Filled with an easy, homemade cinnamon caramel, these cinnamon rolls are incredibly delicious, keto-friendly, and so easy to make!
Easy Keto Cinnamon Rolls Recipe
These rolls are so tasty! I’m a big cinnamon roll lover, and while I’m not personally on a keto diet, I love that this fail-proof recipe is available to anyone who is. I’m a firm believer that everyone at the table, regardless of dietary restrictions or limitations, should be able to enjoy ALL of the things (cinnamon rolls most certainly being one of them!).
What makes this recipe the best low-carb cinnamon rolls?
This recipe is so incredible for a couple of reasons. Firstly, it was developed specifically for keto-eaters. This makes a big difference in the baking world! Making your own swaps isn’t as easy as you may think it would be, so finding a recipe specific to the keto world is really important.
Another reason this recipe is so delicious is that it was created by a really gifted baker: Brittany Angell. Brittany’s gift is in creating delicious recipes with various specific dietary requirements in mind (keto being one of them).
How can you make cinnamon rolls keto-friendly?
Trying to turn regular ole cinnamon rolls into keto-friendly cinnamon rolls is quite the feat. In fact, for most recipes, making 1-for-1 swaps won’t do the trick. When it comes to baked goods, it’s best to stick to recipes that were developed specifically for the keto diet — this ensures the yummiest, best-textured end product possible.
Are cinnamon rolls OK on the keto diet?
While a traditional cinnamon roll is not considered keto, this recipe was specifically designed for keto eaters and actually *is* acceptable on the keto diet.
Keto Cinnamon Rolls Ingredients
The list may seem long, but if you’re a keto baking regular, you’ll likely have a lot of these ingredients on hand anyway! Here’s everything you’ll need:
For the Cinnamon Caramel
- Butter – to start, you’ll need 4 tablespoons of salted butter.
- Sugar-Free Maple Syrup – in addition to the caramel, you’ll also need a ½ cup of sugar-free maple syrup.
- Heavy Cream – 5 tablespoons of heavy cream help the caramel to be rich and creamy.
- Sukrin Gold or Brown Sugar Swerve – 4 tablespoons of Sukrin Gold or Brown Sugar Swerve sweeten the caramel and give it a classic caramel flavor.
- Cinnamon – 1 tablespoon of cinnamon goes in to give the caramel a cinnamon flare!
For the Yeast Mixture
- Heavy Cream – for the yeast mixture, you’ll need 3 tablespoons of heavy cream to start.
- Honey or Maple Syrup – 1 tablespoon of real honey or maple syrup goes into the yeast mixture to activate it.
- Yeast – 1 ½ teaspoons of fast-acting/instant yeast helps the rolls to be nice and fluffy.
For the Dough
- Mozzarella Cheese – 2 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese. Don’t be too skeptical about this…I promise you won’t even taste the cheese in the finished rolls!
- Eggs – you’ll also need 2 large eggs.
- Psyllium Husk Powder – 1 teaspoon of psyllium husk powder will help to thicken and bind the dough.
- Garbanzo Bean Flour – a ½ cup of garbanzo bean flour goes into the bowl.
- Almond Flour – a ¼ cup of almond flour also heads into the mix.
- Oat Fiber – as a low-carb substitute for flour, you’ll need a ¼ cup of oat fiber to help bulk up the dough.
- Vanilla Extract – 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract perfectly flavors the dough.
- Xanthan or Guar Gum – a ½ teaspoon of either xanthan gum or guar gum will help to thicken and bind the dough further.
- Baking Powder – 1 ½ teaspoons of double-acting baking powder (just the regular stuff!) head into the mix also.
- Salt – an ⅛ of a teaspoon of salt helps to counter the subtle sweetness here while also bringing out all of the other really delicious flavors.
- Oil – you’ll need a mild-flavored oil (like avocado oil) for rolling out the dough.
- Heavy Cream – 2 tablespoons of heavy cream will get brushed onto the cinnamon rolls before proofing.
For the Cream Cheese Frosting
- Butter – 2 tablespoons of salted melted butter head into the bowl for the cream cheese frosting.
- Cream Cheese – what would cream cheese frosting be without cream cheese?! You’ll need 2 ounces of cream cheese here.
- Powdered Swerve – instead of regular powdered sugar, you’ll need 1 tablespoon of powdered Swerve.
- Stevia or Monk Fruit – an ⅛ of a teaspoon of liquid stevia or monk fruit further sweeten the frosting.
- Vanilla Extract – a ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract gives the frosting a subtle vanilla flavor that is so delicious.
- Heavy Cream – 1 tablespoon of heavy cream heads into the bowl to thin the frosting out (while also keeping it nice and rich) just a tad!
Which sweeteners can be used with this recipe?
Between the cinnamon caramel, dough, and cream cheese frosting, Brittany recommends sugar-free maple syrup, Sukrin Gold or Brown Sugar Swerve, Powdered Swerve, and either liquid stevia or monk fruit.
Supplies Needed to Make this Recipe
How to make Keto Cinnamon Rolls
You’ll start the process by making the caramel, then move onto the rolls themselves, and finally, the cream cheese frosting. Here’s how you’ll bring the whole recipe together:
- Make the caramel – get the caramel started first. To do this, add all of the cinnamon caramel ingredients except for the cinnamon (butter, sugar-free maple syrup, heavy cream, and Sukrin Gold or Brown Sugar Swerve) to a medium/small saucepan. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook until thickened, whisking often. Then, remove from heat, let it cool for 5 minutes, then stir in the cinnamon. Set aside to cool fully.
- Prep for the rolls – preheat the oven to 200°F, then turn it off (the oven will be used as a hot box to quickly proof the cinnamon rolls). Line a square baking pan with parchment paper.
- Prepare the yeast – in a small cup or bowl, whisk together the cream and real honey or maple syrup. Place the mixture in the microwave for 5 seconds to heat it until lukewarm. If it’s hotter than that, be sure to let it cool before adding the yeast. Add in the yeast and set aside for 5-10 minutes, allowing the yeast to activate.
- Melt the cheese – place the mozzarella cheese in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave on high for 1 minute (the cheese should not be fully melted).
- Process the eggs, psyllium husk, cheese, and yeast – add the cheese to the bowl of a food processor along with the eggs and psyllium husk. Process until the cheese has broken down fully, and then add in the yeast/cream mixture, continuing to run the food processor.
- Add the garbanzo bean flour, almond flour, oat fiber, gum, baking powder, and salt – to the food processor, add in the garbanzo bean flour, almond flour, oat fiber, xanthan (or guar) gum, baking powder, and salt, and process until a thick and sticky dough forms.
- Press the dough out – place a sheet of parchment paper down and oil it heavily. Using a spatula, get all of the dough onto the sheet of oiled parchment. Oil your hands and then press/roll out the dough until it’s about a ½-inch thick and 10 inches wide.
- Fill and roll the dough – pour and smooth out the caramel on the rolled-out dough. Using the parchment paper as your guide, gently roll up the cinnamon rolls. When finished rolling, make sure they are seam-side down.
- Cut the rolls – using a sharp knife or dental floss, gently cut the cinnamon rolls 1-inch thick, cleaning your knife between each cut for best results. Line the rolls up in the baking pan, leaving space between them.
- Let the rolls rise – cover the pan with a kitchen towel and place it in the warm (turned off) oven for 45 minutes, allowing the cinnamon rolls to rise — they should double to triple in size.
- Bake – after the 45-minute rise time, remove the rolls from the oven, and turn the oven on to 350°F, letting it preheat fully. Remove the towel from the pan, place the pan in the hot oven, and bake for 17-19 minutes (17 minutes if you want them a little gooey in the middle or 19 minutes if you want them fully cooked through).
- Make the frosting – while the cinnamon rolls are baking, make the frosting. In a small bowl, whisk together all the frosting ingredients (melted butter, cream cheese, powdered Swerve, liquid stevia or monk fruit, vanilla extract, and heavy cream). If needed, an immersion blender can be used here as well.
- Drizzle with frosting and serve – as soon as the cinnamon rolls come out of the oven, drizzle frosting over them, and serve warm. Leftovers can be stored in a sealed container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Tips and Tricks
Below, you’ll find Brittany’s best tips and tricks for these keto cinnamon rolls:
- Be cautious not to over-melt the cheese.
- This dough is stickier, softer, and thinner than traditional cinnamon roll dough. Don’t assume that it isn’t right and start adding flour – trust the process and trust the measurement quantities.
- The temperature for your milk should be lukewarm. If it’s hot, it will kill the yeast, and if it’s cold, you won’t be able to tell if it is alive and will work in the bread for you.
- I recommend investing in a little $10 oven thermometer that hangs on the rack so that you can make sure your temperature is what it is supposed to be. Oven temperature can make or break how bread recipes turn out.
Do cinnamon rolls need to rise?
They do! The rise is actually what makes them super fluffy (as opposed to dense and flat). This recipe just needs a single 45-minute rise before going into the oven.
What is the secret to making the keto cinnamon rolls fluffy?
The yeast makes cinnamon rolls nice and fluffy, and the real sugar in the yeast mixture helps to activate it (so don’t sub that for a sugar-free alternative).
How can you tell if keto cinnamon rolls are done?
You’ll know your cinnamon rolls are done when they’re golden brown on top. For slightly gooey-centered rolls, this will take about 17 minutes, and for fully cooked, firmer rolls, this will take about 19 minutes.
What goes with the best keto cinnamon rolls?
A glass of your favorite milk (dairy or non) would be really delicious next to an ooey-gooey, warm cinnamon roll. I also love enjoying a nice big cinnamon roll next to my typical savory breakfast (eggs and bacon). YUM!
How do you store low carb cinnamon rolls?
Store your leftover cinnamon rolls covered on the counter for up to 3 days. This will keep them from drying out!
Do you have to refrigerate keto cinnamon rolls?
No! Refrigerating cinnamon rolls actually causes them to dry out. Instead, leave your rolls covered on the counter.
Do they freeze well?
They do. Because of all of the work that goes into making homemade cinnamon rolls (specifically in activating the yeast, allowing the rolls to rise), we recommend freezing them once they’re cooked and cooled as opposed to freezing the raw dough and potentially deactivating the yeast.
Keto Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
For the Cinnamon Caramel
- 4 tablespoons salted butter
- ½ cup sugar-free maple syrup
- 5 tablespoons heavy cream
- 4 tablespoons Sukrin Gold or Brown Sugar Swerve
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
For the Yeast Mixture
- 3 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
- 1 ½ teaspoons fast-acting/instant yeast
For the Dough
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon psyllium husk powder
- ½ cup garbanzo bean flour
- ¼ cup almond flour
- ¼ cup oat fiber
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon xanthan gum or guar gum
- 1 ½ teaspoons double-acting baking powder
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- Mild-flavored oil like avocado oil, for rolling out the dough
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream for brushing on the rolls
For the Cream Cheese Frosting
- 2 tablespoons salted butter melted
- 2 ounces cream cheese
- 1 tablespoon powdered Swerve
- ⅛ teaspoon liquid stevia or monk fruit
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream
Instructions
- Make the caramel: add all of the cinnamon caramel ingredients except for the cinnamon (butter, sugar-free maple syrup, heavy cream, and Sukrin Gold or Brown Sugar Swerve) to a medium/small saucepan. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook until thickened, whisking often. Then, remove from heat, let it cool for 5 minutes, then stir in the cinnamon. Set aside to cool fully.
- Preheat the oven to 200°F, then turn it off (the oven will be used as a hot box to quickly proof the cinnamon rolls). Line a 7×7 square baking pan with parchment paper.
- In a small cup or bowl, whisk together the cream and real honey or maple syrup. Place the mixture in the microwave for 5 seconds to heat it until lukewarm. If it’s hotter than that, be sure to let it cool before adding the yeast. Add in the yeast and set aside for 5-10 minutes, allowing the yeast to activate.
- Place the mozzarella cheese in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave on high for 1 minute (the cheese should not be fully melted).
- Add the cheese to the bowl of a food processor along with the eggs and psyllium husk. Process until the cheese has broken down fully, and then add in the yeast/cream mixture, continuing to run the food processor.
- Add the garbanzo bean flour, almond flour, oat fiber, gum, baking powder, and salt to the food processor and process until a thick and sticky dough forms.
- Place a sheet of parchment paper down and oil it heavily. Using a spatula, get all of the dough onto the sheet of oiled parchment. Oil your hands and then press/roll out the dough until it’s about a ½-inch thick and 10 inches wide.
- Pour and smooth out the caramel on the rolled-out dough. Using the parchment paper as your guide, gently roll up the cinnamon rolls. When finished rolling, make sure they are seam-side down.
- Using a sharp knife or dental floss, gently cut the cinnamon rolls 1-inch thick, cleaning your knife between each cut for best results. Line the rolls up in the baking pan, leaving space between them.
- Cover the pan with a kitchen towel and place it in the warm (turned off) oven for 45 minutes, allowing the cinnamon rolls to rise — they should double to triple in size.
- After the 45-minute rise time, remove the rolls from the oven, and turn the oven on to 350°F, letting it preheat fully. Remove the towel from the pan, place the pan in the hot oven, and bake for 17-19 minutes (17 minutes if you want them a little gooey in the middle or 19 minutes if you want them fully cooked through).
- While the cinnamon rolls are baking, make the frosting: in a small bowl, whisk together all the frosting ingredients (melted butter, cream cheese, powdered Swerve, liquid stevia or monk fruit, vanilla extract, and heavy cream). If needed, an immersion blender can be used here as well.
- As soon as the cinnamon rolls come out of the oven, drizzle the frosting over them, and serve warm. Leftovers can be stored in a sealed container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Recipe Notes
- Be cautious not to over-melt the cheese.
- This dough is stickier, softer, and thinner than traditional cinnamon roll dough. Don’t assume that it isn’t right and start adding flour – trust the process and trust the measurement quantities.
- The temperature for your milk should be lukewarm. If it’s hot, it will kill the yeast, and if it’s cold, you won’t be able to tell if it is alive and will work in the bread for you.
- I recommend investing in a little $10 oven thermometer that hangs on the rack so that you can make sure your temperature is what it is supposed to be. Oven temperature can make or break how bread recipes turn out.
Nutrition
