These delicious sourdough discard cinnamon rolls are have a delicious brown sugar-cinnamon filling and a generous amount of rich cream cheese frosting. The tender fluffy dough for these rolls is made with sourdough discard to give them a tangy twist.
Why I Love This Recipe
I love sourdough cinnamon rolls. The slight tang that sourdough can add to a sweet roll is so complimentary to the rest of the ingredients. They are so dreamy, I honestly cant get enough of them.
My only complaint with a good sourdough cinnamon roll, is how long they take to make and how much planning ahead is necessary. Luck for me, and you, this recipe doesn’t require and overnight rise and only takes a few hours!
These cinnamon rolls use sourdough discard, to get that classic sourdough tang, but use traditional bakers yeast to leaven them. All the things you love about a sourdough cinnamon roll in a fraction of the time needed to make them.
What is Sourdough Discard? The dough for this recipe calls for sourdough discard. These rolls have the cozy goodness of traditional cinnamon rolls with the added health benefits of sourdough. If you’re not sure what a sourdough starter is, check out my “How to Make a Sourdough Starter” post to learn all about it.
Tools I Recommend
For this recipe I find the following tools quite handy (Amazon affiliate links):
Tips for Making This Recipe
- Use fresh ingredients – Make sure the yeast you use in this recipe is within its expiration date. If using expired yeast you may not see your rolls rise as they should.
- Use the right pan – These rolls will expand quite a bit in the oven. I recommend baking them in a 9″ x 13″ Cake Pan.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I substitute whole wheat flour or bread flour for all-purpose flour?
Bread flour will give these cinnamon rolls the best rise and the softest crumb. If using whole wheat or all-purpose flour, you will need to increase the amount of flour or reduce the milk called for in the recipe and strengthen the dough a bit more
Can I make the dough ahead of time?
You can make the dough the evening before you plan to bake, and refrigerate it overnight. First rise will happen in the refrigerator at a much slower rate than at room temperature. Take the dough out the morning of, and roll it out to make the rolls. Second rise will take a little longer as the dough will be chilled.
How do I store my leftover cinnamon rolls?
To store any leftover sourdough discard cinnamon rolls, place them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to a week.
What is the best way to reheat leftover sourdough discard cinnamon rolls?
You can reheat leftover cinnamon rolls individually in the microwave, or reheat all the leftovers in a 300°F (150°C) preheated oven for 10-15 minutes, or until warmed through.
Sample Bakers Schedule
Sourdough discard cinnamon rolls will need to rise for a total of 3 hours. Bakers yeast makes quick work of rise times compared to a traditional sourdough cinnamon roll recipe, but because of the heavily enriched dough you will still need some planning ahead.
Below you will find two separate sample bakers schedules; one that will give you rolls just in time for breakfast, and one that will give you rolls for an extra special after dinner dessert.
Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Rolls for Breakfast
9 PM (day 1): Mix the dough ingredients together.
9:15 PM (day 1): Strengthen the dough and place in the refrigerator to rise overnight.
7 AM (day 2): Assemble and arrange the cut rolls in a 9″x13″ pan and cover for a second rise.
8 AM (day 2): Bake the sourdough discard cinnamon rolls and make the frosting.
8:30 AM (day 2): Frost and serve the rolls while still warm.
Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Rolls for Dessert
3 PM: Mix the dough ingredients together.
3:15 PM: Strengthen the dough and cover to rise.
5:15 PM: Assemble and arrange the cut rolls in a 9″x13″ pan and cover for second rise.
6:15 PM: Bake the sourdough discard cinnamon rolls and make the frosting.
6:45 PM: Frost and serve the rolls while still warm.
More Sweet Roll Recipes to Try
- Brioche Cinnamon Rolls
- Cherry Cinnamon Rolls
- Sourdough Brown Butter Cinnamon Rolls
- Sourdough Carrot Cake Cinnamon Rolls
Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Rolls
12
servings30
minutes4
hoursThese sourdough discard cinnamon rolls are have a delicious cinnamon filling and a generous amount of cream cheese frosting.
Ingredients
- The Dough
3/4 cup milk (190g)
1/3 cup granulated sugar (70g)
1 tsp active dry yeast (3g)
1 large egg
1/2 cup sourdough discard (125g)
3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (450g)
1/2 tsp salt (4g)
8 tbs unsalted butter, softened (113g)
- Filling
6 tbs unsalted butter, softened (85g)
1/2 cup brown sugar (110g)
3 tsp ground cinnamon (9g)
- Frosting
4 tbs unsalted butter, softened (56g)
3 oz cream cheese (85g)
2 cups powdered sugar (230g)
2 tsp vanilla extract (8g)
1 tbs milk (15g)
Directions
- Activate the Yeast
- In a small bowl, whisk together 1/4 cup of the milk that has been warmed up, 1 tbs of the granulated sugar, and 1 tsp of the active dry yeast, and sugar. Let the mixture sit for about 15 minutes, or until the yeast blooms, and becomes bubbly and activated.
- Mix the Dough
- In a large mixing bowl whisk together the active yeast mixture, the remaining 1/4 cup and 1 tsp of granulated sugar, the remaining 1/2 cup milk, 1/2 cup sourdough discard, and one large egg until they are thoroughly combined.
- Sift the 3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour and 1/2 tsp of salt into the mixture, stirring just until a shaggy dough forms.
- Work in the 8 tbs of room temperature butter by hand or with a stand mixer. Once the butter is fully incorporated, knead the dough on medium speed using a dough hook attachment, or knead it by hand, for approximately 5 minutes.
- First Rise
- Transfer the dough to a greased bowl, and cover it with a damp cloth or kitchen towel. Let the dough rise at a temperature of around 70°F (21°C) for 2 hours, or until it has doubled in size.
- Make the Cinnamon Rolls
- Before turning out the dough, lightly dust your work surface with flour. Gently pat the dough into a rectangular shape and use a floured rolling pin to roll it out into a 13″x18″ rectangle.
- In a small bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup brown sugar and 3 tbs of ground cinnamon to make the filling, then set it aside.
- Spread 6 tbs of room temperature unsalted butter over the sheet of dough, leaving a one-inch margin along the length of the dough. This margin will help to seal the rolls when you roll up the dough.
- Next, spread the cinnamon sugar mixture on top of the layer of butter and roll dough up tightly. Start with the end opposite of the margin and roll inwards applying a gentle pressure.
- Lightly wet the margin with water before sealing. Allow the roll to rest, seam side down, for a minute to ensure a tight seal. Using a non-serrated knife, cut the log into twelve equally-sized cinnamon rolls.
- Second Rise
- Arrange the cut rolls in a 9″x13″ pan, ensuring they are evenly spaced apart. If preferred, using a slightly smaller pan will yield doughier cinnamon rolls. Place a cloth or kitchen towel over the pan, ensuring the rolls are well covered.
- Let them rise at a temperature of around 70°F (21°C) for approximately 1 hour. During this second rise, the rolls will increase in size and become visibly poofy.
- Bake and Frost
- Position your rolls on the center rack of a 350°F (177°C) preheated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes.
- While the rolls are baking, prepare the frosting. In a medium sized bowl combine 4 tbs of room temperature unsalted butter, 3 oz softened cream cheese, 2 cups powdered sugar, 2 tsp vanilla extract, and 1 tbs milk. Stir until you achieve a creamy, lump-free frosting.
- Once out of the oven allow the sourdough discard cinnamon rolls to cool for 15 minutes before frosting. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Make the dough ahead of time: You can make the dough the evening before you plan to bake, and refrigerate it overnight. First rise will happen in the refrigerator at a much slower rate than at room temperature. Take the dough out the morning of, and roll it out to make the rolls. Second rise will take a little longer as the dough will be chilled.
- How to store your rolls: To store any leftover sourdough discard cinnamon rolls, place them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to a week.
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