There’s nothing better than fresh bread coming out of the oven. One of our favorite bread recipes is our Basic Gluten-Friendly Dinner Rolls. They feature golden tops, soft centers, and an elegant knot shape that elevates any gathering.
When I first started experimenting with bread recipes, I wanted something that felt classic and comforting, but still aligned with the way we eat. These Basic Gluten-Friendly Dinner Rolls are the happy medium: gluten-friendly, soft and fluffy, and made with wholesome ingredients that don’t weigh you down.
The best part? The dough doubles beautifully. And, you can enjoy it as dinner rolls one night and transform the leftovers into Cinnamon Buns the next morning. That’s the kind of kitchen rhythm I love…nothing wasted, everything repurposed, and each bite full of good flavor. Plus, it’s a kid favorite!
Table of Contents
Why We Love This Recipe
Breadmaking can feel intimidating, but it’s really a simple process. You measure, mix, rest, shape, bake, and enjoy. In a fast-paced world, baking bread reminds us that slow cooking is a chef’s best friend. Once you find your groove, the process becomes second nature. You’ll start to notice how the dough feels under your hands, how it rises best when the kitchen is warm, and how your home fills with that unmistakable scent of comfort when the rolls begin to bake.
These Basic Gluten-Friendly Dinner Rolls prove that baking doesn’t have to be complicated to be meaningful. They’re naturally sweetened with coconut sugar or my Christmas Cookie Blend, giving them a touch of sweetness without refined white sugar. The dough itself is wonderfully adaptable.
Every ingredient has a purpose, from the nourishing fats to the trace minerals in the pink Himalayan salt. Together, they create a dough that’s gentle on digestion yet full of flavor, with that irresistible buttery pull-apart texture that disappears fast at family dinners. Whether you’re serving them beside a holiday roast or using leftovers for the next morning’s cinnamon buns, these rolls are a simple reminder that wholesome food and heartfelt connection often rise together.
The Nutritional Benefits of Homemade Bread
Each ingredient in these rolls serves a purpose. Unlike traditional rolls made with processed sugar and bleached flour, these Basic Gluten-Friendly Dinner Rolls bless your body. Here’s what’s in each bite.
Grass-Fed Organic Sea-Salted Butter or Extra-Virgin Unrefined Coconut Oil: Grass-fed butter provides vitamin A and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), both known for their anti-inflammatory benefits. Coconut oil offers lauric acid, which supports the immune system. Either one creates that rich, golden finish that makes bread irresistible.
Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour: Using gluten-free flour blends helps reduce inflammation and makes the rolls more accessible for those with sensitivities. We love using Bob’s Red Mill 1-1 Blend.
Organic Coconut Milk Powder: This ingredient gives the rolls a light, creamy texture while adding healthy fats and minerals like potassium and magnesium. It’s one of those small touches that makes a big difference.
Organic Coconut Sugar or Christmas Cookie Blend: Lower on the glycemic index than refined sugar, coconut sugar adds a hint of caramel flavor and won’t spike your blood sugar as dramatically. You can also use my Christmas Cookie Blend, which mixes coconut, date, and maple sugar for a well-rounded flavor.
Organic Spelt Flour: Spelt is an ancient grain rich in fiber, protein, and essential minerals like iron and magnesium. It’s easier to digest than modern wheat and has a nutty, slightly sweet flavor that gives these rolls depth. If you can tolerate some gluten, spelt flour is a great option to give you a more traditional rise and texture.
Basic Gluten-Friendly Dinner Roll Recipe
Basic Gluten-Friendly Dinner Rolls
Servings
Ingredients
- ¾ cup PLUS 1 tablespoon purified OR distilled water (80℉)
- 3 cups organic spelt flour OR gluten-free all-purpose flour OR gluten-free all-purpose bread flour*
- ¼ cup organic coconut sugar OR Christmas Cookie Blend
- 2 tablespoons organic coconut milk powder
- 1 teaspoon pink Himalayan salt OR sea salt, ground
- 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
- 4 tablespoons grass-fed organic sea-salted butter OR 4 tablespoons coconut oil, extra-virgin AND unrefined AND 1 pinch pink Himalayan salt or sea salt, ground, PLUS additional butter for basting
- Pasture-raised organic egg whites, for egg wash (optional)
Supplies
- Bread machine
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350℉. Spray your bread machine pan with unrefined (non propellant) coconut oil, avocado oil OR olive oil cooking spray. Add the water, flour, coconut sugar, coconut milk powder, and salt to the inside of the pan.
- Make a well in the ingredients and add the yeast. Place pats of butter all around the outside. Run the dough cycle on your bread machine.
- Place the dough on a lightly oiled and floured surface. Allow to rest for 15 minutes, then mold into a pie shape. Cut into 12 equal pieces.
- Shape each roll into a bow/knot.
- Place in a muffin tin and brush with additional melted butter, coconut oil, OR egg white. Bake for 15-20 minutes on your oven's middle or bottom rack.
Step-by-Step Baking Instructions
There’s a special kind of joy that comes with baking something mouthwatering. Be sure to invite the kids into the kitchen…breadmaking is an art anyone can enjoy!
Step One: Add the Dry Ingredients to the Bread Machine
Preheat the oven to 350℉. Spray your bread machine pan with unrefined (non-propellant) coconut oil or olive-oil cooking spray. Add the water, flour, coconut sugar, coconut milk powder, and salt to the inside of the pan.
Step Two: Add Yeast and Butter
Make a well in the ingredients and add the yeast. Place pats of butter all around the outside. Run the dough cycle on your bread machine.
Step Three: Let the Dough Rest
Place the dough on a lightly oiled and floured surface. Allow to rest for 15 minutes, then mold into a pie-shape. Cut into 12 equal pieces.
Step Four: Shape the Basic Gluten-Friendly Dinner Rolls
Shape each roll into a bow/knot.
Step Five: Bake the Rolls
Place in a muffin tin and brush with additional melted butter, coconut oil, OR egg white. Bake for 15-20 minutes on your oven’s middle or bottom rack.
Cinnamon Bun & Pull-Apart Bread Variation
Cinnamon Bun Variation:
The next morning, take any leftover rolls and give them new life with the easiest transformation ever. Melt a bit of grass-fed organic sea-salted butter or extra-virgin unrefined coconut oil in a shallow dish, then submerge each roll so it’s lightly coated. Roll them in my Cinnamon and “Not” Sugar blend until every inch glistens with that warm, spiced sweetness. Sprinkle a little extra over the top for good measure. This is one of those moments where “a little extra” makes all the difference.
For a beautifully caramelized finish, pop the rolls back in the oven at 350°F for 5-10 minutes, just until the edges turn golden and the sugar topping melts into a light glaze. The smell that fills your kitchen? Pure heaven.
If you don’t have time to make individual rolls, you can roll out your bread dough and sprinkle Cinnamon and “Not” Sugar over the top. Then, roll up jelly-roll-style, into Cinnamon Swirl Bread.
Cinnamon and “Not” Sugar (Vegan)
Servings
Ingredients
- 2 cups Christmas Cookie Blend
- ¼ cup organic ground Ceylon cinnamon
- ¼ cup organic pumpkin pie spice powder
Instructions
- Place the Christmas Cookie Blend, Ceylon cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice in a gallon-size Ziploc bag. Shake to mix thoroughly. I prefer milling this recipe in the dry goods container of a Vitamix. I start blending on one, then slowly increase until the mixture is fully blended. Then, I open the blender, stir and repeat the process. The final color of your product will differ based on the brand of sweetener you use. Use in place of processed cinnamon & sugar in all your favorite baked goods.
Pull-Apart Bread Variation:
Also known as “Monkey Bread” (but don’t let Mimi hear you call it that!), this pull-apart masterpiece is a sweet, sticky celebration in every bite. It’s the kind of treat that makes birthdays feel extra special and homecoming after-dance evenings smell like pure joy. To make it, spray your favorite baking dish or bundt tube pan with unrefined (non propellant) coconut oil, avocado oil OR olive oil cooking spray.
Simply tear apart your dinner roll dough into 18 small pieces (or roll into balls if you prefer). Dip each piece into melted grass-fed organic sea-salted butter or extra-virgin and unrefined coconut oil, then coat generously with Cinnamon and “Not” Sugar. Layer them into the pan, and if you have any leftover coating, drizzle it on top for good measure, or save it for something else. Bake at 350°F for 30-45 minutes, checking around the 30-minute mark. I like to top half of my Pull-Apart Bread with organic raw pecans and leave half without nuts, to fit a variety of preferences.
If you want the top of the Pull-Apart Bread to be glazed, whisk ¼ cup melted butter and 4 tablespoons Grade A Dark Amber Maple Syrup together, then pour into the bottom of the bundt pan before adding the nuts and the dough pieces. Note that your glazed Pull-Apart Bread will look darker.
How to Serve and Store Basic Gluten-Friendly Dinner Rolls
These rolls are best enjoyed warm from the oven, brushed with a touch of melted butter or a drizzle of raw honey that seeps into every golden crevice. The texture is just right; soft enough to pull apart with your hands, yet sturdy enough to hold up as a base for sliders or leftover turkey sandwiches.
If you somehow end up with leftovers (a rare miracle in our house!), let them cool completely before storing. Place the rolls in an airtight container lined with parchment paper to help them stay fresh. You can keep them at room temperature for up to two days, or refrigerate for up to five. To reheat, wrap the rolls loosely in parchment and warm them in a 300°F oven for about 5-7 minutes until soft and fragrant again.
For longer storage, these rolls freeze beautifully. After baking and cooling, wrap each one individually in parchment paper and store them together in a freezer bag for up to three months. When you’re ready to serve, let them thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat in the oven just before serving.
Bread and Blessings
Baking bread has always been one of my favorite ways to slow down and reconnect…with God, my home, and the people I love most. There’s something grounding about it: the rhythm of kneading dough, the warmth of the oven, the smell that fills every corner of the house.
As I bake, I often think about how many times Scripture uses bread as a symbol of God’s provision and faithfulness. From manna in the wilderness to Jesus calling Himself the Bread of Life, it’s a reminder that the Lord doesn’t just provide what we need physically, but spiritually, too. “The eyes of all look to You, and You give them their food at the proper time. You open Your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing.” — Psalm 145:15-16.
Each loaf, each roll, each simple meal is another opportunity to practice gratitude. When we bake with intention, not rushing, but enjoying the process, we make space for peace to enter our homes.
So whether you’re preparing these rolls for Thanksgiving dinner, using them for sandwiches after church, or turning them into sweet cinnamon buns for a lazy weekend morning, take a moment to pause and give thanks to God. He has, and will continue to be our Provider and give us our daily bread.
“Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in Him.” — Psalm 34:8
“He fills the hungry with good things.” — Luke 1:53
“And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.” — Colossians 3:17
References:
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- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6434678/
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7215096/
