Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls
Why I Can’t Stop Making These Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls
Alright, picture this: it’s a drizzly Sunday morning and you’ve got a quiet house (well, relatively quiet — unless the kids are already demanding pancakes, that is). For some reason, that was always the perfect excuse for me to make these Cinnamon Rolls. I used to think sourdough Cinnamon Rolls were ‘too much fuss’ — until a friend convinced me to give it a go, and well, now I can’t stop. Seriously, I think my family would stage a mutiny if I didn’t make these every month or so. The first time I made them, I even managed to get flour all over the dog. She’s never forgiven me.
What’s So Good About These Anyway?
I make these rolls when I want something cozy (and when I’ve remembered to feed my starter — oops). My crew goes wild for them, probably because they come out of the oven all gooey, with that deep flavor you can only get from sourdough doing its thing overnight. I used to hate the waiting, but honestly, that overnight rise is part of the magic. Oh, and if you’re someone who usually shies away from yeast stuff — trust me, this is friendlier than you’d think. Fair warning: the dough loves to stick to literally everything, so be ready with a bit of extra flour or a “just go with it” attitude.
Let’s Talk Ingredients (and a Few Swaps)
- 1 cup active sourdough starter (mine’s usually a little bubbly, but it worked fine when it was a bit flat once — just maybe let it rise longer)
- 3/4 cup milk (whole is fanciest, but I’ve done it with oat milk when the fridge was looking sad)
- 1/4 cup softened, unsalted butter (Mum swears by Kerrygold but honestly, store brand is perfect)
- 1 egg (room temp, unless you forget — I’ve cracked a cold one once and it’s still turned out fine)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar (sometimes I use a combo of white and brown sugar, just to mix things up)
- 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (give or take a handful — rainy days need a bit more, seems like)
- 1 tsp salt (my friend uses flaky stuff but table salt is what I grab)
For the filling:
- 1/2 cup softened butter
- 2/3 cup brown sugar (light or dark — I don’t stress it, both are lovely)
- 2 tbsp ground cinnamon (I sometimes up this to 3, because, well, cinnamon…)
- Pinch of salt (it just wakes up the flavors)
For the icing:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp milk (use what you have — cream gets decadent, just saying)
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract (all I’ll say is, artificial or real, it’s all good here)
How I Throw These Together (Not Always By the Book)
- The night before: Pour the milk in a small saucepan and warm it till it’s just warm, not hot (otherwise you’ll scramble the egg — learned that the hard way). In a biggish bowl, mix your starter, warm milk, egg, sugar, and melted butter. Give it a good whisk.
- Toss in your flour and salt. I usually start with three cups, then add the extra half bit by bit — sticky is fine, but wet and impossible, not as fun. Knead it a bit (I do this right in the bowl; less to clean up). Cover with a plate and forget about it on the counter for an hour, then stick it in the fridge for an overnight nap.
- The morning of: Get that dough out — it’s going to look cold and stiff. Let it hang out on the counter till it’s more relaxed (or, if you’re impatient, use the microwave on the lowest setting for 10 seconds, but only if you’re feeling brave).
- Flour up your countertop (really, go for it or get ready for zen level stickiness). Roll the dough into a rectangle, about 12 by 16 inches. If it looks more like a lopsided blob — welcome to the club.
- Spread the softened butter all over, sprinkle the brown sugar, cinnamon, and tiny pinch of salt. Press it gently so it doesn’t go everywhere — but it’ll try.
- Roll it up from the long side, trying to keep it tight (mine always unravels a bit, I just pinch it together and move on). Cut into about 12 wobbly pieces — dental floss works wonders, though I’ve also just hacked at it with a bread knife.
- Arrange the rolls in a buttered pan (I use a 9×13 inch, but honestly a large round one looks fancy too) and let them rise somewhere warm for 2-4 hours, till puffed and snug. It’s okay if they all smoosh together.
- Bake at 350°F (175°C) for about 25-30 mins, till golden brown and it smells so good people will wander into the kitchen pretending they just want coffee.
- Whisk together your icing and drizzle it while the rolls are just barely cool. Or go rogue and eat them when they’re piping hot and watch the icing melt into nooks and crannies.
If You Want the Honest Truth (Notes I’ve Learned the Hard Way)
- The dough can seem like it’s not rising at all — give it time. Once, I left mine for five hours and thought it was a goner, but it turned out extra fluffy.
- Forgot to soften the butter? Microwave it in 5 second bursts; it’s fine if it’s a bit melted.
- You can toss in a handful of raisins or walnuts; just warning, my people riot about “bits” in their rolls, but I like them.
- Don’t panic if the filling sneaks out the bottom — that just means you’ll have caramel-y bits at the bottom. Arguably, the best bit.
Mix It Up (Experiments That’ve Mostly Worked)
- Orange zest in the filling was a total win — tasted a bit like Christmas morning.
- Chopped pecans were lovely, but next time, I’d toast them first.
- Tried replacing all the sugar with coconut sugar, and — hmm, not my favorite. Kind of muddled the flavor. 50/50 blend worked better.
- Tiny bit of espresso powder? Richer aroma. Go easy though!
About What You Need (or Don’t)
- Stand mixer? Sure, but I usually go old-school and do all the mixing by hand. Less to wash up.
- Rolling pin? Honestly, a wine bottle has served me in a pinch (pun not intended, but there we go).
- 9×13 inch pan: But if all you’ve got is a giant pie dish, that’s worked for me (just squish them in, they’re forgiving).
Storing These Beauties (If You Even Need To)
If by some miracle you’ve got leftovers, just pop them in a container and keep them at room temp for a day or two. They’re still soft the next day — actually, I think the flavors get deeper. You can freeze them, but in my house, honestly, it never gets that far. If you do freeze, reheat gently in the oven, covered in foil.
How I Like to Serve ‘Em
We go big: lots of icing, cup of proper tea, and always, always, the end bits with the crispy sugary caramel. Sometimes, we throw a couple on a plate with sliced fruit and call it brunch (don’t judge me). My cousin will only eat the middle rolls, which, frankly, is a power move.
Real Talk: Pro Tips and Mini Disasters
- Don’t skip the overnight rise; I once tried to rush it and ended up with hockey pucks — nobody was impressed.
- It might look like you don’t have enough filling, but really, a thin layer spreads as it bakes. Or just double it if you want proper stickiness everywhere (I won’t tell).
- Cutting the rolls with a serrated knife can smoosh them; dental floss really is the secret weapon, even if that sounds weird.
FAQs From Friends (or Anybody Else Who’s Tried)
- Can I make these with discard starter?
- You could, but honestly, they’ll be a bit heavier — still good though! Maybe boost with a pinch of instant yeast if you want.
- What if I forgot to prep the dough the night before?
- Been there. You can do a longer room temp rise, like six-ish hours, but the flavor’s best with the slow overnight nap in the fridge.
- My dough is super sticky. Did I mess up?
- Not at all! Just flour your hands more (or oil them — actually, I find oil sometimes works even better). It’ll come together, promise.
- Can I make these ahead?
- Absolutely! Shape and pop in the fridge, covered, up to 24 hours ahead. I’ve actually left them for almost two days once and the rise was just fine.
So, there you go. If you’re up for something cozy and a little wild, give these sourdough cinnamon rolls a spin. If nothing else, you’ll have something sweet and a mildly flour-dusted kitchen — and maybe a happy crew, too. Oh, by the way — remember to check if your dog is loitering while you’re tossing flour around. Just saying.
Ingredients
- 1 cup active sourdough starter
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup whole milk, lukewarm
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened (for filling)
- 1 cup powdered sugar (for glaze)
- 2 tablespoons milk (for glaze)
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (for glaze)
Instructions
-
1In a large bowl, mix together the sourdough starter, milk, melted butter, egg, and granulated sugar until well combined.
-
2Add the flour and salt to the wet ingredients and mix to form a soft dough. Knead the dough for about 5-8 minutes until smooth and elastic.
-
3Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover, and let it rise in a warm place for 2-4 hours, or until doubled in size.
-
4Roll the dough out into a rectangle about 1/4 inch thick. Spread softened butter over the surface, then sprinkle evenly with brown sugar and cinnamon.
-
5Roll up the dough tightly from the long side and cut into 10 equal pieces. Place rolls in a greased baking dish, cover, and let rise for 1 hour.
-
6Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). Bake rolls for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool slightly, then mix together the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla, and drizzle the glaze over the rolls before serving.
Approximate Information for One Serving
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
Did you make this recipe?
Please consider Pinning it!!
