The Best Cinnamon Rolls Sourdough Starter Recipe

This Cinnamon Rolls Sourdough Starter recipe is the epitome of delish- with soft, buttery dough, ooey gooey filling and melty maple cream cheese glaze drizzled on top. If you are a sourdough fan, this recipe is one you need to try! And if you try it, you will never want to make cinnamon rolls another way.

We love sourdough around here and these cinnamon rolls sourdough recipe makes the perfect weekend breakfast treat. We traditionally make them for Christmas morning, Thanksgiving, Easter and sometimes, just because! 🙂

Instead of using dry yeast, the sourdough starter allows the dough to ferment and rise. Sourdough is much easier to digest because the phytic acid (which is what can cause irritability) is broken down during the fermentation process.

If you have been looking for a sourdough cinnamon roll recipe that will turn out great every time, this one has proven itself over and over for our family! I hope you enjoy!

TOOLS YOU MAY NEED FOR CINNAMON ROLLS SOURDOUGH STARTER RECIPE:

• Stand mixer or dough whisk
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Kitchen Scale
• Mixing bowls
• Rolling pin
• 9″ Springform pan, round Cake pan or Pie Dish
• Sauce Pan
• Kitchen Twine

BAKER’S SCHEDULE FOR CINNAMON ROLLS SOURDOUGH STARTER RECIPE

Feed Sourdough Starter and mix Dough

Feed your sourdough starter so that it is active and bubbly 4-6 hours before you are ready to start the dough.

Using your kitchen scale, zero out a mixing bowl and add the sourdough starter, room temperature softened butter, honey, and whole milk. Whisk that together. Then, add in the flour, salt and egg. Mix with a dough whisk or your stand mixer with the dough hook attachment till combined. If using a dough whisk, finish combining by using your hands to bring it all together. Note that the dough will be pretty sticky, this is okay! Cover the bowl with a moist tea towel or plastic wrap and let rest 15 minutes.

After 15 minutes has passed mix together with the dough hook for one minute until the dough comes off of the sides of the bowl.

If mixing by hand perform a series of 4 stretch and folds, Cover dough to rest about 15 minutes in between each stretch and fold. Repeat every 15 minutes 4-6 times total until the dough is holding its shape more.

HOW TO STRETCH AND FOLD DOUGH

Stretch and fold is a simple process, meant to build the gluten in the dough that will help bind it together. Start with your wet and shaggy dough. Wet your hands a bit and then grab from under one of the sides of the dough. Pull a small layer of the dough up to stretch it up and then fold it back down over the rest of the dough. Turn the bowl and repeat 3 more times. That’s it! Cover the dough, let it rest 15 minutes, and then repeat that process.

*note: this does not need to be completely precise. I have gotten distracted and missed a 15 minute mark so I just did it at 30 minutes instead. The goal is to build up the gluten in the dough and by the time you are done with the 4th stretch and fold, the dough should be holding its shape instead of a remaining a lumpy wet blob of dough.

Once done with stretch and folds/stand mixer paddle mixing, cover and let rest overnight for its bulk rise.

Use a damp towel or plastic wrap to cover the bowl so the dough does not get dry on the top. If your dough does dry a bit and forms a crust on the top, simply mist the dough with some water the next day before shaping your rolls.

BULK RISE

The bulk rise time will vary based on the temperature of your home and the climate where you live. The warmer your home is, the quicker this bulk rise will be. The cooler your home, the slower the bulk rise. If you want to speed this up, place your bowl of dough in a warm spot. Not too warm though because you don’t want to overproof your dough!

Bulk rise 12-16 hours till the dough has doubled and is looking light and airy.

SHAPE YOUR DOUGH

After the dough has doubled in size, you are ready to shape your cinnamon rolls!

Mix up the filling by combining softened butter (unsalted or salted is fine, whichever you prefer), brown sugar, and cinnamon.

Scoop the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll it out with a rolling pin into a rectangle about 12″ x 16″.

Spread the cinnamon-butter-sugar mix onto the flattened dough. Add your nuts on top now if you are choosing to use them. Then begin to roll the dough from the 12″ side all the way till it forms a tight log. Pinch the ends together as you roll the dough.

Using a knife or bench scraper, mark the dough to create 8 equal sections in the log. Use kitchen twine to cut the rolls. Slide the string under the dough, bring it up, criss-cross the string together and pull to slice the dough clean. This method works better than slicing downward with a knife and helps the rolls to remain round.

Place in a parchment paper lined cake or springform pan, buttered pie dish, square baking dish or cast iron skillet. Use whatever you have, they will turn out amazing!

SECOND RISE & BAKE SOURDOUGH CINNAMON ROLLS

Cover the rolls and let rest in a warm spot for 1-2 hours for the second rise. Bake in a 350℉ oven for 40-50 minutes. Check the rolls for doneness around 35-40 minute mark. They should be golden on the top. Take out of the oven and let cool slightly before adding the maple cream cheese glaze.

*If you are making these ahead, let the rolls rise for one hour and then place it in fridge overnight or up to a day until you are ready to bake them. Take the rolls out about an hour before you are ready to bake so they can come back to room temperature before baking.

MAKE THE MAPLE CREAM CHEESE GLAZE

While the rolls are baking, make your maple cream cheese glaze. It is important to use room temperature cream cheese and butter for this glaze, otherwise it may be clumpy – still delicious, just not as smooth looking. Add the cream cheese, butter, maple syrup and heavy cream to a saucepan. Heat over medium low heat, whisking together until everything combines and is smooth. If it is still clumpy, use an immersion blender to get any of the cream cheese clumps out.

ENJOY YOUR SOURDOUGH CINNAMON ROLLS WARM!

These sourdough cinnamon rolls are best enjoyed warm and on the same day they are baked. Top with the maple cream cheese glaze and taste the sweet and zesty roll you made!

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If you try this recipe and love it, I would love to know! Come back and leave a review! Tag me on Instagram @oursimplegraces

MORE SOURDOUGH RECIPES TO TRY:

• Sourdough Sandwich Bread
• Cinnamon Crunch Sourdough Bagels
• Sourdough Cinnamon Bread
• Sourdough Croissants
• Sourdough Cinnamon Brioche
• Sourdough Orange Cinnamon Rolls
• Artisan Rustic Sourdough Bread

Continue to Content

Cinnamon Rolls Sourdough Recipe

Yield: 8 Rolls

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Rest Time: 14 hours

Total Time: 15 hours 15 minutes

This Cinnamon Rolls Sourdough Starter recipe is the epitome of delish- with soft, buttery dough, ooey gooey filling and melty maple cream cheese glaze drizzled on top.

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Ingredients

Cinnamon Roll Dough

• 120 grams fed Sourdough Starter, active and bubbly
• 180 grams Whole Milk, warm
• 120 grams Unsalted Butter, softened
• 1 Egg
• 28 grams Honey
• 350 grams Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
• 8 grams Sea Salt

Filling

• 10 TBS Butter, salted softened
• 3/4 Cups Brown Sugar
• 1 TBS Cinnamon
• Optional, 1 Cup Pecans or Walnuts, chopped

Maple Cream Cheese Glaze

• 8 oz. Cream Cheese, room temperature
• 3 TBS Butter
• 1/3 C Maple Syrup
• 2 TBS Heavy Cream
• 1 tsp Vanilla

Instructions

Feed Sourdough Starter and mix Dough

1. Feed your sourdough starter so that it is active and bubbly 4-6 hours before you are ready to start the dough.
2. Using your kitchen scale, zero out a mixing bowl and add the sourdough starter, room temperature softened butter, honey, and whole milk. Whisk that together.
3. Add in the flour, salt and egg. Mix with a dough whisk or your stand mixer with the dough hook attachment till combined. If using a dough whisk, finish combining by using your hands to bring it all together. Note that the dough will be pretty sticky, this is okay!
4. Cover the bowl with a moist tea towel or plastic wrap and let rest 15 minutes.
5. After 15 minutes has passed mix together with the dough hook for one minute until the dough comes off of the sides of the bowl.
6. Once done with stretch and folds/stand mixer paddle mixing, cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap and let rest overnight for its bulk rise.
7. Bulk rise 12-16 hours until the dough has doubled and is light and fluffly. Time may vary based on temperature/climate.

If mixing by hand perform a series of 4 stretch and folds, Cover dough to rest about 15 minutes in between each stretch and fold. Repeat every 15 minutes 4-6 times total until the dough is holding its shape more. * See notes for how to stretch and fold dough.

SHAPE YOUR DOUGH

1. After the dough has doubled in size, the rolls are ready to shape. Mix up the filling by combining softened butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon.
2. Scoop the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll it out with a rolling pin into a rectangle about 12″ x 16″.
3. Spread the cinnamon-butter-sugar mix onto the flattened dough. Add your nuts on top now if you are choosing to use them. Then begin to roll the dough from the 12″ side all the way till it forms a tight log. Pinch the ends together as you roll the dough.
4. Use kitchen twine to cut the rolls into 8 equal rolls.. Slide the string under the dough, bring it up, criss-cross the string together and pull to slice the dough clean.
5. Place in a parchment paper lined cake or springform pan, buttered pie dish, square baking dish or cast iron skillet. Use whatever you have, they will turn out amazing!

SECOND RISE & BAKE SOURDOUGH CINNAMON ROLLS

1. Cover the rolls and let rest in a warm spot for 1-2 hours for the second rise till they have risen again to around double the size.
2. Bake in a 350℉ oven for 40-50 minutes. Check the rolls for doneness around 35-40 minute mark. They should be golden on the top. Take out of the oven and let cool slightly before adding the maple cream cheese glaze.

MAKE THE MAPLE CREAM CHEESE GLAZE

1. While the rolls are baking, make your maple cream cheese glaze, using room temperature cream cheese and butter.
2. Add the cream cheese, butter, maple syrup and heavy cream to a saucepan. Heat over medium low heat, whisking together until everything combines and is smooth. If it is still clumpy, use an immersion blender to get any of the cream cheese clumps out.

Notes

*Stretch and fold is a simple process, meant to build the gluten in the dough that will help bind it together. Start with your wet and shaggy dough. Wet your hands a bit and then grab from under one of the sides of the dough. Pull a small layer of the dough up to stretch it up and then fold it back down over the rest of the dough. Turn the bowl and repeat 3 more times. That’s it! Cover the dough, let it rest 15 minutes, and then repeat that process.

*If you are making these ahead, let the rolls rise for one hour and then place it in fridge overnight or up to a day until you are ready to bake them. Take the rolls out about an hour before you are ready to bake so they can come back to room temperature before baking.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 829Total Fat: 57gSaturated Fat: 29gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 23gCholesterol: 148mgSodium: 677mgCarbohydrates: 73gFiber: 4gSugar: 31gProtein: 11g