Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls

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Sweet, savory sourdough cinnamon rolls are a delicious way to start your day. Cream cheese frosting or buttercream adds even more sweetness on top of soft chewy rolls. Our family tradition is to have sourdough cinnamon rolls Christmas morning. Although any time is a good time to eat this sweet treat.

Sourdough is a type of bread that is risen with sourdough starter instead of store bought yeast. Sourdough has wild yeast and good bacteria to promote gut health and is easier to digest than traditional bread. Bread made from instant yeast usually rises in a few hours, while sourdough bread is traditionally risen for a longer time and has lower gluten. There is also a slight tangy taste to sourdough bread that intensifies the longer it rises or ferments.

Sourdough starter is made with unbleached flour or freshly milled wheat berries and filtered water. It is a slow process that takes a week or two to establish but once it is made, can last a lifetime. I have had mine for over 4 years. If you need more information on how to make sourdough starter, I have a recipe here.

In this recipe for sourdough cinnamon rolls, active sourdough starter is needed. Starter should be bubbly and has risen from the last feeding. I usually feed my sourdough starter 4-12 hours before I make sourdough cinnamon rolls. I also plan ahead and make sure I have at least 24 hours to make this bread. It takes about 12 hours to rise the dough and an about 30 minutes to prepare the rolls and bake. Rise time will vary depending on the temperature of your home. In the winter, I find the rise is slow and in the summer, the rise is quite fast.

Ingredients needed to make sourdough cinnamon rolls; sourdough starter, filtered water, honey, eggs, coconut oil, butter, salt, baking powder, baking soda and unbleached flour or freshly milled wheat berries. Also butter, brown sugar and cinnamon powder for the filling. Tools needed are two medium mixing bowls, kitchen scale, stirring utensils, spatula, rolling pin, bowls for melting butter and coconut oil, and lid or plastic wrap to cover dough for first rise. Topping for sourdough cinnamon rolls are cream cheese, homemade syrup, and milk.

First measure and mix together 1/2 cup (113 grams) sourdough starter, 1/2 cup (110 grams) of filtered water, 4 tablespoons (84 grams) of honey, and 2 medium eggs. Wait to add 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of baking powder and 1 teaspoon of baking soda until the dough has risen. You can also wait to add the eggs if you are worried about the egg temperature. I always add the eggs right away.

Add 4 cups (540 grams) of unbleached flour or freshly milled wheat berries and mix until combined.

To see what grain mill I use and how to mill wheat berries, visit Milling Wheat Berries.

Melt 4 tablespoons of butter and 4 tablespoons of coconut oil. Pour into dough mixture and mix until combined. Cover with plastic wrap or lid.

Wait 30 minutes and then start stretch and fold method.

Grab dough from one side and pull up about 12 inches. Place stretched dough over the dough ball and press it into the ball. Turn the bowl one quarter around and stretch the dough up and over again. Repeat this stretch and fold all the way around. These should be 4 stretch and folds total to go around the dough, this is one round.

There should be 3 rounds 15 minutes apart and then 3 rounds 30 minutes apart after that. I follow this loosely, as long as I get at least 6 rounds in within 3 hours.

The dough will smooth and easy to shape when ready. I also use the windowpane test. The window pane test is taking a small piece of dough and stretching it out between your fingers. If the dough is "see-through" and doesn't break, it passes the test and enough gluten has formed.

Shape dough into a ball, cover with lid or plastic wrap. Let the dough rise over night on counter until it has doubled in size.

In the morning, add salt, baking powder and baking soda to dough and knead until combined.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Make cinnamon roll filling by combining 1 stick (8 tablespoons) of softened butter, 1 cup of brown sugar, and 1 and 1/2 tablespoon of cinnamon powder. Mix well.

Roll dough out into a rectangle shape.

Dollop the filling on the dough and smooth out. Cover all the dough except about 1/2 inch of the edge closest to you.

Roll the dough up and pinch seem to seal the dough together.

Using a sharp knife, cut dough into 1 to 1 and 1/2 inch slices. Should make 12-15 rolls.

Place rolls onto a baking dish or cast iron pan.

Bake rolls for 20-25 minutes. Rolls should be risen up and golden.

Let cool while preparing topping.

In a medium bowl, beat 4 ounces of softened cream cheese until creamy. Add 1/4 cup of syrup and 1 tablespoon of milk and blend well. I use my homemade syrup that is made with brown sugar, butter and maple extract.

Add topping to sourdough cinnamon rolls and enjoy.

To store sourdough cinnamon rolls, simply place in airtight container, I keep mine on the counter if there are any leftover but the fridge is good too. These rolls can be frozen too without the topping. Just take out of freezer to defrost the night before and add topping before or after warming up.

Yield: 12-15 rolls

Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls

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sweet, savory and chewy sourdough cinnamon rolls with cream cheese frosting.

Prep Time 1 day

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 1 day 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 113 grams (1/2 cup) sourdough starter
• 110 grams (1/2 cup) filtered water
• 84 grams (4 Tb.) honey
• 2 medium eggs
• 4 Tb. coconut oil (melted)
• 4 Tb. butter (melted)
• 540 grams (4 cups) unbleached flour or freshly milled wheat berries
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 stick of butter (softened)
• 210 grams (1 cup) brown sugar
• 1 and 1/2 Tb. cinnamon powder
• 4 ounces cream cheese (softened)
• 1/4 cup homemade syrup
• 1 Tb. milk

Instructions

1 First measure and mix together sourdough starter, filtered water, honey, and 2 medium eggs.

2. Add unbleached flour or freshly milled wheat berries and mix until combined.

3. Melt butter and coconut oil. Pour into dough mixture and mix until combined. Cover with plastic wrap or lid.

4. Wait 30 minutes and then start stretch and fold method.

5. Grab dough from one side and pull up about 12 inches. Place stretched dough over the dough ball and press it into the ball. Turn the bowl one quarter around and stretch the dough up and over again. Repeat this stretch and fold all the way around. These should be 4 stretch and folds total to go around the dough, this is one round.

6. There should be 3 rounds 15 minutes apart and then 3 rounds 30 minutes apart after that. I follow this loosely, as long as I get at least 6 rounds in within 3 hours.
7. The dough will smooth and easy to shape when ready. I also use the windowpane test. The window pane test is taking a small piece of dough and stretching it out between your fingers. If the dough is "see-through" and doesn't break, it passes the test and enough gluten has formed.

8. Shape dough into a ball, cover with lid or plastic wrap. Let the dough rise over night on counter until it has doubled in size.

9. In the morning, add salt, baking powder and baking soda to dough and knead until combined.

10. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

11. Mix together 1 stick of softened butter, brown sugar and cinnamon powder.

12. Roll out dough into a rectangle shape.

13. Dollop sugar filling onto dough and spread out to all edges except the long edge closest to you. Leave about 1/2 inch edge that will be used to seal the roll.

14. Roll up dough into a long log.

15. Take a sharp knife and cut into 1 to 1.5 inches pieces, 12-14 rolls.

16. Place rolls onto baking dish or cast iron pan.

17. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Rolls should be golden when done.

18. Make topping by beating cream cheese until fluffy.

19. Add homemade syrup and milk by blending together. Should be light and airy.

20. Add topping to cinnamon rolls. Enjoy!