Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Rolls Recipe
Yield: 9 cinnamon rolls
Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Rolls are soft, fluffy, and loaded with the right amount of cinnamon sugar filling. And easy to make ahead and it only takes 2 hours to make! Top them off with my cream cheese frosting for the best kind of morning treat.
Ingredients
Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Roll Dough
- 120 grams sourdough discard 1/2 cup
- 30 grams dark brown sugar 2 Tablespoons
- 175 grams milk, warm 3/4 cup
- 57 grams unsalted butter, melted 4 Tablespoons
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 370 grams bread flour 2 ½ cups + 2 Tablespoons
- 7 grams instant yeast 2 teaspoons
- 5 grams salt 3/4 teaspoon
- 120 grams heavy cream, warmed (just before baking) 1/2 cup
Filling
- 57 grams unsalted butter, softened 4 Tablespoons
- 150 grams dark brown sugar 3/4 cup
- 12 grams ground cinnamon 5 teaspoons
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 28 grams unsalted butter, room temperature 2 Tablespoons
- 55 grams cream cheese, room temperature 2 ounces
- 15 grams heavy cream 1 Tablespoon
- 90 grams powdered sugar 3/4 cup
Instructions
DOUGH
- Add the sourdough discard, dark brown sugar, warm milk, melted butter, and egg to the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Mix on low speed until the ingredients are mixed thoroughly.The temperature of the milk was 110 degrees F. Any hotter and this could kill the instant yeast and prevent the dough from rising.120 grams sourdough discard, 175 grams milk, warm, 30 grams dark brown sugar, 57 grams unsalted butter, melted, 1 large egg
- Switch the paddle attachment with the dough hook attachment. Then, add the flour, instant yeast and salt to the bowl. Mix on low, stopping to scrape the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula when necessary, until all of the ingredients have been incorporated.370 grams bread flour, 7 grams instant yeast, 5 grams salt
- Continue to knead the dough for 5-7 more minutes at medium speed. You know the dough has been thoroughly kneaded when the dough is pulling away from the sides of the bowl while it is being kneaded and it feels tacky, not sticky, when you poke it.You can knead this dough by hand, but I would increase the time to about 10-15 minutes.
- Remove the dough and place it in a bowl, cover it and let the dough rest until doubled in size in a warm spot.In my 70 degree F kitchen, this took about 1 hour. The rise time can vary depending on the temperature of your kitchen. The warmer your kitchen, the faster the dough will rise. The opposite is true for cooler kitchens.
SHAPE
- Once the dough has doubled in size, remove the dough onto a lightly floured work surface. With a rolling pin, shape the dough into a 16 inch by 12 inch rectangle.
- Spread the softened butter over the entire surface of the sourdough cinnamon roll dough.57 grams unsalted butter, softened
- In a small bowl, stir together dark brown sugar and ground cinnamon, then sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture on the entire surface of the dough.150 grams dark brown sugar, 12 grams ground cinnamon
- Option 1: Starting at the long end closest to you, roll up the homemade cinnamon rolls into a long snake. Cut off the uneven edges, then divide into 9 equal pieces with unflavored dental floss, string, or a sharp knife. (about 1 3/4 inches per roll)Option 2: Using a pizza cutter, slice the dough into 9 even stripes, then roll each into a roll for a more polished look.
- Grease a 9 x 9, 2 quart baking dish or large cast iron skillet with butter before gently placing the Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Rolls inside, about 1/2 - 1 inches apart.
- Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for a second time until they have noticeably grown and look puffy. This took 45-60 minutes in my 70 degree F kitchen.
- Not ready to bake these in the same day? No worries! Jump down to the NOTES for several Make-Ahead options!
BAKE
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Just before baking, pour warmed heavy cream over the Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Rolls.The extra moisture from the heavy cream will keep the cinnamon rolls extra soft while baking.120 grams heavy cream, warmed (just before baking)
- Bake the rolls for 30-35 minutes or until the tops are golden brown and the internal temperature is 190-200 degrees F.If the cinnamon rolls are browning too quickly, cover them with aluminum foil and continue to bake.
- Remove from the oven and place the cinnamon rolls on a wire rack to cool slightly.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- While the cinnamon buns are cooling, prepare the cream cheese frosting.
- In a large mixing bowl, mix butter and cream cheese until combined. Add powdered sugar and heavy cream and blend until smooth.28 grams unsalted butter, room temperature, 55 grams cream cheese, room temperature, 15 grams heavy cream, 90 grams powdered sugar
- Using an offset spatula, spread the cream cheese frosting over the warm cinnamon rolls so that it can slightly melt into all of the cracks and crevices. Serve warm and enjoy!
Notes
MAKE-AHEAD Option
If you are looking to prepare these Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Rolls the night before and bake them the following morning – here are some options and tips! Chill & Bake Option 1: Prepare the dough and once it has doubled in size, over the bowl and chill in the fridge overnight. The following morning, shape the cinnamon rolls and allow them to rise and get fluffy in a warm place before baking as normal. Option 2: My personal favorite method! Prepare the dough and shape the cinnamon rolls the night before, then pop the covered baking dish into the fridge overnight. Pull out the unbaked rolls 1-2 hours before baking to allow them to rise and get fluffy in a warm place. Option 3: Prepare the dough and shape the cinnamon rolls, then pop the covered baking dish into the freezer overnight. Once frozen solid, place the sourdough cinnamon rolls into a freezer-safe bag and store for 2-3 weeks for the best results. When ready to bake, place the frozen cinnamon rolls on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Cover and place them in the refrigerator the night before. The next morning, take them out of the fridge and allow them to rise in a warm place, about 1.5-2 hours, or until fluffy. Bake, Freeze & Reheat Otherwise, you can bake the cinnamon rolls as normal, then allow them to cool to room temperature. DO NOT ICE WITH FROSTING. Cover the rolls tightly with plastic wrap and place them in a freezer-safe bag. When ready to enjoy, allow the rolls to thaw on the counter top at room temperature or in the fridge overnight. Once thawed, reheat them in a 350 degree F oven for about 15 minutes or until warmed through. Top with icing and serve! **Since this is an enriched dough, it can take longer for the dough to rise. The rise time will also depend on the temperature of your kitchen. A cooler kitchen will have a longer final rise, while a warmer kitchen will be quicker. Bake as normal.Ingredients & Substitutions
- Bread Flour – For the fluffiest Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Rolls, I recommend using bread flour. Its higher protein content gives the dough a better rise, resulting in a softer, chewier cinnamon roll. Some people prefer all-purpose flour, but in my experience, bread flour gives the best results.
- Milk – I used whole milk, but this can be substituted with your favorite non-dairy options as well.
- Sourdough Discard – I use fresh, room temperature sourdough discard that’s no more than 1-2 days old. If you use the discard straight from the fridge, it’ll slow down the rise time. By the way, you can swap in the same amount of active starter (grams).
- Dark Brown Sugar – Unlike light brown sugar, dark brown sugar has a richer, almost caramel-like flavor, which is to die for in these cinnamon rolls. Light brown sugar can be used as a substitute if that’s what you have.
- Instant yeast – I used instant yeast for this recipe, not active dry yeast. Active dry yeast needs to be dissolved in liquid to activate and takes longer to rise dough. Instant yeast, in contrast , can be added directly to dry ingredients, and it works much faster.
- Heavy Cream – Keeps the rolls soft while they bake. A quick warm-up helps it settle into the dough instead of sitting on top.
FILLING:
- Unsalted Butter – For easy spreading, be sure to use softened, room-temperature butter.
- Dark Brown Sugar – Light brown sugar can be used as a substitute.
FROSTING:
- Cream Cheese – For easy mixing, use room-temperature cream cheese.
- Butter – Use room-temperature unsalted butter for easy mixing.
Nutrition
Calories: 485kcal | Carbohydrates: 65g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 78mg | Sodium: 262mg | Potassium: 143mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 31g | Vitamin A: 760IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 83mg | Iron: 1mg
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