnamon rolls? This recipe for keto cinnamon rolls offers the traditional, cozy taste without the added carbohydrates. These rolls, which have a cinnamon-filled filling and a chewy, slightly sweet crust, are ideal for sating appetites without deviating from your ketogenic diet. Everyone will enjoy this treat, regardless of experience level with keto!
Traditional cinnamon rolls are a pastry favorite worldwide, known for their soft, fluffy dough and sweet cinnamon swirl. However, the CLASSIC recipe is packed with flour and sugar, making it a no-go for keto dieters. These keto cinnamon rolls deliver that warm, soft texture with minimal carbs. The unique dough, sometimes called “fathead dough,” originated in the low-carb community as a versatile, bread-like base.
This was inspired by my cinnamon rolls recipe on this site.
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Ingredients
- Gluten-Free Flour: It is a blend of alternative flours, such as rice flour, tapioca starch, and potato starch, created to resemble conventional wheat flour in texture. It is ideal for gluten-free baking since it offers structure without the use of gluten. Guar gum is added to many gluten-free flours to improve their elasticity and hold in baked items. Buy gluten-free flour from here: Cup4Cup multipurpose gluten-free flour.
- Vegan Butter is an alternative to traditional dairy butter, made from oils like coconut, olive, or sunflower. It has a similar texture and taste to dairy butter, making it ideal for vegan and dairy-free baking. Many varieties are also free of hydrogenated oils, offering a creamy consistency that’s excellent for spreading, melting, or baking. Buy vegan-free butter from Miyoko's creamy vegan Butter.
- Instant Yeast: a dry yeast that requires no proofing, making it easy to add directly to the dough. It activates faster than active dry yeast, allowing the dough to rise in a shorter time. This yeast is excellent for baking bread and other yeast-based recipes that benefit from a quick and reliable rise. Get instant yeast from here: One in a Mill Instant Yeast for Baking.
- Cream Cheese: A soft, smooth cheese with a rich, creamy texture and slightly tangy flavor. It is frequently used in baking to add flavor and moisture. In recipes like cheesecakes and frostings, it adds a dense, creamy texture. For people who are lactose sensitive or vegan, there are dairy-free variants available. Philadelphia Original Cream Cheese
- Vanilla Extract: This flavorful liquid enhances the taste of baked goods. Its sweet, floral, and slightly woody flavor profile adds depth and warmth to recipes. Also, a little goes a long way in elevating the flavor of cakes, cookies, and pastries. McCormick All Natural Pure Vanilla Extract
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
- Step 1: Combine ingredients for dough in a bowl and mix
- Ingredients required for icing
- Step 3: Cut the dough in pieces as shown above
- Step 4: cook in the oven for 35 mins at 350 F
Watch video of the recipe here: Gluten Free Cinnamon Rolls
Hint: Use wet hands when shaping the dough. Since keto dough can be stickier than traditional dough, lightly dampen your hands with water or a bit of oil to avoid sticking while rolling and shaping the rolls. This makes handling the dough smoother, giving you well-shaped rolls with ease!
Reasons to Love this Recipe:
Low-Carb and Keto-Friendly: Satisfy your cinnamon roll cravings without the carbs, making it perfect for keto and low-carb diets.
Easy to Make: With readily available ingredients, you can enjoy homemade cinnamon rolls without a lot of prep or hassle.
Soft and Gooey Texture: The fathead dough creates a soft, chewy base with a gooey, cinnamon-spiced center that rivals traditional rolls.
Gluten-Free: This recipe uses almond flour instead of wheat flour, making it gluten-free for those with sensitivities or dietary restrictions.
Customizable Glaze: The sugar-free vanilla glaze adds sweetness without carbs, and it’s easy to adjust for personal flavor preferences (try adding almond or maple extract!).
Make-Ahead and Freezer-Friendly: These cinnamon rolls can be made ahead or frozen, so you can enjoy them fresh whenever the craving hits.
Versatile for Different Diets: With substitutions like dairy-free cream cheese or coconut oil, these rolls are adaptable for dairy-free or paleo-friendly diets.
Substitutions
Cream Cheese: Either use dairy-free cream cheese for a vegan or lactose-free option, or try mascarpone for a richer, milder flavor.
Vanilla Extract: For a fun twist, try almond or maple extract, which adds a unique flavor to the rolls and also pairs nicely with cinnamon.
Butter (for the filling): Use coconut oil or ghee as a dairy-free option. Both will provide a rich texture and slightly different flavor profile, especially with coconut oil.
Variations
Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls: Add a tablespoon of unsweetened cocoa powder and mix in a few sugar-free chocolate chips into the filling for a chocolatey variation.
Glazed Lemon Cinnamon Rolls: Add 1 teaspoon of lemon zest to the glaze for a hint of citrus, which complements the cinnamon beautifully.
Cinnamon Roll Muffins: Instead of shaping rolls, press the dough into muffin tins and swirl in the filling for individual-sized cinnamon roll muffins.
Storage
Store any leftover keto cinnamon rolls in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days. For a quick warm-up, pop them in the microwave for a few seconds to enjoy that fresh-baked warmth!
Top tip
To get an even cinnamon swirl, take your time rolling the dough tightly without pressing down too hard. This keeps the layers intact, ensuring each roll has that lovely spiral!
Keto Cinnamon Rolls
Indulge in the warm, comforting flavors of classic cinnamon rolls with this keto-friendly recipe, designed for low-carb and gluten-free diets. Made with almond flour and mozzarella-based fathead dough, these rolls have a soft, chewy texture that’s perfectly paired with a rich cinnamon filling and a sugar-free vanilla glaze. Ideal for keto dieters or anyone seeking a healthier treat, these cinnamon rolls are easy to make, freezer-friendly, and full of satisfying sweetness without the carbs. Enjoy them fresh from the oven or reheat for a quick and delicious snack anytime!
Ingredients
- FOR THE ROLLS:
- ¼ cup butter or vegan butter
- 1 cup milk
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 1 packet quick rise instant yeast
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2-½ cups Gluten free flour ( In my flour psyllium husk is included) if you use simple bread flour so you add them separately
- 2 tablespoon Psyllium husk
- (It acts as a gluten substitute)
- FOR THE FILLING:
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 2 Tablespoons cinnamon
- ⅓ cup butter or vegan butter, extremely soft
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- FOR THE ICING:
- 3 Tablespoons butter
- 2 Tablespoons cream cheese
- 2 cup powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- 2 tablespoons whole milk
Instructions
Step 1:
Combine the Wet Ingredients
In a bowl add milk, sugar, butter and egg. Whisk it
Sprinkle in 1 packet quick rise instant yeast then stir with the spatula to combine and let the mixture sit until foamy or about 8 to 10 minutes.
Step 2:
Combine the Dry Ingredients
In a medium-size mixing bowl, add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, stirring until the flour is just combined add baking powder and mix again Scrape down the sides of the bowl then cover loosely with a tea towel and place it somewhere warm to let the dough rise about 1 hour
(this dough doesn’t become double in size)
Step 3:
Spread the Dough Out
Once the dough has risen, knead it and roll out the dough through a rolling pin. spread the dough into a rectangle approximately ¼″ thick — roughly 10×14″.
Next, spread very soft butter and vanilla extract mixture over the dough, leaving 1″ clear on the bottom. Be sure the butter is very soft otherwise you’ll tear through the dough.
Mix together granulated sugar and cinnamon then sprinkle it evenly on top of the butter again leaving 1″ of the dough clear at the bottom. This will feel like an excessive amount of cinnamon-sugar, but every drop is necessary!
Step 4:
Roll then Slice the Dough
Time to roll. Starting from the bottom Continue rolling the dough with your hands until you have one roll left.
Then, gently pinch the seams together to close.
Using a sharp or serrated knife, slice the log. Slice each half in half, then each quarter into thirds to make 12 slices total.
Transfer the rolls into a round 9″ cake dish
If the slices get misshapen, that’s ok. They’ll puff up during the second rise, plus they’ll be covered in icing anyway!
Place the dish in the same warm spot to let the cinnamon rolls rise a second time. It usually takes 20- 30 minutes.
Brush melted butter on top of cinnamon rolls.
Bake the rolls for 30-35 minutes at 350 F until the top is golden brown.
Let the cinnamon rolls cool for at least 15 minutes before slathering in icing, otherwise they’ll absorb it all.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 363Total Fat: 16gSaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 51mgSodium: 161mgCarbohydrates: 52gFiber: 3gSugar: 32gProtein: 5g
FAQ
Yes, you can! Prepare the rolls and place them in the baking dish, then cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours before baking. Let them sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes before baking to help with even cooking.
Absolutely! After baking, let the cinnamon rolls cool completely, then freeze them in an airtight container for up to 3 months. To enjoy, thaw them in the fridge overnight and reheat in the oven or microwave.
Related
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Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with [this recipe]:
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