The Best Almond Flour (Biscuit Stye) Cinnamon Rolls

I can't think of a more perfect EASTER morning breakfast than...The Cinnamon Roll! Soft, warm, and inviting as you tear them apart,  steam wafting out. There may not be another food that can conjure quite as much nostalgia for me as cinnamon rolls. My mother used to make the most brilliant cinnamon rolls from scratch and I can still still remember the smell of the dough rising and the taste of the sugar and cinnamon that still lingers in my mind. Lately, my boys have been BEGGING me to make a grain/dairy free cinnamon roll that is worthy of that heritage, so after much ado.....here it is!!! 

{ Note: This is not your mother's cinnamon roll ;) } 

The Best Almond Flour (Biscuit) Cinnamon Rolls 

(Grain & Dairy Free)

Ingredients:

For the biscuit rolls

3 cups'Honeyville' blanched almond flour  
1/2 tsp salt (or just slightly under that amount)

1/4 tsp baking soda (optional for GAPS, read more HERE)

1/4 cup coconut oil (or oil of choice), softened or liquid

2 Tbls honey

2 large room temp eggs (about 3.34 ounces/94 grams)

For the filling

1/4-1/2 cup honey (depending on how much sweetness you like)

1/2 cup ground pecans/walnuts

1/2 cup raisins

1- 2 Tbls ground cinnamon

Icing recipe and instructions is at the end of the post

Directions:

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 340 degrees

In a large bowl, combine the almond flour, salt and baking soda. Be sure to use the "Dip & sweep" method for the AF. Dip the measuring cup into the AF (it should be loose, not packed) and drag a knife or other flat edge over the top. Other forms of measuring (pouring or spooning) may result in either too much or too little flour.

In a separate bowl, gently beat together the coconut oil honey and room temp eggs. If the eggs are too cold, they might cause the coconut oil to harden.

Add the egg mixture to the almond flour mixture. Mix(knead) until a decently smooth dough is formed. It may seem sticky at first. Continue mixing till it firms up some. You can also let it rest in the fridge for 10 min. This will make it easier to work with.

Roll the dough out between two sheets of parchment paper, into a 9x13 rectangle (approx.). Use a little almond flour on the bottom piece of parchment paper to keep it from sticking when you roll it up later

Drizzle the 1/4-1/2 cup of honey evenly over the dough, then carefully spread it around to cover the whole surface. Honestly, I use my fingers to do this. I find that I am less likely to tear the dough this way. 

Sprinkle the raisins, grounds pecans and cinnamon (or whatever you like) over the surface of the honeyed dough.

Now your ready to roll it up! Turn the dough so that the short end is facing you. Starting at that end, begin to roll the edge of the dough away from you. Try to start a tight roll from the beginning. Continue rolling until you have a nice uniform log. Use the parchment paper to help you roll if needed. Be gentle and careful when rolling up the dough. This dough is not as  workable as a gluten based flour would be.

Now roll the whole log of dough, gently lengthening it out just a bit (like making a snake out of play-dough). It should be smooth and about a 4 inch thick roll.

With a  good bread knife, cut the roll into about thick slices, I just use the width of two to three fingers (depending on how thick the roll is) as my guide.  

Lay the rolls cut side down on to a parchment line cookie sheet. They can be placed apart or connected. 

Bake 10-15 min.
I suggest staying close to the stove and checking a few before the baking time is up. Everyone's oven cooks a bit differently and baking times will vary depending on the size of the rolls They should be golden with a some browning. The dough toward the center of the roll should be soft but not to doughy. If  baked too long they WILL become like hockey pucks! If cooked just right though, they will be heavenly.

When ready, remove from the oven and let cool for  about 10 min. If you try to move them before then, they are more likely to fall apart.

Drizzle with coconut butter and/or honey just before serving.

Makes about 9-10 cinnamon rolls.

For the icing

Option 1:
Just drizzle a little warmed coconut butter or honey over the rolls

Option 2:

When we want something a bit sweeter, we like this glaze: 

1/4 cup softened coconut butter (should be pourable  add more liquid as needed)   

2-3 teaspoons honey,

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup full fat coconut milk 

Mix together the coconut butter and honey to form a thick paste. If you don't do it in this order the glaze tends to curdle. 

Now add the vanilla, than coconut milk one tablespoon at a time till it is a consistency you like.

 (Note: It is important to warm and stir coconut butter when opening a new jar. The coconut oil on the top needs to be mixed into the 'butter' in order to get a nice consistency)

What to expect? These cinnamon rolls, if baked right are soft and lovely. Since it is not a yeast or gluten based dough they will not have that 'stretchy, pull apart' feel that a yeast/gluten based roll would have. I would consider them to more of a soft 'biscuit' style cinnamon roll and less sweet then the traditional cinnamon roll. Also, under baking slightly is FAR better than over baking as almond flour can burn and dry out if over baked. Everyone's oven acts differently, so keep an eye on them and they should perform amazingly for you.

GAPS/Paleo/SCD, Grain free, Gluten Free, Dairy Free