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
Jeanne says
I have been baking for years and this is the BEST cinnamon roll recipe EVER! It was a big hit at our house. Thank you, Jeanne
Grace says
Love this recipe, it’s well written with clear and easy to follow directions. They whole family loves them. I did add ground coffee bean paste to the icing mix which was a perfection addition to these amazing scrolls!
1/2 teaspoon of ground coffee beans mixed with 1-2 teaspoons of vanilla extract and then press through a nut milk Bag to get rid of any gritty bits.
Karen O Kahn says
Made these last night and they’re incredible!!
Dayna says
Very helpful instructions. Made these today…oh my gosh, AMAZING! Will definitely make these again. As a sourdough newbie, this recipe is a keeper. Thank you!
Kelly says
Love this recipe! I am sure it has been asked before, but I could not find the question if I want to double the recipe, do I just double all ingredients? I was not sure if I would need 200g of active starter, since you can vary it up and down in a sourdough bread recipe.
Emilie Raffa says
Hi there! Doubling the recipe as is is fine. Alternatively, you can make two batches and rise the dough in two separate bowls (this is my preference). Hope this helps!
Suzanne Skrivanich says
Hi. In the process of making these. Question about the starter. I had some in my frig and I pulled it out and used the 100 grams as stated. Its on my counter now all mixed and it does not seem to be rising at all. Was I supposed to do something to the starter before I mixed all the ingredients? Is there a way to save this? Im so bummed. Thanks so much!
Emilie Raffa says
Hi there! Oh no! To answer your question: yes, your starter needed to be fed first prior to using. It will bubble and double in size when it’s ready make bread dough. This is not to be confused with sourdough discard recipes where the starter is not used to rise the bread.
Marianne says
I am living this bad dream, right now :(
We’re you able to salvage? I am looking for ideas
Maia says
Absolutely love this recipe, my girlfriend and I made this and veganised it 😍 yum!!! We used aquafaba for the eggs, soy milk for the milk and nuttelex instead of butter. We also appreciated not feeling pressure to glaze them lol. Thanks!!
Amy C says
Just made these and they came out so good! Because I did not follow the bakers schedule, I actually did a cold proof in the fridge overnight after the first proof and they still came out great. I also pulled them apart after baking (and letting them cool) and froze them because we couldn’t eat them all at once. I reheated one this morning in the microwave for 30sec and it is still delicious! Thanks for the recipe!
Emily Day says
Hi, I was thinking of making the dough, have it rise 8-12hrs, do the cinnamon filling, let it rise for 1-2hr and then put them in the fridge to cook the next day. Do you think that would work? Or will they dry our or over proof in the fridge? Thanks!
Emilie Raffa says
I believe this will work. Make sure the pan is covered with a lightly oiled piece of wrap.The next day, let the dough warm up a bit before baking.
Zeni says
This recipe worked perfectly. I used all the ingredients as listed. I mixed the dough today at 4am (couldn’t sleep) & I was eating a fresh baked cinnamon bun at 1:15pm! After I mixed the dough, I let it rest 30 min then did my series of 4 stretch & folds at 30-40 min intervals. I then transferred the dough to a fresh buttered bowl & let the dough rise in my oven with little light on for 3 hrs. By then the dough was doubled in size (its warm here) so I followed the rest of the recipe for shaping the rolls, let them rest on parchment paper inside the baking dish another hr. They were then puffy & ready to bake. Talk about fantastic!! I want people to know that your recipe is superb & will turn out great even if they don’t want to do the overnight rise.
Emilie Raffa says
Fantastic! Thank you, Zeni! :)
Elizabeth Stroup says
My husband says these are the best cinnamon rolls I’ve made.. by far!
Thanks
Deborah T Bahlman says
First of all, I love the taste of these rolls! It was the first recipe I made using my new Kitchen Aid Artisian mixer!
However, once I scored and cut the 2” sections, the dough was pretty soft and the cinnamon mixer tried to come out. Is there something I can do to prevent the dough from becoming too soft? Thanks
Keri Hellige says
I forgot to stretch and fold. Omg. Oh well. My dough looks nice, just won’t be super chewy I suppose. I’m putting these in fridge to make about 18 hours from now. We will see how it goes.
Keri Hellige says
These turned out great even though I messed up. The extra long fridge time did not hurt these. They puffed up beautifully and were delicious. I’m making them again tomorrow.
Joanna R-J says
I am so grateful to have discovered your site! Your recipes are all incredible, and so well written. I’ve tried a couple of your bread recipes, your sourdough waffles, blueberry crumb cake and cinnamon rolls. They’ve all been incredible! But the cinnamon rolls really take the cake. This is such a thoughtfully written recipe and when following it to the letter, it feels impossible to get it wrong. Thank you for the guidance and for offering such wonderful recipes to us all!
Emily says
These were amazinggg. I’ve never made homemade cinnamon rolls and I’ll never try another recipe. I did mixed by hand also, I just didn’t want to drag out the mixer. Turned out wonderfully! I added a tiny bit of maple syrup to the icing. Used a glass pie dish and pulled them out around the 37 minute mark. Can’t wait to make these again. Thanks so much!
Connie says
Daughter forwarded this awesome recipe and I can’t wait to give it a try! Can I use brown sugar in place of white?
Emilie Raffa says
Sure! Enjoy :)
Maria says
How do you store these buns for the next day. My Cinnamon buns turned a bit dry the next day.
Amy C says
I froze them (individually) and then microwaved for 30sec the next day. Came out great!
Alex says
Hi there!
Ok first of all, these taste amazing!!! However, every time I have made them, my layers shrink after I take it out of the oven leaving big gaps in my rolls. This doesn’t affect taste but sure doesn’t look as pretty. Any idea how to stop this? Thank you!
Doris says
Can you use the starter on the top (known as the discard)? I was gifted my starter and then it became pretty thin and the big bubbles became smaller ones. I’ve been using the same flour King Arthur all purpose. Any idea what is going on? Thank you
Emilie Raffa says
Hi there! You can use the sourdough discard, but not for bread; it’s not active enough to make the dough rise. Regarding your starter, it sound like it just needs to be fed. Continue to do so. Eventually it will become active, bubbly and double in size.
Jamie says
Sourdough newbie here — At the stretch and fold step, when you say “repeat this 4 times”, does that mean to do the stretch and folds in a row or once every 30 minutes?
Emilie Raffa says
Hi there! Every 30 minutes. I just wrote a whole new post regarding the stretch and fold technique. Click here!
Maria says
Hi
I am the process of dong the cinnamon rolls. The dough was sticky did ot.in the KA but still sticky sprinkled flour tried kneading it was quite a task managed hope I have done it right. What method of kneading would you recommend if doing by hand since this dough is sticky. Will let you how they turn out. Thanks
Maria says
An update the Cinnamon rolls came out really well. Thanks for yet another great recipe.
Yakira B. says
Hi! These are delicious, my family is a huge fan, thanks for the recipe!
If I had to make the dough today (starter overload) but was hoping to only serve the cinnamon buns next week, do you have any recommendations for when the best time to freeze these would be? Once the cinnamon buns or fully baked or maybe just freeze the dough before adding the cinnamon and shaping?
Thanks!
Amy C says
I froze mine after fully baking and they reheated well in the microwave (30sec for one bun).
Chelsea says
These were great! I use a whole wheat flour for my sourdough (that way I can tell myself it’s healthier), and I did my kneading by hand, and it turned out really good. I didn’t try your glaze/icing recipe as I didn’t have cream cheese on hand, but I could definitely see how that would complement it really well. I’m definitely going to save this recipe.
max says
Hi there! We just started making these only to realize we don’t have a springorm pan. Do you reckon it will work to use a cast iron pan or dutch oven without a lid?
Cheers,
Emilie Raffa says
Max, yes! It will work with either one. Keep an eye on the baking time though, or reduce it even. Those types of pots get really hot.
Jessica Brooks says
Looking forward to making these this weekend. One hitch though…I don’t have a spring form pan. What’s the next best option for baking these delicious looking treats?
Emilie Raffa says
Hi there! Perhaps try a Dutch oven? Some bakers have had success with this. Just watch the baking time, as these types of pots can heat up quickly.
Jill Poyser says
Oh My Word!!!! Truly delicious. I have made these twice now and they have turned out great. The second time, I increased the cinnamon from 3 teaspoons to 3 tablespoons and they were super tasty. Also I only needed just under 30 minutes cooking time. Definitely my go to recipe….. I am just about to order industrial quantities of cinnamon bark now. Thank you.
Somsri says
Baked these today, started them last night and they are amazing. During the final rise, I forgot about them and I think I let them rise in the pan for 3 1/2 hours or so. They were really puffy, that’s probably why it doesn’t look as nice as yours. After I baked it, the middle puffed out but they still taste good, fluffy and airy. I drizzled maply syrup on them. Thank you for a great recipe!
Kayla says
These turned out amazing! Followed the recipe exactly and it was wonderful!
Alicia says
Dear Emilie. I have not made the recipe although it looks great! I was wondering if you could advise if it would be possible to use sourdough starter (which I already have made) in part for this recipe? Thanks!
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Alicia! This recipe only uses sourdough starter (not instant yeast).
Claudine Martin says
I’m a sourdough newbie (just in the last 3 days) and am looking forward to trying this recipe. Quick question…. I’ve read throught the recipe and see where you’ve mentioned the BAKERS SCHEDULE options, but I only see 1 option. Where is the post to see the other schedule suggestions for this recipe? Thank you!
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Claudine, in the past there was another option. But it was removed (the header wasn’t updated). Apologies for the confusion!
Sarah says
Do you use granulated white sugar or brown sugar? I am making them now and so far the dough looks beautiful. I can’t wait to see how they turn out!
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Sarah! Regular granulated white sugar :) Enjoy!
Kirstin says
These were soooo good. I posted on Facebook and had so many people ask me to save them one. Too bad they were all gone already. I was wondering if you had any kind of nutrition info on these?
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Kristin! So glad you liked them! Unfortunately, I do not. But I’m sure one of those online calculators will give you the approximate info :)
Lauren says
These are SO GOOD. I’ve made them twice now, and gosh they are just so good and SO easy to make. I don’t have a stand mixer, so kneading these by hand is a great arm workout ;) highly recommend this recipe.
Emilie Raffa says
Thanks Lauren! I know others were curious about hand kneading too… glad it works with comparable results :)
Chantelle says
Hi,
I’ve made these twice now so so good!! I’m curious if after the first rise over night once the buns are rolled and cut could they rest over night again and be baked the following morning?
Thank you xox
LeeAnn Varga says
I have the same question!
Katy says
Ditto!
Annie Y. says
I wondered the same thing! Hope it turns out because that’s what I’m doing!
LeeAnn says
Please let us know how it turns out!
Cathy says
I made a vegan version and they were AMAZING! I used Silk coconut creamer in place of the milk and Melt buttery sticks for the butter (increased to about 4-5 Tbsp). In place of the egg, I used a chia egg (1 Tbsp chia + 3 Tbsp water). For the icing, I used the buttery sticks again, with the icing sugar and a squeeze of lemon. Sooo good. I’ll be making a double recipe next time!
Natalie says
These were so good! I love your recipes because they truly work out & there is so much detailed instruction that it’s actually hard to mess up ;) I absolutely love the tanginess of the sourdough in the buns. I added maple glazed pecans to the filling & drizzled the whole thing in maple syrup. They were gone in no time!
Emilie Raffa says
Natalie, this sounds incredible. I’ve been thinking about doing a maple pecan version (this dough is so incredibly versatile!). And thanks so much for your kind words!!
Nicole says
Cook less than recommended time. Frosting was good and directions were clear.
Emilie Raffa says
Thanks for your feedback, Nicole!
Sarah says
Oooooooooh these were incredible!!! I have a very new 7 day old starter- and I am very new to starters and yeast baking in general- so I added 1/2 tsp yeast. It worked/looked/tasted like a dream! My intention was to make the dough for my husband and boys to finish this (Mother’s Day) morning, but I was so excited I decided to finish the process (and my family kindly let me, haha). First time making myself a Mother’s Day brunch, but we are all thrilled that I did- your recipe is magical! Thanks for making (baking!) this mama happy today 🥰
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Sarah! This sounds perfect! Love that you were able to adapt the recipe with yeast. Happy Mother’s Day! :)
annie says
these really are the best sourdough cinnamon rolls!! I have tried many a recipe over the last 3 years on my sourdough adventures and this is the only one I keep returning too! thank you thank you :)
Emilie Raffa says
You’re welcome, Annie! Enjoy :)
Angie says
Hi – I’m having the same issue on my 5th time making these. My dough is really wet throughout entire process and especially when I finally get them rolled and cut and put into pan – they are a soggy mess. They don’t look anything like your solid, holding their shape rolls. They do puff up and bake ok but any idea why they are structurally very weak the entire time? Is my starter too hydrated maybe? Thank you!
Angie
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Angie! There’s definitely too much liquid in the dough and/or the type of flour you’re using isn’t absorbing as much of the liquid. Are you weighing your ingredients? And what brand/type of flour are you using? Wha’s the temp. by you? Thanks!
Gerti says
Angie, I had the same problem with a very sticky and wet dough. On day 2 and after much slapping and folding and resting for more hours, I ended up adding about a cup more of all purpose flour as I continued folding until the desired consistency. The added flour saved the day. The baked cinnamon rolls were light and fluffy and very tasty.
Also I’d suggest making it more clear that the 56 grams of butter are for two different phases of the recipe. I ended up adding all 56 grams to the dough, which may have been the reason the dough was too sticky! I only spread a very light coating of butter on the rolled out dough. I reduced the sugar filling in 1/2. It was sugary enough and I’d consider reducing even more the next time.
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Gerti! Thanks so much for your feedback. I’ll have a look at the recipe instructions to clarify.
Holly says
These sourdough cinnamon rolls were — LEGIT — the best ones I’ve ever made! Making again this weekend (and probably again the weekend after that).
Jaime says
Was distracted by my 2 hyperactive boys and failed to read the recipe thoroughly. Ended up dumping all of the 56g of butter into the dough, but it still turned out really good. Very soft and delish! Definitely gonna make this many times more again. Thanks for sharing this great recipe!
Emilie Raffa says
Ahhh…. I know this kind of distraction all too well. And honestly, the more butter the better in this recipe! I’ve actually added more in the past as well, and love the fluffy texture. Enjoy!
Wade m morris says
Great cinnamon rolls! I found the baking times to be too long for me, so check often!
Added pure lemon juice to glaze for a nice acidy, maybe 1/8c? I just poured to taste!
Can’t wait to make them again!
Emilie Raffa says
Sounds so incredibly delicious. Thanks for the tip! xx
Oana says
I made these today and they were so so delicious. Best cinnamon rolls I ever had!
Emilie Raffa says
Glad you liked them, Oana!
Kristen says
Hey Emilie,
Just trying these out now, except I don’t have a stand mixer so hopefully i’m strong enough to kneed it as much as it needs!
Also wondering if there is anything I should look for (other than the doubling in size) in the dough after I take it out the next day? Like the poke test, for example, when you make bread.
Thanks for the recipe!
Emilie Raffa says
Hi there! Double in size is all you need. Some bakers recommend the poke test but I typically don’t do it. In can be inaccurate. Enjoy!
Amy Romagnuolo says
Made these today. So easy and very delicious. This recipe is a keeper.
Emilie Raffa says
Fantastic! Thank you! :)
Jessica says
Baked them this morning for the family (6 people and 3 generations) and they loved them! Recipe was easy to make and the dough was a pleasure to work with (I made the whole thing, minus the frosting by hand). The only thing I might change is the filling to make it more gooey. Thank you very much for the recipe!
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Jessica! Thanks for the feedback! A more gooey filling sounds divine ;)
Amber says
Great detailed directions and yummy recipe. It’s my first time making cinnamon rolls and I also needed to use up some sourdough discard.
Emilie Raffa says
Fantastic! Glad you liked it :)
Brook Ekenstam says
Delicious! Could not have gone better. Thank you for sharing this recipe and I can’t wait to try more delicious things from your blog.
Tanis says
Thank you Emelie! I have been singing your praises! I am new to baking as well as sourdough (my bread was NOT great) but I kept coming back to this recipe for weeks. I finally got my nerve up to try it and my rolls were PERFECT. Deliciously light and sweet. I’m amazed. I was hoping for edible the first time out:-) I was particularly concerned because I do not have a stand mixer but it all came together by hand with patience and persistence. I also tried your sourdough noodle recipe and they were fabulous (though thick rolled by hand).
Emilie Raffa says
Thanks so much, Tanis! xx