Gluten Free Rolls are soft, fluffy, and super easy! Delicious enough to pair with any holiday dinner, but easy enough to make any day of the week.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned after being diagnosed with Celiac Disease it’s that gluten free baking can be tricky in the texture department, and often calls for expensive ingredients which sit untouched in my pantry after attempting to make this recipe or that.
That said, my Gluten Free Rolls are soft, doughy, and delightfully simple. Plus they’re made with everyday gluten free ingredients that you can find right at the regular grocery store.
Special enough to pair with any holiday meal, yet easy enough to make for dinner tonight. If you think making gluten free bread is difficult or intimidating, you are in for a real treat!
Ingredients Needed
Gluten Free Rolls are made from fridge and gluten free pantry staples. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Gluten Free Flour Blend. I prefer using King Arthur’s Gluten Free All Purpose Flour which is a mix of gluten free flours and starches. This particular brand gives the gluten free rolls a fabulous fluffy texture and chew.
- Quick Rise Yeast (Instant Yeast). If you’re nervous about using yeast, don’t be! With quick rise yeast, all you have to do is add it to the mixing bowl with the rest of the ingredients. No proofing or blooming required.
- Sugar. Sugar not only activates the yeast but gives the rolls a touch of sweetness. Not “Hawaiian Rolls” type sweet – just a teensy touch of sweet!
- Xanthan Gum. Xanthan gum gives our rolls elasticity and structure so they don’t crumble and fall apart. It is essential in gluten free baking.
- Hot Water. For these gluten free rolls you want the water added to the dough to be what I call “hot tub temperature”. Not scalding, or you run the risk of killing the yeast.
- Butter OR Vegan Butter OR Vegetable Oil. Good news, dairy free friends, you can make dairy free dinner rolls with vegan butter or vegetable oil instead of regular butter.
- Egg. One whisked egg helps bind these gluten free rolls together. I have not tried these rolls with an egg replacer.
- Apple Cider Vinegar. Vinegar also helps to strengthen our gluten free dough, as well as help it rise.
Can You Freeze Gluten Free Rolls?
Yes! Cool the rolls completely then wrap in foil and freeze in a freezer bag. Thaw on the counter then warm in a 200 degree oven until rolls are warmed through.
What to Pair These Rolls With
Like I said, these gluten free rolls pair perfectly with Easter, Christmas, and Thanksgiving dinner, though they’re easy enough to make any night of the week. Here are some ideas:
- Cheesy Cauliflower Soup
- Hamburger Soup
- Stuffed Italian Mini Meatloaves
- Skillet Shepherd’s Pie
- Tuscan Sausage and Vegetable Stew
- Pan Roasted Chicken Thighs and Rice
How to Make Gluten Free Dinner Rolls
Step 1: Combine the Dry Ingredients
To the bowl of an electric mixer or a large glass bowl if using a handheld mixer add gluten free flour blend without a binder, instant yeast, xanthan gum, sugar, and salt then mix on low to combine.
I prefer using King Arthur GlutenFree Multi-Purpose Flour for these rolls, which again, does not contain any binders. I also use Red Star quick-rise instant yeast, which is gluten free.
Step 2: Beat in the Wet Ingredients
With the mixer on low, stream in hot water (think hot tub temp – not scalding) followed by melted butter OR vegan butter OR vegetable oil, an egg, and apple cider vinegar. Mix until smooth then turn the speed up to medium and beat for 3 minutes, scraping the sides down once. The batter should resemble a thick cake batter when it’s done.
Step 3: Scoop the Dough Then Let Rise
Spray a 9″ glass pie pan with nonstick spray then use a 2″ ice cream scoop to scoop out 9 rolls – 1 in the center with 8 scoops surrounding it.
Wet your fingers with water then gently smooth the tops of the rolls. Next, cover the pan with a tea towel then set it in a warm place to rise, anywhere from 45 minutes to one hour.
Tip: I place my pan in the oven on the “bread proof” setting. Another favorite way to help yeast-based dough rise is to set the pan on top of a heating pad set to low. Works like a charm!
Step 4: Bake the Rolls
Bake the dinner rolls for 23-25 minutes at 400 degrees or until the internal temperature of the rolls reaches 200 degrees. Check on the rolls at the 15-16 minute mark – if they’re browning too fast, place a sheet of foil gently on top.
Once the gluten free rolls are done, serve hot and fresh with TONS of salted butter (trust me) or slather first with butter then finish with jam. DIVINE. These rolls are best eaten within an hour or two of baking so devour with gusto and enjoy!
More Gluten Free Bread Recipes
Ingredients
- 11-1/2 oz gluten-free flour blend without added xanthan gum or binders
- 3 Tablespoons sugar
- 2 teaspoons quick rise instant yeast, I like Red Star
- 1-1/2 teaspoons xanthan gum
- 1-1/4 teaspoons salt
- 1 cup hot water, from the tap
- 2 Tablespoons melted butter or vegan butter, or vegetable oil
- 1 egg, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
Directions
- Add flour, sugar, yeast, xanthan gum, and salt to the bowl of an electric mixer or a large glass bowl if using a hand held mixer. Mix on low to combine. With the mixer on low speed, drizzle in water then add the butter, egg, and vinegar. Once the batter is smooth turn the speed up to medium then beat for 3 minutes, scraping the sides down once. Batter will be the consistency of thick cake batter.
- Spray a 9" glass pie pan with nonstick spray then use a 2" ice cream scoop to scoop the dough into the pan. Wet your fingertips with water then gently smooth the tops of the rolls. Cover pan with a tea towel then set in a warm place to rise for 45 minutes to 1 hour (I use my oven's "bread proof" setting, or place the pan on a heating pad set to low.)
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees then bake rolls for 23-25 minutes or until the internal temperature of the rolls reaches 200 degrees. Check rolls around the 16 minute mark - if the tops are browning too fast, gently place a piece of foil on top of the pan then continue baking. Serve immediately - best if consumed within a few hours.
Notes
- Slightly adapted from Gluten-Free Mama.
Nutrition
Nutritional values are estimates only. Please read our full nutrition information disclaimer.
I love these rolls. It’s Xmas morning and I got up early to make Monkey Bread for my family, adapting your recipe. What a success!!! Thank you
That sounds so delicious, Carolyn! Would love to hear how you did that – Monkey Bread is actually something I miss terribly. My Mom used to make it all the time when I was little!
Your recipe but used a smaller scoop. Dropped in melted butter and then rolled in a cinnamon, sugar, and a little bit of brown sugar. Placed them in a loaf pan and lowered oven temperature to 350 degrees. I love ur recipes and use them often.
I made these for my husband on Thanksgiving 2016. He was diagnosed with Celiac’s May 2013. He missed dinner rolls. He was so happy with these!!! They were easy to make and nothing was lost in the gluten free translation!!
AWESOME!! So glad to hear it, Judy!
I was wondering if you can make these and freeze them. I live alone and would be the only one eating them.
I think that could work, Pamela!
I was just about to make these for the holiday tomorrow and realized that my gf flour does have added xantham gum. Can I still use it and just use less of the xantham gum that the recipe calls for?
Hi Tara! You could try using half the amount of added xanthan gum. When I tested adding it to a blend with the gum already added, the rolls were still good, just a bit dense.
These rolls look delish, but your baby is amazing!! :)
Thank you Melissa! :)
I wonder if these would work with regular (non GF) flour…. They sure look tasty.
can I use King Arthur’s one for one gluten free flour that has xanthan gum in it already because I can’t seem to find the gluten free flour that does not have xanthan gum in it?
It could work! Let me know if you give it a try!
Can you freeze them?
Hi Teresa! I haven’t tried freezing the baked rolls so I can’t say for sure. I tried refrigerating the dough overnight then baking the next day but they took over two hours to rise so I found it easiest to make them right before eating.
Ahh!! Egg! GF so often includes egg, which is a no here :-(
But they do look yummy…
What a beautiful baby you have!!! The biscuits looks great, I can’t wait to try them. How on earth do you have enough time for taking care of two little ones, one big one, yourself and a Blog! For me, just being able to fit in a shower was going above and beyond lol.
My husband has been home on paternity for the last three weeks – things are going to get really nuts when he goes back to work!
What a great alternative! Thanks for sharing!
You bet, Sara, I hope you love them!
Thank you so much for this recipe! I used to bake bread all the time before becoming gluten intolerant. I usually buy udi’s dinner rolls for myself but they are expensive and not that tasty.
Totally agree with you Amy – they’re just not even worth the expense!
Would you mind sharing the amount of the King Arthur flour that worked for you in cups? I don’t have scales – Gotta try these NOW! ?
You bet – it was 2 cups of the mix I showed!
These look incredible! It’s like you’ve been reading my mind. Just this morning I thought I needed to lock down a gluten-free roll recipe for Thanksgiving or else I’d be crying into my gluten-free turkey gravy while everyone wiped it up with their crescent rolls. Don’t think I can wait to make these, though. Making them as soon as I get home. By the way, my son is named Cameron, too! Belated congratulations!
Thank you so much, Carly, and I hope you love the rolls! Seriously cannot wait to make them again!