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Gluten-Free Cinnamon Roll Cookies showing the finished dessert and its texture
Sophie Parker

Gluten-Free Cinnamon Roll Cookies

Soft cinnamon-marbled cookies with vanilla cream cheese centres and a piped cinnamon spiral.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 14 cookies
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cinnamon filling
  • 100 g dark brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
  • 8 g cornstarch
  • 55 g unsalted butter melted and cooled until warm
Cookie dough
  • 115 g softened unsalted butter
  • 75 g granulated sugar
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 large egg yolks room temperature
  • 240 g plain gluten-free flour blend
  • 1/2 tsp gluten-free baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp xanthan gum; omit if the blend already contains it
  • 1/4 tsp salt
Cream cheese filling
  • 115 g full-fat cream cheese room temperature
  • 25 g granulated sugar
  • 35 g heavy cream warm
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
Sugar coating
  • 100 g granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon

Method
 

  1. Heat a conventional oven to 350°F / 180°C. Line two large baking trays.
  2. Mix the dark brown sugar, 1 tbsp cinnamon and cornstarch. Stir in melted butter. Divide in half. Let one half cool to a spreadable paste for marbling; reserve the other half for piping.
  3. Cream the softened butter, 75 g sugar and vanilla until pale. Mix in the yolks. Combine the flour, baking powder, xanthan gum and salt separately, then mix into the wet ingredients to form a scoopable dough.
  4. Spread one-third of the dough in a bowl. Swirl in one-third of the marbling paste. Cover with flattened pieces of the next third of dough, then repeat with more paste. Finish with the remaining dough and paste. Fold just 2–3 times to keep visible cinnamon streaks.
  5. Mix cream cheese and 25 g sugar until smooth. Stir in the warm cream and vanilla. The filling should be loose enough to spoon; add 1–2 tsp extra cream only if needed.
  6. Combine the coating sugar and cinnamon. Shape 2-tbsp portions of dough into 14 balls, coat in cinnamon sugar and place at least 2 inches / 5 cm apart. Press a well in each with a 1-tbsp measuring spoon.
  7. Fill each well with about 2–3 tsp cream cheese filling. Gently warm the reserved cinnamon filling until pipeable and pipe a spiral on top.
  8. Bake one tray at a time for 10–12 minutes, until slightly puffed and the cream cheese filling has set. Keep the waiting tray at room temperature.
  9. Cool completely on the baking trays before moving.

Notes

Refrigerate in an airtight container for 3–4 days.
GLUTEN-FREE NOTE
Weigh the flour. Choose a plain blend; flour brands absorb differently. Check ingredient labels and prevent cross-contact. Contains eggs and milk.
Prep and cook fields are estimates; bake each tray for 10–12 minutes and allow additional time for complete cooling.