Gluten-Free Dinner Rolls
These gluten-free dinner rolls are light, fluffy, and every bit as delicious as the traditional version. They’re vegan too!
With the holidays coming up, it’s a good idea to start planning your menu—and when you’re serving a crowd, it can be a challenge finding recipes that meet everyone’s dietary preferences. These gluten-free dinner rolls check a few different boxes: they’re gluten-free, they’re vegan, and they’re so fluffy and delicious, everyone at the table will love them so you don’t even need to bother making any other rolls! (Although if you do want to offer a wheat-based version, give my vegan dinner rolls a try.)
Why You’ll Love This Gluten-Free Dinner Roll Recipe
- Light and fluffy. Some gluten-free breads and rolls are dense, heavy, and dry, but these dinner rolls have the perfect texture. They’re soft, airy, and just like traditional wheat-based rolls.
- Versatile. Use your gluten-free dinner rolls as a side, for making sliders, sandwiches, and more.
- Easy to make. Like my gluten-free sandwich bread, this gluten-free dinner roll recipe is great if you’re just getting started with gluten-free baking!
Notes on Ingredients
Scroll down to the recipe card to find the ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.
- Non-dairy milk – For the best taste and texture, I recommend soy milk for this recipe. You can also use other non-dairy milk.
- Water
- Gluten-free all-purpose flour blend – I use King Arthur’s Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour. Do NOT use a single gluten-free flour (like almond flour or coconut flour), as the recipe will not turn out—you must use a measure-for-measure all-purpose flour substitute.
- Sugar
- Psyllium husk – This is the key ingredient for mimicking gluten in this gluten-free dinner roll recipe. Psyllium husk powder helps with binding and creates a fluffy texture.
- Instant yeast – Here’s how to test yeast to see if it’s still good.
- Xanthan gum – This helps with binding and structure in gluten-free baking. You can find xanthan gum in many grocery stores or online.
- Baking powder
- Kosher salt
- Vegan butter – You’ll need some for the gluten-free dinner rolls themselves and some for topping.
- Maple syrup
- Cornstarch – Dust your work surface with cornstarch to prevent the dough from sticking.
How to Make Gluten-Free Dinner Rolls
- Warm the liquids. Combine the non-dairy milk and water. Warm them to 115ºF. Whisk in the psyllium husk and set aside for 5 minutes.
- Mix the dry ingredients. Add the gluten-free flour, sugar, instant yeast, xanthan gum, baking powder, and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer and stir.
- Combine wet and dry. Pour the milk mixture, vegan butter, and maple syrup into the dry ingredients. Mix with the hook attachment on low speed to combine.
- Knead. Once the dough is shaggy, increase the speed to medium-low and knead for 5 minutes.
- Form the rolls. Turn out the dough onto a work surface dusted with cornstarch. Divide into 12 portions and shape into balls. Set the balls into a greased square pan with the seam side down.
- Rise. Cover the pan with a towel and let rise in a warm place until the rolls have doubled in size. Start preheating the oven to 375ºF about 20 minutes before the rolls are done rising.
- Bake. Brush the tops of the rolls with butter and bake for 22 to 25 minutes, or until the rolls are golden brown and reach 200ºF on an instant-read thermometer.
- Serve. Let the gluten-free dinner rolls cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then serve.
Tips for Success
- Weigh your dry ingredients if possible. Baking bread is all about accuracy. Use a food scale, as it is the surest way to make certain that your measurements are accurate.
- Don’t skip the psyllium husk or xanthan gum. These ingredients are essential for achieving the right texture in gluten-free baking. If you can’t find them at your regular grocery store, you can order them online.
- Use a warm place to proof the dough. This helps the rolls rise faster and more evenly. I like to use my oven with the pilot light on; another good option is your microwave. (Put a post-it note on the oven or microwave so no one tries to use it while your bread is rising!)
- Be patient with the rising time. Don’t rush this step, as it’s crucial for fluffy dinner rolls. It’s better to go by the appearance of the rolls than by the clock—we’re looking for them to double in size.
Serving Suggestions
Pair these gluten-free dinner rolls with your favourite holiday dishes, like vegan meatloaf, vegan mashed potatoes, and vegan green bean casserole. They’re also great for making mini sandwiches with leftovers!
How to Store
- Room temperature: These dinner rolls can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container or bag for up to 3 days.
- Freezer: To freeze, let the rolls cool completely and then place them in a freezer-safe bag. They can be kept in the freezer for up to 3 months. To reheat, simply thaw at room temperature and warm in the oven or microwave before serving.
Enjoy friends! If you make this gluten-free dinner roll recipe, please snap a photo and tag #jessicainthekitchen on Instagram! We’d also love it if you would leave a comment below, and give the recipe a rating! Thanks so much!
Gluten-Free Dinner Rolls
Ingredients
- 1 cup soy milk, or other non-dairy milk, 240 ml
- ⅔ cup water, 160 ml
- 2 ½ cups gluten-free all-purpose flour blend, I use King Arthur’s, 400 g
- ¼ cup sugar, 50 g
- 2 ½ tablespoons psyllium husk, 13 g
- 3 teaspoons instant yeast, 12 g
- 1 ½ teaspoons xanthan gum, 5 g
- 1 ¼ teaspoons baking powder, 6 g
- 1 ¼ teaspoons kosher salt, 6 g
- 6 tablespoons vegan butter, melted and cooled, 85 g
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup, 39 g
- cornstarch, for dusting the work surface
For top:
- 2 tablespoons vegan butter, melted, 28 g
Instructions
- Combine the non-dairy milk and water. Warm to 115ºF / 46ºC.
- Add the psyllium husk to the milk mixture and stir well. Set aside to gel for 5 minutes.
- Combine the gluten-free flour, sugar, instant yeast, xanthan gum, baking powder, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer. Stir well.
- Add the milk mixture, melted vegan butter, and maple syrup to the dry ingredients. Using the hook attachment, stir on low speed until the dry ingredients are incorporated. You may need to scrape down the sides of the bowl a couple of times.
- Once the dough reaches a shaggy state with no dry bits remaining, increase the speed on the mixer to medium low and mix for 5 full minutes.
- Lightly dust your work surface with cornstarch. Turn the dough out onto the surface.
- Divide the dough into 12 equal sized balls (mine were 82 grams). Using your fingers, pinch and pull the undersides to shape each ball round.
- Spray a 9×9 baking pan with non-stick cooking spray. Place the dough balls with the seam side down in the dish. They should barely touch.
- Cover with a dish towel and leave to rise in a warm place for 75-90 minutes, until the rolls have doubled in size.
- When there is 20 minutes remaining in the proof time, preheat the oven to 375ºF / 190ºC.
- Use a pastry brush to brush the melted vegan butter on top of the rolls. Bake for 22-25 minutes until the tops are golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 200ºF / 93ºC.
- Remove from the oven and cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Room temperature: These dinner rolls can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container or bag for up to 3 days.
- Freezer: To freeze, let the rolls cool completely and then place them in a freezer-safe bag. They can be kept in the freezer for up to 3 months. To reheat, simply thaw at room temperature and warm in the oven or microwave before serving.
Disclaimer: Although jessicainthekitchen.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, kindly note that these are only estimates. Nutritional information may be affected based on the product type, the brand that was purchased, and in other unforeseeable ways. Jessicainthekitchen.com will not be held liable for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on nutritional information. If you need to follow a specific caloric regimen, please consult your doctor first.
So light and fluffy and delicious. Relatively easy to make and totally worth the effort.
Thanks so much for sharing and so happy to hear!