Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls
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There’s nothing quite like the smell of freshly baked sourdough cinnamon rolls wafting through the kitchen. Soft, fluffy, and swirled with a rich, buttery cinnamon centre, these sourdough cinnamon rolls are the perfect balance of sweet and spice. Whether you’re baking them for a special breakfast, a holiday treat, or just because, they’re guaranteed to be a comforting family favorite. They are literally the BEST cinnamon rolls you'll ever eat!
If you really love sourdough cinnamon recipes, why not try these sourdough snickerdoodle cookies, sourdough cinnamon roll focaccia bread or sourdough cinnamon roll pancakes.
Why You'll Love This Recipe!
Rich, Buttery Dough - I recently updated this recipe, adding extra butter and eggs to the dough to make it richer, with even more soft, buttery layers of cinnamon goodness. It's the same dough I've used in these sourdough apple cinnamon rolls too!
Gooey Caramel Sauce - the heavy whipping cream poured over the cinnamon rolls before they go into the oven mixes with the cinnamon-sugar mixture and creates the most amazing gooey caramel sauce on the bottom of the cinnamon buns.
Easy to Knead - When I was improving this sourdough cinnamon roll recipe and rephotographing, I tested this recipe in several different machines with great success. This recipe can be kneaded as a single batch in a KitchenAid (you can the one I use in The Pantry Mama Test Kitchen), Thermomix TM5 & TM6 and Panasonic Bread Machine. It can also be made in a single, double or triple batch in an Ankarsrum Assistent using the dough roller.
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!
Ingredients
- Bread Flour - 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 Starter - Active sourdough starter is best for this recipe. It is an enriched dough so it will take a while for the dough to rise, but your patience will be rewarded! New to sourdough? You can follow my step-by-step guide for how to make a sourdough starter.
- Milk - Whole milk is best but this recipe will also work with 2%. It's best if you use warm milk for this recipe. I don't recommend using buttermilk for this recipe.
- Salt
- Eggs - I've used a whole egg plus an egg yolk. My eggs are large, at least 60g each.
- Sugar - I've used granulated sugar in the cinnamon roll dough, brown sugar in the filling and powdered sugar for the frosting.
- Butter - as always, I've used salted butter, but you can of course use unsalted butter if you prefer. You'll need soft butter for the dough ingredients and vanilla cream cheese frosting and melted butter for the cinnamon sugar filling.
- Heavy Cream - this takes your sourdough cinnamon rolls to the next level! Pouring it over the rolls makes them softer, richer and more moist. It mixes with the cinnamon sugar filling and creates a gooey, caramel sauce at the bottom of the pan. Trust on me this, you'll be hooked!
- Vanilla Paste - You can use vanilla paste or vanilla extract here. I actually like to use paste as I find it gives a stronger vanilla flavor, but use what you have.
- Ground cinnamon - Use your favorite ground cinnamon. You can also add the filling of these cinnamon rolls to this Sourdough Chocolate Star Bread.
- Cream Cheese - You'll need a block of cream cheese, not a tub of spreadable cream cheese here.
Overview: 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 to this recipe, but if you just take your time, the actual hands on part isn't too bad. I recommend using a stand mixer with a dough attachment to knead the dough. It makes it so much easier! But you can knead the dough by hand if you want to.
To make these sourdough cinnamon rolls, start by mixing warm milk and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer until the sugar dissolves. Add the flour, sourdough starter, vanilla, and egg, then knead into a rough dough and let it rest for about 30 minutes before kneading in the butter. Once the dough has bulk fermented, roll it out into a rectangle using a rolling pin, spread with cinnamon butter filling, then roll it up into a log and slice into 12 rolls.
Arrange the rolls in a baking dish or pan (I've used a 9" x 13" USA Pan), let them rise until beautifully puffy, and then bake until golden brown and bubbling. 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.
Finish by cooling slightly before smothering with rich cream cheese frosting. If you've got frosting leftovers, 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.
Kate's Recipe Tips
- Warming the milk before you start will give your dough a nice kick start and ensure that the dough rises nicely. Of course making these in a warmer kitchen will always be a little easier as the rising time will be a little shorter.
- Use unflavored 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.
Baking Timeline for Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls
You can easily make these sourdough cinnamon rolls fit into your schedule. Maybe you want overnight sourdough cinnamon rolls for Thanksgiving breakfast or Christmas morning breakfast. Here's how!
| 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 baking pan. |
| 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 30 mins (make frosting while they’re baking). |
| 8:30am | Allow rolls to cool for around 30 minutes. |
| 9:00am | Smother in vanilla cream cheese frosting and enjoy! |
This is just a sample timeline. I can't tell you exactly how long bulk fermentation will take, but this is an enriched dough so it will take longer than a loaf of sourdough bread, which is a lean dough. Read more information about creating a sourdough baking timeline.
How To Store + Freeze
These sourdough cinnamon rolls are hands down best eaten the day they are baked. Best served warm, smothered in vanilla cream cheese frosting! However, if you need to store them, here are your best options:
Store In The Pan - store leftover cinnamon rolls in the pan, covered with aluminium foil, at room temperature for up to 48 hours (or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days). A quick warm-up in the microwave or oven will bring back the softness and make the frosting and caramel sauce all gooey again!
Freeze - Store leftover sourdough cinnamon rolls in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you are needing this sourdough cinnamon rolls recipe in a hurry or you want to use up some sourdough discard, you can swap out the active starter for the same amount of sourdough discard and add 7g of commercial yeast. Alternatively, you might also like these no wait sourdough cinnamon rolls (they use baking soda and baking powder as the leaving agent).
For the best swirls, make sure you have enough dough to work with — aim for at least 12" (30 cm) deep. Roll it into a neat rectangle, spread the filling evenly, then roll tightly from the long side. Use a sharp knife or unflavored dental floss to cut clean, even slices to show off those swirls.
Yes you can (and in fact my original recipe was baked in a 12" cast iron skillet lined with parchment paper). I changed to a 9" x 13" baking pan because I prefer the non-stick surface and find them easier to handle. A cast iron skillet will give slightly crispier edges, while a ceramic or glass dish will keep them softer all around.
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.
The brown sugar cinnamon filling will sometimes ooze out of the cinnamon rolls when you leave them on the counter to proof or when you put them in the fridge. It doesn't really matter too much and definitely won't ruin your rolls. In fact, when you pour the heavy whipping cream over the top of the rolls, the cream will combine with the oozy filling and create the most amazing caramel sauce on the bottom of the pan!
Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls Recipe
Video
Equipment
- Stand Mixer (will work in KitchenAid, Ankarsrum, Thermomix)
- Rolling Pin
- Baking Pan (9" x 13")
Ingredients
Dough
- 500 g Bread Flour
- 100 g Sourdough Starter (active and bubbly)
- 200 g Milk (warm)
- 7 g Salt
- 1 Egg (large)
- 1 Egg Yolk
- 80 g Granulated Sugar
- 115 g Butter (softened at room temperature)
- 5 g Vanilla Paste (or extract)
Cinnamon Butter Filling
- 75 g Butter (melted)
- 100 g Brown Sugar
- 3 g Cinnamon (ground)
To Pour Over Before Baking
- 200 g Heavy Whipping Cream
Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting
- 125 g Cream Cheese (block - not spreadable)
- 25 g Butter
- 100 g Powdered Sugar
- 5 g Vanilla Paste (or extract)
- 1 pinch Salt
Instructions
Make The Dough
- Add the warm milk, sugar, sourdough starter, egg + yolk, vanilla, salt, bread flour and butter to the bowl of your stand mixer and knead to a rough dough using the dough hook attachment. Leave the dough to rest for around 30 minutes.
- Now knead the dough until it is smooth and elastic (speed 1-2 for around 2 to 3 minutes).Cover the bowl and allow the dough to bulk ferment at room temperature. You want the dough to rise around 30% and feel soft to the touch.
- Once the dough has finished bulk fermentation, you will need to fill and shape the sourdough cinnamon rolls.
Fill & Shape The Rolls
- Mix together the melted butter, brown sugar and cinnamon until it resembles wet sand. Set this aside while you roll out the dough.
- Turn the dough out onto the counter. Do not use flour when rolling out the dough, it shouldn’t be sticky.
- Gently roll the dough out into a rectangle (approx. 20” x 12” or 50cm x 30cm). It should be around ¼" thick (½cm). Spread the filling all over the dough, leaving a 2” (5cm) gap on one of the long edges. 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, tucking the seam underneath.
- Cut the log into approximately 12 even pieces (see notes on how I do this) and place them into a baking pan (I’ve used a 9” x 13” baking dish). Face all the seams inwards so that they don't unravel.
Second Rise
- Cover the pan 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 soft and puffy and the rolls are touching, it’s time to bake!
Baking
- Preheat your oven to 180C/350F.
- Pour the heavy whipping cream over the sourdough cinnamon rolls right before you place them in the oven (this is optional). Bake rolls for 30 minutes at 180C/350F. Once they're finished baking, leave them to cool in the pan for around 30 minutes before adding the frosting.
Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting
- Add cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, vanilla and salt to your stand mixer. Beat the frosting using the whisk attachment until it's thick and glossy.
- 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
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
If doing the second rise in the fridge overnight, is it OK to leave in fridge more than 12 hours? Thanks so much for this great recipe!!
You can, however sometimes the filling can leak out quite a bit. This isn't a bad thing, it will just caramelise underneath the rolls when they're baked 🙂
Can I use buttermilk instead of regular milk?
Yes you can use buttermilk instead of regular milk if you prefer.
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.
Hi, can you FREEZE these cinnamon rolls, say, after second rise, then BAKE and frost? I am looking for a nondiscard recipe like this I can make ahead for company that I can freeze.
Instead of freezing them unbaked, I would bake them, cool and then place into a ziplock bag unfrosted. Then you can thaw at room temperature (or place into the oven wrapped in aluminium foil to gently warm through a little faster) before frosting ready for company 🙂
not made them yet. can you tell me the reason for pouring double cream (U K) over them before baking. Please.
It's not double cream, it's heavy whipping cream. It makes the dough super soft and supple and creates a gooey caramel sauce underneath the sourdough cinnamon rolls 🙂 It's absolutely delicious and I highly recommend you try it 🙂
I'm dying to make the new cinnamon roll recipe, but I have a question.
What is the purpose of the heavy cream prior to baking?
It's the best! Pour the cream over and it not only makes the actual dough softer and squishier, it forms a gooey caramel sauce on the bottom of the rolls. Trust me on this, you won't bake your cinnamon rolls any other way once you try it! xo
What can I use in place of block cream cheese in the U.K…can I use Philadelphia original..even though it’s cream cheese in a tub
I'm not sure as I'm not familiar with the cream cheese in the UK. That being said, what you want to make sure is it's not spreadable cream cheese, it needs to be firm cream cheese (which would normally come in a block or tube) xx
Could I cold proof overnight and bake in the morning?
Yes, the instructions for this are in the timeline in the post above 🙂
Do you think I can freeze the rolls before the final rise and thaw and let rise and bake?
Thanks
You probably could, but I find it's better to just bake, cool, freeze and thaw - they thaw perfectly and you can warm and frost and you'd never know they were ever frozen!
Have you tried refrigerating the dough over night and baking in the morning? I’d love to find a recipe that I can do this with. Have them all shaped and ready to bake just prolong it until the morning. Do you know if this will work with this recipe?
You can definitely do this, if you look at the baker's timeline, this is how I've done it 🙂
I'm wanting to make these for Thanksgiving, but will be traveling the day before (10 hours) . Wanting them as fresh as possible, what steps do you recommend? Bake at home, don't frost, then reheat and frost? Allow to rise in our travels? Freeze unbaked rolls? or other method? Trying to consider all the options!
If you're travelling, I would bake them right before you leave and then take them with you, along with the frosting, warm in the oven and frost right before serving 🙂