Looking for THE BEST soft sourdough cinnamon roll recipe from scratch? These easy, overnight rolls are it! Made with bubbly, active sourdough starter & tips shared for make-ahead options.
Sourdough cinnamon rolls. Soft, feathery scrolls of luscious sweet dough filled with swirls of warm cinnamon-sugar. Can you think of anything more cozy for breakfast (besides a slice of warm and toasty sourdough bread)?!
I must confess however, I wasn’t always a fan. Traditional cinnamon rolls were always too sweet for my taste and all that heavy, sugary glaze made me nauseas. And plus, with all the recipes out there (and there are tons) I thought to myself: does the world really need another cinnamon roll recipe? Turns out, the answer is yes.
Why This Recipe Works
- Rolls are baked in a 9-inch springform pan. This is my secret. The higher sides traps in more moisture, keeping the rolls soft, light and luxurious. The rolls will rise higher as they bake too.
- Bubbly active sourdough starter lends a lovely flavor that will make you weak in the knees!
- Rolls can be made in advance! I’m sharing my fool-proof methods to fit any baker’s schedule.
How To Make The Best Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls
TIP: Before you begin, check out my Baker’s Schedule. You’ll have a better idea of when to start the dough and how to prep ahead.
Mix the Dough & Let it Rise
This dough is made in a stand mixer. If you don’t have one, don’t worry- it can be done by hand (the texture will be sticky).
Start in the evening, let the dough rise overnight at room temperature, and bake the following morning. The dough is ready when it has doubled in size.
How long will it take? Rise times will vary according to temperature. For example, my dough took 12 hrs. @ 67 F (made at 8:00 PM and ready by 8:00 AM). Your room temperature may differ than mine which will effect the rise time. This is normal. Always watch the dough and not the clock!
Roll the Dough
The following morning, lightly oil and flour your countertop.
This is THE BEST tip in the world by the way. The dough won’t stick! I use an all-natural olive oil spray from Trader Joe’s. Works like a charm.
Remove the dough from the bowl, gently pat into a rough rectangle and let rest to relax the gluten. It will be easier to roll out.
Lightly dust the dough and your rolling pin with flour. Roll the dough into a 16 x 12-ish rectangle. Use a tape measure for accuracy; you’ll end up with approximately 8 rolls to fit a 9-inch springform pan.
Make the Cinnamon-Sugar Filling
Melt 2 tbsp of butter in a shallow pan or microwave; set aside.
Combine the cinnamon, sugar and flour in a small separate bowl. Once the butter has cooled brush the entire surface of the dough.
Sprinkle with the cinnamon-sugar mixture leaving a 1/2-inch border around the edges. Smooth it out with your hands. The texture will go from dry and sandy to almost wet-looking.
Roll & Cut the Dough
Working with the long side, roll the dough into a log pressing down as you go.
Take your time with this step. You want the log to be tight so the swirls stay in tact when baked. Once you get to the end, make sure the dough is facing seam side down.
TIP: If at any point the dough starts to stick (it tends to get warm from the heat of your hands) lightly oil or flour your fingertips, take a deep breath and try working with it again.
Cut the log into (8) 2-inch sections using an oiled knife or bench scraper. For best results, gently “mark” the dough first so that each piece is roughly the same size before cutting. I’m the worst at eyeballing stuff like this. It really helps!
Second Rise
Place the rolls into a parchment lined pan and let rest for about 1- 2 hours, or until the dough puffs up.
Run out of time? After resting for 1 hour, cover the dough and chill in the fridge until ready to use. Before baking, give the rolls more time to plump up at room temperature, if necessary. Alternatively, freeze the dough: skip the resting step, cover the pan in two layers of plastic wrap and pop in the freezer (see recipe below for defrosting instructions).
Here’s what the dough looked like before resting…
After resting…
Bake the Cinnamon Rolls
Place the dough on the center rack and bake @ 350 F for 30-40 minutes, or until light golden brown. You can make the glaze while the rolls are in the oven.
Once finished, cool the cinnamon rolls in the pan for 15 minutes and then remove to a wire rack.
For the Glaze
Combine softened butter, whipped cream cheese and sifted powdered sugar in the stand mixer. Beat until smooth, thinning out the consistency with a little milk as needed.
Alternatively, skip the glaze and dust with powdered sugar instead!
Time To Eat!
Close your eyes and take a bite… the warm, caramelized cinnamon sugar is absolutely out-of-this-world! And all that fluffy dough? You won’t be able to eat just one!
**Baker’s Schedule**
Overnight Option: Make the dough in the evening and let rise overnight. The following morning, roll, cut and shape the dough. Rest for 1-2 hours (second rise) before baking.
Alternatively, after resting for 1 hour, cover the dough and chill until ready to use. Rest at room temperature before baking. The dough should be plump and puffy before baking.
Make-Ahead Option (Freeze): Place the cut & shaped cinnamon rolls into a parchment lined 9-inch springform pan. Cover with two layers of plastic wrap. Freeze until ready to use. The night before baking, remove the old plastic wrap and replace with fresh wrap (this will prevent any condensation from dripping onto the rolls). Defrost overnight, about 10-12 hrs. at room temperature, approximately 67 F. Bake the following morning as directed.
Additional Sourdough Recipes & Resources
- Sourdough Bread: a Beginner’s Guide
- Best Sourdough Pizza Crust (No steel or stone!)
- How to Stretch and Fold Sourdough {Video}
- Ultimate Sourdough Banana Bread
- Best Sourdough Pancakes
Soft Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls
- Prep Time: 15 hours
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 15 hours 30 minutes
- Yield: 8 rolls
- Category: Sourdough Bread Recipes
- Method: Oven-Baked
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
These soft, overnight sourdough cinnamon rolls are the perfect weekend or holiday treat! Made with a luscious sweet dough and a not-too-sweet cinnamon filing, they are guaranteed to be a huge hit.
Ingredients
Sweet Dough
- 160 g (2/3 cup) milk, whole or 2%
- 28 g (2 tbsp) unsalted butter, melted (see notes below for variation)
- 1 large egg
- 100 g (1/2 cup) bubbly, active sourdough starter
- 24 g (2 tbsp) granulated sugar
- 300 g (2½ cups) King Arthur all-purpose flour
- 5 g (1 tsp) fine sea salt
- cooking spray or oil, for coating
Cinnamon-Sugar Filling
- 28 g (2 tbsp) unsalted butter (see notes below for variation)
- 100 g (1/2 cup) granulated sugar
- 3 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1 level tbsp. flour
Glaze
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
- ⅓ cup whipped cream cheese, room temperature
- ¼– 1/2 cup powdered sugar, sifted (add more if you like it sweet!)
- 1–2 tbsp milk
Notes, Tips & Variations
- For a richer dough, increase the butter to 115 (8 tbsp) and use 360 g (3 cups) flour total. The texture is incredible.
- Make sure the melted butter and milk mixture has cooled slightly before making the dough. If it’s too hot, the dough will become incredibly sticky like cake batter (I’ve experienced this many times). If this happens to you, don’t worry- wait for the dough to cool down before adding more flour, if needed.
- Recent recipe update: to prevent the cinnamon sugar filling from leaking while the rolls bake, instead of using 28g (2 tbsp) of melted butter, combine 84 g (6 tbsp) softened butter with the rest of the cinnamon-sugar filling ingredients listed above.
Instructions
Baker’s Schedule
Overnight Option: Make the dough in the evening and let rise overnight. The following morning, roll, cut and shape the dough. Rest for 1-2 hours (second rise) before baking.
As an alternative, after resting for 1 hour, cover the dough and chill until ready to use. Rest at room temperature before baking. The dough should be plump and puffy before baking.
Make-Ahead Option (Freeze): Place the cut & shaped cinnamon rolls into a parchment lined 9-inch springform pan. Cover with two layers of plastic wrap. Freeze until ready to use. The night before baking, remove the old plastic wrap and replace with fresh wrap (this prevents any condensation from dripping onto the rolls). Defrost overnight, about 10-12 hrs. at room temperature, approximately 67 F. Bake the following morning as directed.
Make the Dough
In the evening: Combine the melted butter and milk in a small bowl. Cool slightly before using.
Add the egg, sourdough starter, and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix to combine. With the machine running, slowly pour in the milk mixture. Add the flour and salt. Continue mixing until a rough, sticky dough forms, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Cover with a damp towel and let rest for 30 minutes.
After the dough has rested, switch to the dough hook. Knead on medium-low speed for 6-8 minutes (I use #2 or #3 on my stand mixer). The dough should feel soft, supple and pull away from the sides of the bowl when ready. If it’s too sticky add a small bit of flour.
Bulk Rise
Transfer the dough to a medium-size bowl coated in butter. Cover with plastic wrap. Let rise overnight until double in size, about 8-12 + hrs. @ 67-68 F, depending on temperature.
Stretch and Fold the Dough (optional step): about 30 minutes- 1 hr. into the bulk rise stretch and fold the dough: grab a portion of the dough and stretch it upward. Fold it over toward the center of the bowl. Give the bowl a 1/4 turn; stretch and fold the dough again. Continue this technique until you’ve come full circle around the bowl (4 folds total). For video guidance, click here. This optional step will increase the overall volume of the rolls and aerate the dough.
Roll the Dough
In the morning: Line a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper. I like to scrunch the paper into a ball first, open it up, and then line the inside with enough excess to hang over the sides for easy removal. It tends to fit better this way.
Lightly oil and flour your countertop to prevent sticking. Coax the dough out of the bowl. Gently pat into a rough rectangle. Let rest for 10 minutes for easier rolling.
Dust the dough (and your rolling pin) with flour. Roll the dough into a 16 x 12-ish rectangle using a tape measure for accuracy. If the dough resists, let rest for 5-10 minutes and try again.
Make the Cinnamon-Sugar Filling
If using the softened butter variation (listed in the notes above): add 84 g (6 tbsp) softened butter to a small bowl. Mix with the sugar, cinnamon and flour. With an offset spatula, spread onto the dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border around the edges.
If using the melted butter version: brush the entire surface of the dough, including the top, bottom and sides with 28 g (2 tbsp) melted butter. Use all of it. Combine the sugar, cinnamon and flour in a bowl. Sprinkle the mixture onto the dough leaving a 1/2-inch border around the edges. Smooth it out with your hands until it looks wet and sandy.
Shape & Cut the Dough
Starting on the long side of the dough (16-inch), roll it into a log pressing down gently as you go. Take your time with this step. The log needs to be tight so the swirls stay in tact. You should end up seam side down. TIP: if the dough starts to get sticky from the heat of your hands, lightly oil or flour your fingertips, take a deep breath and try again.
Cut the dough into 2-inch sections using a oiled knife or bench scraper. I lightly “mark” the dough first to make sure each piece is roughly the same size.
Second Rise
Place the rolls into the lined pan and let rest for 1- 2 hours, or until the dough puffs up. Alternatively, if you’d like to chill or freeze the rolls, please refer to the “Make-Ahead” option in the Baker’s Schedule at the top of this recipe.
Bake the Cinnamon Rolls
Preheat oven to 350 F. Bake the dough onto the center rack and bake for 35-40 minutes (check at the 30 minute mark). The tops should turn light golden brown when ready.
Remove from the oven and cool in the pan for 15 minutes. This helps the butter to absorb back into the dough. Then lift up the rolls, while still on the parchment paper, and transfer to a wire rack.
Make the Glaze
While the rolls are baking or cooling make the glaze. Add softened butter, whipped cream cheese and sifted powdered sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat until smooth, thinning out the consistency with a little milk as needed. The ingredients must be soft and at room temperature for best results.
To serve, top the rolls with some of the glaze or lightly dust with powdered sugar. These rolls are best enjoyed slightly warm on the same day they are baked.
Keywords: sourdough, sourdough recipes, sourdough cinnamon rolls, cinnamon rolls, best sourdough cinnamon rolls, sourdough bread, sourdough starter
Comments
Sharon says
Just finished baking these and eating 1 … ok maybe i ate 3! They are AMZING!! i wasnt sure what the dough would bake up to but it is perfect! This is my new go to cinnamon roll recipe, it is well worth the effort. I added the extra butter to the dough and it is rich tasting!
★★★★★
Janet Birchfield says
So I have to say I had my doubts that my cinnamon rolls were going to rise without yeast and that they would be wonderfully fluffy and absolutely delicious. They were exactly that!!! Amazing. I will be making these again!!! Thank you for the recipe. I didn’t have a spring form pan but I used a square 8×8 baking dish. They didn’t turn out pretty because I was trying to fill the space and cut them weird because I was running out of time. The look does not affect the flavor. They are soooo yummy!!!
★★★★★
Elizabeth says
So good!! So expensive to make, but a perfect treat.
★★★★★
Diane says
Great as Cinnamon Bread – After making the rolls (also great), I decided to try making this recipe as cinnamon bread. Amazingly good. I went with the additional butter and flour in the dough. I did not use the butter in the filling and baked it a little longer (maybe another 5 – 10 minutes). This recipe is definitely a keeper.
★★★★★
Beth says
Just made these; they are really good. I went with the more butter and flour option. I’ll be making these again!
★★★★★
Terri Elder says
I’ve doubled the batch. Could I cook them in a 9 by 13?
★★★★★
Kenzee says
These were 10/10
Marissa says
This recipe is it for me. These rolls are light, fluffy, and perfect. I’ve been searching for years to find a roll that makes my heart sing like this. I added about 50g of butter to the dough, not the full 115g (only because I ran out of butter in the evening) – but I did add a whole stick of butter to the cinnamon mixture and I will do that again. Will eat here again. Thank you!
★★★★★
MaryAnn says
Hi – I currently feed my starter every morning, and keep it out on the counter. It doubles and bubbles a few hours later. By evening, the starter is falling, but the recipe begins in the evening for overnight rise. Should I delay feeding till, say noon, so that it’s at its bubbliest in time for use? thanks! A newcomer to sourdough, like so many, but I have made sourdough sandwich bread with delicious results twice now! Yay!
Dominique says
First time making sourdough cinnamon rolls and these were lovely. I was worried they were too small in the pan, but they puffed up perfectly in the oven and weren’t overwhelmingly large like cinnamon rolls can be. I love the signature tangy taste that sourdough baked goods have. I wish she had said how to store them (I’ll put leftovers in the fridge since I assume the glaze might go bad)
★★★★★
Shelah says
Best cinnamon rolls ever!!!
Could I add pecans?? And should I do that to filling or maybe place dough on top of a mixture before last rise and baking?
★★★★★
lauren says
omg thank you for this very easy recipe! i’ve been using a different one for sourdough cinnamon rolls, but this will be my new go to. i used brown sugar instead of granulated in the filling and baked in a cast iron pie pan, and whoa.
★★★★★
Tonya Hix says
Just tried this recipe. OH MY GOODNESS!!! I’ve made cinnamon rolls from several recipes that were good but THESE??? Let’s just say after one bite my dad asked for a second one. This will be the recipe I use every time now.
Tonya Hix
★★★★★
Cassie Morr says
With having egg in the dough can it be left on the counter overnight safely? I did it and I’m to the baking stage and I’m about to throw it out because I am unsure now…
Ronalda says
On the first rise I accidentally put it in the fridgerator instead of letting it rise on my counter -It’s been in the fridge For three hours before I realized my mistake what can I do
Emilie Raffa says
You can easily fix this. Take it out now, and continue to let it rise at room temperature. You will most likely have to extend the rise time because the dough is cold. Alternatively, find a warm spot to give it a boost.
ciara says
if freezing, do i let rest for 1-2 horus for the second rise before putting into freezer? or do i just put directly into freezer after shaping them? thank you!
★★★★★
Nicole says
I subbed a couple ingredients (My son has a dairy allergy), using silk coconut milk, margarine, and mixed in a bit of Splenda/stevia in place of some of the sugar (I still used at least half of what it called for in sugar). And they came out fantastic!
★★★★★
Georgina says
I am planning to try this but would like to add sultanas and pieces of apple. What adjustments do you think will be needed to account for the dryness of the sultanas and the wet of the apple pieces? Thank you in advance.
* I’m not giving stars for the recipe at this time. My stars are for the page and how easy it is to follow and for the info contained.
★★★★★
MikeyBoy says
Other comment didn’t have the rating, five stars!
★★★★★
MikeyBoy says
Lovely recipe, the best cinnamon rolls!
Tip for those in houses which don’t have the thermostat to the required temperature in winter for whatever reason and whose heating is off during work hours and overnight as the timings above just don’t work. Make the dough in the morning and put to rise in the warmest place you have (airing cupboard with the boiler in it for me sometimes moving to the mantlepiece near the fire in the evening if rising isn’t fully underway) Before bed do the rolling and butter cinnamon sugar bit and put into the baking pan to either leave out overnight on the counter or put back into the warm place, put in the oven in the morning when you are ready. In summer I still do the last rise on the counter over night but we do still have a very cool house!
Second tip is not to use wrap to cover your bowls but a bath hat, disposable or otherwise which you can wash and re-use.
Dusti says
So good! I’ve made these 3 times within a few months, they are
a new family favorite! They rose perfectly everytime! Everyone thought they were bought at Costco lol
★★★★★
Emilie Raffa says
OMG that’s the best-ever compliment. Love it. Yay for YOU!
Emma says
Yes!!! These turned out so perfectly! I’ve tried several different sourdough cinnamon roll recipes and have never had great results until now! I will definitely make these again and again.
★★★★★
Tiff says
Can I make these into bread rolls? wondering if they’d hold their shape.
Katelyn says
Could I make the dough this morning-roll out by evening and cut and put in pan and refrigerate overnight for a morning bake?
Belinda says
Best sourdough cinnamon rolls ever. I accidentally let them out to rise about 15 hours before I remembered to refrigerate but the dough was still easy to form. They were flaky and perfect and the pan was gone by breakfast!
★★★★★
Jenni says
A probably stupid question: if using the softened butter variation for the filling, am I reading the recipe correctly that I’d add 3 times as much butter JUST to the filling? Or am I supposed to just use the regular 28g in the filling, just softened instead of melted, and use softened in the dough and icing? I’m trying to understand if I’m supposed to add three times as much butter to the filling only, or if I’m reading incorrectly. The note on the sweet dough portion of the ingredients list confuses me. Thank you for clarifying!
Cookie Lady says
Ingredients were weighed and Angus is happy, bubbly & healthy. But the dough wasn’t just tacky, it was wet. It stuck to the hook and the bowl and didn’t hold form, even after 8 minutes of kneading and 1/4 cup extra flour. I kneaded for 12 minutes before I gave up. It was never “supple” so I ended up putting about a total of 1 cup of flour extra in order to just be able to handle it. Of course the lump dried out & didn’t rise overnight. Reading the comments, no one else has had this issue so I know it’s me and I’m not sure where I went wrong. Any suggestions? Thanks!
Lauren says
These were the best cinnamon rolls we’ve ever had, and the recipe was easy to follow. I did the freeze ahead option and baking on Christmas morning was a cinch. I also followed the directions for the cinnamon filling and there was no leaking butter. Just perfect and sooo delicious! Thank you!!
★★★★★
sinei says
If I am making them for tomorrow can I make the dough today and put in the fridge after first rise for the whole afternoon and night and bake tomorrow? Don’t want to freeze them. Thanks!
Kelli H says
Absolute perfection. This MADE our Christmas morning so special.
★★★★★
Renee says
Can you make this without the egg? I just found out I have an egg allergy 😭
Emilie Raffa says
Yes! Many bakers have had success with Bob’s Red Mill egg replacement.
Kelsey says
I made them with ground flaxseed (flax egg) and it worked great :)
Sarah Brinkman says
Hello! I have tried to make these twice now and both times they haven’t risen! Do you have any idea what might be going wrong.
Lauren PC says
You may want to check on your starter. Is it rising well after you feed it?
★★★★★
Ciera says
Are you using a good sourdough starter? I haven’t tried this recipe yet but I bake sourdough about once a week so I plan to use my starter to make them on Christmas Eve…
Emilie Raffa says
Yes! For this dough to rise, it needs the following factors: a strong starter, a warmish temperature, ideally 75-78 F and time. If your starter is not strong, the dough won’t rise at all. So start there. Do the float test to double check. Then check your temperature. Is it warm or cold by you? For best results, allow the dough to rise in a warm spot if possible. If this is not possible, then give it more time. Dough will rise in cooler conditions, it just takes longer. Does that make sense? For more helpful info, read this post: Why Won’t My Sourdough Rise? Good luck, Sarah! xx
Sarah Brinkman says
Yes! My starter is strong. I bake sourdough 2-3x a week with no issues! It is cold ish in our house (66-68) so maybe ill try a warmer spot – though I don’t have any issues with sourdough bread rising at that temp!
Thank you for the response!
Emilie Raffa says
Oh good! You know, I forgot to mention- enriched doughs like this one (eggs, sugar, butte etc.) always take longer to rise compared to regular sourdough loaves. So in your case, with a strong starter, it’s just time. For a warm spot, turn on your oven for 15 seconds or so, and then shut it off. Cover the dough and let the dough rise inside. Works like a charm. Just make sure the residual oven temp is not higher then 78-80 F.