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. Makes 8 rolls.
Sourdough cinnamon rolls: soft, feathery scrolls of luscious sweet dough filled with gooey swirls of warm cinnamon-sugar. Can you think of anything more cozy for breakfast besides a slice of toasted sourdough bread?!
I must confess however, I wasn’t always a fan. Traditional cinnamon rolls were too sweet for my taste and the heavy, sugary glaze was a bit much. And with all the recipes out there (and there are tons) I wondered: does the world really need another cinnamon roll recipe? Yes! It does, especially when it solves the problems most cinnamon rolls have.
Why My Recipe Works
- Softer, taller rolls. Baking in a 9-inch springform pan is my secret. The higher sides traps in more moisture, making the rolls light and luxurious, with a squishy high rise.
- Subtle tangy flavor. Bubbly, active sourdough starter naturally leavens the dough and lends a lovely taste 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 {Step-By-Step Recipe}
Before your begin: check out my Baker’s Schedule. You’ll have a better idea of when to start the dough and how to prep ahead.
Step 1: Mix The Dough
To Start: Make the dough in the evening. I suggest using a stand mixer (the dough is sticky). If you don’t have one, mixing and kneading can be done by hand. The goal is a soft, supply, buttery dough.
Step 2: Bulk Rise
Cover the bowl with lightly oiled plastic wrap. Let the dough rise overnight at a cool room temperature (68 F) until double in size. The dough will look domed, puffy and airy when it’s done rising.
How long will it take to rise? Temperature controls time. For example, my dough took ~12 hrs. @ 67 F. Your room temperature may differ from mine which will effect the rise time. This is normal. Watch the dough and not the clock!
Step 3: Roll the Dough
The following morning, lightly oil and flour your countertop. This is THE BEST tip by the way. The dough won’t stick! I use an all natural olive oil spray from Trader Joe’s. Works like a charm.
Ok, so now: 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 in a 16 x 12-ish rectangle. When first testing recipes, I never thought the above dimensions were that important. But it’s actually crucial: you’ll get ~8 rolls to fit a 9-inch springform pan.
Step 4: 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.
Step 5: 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 to the swirls stay in tact when baked. Once you get to the end, face the dough seam side down.
Cut the log into (8) 2-inch sections using an oiled knife or bench scraper. I’ve found that gently “marking” the dough first ensures each piece is roughly the same size before cutting. I’m the worst at eyeballing this stuff.
Tip: If at any point the dough sticks (it tends to get warm from the heat of your hands), lightly oil or flour your finger tips and try working with it again.
Step 6: Second Rise
Place the rolls into a parchment-lined springform pan and let rest for about 1-2 hours, or until the dough puffs us.
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. Alternatively, freeze the dough: skip the resting step, cover the pan in two layers of plastic wrap and freeze (see recipe below for defrosting instructions).
Here’s what the dough looked like before resting…
After resting…
Step 7: Bake The Cinnamon Rolls
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. The warm cinnamon will smell incredible!
Step 8: Make 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. You could also 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! And if you like this recipe, be sure to try my other homemade breakfast favorites: sourdough pancakes, waffles, crêpes and scones.
Sample 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.
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Soft & Gooey Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls
- Prep Time: 15 hours
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 15 hours 30 minutes
- Yield: 8 rolls 1x
- Category: Sourdough Bread Recipes
- Method: Oven-Baked
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
These soft, overnight sourdough cinnamon rolls are perfect for breakfast, brunch, 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
Cindy says
Extra butter + extra flour for sure! If I refrigerate these after 1 hr rest will it make it taste more tangy? I notice that if I let it rest for too long on the counter the sourdough taste really comes through – which I don’t love. But otherwise, amazinggggg recipe!
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Cindy! So, it depends on timing, temperature, and the personal make-up of your starter. Which means, the answer will be different for everyone. For example, your rolls taste more sour after a long counter rest. What is your current room temperature? Is it warm by you? Take note! Additionally, sometimes when a starter is slightly acidic, which is normal, it will impart a more sour taste as well. If you refrigerate the rolls overnight, up to 12+ hours, the rolls might taste more tangy too.
My sense for you, is to go back to your starter to rebalance the acidity levels. Feed it several times until the smell is more fruity and less vinegary. Then experiment again! Hope this helps.
Cherith R says
Hey does this recipe need to be altered if I’m going to triple or quadruple it for a bake sale?
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Cherith! You don’t need to make alterations; however, just keep your eye on the dough during the bulk fermentation to gauge your rise time (temperature is key here). Also, off the top of my head: make sure you have a large bowl or dough tub to accommodate a tripled or quadrupled dough. Or use separate vessels.
Cherith says
Thank you, it worked great. Just marked my recipe to use quite a bit less flour.
Ally says
These are a staple for birthday breakfasts & Sunday brunch. I always use the extra butter option for the dough & softened butter for the filling. I usually use brown sugar instead of white sugar for the filling. Add a drizzle with heavy cream before baking and top with cream cheese frosting— they turn out better than Cinnabon every time. However, I usually have to bake for closer to 55 minutes total. 5/5 for sure!
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Ally! This sounds so awesome. Thank you for sharing! 🥰
Josie says
Yum! I made these with the richer dough ingredient variations and they were SO GOOD! So fluffy and delicious and none of the filling leaked out. And so easy! I don’t have a stand mixer so I just kneaded by hand and they turned out perfect. Also I added vanilla and cardamom to the glaze for a little spice. MAKE THESE NOW!
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Josie! I love that you did this by hand 💪🏻 Cardamom sounds amazing in the glaze- how much did you use? Noting that for next time!
Lindsay says
I love these cinnamon buns, they come out incredible every time. I’ve made this recipe dozens of times over the last year with some flavour variations (espresso and salted caramel). I only get compliments and raves about them!
BUT….
I decided to freeze a bunch after filling and forming them so I could have them ready to go anytime. I brought 4 out last night to bake this morning. I let them sit in a pan on the counter for 12 hours, they did not rise at all. I even put the pan on a heating pad for 2 hours, and nothing. So I decided to just bake them and cross my fingers that they would rise while baking, the bottom of them puffed up slightly, but not the tops. They came out like pretty much like they were just rolled .
Should I let them rise before freezing them? They definitely don’t rise after the fact.
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Lindsay! You have to tell me about your espresso and salted caramel variations because they both sound absolutely incredible, I’m having coffee right now, and I’m pretty sure I’ll be thinking about it for the rest of the day.🤣
In the meantime, I have a few questions: when you left the frozen rolls out overnight, what was your room temperature? How did you cover the tray of rolls? Plastic wrap? Lid? Nothing? And, before freezing the rolls, did you leave them out at room temp. first or freeze right away? With a little more info, I can troubleshoot more specifically. Thank you!
Sue says
We top with browned butter cream cheese frosting and it’s soooo good. Sometimes do half cinnamon and half cardamom. Love love love ❤️
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Sue! You have to share your brown butter cream cheese recipe with me. I’ve never tried that before! You’re also the second person here to add cardamom. I need to try it too! 🥰
Kara says
Delicious! I used the extra butter and flour as recommended. I didn’t knead, just mixed it all up into a shaggy dough, did a few stretch and folds after an hour or so, then let it sit at room temp all night. It rolled out beautifully the next morning. I made 9 rolls in a 9×9 tin. Worked out perfectly. Your sourdough recipes never disappoint!
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Kara! So interesting. It’s good to know you can do this, especially if you forget about the dough or run out of time. This is how you discover new things 😉. Thanks for sharing!
Barb says
This was my first attempt at sourdough cinnamon rolls and they turned out great! I used the overnight option and the extra butter/flour. Thank you for the very good instructions!!
It’s a keeper!!
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Barb! So glad this was a success for you! 🥰
Janice says
Hi Emilie
Going to make these for the weekend….can they be pre-made and frozen ? Thanks!
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Janice! Yes, you can do both. The instructions are listed under “Baker’s Schedule” in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Michele says
I made these sourdough cinnamon rolls twice. The first time they were good, the second time using the KitchenAid and more butter as in your variations, they were absolutely phenomenal. The best cinnamon buns we’ve ever eaten. I made 1.5 times the recipe as I wanted a dozen and I made them in a 13 x 9 x 2 pan. I will make these again and agsin. So that we could have them for breakfast, I let the buns rise for about an hour in the pan last night, then stuck them in the fridge. I took them out early this morning. They were nearly totally risen and by the time the oven heated up, they were good to go. Your tip to spray the counter with baking spray and then dust with flour before rolling out the dough was genius!
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Michele! This is such great feedback. Thank you for sharing. I’m particularly grateful that you mentioned increasing the recipe to 1.5x to fit a 9×13 inch pan. Brilliant! 🥰
Danielle says
Would you need to adjust cook time if you do this?
Gloria says
I made these are they didn’t really turn out. They were thin, all of the cinnamon butter ran out of the middle onto the bottom of the pan and burned, and the cream cheese frosting was too cream cheese forward. Won’t repeat this recipe.
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Gloria! Sorry to hear that. If it helps, when this happens (thin rolls/ filling leakage) the dough is usually over proofed. Double check your rise time and/or additional variables such as pan size, temperature etc.
Lisa G says
I just made these for the second time. This recipe is excellent! The dough is unbelievable! I used the author’s suggestion and increased the butter and I’ll be doing them this way from now on. Thank you for sharing the recipe.
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Lisa! More better is always better 🥰
Sourdough Newbie says
Help! I skipped the kneading step for 6-8 minutes and went straight to the stretch and fold, should I just trash it or is it savable?
P.S. I have made this twice before and it is such a wonderful recipe, it’s just this time, I forgot that step 🥺
Emilie Raffa says
It’s ok! This happens to the best of us. How did it come out?
Sourdough Newbie says
So, I’ve done 2 stretch and folds when I realized I skipped the kneading process, so I put it in the mixer and knead for 6 minutes, then continue the rest of the stretch and folds. Still turned out amazing!
Emilie Raffa says
This is so great to hear! 🥰
ali says
I made these today- first time ever! They are delicious and the texture is perfect.
My only problem was much of the sugar filling came out during the bake. Still delicious (we just scraped it), but would love to perfect this step. Should I roll tighter? I didn’t want to jeopardize the integrity of the dough. Cannot wait to make these again!
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Ali! Yay! So glad you liked them. Ok, so for the sugar filling, this can be quite common and there are many variables to consider. For example, over/under proofed dough, too much spacing in between the rolls when baked, not rolling the dough tight enough, oven temp. not accurate, pan type etc. and any changes made to the recipe (if applicable). Do you remember your process? Thanks! 🥰
Ali says
Thanks for the reply. I don’t remember, but we made them again this past weekend and they were PERFECT :-)
Sami Rose says
I have made these more than a dozen times and they are fantastic! Decided to make a large batch to freeze a few pans and have on hand for weekend mornings. Last night I took them out, put new plastic over them and left at room temp until morning. Baked them around the 11 hour mark even though they didnt look puffy yet like they usually do when I bake fresh. They turned out gummy and not fluffy at all like usual…what did I do wrong?? Should I have just left them until they were puffy? Could it take longer than 12 hrs at room temp from frozen?
Debra says
Great recipe! Easy to follow instructions and great tips.
They turned out really well!