Gluten Free Pumpkin Cottage Cheese Cinnamon Rolls (with No Yeast) & Cream Cheese Frosting

These Pumpkin Cottage Cheese Cinnamon Rolls with cream cheese frosting have no yeast, no rising time, and no gluten, but do have about 11 grams of protein per cinnamon roll. They still have everything you want in a pumpkin cinnamon roll- the pumpkin soft dough, the warm cinnamon filling, and of course, the yummy cream cheese icing. Seriously, these gluten free pumpkin cinnamon rolls are fall and protein baking made easy for any baker.

I made these pumpkin cinnamon rolls because I saw everyone else making them online (tbh, got a little FOMO) but the problem was that most recipes were not gluten free and I knew I could make some that were gluten free AND also had protein in them too. After a few (okay, more than a few) test batches, these came out of the oven soft, spiced, and good enough that everyone had more than one cinnamon roll. Now these are my go-to for slow weekend mornings, fall or holiday brunches, and anytime the pumpkin craving hits.

If you love these pumpkin cinnamon rolls too, you'll want to try my Pumpkin Protein Muffins for grab-and-go breakfasts and my Cinnamon Roll Baked Protein Oatmeal when you want something warm without much effort. For more pumpkin, my Gluten Free Protein Pumpkin Bread  and Pumpkin Cottage Cheese Scones are always in rotation this time of year. And if the cream cheese icing is your favorite part (same), my Pumpkin Cottage Cheese Muffins with Cream Cheese Frosting are a must-try.

Why You’ll Love These Pumpkin Cottage Cheese Cinnamon Rolls

• They are gluten free. You don't have to miss out on a holiday favorite just because of your dietary needs like being gluten free. Make sure that the oats and the pudding mix is also gluten free.
• Has no yeast, no waiting. Baking powder helps with the rise, so you can skip the waiting time from the rising and go straight to rolling and baking.
• These are packed with protein. Cottage cheese and protein oatmeal make these rolls pack protein into each roll over the traditional pumpkin cinnamon rolls.
• They're delicious & tastes like fall. I mean, let's face it, pumpkin and pumpkin spice is the epitome of fall, right? If you love pumpkin anything like me, this high protein pumpkin cottage cheese cinnamon rolls is THE cinnamon roll to make this fall season.

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls Ingredients (& Substitutions)

For the pumpkin dough

• 1:1 Gluten-free all-purpose flour. Use any 1:1 gluten free flour with xanthan gum. I prefer Bob's Red Mill or King Arthur's 1:1 gluten free flour blend best.
• Blended protein oatmeal. Blended up gluten free protein oats into a fine powder. You can buy blended oat flour but it may not have that extra protein boost you are looking for.
• Baking powder. This is a leavening agent to help the cinnamon rolls rise properly since there is no yeast like a typical cinnamon roll.
• Instant vanilla pudding mix. Can use sugar-free pudding mix or regular instant pudding mix. Make sure it is the INSTANT PUDDING MIX.
• Salt.
• Blended cottage cheese. The secret weapon for adding moisture and extra protein without drying out the crumb of the cinnamon rolls.
• 100% Pure Pumpkin Puree. This gives the muffin the perfect pumpkin taste without anything added. Do not substitute for pumpkin pie filling.

For the cinnamon roll filling

• Butter. You can use either unsalted or salted. I tried both and both work great.
• Coconut sugar. This filling recipe skips refined white sugar entirely by using coconut sugar. You can swap it out for brown sugar or granulated sugar if you don't have coconut sugar on hand.
• Pumpkin pie spice. A perfect addition to any pumpkin dessert recipe! If you don't have pumpkin pie spice on hand, you could make 1 tablespoon of your own pumpkin spice with 1 ½ teaspoons of ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon of ground nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon of ground ginger, and ¼ teaspoon of ground cloves.

For the cream cheese icing

• Cream cheese. Pumpkin and cream cheese icing are the greatest combination. I wouldn't recommend substituting it for anything else.
• Powdered sugar. Sweetens the icing without it being grainy from coconut sugar or granulated sugar. I don't recommend substitutions for this ingredient.
• Milk. You can use any milk you have on hand.
• Vanilla extract. Classic add-in for baked goods and in the frosting. You can also use vanilla bean paste if you want a stronger vanilla flavor.

Pumpkin Cottage Cheese Cinnamon Rolls Step by Step Instructions

1. Preheat Oven. Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a baking dish and set aside.

2. Prepare the dough. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the gluten-free flour, blended protein oatmeal, baking powder, vanilla pudding mix, and salt.

4. Blend Cottage Cheese. Blend cottage cheese up in the food processor for 1-2 minutes until it is completely smooth.

5. Add the wet ingredients. Add the blended cottage cheese and pumpkin puree. Mix with a spatula until a shaggy dough begins to form, then use your hands to gently bring the dough together. If the dough feels very sticky, add a small amount of additional gluten-free flour as needed.

6. Roll out the dough. Transfer the dough to a generously floured work surface. Lightly flour the top of the dough and roll it into a rectangle, approximately ¼-inch thick.

7. Add the filling. Spread the softened butter evenly over the dough. In a small bowl, mix together the coconut sugar and pumpkin pie spice, then sprinkle the mixture evenly over the butter.

8. Roll and slice. Starting from one of the long sides, gently roll the dough into a log. Slice into evenly sized cinnamon rolls.

9. Bake. Arrange the rolls in a greased baking dish, leaving a little space between each one. Bake until puffed, lightly golden, and cooked through. Add your final oven temperature and baking time once tested.

10. Make the cream cheese icing. While the cinnamon rolls bake, add the softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla to a bowl. Whisk or beat until smooth and creamy. Add an extra splash of milk if you prefer a thinner icing.

11. Finish and serve. Allow the cinnamon rolls to cool slightly before spreading or drizzling the cream cheese icing over the top. Serve warm.

Gluten Free Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls Expert Tips & Tricks

• Whip the cottage cheese thoroughly. Run your food processor until no visible curds remain. A smooth consistency blends seamlessly into the wet ingredients.
• Soften the butter. When making the cinnamon sugar filling, ensure your butter is VERY soft. This way you will be able to very easily spread it along the dough.
• Line or flour on counter before rolling dough. Before you roll out the dough, line your surface with parchment paper (or flour the counter top lightly). This way you have much more control over the dough while rolling without it sticking to the countertop. Note: the dough may be a touch sticky, but you’ll add a bit more flour as you roll the dough out which should help. If you find it is much too sticky to roll out, add a bit more gluten free flour 1 tablespoon at a time.
• Save the leftover pumpkin puree for more pumpkin baking. Instead of wasting the last of the pumpkin puree, go ahead and save the leftover puree for a different fall treat: Pumpkin Cottage Cheese Muffins with Cream Cheese Frosting (GF), pumpkin loaf with cream cheese frosting, pumpkin syrup for fall coffees (bye overpriced Starbuck's drinks!), or these pumpkin blondies.
• Make them for a crowd. These are great holiday breakfast or brunch to share with a smaller group since these rolls are best served the day of.

GF Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls FAQs

Do I need a food processor to blend the cottage cheese?

A food processor, high-speed blender, or immersion blender will all work effectively to remove the curds and whip the cottage cheese smooth.

Can I use brown sugar instead of coconut sugar in the cinnamon roll filling?

Yes! Light or dark brown sugar can replace the coconut sugar one-for-one in the filling. I like coconut sugar since it is less refined sugar but brown sugar is great if that's what you want to use.

What is protein oatmeal, and can I substitute it?

Protein oatmeal is oats with added protein. You can swap in regular rolled oats blended into fine flour instead. The cinnamon rolls will be a little lower in protein but still delicious. And if you need it to be gluten-free, make sure your protein oatmeal is certified gluten-free.

If I am out of pumpkin pie spice, what should I use instead?

You can make your own pumpkin spice mix by mixing all of these into a bowl. I recommend making a bigger batch so you have more in future pumpkin baking this fall (because you and I both know you will want to bake more after making this recipe). This will make 1 tablespoon of pumpkin pie spice exactly.

• 1 ½ teaspoons of ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon of ground nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon of ground ginger
• ¼ teaspoon of ground cloves.

How to Store & Reheat These Gluten Free Cinnamon Rolls

These pumpkin cinnamon rolls are best served fresh (like other gluten free cinnamon rolls) so I highly recommend you actually enjoy these the day you bake them. If you don't finish these cinnamon rolls, you can store them in an airtight container in the fridge for 1-2 additional days. You can reheat them in the microwave for 15-30 seconds at a time until the temperature you want. Note: if you warm them up in the microwave too long, they will get really chewy and dense.

If you liked this pumpkin cinnamon roll recipe, you might also enjoy...

• Pumpkin Cottage Cheese Muffins with Cream Cheese Frosting (GF)
• Pumpkin Cottage Cheese Scones (High Protein Starbucks Copycat)
• Healthy Protein Pumpkin Brownies (GF)
• Easy Gluten Free Protein Pumpkin Bread 
• Pumpkin Spice Cottage Cheese Protein Blondies
• Gluten Free Pumpkin Muffins
• Dairy Free Protein Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream Ninja Creami
• Cinnamon Roll Baked Protein Oatmeal
• Gluten Free No Yeast Cinnamon Rolls

Did you have a chance to make this recipe? If so, please leave me a 5 star rating and review below. I always love and appreciate hearing from you!