Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls Recipe
Learn how to make overnight Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls with minimal effort. No need for a stand mixer or a second rise, they bake up fluffy and delicious! This recipe is perfect for beginners and it's a great way to use sourdough starter discard. See notes for adjustments in warmer months!
Equipment
- Mixing Bowls
Ingredients
- 8 tablespoons (113 g) butter cold
- 2 ½ cups (300 g) all-purpose flour see notes
- ⅓ cup (100 g) sourdough starter discard
- 1 cup (240 g) buttermilk see notes
- 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon (25 g) honey or granulated sugar
- ¾ teaspoon (4 g) fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder hold back in initial mix
- ½ teaspoon baking soda hold back in initial mix
Cinnamon-Sugar Filling
- ¾ cup (150 g) light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 4 tablespoons (56 g) butter melted
Cinnamon Roll Glaze
- 1 tablespoon (14 g) butter melted
- 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon (5 g) vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons (30 g) milk
Instructions
The night before
- Mix the dough: Use a cheese grater to grate the cold butter into a mixing bowl. Add the flour and use a bench scraper or pastry cutter to cut the butter into the flour. Add the sourdough starter discard, buttermilk, honey and salt. Mix with a spatula until the ingredients are well incorporated. Cover the bowl and let rest on the counter for 10-12 hours. (DO NOT add the baking soda or baking powder. This will be added right before rolling out the dough)
The next morning
- Make cinnamon sugar filling and glaze: Mix the brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl, set aside. In a separate bowl, mix the glaze ingredients and set aside. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C) and butter a 12" cast iron skillet.
- Add leavening agents: Mix the baking powder and baking soda in a small bowl with a fork until there are no visible lumps. Sprinkle the mixture on top of the dough and mix it in with your hands.
- Roll out the dough: Generously flour your work surface and turn the dough onto it. Flour the top of the dough. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough into a 12" x 24" rectangle.
- Cut out rolls: Use a pastry brush to coat the top of the rectangle of dough with melted butter. Sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar mixture evenly over the surface, leaving a one-half-inch bare strip along the outer edges. Starting on the longest side, roll the dough into a log shape. Use the bench scraper to cut the dough log into 12 pieces (approximately 1.5 inches). Arrange the rolls in the cast iron skillet, leaving space in between each piece to expand.
- Bake: Bake the cinnamon rolls for 35-40 minutes or until the tops are golden brown. Mix the glaze ingredients in a small bowl while the cinnamon rolls are baking. Remove the rolls from the oven and glaze while hot.
How to Bake from Frozen
- Shape the rolls and place them in a round disposable tin lined with parchment paper. Cover with plastic wrap and then tightly with foil before freezing for up to 3 months. When you're ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F (176°C). Uncover the rolls and bake them for 40-45 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown. There is no need to thaw first.
Video
Notes
- In warmer kitchens, the following adjustments will result in a less sticky dough:
- Buttermilk: reduce to ¾ cup (180g) of milk.
- Flour: Increased from to 2 ¾ cups (345g) flour.
- No kitchen scale? Use the scoop and level technique to measure your flour if you do not have a kitchen scale. To do this, use a spoon to fluff up the flour in the bag. Use a spoon to scoop the flour into a measuring cup until it is heaped on top. Take a butterknife and level off the top. This should give you the most accurate measurement for flour.
- For a lighter cinnamon roll glaze, mix 1 cup of powdered sugar with a teaspoon of milk. Give it a stir and add a little more milk at a time until you get the consistency you're looking for.
- No cast iron skillet? A baking sheet or spring-form pan can be used in place of a cast iron skillet. Bake the rolls for 25-30 minutes. Tent the rolls with a piece of foil at the 15-20 mark to prevent them from 0ver-browning if needed.
- Active sourdough starter can be used if desired but skip adding the baking soda and baking powder to the dough. After cutting the cinnamon rolls out, let rise in the skillet for 1-1.5 hours at room temperature before baking.
- If using a spring-form pan, make sure to put a baking sheet on the rack below it to catch any drippings that may leak out to avoid any issues with your oven.
Nutrition
Serving: 1rollCalories: 334kcalCarbohydrates: 51gProtein: 4gFat: 13g