Special Treat | Gluten-Free, Dairy-free, Soy-Free, Egg-Free, Nut-Free, VeganThese Gluten-Free Vegan Cinnamon Rolls are light and fluffy, made with Bob's Red Mill Baking Flour. They're totally irresistible!
In a small bowl, combine the yeast, warm water, and coconut sugar and whisk together. Let it rest for 10 minutes until a foam develops on top. (This ensures that your yeast is active.)
While the yeast is proofing, combine the remaining water, pumpkin, and coconut oil in a small saucepan over low heat on the stove. Warm and stir until the coconut oil is melted. Don't boil this-- you want the liquids warm, but not hot to help the dough rise without killing the yeast. (Don't go above 110ºF.)
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, ground chia seeds, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Pour the warm liquid from the saucepan into the flour mixture, and add in the apple cider vinegar. Stir well, then add in the yeast mixture. Stir well until a uniform dough is created. It should be slightly sticky to the touch, but not too wet.
Line your counter with a large piece of parchment paper and turn the dough out onto the paper. Sprinkle the top of the dough with a tablespoon of flour and use your hands to press out a large rectangle, about 10-inches by 15-inches. Use more flour as needed to press out the dough evenly.
Brush melted coconut oil over the top of the large rectangle, using only as much as needed to cover the surface. Sprinkle the top with a layer of coconut sugar, then sprinkle cinnamon over that. (I don't formally measure, I just try to make even layers.)
Starting from the long side of the rectangle, use the parchment paper to help roll the dough into a long log with a spiral of cinnamon sugar in the middle. (See photos for reference.)
Use a serrated knife to slice the log in half, so you're left with two pieces. Slice each piece in half again, so you have 4 pieces, and then slice those in half again, leaving you with 8 evenly-sized rolls. Arrange the rolls in a greased 9-inch by 13-inch glass baking dish and set them in a warm place to rise for 45 minutes. (Preferably a room that's 75-80 degrees)
Once the rolls have risen, they should be touching. (They won't double in size.) Bake at 350ºF until cooked though, about 25 minutes. If you placed the rolls in a smaller pan, like a cake pan, you might need to bake them for 30 minutes.
While you let the rolls cool for 10-15 minutes, prepare the icing.
Maple Glaze: Combine the drained cashews, maple syrup, 4 tablespoons of water, and vanilla in a high-speed blender and blend until smooth. Add more water, as needed, to facilitate blending.
Powdered Sugar Icing: Combine the sugar, 1 tablespoon of water, vanilla, and salt and stir until smooth. Add more water, as needed, to thin the icing.
Pour the icing over the warm cinnamon rolls and serve. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week, but like most cinnamon rolls, these taste the very best when you serve them the day you make them.