Overnight Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls with Starter

Are you looking for the best overnight sourdough cinnamon rolls recipe from scratch? These fluffy, easy rolls with warm, gooey sugar-cinnamon swirled layers are it! 

Sourdough Starter Cinnamon Rolls

Cinnamon rolls are always a great go-to for breakfast! These easy sourdough cinnamon rolls are the perfect way to curb a sweet tooth. The dough is made with a sourdough starter, which provides a light and airy texture.

You can make the dough a day in advance, let it rise overnight on the counter, then bake them up the following day for a no-fuss breakfast or brunch dish.

Fluffy, moist, and loaded with warm cinnamon and brown sugar flavors, here is the ultimate guide to making the best cinnamon rolls!

Cinnamon Roll Recipe with Sourdough Starter

First, this recipe for soft sourdough cinnamon rolls relies on a sourdough starter instead of commercial yeast. The sourdough starter will need to be mature and active. Here is how to know if your sourdough starter is ready to bake.

• What does the sourdough starter look like? It should look very bubbly and be slightly foamy on the surface.
• How has the sourdough starter grown? It should be doubled in volume after being fed and waiting several hours.
• Can it pass the float test? Drop a small scoop of the starter into a bowl of water. If it floats, it is ready to use. If it sinks, keep feeding it daily or wait a bit longer for it to develop.

For more information about how to make your sourdough starter, check out my step-by-step post.

Ingredients for Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls

Besides a bubbly, active starter to make these rolls, you will also need a few other pantry staples to make the dough for these sourdough cinnamon rolls.

Cinnamon Roll Dough Ingredients

• 270g milk, lukewarm
• 150g active sourdough starter
• 70g raw honey
• 45g room temperature butter
• 480g all-purpose organic flour
• 12g celtic salt

Sugar Cinnamon Filling

• 6 tablespoons butter, room temperature
• 2 tablespoons organic cinnamon
• 1/2 cup organic brown sugar or white sugar

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 3 tablespoons butter, room temperature
• 1 cup full-fat cream cheese, room temperature
• 4 tablespoons organic maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla
• 1/8 teaspoon celtic salt

Kitchen essentials you may need: stand mixer, kitchen scale, mixing bowl, linen towel, wooden rolling pin, parchment paper and cast iron skillet.

How to Make Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls

This recipe is for fluffy sourdough cinnamon rolls. These rolls are made with a sourdough starter, which gives them a unique flavor.

Step 1: Mix the Dough

Heat the milk in a small saucepan until it is warm to the touch.

Place the stand mixer bowl on a digital kitchen scale. Add 270g lukewarm milk, 150g active sourdough starter, and 70g raw honey. Mix using a wooden spoon.

Then, add 45g of room-temperature butter, 480g of all-purpose flour, and 12g of salt. Using a dough hook attachment in the bowl of a stand mixer, knead all the ingredients until they form a smooth ball, and the dough pulls away from the bowl.

If the dough sticks to the bowl, add a little flour until it pulls away from the sides.

Step 2: Cover the Dough

Remove the dough from the stand mixer bowl and place it in a large mixing bowl. Cover with a damp towel and let rise overnight, about 8 to 10 hours. This is considered the first rise.

Step 3: Uncover the Dough (The Next Day)

The following day uncover the dough. It should have risen quite significantly overnight.

Step 4: Roll the Dough

Lay a large piece of parchment paper on the countertop. Remove the dough from the mixing bowl, gently pat it into a rough rectangle, and rest it for around 10 minutes to relax the gluten. The dough will be easier to roll out.

Using a rolling pin, roll the dough into a rectangle about 20″ x 12″, as this will make about 10-11 large cinnamon rolls.

Step 5: Add Cinnamon Sugar Filling

In a small bowl, combine six tablespoons of room temperature butter, 1/2 cup sugar, and two or three tablespoons of cinnamon. Spread the cinnamon-sugar mixture evenly onto the top of the dough.

Step 6: Roll the Dough

Starting with the long edge, roll the dough into a log. Work slowly; try to keep the dough tight and rolled evenly. Once you reach the end, pinch the ends into the dough and place the seam side down.

Step 7: Cut the Dough

Cut a large piece of thread or dental floss to about 24 inches. Slide the thread under the log of dough.

Pull the thread up and cross it to cut it into the dough. Place the unbaked rolls into a well-seasoned cast-iron skillet with the edges of the rolls touching.

Step 8: Second Rise

Place the rolls in a warm place for the final rise. Depending on the temperature in your home, the rise time could vary from 1-2 hours.

As the rolls rise, small amounts of butter may be seen in the bottom of the cast iron skillet around the rolls. Have no worries; this helps make these rolls super delicious!

Step 9: Bake the Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls

Place the cinnamon dough rolls on the center rack and bake in the oven at 350 F for 30-40 minutes or until just lightly golden brown. While the rolls are baking, make the cream cheese frosting.

Step 10: Make Cream Cheese Frosting

In a medium-size bowl, use a handheld mixer or stand mixer to beat together three tablespoons room temperature butter and 1 cup room temperature cream cheese on medium-low speed.

Beat for about 3 minutes, occasionally scraping down the sides of the bowl, until very smooth.

Add four tablespoons of maple syrup, one teaspoon of vanilla extract, and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Beat at medium-high speed until light and fluffy.

Step 11: Add Frosting

Once the cinnamon rolls have finished baking, remove them from the oven. You may notice butter bubbling around the cinnamon rolls, but don’t worry!

Let the cinnamon rolls rest for a few minutes, and the butter will reabsorb into the bottom of the cinnamon rolls – trust me, this is so good!

While still warm, spread a layer of cream cheese frosting evenly over the tops of the cinnamon rolls.

Alternatively, skip the cream cheese frosting because these cinnamon rolls made with sourdough starter are simply delicious!

Bakers Schedule For Overnight Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls

Various conditions can affect what your baker’s schedule may look like. Your home’s temperature may differ from mine, which can affect the rise times.

Always pay attention to how long it takes your starter to be ready and how long it takes the dough to rise. This is just a sample of what has worked for our family when baking the best sourdough cinnamon rolls recipe.

1:00 PM

Before baking the overnight sourdough cinnamon rolls, feed the sourdough starter around 1:00 PM.

7:00 Pm

Once the sourdough starter is bubbly and active, mix the dough. Cover with a damp linen towel, let the dough rise, and ferment overnight.

6:00 Am

Roll out and assemble the dough. Then, cut and place the cinnamon rolls in a large cast-iron skillet to rise. Rolls are ready to bake around 8:00 AM.

Tips For Making the best Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls

I want to share tips and ideas to make your experience the best possible when making this recipe for sourdough cinnamon rolls with our family’s favorite recipe!

• Pay attention to the dough when it is mixed in the stand mixer. It should pull away from the sides of the mixing bowl. If it is sticking, add a tablespoon of flour until it no longer sticks.
• This dough should not be sticky when rolled out to form the cinnamon rolls. I have always rolled it out on parchment paper, which is simple to work with.
• Use dental floss or thread to make slicing the rolls easy.
• Add another tablespoon to the cinnamon sugar filling if you love cinnamon.
• If your stove has a warming zone or proof option for the oven, use it to help the rolls rise quickly before baking.

FAQs

Can I Freeze Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls? To freeze the rolls before they rise, wrap them in a layer of plastic wrap and then aluminum foil. Once ready to bake the rolls, remove them from the freezer, thaw them, and let them rise before baking.

Can I Roll the Cinnamon Rolls Out the Night Before? Yes, I have made this sourdough cinnamon rolls recipe and made the rolls the night before. Place the rolls in the cast iron skillet, cover them, and place them in the fridge overnight.

The following day, remove them from the refrigerator and let them come to room temperature before baking.

Additional Sourdough Recipes

• Sourdough Dinner Rolls
• Artisan Honey Sourdough Bread Recipe
• Sourdough Herb Crackers From Discard

Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls Recipe Card