Gluten-Free Cinnamon Buns

Makes 12

For the gluten-free cinnamon buns:

1 cup lukewarm whole milk (about 105 degres)

1 package (¼ ounce) active dry yeast (2 ¼ teaspoons)

½ cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar (divided)

1 large egg

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled (divided)

3 cups gluten-free flour blend, such as Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour, plus more for dusting 2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

For the cinnamon-sugar filling:

¼ cup granulated sugar

1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

For the glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar

1 tablespoon whole milk

Pinch of salt

Coat a 9-inch round metal cake pan with vegetable oil spray.

Activate the yeast: Pour the milk into a medium mixing bowl. Sprinkle yeast and 1 tablespoon sugar over milk and set aside until yeast dissolves and is bubbly, about 5 minutes.

Make dough: Add egg and 4 tablespoons melted and cooled butter to yeast mixture. Place gluten-free baking flour, baking powder, salt and remaining ½ cup sugar in a large bowl and whisk to combine. Add flour mixture to the wet mixture and stir by hand until well-combined. Dough will be more of a thick, tacky batter than a stretchy dough, similar in appearance to cookie dough.

Roll out dough: Dust a piece of parchment paper with gluten-free baking flour and scoop dough onto parchment. If dough is too soft to roll out, set aside for 10 minutes to firm up. Roll dough into a 10-by-16-inch rectangle (about ¼ inch thick). Position it so that the longer side faces you.

Mix cinnamon-sugar filling: Stir sugar and cinnamon together in a small bowl.

Add filling: Brush surface of dough with the melted butter, leaving a 1-inch border at the top. Sprinkle cinnamon-sugar mixture evenly over buttered dough.

Assemble and bake: Roll up dough into a tight log and pinch seam together at the top to seal. Turn the log so seam side is down. Use a serrated knife to cut dough crosswise into 12 (1 ¼-inch) pieces.

Place the rolls cut side up in prepared cake pan. Cover with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap and set aside in a warm place to rise for 1 hour. The buns will not double in size, but will soften and expand slightly.

Arrange a rack in middle of oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Once risen, brush tops of buns with remaining 1 tablespoon melted butter.

Bake buns until light golden-brown and a toothpick inserted into several spots comes out clean, about 30 minutes.

Make glaze and ice buns: Whisk all ingredients together in a small bowl until smooth.

When buns are ready, place pan on a cooling rack and let cool 2 to 3 minutes. Spoon glaze evenly over buns before serving.

Notes: Cinnamon buns can be made up to 24 hours in advance. Arrange buns in a baking dish, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Remove from refrigerator 1 hour before baking, brush with melted butter and then bake as instructed above.

Alternatively, freeze buns on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Once frozen, transfer to a zipper-top freezer bag and freeze up to two weeks. Transfer buns to the cake pan, thaw in refrigerator overnight, then remove from fridge 1 hour before baking according to instructions above.

Cinnamon buns are best eaten immediately after baking.