One thing I've really missed since having to go gluten-free is a fluffy, sweet, sticky cinnamon bun. Given the time of year, adding a little pumpkin into the mix seemed only logical. And well.. since matcha is our thing, we've thrown it into the mix too. It works. It works well. So, here you go - our gluten free cinnamon buns with pumpkin spice filling and matcha cashew cream icing.
We tried to make these buns as healthy as possible, but honestly, cinnamon buns can only be so healthy until they start tasting like fluffy bread. We've taken the sugar down and there's not a too much butter in this. Put the kettle on, make a pot of tea, savour every cinnamon-y bite and share them with friends!
TO MAKE THE MATCHA CASHEW CREAM
Ingredients:
- 1 cup raw cashews
- 1/4 cup almond milk
- 1 tsp Amoda Organic Classic Matcha
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp salt
Instructions:
Soak the cashews overnight (or for at least 3 to 4 hours). Drain and rinse.
Place all icing ingredients into a high-speed blender. Blend until smooth. Scrape down the sides as needed and add almond milk if it's not blending. Best to use a high speed blender. You can use a regular blender, but the cashew cream may not turn out quite as smooth.
TO MAKE THE PUMPKIN FILLING:
- 1/2 cup of pumpkin purée
- 1/4 cup milk or lactose milk
- 1/4 tsp ground clove
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp ground all spice
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 egg yolk (optional for vegan alternative)
Mix all ingredients together and cook in a pot on medium heat until everything is incorporated; 7-8 minutes.
TO MAKE THE DOUGH:
Ingredients
- 1 cup warm milk
- 2 tsp quick-rise yeast
- 2½ cups gluten free all purpose flour.
- 3 tsp xanthum gum
- ¼ cup organic cane sugar or coconut sugar
- 1½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ cup cold butter
For a vegan option, you could substitute almond milk and a vegan butter like Earth Balance.
No problems eating gluten? Lucky you! Sub equal amounts of all-purpose flour.
Bun Instructions:
Note: don't preheat your oven until step 10
- Stir the yeast into the warm milk with a pinch of sugar and set aside while you prepare the dry ingredients.
- In a large bowl, stir the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together until combined.
- Cut the cold butter into dry ingredients until it forms pea-sized pieces.
- Pour warm milk mixture into the dry ingredients and stir until dough just comes together. Use hands to work it just a bit, and then lay out on lightly floured surface.
- Roll dough out to be about a 16 X 20 inch rectangle.
- Spread melted butter over the dough evenly, and sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon.
- Spread pumpkin filling evenly over the dough before rolling.
- Roll dough tightly and evenly, as much as possible. Cut into equal pieces 2 1/2 inches thick.
- Butter a baking tray or pan, sprinkle the brown sugar on the bottom of the pan. Place dough cut side down onto the pan.
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. While the oven is preheating, place tray on top for 15-20 minutes for the dough to rise.
- Bake at 400 degrees for 16- 25 minutes, until dough is brown and not doughy.
Let the buns cool a bit. Spread the matcha cashew cream on each bun right before serving.
What's your favourite cinnamon bun variation? Let us know in the comments below!