For years, the dream of a perfectly soft, wonderfully zesty orange roll felt out of reach for those navigating gluten, dairy, egg, and other common food allergies. But the wait is finally over! We’re thrilled to share a groundbreaking recipe for sweet orange rolls that are not only gluten-free and vegan but also completely top 8 allergy-free. This isn’t just any recipe; it’s a labor of love that took considerable time and dedication to perfect, ensuring it meets our high standards for taste and texture. We believe you’ll find these rolls to be truly worth the anticipation. The absolute best part? This recipe ingeniously utilizes a premade mix, eliminating the need for complex gluten-free flour blends, precise yeast measurements, or any guesswork. Prepare to indulge in the classic, vibrant zest of orange in every bite, though the versatile base can easily be adapted for a traditional cinnamon roll experience if you prefer.

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Why These Gluten-Free Vegan Orange Rolls Are an Absolute Game-Changer

For many, including myself, the idea of enjoying warm, gooey orange rolls or cinnamon rolls has always been a distant fantasy. Traditional recipes rely heavily on wheat flour, eggs, and butter – staples that are off-limits for families like ours managing multiple severe food allergies. It was disheartening when readers would ask for an allergy-friendly version, and I had no truly satisfying solution to offer. While individual gluten-free cinnamon roll recipes or dairy-free cinnamon rolls existed, finding a recipe that was simultaneously gluten-free, vegan, AND top 8 free felt like searching for a culinary unicorn. Every recipe I encountered seemed to contain at least one allergen that simply wouldn’t work for our family’s needs.

The primary challenge always lay in achieving a delightful dough texture. Gluten-free baking, especially for yeasted doughs, can be notoriously tricky. The eureka moment arrived when I discovered Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Pizza Crust Mix. It struck me that this versatile mix could be the foundational ingredient I needed to bypass the most difficult part of gluten-free baking. Instead of agonizing over the perfect blend of brown rice flour, potato starch, millet flour, sorghum flour, tapioca flour, potato flour, xanthan gum, and guar gum, and then meticulously measuring them out, Bob’s Red Mill had already done the heavy lifting. This convenience is invaluable, saving countless hours and ensuring a consistent, reliable base. A huge thank you to Bob’s Red Mill for creating such an incredible product that empowers us to create these allergy-friendly delights! (And no, this enthusiastic endorsement is not sponsored.)

With the dough base sorted, my next mission was to infuse every element with that irresistible orange flavor. I meticulously integrated fresh orange juice into the dough itself, added fragrant orange zest to the rich, buttery filling, and incorporated yet more vibrant orange juice into the smooth, sweet frosting. This triple-orange approach guarantees that each bite delivers an authentic, bright citrus punch that truly elevates these rolls.

If you’ve been yearning for a delicious, safe, and truly satisfying sweet roll experience, I sincerely hope these gluten-free vegan orange rolls become a cherished go-to recipe for you and your family, regardless of your specific dietary restrictions.

Demystifying the Gluten-Free Aspect of These Orange Rolls

Achieving a gluten-free dough for these orange rolls proved to be surprisingly the simplest step, thanks to the brilliant shortcut of using Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Pizza Crust Mix. This exceptional mix takes care of all the complex chemistry typically involved in gluten-free baking, providing a reliable and soft dough base. The only additional ingredient you’ll need, in terms of flour, is a small amount of your preferred gluten-free flour for dusting your wax paper or work surface and your rolling pin. This simply prevents the dough from sticking during the rolling process. Any gluten-free flour you have on hand will work perfectly. In a pinch, even powdered sugar can serve as a suitable dusting agent – anything to create a non-stick barrier. Some readers have also shared a clever alternative: instead of extra flour (which can sometimes dry out the dough), they opt for non-stick spray on both their work surface and their hands when handling and rolling the dough, offering another excellent method for easy preparation.

Crafting Vegan Orange Rolls: A Dairy-Free and Egg-Free Solution

Transforming these sweet rolls into a delicious vegan treat means consciously replacing traditional dairy butter and eggs with plant-based alternatives. For the butter, we rely on Earth Balance vegan buttery sticks, a widely available and highly effective substitute that mimics the richness and texture of dairy butter beautifully. When it comes to eggs, the secret ingredient is aquafaba – the liquid drained from a can of chickpeas. Aquafaba provides the essential binding and elasticity that eggs typically contribute to baked goods, ensuring a wonderfully soft and pliable dough. With these carefully selected plant-based ingredients, our orange rolls contain no other animal products, making them an ideal and truly delightful option for anyone following a vegan diet or managing dairy and egg allergies.

Customizing for Your Dietary Needs: Egg and Dairy Options

What if I can use eggs?

For those who do not have an egg allergy and prefer to use traditional eggs, the substitution is straightforward. Simply omit the aquafaba from the recipe and instead incorporate two regular large eggs into your dough mixture. This adjustment allows for flexibility while still yielding fantastic results.

What if I don’t need these orange rolls to be dairy-free?

If dairy is not a concern for you, feel free to substitute the vegan butter with an equal amount of regular dairy butter. Whether it’s for the dough, the filling, or the frosting, the same ratio applies, ensuring a rich and delicious outcome tailored to your preferences.

Addressing Common Questions: Yeast and Egg Replacers

What if I have a yeast allergy?

I sincerely apologize, but yeast plays a crucial role in the leavening process, which is essential for these gluten-free vegan orange rolls to achieve their characteristic fluffy rise and soft texture. At this time, I do not have a viable workaround or alternative method for eliminating yeast from this specific recipe. If you happen to discover a successful yeast-free method that maintains the integrity of the rolls, please don’t hesitate to share it with me!

What do you use for the egg replacer in these vegan orange rolls?

As mentioned, my preferred egg replacer for these vegan orange rolls is aquafaba, which is simply the liquid found in a can of chickpeas (also known as garbanzo beans). I’ve found that aquafaba remarkably mimics the elasticity and binding properties of egg whites, which is vital for developing a dough with good stretch and pull – qualities often challenging to achieve in gluten-free, egg-free baking. Unlike some powdered egg replacers that can sometimes result in a drier texture, or fruit purees like applesauce or bananas that might make the dough too wet, aquafaba strikes a perfect balance. If you have a legume allergy and cannot use aquafaba, you are welcome to experiment with your preferred alternative egg replacer. While I cannot guarantee identical results, sometimes a bit of personal tweaking is necessary when managing severe allergies, and even if it’s not absolutely ideal, it might still yield a delicious and safe outcome for your family.

Understanding Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free Pizza Crust Mix

Where do you find the Bob’s Red Mill mix & what’s in it?

For these delectable gluten-free vegan orange rolls, I consistently purchase the 16-ounce Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Pizza Crust Mix. It’s readily available at many major grocery stores, including my local Walmart, and natural food markets. For added convenience, you can also find it online, for example, on Amazon. A fantastic bonus is that the mix typically includes the necessary yeast packet, making the preparation even more straightforward.

Here are the ingredients as listed on the label, providing full transparency about what’s in this wonderful mix:

• MIX: BROWN RICE FLOUR, POTATO STARCH, WHOLE GRAIN MILLET FLOUR, WHOLE GRAIN SORGHUM FLOUR, TAPIOCA FLOUR, POTATO FLOUR, CANE SUGAR, XANTHAN GUM, SEA SALT, GUAR GUM.
• YEAST PACKET: YEAST, SORBITAN MONOSTEARATE, ASCORBIC ACID

Addressing Concerns: Bob’s Red Mill and Nut Processing

This is a crucial question I frequently encounter when recommending Bob’s Red Mill products, especially for those managing severe nut allergies. It’s vital to be informed about their manufacturing practices. Here’s their official statement, which provides valuable insight:

“Each manufacturing facility follows Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) and follows allergen control strategies to minimize the potential cross contact of food allergens. These practices include, but are not limited to: HACCP training, separation of like materials and sanitation.” Source.

As a parent of two boys with anaphylactic allergies to peanuts and most tree nuts (hazelnuts being the exception), this is a topic I take very seriously. Our family has been confidently using Bob’s Red Mill products for nearly a decade with absolutely zero issues. This long track record of safety gives us great peace of mind. To further reassure myself and understand their procedures more deeply, I also reached out to them directly via email regarding this specific pizza crust mix and potential concerns about cross-contact with tree nuts. Their email, sent on December 17, 2020, provided very comforting details:

• “We do process the following tree nuts in our GF facility: almonds, cashews, coconut, hazelnuts, and macadamia nuts. The chance of cross contact would be incredibly slim. Each facility follows Good Manufacturing Practices and follows allergen control strategies to minimize the potential of cross contact between food allergens. We clean our machinery thoroughly with high-pressure air and vacuums between each production run, inspecting and validating cleanliness before a new product is introduced. When a new product is introduced, we flush the lines, donating or discarding the first 20 pounds of product per lot before beginning the new packaging process.”

I personally trust their rigorous cleaning procedures and their commitment to allergen control. However, I always emphasize that individual comfort levels vary greatly. If you ever have any doubts or specific concerns, I strongly recommend calling the company and speaking directly with their customer service team. I’ve found that having a one-on-one conversation always helps clarify concerns and build trust. Ultimately, when it comes to managing allergies, you must do what feels best and safest for your family. My designation of “top 8 free” for recipes is based solely on reviewing product labels. If your allergy management requires a different approach, such as contacting manufacturers for every ingredient, that is perfectly valid and your decision should always take precedence.

Versatility and Customization: Beyond Orange Rolls

Can you make these orange rolls into cinnamon rolls?

Absolutely! The beauty of this dough recipe lies in its adaptability. To transform these zesty orange rolls into classic cinnamon rolls, simply swap out the orange-infused filling for your favorite cinnamon filling blend. You can create a rich mixture of softened vegan butter, brown sugar, and ground cinnamon. Once baked, instead of the orange frosting, generously top them with this incredible vegan vanilla buttercream for a truly comforting and familiar treat.

Can I frost these with a cream cheese frosting instead?

You are certainly welcome to use any frosting you prefer on these gluten-free vegan orange rolls. While the vibrant orange frosting is designed to complement and enhance the citrus flavor profile, a cream cheese frosting can also be a delightful choice. If you’re looking for an allergy-friendly option, I do have a fantastic recipe for vegan cream cheese frosting included within my carrot sheet cake recipe. Personally, I chose the orange frosting for this recipe because I wanted the pure orange essence to truly shine without any other flavors competing with it. Cream cheese frosting, while delicious, can sometimes have a distinct tang that might slightly overshadow the delicate orange notes, but it’s entirely a matter of personal preference!

Storage Tips for Your Gluten-Free Vegan Orange Rolls

How do you store these gluten-free vegan orange rolls?

To keep your delicious gluten-free vegan orange rolls as fresh and tender as possible, it’s best to store them at room temperature. After they have cooled completely, ensure they are well-covered with plastic wrap or kept in an airtight container. This helps to prevent them from drying out, which can happen more quickly with gluten-free baked goods. While they are undoubtedly at their absolute best when eaten on the day they are baked, these rolls will maintain their quality for 1-2 days. If you’re enjoying them on a subsequent day, a quick reheat in the microwave for just a few seconds can work wonders. This gentle warming helps to soften the dough slightly, bringing back some of that freshly baked tenderness. Be careful not to microwave them for too long, however, as the frosting can quickly turn into a melted puddle!

Are these orange rolls top-8-free and allergy-friendly?

Yes, absolutely! This recipe has been meticulously crafted to be fully top-8 allergy-friendly. My youngest son has severe anaphylactic allergies to wheat/gluten, dairy, eggs, and nuts, so ensuring that none of these common allergens are present in our recipes is paramount. This means these delightful orange rolls are naturally gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, peanut-free, and tree nut-free. If your family also requires these rolls to be soy-free, please remember to use the soy-free version of Earth Balance Buttery Sticks or any other preferred dairy-free butter alternative that is explicitly labeled as soy-free.

Explore More Gluten-Free Vegan Breakfast Recipes

Breakfast truly is the most important meal of the day, and for those with allergies, it doesn’t mean sacrificing flavor or variety! We’re always expanding our repertoire of safe and delicious morning meals. Here are some of our other cherished allergy-friendly breakfast and brunch recipes that are perfect for starting your day right:

• 20+ of Our Favorite Allergy-Friendly Muffins: A collection of delightful muffin recipes perfect for any dietary need.
• Gluten-Free Vegan Double Chocolate Baked Donuts: Indulge in rich, chocolatey donuts without common allergens.
• Gluten-Free Vegan Pumpkin Scones with Spiced Glaze: Seasonal and spiced, these scones are a perfect fall treat.
• Egg-Free & Dairy-Free Frittata Cups: A savory and wholesome option for a quick breakfast.
• Gluten-Free Vegan Instant Pot Pumpkin Quinoa Porridge: A warm and nourishing bowl, easily made in your Instant Pot.
• Gluten & Dairy-Free Breakfast Potatoes (with Bacon): A hearty side dish that’s wonderfully flavorful.
• Blender Sunbutter, Buckwheat & Banana Waffles: Easy to whip up for a fun and nutritious breakfast.
• Gluten-Free Vegan Gingerbread Pancakes: A festive and delicious twist on classic pancakes.
• Gluten-Free Vegan Lemon Raspberry Streusel Cake: A delightful cake that’s perfect for brunch or dessert.
• And, if you only need a gluten-free option and can tolerate dairy/eggs, you might enjoy my friend Chandice’s Gluten-Free Cinnamon Rolls for a different take.

Visual Guide: Watch How to Make Vegan Gluten-Free Orange Rolls!

To help you visualize the process and ensure your success, I’ve created a handy video demonstration! I made a TikTok video, which offers a short, sweet, and concise overview of how to bring this wonderful recipe to life. It’s a great way to get a general understanding of the steps before you dive in. Enjoy the baking!

@allergyawesomenessOrange rolls that are ##glutenfreevegan AND ##top8free. ##allergyfriendly ##glutenfreeveganbaking ##eggfreebaking ##glutenfreedairyfree♬ original sound – Megan Lavin

Gluten Free Vegan Orange Rolls (made with a mix!)

Yield:
12 orange rolls

Prep Time:
50 minutes

Cook Time:
20 minutes

Additional Time:
2 hours

Total Time:
3 hours 10 minutes

A sweet roll that is gluten free, vegan AND top 8 free! The best part of these orange rolls–it uses a premade mix, so no mixing gluten free flours together, or having to measure any type of yeast or flour!

Ingredients

DOUGH:

• 2-1/4 tsp Yeast Packet (included in the mix)
• 1/2 cup warmed water
• 1 Tablespoon sugar
• 1/4 cup vegan butter (see post for details)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 aquafaba eggs (6 Tablespoons aquafaba) *see post for details
• 1/2 cup room temperature orange juice
• 16-oz Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Pizza Crust Mix
• Additional gluten free flour for dusting

ORANGE FILLING:

• 1/2 cup softened vegan butter
• 1 cup white sugar
• Zest of one large, or two medium naval oranges

ORANGE FROSTING:

• 6 Tablespoons vegan butter
• 1 and 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1-2 tablespoons orange juice to thin as needed
• 1/2 tsp orange extract (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Lightly grease an 8×11 (2 quart) glass baking dish. Set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, prepare your filling by creaming together the softened butter, orange zest, and sugar. Set aside.
4. In a small bowl, combine the warm water and 1 Tablespoon sugar.
5. Sprinkle the yeast packet on top of the warm sugar water and let it sit for 5 minutes to activate.
6. Meanwhile, in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the 1/2 cup sugar and vegan butter until light and fluffy. Add the aquafaba and orange juice, mixing until well combined.
7. Next, pour the activated yeast/water/sugar mixture into the stand mixer bowl and mix thoroughly.
8. Finally, add in the entire 16-ounce package of flour from the Bob’s Red Mill mix.
9. Remove the paddle attachment and replace it with your dough hook on the mixer. Mix everything for two minutes until a cohesive dough forms.
10. Lay out wax paper on a clean work surface and heavily sprinkle it with your chosen gluten-free flour. Transfer the dough onto the floured surface, and sprinkle additional flour on top of it, as well as on your rolling pin.
11. Roll the dough out into a large rectangular shape.
12. Using your hands or a spatula, evenly spread the prepared orange filling all over the rectangle, leaving a small border free along the edges.
13. Starting from one of the shorter ends, tightly roll the dough into a log, much like you would for a jelly roll.
14. Pre-measure and mark where your 12 slices will go. For clean cuts, use a piece of unflavored dental floss to slice 12 even rolls from the log.
15. Carefully place the slices into the greased 8×11 baking dish. It’s perfectly fine for them to be crowded, as this helps them rise into soft, plump rolls. Cover them loosely with plastic wrap and place them in a warm spot to rise for 30 minutes. (A useful tip: sometimes I preheat my oven to its lowest temperature while preparing the dough, then turn it off, and place the covered rolls inside the warm oven to rise, especially if my kitchen is cool.)
16. After 30 minutes of rising, gently remove the plastic wrap and place your rolls into the pre-heated 375 degree F oven. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the edges are just beginning to turn golden brown and the dough is cooked through.
17. Allow the rolls to cool completely before applying the frosting (this usually takes about two hours).
18. To make the frosting, cream together all of the ingredients in a bowl, slowly adding in the orange juice a tablespoon at a time until you achieve your desired consistency – smooth, spreadable, and wonderfully zesty.
19. These orange rolls are best enjoyed on the same day they are baked. Store any leftovers covered at room temperature for 1-2 days. If you’re eating them the next day, a brief zap in the microwave for a few seconds can help soften the dough, bringing back some of that fresh-baked feel. Be careful not to overheat, or your frosting will melt into a puddle!

Notes

Adapted from a mixture of Clean Monday Meals’ Cinnamon Rolls and Stay At Home Chef’s Orange Rolls.

*I know many people have concerns about Bob’s Red Mill since they process tree nuts. We have been using them for over 8 years with no problems and both of my boys are extremely anaphylactic to tree nuts. What helped me feel better was calling the company and talking to them directly about their cleaning processes in between runs. Do what is best for your own family. I have not tired other mixes. See above in the post for more details.

**Our allergies, while severe and that get re-tested frequently, are such that we can go strictly by what’s on the label. I do not call companies to see what things are derived from, or call manufacturers to see about potential cross contact. If your allergies require you to do so, please do your own homework. I cannot assure you of any ingredient’s safety, only you can do that. I simply share what works for our family.

***If you are going to feed this to someone with food allergies, and you yourself do not have food allergies, I HIGHLY recommend having them check every single brand and ingredient you are using, to ensure they’re OK with each part of the recipe. And, to make sure you’ve talked to them about how to avoid cross contamination in your kitchen.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 12
Serving Size: 1

Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 434Total Fat: 22gSaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 83mgSodium: 377mgCarbohydrates: 54gFiber: 2gSugar: 33gProtein: 7g

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