Sourdough cinnamon rolls are soft, gooey and delicious. Whether you are new to sourdough baking or have been nursing a starter for years, this is one of my favorite sourdough recipes. Easy sourdough cinnamon rolls are made from a beautiful, naturally leavened brioche. Add cinnamon and brown sugar and roll it all up for the perfect cozy breakfast that will make your house smell amazing!
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Using Sourdough Starter for Cinnamon Rolls
Traditional cinnamon rolls rely on instant yeast for their fluffy texture. This special recipe harnesses the power of wild yeast which is not only supper cool, but results in better, more gooey texture. And of course, they have all the health benefits that go along with sourdough baking which include easier digestibility and increased nutrient availability.
For this recipe, you will want to use active sourdough starter that has been fed 8-12 hours prior. Because we are using the starter to leaven our rolls, or help them rise and become fluffy, we want to use good, bubbly and fresh starter.
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The Coziest Breakfast!
The best cinnamon rolls are topped with cream cheese frosting. This Sourdough cinnamon roll recipe is no exception. We’ll top them with a beautiful frosting made from cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and maple syrup. Whether it’s Christmas morning or just another Tuesday, this is the kind of food that brings joy and excitement into the house. A cinnamon roll morning is the kind of morning that people look back on fondly! So, let’s get started on those memories to come!
Making your Sourdough Cinnamon Roll Dough
We are going to be making our cinnamon rolls from an enriched dough called brioche. When making brioche, we add eggs, whole milk, sugar and butter to enhance the flavor, add a softness and sweetness, and create a bread that won’t dry out.
What I love about this particular brioche recipe is that it’s as simple as throwing all of the ingredients into the bowl of a stand mixer and letting it go! Your mixer will knead everything together with the dough hook attachment. What will start out looking sticky and gloopy will soon turn into a shiny and supple dough. I love any recipe where I can lean on my tools to do the hard work!
Because this is a sourdough recipe, we mix our dough ingredients together and let the dough rise on the counter for 8-12 hours. Before we start shaping our cinnamon rolls, we want to see our dough double in size during that first rise until it looks inflated and full of air. Usually, I mix my dough in the evening and let it rise over night for shaping the next day.
Shaping Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls
The following morning, I’m ready to roll out my cinnamon rolls. Dump your beautiful dough onto a floured surface and begin to use a rolling pin to make a large rectangle, approximately 12 inches tall by 18 inches wide. Take softened butter and spread a thin layer across your dough, leaving about half an inch uncovered along one long side. I will have a small bowl of my cinnamon sugar mixture ready to go, and I sprinkle this generously across the buttered surface.
Starting with the long side farthest from you, start rolling up your cinnamon rolls. This part can feel a little intimidating, but it will all work out just fine! I start by turning the entire side down about half an inch, then continue to go from left to right, turning the dough under to form a long log.
When you have a long log formed, it’s time to slice your cinnamon rolls. While some people have a lot of luck using unflavored dental floss, I prefer using a sharp knife to cut my dough. Simply press your knife down into the dough every two inches to form your rolls. Try to keep them even in size so that they will bake consistently.
Place your rolls swirl side up in an 8 inch baking dish lined with parchment paper that’s been brushed with melted butter. Cover with plastic wrap or a towel for the second rise, or final rise. At this point you have two choices:
1. Place your rolls on the counter and let rise at room temperature for 2-3 hours.
2. Place your rolls in the refrigerator and allow them to sit for at least 8 hours up to 3 days. This is a great way to store your rolls if you are looking for a make-ahead option. If you choose to do this, you will bake your cinnamon rolls directly from the fridge. They do not have to sit at room temperature before you bake.
The Final Touch
Bake your cinnamon rolls at 325 degrees until they’re a beautiful golden brown color. An internal thermometer will measure 180 degrees when they’re done. Take a moment to enjoy the festive smell of your kitchen, knowing that food is a wonderful love language and cinnamon rolls are love! We’re going to let our cinnamon rolls cool for about ten minutes while we throw the cream cheese frosting together.
(I love my Thermapen so much and I think you will too! Read about it here!)
In a large bowl, throw together your softened cream cheese, softened butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla. Beat these ingredients together until well combined. It should form a smooth buttercream. Spoon your frosting onto the warm cinnamon rolls, sealing in their moisture and preserving the perfectly gooey texture. If you need to, use the back of your spoon to spread the icing evenly over the rolls.
Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls should be served immediately to happy clients with a warm beverage and a good morning hug!
Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
For the Dough
- 200 grams active starter 1 cup
- 120 grams milk, room temperature 1/2 cup
- 1 egg
- 5 grams salt 1 teaspoon
- 50 grams sugar 1/4 cup
- 400 grams bread flour 3 1/4 cup
- 1 stick butter, room temperature
For the Cinnamon Sugar Mixture
- 200 grams brown sugar 1 cup
- 2 tbsp cinnamon
For the Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 stick salted butter
- 250 grams powdered sugar 2 cups
- 2 tsp vanilla
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, add all of the ingredients for the dough. Mix on low speed until fully combined.
- Increase the speed to medium and mix the dough for about 5 minutes until the dough forms a ball and looks smooth and supple. If the dough isn’t clearing the sides of the bowl, continue mixing up to an additional 5 minutes.
- Transfer dough to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Set aside and allow to rise until doubled, 8-12 hours or overnight.
- To make the filling: In a small bowl, mix the cinnamon and brown sugar together with a fork. So simple!
- To make the cream cheese frosting: Add your butter and cream cheese into a stand mixer fit with a paddle attachment. Beat for 3-5 minutes, until everything is whipped and light. If there are clumps, continue to beat for a few more minutes. Add in your powdered sugar and vanilla and beat for an additional 3 minutes. (Make sure to use softened, room temp butter and cream cheese to avoid clumps.)
- After your dough has doubled, transfer it to a lightly floured work surface and use a rolling pin to roll it into a 12 inch by 18 inch rectangle. If the dough becomes difficult to roll, let it rest for 10-15 minutes then continue rolling it. The more square your corners are, the more evenly sized your cinnamon rolls will be when you cut them.
- Spread a thin layer of softened butter onto the dough, leaving a 1/2 inch of dough uncovered along the bottom edge.
- Top with an even layer of your cinnamon sugar filling.
- Starting at the top of your dough, roll the dough toward you by folding it over about a 1/2 inch and continuing to roll into a log. Once you come to the end, seal the roll by pinching the dough at the seam.
- Use a sharp knife to cut the log into 8-10 equal slices, about 2 inches wide each.
- Transfer the rolls to an 8 inch baking dish lined with parchment paper and greased with melted butter. Space them out evenly in the dish.
- Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 2-3 hours, until the rolls are puffed up and touching each other.
- Preheat your oven to 325 degrees about 30 minutes prior to baking.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes until the rolls are golden brown and are set in the middle. The internal temperature will be 180 degrees in the center cinnamon roll when done baking.
- Let the sourdough cinnamon rolls cool for about 10 minutes before icing them generously with cream cheese frosting. Serve warm and enjoy!
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