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Mini Gluten Free Cinnamon Roll Pavlovas

Marshmallowy pillows of cinnamon meringue topped with cream cheese custard and cinnamon glaze
Prep Time1 hour
Cook Time1 hour
Cooling/rest time2 hours
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American, Australian
Diet: Gluten Free
Keyword: cinnamon, cinnamon roll, cream cheese, custard, glaze, gluten free, meringue, pavlova
Servings: 10 people
Calories: 500kcal
Author: Amelia Farber

Equipment

  • Cookie sheets
  • Parchment paper
  • Medium saucepan
  • Electric mixer

Ingredients

For the mini pavlovas:

  • 6 large egg whites (absolutely no yolk) room temperature
  • 1 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
  • 1 1/2 Cups white sugar
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp corn starch
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • pinch salt
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract

For the cream cheese custard:

  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 Cup milk
  • 1/2 Cup cream
  • 1/3 Cup white sugar
  • 1/3 Cup corn starch
  • 1 8 oz pack cream cheese room temperature, cut into chunks
  • pinch salt

For the cinnamon glaze

  • 1 Cup sifted powdered sugar
  • 1 Tbsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 Tbsp milk

Instructions

To make the pavlovas:

  • First, preheat oven to 275° Fahrenheit, and line two cookie sheets with parchment paper (do not grease the paper). In a medium bowl, sift together the corn starch, sugar, salt, and cinnamon, then set aside. In a large, clean, dry bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites on medium speed with the cream of tartar until soft peaks form. While still beating on medium high, slowly sprinkle in the sifted sugar/starch/cinnamon/salt (about a tablespoon at a time) until it is all added. Continue to beat on high until the meringue is thick and marshmallowy, about 4-5 minutes, and stiff peaks form.
  • Using two soup or dinner spoons, scoop out about baseball-sized heaps of meringue into mounds on each cookie sheet (about 4-5 per sheet, with 3-4 inches in between them), shaping them how you'd like. Bake for one hour, only opening the oven once to turn pans front to back and switch layers. Once the hour is up, turn off the oven with the pavlovas still inside and let cool for 2 hours. While the pavlovas are cooling, make the toppings.

To make the cream cheese custard:

  • In a medium saucepan, heat the sugar, corn starch, eggs, milk, and cream on medium until simmering, stirring constantly so the custard won't burn. Continue to simmer on low for 10-15 minutes until the custard has thickened and is smooth. Remove from heat and add in the vanilla and the room temp cream cheese chunks and stir until cream cheese is melted (I recommend whisking to ensure small bits are combined). Once smooth, cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

To make the cinnamon glaze:

  • In a small bowl, combine the sifted powdered sugar, cinnamon, vanilla and milk and stir together until completely smooth. If you want a thinner glaze, add a bit more milk. If you want it thicker, add more powdered sugar. Set aside or scoop into a small pitcher to serve.
  • Once pavlovas are cool, place on serving platter or plates, top with custard and pour over cinnamon glaze. Dust with additional cinnamon for optional decoration, then serve!