Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Pumpkin Roll Recipe (2024)

A super moist, fluffy and light Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Pumpkin Roll – perfect for Thanksgiving and the holidays! Soft, warmly spiced pumpkin cake is rolled up with a luscious dairy-free cream cheese filling for a dessert that’s vegan, AIP and Paleo.

As the creatorof an onlinedairy-free and gluten-free baking school, I know how challenging it can be to find delicious gluten-free baked treats that taste just as good as the conventional versions. And it’s particularly disheartening during special celebrations and gatherings! So I’m really excited to share my Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Pumpkin Roll recipe – it makes the perfect AIP and Paleo pumpkin dessert for Thanksgiving and the holidays!

Pumpkin rolls are a beautiful and popular Fall treat. With my new recipe, you can indulge in this holiday favorite while honoring your dietary requirements too! I guarantee the same sweet, pumpkin spice flavor in my tender pumpkin cake with its velvety dairy-free cream cheese frosting as traditional pumpkin rolls, but without eggs, grains, dairy, or gluten! Just like my pumpkin scones, my gluten-free pumpkin muffins, my pumpkin spice cookies, my pumpkin banana muffins, and my paleo pumpkin pie, my pumpkin roll is a delicious pumpkin treat that ALL eaters will love!

Gluten-Free Dairy-free Pumpkin Roll

If you enjoy my pumpkin spice cake donuts, you’ll love this pumpkin roll! I used the same dough to create the soft and spongy pumpkin cake as the base of this beautiful dessert. The primary flour used is cassava flour. I love that this flour is both grain-free and nut-free. Itshigh starch contentmakes the dough stretchy and pliable, so it’s easy to roll the cake without cracking. Coconut flour absorbs excess moisture and creates structure so the cake isn’t too dense or chewy. Baking soda with cream of tartar reacts with the apple cider vinegar to leaven the cake and make it have a light texture.

Pumpkin purée provides the cake’s main moisture and flavor base. A homemade pumpkin spice blend enhances the naturally sweet, mildly earthy pumpkin and infuses the cake roll with its cozy and comforting Fall flavor. Warm, sweet, slightly woody cinnamon, with ginger for some gentle spice and zest, and a hint of cloves comprise the warm aromatic spice mix, complemented by the sweetness of the unrefined coconut sugar and maple syrup. Vanilla and sea salt enhance and balance the overall flavor profile. Creamy coconut milk, coconut oil, and maple syrup contribute moisture and richness to create a tender and moist cake with a soft, delicate crumb.

Slightly tangy dairy-free cream cheese and sweet maple syrup, balanced with sea salt and vanilla and thickened to your preference with tapioca starch, create a rich and creamy dairy-free frosting. Slather the silky dairy-free cream cheese filling evenly on the cake, then roll it up! With its impressive swirls, this gorgeous pumpkin roll will be a showstopper on your holiday table!

Ingredients

Pumpkin Roll Cake Dough

• Cassava flour
• Coconut flour
• Baking soda
• Cream of tartar
• Coconut sugar
• Sea salt
• Cinnamon
• Ginger
• Cloves
• Maple syrup
• Coconut milk
• Pumpkin purée – If using canned pumpkin purée, ensure the only ingredient is pumpkin like this one here. Many canned products are actually pumpkin pie filling which is already sweetened and spiced. Or, you can make your own purée by roasting or steaming pumpkins. Learn how to make pumpkin purée here.
• Coconut oil
• Vanilla extract
• Apple cider vinegar

Cream Cheese Filling

• Dairy-free cream cheese – I like the Kite Hill brand which has a slight tang reminiscent of regular cream cheese. If you’re following the autoimmune paleo protocol (AIP diet), use palm shortening instead.
• Tapioca starch
• Maple syrup
• Vanilla extract
• Sea salt

Ingredient Substitutions

• You can substitute the coconut sugar with maple sugar in the cake.
• I don’t recommend substituting the coconut sugar with more maple syrup or vice versa in the cake. I’ve tested this dough with only coconut sugar and only maple syrup, and it doesn’t work well. The liquid and granulated unrefined sweeteners are both necessary to create the optimal texture.
• You can substitute the dairy-free cream cheese with palm shortening to make my Vegan Vanilla “Buttercream” Frosting for a sweeter filling or to make this recipe AIP compliant.
• I don’t recommend any other ingredient substitutions and can’t guarantee the results if you make replacements.

How To Make A Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Pumpkin Roll

Although pumpkin rolls may look complicated, this recipe is simple once you follow these instructions. Plus, you don’t have to wait for it to set in the fridge for hours, so you’ll be enjoying this in no time!

Step 1: Prep the Oven

Preheat the oven to 350F and line a 10×15 baking sheet or jelly roll pan with parchment paper.

Step 2: Prepare Dry Ingredients

To a large bowl, combine cassava flour, coconut flour,baking soda, cream of tartar, coconut sugar, sea salt, cinnamon, powdered ginger, and cloves. Then make a well in the center of the ingredients.

Step 3: Combine Wet Ingredients

In a separate medium-sized bowl, whisk together maple syrup, coconut milk, pumpkin purée, coconut oil, vanilla extract, and apple cider vinegar.

Step 4: Complete the Pumpkin Roll Dough

Pour the wet ingredient mixture into the dry ingredients. Stir to combine and create the soft cake dough.

Step 5: Spread the Dough

You’ll see that this pumpkin roll dough is a soft and moist dough rather than a pourable, spreadable liquid batter. Transfer the dough to the prepared baking sheet. Smooth and spread the dough with your fingers in an even layer, then roll out the dough into a rectangle about 1/4 inch thick between two sheets of parchment paper with a rolling pin. You may need to remove it from the baking tray to roll it out properly. You can use a knife or bench scraper to trim or straighten the edges.

Step 6: Bake the Pumpkin Cake

Bake the cake in the middle rack of the oven for 14 to 15 minutes.

Step 7: Cool

Once baked, remove the cake from the oven and leave uncovered in the baking sheet to cool for about 5 minutes. Then cover the cake with parchment paper and allow to cool fully, at least 30 minutes.

Step 8: Make the Filling

Whisk together the dairy-free cream cheese or palm shortening, tapioca starch, maple syrup, vanilla, and sea salt with a handheld mixer, or in a stand mixer or a food processor. Whisk or pulse until fully combined. The dairy-free cream cheese filling should be silky, smooth and creamy.

Step 9: Spread the Filling

Once the cake is cooled, remove the top sheet of parchment paper and place the cake and the bottom sheet of parchment paper on a counter or table. Use a large spoon or ice cream scoop to scoop dollops of the filling onto the cake. Next, use an offset spatula to spread the filling evenly and smoothly over the cake, almost to the edges.

Step 10: Roll the Pumpkin Roll

Turn the cake so one of the short ends is nearest to you. Using the parchment paper and both hands, gently and carefully lift that short edge and tuck the cake over to start the roll. Gently peel the parchment paper off the cake and continue rolling the cake gently but firmly over itself to create a log shape.

Step 11: Serve and Enjoy!

This pumpkin roll is best served fresh! Place the pumpkin roll seam-side down on a serving platter, slice and serve!

Pumpkin Roll Tips

• Ensure all of the wet ingredients are at room temperature before using. The pumpkin purée, coconut milk, dairy-free cream cheese or palm shortening and maple syrup should be at room temperature rather than cold from the fridge for best result. Room temperature ingredients ensure smoother mixing and an evenly incorporated dough and a filling that is smooth rather than curdled. If necessary, slightly warm cold liquid ingredients first to remove the chill.
• Adjust the thickness of the dairy-free cream cheese filling or vegan vanilla frosting by adding more or less tapioca starch versus the amount of cream cheese or palm shortening you use.
• Lightly sift arrowroot starch on the cake to mimic the classic pumpkin roll look with dusted powdered sugar.

How to Prevent Cracks in your Pumpkin Roll

You shouldn’t get any cracks when rolling this dairy-free and gluten-free pumpkin roll because the cake is so moist and soft. Here are some additional tips:

• The cake should be soft and pliable to the touch when you remove it from the oven. Let the cake cool uncovered for a few minutes first, then cover it with a sheet of parchment paper while it cools fully. It won’t make your cake soggy! Covering the cake will trap moisture and prevent it from drying out while it cools. This trapped moisture retains the cake’s softness and elasticity, so it’s less likely to crack when rolled. Although many other recipes recommend you roll the cake warm, unroll it to frost, and then re-roll the pumpkin cake, that method will not work here.
• Use the parchment paper as a guide to help you with that first tuck/roll. Lift the parchment paper using both hands and gently yet firmly tuck the cake over. You want to make that first roll tight without pressing too hard but not too loose so there’s a gaping hole.
• Keep using both hands to gently and carefully roll the cake away from you, bit by bit.

And remember, if your roll cracks, don’t sweat it! I promise the cake will taste just as delicious and you can cover cracks with some frosting as you continue to roll.

Frequently Asked Questions

Storage Instructions

• Fridge – Keep in an airtight container or plastic wrap in the fridge for up to 1 week. Serve chilled or allow to come to room temperature first.
• Freezer – Wrap in plastic wrap then place in a freezer-safe resealable bag and freeze for up to 1 month. Thaw in the fridge overnight and serve chilled or allow to come to room temperature first.

I hope you love this Gluten Free Dairy Free Pumpkin Roll. If you do, I would appreciate it if you would give the recipe a rating and review. Be sure to snap a picture of the finished product and share it with me onInstagramby tagging@healmedeliciousand using thehashtag #healmedelicious.

Print