Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls [with sourdough discard option]
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There is something about fluffy sourdough cinnamon rolls ... something seriously addicting that is! This easy sourdough cinnamon rolls recipe is delightfully soft and fluffy inside with swirls of cinnamon butter tickling your tastebuds!
You can choose to ice them with cream cheese frosting or leave them as they are. Which ever way you choose to eat these fluffy sourdough cinnamon rolls, it's safe to say you will enjoy them!
If you're looking for something a little different, these Sourdough Gingerbread Rolls might be just the ticket or perhaps these fresh sourdough strawberry rolls! Or you might like this Christmas Tree Pull Apart made with sourdough cinnamon rolls or maybe this sourdough cinnamon roll focaccia bread or sourdough cinnamon roll pancakes are more your style!
You can also add the filling of these cinnamon rolls to this Sourdough Chocolate Star Bread. And if you really love cinnamon, why not try sourdough cinnamon raisin bread, sourdough snickerdoodle cookies, carrot cake sourdough muffins or sourdough discard monkey bread or some of these other fall inspired sourdough recipes.
How To Make Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls
This easy sourdough cinnamon rolls recipe is a cinch to make. Seriously, you might think that they're fiddly, but really they are quite simple. Of course, if you're not into waiting, make sure you check out these no wait sourdough cinnamon rolls.
There are quite a few steps, but if you just take your time, the actual hands on part isn't too bad.
Plus, you will be rewarded quite sweetly for your efforts!
I find it easiest to use a stand mixer to make the dough. It keeps things simple and you'll have the dough done in next to no time.
Here's how to make Fluffy Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls:
- Add warm milk and sugar to the stand mixer bowl. Beat until the sugar has dissolved.
- Now add flour, sourdough starter, vanilla and egg to the bowl and knead to a rough dough. Allow this dough to rest for around 30 minutes.
- Knead in the butter using your stand mixer.
- Now allow the dough to bulk ferment.
- When the dough is ready, roll it out into a rectangle and spread with the cinnamon butter filling.
- Roll into a log and cut into 12 rolls.
- Arrange the rolls in a cast iron skillet or baking tray and allow them get all nice and puffy. Line the skillet with baking paper to make it easier to lift the rolls out in one piece once baked.
- Bake until golden and bubbling!
- Allow the rolls to cool before smothering them in cream cheese frosting!
Baking Timeline for Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls
You can easily make these fluffy sourdough cinnamon rolls fit into your schedule. Maybe you want to have them ready at a certain time for a special occasion.
These delicious sweet sourdough rolls are perfect for Christmas morning breakfast! Here's how to have them ready for a leisurely breakfast!
Baking Timeline for Fluffy Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls
| Time | Process |
| 8.00am | Mix and knead dough for sourdough cinnamon rolls. |
| 9.00am | Cover dough and allow to bulk ferment. |
| 5.30pm | Roll out dough, spread filling and roll. Cut into individual rolls and place into cast iron skillet. |
| 6.00pm | Allow rolls to sit for around an hour before covering in plastic wrap and placing into fridge for the night. |
| 6.30am | Take rolls out of the fridge and allow them to come to room temperature. |
| 8.00am | Bake sourdough cinnamon rolls for 20 mins (make frosting while they're baking). |
| 8.20am | Allow rolls to cool for around 30 minutes. |
| 9.00am | Smother in vanilla frosting and enjoy! |
Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls Discard Variation
If you are needing this sourdough cinnamon rolls recipe in a hurry or you want to use up some sourdough discard, you can add some commercial yeast (rather than baking soda and baking powder).
Using yeast isn't a bad thing - you just won't get the fermented tang that you get from using only sourdough starter.
If you're going to use discard and yeast, add up to 7g of yeast to the milk and sugar when you first mix it. Add the discard instead of "sourdough starter" (even though they are really the same thing).
Your dough will rise quite fast once you add yeast so you'll need to keep an eye on it.
To slow things down, you could do the second rise in the fridge, since commercial yeast will keep on rising even in colder temperatures.
This is also a good way to put the scrolls on hold if you wanted to bake them the next day or you just run out of time to bake them on the same day.
Recipe Tips
To ensure you get the fluffiest, softest sourdough cinnamon rolls, there are a few things you'll need to do when making this sourdough cinnamon rolls recipe:
- Make sure that you're using a strong, happy sourdough starter. This will ensure that your dough rises and all the little yeastie beasties give you the softest risen dough. Unlike this no wait sourdough cinnamon rolls recipe, which uses baking powder for its rise, this sourdough cinnamon rolls recipe relies on your healthy, active sourdough starter.
- Warming the milk and sugar before you start will give your dough a nice kick start and ensure that the dough rises nicely.
- Using a mix of white and brown sugar in the filling gives such a lovely result - you'll get a delicious swirl of cinnamon sugar and the bottoms of the rolls will be sticky and caramelised.
- Make sure you give yourself enough dough to roll up into a log. You want to roll the dough as tightly as you can to ensure that you get as many cinnamon sugar ribbons through the dough as you can.
- Use dental floss to cut the rolls. Seriously! It works better than a sharp knife! Use a ruler/dough scraper to measure where you want to cut each of the rolls and then pop the dental floss under the log and use it to cut through each roll for perfect cuts every single time! It will stop you squashing the delicate rolls by trying to cut them with a knife.
- Ensure that the dough is puffy and full before baking - if it isn't, you'll get under proofed, gummy rolls. Proofing the rolls after shaping and before baking is crucial for success when making this sourdough cinnamon rolls recipe.
Perfect Cream Cheese Frosting for Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls
I absolutely love cream cheese frosting. Seriously, I could eat a whole bowl of it on top of my cinnamon rolls! But I also don't like it super sweet, go figure!
So it can be hard to get it just right!
If you want to, you can increase the amount of sugar in the frosting (if you like it super sweet). The recipe makes quite a bit, so you can decide how much frosting to add!
If there's leftovers, I also like to add it to these sourdough pumpkin cinnamon rolls or even these sourdough cinnamon muffins. It's also delicious spread on this sourdough discard banana bread.
These fluffy sourdough cinnamon rolls would also work with a glaze if you'd prefer. Or even just a dusting of powdered sugar if you're not a huge frosting fan.
Frequently Asked Questions
This is really personal preference. If you want individual buns then it's better to not allow them to touch when rising or baking (so space them out more). I find that they rise and bake better when they're touching. You get a lovely fluffy roll with a gooey, glazed bottom!
The number one reason that cinnamon rolls come out tough is using too much flour. Avoid adding more flour to the dough, even if you feel that it's sticky. And definitely don't use any flour during shaping. This enriched dough should be silky and elastic - it shouldn't be sticky.
This is really personal preference. I find that white sugar in the dough will give you the fluffiest rolls possible. I then add white sugar and brown sugar to the filling.
You need to use bread flour rather than all purpose flour. Bread flour contains a higher protein and gluten content which will give you lofty cinnamon rolls.
Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls Recipe
Equipment
- Stand Mixer
- Rolling Pin
- Cast Iron Pan
Ingredients
Dough
- 500 g Bread Flour
- 100 g Sourdough Starter Fed and bubbly
- 200 g Milk Warm (37C)
- 7 g Salt
- 1 Egg (approx. 45g)
- 80 g Sugar Caster/Fine Sugar
- 50 g Butter Room Temp
- 5 g Vanilla Extract
Cinnamon Butter Filling
- 100 g Butter Cold
- 100 g White Sugar Caster/Fine
- 100 g Brown Sugar Light or Dark
- 15 g Cinnamon ground
Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting
- 125 g Cream Cheese Block - not spreadable
- 25 g Butter Cold
- 100 g Powdered Sugar
- 5 g Vanilla Extract
- 1 pinch Salt
Instructions
To make the dough
- Warm the milk to around 37C. Add the warm milk and sugar to the bowl of your stand mixer and mix until the sugar has thoroughly dissolved.You can just warm the milk in the microwave before putting into your stand mixer bowl. You just don't want cold milk in your dough as it will take forever to rise!
- Now add your sourdough starter, egg, vanilla, salt and flour and use your stand mixer to knead into a rough dough. This shouldn't take too long (around 2 to 3 minutes). Leave the dough to rest in the stand mixer bowl for around 30 minutes.
- Add the butter and knead into the dough until the dough is smooth and fairly elastic. You may need to increase the speed of your stand mixer to allow the butter to be incorporated (see notes below).
- Transfer to the dough to a bowl and allow to ferment. You want the dough to rise a little (around 30%) and feel soft to the touch. This needs to happen at room temp - not in the fridge.
- Once the dough has finished bulk ferment, you will need to fill and shape the cinnamon rolls.
Rolling and Filling the Dough
- Before you roll out the dough you need to make the filling. Add brown sugar, white sugar, cinnamon and butter to a stand mixer and mix until it resembles wet sand. Set aside while you roll out the dough.
- Turn the dough out on to the counter. It shouldn't be sticky and be easy the handle. Do not use flour when rolling out the dough.
- Gently roll the dough out into a rectangle. 60cm x 30cm is a good size to aim for. It doesn't have to be perfect, but the bigger you an get it, to more perfect cinnamon sugar swirls you will get.
- Spread the filling all over the dough, leaving a 10cm gap on one of the long edges. You need to leave a gap so that dough will stick to itself when you roll it.
- Once the filling is spread, roll the dough into a log, starting on the opposite long edge to the gap you've left.
- Roll the dough into a tight log, using the unfilled dough to seal the log. You can spray a little water on the part where the dough joins if you want to - but the dough should stick to itself without it.Lay the log out with the seam underneath.
- Cut the log into approximately 12 pieces (you can measure and divide by 12 if you want them to look even - or just go freehand if you're not too fussed). Using dental floss to cut them will help you keep their shape and give the cinnamon rolls a flat surface.
- Place the rolls into a cast iron skillet lined with baking paper (I've used a 12" skillet). Face all the seams inwards so that they don't unravel. If you don't have a cast iron skillet, a baking tray or casserole dish is perfectly fine. They don't have to touch as they will once the dough is puffy.
Second Rise
- Cover the skillet containing the rolls with a tea towel or plastic wrap and allow the dough to rise. The dough is enriched, so it will take a little longer than normal (especially since we are dealing with sourdough).Once the dough is puffy, you can bake them straight away - or see baking timeline above to extend the second rise and hold them in the fridge overnight.
Baking
- Once the rolls are puffy and have taken up the room in the skillet, it's time to bake them. Preheat your oven to 180C/356F.
- Bake rolls for 20 minutes at 180C/356F. Keep an eye on them though as they will burn easily due to the sugar.
- Once they're finished baking, leave them to cool in the skillet for around 30 minutes before taking them out.
- Once they're out of the oven, you can brush them with butter to give them a nice glaze. You can leave them unbuttered if you prefer. The butter will give them a nice shine.
Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting
- Add cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, vanilla and salt to your stand mixer. Beat the frosting until it's thick and glossy. Store in the fridge until ready to use.
- Once the rolls have cooled a little (I leave it about 30 minutes) smother them in the vanilla cream cheese frosting. You can use a vanilla glaze or even just dust them in icing sugar if you prefer.
Notes
Nutrition
These were so yummy! I used fresh bubbly starter and no yeast. They were divine. My only issue was trying to incorporate the butter. My dough was really fighting with me on that. Any suggestions?
I want to make this today using my discard but reading the directions it says “sourdough starter fed and bubbly” do I need to add active yeast? I thought this was a discard recipe?
Thank you
By far the best cinnamon rolls I have ever made, no contest! Everyone should try this recipe immediately….and prepare for a cinnamon roll experience like you have never had before.
Thank you so much for sharing.
Just made these for the first time and they are heavenly! Just 2 problems. 1. I didn't roll the dough out as big so my rolls were way too fat. Not really a problem actually. LOL. But the second one IS. All the sugar-butter filling seemed to just end up on the bottom of the pan with only trace amounts left in the rolls. What happened?
My shaping is all over the place- doesn’t look anything like cinnamon rolls- more just like one big loaf- hopefully they pull apart🤷♀️
I found the thinner that I could roll the dough the more swirls and the more even the cinnamon rolls were!
The dough is beautiful but boy the sweetness level would give anyone diabetes. My 3 and 5 -year- old refused to eat it which was a shame because it took a little while to make. I will skip the icing next time and also reduce the sugar for the filling.
Exactly the same thing happened to me. Most of the sugar cinnamon filling melted out and turned into a soft toffee in the bottom of the pan. Made it seem overwhelmingly sweet. I would definitely use less sugar cinnamon filling next time.
can these be frozen and if so, at what stage should they be put in the freezer? Thanks
Instead of cutting the log into rolls, can I shape this into a loaf? Approx baking time/temp?
Thanks so much! Your recipes are always perfect!
For the nutrition values , is this measured per batch or per serving? TIA
Your recipe calls for "pinch" of Instant yeast if using discard instead of starter...I thought I had seen elsewhere on your FB site that it called for 1 packet (7g)...which is correct? I made these using a packet of yeast and they turned out just fine but am wondering if just a "pinch" would have worked as well? Thanks!
I’ve made these a few times now and they are so yummy! Everyone I serve them too loves them.
Your recipe bio says that there is a sourdough discard option but I never saw one. I have made these SD cinnamon rolls several times with active starter and they are so yummy. But would love the discard option too. Everyone loves them.
You'll find the notes on using the discard in the main body of the post 🙂
I would love to make these but I don’t have a stand mixer. What can I do instead? Regular Stretch & folds?
Thanks!
You can easily knead these sourdough cinnamon rolls by hand, like you would with regular bread dough 🙂 They work just fine, you'll just need to really knead the dough well to ensure it's silky smooth. TPM x
Would it be possible to refrigerate the dough after the bulk ferment but before rolling it out?
How big should they get after shaping them for a second rise?
Not seeing the discard option either...
I’ve searched this recipe and all your archive recipes, and still CANNOT FIND THE DISCARD OPTION anywhere.
Exactly like a big mall brand but BETTER! My kids eat these within 24 hours after I make them. If I could give this recipe 100 stars I would!
So obviously I did not read the instructions fully, how will my rolls turn out if I forgot to add the commercial yeast? I had some discard in the fridge that I used for the rolls.
Is there a way to make these without a stand mixer? And, does it require cows’ milk or will oat milk work the same? Thanks 🙂
I'm wondering about freezing these for later. At what stage would you recommend? I was thinking right before the second rise? Thank-you!
I’d like to try this! But can I make the dough in my bread machine on the dough cycle?!
Absolutely you can use your bread machine for the dough 🙂
How long do these stay good after putting in the fridge? I plan to make some for the holidays and want to be able to make them in advance and not have to worry.
Thanks!
Loved this recipe. True to the name, the rolls were fluffy. No frosting was needed. I did, however, have trouble spreading the sugar/butter/cinnamon mixture on the dough. The mixture seemed much too stiff. Any suggestions?
Can the cooked scrolls be frozen?
This is my second try making these and they’ve been a huge hit! I feel like I’m learning and getting better each time! Delicious nonetheless!!
If I use discard, how much yeast would I add?
Hi, I’m stuck. Don’t know what I’m doing wrong but all my breads and rolls are fine until the second rise and then they don’t seem to puff up like yours do. My starter is a few months old and active. Also floats before i start and i do a feed the morning of or the night before depending on your timeline to start the recipe. Is it timing? Temperature? My house is definitely on the colder side but i allow more time for bulk ferment and it always doubles nicely. The top does get dry and kind of hard and doesn’t stay soft. Is that why i don’t get a 2nd rise? So disappointing to put in all the time and then take cinnamon rolls out of the oven that LOOK great but are not cooked on the bottom half. My bread also doesn’t puff up on second rise like yours do and don’t bake up as fluffy. Why, why why??? Please let me know if you have an answer. What am i doing wrong?
I don't have bread flour on hand, would all purpose flour make a big difference?
Thank you for the recipe. Once these are rolled up and ready for the fridge can they be placed into the freezer for a week or so before being baked?
My husband loves these
I just made these and they are amazing!! Thank you so much for this recipe. they turned out just like you imagine a cinnamon roll should look!
Hello,
Trying these for the first time. After the second rise in the fridge how long can they stay in the fridge? How many days until baking?
I’m curious because I want to bake for the holidays but want to prepare them ahead of time and not have to stress about them.
Thank you!
I’m making these today but my dough is taking forever to rise! I have it on a seedling mat with the bowl wrapped in a towel. It has barely risen at all and it’s been five or more hours. If it gets too late, can I pop it in the frig overnight and bring it out to rise in the morning? I did use warm milk and followed all the instructions carefully. My kitchen is about 70°.
2 questions. How much time does the 2nd rise need? Can I do it overnight in the refrigerator?
Hi! I am in the process of making these and was wondering how long the bulk ferment is, approximately. My kitchen is about 68 degrees. Thanks!
Can I freeze these before baking? Would I then thaw in refrigerator allow to raise to room temp then bake??
If using commercial yeast for the discard option, are they okay to stay in the fridge for 2 nights? I want to give unbaked ones to a friend to bake Christmas morning but I need to make them about 36 hours before baking
If I want to use discard and yeast, how long will the bulk ferment and second rise take? Should I leave it on my counter overnight to bulk ferment or is that too long?? Maybe fridge would be better?
If you add yeast, they won't take long to rise, maybe an hour or two. Definitely don't leave them on the counter as they will over ferment. The fridge is suitable once they're shaped. TPM x
I am making these for the first time today. I have my dough mixed and rising for the “little bit/30%.” I don’t know what that means or how long it might take with active starter. I am thinking an hour or so? I don’t know how to figure the 30% deal as the next step says once bulk fermentation is finished to roll and fill. Can anyone help?
Hi, I’ve made them without using yeast just active sourdough it’s 10 pm now and I’ve shaped them and got them set for proofing the second time. Would leaving them overnight be long?
Hi, TPM!
I’m a complete novice, just learning the ins and outs of the sourdough world and I’ve only made one batch of bread thus far. I’m eager to embark on cinnamon rolls but have realized I don’t have an active sourdough starter, I have a potato flake starter- more liquid than dough. Do you have an alternate recipe that accommodates this type of starter? Would I just use more flour, less liquid? Or would that make the dough less silky and more sticky? Thanks!!!
My daughter and I just split a warm roll with icing, we couldn't wait. I went with the discard option because I ran out of time yesterday, and my starter was just sitting there looking hungry. Tender, and the vanilla icing was the perfect amount of sweet. Thank you!
Can you freeze the dough after shaping to have them to bake when needed?
How long does bulk ferment take if you use fed starter? Approximately, I understand temp, humidity etc will effect the time..
I’ve tried this recipe several times and it’s always delicious! I was wondering if you were going to freeze this recipe before baking, at what point would you suggest doing so?
Hi I’m not sure what I did wrong. I left them out of the fridge for three hours to rise and they didn’t really rise much. As it was baking a lot of the liquid came out and it didn’t look like it was baking all the way through so I left it in for almost 10 minutes longer and they seem a bit dough. Please help
can i substiture vegan milk - soy, almond or oatmilk?
Help, all my filling leaked out when baking! What did I do wrong? They’ve just ended up in a massive puddle of melted butter!
This by far is the BEST recipe I have found! Not only is it a bit less labor intensive, but the finished product is exactly what I was hoping for. The rise was higher than any previous recipes and the texture is certainly fluffier and not heavy! Thank you for this! (I took pictures of before and after baking. Unfortunately I cannot post them to my comment.)
This recipe is so good you don't even need the cream cheese icing. I still made the icing which is wonderful as well but truly the best cinnamon rolls I've ever had. So soft and fluffy.
Hi, can I use AP flour instead of bread flour?
Yes you can use all purpose flour - just reduce the amount of milk a little 🙂
Can I use plant based milk and plant based butter to make these? My son has a dairy allergy.
Hi, will it work with an alternative milk, like almond milk?
How many grams of discard should you use?
This was a big hit with my family!! After the second rise, can I freeze them?
Just made these and they are fantastic! I'm wondering if these can be rolled, sliced and then frozen to be defrosted/risen and then baked much later?
Hi kate, can i replace the egg somehow to make it suitable for vegans?
For the discard option, do you add the same amount of discard as starter? Thanks!
Yes, with the addition of commercial yeast 🙂
Thank you! I can’t wait to try them 🙂
Hi I forgot to add yeast to my discard... I didn't realize till it was in the Bf process. Do you think they're ruin?
It really depends on how strong your starter is. If your starter is mature, discard would be enough to rise the dough without yeast 🙂
Great recipe, making today again. To any one who likes to feed & use starter faster: I use a cooler with a cheap reptile heat pad & controller. A little water in a pan, set to 80 degrees & it rises 3x in 4hrs.
QUESTION!! Made my dough and let it ferment at room temp for about 36 hours- is that ok with eggs in it? it has a sour smell, but....thats sourdough?? I used fresh discard- was about 4 hours past its peak, didnt add yeast to took a long time to rise, and I had other stuff going on. Dont want to serve anything to my elderly parents thats not ok!
I want to love these so bad, but I have tried twice now and both times they come out super under-braked with the timing (I just added another 20 minutes and I will see). I don't have a cast iron so I tried a pie pan last time and now a casserole dish. Any tips? This is the only recipe I haven't had success yet so I am sure it is user error...
These are a triumph! Easy schedule and just perfect texture! I did one variation to the recipe and spread a thin layer of pumpkin purée on the rolled out dough before sprinkling the cinnamon sugar mixture on top. It created a gooey pumpkin butter between each layer. Heavenly!!
I love this recipe but making the dough can be time consuming (worth it) is there a way to freeze the rolls? Would you recommend freezing before or after baking? Love your recipes!
These are hands down the best cinnamon rolls I have ever eaten. They are also very easy to make. The hardest part is getting up so early to have them in the morning but so worth it.
This is an amazing recipe! I have made it twice and the review is always “this is the best cinnamon roll I have ever had” so 5/5
I do have a question: I feel like the middle rolls never get fully cooked (they are still doughy) but if I leave them in the oven I run the risk of overcooking the outside rolls. Any tips?
If I wanted to freeze these at what point would I freeze? And how long before I bake them should I take them out?
Can you freeze these before baking?
OMG I think I have died and gone to heaven. Cinnamon roll heaven. These are the BEST cinnamon rolls I have ever eaten in my 56 years of life. I used discard and a lil yeast and the rest of recipe exactly as directed. The dough was so silky smooth and easy to work with. No flour needed and rolled up beautifully. I just can’t say enough good about them. You must give these a try.
I made these around 11am. It’s 6pm and I feel like they really haven’t risen. Are they ruined?
If I don't have a cast iron skillet can I use a 9x13 glass pyrex dish?
Can you help me understand why the butter should be cold when preparing the filling and the icing?? Cold butter makes it impossible to mix together smoothly and also causes the dough to tear when trying to spread the filling over. Makes no sense. And the icing is lumpy due to cold butter.
I would like to make these for Christmas morning. Can I make them the day before, refrigerate overnight, and then final rise in the morning? If so, how long would you anticipate them out of the fridge prior to baking for the final rise? Merry Christmas!
I would place them in the fridge after you've allowed it proof a little in the pan, then in the morning take it out and allow it to fully fill the pan at room temperature and then bake.
Can this be made without a stand mixer? The part I'm most worried about is incorporating the butter.
recipe is great. i think i’m making a mistake somewhere. my dough is not rising like i think it should during the bull ferment process. my first batch came out gummy so we’re trying again. i have an active well fed starter and don’t have issues with any other recipes so i’m wondering if i’m missing a step or something. any advice is appreciated
These cinnamon rolls were soft and very flavorful, even though I forgot the cinnamon in the mix! I sprinkled it on top. These are better than KA flour co.
I made these and they did not fluff up! After the bulk ferment I filled them and cut them to put in the fridge. I didn't Leave them out for an hour. Could that be why? I also took them out of the fridge 8 hours later and put staring into the oven…. All your recipes are so good! I know it was something I did. Lol
My kids love these but want mini version so they fit in their lunchbox. Would you roll the dough longer or cut the dough in 1/2? Also, how long would you bake them if you made them 'mini'? Also - please add the discard notes to the card 🙂
I love thos recipe so much! Delicious and easy to follow. I am hoping to gift a pan of them to me friend who lives a few hours away. If I baked them about 75% and then put them in the fridge, do you think that would work for travel? What would you recommend?
I made this recipe using the dough, and cinnamon sugar filling, but shaped it into a twist as per the garlic and herb twist. I lowered the oven heat tp 160 deg and baked for 25 minutes. The bread was so soft, and I had eaten a quarter of the twist before I could stop myself. Absolutely yum.
I made this recipe using the dough, and cinnamon sugar filling, but shaped it into a twist as per the garlic and herb twist. I lowered the oven heat to 160 deg and baked for 25 minutes. The bread was so soft, and I had eaten a quarter of the twist before I could stop myself. Absolutely yum.
These are so delicious! Thank you for the recipe. I am wondering what I can do to ensure the cinnamon filling doesn’t fall out the bottom and caramelize that was the only problem I had.
Hi again, just a variation on the cinnamon twists I made using this recipe - which was very appreciated by my family and it disappeared very quickly.
I made a caramel sauce and chopped up some mixed salted nuts. They smell so good. Just for some variety.
Hi! My starter is about 20 days old. It's doubling for about 5 days. Would it be strong enough to make these without yeast?
Can I use a milk alternative for this recipe?
Can you freeze them for a later use
I like this recipe and have made it several times, however in the recipe itself, I’m curious. How do you use cold butter and no milk or cream to achieve the frosting you show in the photos. Also, how do you spread something using cold butter, per your instructions . That doesn’t work.
good recipe but i'm kind of wondering why not one person has made any comment on the cooking duration. 20m at 350deg F is still really just warmed dough, and i like them doughy! I'm gonna guess it's more like 34m! Why isn't anyone else seeing this?
One other thing, I was VERY precise with the quantities, and I mean VERY. 1000g of flour was not enough (for the 2X) and was WAAAY too wet. More like 1150-1200g.
Everything about these is amazing except the baking instructions. 20 minutes at 350 is nowhere near enough time to finish any kind of bread. These were still pale and raw in the center when the allotted cook time was up. This either needs the temp up or a longer bake time.
How do you know how long to mix the butter in. Mine mixed in quickly. But when I went to work with my dough it was very sticky. Can I still use it?
can you freeze these before baking?
Thank you for the recipe! These turned out very nicely, but I found the finished rolls a bit tough. Is it possible that I over-kneaded the dough? I’ve made a lot of no-knead sourdough but I’m still very much a beginner with kneaded doughs and am not always sure exactly how the dough should look and feel after an adequate amount of kneading.
Can I freeze before baking or do you recommend freezing after the 1st rise?
Thanks
I'm in the planning stage for these babies. Have you ever used buttermilk instead of regular milk? I was planning to add some commercial yeast for faster end to end and thought maybe the buttermilk tang would be a nice addition.
I’m 0/2 on these. I feel like I’m missing something. The dough looks amazing when I roll it out. Add the filling, roll and cut. And then they literally don’t rise again or get puffy and pillowy at all. I’ve waited way longer than you state to too. I just feel stumped. Any thoughts?
These are delicious, I followed the discard recipe, so a little yeast. I did make one addition, I added chopped pecan to the filling mix. they are very light and fluffy. My husband wants them every week now. Thank you for the recipes.
Hi Kate!
First off, I love all your recipes Thank you! This is probably a crazy question but could I use this dough to do a cinnamon roll focaccia? I see you have a cinnamon focaccia recipe but the ingredients in the dough are different.
Thank you
Hi Kim - you could, however it won't get bubbly like the cinnamon roll focaccia dough does because the cinnamon roll dough is so enriched. Honestly, try the focaccia dough as it is - it's still really lovely and sweet! I promise xo
Delicious! Love finding ways to use starter! How long can the rolls be refrigerated before baking? I baked 8 because that’s what fit in my pan, so I have 4 left over.
About 24 hours. Just bring to room temperature before baking. 🙂
Hands down the best cinnamon rolls I have EVER had. I used the discard option since I hate throwing it away! I started my dough at 8am and was able to bake them off by 1pm. My kitchen is around 70F. I didn't have cream cheese, so I used a different icing recipe. My teenage son and his friends love cinnamon rolls for weekends. This will be my go to recipe! Thank you so much!
I'm so glad you love this sourdough cinnamon rolls recipe! Thank you so much for commenting 🙂
Is freezing an option? If so at what point? Before bake or after?
Once they're baked and cooled, they freeze and reheat well. Just let them to cool completely, then store in an airtight container. If you can wrap them with plastic wrap and put them in a Ziploc bag, that will help keep them the most fresh.
LOVE these cinnamon rolls. I make them for almost every event I go to because my friends love them so much too!
How would they freeze?
If I were to make the rolls and freeze them, would they bake the same after I thaw?
So glad you love the recipe Ellen. I'm sorry, I've never frozen the dough before so I'm not sure how they would bake up after thawing. I have frozen them once baked and they thaw just fine that way 🙂 x
I used cold milk, cold butter and mixed everything up (by hand) at 8:30pm. Before I went to bed I did some kneading and 3 S & F. Dough was perfect @ 5:30 am. I did a light vanilla glaze instead of the cream cheese frosting. Delicious!
Good day,
I was just wondering how long the ferment stage typically takes? Are we looking at the roughly 5 hours of bread or a shorter period of time? Just learning all this sourdough stuff. LOL
I'm new to sourdough and would appreciate some guidance. Your timeline begins at 8 am with mixing the dough. Ingredients for the dough include "fed and bubbly" starter. So, when would I last feed my starter to have it where it needs to be to begin mixing at 8 am? My starter is in great shape and easily doubles (and more) within 4-6 hours. But it seems like mixing the night before (I'm currently doing 9 pm and 9 am) would be too soon. Thanks for your help.
My dough is in the BF stage right now. About how long should that take? Then how long should the second rise take? I am using the starter recipe.
The fermentation and proofing time will take longer because this is an enriched dough. I really can't give a definite answer as it will depend on temperatures, starter strength etc. But you need to watch the dough, not the clock 🙂
Hi! Could I freeze these already cooked or raw? Are they as yummy if I do? What’s the freezing process? Thanks! I’d need to make around 80 😳
Oh my! That's a lot of rolls! 🙂 I'm not sure how they would freeze raw, but once they're baked and cooled, they freeze and reheat well. After baking, allow them to cool completely, then store in an airtight container. I recommend plastic wrap and then placing them in a zip top bag.
Do you use salted or unsalted butter?
Kate typically uses salted butter. You can use unsalted butter if you're sensitive to the salt. 🙂
All the filling leaked out during the second rise. They were swimming in a pan full of butter when I baked them.
I just made these for the 3rd time and had great results again. Actually, better this time because I’m better at knowing my sourdough. I changed the recipe to make them orange rolls instead. For the filling:
1 stick of butter softened
About 3 Tbsp of orange zest
1 Tbsp cardamom (optional)
1 cup of sugar
For the icing:
3/4 C powdered sugar
1/2 tsp real vanilla
1+ Tbsp orange juice
Mix well and pour over hot rolls.
Love this recipe just like all of them! I’ve made these as written and also with added orange zest for orange rolls and both times turned out great!
One question: I’m considering using this dough for a king cake (so braiding it into a wreath instead of rolls) and the one element it’s missing is a slight honey flavor. If I swap the sugar for honey, should I decrease the liquid?
I don't think decreasing the liquid is necessary. It should be okay. 🙂
I used 7g of yeast with my discard. Let it rise for 2.5 hours, shaped them and stuck them in the fridge overnight. In the morning, I let them sit at room temp for 1.5 hours and then baked them for 25 minutes! I used a different icing recipe since I don’t like cream cheese. They were delicious!
Thanks for sharing your tips, Britt! 🙂
For those of you who had questions about freezing the cinnamon rolls: After making the rolls, I put them in a pan and let them rest on my counter for about 45 minutes. I covered them with plastic wrap and foil and put them in the freezer. I took them out last night @8pm and they were defrosted AND 2nd rise done at 2PM today so 18 hours to defrost and complete the 2nd rise. I baked them and they came out great. Just wanted to share since many have asked about freezing!
I have worked with sourdough for a while and decided to try this today.It all worked well,except for the cinnamon filling,way too much sugar and it kind of melted away,so next time I will use a dry mixture of cinnamon and brown sugar only.I will keep the icing but halve the ingredients as it was too rich and added to the already very sweet filling.The dough was good,I actually bulk proofed for about 18 hours as my house is a bit on the cold side.Overall,not a bad recipe.Love Pantry mama’s recipes and I have actually used her guidance on how to start my sourdough journey.
Nagyon jó recept! Tökéletesek lett. Annyit módositottam, hogy én a pulton kelesztettem a csigákat és igy jól megkeltek. Sokszor fogom még csinálni... Köszönöm.
How long do people bulk ferment for? It has egg in it so I am worried to leave this out on the counter. My house is around 67 degrees. Thanks
The fermentation time will take longer because this is an enriched dough. Time will depend on temperatures, starter strength etc., so I can't say for sure how long. Just keep an eye on the dough. It's safe to leave on the counter, even with the egg. 🙂
This is my go to recipe. Only 2 changes are that I add some corn starch to the filling to limit the leaking and very soft butter to make it more spreadable. Also, be sure to use a high quality cinnamon. I switched to Red Ape and it made a HUGE difference. I usually make a triple batch which makes 20 large buns that fit perfectly in a ⅔ size sheet pan. Everyone that tries them is forever hooked.
Wish I could share a picture. 😁
Great tips! Thank you so much for your comment and review, Pam. We don't have a way to share here, but if you're on social media, we would love for you to share a picture there and tag @thepantrymama.