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.
- 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!
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.
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
- Best Sourdough Pancakes
- Sourdough Bread: a Beginner’s Guide
- Beginner’s Guide To Sourdough Focaccia Bread
- Best Sourdough Pizza Crust (No steel or stone!)
- How to Stretch and Fold Sourdough {Video}
- Ultimate Sourdough Banana Bread
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.
Comments
Kaylee Neuhauser says
Can I use a cast iron skillet instead of a free-form pan? It’s all I have
Any baking modification suggestions if so? I’m VERU new to baking let alone sourdough anything. I’ve never even made regular cinnamon rolls ! Lol
Steven says
You definitely can. Just make sure to line with the parchment paper. Cast iron will always give you a crispier bottom. And you don’t want a cold pan or it won’t bake them right.
Janet Gray says
Great recipe. I would prefer the instructions under each list of ingredients. Otherwise very clear. Thank you Janet Gray
Stacey says
I struggled with that too.
Sarah Caswell says
Incredible recipe! I was intimated as this was the second thing I’ve made with my sourdough starter ever. The recipe was so thorough and helpful. The rolls turned out AMAZING. My entire family enjoyed them! Thank you Emilie for the recipe!
Howard Abraham says
These were easily the best cinnamon rolls I have ever tasted. I used the no-leak option, which was more work than I expected. The filling was more like a paste than a frosting and it took some time to work it across the sheet of dough. But the effort was all forgotten after the first bite.
Heidi Alvarez says
I’ve been making traditional cinnamon rolls forever, currently doing the sourdough for the first time. I’ve always used brown sugar yet your recipe uses granulated sugar. Would I be able to use brown sugar instead? Has anyone used brown sugar rather than granulated sugar? Since there are so many positive responses with the recipe as written I’m hesitant to go with my standard brown sugar and mess these up. So far I’m loving the texture of the dough.
Geoff says
Made these this morning. Bang on. I left my bulk rise for nearly 14 hrs ( I slept in). They still worked out perfectly. I did a double batch (large family).
What I will say is though, with all the work with starters resting time etc, instant yeast recipes are pretty close and a lot less time consuming. I’m not knocking the sour dough lovers, it’s just when you are time poor, there a lot of work.
Teresa Swick says
I use a sewing thread to cut my cinnamon rolls. With the floured surface I just slide my thread under and pull it in opposite directions and it cuts them perfectly.
Ivanka says
Just made this recipe and this is the best ever cinnamon buns I have made so far – super soft, buttery, tasty and just perfect! I used 85g of soft butter and soft brown sugar for the filling. I bulk proofed the dough overnight at 20C for 12 hours and another 1h30min second proof of the buns at 24C room temperature. Thank you for the guidance and recipe. It is the best one I have seen and tried.
Bee Michele says
This is probably a stupid question, but I’m very excited about this recipe! It’s my first time using homemade sourdough starter. With eggs and milk in the dough, I’m curious if it’s safe to let the dough prove at room temp for so long? I had mine out for 12 hours then the final 1 hour at about 70 degrees F room temp. I probably overproved it, but would the dough be inedible or unsafe after a certain point? Is the starter what’s keeping it from spoiling? I’m refrigerating mine now and going to bake in the morning :) very excited for the outcome!
amanda says
Hey! I’m making these and they look bomb! I was wondering if the heavy cream trick would work on these cinnamon rolls? Adding some right before you put them in the oven? Thanks!
Andrea says
Thank you for a wonderful recipe that made all of my family’s bellies and hearts happy, Emilie!
Eloise says
My first sourdough cinnamon rolls were a success, thanks to this fantastic recipe and detailed instructions+tips. I have always wanted to make cinnamon rolls and because of this recipe, it was a great positive experience. My family thanks you, The Clever Carrot, because they will be eating homemade cinnamon rolls from now on. This will be my go-to recipe. Thank you so so much!
Lauren says
Hi!
I’ve just been bulk rising these for 12 hours. I’ve read about the other comments to add heat to the mix but, I’m just wondering if you can help me understand in general (I know others are different) but how it should look at bulk rise besides doubled in size? I just have it in a glass Pyrex bowl so seeing the doubled size can be tricky and I having hard time understanding how this dough compares to a regular plain loaf of sourdough. Sometimes mine rises all the way up to the cover on the bowl, but I’m not anywhere near that!
Lauren says
Hi, I did the make ahead option since it was my first try and wanted to give myself enough space to fail lol.
But, I’m at an odd time… I’m wanting to do them in the morning. I let them second rise for 1 hour and threw in the freezer because every comment I see you made said to max 12 hours in the fridge. So I’m still not sure what to do… if frozen you said to thaw overnight… but I’m trying to make these tomorrow. Idk if they will be fully frozen by tonight and will I need to do the 10 hr thaw? And such. Idk what to do 😭
Thank you, It would be so helpful if you could respond. I don’t have any baking experience and all of this is so new to me, so I’m wondering what you’d do
Dan says
These were the best cinnamon rolls I’ve ever had! I followed the steps that called for extra butter, and they turned out perfectly.
Trischia Burdt says
Can this recipe be modified to make monkey bread? I would think the primary difference is the shaping portion? Recommendations? I’m willing to gamble and give it a go.
Jess says
Hi, I actually did that a while back – I don’t recall the weight of the dough balls I made, but I’d say that I had them maybe the size of a walnut in its shell, and 3 in a single cupcake size was just about perfect once they rested before baking. I dipped the dough balls in melted butter and rolled in the cinnamon sugar mixture. They turned out so delicious!
NotKam says
This recipe was great! I even messed up, not reading carefully and added too much flour (which I tried to fix by adding softened butter and a tablespoon of milk after the dough was formed…the recipe is so forgiven and it worked…yay!) It rose beautifully overnight and was so easy to roll and cut, never sticking to anything. Delicious too! This was so much easier than making yeast dough.
Beth-Anne says
Instead of whole milk, have you (or anyone) tried the recipe with Oat Milk?
C Frisbie says
I just made these cinnamon rolls today and they are heavenly!! I am new to the sourdough stuff and the details in this recipe were so very helpful. I changed one thing. I added a little more butter to the filling along with some brown sugar. It was great!!
Shari says
Absolutely delicious sourdough cinnamon rolls! I doubled the recipe and baked them in a 9×13 stone ware baking pan. My family loved them!
Natalie says
Made these for Christmas morning and OMG they were a huge hit! Recipe worked great at high altitude in southern Colorado, I just had to add a tiny bit more liquid. I was a little freaked out because the dough didn’t exactly look to have doubled in size after overnight rise but did second rise of 1.5 hours after rolling out and they puffed up beautifully!! Baked in a Lecruset Dutch oven due to not having any other round baking pan- had to add about 8 xtra minutes to baking time but they turned out spectacularly. Thank you so much!!
Brandon says
This is far and away my favorite cinnamon roll recipe. That said, there’s some feedback that needs to be addressed, because following the recipe is an exercise in brutality. Not because any of it is difficult or confusing, but because the organization of this recipe page with all the updates and notes is hellish to follow.
The structure of legacy ingredient amounts followed by ingredient and instruction alterations followed by 2 different sets of legacy instructions makes it so that no matter how much prep you do, you will be scrolling up and down this page the entire time. It’s a truly awful experience, that just needs some maintenance to tidy back up.
It actively encourages people to rewrite the recipe offline, which I assume isn’t desired for ad revenue of the site. Maybe that’s not a big deal. I just would love to land on this page and follow the recipe without the actively painful experience that exists today.
I mean this in the most constructive way, but yes, I am begging for action on this. There’s a lot of UX offenders in the online recipe world, but this is among the worst at the moment.
Thank you so much for the recipe, please give this page some TLC. Happy to help if needed!
Kathryn Rexing says
Hi there. Love all your recipes. Sorry to bother you with something so silly, but my dough does not seem to be rising during the bulk rise. My starter was really healthy and active – but it’s been 15 hours and it’s hardly risen. i did the “richer” version with the extra butter. Do you notice when you use the extra amount of butter it takes longer to rise/or doesn’t rise as well? Thanks so much.
Emilie Raffa says
Hi! Yes: more butter = longer rise time. But really what you need it warmth. If you transfer the dough to a warmer spot to rise, it will take off. Either put it in the oven (switched off) with the light turned on for heat, or use a proofing box if you have one set to 75 F+. Alternatively, turn your oven on for 1 minute or 2, to heat up to appx. 75-80 F and then shut it off. Place the covered dough inside to rise.
Sarah Genovese says
I put my dough in the oven overnight with the light on and when I took it out this morning it has a very sour smell to it. Do you think it went bad or is it still ok to use? Thank you for your help!
Marissa says
I’ve read that the longer a bulk rise and the colder the temperature, the more sour your dough (and sore smelling). This is because bacteria that make sourdough “sour” need a long cold-proof in order to produce the byproducts that make “sourness”.
Emma Conrathe says
This recipe is so perfect. Thank you!
They taste identical to the expensive Cinnamon social buns sold by Ole and Steen in London.
Fantastic recipe!!!!
Emilie Raffa says
Emma, this is THE BEST feedback ever. Thank you so much. xx
Sydney Jay says
I’ve made this recipe four times now, and it comes out great every time! Everyone loves them, and they’re so easy!
Emilie Raffa says
Thanks Sydney! So glad to hear this! xx
Becky says
Hi! My friend shared this recipe with me and said they are the BEST cinnamon rolls she has ever made – so I had to try! I made them tonight and did the extra butter option for the dough. I dumped the dough on the counter (it’s a double batch!) and pressed it into a rectangle and let it rest for 10-15 min and then added the softened butter mixture and spread it around and rolled it up. They weren’t too sticky at all but when I cut them they were kind of melted looking instead of nice firm cinnamon rolls, is this a common issue? I followed the recipe exactly and even added some extra flour. I put them in the freezer cause I plan to bake them Christmas morn, but wanted to see if this happened to anyone else. Hoping they still turn out! Thanks!
Shannah says
I made a dozen or so batches of these and they are amazing! After months of not baking I tried them again. Mine did a bulk rise for about 12 hours now and didn’t rise at all. It feels like soft play dough. My starter was active and almost tripled in size when I used it.
Gina says
I love this recipe soooo much. Made it many times!! TIP: after spreading cinnamon sugar paste on dough, use a pizza cutter to cut 2” wide strips. Then roll up each strip individually. SO EASY! And they come out looking perfect and not squished in any way.
Emilie Raffa says
Yes! This is a GREAT tip. I saw a video on this and I was like… oooo fun! Thanks for sharing :)
Ingrid says
Hi!
Do I need to proof the dough before rolling out the cinnamon rolls and freezing?
Ana says
How long can the cinnamon rolls chill in the fridge before baking? I would love to make them for Christmas morning, but they’d have to chill in the fridge for about a day and a half before baking with my schedule. Thanks!
alyson says
I have the same question!
Jen says
Hi! I was looking for the same info- she answered in another comment. Recommended chill time is up to 12 hours.
Ana says
As an update – I placed the cinnamon rolls in the fridge probably around noon Saturday and didn’t bake until 8 am Monday. I thought they had a sour tinge to them, but no one else did, so I think I already put it in my head, haha. They were delicious! It’s good to know that they still come out even if you’re busy the day before!
Lenora Roland says
That’s fine. I just did that today.
Kaufman says
I only have a hand mixer is that fine to mix the dough? Do you mix the starter with water? If so, how much water do I mix? My dough is coming out so hard.
Chelsea says
Is it just 100g of starter or do I need to mix it with water? My dough is super thick. If I need to put water in it how much?
Helen McCormick says
Did you add 160 g (2/3 cup) milk, whole or 2%?
Keely says
Looking for some advice! I just made the dough but I don’t have a dough hook. What can I do? I have a kitchen aid mixer but not the dough hook.
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Keely! Use the paddle attachment- it’s fine. The dough might look like batter during the initial mix (this is from the attachment) but you can pull it together with your hands to form a ball at the end. Hope this helps!
Keely says
Thank you so much!
Tamera says
OMG the best cinnamon roll recipe ever!!! I did improvise a little
I sauteed an apple diced small in a little brown sugar and butter finished with a few tablespoons dark rum, added 1/2 C chopped pecans mixed it all with the cinnamon sugar filling chilled it a bit and used this mixture for the filling. It did take it over the top of yumminess
Julia Brooks says
Question:
Could you replace the milk with eggnog? Thanks!
Emilie Raffa says
Ooo. Yum. That sounds really good. I’ve never tried it, but if you experiment let me know. The extra sugar, eggs and cream will definitely make the rolls richer and therefore might brown a little bit more… but other than that, I don’t see why not!
Allie says
Question! After placing the cinnamon rolls in the pan, is 24hr in the fridge too long before baking? I’d prefer to avoid freezing if I can. Thanks!
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Allie! You can, but the taste might be too sour. Some bakers have reported this, as chilling the dough for an extended period of time will deepen the flavor. But sourdough is different for everyone! My recommendation is up to 12 hours (and then perhaps when you have time to experiment, extend the time and see how they come out).
Tricia says
I am trying these games to the first time. I started yesterday.. such pretty dough to work with. I let it rise, but ran out of time,(story of my life, but I’m okay with it 😊). I actually slept in this morning, I never do that! Ha!!so I made my honey a couple eggs, and proceeded on to my dough. I let it rest to room temp, about 60-65 min., then rolled out, and let rest while I mixed my butter, cinnamon mixture.
Rolled it, cut it and put in my spring form.. They’re huge! Love it! They’re resting now.. Thank you for this recipe!! Truly a fun dough to play with, using my levain. Excited to taste them in a couple hours. I needed to get my message on here before I forget and get busy. Happy Holidays!! And Thanks Again!! Tricia
Emilie Raffa says
Tricia, thank you. I’m so glad you took the time to comment because your experience is a true testament of how flexible the process is. And you didn’t fight it- you just went with the flow, trusting that it would turn out albeit your schedule and sleeping in (what’s the like? lol). I’m super thrilled you liked the recipe. Happy holidays :)
Cody Ukich says
Could you make these in a disposable round or rectangle pan instead of a springform? I’m going to freeze a couple batches and thought that would be easier. Thanks!
Emilie Raffa says
Hi there! I haven’t tried it, but I’m sure it would work. I’ve seen it done before!
Meredith says
For what it’s worth… I doubled it and it works fabulously. (Also added some orange zest in the glaze. So good!)
I ended up proofing the dough almost 18 hours. It was a very slow rise.
I put nine rolls in each 8 x 8 aluminum pan.
They baked really evenly, and it worked great!
I par-baked them for 10 minutes at 350, cooled them completely, wrapped them in saran wrap, and froze them.
here, after taking them out of the freezer, I thawed them completely, and finished baking!
They are amazing! Household favorite. Thank you for the recipe.
Meredith G. says
Hey! Do you have any advice to scale up this recipe? Have you made it 2x or 3x before?
We love making single batches but I want to make/freeze a bunch for Christmas presents this year!
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Meredith! I’ve only doubled the recipe, using a large, high-sided dough tub with lid (and measuring marks) to track the dough’s growth during the bulk rise. From there, I proceeded with the rest of the recipe, freezing the dough in (2) separate springform pans. If you don’t have multiple baking pans, consider disposable tins? Another reader just asked about this. Although I haven’t experimented with disposable tins, it’s worth a shot.
Jeanette Witten says
Fantastic recipe – I actually made these vegan very easily by substituting vegan options (flax egg, soy milk and vegan butter). They were perfect! Thanks so much for the wonderful recipe!
Emilie Raffa says
Excellent! Thanks for sharing your tips!
Lydia says
There’s a reason this cinnamon roll recipe has a high star rating. It is so good! Better than any others I’ve tried. I topped them with a brown butter bourbon maple buttercream. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I don’t usually leave reviews but this one needed it. And While I’m familiar with the workings of sourdough, All the helpful tips were an added bonus too.
Emilie Raffa says
OMG brown butter bourbon maple butter cream sounds soooo amazing (I even like saying it). Please share how you did this. I’m drooling!
Abbie says
Made these today and they truly are the best cinnamon rolls we’ve ever had! Light, fluffy, delicious!
So good. And thank you for the clear directions!
Emilie Raffa says
Fabulous! Thanks for the feedback Abbie!
Tish Ann says
I’ve tried just about every sourdough cinnamon roll recipe I’ve come across and yours is the only one I keep coming back to! This recipe is perfection!
Emilie Raffa says
Thrilled you liked it. Thank you! xx
Ashleigh says
I’m the type of person who tried new recipes, even for the same dish, I get it from my mother. This is one recipe I do not leave. I make this recipe a couple times a year for special events and always for Christmas. Sourdough is a labor of love and it is my contribution to the holiday. I have baked them the same day, I have refrigerated them for later baking and I have froze them and they all turn out brilliantly. I follow the recipe exactly and all her notes. And I most definitely use the “richer dough”, is there any other choice?!
One thing I do differently which I learned from another cinnamon roll recipe, during the final rise of the rolls (in the pan), add 1/2 cup slightly warmed heavy cream. Pour it over the top of the cinnamon rolls and let them rise until ready to bake. It gives them extra moisture that is to die for.
Thank you for a recipe I’ll use forever, which is saying a lot for this family.
Emilie Raffa says
This is such helpful feedback- thank you Ashleigh! I’ve heard of this cream pouring business over the rolls during the final rise and I’m totally intrigued. I can literally picture that extra, steamy moisture. Love it. Happy holidays to you and your family! xx
Julie Burton says
This recipe sounds wonderful! I have a question for the bake ahead can you just put them in the fridge overnight instead of the freezer? Or will they rise too much?
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Julie! Chilling in the fridge over night (instead of freezing) is totally fine. I typically let the rolls rest for 1 hour at room temp. first, then chill. They won’t rise much in the fridge. So, give them more time if needed the next day prior to baking.
Kristin says
Just made these today using the recipe notes that use a higher quantity of butter and they were DELICIOUS! Best cinnamon rolls our family has ever had. I think we keep our house around 65F at night, so it took around 14-15 hours for my dough to double in size, after placing it in our warm laundry room for about 3-4 of those hours.
Emilie Raffa says
Fantastic feedback, thank you Kristin! So glad you like them :)
Deborah says
Hi Emilie,
Thanks for this recipe. I’ve used it successfully a couple of times. One time, I froze the shaped rolls for several days. Can they stay in the freezer for up to a month, and still bake up like a dream?
Emilie Raffa says
Great question! It depends. If your starter is strong, frozen rolls should last up to 1 month. If you run into any issues with the rise, it could be that your starter has lost a little of its power. The freezer can do that in some cases with sourdough.
Deborah says
Thanks for your reply, Emilie. The rolls had already been in the freezer for nearly a month by the time I received your advice. As it turns out, I DO have a nice, lively starter; however, the monthlong freeze did NOT work. I took the rolls out of the freezer 12+ hours before I’d hoped to bake them. They never rose at all, even after coddling in a slightly warm oven. Baked anyway, and this was a colossal fail. Should I have allowed the shaped rolls to rest for 1-2 hours before freezing? I shaped them, panned them, then put them in the freezer directly. The experiment continues…
Lindsey W Baird says
I’ve tested 3 different sourdough cinnamon rolls and this was by far the best!
Emilie Raffa says
Thanks so much Lindsey! xx
Steve says
These rolls are amazing. The overnight rise process works perfectly and the end result is a light, fluffy and tangy roll w great flavors. I’ll be making these on a regular basis!
Emilie Raffa says
Thank you Steve! I’m thrilled the recipe worked out for you.
Kristen says
Hi there! I love all of your recipes and was excited to try your cinnamon rolls! I did everything as listed to make ahead. I took them out of the freezer, replaced the wrap, and left them on the counter at room temperature overnight. This morning there was a lot of excess liquid in the bottom of the pan. I poured it out and while baking, there is more liquid. Hopefully they still taste good, but any thoughts for the next time? Thanks !
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Kristen! Great question. This is such a common issue (and solutions are hot or miss). However, what first comes to mind is temperature: what was your current room temp when you made the rolls? Warm? Cold? Too warm and the rolls will “melt.” Consider resting in the fridge overnight if need be. Also, you can try using softened butter instead of melted butter in the filling. Oh… and I just saw someone online post the “flap trick” where they tuck a portion of the dough underneath the cut rolls, covering the underside, to help prevent the filling from leaking out of the bottom during baking. I haven’t tried it but it sounds interesting. Hope this helps :)
Matilda says
I forgot to do the stretch and folds during bulk fermentation! These will be for company, so should I start over? Or do the stretch/fold now and continue with the recipe?
Emilie Raffa says
Hi there! I know my response is past due… but next time, if you forget the stretch and folds, just continue with the recipe! No need to start over. In fact, now you have a baseline for comparison.