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
Jenifer Davis says
I just made these today.I did not do an overnight. They came out beautiful tall mountains and perfect. Wish I could share a picture. I also used some for dumplings. They were fantastic!
Melanie Lundell says
I love this recipe and have made it a few times with the different variations. Yesterday, I didn’t plan well and needed to refrigerate overnight before baking. So after rolling, cutting, and a 90 min rest- I covered with Saran and popped the pan in fridge. Today the bottom of the pan has 1/4 inch of sugary water in it? Has this ever happened to you and should I bake as normal? Thanks!
Naomi says
I love this recipe! I have made it so many times and they always turn out great! I’m just wondering if it can be doubled, tripled or quadrupled to feed a crowd, or would it be better to make separate batches?
Stephen Roberts says
Absolutely incredible recipe! I’ve made these several times now and have had multiple people tell me they’re the best cinnamon rolls they have EVER had! I do have some tips/recommendations:
1. Use the extra butter/flour variation.
2. Proofing overnight requires the right temp — too warm and it’ll rise too much. I refrigerate the dough after the stretch-and-fold until bedtime, then put it somewhere that’s 67-69 overnight.
3. Refrigerating again in the morning makes it easier to shape. I don’t use a rolling pin, but I have a lot of experience with sourdough bread and pizza dough.
4. Add a dash of salt to the cream cheese icing to bring out the flavor, and some vanilla as well. Seriously, don’t forget the salt. Huge difference!
5. Make extra cream cheese icing and add a layer along with the cinnamon sugar. I spread the icing first then top with the sugar. The gooey texture and flavor is absolutely incredible!
6. I use a couple of well-seasoned cast iron pans coated in butter which works really well, for me at least.
Nicole says
Stephen,
These sounds like excellent revisions! I’m totally taking this route.
Thank you so much for sharing! Happy Holidays!
Vee Dench says
I am hooked on your recipe. I never thought I could produce the required results but they turned out very well. I used the extra butter option. Thank you for a very informative and helpful site!
I used a starter I created following your recipe and Mathilda is flourishing after just two weeks.
Grace says
Can you do this without a stand mixer?
Christine K. says
I use my bread machine to mix yeast doughs, and it always works. You could also mix the dough by hand.
Brad says
I made these for some friends that visited us earlier this month here in Montana. They were the most delicious sour dough cinnamon rolls I’ve ever made. Thank you for sharing.
Alicja says
I should have added more four in the evening but I didn’t think about it. Can I add flour in the morning as the dough looks too sticky almost runny?
Megan H says
Truly the greatest cinnamon roll I have ever had!!!
Karen says
Hi, due to allergy – can I skip the egg for this recipe or use something else instead?
Em says
I used a flax “egg” instead and they turned out great! 1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 1.5 tbsp water, mix it up/let it sit a few mins til it’s gooey.
Amy Fairchild says
I made a double recipe of these rolls with the increased butter and flour, plus extra sugar. They have a luxurious dough with pull apart layers that are super pillowy. I think I needed more cinnamon sugar filling to offset the tart flavor. They proofed over night in the fridge after 6 hours on the counter. The bowl was bursting through the plastic wrap in the morning. One negative, they are quite sour.
RollsRoyce says
This would be because of your starter, not the recipe.
Janelle Dryer says
Any nutrition facts for sour dough cinnamon rolls?
Rachel Hodge says
I increased the butter and flour as recommended in the notes and ended up with a thicker dough that wasn’t able to be stretched. I ended up adding more milk to loosen up the texture.
Brad Koehn says
How long approximately would bulk fermentation take at 72 degrees? Is overnight too long? I tried this but they came out pretty dense. I did about 8.5 hr overnight ferment. It was double in size. Shaped and rose 1:15 and baked. They taste great but not super fluffy. What could it be? My starter seems quite strong and was at peak.
Eunice says
Love this, just made a batch today. I added the glaze but next time I think I will skip on it and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Thanks for the greaaat recipe!
Morgan says
Hi! I make this recipe frequently and it’s perfect. They’re my family’s favorite. Do you have any advice on freezing? I’ve attempted to freeze batches and utilize them the next weekend but each time I try they dont rise. Should I pre-rise the rolls then freeze? Any pointers welcome!
Mari says
Loving this recipe. Can I let the dough rest overnight for 12 hours rather than on the counter? I am in S Fl so the climate is very warm
Swee Yan Loke says
Hi,
Thank you for the recipe! Question, why is the top of cinnamon rolls not turning to golden brown after baking? I followed 350F, 45min….
Please advise. Thanks.
Michaela says
Yummmm. This is my go to cinnamon roll recipe! I always add the extra butter 👹 I also add vanilla soaked raisins & toasted pecans and use brown sugar for the filling. A little splash of heavy cream on the top before baking and *chef’s kiss* 🤌🏻
Tracey says
Amazing taste and results, thank you!!
Kylee Ruell says
If I want to put the dough in the fridge – can I place it in the fridge after transferring to medium sized bowl and letting it rest for 1 hour?
lynda f watson says
I don’t have a springform pan. Can I use a 9” cake pan or 11×7” glass baking dish?
Emilie Raffa says
Yes, both should be fine. Just don’t forget to line whatever you’re using with parchment paper to prevent sticking, easy removal, and easy clean up.
Diane Marie says
Holy moly!!!! These rolls are perfection! The dough came out absolutely magnificent! I did use brown sugar, cuz I like em gooey, they went so fast I just started a triple batch! Thank you so much appreciate your work!
Mackenzie says
Would margarine work?
Izabel Hershey says
Is it possible to skip the fermentation process?
Nannette says
Can’t wait to try this. I am in the process of making my first starter (Day 4). One tip I would give (just my way of cutting the dough into rolls from other times I’ve made them not using sourdough), is to get a long piece of thread. Lay it under the dough, bring up both sides into an X at the top, and use the thread to cut through the dough by finishing the X downward until you’ve cut all the way through…and I do this very quickly. Just my way. Don’t know if others would like it or not. :)
Quick question if anyone wants to answer it. Can you use bread flour in this recipe or would that ruin it?
Regina says
Are you using a traditional sour dough starter for this or could a sweet sourdough starter be used instead?
Lara says
Good morning, Emilie!
Would this recipe work if you started in the AM, allowing for the bulk rise to occur during the day, rolling and cutting them out before bed, and then placing them in the fridge instead of the freezer? So that all the hands-on is done the day before and all you have to do is cook in the morning?
Mikki Leon says
OK, I’m an idiot. I just realized that you are the author of my favorite sourdough book and the clever carrot lol 😝
Emilie Raffa says
OMG… I love when this happens. Been there. Welcome Mikki!
Mikki Leon says
Hi Emilie,
I have always loved and trusted your recipes and articles that you post. I have found them to work well for me and relate well to how I cook and how I like things. And then I discovered that we both loved the same sourdough book. Which I have also worked to adapt some of the recipes pursuit my individual needs. I found that you did the same and have even helped me with creating the perfect recipe for my needs. Thank you I trust anything you Post and I appreciate all you put into these recipes and sharing them with us. Take care and I can’t wait to see what you post next. Sincerely Mikki León
Kimberly says
Absolutely delish! I put in the extra butter. Theses are next level!!
Tori says
These are THE BEST cinnamon rolls I’ve ever had! I am so in love with this recipe. I used 8 tablespoons of butter and 3 cups of flour…. AMAZING. The entire part of every single roll tasted and felt like the center. In. Love. (I accidentally at 5 today oops)
Tiffany says
I doubled the cinnamon filling recipe to have even more awesome cinnamon awesomeness! Then for the glaze, I used 1/2 a brick of cream cheese (rather than 1/3 a cup of whipped cream cheese) and I added 1tbsp of vanilla to the bowl before using the hand mixer to mix it all together.
Faith Jensen says
Do you think I could substitute honey for the sugar in the dough? Thank you!
Yvonne says
I’ve made yeast sticky buns/cinnamon rolls for years.
These are definitely a step up! I loved everything about them….the texture and flavor so delicious!
Jeanie Thomas says
Used the extra butter in the dough and the soft butter version of filling. My family’s favorite cinnamon roll recipe by far! Just fantastic taste and texture. Will definitely be making this on repeat.
Taryl abt says
Can you double this recipe?
NAnderson says
These turned out exactly how you described them. Perfectly DELICIOUS!
Amy says
These came out amazing. I was even impatient and only let it rise for half hour before placing in the oven and they came out delectable. The only thing I would do differently next time is add more cinnamon/butter/sugar because it was really hard to detect. Otherwise it is perfection.
Jim says
This is the best thing I’ve ever baked.
Katie says
5* recipe from Emilie! These are delicious, not overly sweet, very warm cinnamon flavour, and a great way to use up excess starter. We made these on a sunny summer day using the conservatory as a proofing room, so the whole process from getting our starter out the fridge to taking the rolls out the oven was about 4.5 hours. As Emilie says in the write-up, do not follow times, just follow the dough! So with proofing I just used the old finger poke test and they came out perfectly. In the vein of following the dough, we did the whole thing by hand and have a very hydrated starter, so it did take quite a bit extra flour to get the dough the right texture in the kneeding step – everyone’s starter is unique, so make adjustments as necessary.
Charlotte says
Absolutely delicious! This was my first time making this recipe and without a doubt it was so simple to follow and a great result! I’m new to using sourdough, and I’m so impressed with how easy these were to make
BJ says
These are so good. Just FYI, to anyone thinking of skipping the parchment paper, don’t! I didn’t use it and ended up with some of the cinnamon”juice” on the bottom of my oven. Lesson learned.
Lily Soto says
Hi do we have to line to pan ?
Emilie Raffa says
Yes. Use parchment paper to line the pan.
Lily Soto says
Hi would these be able to be made and baked same day ?
Sophia says
Hello! The recipe is amazing! I was wondering if you knew the nutrition facts/calories per roll? Thank you in advance!
Janice Chisholm says
Any suggestions for making these with no stand mixer?
Jaya says
I made this recipe for the first time ! Dough looked good but I had to place the prepared cinnamon rolls in the fridge for a few days. They were covered with plastic wrap. Came back to them on day 3 and they were dry and shriveled up. Is the make ahead version for freezing only and not the fridge?
Shanon says
I have used this recipe for the first time and they came out amazing! Very excited to make them again! I did the richer dough suggestion and I did the suggestion where you do not melt the butter for the filling. We loved them!
Erin says
I have made this recipe many many times now. It is perfection. In the summer I like to use the dough recipe to make peach or strawberry rolls depending on what I have fresh around the house. All of your recipes are amazing. Thank you!!