Desserts
Cauliflower Cinnamon Roll Gnocchi
A dessert life hack
I first shared Cauliflower Cinnamon Roll Gnocchi on my Instagram back in September of 2019. It was widely shared across the internet, and since then I have seen so many remakes of the sweet cauliflower gnocchi. The Kitchn even wrote an article about it that you can read all about here.
Nonetheless, this recipe is one of my most known and most remade recipe to date. Why? Because it’s gluten-free, made from cauliflower and tastes like the center of the cinnamon roll every. single. time. It’s perfect for those that are trying to sneak in veggies but still want something sweet. There is a very slight cauliflower after taste, but I promise nothing over-powering! Give these a try and let me know how you like them. Don’t forget to tag me over on Instagram so I can re-share your creation!
Ingredients Needed to Make Cauliflower Cinnamon Roll Gnocchi
The ingredient list is short and sweet, just like this recipe. All you will need are a few ingredients like cauliflower gnocchi, I prefer the one from Trader Joe’s, cinnamon and sugar. You can use any type of sugar for this recipe but to ensure that it stays vegan, I recommend using a vegan sugar!
Cauliflower gnocchi– I alway pick up a bag of these whenever I am at Trader Joe’s. These store in the freezer and are perfect for when you want something quick and healthy. I love using them for this recipe or even as a quick lunch or dinner recipe.
Ground Cinnamon– I prefer cylon cinnamon from Simply Organic.
Sugar– I like to use coconut sugar, however, I have also made this recipe with white sugar. If you’re vegan, make sure the sugar you are using is also vegan.
Frosting– For the frosting, I like to keep it simple. Just powdered sugar and almond milk.
How to make air fried cinnamon roll gnocchi
The air fryer is my preferred method for making this incredibly delicious treat. However, if you do not have an air fryer, don’t worry! You can still make this dessert in the oven, and it will still turn out great.
Air fryer method- Like stated above, this is my favorite way to make not only cinnamon roll gnocchi but gnocchi in general. The airy fryer makes these little cauliflower bites so tender but crispy. It’s a texture like no other.
To start, you will want to coat your air fryer with a small amount of non-stick spray. You can also add foil or parchment paper to the bottom of the air fryer. Each air fryer is different, so it just depends on which model you have. For me, I simply just lightly coat the bottom of my air fryer and add in the frozen cauliflower gnocchi.
Next, add in the frozen cauliflower gnocchi and fry for 5 minutes at 350F. In the meantime, make your cinnamon and sugar mixture in a small bowl by combining the two ingredients.
After the 5 minutes your gnocchi will be soft and tender but no where near done. This is how you want them. Remove them from the air fryer and then toss them in the cinnamon and sugar mixture until they are well coated. Place them back in your air fryer and fry them one last time for an additional 10-15 minutes.
While those are frying, make the frosting by combining powdered sugar and almond milk. The key to a thick frosting is using only a few drops of almond milk and a lot of powdered sugar. However, you can play around with it until it reaches your desired thickness.
When the gnocchi’s are done frying for the last time, remove them from the air fryer and drizzle them with your frosting and enjoy!
Oven or Stove top method- This method is the same preparation of the gnocchi but instead of cooking them in your air fryer you will cook them on your stove top or in the oven.
Start by sautéing the frozen gnocchi on stove top in a little bit of coconut or EVOO. The key is to get them nice and soft so that the cinnamon and sugar will stick to them when tossed in the mixture.
Once they are soft and tender, toss them in the cinnamon and sugar mixture and then place them back on the stove top or the oven until done. For the oven, I would suggest baking them at 350F for about 10-12 minutes.
