These Grain free, AIP Cinnamon Rolls are soft, gooey, moist and delicious and only involve a few ingredients! They’re also paleo and vegan and a perfect Fall or holiday treat.
I’ve gotten so many requests over the past couple months for AIP cinnamon rolls, so here they are! This recipe uses Japanese sweet potato and cassava flour to make a soft dough that is slightly sweet and so delicious with the cinnamon and coconut sugar.
Here’s what you need for these Grain free, AIP Cinnamon Rolls
- Japanese sweet potato – boiled and mashed into a smooth puree, this is the base of these delicious grain free cinnamon rolls
- Cassava flour – I don’t recommend any substitutions to the cassava flour in this recipe!
- Coconut oil – if you want to make this recipe coconut free, readers have had success substituting this for palm shortening
- Coconut sugar – you can substitute this with maple sugar if you like
- Cinnamon and pure vanilla extract – this is where all the flavor comes from.
- Sea Salt – I never bake anything sweet without sea salt. In this recipe the sea salt adds a nice balance to the sweetness and brings all the flavors together.
- Coconut cream – this is a completely optional topping. In my opinion, a topping is unnecessary but I know folks like to ice their cinnamon rolls so if you do, coconut whipped cream is a great option and you can skip the added sweetener. Trust me, the rolls themselves are plenty sweet! This is what I’ve used in the photo below.
How to make AIP/Paleo Cinnamon Rolls
- Begin by combining melted coconut oil, cinnamon, vanilla extract, sea salt and coconut sugar in a large bowl until the mixture resembles wet sand.
- Measure out 2 cups of sweet potato mash and mix together with cassava flour and salt until ingredients come together into a pliable ball of dough. If necessary, add more cassava flour by the TBSP to achieve this consistency. You want a soft and pliable dough that is not wet or sticky.
- Place ball of dough between two pieces of parchment paper. Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough into a large rectangle about 8 1/2 x 11 and no less than 1/4 inch thick.
- Using an offset or rubber spatula, spread the filling over the lower 2/3 of the dough.
- Starting from the short edge, use a large sharp knife or bench scraper to cut dough into 3/4-inch wide strips
- Carefully roll each strip inward into a tight circle. If the dough cracks in a few places, use wet fingertips to help bring it back together. Place into a baking dish and bake in the middle rack of oven for 30-35 minutes.
Tips for soft and fluffy Grain free Cinnamon Rolls:
- You want a dough that is soft and pliable and not wet or too sticky. If necessary, add more cassava flour by the TBSP to achieve this consistency.
- Be gentle with the dough – it’s delicate! You want to be able to use the parchment paper to help you fold it into thirds, so the dough shouldn’t stick to it.
- Don’t worry if some oil seeps out and pools around the rolls as they bake, most of it should be absorbed once they’re done cooking and makes the exterior slightly crispy.
Grain free, AIP Cinnamon Rolls FAQs
Can I make these cassava free?
Unfortunately, no. This recipe relies on cassava flour and I don’t recommend any substitutions.
Can I use a different type of sweet potato?
This recipe won’t work with orange-fleshed sweet potatoes which aren’t as starchy and don’t hold together. I do not recommend them in this recipe.
Can I use sweet potato flour in place of sweet potato puree?
The sweet potato puree is necessary here to bind with the cassava flour so flour alone won’t work.
What can I top these gluten-free, grain-free cinnamon rolls with?
In my opinion these are perfect as is and definitely doesn’t require any additional sweetener. For those who really want a topping, check out my AIP frosting post that gives lots of options and recipes for AIP toppings. Whipped coconut cream (as shown in the cover photo), or coconut butter would be great choices.
Enjoyed these Grain free, AIP/paleo Cinnamon Rolls? Here are some other delicious grain free recipes for you to try:
You might like these other cinnamon-flavored AIP/paleo treats:
- AIP Cinnamon Swirl Squares
- Cinnamon Salted Caramel Donuts
- AIP “Oatmeal” and Raisin Cookies
- Cinnamon Streusel Muffins
If you loved these Grain free, AIP Cinnamon Rolls I would appreciate it if you would give it a rating and review. Be sure to snap a picture of the finished product and share it with me on Instagram by tagging @healmedelicious and using the hashtag #healmedelicious.
Print
Cinnamon Rolls (AIP, paleo, grain free, vegan)
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 10 cinnamon rolls 1x
Description
These AIP, grain free Cinnamon Rolls are paleo and vegan delights. They’re soft, gooey, moist and delicious and only involve a few ingredients!
Ingredients
Filling
- 1/4 cup + 1 tsp coconut oil, melted
- 2 TBSP cinnamon
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 cup + 3 tbsp coconut sugar
Dough
- 2 cups white sweet potato or Japanese sweet potato, boiled and mashed (about 3 large sweet potatoes)
- 2/3 cup cassava flour
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375F
- In a small bowl combine melted coconut oil, cinnamon, vanilla extract, sea salt and coconut sugar. Mixture will be thick and resemble wet sand.
- Measure out 2 cups of sweet potato mash and mix together with cassava flour and salt until ingredients come together into a pliable ball of dough. If necessary, add more cassava flour by the TBSP to achieve this consistency. You want a soft and pliable dough that is not wet or sticky.
- Place ball of dough between two pieces of parchment paper. Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough into a large rectangle about 8 1/2 x 11 and no less than 1/4 inch thick.
- Using an offset or rubber spatula, spread the filling over the lower 2/3 of the dough (Image 1).
- Use the parchment paper to help you, fold the top 1/3 of the dough down to cover the middle 1/3 (Image 2) and fold the bottom 1/3 up to place on the middle third (Image 3)
- Starting from the short edge, use a large sharp knife or bench scraper to cut dough into 3/4-inch wide strips (See Image 4)
- Carefully roll each strip inward into a tight circle. If the dough cracks in a few places, use wet fingertips to help bring it back together.
- Place into a baking dish of choice and bake in the middle rack of oven for 30-35 minutes.*
Notes
* Don’t worry if some oil seeps out and pools around the rolls as they bake, this keeps them moist and most of it should be absorbed once they’re done cooking.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
Keywords: aip, paleo, vegan, cinnamon rolls, cinnamon, cinnamon buns, sweet potato
These are SO GOOD. I have been longing for a Cinnabon cinnamon roll for over a year since going gluten-free, and then when I started AIP it got even worse. But this recipe scratches that itch and more! I can’t believe it’s made with sweet potatoes. So crazy, but soooo delicious! I made a double batch and froze most of them. They reheat really well in the microwave. Thank you for sharing it with the world!
★★★★★
I used tapioca flour which I guess is basically the same as cassava since it’s from the same source. It worked well and I loved the dessert. Thank you.
★★★★★
I have made these about a half dozen times, and just want to thank you for creating this simple, delicious recipe. This has really helped me have a treat once in a while during an otherwise strict and difficult dietary period. Without several of your recipes, AIP would be so hard.
★★★★★
Hi! My first time baking an AIP dessert and I was wondering what the consistency should look like. I cooked 35 min and it looks cooked but when I bit into it it looks gummy like mochi. Is it supposed to look like this or should it be more bread like and I should cook longer?
I’d say they’re chewy but not quite mochi – if that’s the case I’d add more cassava flour!
I used orange sweet potato because that’s what I had on hand and because of that it did not hold together super well. It held together enough to be a cinnamon roll but it did not look pretty 😂 But regardless of how it looked, it tasted amazing
★★★★★
I made this recipe for Christmas Day brunch and my entire family loved it. I was diagnosed with celiac disease long ago, but not before I had the joy of eating the center of a Cinnabon cinnamon roll. These are a near-exact match for that ooey gooey center bite that we all covet. Make these immediately whether or not you or your guests have allergies. I’d be hard-pressed to make a “regular” cinnamon roll ever again. Also, I assembled these and let them sit in the fridge overnight before baking them off in the morning and they turned out absolutely perfect. If I could give this 10 stars I would.
★★★★★
Fantastic recipe! Loved these!
★★★★★
Hi! Can I sub tigernut flour for cassava??
Anyone tried this?
Thanks!
Hi Amruth, we don’t recommend any substitutions to the cassava flour. Tigernut flour won’t be absorbent enough in this recipe.
I made this the first time with half the sugar and didn’t enjoy it as much as I did just now with 80% of the coconut sugar. Thanks so much for another great AIP sweet recipe, Nicole. Would you share how you get the 8.5″ x 11 rolled out dough so evenly flat with crisp edges please?
★★★★★
Hi Olivia, so glad you enjoyed this recipe, thank you for your review! You can cut off the edges of the rectangle of dough if you’d like, for straight edges.
Duh! Thanks! Lol
★★★★★
This is hands down the best thing I’ve ever made that was AIP. They are phenomenal. Literally I probably make them every month. Mu husband is not AIP and he’s obsessed with these and the texture! Yummmm!
★★★★★
My go to cinnamon roll recipe, approved by 11yo daughter!
★★★★★
Made these using a different filling (tried a homemade blueberry compote instead of the filling recipe due to strict dietary restrictions from doctor) and they came out well. Only issue was that after 35 minutes of baking, i took them out and let them cool a little, and then when i dug in the inside was very gummy, like eating mochi. Going to try rebaking to hopefully help, but they still had great flavor! Will be trying them again.
★★★★
Hi Ashely. How are you prepping the sweet potatoes before making the mash? Are you boiling them? Storing them in the fridge before using them? Just thinking about the extra moisture content that can accrue when you don’t use the mash right away which could be affecting the texture of the rolls.
Oh. My. Word!!! These were amazing!! I was so nervous they would be a flop because all I had was regular sweet potato, but were outstanding!!! This just saved me!!!
★★★★★
I make this recipe for Christmas and look forward to it ALL YEAR! This is the recipe that pat me on the head when I was new to AIP and feeling like delicious food was a thing of the past. This recipe will always hold a special place in my heart!
★★★★★
Yummy and much easier than they appear! However, I had to bake for double the time and they are still pretty gooey (I don’t mind, but not sure what my kids will think). I didn’t have any issues with oil pooling. I’m not sure if I should turn up the heat a bit to speed the cooking? Will definitely give some more tries.
★★★★
hmm that’s odd. yes, i’d say turn up your heat!
Can’t believe these are AIP and that they are so delicious made with healthy sweet potato. If you like Cinnabons these taste just like them only way more nutrient dense!
★★★★★
This is my first PMS week on my current round of AIP. I was raging and frantically looking for a sweet gooey treat. This saved me. Saved me so much that I just ate half of them and now need to retire to my recliner and watch Ozark. Thank you thank you thank you! Really, though, recipes like this make me feel like I can actually maintain this style of eating post-reintroduction. And it feels so good to bake! The stress-release is an added bonus.
★★★★★
Ohhhhh, these are so good – what a treat! I still need to work a little on rolling the dough out to the “right” thickness, but that’ll come with practice. The flavor of these is absolutely wonderful!
★★★★★
HOLY MOLEYYY THIS IS AMAZING!!!
anyone reading this just know that this is ACTUALLY delicious. With AIP recipes ive had to lower my standards big time but this recipe is actually good AIP or not, i plan to make this even after I am done with the elimination phase.
Question- what are the nutrition details for one batch?
★★★★★
So glad you enjoyed Catherine! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review. I don’t have the nutritional info but if you’re curious, i’d suggest plugging it into an online calculator.
Yum!!!! Very good. My filling didn’t spread or get bubbly as I was anticipating Not sure if I did something wrong or not but boy oh boy were they delicious!
★★★★★
I made these yesterday for New Year’s! I appreciate how easy they were. I added a tablespoon of cardamom to the filling for my cardamom re-intro and it’s so good. Thanks for the recipe!
★★★★★
These are so delicious. I’m going back on AIP and wanted a treat. They’re easy, chewy and gooey. I’m going to make another batch of the dough and try it with some kind of savory filling. I can’t believe there’s no yeast, no egg, no gelatin…
★★★★★
I made these for the first time for Christmas morning this year. They were quick, easy and delicious!! My husband loved them! I will most definitely be making these on repeat. Thanks Nicole. Happy holidays to you and your family.
★★★★★
All i have available to me easily is orange fleshed American sweet potatoes. Can they be used in this recipe?
The link you have to your informational about Japanese sweet potatoes goes to an error/unavailable page.
Hi Jody, as I note in the post, these won’t work in this recipe.
I made these last holiday season and enjoyed them so much, I’m making them again this Christmas. A really nice and easy recipe!!!
Has anyone premade these? Was thinking of making them for Chistmas morning.
She said you can under bake them a little and then to completion to finish it off before serving. 🙂
Super good! Haven’t been able to have a cinnamon roll in a while and these are delicious and filling.
★★★★★
Another person commented that she used tapioca flour in place of cassava. I decided to try it since I realized that I was out of cassava after I started boiling the potatoes. Tapioca flour did not work for me! They turned out very gooey. I think that if I had cassava flour, these would have turned out great. I don’t recommend using tapioca flour!
These are a real treat! I have made this recipe three times before. Last night, I had just less than a cup of white sweet potato mash left, and decided to add a ripe banana to it, then added cassava flour until it reached the consistency of the dough for the regular recipe, I then proceeded with the recipe as is. It turned out to be very delicious. Thank you for developing and sharing these fantastic recipes. Your site is definitely one of my favourite sources of AIP inspiration.
Will a boniato (Cuban white sweet potato) work? Online says it’s white and starchy flesh like the Japanese ones. I’m in South Texas so the only white sweet potato here is the boniato. Let me know what you think I’m dying to try this recipe! Thank you!! ?
I’m not the author, but any type of white flesh sweet potato *should* work in this recipe. The boniato is from the same family (Convolvulaceae) as other sweet potatoes, but it may be slightly more starchy and less moist than other varieties.
boniato should work!
Can I use Hannah white organic yams Japanese are sold out in my stores
Yes, that should work!
I’ve made these at least 10 times so I thought it was about time I left a review! These are absolutely delicious. Your recipes are spot on and bring so much joy to my life! Thank you!!!
★★★★★
I couldn’t figure out how to post a comment so I’m posting a reply. 5/5. My kids love this. Cinnomon is a bit strong for their tastebuds so I substituded with carob powder. Fabulous recipe! The inside came out slightly gummy so I cooked longer and let them cool completely. That did the trick. Perhaps my dough was not dry enough. Thank you for sharing this recipe!! It’s a must for anyone on aip and craving a treat.
I’m on a strict diet since I’m breastfeeding my daughter and trying to figure out her food allergies. I made these rolls so I can finally have a treat. These are so good! Thanks for the recipe.
★★★★★
We were so happy to find this recipe! Every bit of cinnamon roll deliciousness we could have hoped for! I substituted blended raisin purée for the coconut sugar, which I didn’t have on hand, and came out yummy still.
★★★★★
Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review, Theresa. Glad you enjoyed!
Just made this for a second time! It’s sooo good, filling, & truly tastes like cinnamon rolls.
I added a second roll & filled with blueberries, coconut sugar & vanilla powder. Tastes like blueberry pie! Also I warmed up the filling and helps dissolve the grittiness of the coconut sugar. And a little arrowroot starch to thicken it!
Perfect!
★★★★★
Thanks so much Joanna. I love your experiments too!
After reading all of the amazing comments, I am so sad! I didn’t deviate from the recipe at all and they were a huge oily mess. The dough never really got cooked because everything was so flooded with coconut oil. I used the exact amount called for and can’t figure out where I went wrong. Do you have any possible insight? I so want these to work…
Hey Leigh, oh i’m so sad to hear that! No readers have shared this problem before and it’s never been my experience. As I note in the post, it is normal for a bit of the oil to seep out into the baking tray but nothing like you describe and I’m not sure what the issue could be if you didn’t make any substitutions. A few questions: Did you used melted coconut oil? Was the coconut sugar and oil mixture like wet sand as I note? Did your dough look like the pictures I shared in the recipe card before you rolled them it and baked it?
I had this exact problem as well. They looked perfect going into the oven. But after baking the recommended time and then some, they were still so oily and wet. They never actually turned into a baked cinnamon roll. They look like wet oily dough. I’m going to try a few other tricks before throwing in the towel, but right now I just don’t know how they’re going to turn into a bread type consistency.
This happened to me, too. I used 1/4 cup + 1 TBSP of melted refined coconut oil mixed with 1/4 cup + 3 TBSP is coconut sugar (total volume, 3/4 cup) + cinnamon, etc. I had a little less than 2 cups of sweet potato, so I made less dough and did not use all of the filling. The consistency
of the filling was like wet sand, but in the oven, my pie pan filled with oil over an inch high.
Hi there! As I note in the recipe, it’s normal for the oil to pool out and then cook down through the process. I’d also recommend unrefined coconut oil that won’t burn at high temps!
These made all my cinnamon dreams come true! And my nonAIP hubby devoured them, so I need to make more.
★★★★★
When the nonAIP hubbies enjoy you know it’s a winner 🙂
These were so delicious!! I can’t even tell you how thankful I am for this recipe! Even my non-AIP family loved them!
A few substitutions: I used maple sugar and also added some unsweetened coconut flakes for the filling! Instead of vanilla, I used vanilla essential oil and it was an amazing flavor! Def making these again! They were a little gooey when I first pulled them out, so I left them in for more time than it called for and it was perfect!
★★★★★
I do not ever comment on these things but I just had to sing your praises for this recipe. I have been paleo for over 7 years and have yet to find a cinnamon roll recipe that didn’t end in a disaster or was super complicated. This was such a simple recipe, easy to make and absolutely delicious. We put some of the simple mills vanilla icing on top as a treat. Thank you!!
★★★★★
Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment and review Lisa! Much appreciated and I’m so happy you enjoyed them.
I made these and they were amazing!! They lasted approximately 8 hours in the house cus we loved them so much!! I also brought some over to a friend and did a cinnamon roll drop, and her teenagers loved them! I used olive oil instead of coconut oil because I didn’t have any, and it was delicious. This is a recipe I will make again! Thank you so much!!!
Heheh they don’t last long around here either. Thanks Regina!
These are so yummy and so healthy wow!!! They were perfect
★★★★★
My mom made this for me for my birthday and it was so wonderful! I hadn’t had a cinnamon roll in 2 years because of allergies, so thank you for sharing this recipe!! We can’t have coconut but can do butter, so we subbed butter for the oil and maple sugar for the coconut sugar. Delicious! Thank you again 🙂
★★★★★
Can I use oil oil? Could this recipe be turned into muffins?
Hi Angel, these won’t work as muffins. I list a substitute for the coconut oil in the recipe to make these coconut free.
I made these and I think I maybe didn’t let them cool long enough. They were too gooey IMO which I know cassava does but I think if I’d let them cool completely they would have been less gooey. The flavor was awesome though. Thank you so much.
I meant to give it five stars
★★★★★
5 start recipe! My non-AIP son loves them as well! These will be one of our staple recipes for sure 🙂
These are DELICIOUS! I used avocado oil for the filling because I ran out of coconut oil, and it worked really well! Thanks for your cinnamon roll genius! This is our new Sunday breakfast staple!
★★★★★
holy moly, these were out of this world. i’ve been gluten free for 8 years and AIP for one month. I was nervous to make these because GF cinnamon buns have always been terribly complicated, but i finally went for it and these could not have been easier to make. i followed the recipe and the only change i made was adding 1/8 cup of maple sugar into the filling. i also worked with the mashed sweet potatoes while they were still hot and it made the dough come together fast, and the inside to spread easily. I also drizzled some Apricity caramel sauce on top to serve. I seriously can’t believe how delicious these are and how “real” they taste!!!
★★★★★
Thank you for taking the time to leave this review. I’m so happy they were easy and delicious
Another winner! I have a problem with these, I can never eat just one!! Thank you so much for such delicious recipes!
★★★★★
These are wonderful – thank you so much for the recipe!
★★★★★
Thanks Kathleen for your review. I’m glad you enjoyed@
Wow! Those were simple to make and DELICIOUS!
Used palm shortening and maple syrup like others had commented.
Yummy!!
★★★★★
I don’t have coconut oil, can I use a melted vegan butter instead?
Can these be prepped the day before and sit in the fridge till baking?
I’d bake them and then reheat in the oven before serving!
I do not ever have coconut or other sugars.,what else can I use … Chopped dates or figs or something else?
Hi there. My guess is you’d have to adjust the oil quantity because there’s no sugar to absorb a lot of it
Would you mind sharing which brand of cassava flour you use? I know they can vary quite a bit. Thanks!!
Hi Regina, I’ve used both otto’s and bob’s red mill in this recipe!
Subbed tapioca flour for cassava and used honey instead of coconut sugar and I’m in LOVE. They remind me of mochi texture with cinnamon sweet yumminess and I am so glad you made this recipe!
Thank you!
★★★★★
Sooo good! Made these this morning and they were delicious! Used palm shortening and spread
it on as Nicole suggests in one of the comments. Worked fine, but might try it melted next time as the cinnamon sugar mix (which I sprinkled/pressed on top of the palm shortening) spilled out a little while rolling, but nothing major. Thanks, Nicole, for the amazing recipe!! Can’t wait to try more!
★★★★★
These were so good! Made the recipe exactly as written and they turned out amazing. Thank you!
★★★★★
Can you use an alternative flour?
I have these flours:
Tapioca
Arrowroot
Coconut
Hi Lori, cassava flour is the only one I have found to work well in this recipe.
I am looking forward to trying this!
I am curious about the rolling method. Does the traditional roll and cut just not work well for this dough?
Hi laurel, the dough is fragile so I’ve found this to be the best method
What if I can’t find Japanese sweet potatoes? And what do they even look like? I live in Canada and am having trouble finding them. I want to make these sooo badly! Can I not use a yam instead?
★★★★★
Hi Stella, check out this post for info on Japanese sweet potatoes https://healmedelicious.com/my-aip-caribbean-kitchen/(opens in a new tab)
I found them easily in east end of Toronto and just yesterday so I can make them New Year’s day.
These cinnamon rolls are the best thing I’ve tried on the AIP diet! They are SO good and so easy to make. Thank you so much for sharing the recipe!
★★★★★
Beyond amazing!!
★★★★★
Loved this recipe, and it was deceivingly easy to make! It was delicious. I don’t usually like the taste of cassava, but the blend with the sweet potato was amazing. FYI, Japanese sweet potatoes are super large in the US so for other Americans reading this, you may only need 1.5 sweet potatoes for the mash.
★★★★★
Thank you for this recipe. It’s so good.
★★★★★
Hi! Planning to make these for the holiday coming up this week – do you think I could make + refrigerate them the day before I bake them? Thanks!
Yes for sure, but reheat before serving!
I cannot thank you enough for these! Having one kid that can’t have dairy or gluten I’m always looking for recipes that are similar to those friends enjoy. These were. Complete hit for my 9 yr old daughter and my 11 yr old son! Going to keep this handy for holidays!
★★★★★
Do you think that these could be frozen to bake later? Or would they not weather the freezer well?
I wouldn’t recommend freezing but you can refrigerate and reheat before serving.
I’m going to try and freeze them I have done it with a similar recipe for calzones prior to baking.
I froze them and have found them to be just as delicious reheated in the microwave!
These were so delicious! I also loved how quick and easy they were. My husband’s tradition is to eat cinnamon rolls on Christmas morning, and I’m so looking forward to getting to join in that this year thanks to this recipe. Thank you!
★★★★★
Filled the kitchen with a gorgeous smell and tasted absolutely great! I served mine with a dollop of coconut cream to up the splurge factor. Pretty easy to make and worth the small effort.
★★★★★
They are great and whatever you do they look awesome after baking.
It seemed more complicated than it actually was. It’s so much fun and yes
if only for having your house smell so cosy! Just give it a try.
A small question: I had to add a lot more cassave. I guess I cooked the sweet potato a bit too long. Till what consistency you cook your sweet potatoes for the mash?
★★★★★
These cinnamon rolls came out beautifully, both in terms of taste and texture. I appreciate how easy it is to adapt this recipe to make it coconut free. I used maple sugar and palm shortening, and the result was amazing. I will be making these often. Oh, and the house smells INCREDIBLE when they are baking.
★★★★★
I’m so glad you shared. My hubby can’t have coconut, so I’m glad to learn it worked well for you.
On the other hand, now I have to share…..
I can’t have coconut either. How much palm shortening did you use?
Hi Faith, I would spread the shortening directly on the dough (as much as you need) and then add the maple sugar mixture on top.
Good to know about the palm shortening — I was about to use that, as well. Can’t wait to try these!