Something strange has happened as I have adventured into the world of special diet foods … I have developed an addiction to gluten-free breads.  I strange affliction I realize, but it is true.  Each brand brings a new taste and texture to the party with varying uses of flours, from sorghum to rice to quinoa.  Plus, they are insanely easy to prepare.  Quick breads that can be over mixed, and “yeast” breads that require no rising time; really, what is not to like?

Now, if I were to pick one brand that ventures from the norm the most, it would be Chebe. Their dairy-free bread mixes are literally free from every major allergen, intolerance, or otherwise, containing little more than tapioca flour, tapioca starch, and salt.  While most of their breads possess a very unique flavor that somehow both my husband and I devour with ease, these sweeter cinnamon roll-ups seem to carry a more neutral flavor. The distinctive Chebe flavor vanishes into a lightly sweet and cinnamon background, which is decidedly ... bread!

Within minutes you can have 15 little rolls ready for the oven, but I was amazingly impatient, and went for the (even easier) “toast sticks” suggestion.  Basically rolling the dough thicker and cutting it into slices, they were almost like cinnamon inspired breadsticks … but oh how delicious they were!

Knowing that Chebe's breads like to undercook in the middle, I cooked them for the maximum time of 35 minutes. This made for a crispy, almost biscotti like "stick." Just the very center was soft, forgiving, and "glutinous", but the thick outside shell had a pleasant crunch. As mentioned, this wasn’t an overly sweet treat, but it was certainly cinnamon roll material.  The rolls or sticks as you choose, could easily be indulged with a drizzling of icing or a quick dip in some maple syrup.  Nonetheless, both my husband and I liked them for a cinnamon toast-like snack as is.  When I offered my husband the suggested maple syrup or douse of brown sugar to go with his first to sticks, he responded "No, they're good," as he continued to munch away. 

As I once again marveled over the biscotti like flair, I wished that the temperature were not topping 100º, as these would be the perfect accompaniment to a hot cup of tea.  I will have to purchase more of this delicious bread when the leaves begin to turn… or perhaps sooner … between the two of us, we finished almost all of the sticks in one day!

My Extra Notes & Tips:

• This mix does call for one egg, and I don’t know that this could easily be substituted for egg-free bread.  So, while the mix itself is vegan, some experimentation would be required to make egg-free bread with this.
• Chebe’s mixes are made in a gluten-free environment.

Where to Purchase: Available directly from www.chebe.com or via select natural food retailers throughout the U.S.  See their website for a Chebe store locator.

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