Gluten-Free Cranberry Pecan Breakfast Rolls
A festive and easy recipe for holiday mornings and special breakfasts!
These Gluten-Free Cranberry Pecan Breakfast Rolls will impress family and friends. They’re perfect for Christmas morning, Easter brunch, or anytime you need a special breakfast during the holiday season. Soft, sweet, and studded with tart cranberries and toasted pecans, they’re a cozy way to start the day.
As if the holidays aren’t stressful enough, when you have someone in your life who needs dietary modifications, cooking can take on a whole new level of stress. Guests are coming, you want the recipes to be successful and taste great, but you don’t want to spend twice as much time cooking two versions of everything — one for everyone else and one for whoever needs the modification.
And of course, when I say “you,” I mean me.
When I started planning new recipes to cook for Christmas years ago, I wanted to ensure my husband (who is gluten-free) would enjoy as many tasty treats as the rest of the family, without me feeling like I needed to cook overtime.
It’s not easy. There are tried-and-true recipes that you know will work. And then you realize most of them rely on all-purpose flour, which is off-limits.
Where I found success was in combining a recipe based on a classic from my time in the Southern Living Cookbook Test Kitchens (trust me, their recipes work) — with a fantastic gluten-free flour blend (Pamela’s is so reliable). The result was a recipe that rivals any traditional cinnamon roll recipe.
A couple of tips for making these rolls
Expect a sticky dough — that’s normal when working with gluten-free recipes. Let the dough rise in a warm spot (a low oven or near a sunny window works) before rolling out on a lightly floured surface. Extra flour for dusting will help.
Bake the rolls until golden and bubbling at the bottom of the pan. Enjoy warm — maybe with coffee, like you would a cozy coffee cake.
Final Thoughts
This recipe is a good thing to keep in your back pocket for holiday mornings, weekend brunches, or whenever you’re craving a warm pan of gluten-free cinnamon rolls with a seasonal twist. Whether it’s the first time you’re baking gluten-free or you’re a seasoned pro, this is an easy recipe that delivers.
Looking for more gluten-free desserts? Scroll past the recipe card below more gluten free desserts.
Hi, I’m Regan — a registered dietitian, professional recipe developer, and the creator of This Baking Life.
I bake with less sugar and smarter carbs in mind (though you’ll find plenty of full-sugar favorites here too!), so you can enjoy a real dessert without overthinking every bite.
If you make this recipe, tag me @ReganJonesRDN so I can see what you’re baking!
Gluten-Free Cranberry Pecan Breakfast Rolls
- Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
- Yield: 12 rolls
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
A festive and easy recipe for holiday mornings and special breakfasts!
Ingredients
- 1 (19-ounce) bag Pamela’s gluten free bread mix & flour blend (be sure to purchase bread mix with yeast packet included)
- 2 eggs
- 1/3 cup canola oil
- Warm water
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
- 1/4 cup butter, melted
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Pinch of nutmeg
- Dash of salt
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons milk, at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon orange juice, at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon warm water (as needed)
Instructions
- Combine contents of bread dough mix (flour and yeast) in bowl of a stand mixer equipped with whisk or paddle attachment (do not use bread dough hook).
- Combine 2 eggs and 1/3 cup canola oil in a medium bowl; add enough warm water to measure 2 cups. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients in mixer. Beat on medium for 3 minutes. Scrape dough down sides of bowl; cover and let rise in a warm area free from drafts for 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 200 degrees F.
- Using greased hands and a 1/4 cup measure coated with cooking spray, portion dough out and shape into balls (Dough will be wet and sticky. Keep hands greased using cooking spray). Place rolls in an 8- x 8-inch baking pan coated with cooking spray. Cover with plastic wrap.
- Turn off oven. Let rolls rise in turned-off oven for 30 minutes. Remove pan with risen dough from oven; discard plastic wrap.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Combine pecans, butter, cranberries, brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Sprinkle mixture over dough in pan.
- Bake rolls for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool slightly.
- Meanwhile, stir together powdered sugar, milk, orange juice and warm water, if needed. Drizzle over warm rolls. Best when served the same day.
- Prep Time: 15 min
- Rising Time: 90 min
- Cook Time: 30 min
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 roll
- Calories: 345
- Sugar: 32 g
- Sodium: 25 mg
- Fat: 13.6 g
- Carbohydrates: 55 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 2.3 g
Other Gluten-Free Recipes You’ll Enjoy
Gluten-Free Blueberry Pie
