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Soft Gluten-Free Dinner Rolls

Featured in Warm bread with golden crust.

Diet restrictions? Don't worry—these gluten-free dinner rolls deliver soft interiors, golden crusts, and buttery flavor. Made with a thoughtful gluten-free flour mix and yeast for fluffy results, they're easy to pull apart and wonderful for pairing with sauces or a simple butter spread.
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alicia in the kitchen
Updated on Thu, 05 Jun 2025 12:55:15 GMT
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Soft Gluten-Free Dinner Rolls | tasteofsavor.com
Trying to make gluten-free dinner rolls that actually tasted good was really tough after my family found out we had celiac. No matter what we did, every batch was heavy, crumbly, or just didn’t compare to the ones we used to eat. The turning point was when I went to a baking workshop led by Rachel, who used to run Gluten Free Mama. That’s when everything changed for us. Rachel’s old formula (it’s off the Internet now) totally turned things around. She let me play around with it, and now these rolls are always on our table. We pull them out for every holiday meal and a bunch of regular dinners too. Trust me, nobody in my house thinks these are a downgrade—they’re the best part of any meal.

Honest Experience and Realization

Before stumbling on this formula, making gluten-free rolls usually meant lots of letdowns. Every attempt felt like we were eating something closer to packing foam than soft bread. Rachel’s techniques flipped that. Her mix of different gluten-free flours and just the right other stuff made rolls that fooled everyone—they’re basically just like the real thing, even though there’s no gluten.

Why This Adapted Method Matters

Today I’m showing you my twist on Rachel’s classic. I kept it straightforward so anyone can pull off these awesome rolls. They’re way more than just something to go with dinner. They’re real comfort food. These are soft like a cloud, taste buttery-steamy, and honestly make any meal feel extra special.

Where The Idea Came From

Rachel’s careful, detailed way of baking without gluten inspired this whole thing. She built her method to copy everything people love about homemade dinner rolls. It works so well because she picked the best ingredients and stuck to exactly the right steps—from start to finish.

What You’ll Need

  • Gluten-Free Flour Mix - 2¾ cups (11½ oz.) of a good gluten-free blend. Try brands with xanthan gum, like Authentic Foods Multi-Blend Flour or the Almond-based mix from Gluten-Free Mama.
  • Xanthan Gum - 1.5 teaspoons. Don’t use this if your flour mix already has xanthan gum listed.
  • Yeast - 2 teaspoons of instant yeast, like SAF brand.
  • Sugar - 1/4 cup.
  • Salt - 1 teaspoon.
  • Warm Water - 1 cup, about 105-110°F.
  • Butter or Margarine - 2 tablespoons, either real butter, any dairy-free spread, or even Spectrum organic shortening works.
  • Egg - 1, ideally not cold.
  • Apple Cider Vinegar - 1 teaspoon.

Mixing Up Your Dough

Step 2:
Kick off the mixer on low and start adding in warm water, your melted butter or margarine, the egg, and the vinegar, little by little. Once everything’s in, speed it up to medium for around 3 minutes so the dough turns really smooth and comes together nicely.
Step 1:
Grab a big mixing bowl and dump in all your dry stuff first: flour blend, xanthan gum, yeast, sugar, then salt. Just give those a good stir so it all looks even.

Forming Dough Balls

Step 2:
Take a 2" cookie scoop or use a 1/3 measuring cup to plop 9 lumps of dough all around the pan—one in the middle and the rest in a ring outside it. Dunk your fingers in warm water and gently smooth out the tops. Dip your fingers again if things start to get sticky.
Step 1:
Take some cooking spray and coat the inside of an 8" or 9" round cake pan or a pie dish.

Letting Dough Rise

Step 1:
Lay a dry towel over the pan and put it somewhere warm. Let the dough chill there for 45 minutes up to an hour. This time lets the yeast do its magic so you get rolls that are light and airy, not dense.

Cooking the Rolls

Step 2:
When it’s time, put your pan in the middle of the hot oven. Bake the rolls for 25-28 minutes till the tops look golden and a thermometer poked in the center shows 200°F. Ovens are all a little different so peek at them near the end.
Step 1:
While the dough is getting its last bit of rising time, switch your oven to 400°F so it’s nice and hot when you’re ready.

Final Butter Touch

Step 1:
Once you pull them out of the oven, slather the rolls with a little extra melted butter (about 1/2 to 1 tablespoon). It gives them that yummy flavor and makes the tops look irresistible.

Soft Gluten-Free Rolls

These soft gluten-free dinner rolls are fluffy, easy to bake, and great for any table. Perfect on their own or with your favorite meal.

Prep Time
20 Minutes
Cook Time
20 Minutes
Total Time
40 Minutes
By: Alicia

Category: Breads

Difficulty: Intermediate

Cuisine: American

Yield: 12 rolls

Dietary: Vegetarian, Gluten-Free

Ingredients

01 1 teaspoon xanthan gum (optional, but gives a better consistency).
02 1/4 cup butter, melted and unsalted.
03 3 tablespoons granulated sugar.
04 1 teaspoon table salt.
05 1 1/2 cups warm water (temperature of about 100°F to 110°F).
06 2 teaspoons dry yeast, active.
07 1 tablespoon olive oil, any kind works.
08 1 large egg.
09 3 1/2 cups gluten-free flour blend (all-purpose).

Instructions

Step 01

Combine the sugar, warm water, and yeast in a big bowl. Stir it lightly, and after about 5–10 minutes, it’ll start looking foamy.

Step 02

In a different bowl, mix together the gluten-free flour, xanthan gum (if you’re using it), and salt using a whisk.

Step 03

To the yeast mixture, add the egg, olive oil, and melted butter. Stir until it’s all combined nicely.

Step 04

Slowly pour the dry mix into the wet ingredients and stir everything until you’ve got a sticky dough formed.

Step 05

Use a stand mixer with a dough hook to knead the dough for around 5 minutes until it’s smooth. If doing it by hand, work it for about 10 minutes.

Step 06

Lightly grease a bowl, pop the dough in, and cover it with a damp cloth. Let it sit in a cozy spot for about an hour or until it doubles in size.

Step 07

Once risen, punch the dough down and cut it into 12 equally-sized chunks. Roll each one into a ball, pressing it slightly into a disk shape.

Step 08

Arrange the rolls in a greased 9x13-inch pan, keeping about an inch between each.

Step 09

Cover the pan with a towel and let the rolls puff up for another 30–45 minutes.

Step 10

Set the oven to preheat at 375°F (190°C). Put the rolls in for 18–20 minutes. Take them out when they’re golden.

Step 11

Take the pan out and let the rolls cool in there for five minutes. Then, move them over to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Notes

  1. Those avoiding gluten can safely use gluten-free all-purpose flour for this.
  2. For a fluffy texture, taking time to properly knead and activate the yeast is key.
  3. Adding xanthan gum is optional but helps get a better structure for the rolls.

Tools You'll Need

  • A large bowl for mixing.
  • A stand mixer with a dough hook attachment.
  • A whisk and a smaller bowl for dry ingredients.
  • A lightly greased bowl for the rising step.
  • 9x13-inch pan for baking.
  • A wire rack for cooling the finished rolls.

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

It is important to consider this information as approximate and not to use it as definitive health advice.
  • Calories: 150
  • Total Fat: ~
  • Total Carbohydrate: ~
  • Protein: ~