Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls
Soft, fluffy sourdough cinnamon rolls with a rich brown sugar cinnamon filling and a sweet glaze on top. This easy recipe uses sourdough starter for extra flavor and a tender, bakery-style texture, perfect for breakfast, brunch, or a cozy weekend treat.
Starter Prep
Ratio: 1:10:10
6g starter + 60g water + 60g flour = 126g total (26 g extra to save for next bake)
Peaks in: 10-14 hours
Fed at 7am: Peaks 5pm-9pm
Ingredients
DOUGH INGREDIENTS:
• 500g all-purpose flour
• 240g whole milk (warm)
• 100g active sourdough starter
• 80g sugar
• 60g butter, softened
• 2 eggs
• 8g salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
FILLING:
• 80g butter, softened
• 150g brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons cinnamon
• Pinch of salt
CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:
• 115g cream cheese, softened
• 60g butter, softened
• 200g powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2-3 tablespoons milk (for consistency)
Instructions
METHOD:
Evening (6pm): Mix all dough ingredients until combined. This will be soft and slightly sticky. Cover and bulk ferment overnight on counter.
Morning (7am): Dough should be puffy and increased about 50%. Punch down gently.
Roll out: On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into a rectangle about 18x12 inches.
Add filling: Spread softened butter over entire surface. Mix brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Sprinkle evenly over butter.
Roll up: Starting from the long edge, roll tightly into a log. Pinch seam to seal.
Cut: Use a sharp knife or dental floss. Cut into 12 pieces (about 1.5 inches each).
Arrange: Place cut-side up in a buttered 9x13 pan, leaving space between (they’ll expand).
Final proof: Cover and let rise 2-3 hours until puffy and touching each other.
Bake: Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake 25-30 minutes until golden brown.
Frost: Let cool 10 minutes. Make frosting (beat cream cheese and butter until fluffy, add powdered sugar and vanilla, thin with milk). Spread generously over warm rolls.
Serve: Immediately. With coffee. To people you love.
OVERNIGHT METHOD FOR SUNDAY MORNING
Want fresh cinnamon rolls for breakfast without waking up at 5am?
Saturday evening: Make dough and bulk ferment overnight.
Sunday morning (8am): Roll, fill, cut, arrange in pan.
Immediately refrigerate: Place entire pan in fridge. The cold slows the final rise.
Sunday afternoon OR Monday morning: Remove from fridge. Let come to room temp (1-2 hours). When puffy, bake as directed.
Why this works: The cold fermentation develops more flavor. You get fresh rolls whenever you want them (up to 48 hours later).
Mom Tips
Dough didn’t rise overnight:
Sweet dough ferments slower. It might need 12-14 hours instead of 8-10. Or your kitchen is cold—try the oven-with-light-on trick.
Rolls are dense:
Under-proofed. The final proof is crucial—rolls should be puffy and touching before baking.
Filling leaked out:
Roll wasn’t tight enough. Or too much filling. Next time, spread thinner layer and roll tighter.
Dry rolls:
Over-baked. Sweet dough dries out faster than bread. Check at 25 minutes.