Fluffy Paleo Cinnamon Rolls

These paleo cinnamon rolls are soft, gooey perfection. They’re delicious, simple, and topped with an easy glaze icing. If you’re a beginner baker—never fear! These are foolproof, yeast-free, and fun to make. 

While my specialty is gluten free and paleo baking, recipe development can be a bit of a science experiment, especially when dough needs to rise. After quite a few tweaks, this recipe makes perfectly soft and dense homemade paleo cinnamon rolls without yeast!

The base is simply almond flour, tapioca flour, coconut oil, eggs, and honey, with a little secret ingredient included: psyllium husk powder. Even though you only need a smidge of it, the psyllium husk powder helps everything work together. It’s what gives the cinnamon rolls an irresistible ooey gooey texture!

If cinnamon rolls are intimidating, you’ll be pleasantly surprised at how easy it is to make these paleo cinnamon rolls. As long as you have some parchment paper and extra tapioca flour handy, you’ll be able to roll out the dough, add filling, roll up the log, and get the pieces into the baking dish in five minutes. Just make sure to let that dough rest before working with it. Patience is key!

My favorite thing about this recipe is that the cinnamon rolls aren’t overwhelmingly sweet. The coconut milk-based glaze is the perfect finishing touch. Just pour it on before serving.

Ingredient Notes

• Tapioca flour – While you only need a small amount, this is the secret ingredient that makes the texture soft and delicious. You can easily find this in the baking flour section!
• Blanched almond flour – I recommend using a fine blanched almond flour for the best texture.
• Psyllium husk powder – This is a soluble fiber that improves texture in baking! It’s acts as a binder and makes these rolls light and fluffy. Don’t skip this—it’s the secret to the texture.
• Eggs – Lay these out about an hour ahead of time to bring them to room temperature.
• Ghee – Ghee is butter with all the milk solids removed. It’s just like butter, but can be stored at room temperature.
• Coconut sugar – This is a natural granulated sweetener that adds a nice maple-sweet taste.
• Coconut milk – You can use canned coconut milk, or coconut milk in a carton.
• Organic powdered sugar – For strict paleo, make your own powdered sugar from coconut sugar. You can also get an organic powdered sugar.

Substitutions

While substitutions may change the texture and flavor, here’s a general guideline for what will work in this recipe:

• Blanched almond flour – You can use another nut flour, like cashew flour.
• Coconut oil: Use ghee or unsalted butter.
• Honey – Swapped for maple syrup.
• Ghee: You can swap this for coconut oil!
• Coconut sugar: You can use any type of granulated sugar, including brown sugar or cane sugar. Check out the best coconut sugar substitutes for more info.
• Coconut milk: Use any other dairy free or dairy milk!

How to Make Paleo Cinnamon Rolls

1. Prep: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a small pie or casserole dish with coconut oil.
2. Mix the dough: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the tapioca flour, almond flour, psyllium husk powder, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, mix the melted coconut oil, honey, eggs, and vanilla. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until combined. I recommend doing this in a stand mixer or with a hand mixer with the beater attachments as the dough will be sticky. 
3. Rest: Add 2 tablespoons warm water to the dough and mix well. Let the dough rest for 5 minutes so it can firm up. 
4. Make the filling: While the dough rests, in a small bowl, combine all of the ingredients for the filling and set aside.
5. Roll out the dough: On a large baking mat or piece of parchment paper, spread 1 tablespoon of tapioca flour so it covers roughly 8 x 12 inches. Dust your hands with tapioca flour. Take your dough and roll it into a ball with your hands, then place it on your work surface and press it into the shape of a rectangle. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough into about an 8 x 12 inch flat rectangle. Spread the filling mixture evenly over the dough, making sure to get it at least ½ inch from the edges.
6. Roll and slice: Using the shorter (8 inch) side, carefully roll the rectangle into a log. Slice the log into nine separate pieces. Transfer each roll to the prepared baking dish. 
7. Bake: Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until the edges are slightly brown. 
8. Make the glaze: While the cinnamon rolls are baking, in a small pourable mixing cup, combine the ingredients for the glaze.
9. Serve: Once the cinnamon rolls cool slightly, pour the glaze over the cinnamon rolls. Serve warm. 

How to Avoid Too Wet/Too Dry Paleo Cinnamon Rolls

Texture is key when it comes to this recipe, and things can easily go in the wrong direction if measurements are slightly off. Measuring flours incorrectly is the most common mistakes people make in baking (I’ve been there!). So, to avoid dry cinnamon rolls or a dough that’s too wet, make sure to do the following:

• Make sure to use blanched almond flour, not almond meal.
• Two large eggs is key! Medium eggs will lend to a slightly drier dough.
• Before measuring out your flour, use a spoon to fluff the flour in your container. Flour can settle and compact, which can lead to too much flour making it into your measuring cup. This is especially true with tapioca flour. Then, scoop your flour with the measuring cup, and sweep the top with a knife.
• Measure out your coconut oil already melted in liquid measuring cup so you know it fills to the top of the line. If you measure it cold in a measuring cup, it will end up being less than the prescribed measurement.
• If your dough seems a little dry, try adding another teaspoon of warm water to the dough. The dough should be firm, but slightly wet and sticky.
• If your dough seems a little wet, add more tapioca flour a little bit at a time.
• Don’t skip the psyllium husk powder.

What I Love About This Paleo Cinnamon Roll Recipe

• This recipe makes fluffy cinnamon rolls that have a perfectly soft and chewy texture.
• The ingredients are simple and easy to find. The only special ingredient is psyllium husk powder, which can easily be found at the grocery store or on Amazon.
• These paleo cinnamon rolls do not require any yeast to rise. The recipe is paleo, grain-free, and dairy-free.
• This recipe is surprisingly easy to make. Prep time is very similar to making my chewy chocolate chip cookies!
• Paleo cinnamon rolls are great for holidays. They’re the perfect breakfast treat or dessert!

Baking Tips

• The best way to mix the dough is in a stand mixer. Simply mix with the paddle attachment.
• Add a little tapioca flour to your hands when rolling the dough into a log.
• When cutting the log into pieces, start in the center and work your way out to the edges.
• To make nine cinnamon rolls, you’ll need to make eight slices. If you end up making more or less cinnamon rolls, it’s no big deal!
• After cutting each piece, gently reshape it into a circle before putting it in the baking dish.
• For the glaze, heat the coconut milk and ghee in a glass measuring cup, then add the remaining ingredients directly to the measuring cup and stir. This will make it super easy to pour the glaze on the cinnamon rolls!

Recipe Variations

Want mix-ins? Just sprinkle them on top of the cinnamon filling! Try adding:

• A handful or raisins or chopped dates
• 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
• A handful of chopped nuts like pecans or walnuts

More Paleo Recipes

• Fudgy, Crackly-Top Paleo Brownies
• Cinnamon Roll Coffee Cake
• Baked Chocolate Donuts
• The Best Paleo Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Double Chocolate Banana Bread