This gluten-free cinnamon pull-apart bread has everything I love about my gluten-free cinnamon rolls, but it’s even easier to make. It’s basically a half batch of my gluten-free cinnamon rolls, just baked in a loaf pan. Same soft dough, same buttery cinnamon sugar filling, same cream cheese frosting.
Instead of rolling the dough into a log and slicing individual rolls, you brush on the butter, sprinkle on the cinnamon sugar, then cut the dough into squares and stack them. The stacks stand up in the pan like files in a filing cabinet, and once it bakes, every layer peels apart super soft and gooey.
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Ingredient Notes
- Brown Rice Flour – This is the base of the flour blend. It gives the dough structure and a mild flavor. I frequently get asked if you can substitute it with white rice flour. Some readers have tried it and said the recipe turn out great, but I think brown rice four gives this dough much better flavor and structure, so I really recommend using it here.
- Tapioca Starch & Potato Starch – These two starches together give the bread its soft, tender texture.
- Xanthan Gum – Absolutely necessary to replace the gluten and keep the layers from crumbling once baked.
- Whole Psyllium Husk – This is the key to creating a workable, soft dough. I use whole psyllium husk, not powered psyllium husk, and then hydrate it with warm water until it forms a gel. I use Anthony’s Whole Psyllium Husk (affiliate link).
- Instant Yeast – Mix it right into the dry ingredients. You don’t need to proof it first. Just make sure your water is at the right temperature so you don’t kill the yeast.
- Baking Powder – A little extra life on top of the yeast, which helps the thin layers stay light.
- Milk, Butter, & Egg – These three ingredients together make this an enriched dough and give the bread its rich flavor and golden color. Readers have had success using non-dairy milk and butter.
- Apple Cider Vinegar – Just a teaspoon. It helps the texture of the dough and you won’t taste it.
- Light Brown Sugar & Cinnamon – This is the same filling I use in my cinnamon rolls with some melted butter. You could use softened butter mixed with the cinnamon sugar mixture, I just prefer melted and cooled butter instead.
- Cream Cheese Frosting – Cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, milk and vanilla. Make sure the cream cheese and butter are softened so the frosting is smooth and not clumpy.
Weigh Your Ingredients
Gluten-free baking is a lot less forgiving than regular baking. A kitchen scale is the easiest way to make sure your flour-to-liquid ratio is right, and it’s the best way to get the same soft dough every time.
About This Dough
This recipe uses my gluten-free enriched dough, made with milk, butter and eggs. It’s the same dough I use for my gluten-free cinnamon rolls, dinner rolls, hamburger buns, hot dog buns, and fried donuts. For this pull-apart bread, I use a half batch, which is just the right amount for a 9×5-inch loaf pan.
If you’ve made any of those recipes, you already know how this dough handles. It rolls out smooth, holds its shape, and doesn’t crack when you cut and stack it, which is exactly what you need for pull-apart bread. The dough can be a little sticky, but I just dust my surface with tapioca starch and knead it a few times to make it more workable. A bench scraper also works great to run under the bottom of the dough occasionally to make sure it’s not sticking to your surface.
Recipe FAQs
Not for this one. Most gluten-free all-purpose flour blends aren’t designed for yeast doughs and will give you dense or dry bread.
I recommend whole psyllium husk. Psyllium powder gets clumpy, and when I tested it in this dough, the texture was inconsistent.
Why is the middle of my loaf gummy?
It most likely needs more time in the oven. The center of the loaf should reach about 200°F. If the top is getting too dark, tent it with foil and keep baking.
Tips for Shaping and Baking
Storage Instructions
Storing: While this pull-apart bread is best enjoyed the day it’s baked, you can store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. If you already iced it with cream cheese frosting, I’d refrigerate it instead.
Freezing: Let the bread cool completely, then wrap tightly in foil or a freezer safe bag and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and warm in a 325°F oven.
Reheating: Microwave a piece for about 15 seconds, or wrap the loaf in foil and warm in a 325°F oven for about 10 minutes.
Serving Suggestions
This pull-apart bread is best served warm, right after you drizzle on the frosting. Set the whole loaf on the table and let everyone pull off their own pieces.
For breakfast or brunch, serve it alongside my gluten-free quiche lorraine so you have something sweet and something savory on the table. A bowl of macerated strawberries or fresh fruit rounds it out. It’s perfect for holiday mornings like Christmas or Easter, or for a slow weekend breakfast with a cup of coffee.
Gluten-Free Cinnamon Pull-Apart Bread
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 160 g (1 cups) brown rice flour
- 115 g (1 cup) tapioca starch
- 75 g (½ cup) potato starch
- 50 g (¼ cup) granulated sugar
- 8 g (½ tablespoon) kosher salt - I used Morton kosher salt
- 7 g (2¼ teaspoons) instant yeast - 1 packet
- 6 g (2 teaspoons) xanthan gum
- 8 g (2 teaspoons) baking powder
Psyllium Mixture
- 16 g (2 tablespoons) whole psyllium husk - I used Anthony's Organic Whole Psyllium Husk
- 160 g (⅔ cup) warm water - about 100°F
Wet Ingredients
- 160 g (⅔ cup) warm whole milk - 100–110°F
- 1 large egg - about 50 g
- 57 g (¼ cup) unsalted butter - melted and slightly cooled
- 5 g (1 teaspoon) apple cider vinegar
Cinnamon Filling
- 57 g (¼ cup) unsalted butter - melted and cooled, plus more for greasing the pan
- 150 g (¾ cup) packed light brown sugar
- 12 g (1½ tablespoons) ground cinnamon
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 57 g (2 oz) cream cheese - softened
- 14 g (1 tablespoon) unsalted butter - softened
- 100 g (¾ cup) powdered sugar
- 7 g (½ tablespoon) whole milk - plus more as needed
- 2 g (½ teaspoon) vanilla extract
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Instructions
For the Dough:
- Mix the dry ingredients: In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together 160 g (1 cups) brown rice flour , 115 g (1 cup) tapioca starch, 75 g (½ cup) potato starch, 50 g (¼ cup) granulated sugar, 8 g (½ tablespoon) kosher salt, 7 g (2¼ teaspoons) instant yeast, 6 g (2 teaspoons) xanthan gum, and 8 g (2 teaspoons) baking powder.
- Make the psyllium gel: In a small bowl, whisk together 16 g (2 tablespoons) whole psyllium husk and 160 g (⅔ cup) warm water until thickened into a gel. Set aside for about one minute to hydrate fully.
- Combine the wet ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together 160 g (⅔ cup) warm whole milk, 1 large egg , 57 g (¼ cup) unsalted butter, and 5 g (1 teaspoon) apple cider vinegar. Add in the psyllium gel and whisk until smooth and uniform.
- Make the dough: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Using the dough hook attachment, mix on medium speed for about 5 minutes, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. The dough should be soft, thick, and slightly sticky.
- Knead the dough: Dust your work surface with tapioca starch. Turn out the dough and knead by hand for 1 to 2 minutes until smooth. The dough can be a little sticky, so dust with more tapioca starch as needed.
For the Cinnamon Filling:
- Make the cinnamon sugar: In a small bowl, stir together 150 g (¾ cup) packed light brown sugar and 12 g (1½ tablespoons) ground cinnamon. Reserve 1 tablespoon of the cinnamon-sugar miture for topping the loaf.
Shape the Loaf:
- Prepare the pan: Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan with butter. For easier removal, line it with a parchment sling that hangs over the long sides.
- Roll out the dough: Roll the dough into a square about 12×12 inches. Run a bench scraper under the dough occasionally to make sure it isn't sticking to your surface.
- Add the melted butter: Brush 57 g (¼ cup) unsalted butter (melted and cooled) evenly over the dough, going almost all the way to the edges.
- Add the cinnamon sugar: Sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar mixture evenly over the melted butter.
- Cut the squares: Using a bench scraper, pizza cutter or knife, cut the dough into a 4-by-4 gride to make 16 squares, each about 3×3-inches.
- Stack the squares: Stack 4 squares on top of one another with the cinnamon-sugar sides facing up.
- Fill the pan: Turn the stack on its side and set it in one end of the prepared pan so the layers run across the width of the pan, like files in a filing cabinet. Repeat with the remaining squares, making 3 more stacks and lining them up one behind the other in the pan. Cover the top with the reserved 1 tablespoon of cinnamon-sugar mixture.
Proof and Bake:
- Let it rise: Cover the pan loosely with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel. Let rise in a warm place for 1 to 1½ hours, or until the dough is very puffy and roughly doubled in size.
- Preheat and bake: About 30 minutes before the dough is done rising, preheat the oven to 375℉ (190℃). Bake for 40-50 minutes, until golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center of the loaf reads about 200℉. If the top is browning too quickly, loosely tent the loaf with aluminum foil and continue baking.
- Cool: Let the bread cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes, then use the parchment to lift it out.
For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
- Make the frosting: While the bread cools briefly, beat 57 g (2 oz) cream cheese and softened 14 g (1 tablespoon) unsalted butter together until smooth. Add 100 g (¾ cup) powdered sugar and mix until combined. Add 7 g (½ tablespoon) whole milk and 2 g (½ teaspoon) vanilla extract and mix until smooth. Add a little more milk, if needed, to make the frosting thin enough to drizzle.
- Frost and serve: Drizzle the frosting over the pull-apart bread while it is still warm. Serve warm by pulling apart the layers.
Notes
- Flour Blend: Don’t substitute a store-bought gluten-free flour blend. Most aren’t designed for yeast doughs and will give you dense or dry bread.
- Weigh your ingredients: Gluten-free baking is a lot less forgiving and a kitchen scale is the best way to get the same soft dough every time.
- Make-Ahead: Shape and proof for about 30 minutes, then cover and refrigerate for up to 12 hours. Let finish rising at room temperature before baking.
- Storage: Best enjoyed the day it’s baked. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
Nutrition
