OMG! Make the Best Ever Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls

That is what my daughter said when she tested this batch of sourdough cinnamon rolls.

Pinkie promise.

And I must say, I have to agree with her. We LOVE these cinnamon rolls!

They aren’t too sweet, and the cream cheese icing is, well, cream cheesey…These are perfect for a Saturday brunch or a special breakfast like Christmas morning.

This recipe is a great way to use up discarded starter, but not a true sourdough as written. 

If you leave out the added yeast and let it go for 6-8 hours after mixing and again after shaping for the wild yeast to work it will be a true sourdough.

If you aren’t familiar with sourdough, or don’t have a starter, click here to learn how to get started. 

And now, drum roll please! Let’s go make us some Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls!

OMG Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls

• 1 cup sourdough starter
• 1 cup milk
• 1/4 pound of butter (1 stick)
• 3 eggs
• 1 tsp yeast
• 5 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 cup dehydrated sugar cane juice
• 1/2 cup instant potato flakes
• melted butter for brushing on rolls after baking (optional)

Heat the milk and butter just until the butter is melted. Then sprinkle the yeast over the milk mixture and stir to dissolve.

milk and butter all warm and melty

Put the flour, sugar, salt, and potato flakes in a large mixing bowl and stir to mix.

all the dry ingredients

Add the starter, eggs, and milk mixture and mix until combined.

and now adding the wet ingredients

The dough should be fairly stiff.

If it’s too dry add milk 1 Tbsp at a time; if too wet, add flour 1 Tbsp at a time.

all the ingredients combined

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface.

Knead for 5 to 8 minutes without adding too much extra flour. The dough should be slightly sticky.

Form the dough into a ball and cover with the bowl.

dough kneaded and in a ball

Now let rest for 10 to 15 minutes.

While the dough is resting, butter two 9 x 13 baking pans, and prepare  the filling.

Sourdough Cinnamon Roll Filling

• 4 Tbsp butter
• 1/2 cup dehydrated sugar cane juice
• 1/2 cup sucanat or packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup cinnamon

In a small pan heat the butter just until melted. Remove from heat.

Add sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Mix well.

I have found that when you mix it into a paste like this, it stays put better when you are rolling the dough up.

filling for rolls

After the dough has rested, cut into 2 equal pieces. Or, if you have room you can roll it all out at one time.

Roll out 1/2 the dough on a lightly floured surface into a 15″ x 24″ (ish) rectangle.

Spread with half of the filling mixture, making sure to spread to the edges on the shorter sides and one of the long edges. That is so the end pieces have plenty of filling in them.

Cuz, ya know, we don’t want the end pieces to feel left out… 🙂

all rolled out and filled

Roll up the dough starting on the long side that has the filling all the way to the edge.

Pinch the edge to seal it.

Now cut the dough into 12 equal pieces for normal sized rolls, or 9 pieces for really BIG ones.

all rolled up and cut in pieces

Put the rolls in the buttered pan and flatten them slightly.

Then cover them with a damp cloth.

Rinse and repeat with the second piece of dough.

1st pan ready to rise

Let the rolls rise for 45 minutes to an hour, or until doubled.

When the rolls have doubled in size, bake in a 350°F oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until they are golden brown.

Brush the rolls with melted butter. This keeps the rolls from getting hard.

Place pans on cooling rack and let cool slightly before spreading with icing.

all gorgeous and golden brown and waiting for icing

While rolls are cooling, prepare icing.

Icing

• 6 oz homemade cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 to 2 cups powdered sugar
• 2 Tbsp milk
• 2 tsp homemade vanilla
• dash of sea salt
• cinnamon to sprinkle over top

With a whisk, stir the cream cheese until smooth.

Add milk, vanilla, and salt and mix well.

Add powdered sugar and whisk until smooth.

Spread icing over the cooled rolls.

If the rolls are too hot, the icing will just melt and run off.

Sprinkle with cinnamon.

Oh. Em. Gee.

This recipe makes 2 dozen rolls that are light and fluffy, with just the right amount of cinnamon filling yummyness and icing that is not too sweet.

You can even make the rolls ahead and refrigerate overnight before baking if you want to. Just let them come to room temperature and make sure they have doubled in size before putting them in the oven.

These are really easy to make and I have the feeling that I will be making them often.

Blessings!

Other amazing things you should bake:

Homemade Soft Italian Bread Recipe For Beginners

Cheesy Sourdough Sausage Balls Recipe

Easy Sourdough Cornbread

Quick and Easy Sourdough Chocolate Snack Cake

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OMG Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls

Servings 2 dozen rolls

Author Cery

Ingredients

• 1 cup sourdough starter
• 1 cup milk
• 1/4 pound of butter 1 stick
• 3 eggs
• 1 tsp yeast
• 5 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 cup dehydrated sugar cane juice
• 1/2 cup instant potato flakes
• melted butter for brushing on rolls after baking optional

Cinnamon Roll Filling

• 4 Tbsp butter melted
• 1/2 cup dehydrated sugar cane juice
• 1/2 cup sucanat or packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup ground cinnamon

Cinnamon Roll Icing

• 6 oz homemade cream cheese at room temperature
• 1 1/2 to 2 cups powdered sugar *
• 2 Tbsp milk
• 2 tsp homemade vanilla extract
• dash sea salt
• ground cinnamon to sprinkle over top

Instructions

• Heat the milk and butter just until the butter is melted. Then sprinkle the yeast over the milk mixture and stir to dissolve.
• Put the flour, sugar, salt, and potato flakes in a large mixing bowl and stir to mix.
• Add the starter, eggs, and milk mixture and mix until combined.
• The dough should be fairly stiff. If it's too dry add milk 1 Tbsp at a time; if too wet, add flour 1 Tbsp at a time.
• Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead for 5 to 8 minutes without adding too much extra flour. The dough should be slightly sticky. Form the dough into a ball and cover with the bowl.
• Now let rest for 10 to 15 minutes.
• While the dough is resting, butter two 9 x 13 baking pans, and prepare the filling.

Filling Instructions

• In a small pan heat the butter just until melted. Remove from heat.
• Add sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Mix well. I have found that when you mix it into a paste like this, it stays put better when you are rolling the dough up.
• After the dough has rested, cut into 2 equal pieces. Or, if you have room you can roll it all out at one time.
• Roll out 1/2 the dough on a lightly floured surface into a 15" x 24" (ish) rectangle.
• Spread with half of the filling mixture, making sure to spread to the edges on the shorter sides and one of the long edges.
• Roll up the dough starting on the long side that has the filling all the way to the edge.
• Pinch the edge to seal it. Now cut the dough into 12 equal pieces for normal sized rolls, or 9 pieces for really BIG ones.
• Put the rolls in the buttered pan and flatten them slightly. Then cover them with a damp cloth.
• Repeat with the second piece of dough.
• Let the rolls rise for 45 minutes to an hour, or until doubled.
• When the rolls have doubled in size, bake in a 350°F oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until they are golden brown.
• Remove from oven and brush with melted butter. This keeps the rolls from getting hard. Place pans on cooling rack and let cool slightly before spreading with icing.
• While rolls are cooling, prepare icing.

Icing

• With a whisk or fork, stir the cream cheese until smooth.
• Add milk, vanilla, and salt and mix well.
• Add powdered sugar and whisk until smooth.
• Spread icing over the cooled rolls. If the rolls are too hot, the icing will just melt and run off.
• Sprinkle with cinnamon.

Notes

This recipe makes 2 dozen rolls that are light and fluffy, with just the right amount of cinnamon filling yummyness and icing that is not too sweet. You can even make the rolls ahead and refrigerate overnight before baking if you want to. Just let them come to room temperature and make sure they have doubled in size before putting them in the oven.