Gluten Free Paleo 038 Keto Cinnamon Rolls

PREP TIME 30 minsCOOK TIME 20 minsRESTING TIME 1 hrTOTAL TIME 1 hr 50 mins COURSE Bread, Breakfast, DessertCUISINE American SERVINGS 9 large rollsCALORIES 319 kcal

INGREDIENTS MetricUS Cups 1x2x3x

For the gluten free & keto cinnamon rolls

58 g sour cream or coconut cream + 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoons water lukewarm between 105-110°F
1 tablespoon inulin or maple sirup (to feed the yeast!)*
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
pinch ground ginger
216 g almond flour **
45 g golden flaxseed meal or 5 TBSP psyllium husk, finely ground***
35 g whey protein isolate
4-6 tablespoons allulose or erythritol, to taste
2 1/4 teaspoons xanthan gum or 1 TBSP psyllium husk powder
2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3 eggs at room temperature
21 g unsalted grass-fed butter or ghee/coconut oil, melted and cooled
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

For the cinnamon filling

42 g unsalted grass-fed butter softened
4-6 tablespoons allulose or erythritol, to taste
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

For the glaze (not paleo)

90 g cream cheese at room temperature
42 g unsalted grass-fed butter
3-6 tablespoons allulose or erythritol, powdered
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch kosher salt
heavy cream or almond milk, as needed

INSTRUCTIONS

For the paleo & keto cinnamon rolls

See recipe video for guidance (VIP!), and check out the post for deets, tips and possible subs!
Line with parchment paper the bottom of a 9×9 pan. Set aside. Prepare a work station for rolling your cinnamon rolls, by placing a 9×9-inch place of cling film (saran wrap) on the counter. Leave handy a small bowl with water (to wet your fingers) and a touch of oil to spread the dough (avocado works great here).
Mix sour cream, water and maple syrup (to feed the yeast, see notes) in a small bowl. Heat up over a water bath to 105-110°F. And if you don’t have a thermometer it should only feel lightly warm to touch.
Add yeast and a dash of ginger to a large bowl. Pour lightly warm sour cream mixture over yeast, cover bowl with a kitchen towel and allow to rest for 7 minutes. The mixture should be bubbly, if it isn’t start again (too cold water won’t activate the yeast and too hot will kill it).
Mix your flours while the yeast is proofing. Add almond flour, golden flaxseed meal, whey protein powder, sweetener, xanthan gum, baking powder, and salt to a medium bowl and whisk until thoroughly mixed. Set aside.
Once your yeast is proofed, add in the eggs, lightly cooled melted butter (you don’t want to scramble the eggs or kill the yeast!) and vinegar. Mix with an electric mixer for a a minute or so until fully mixed. Add the flour mixture in one go, mixing quickly until thoroughly incorporated. The dough will become very sticky, so you want to work quickly to get it mixed properly. Use a wet spatula to gather the dough into a ball.
Divide the dough in 3 so you work in batches, important if you’ve never worked with this dough (you can roll it all in one go after you get some practice!). Lightly oil the piece of cling film and place dough on top, spreading it with your wet fingertips onto a roughly 7.5×9-inch rectangle. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar to taste, leaving a 1 inch at the top untouched. Using the cling film as an aid, roll the dough as tightly as you can and sealing the edge with your wet fingertips. Carefully wet the blade of a sharp knife and cut into three if you divided the dough in thirds. Turn the rolls and lightly press them down with your palm.
Transfer cinnamon rolls to prepared pan. Cover with a kitchen towel and place in a warm draft-free space for 50-60 minutes until the dough has almost doubled in size. How long it takes depends on your altitude, temperature and humidity- so keep an eye out for it every 15 minutes or so.
Preheat oven to 400°F/200°C while the dough is proofing.
Make the glaze while the rolls are proofing by creaming together with your mixer the cream cheese, butter and powdered sweetener until light and fluffy. Add in the vanilla extract, salt, and adjust texture to taste with a teaspoon of milk at a time. Set aside.
Place the pan over a baking tray and transfer gently into the oven. Bake for 17-25 minutes until deep golden, covering with a lose foil dome at minute 8 (they brown very quickly!). Just be sure that the foil isn’t resting directly on them. You can do less baking time for gooey-er rolls and longer for more bready ones.
Spread glaze on top right out of the oven (though skip the glaze for the ones you’re not planning on eating on the same day!). Also keep in mind that some slight deflating is normal, don’t sweat it!
Keep stored in an airtight container (or tightly wrapped in cling film) at room temperature for 2-3 days, warming them up before serving.

NOTES

*You can feed the yeast with either inulin or an actual sugar (thanks for the inulin tip guys!). And do remember that the yeast will feed on such sugar to emit carbon dioxide, so it doesn’t affect the carb count. And yes, this is a scientific fact.**If paleo (or in keto maintenance), feel free to sub 6 tablespoons of almond flour with arrowroot flour for a lighter crumb. ***Using psyllium husk instead of golden flaxseed results in slightly more ‘whole wheat’ rolls. Please note that nutrition facts were estimated per cinnamon roll, with the filling and the glaze (4g net carbs each!).