These Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Rolls are a great way to use up some of your sourdough discard and make a delicious treat for breakfast, brunch, or a sweet afternoon treat! Looking for a few creative variations? Try these Sourdough Discard Apple Cinnamon Rolls and Sourdough Discard Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls, too!
I've also included directions below on how to make overnight cinnamon rolls, in case you want to prep them the day before baking!
This recipe knocks it out of the park! 3 pans were gone in less than an hour; everyone said they were incredible. I can't wait to make these again!
- Emma
Why you'll love this recipe
- Embrace the irregularity! Rolls that are a little irregularly shaped or sized can be very cute (and it makes it so much easier if we're not aiming for perfection!).
- You might also love this Sourdough Discard Apple Pull Apart Bread and those irregular layers!
- Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Rolls freeze well so you can make a batch and then freeze to enjoy any time.
- You can adapt this recipe to make overnight cinnamon rolls so they're ready to bake first thing in the morning. See the notes below!
- The raisins add a nice flavor punch, but you can also leave them out or substitute them for other things like crushed nuts.
- Try these Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Raisin Bagels, and Sourdough Discard Cranberry Bagels, too!
Ingredients
There are only a few ingredients you'll need to make these cinnamon rolls.
- Sourdough discard: The sourdough discard should be unfed and at room temperature for this recipe. This recipe is designed to be made from a sourdough starter that uses a 1:1 ratio (when you feed your starter, it's with 1 part flour and 1 part water). If your starter uses a different ratio, you may need to adjust some of the ingredients in this recipe.
- Learn more about how to make a sourdough starter.
- Raisins: These are optional and you can certainly leave them out (I know there are some strong opinions about raisins!), but I think they add a nice pop to the recipe.
- You might like this Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Raisin Bread, too!
See full recipe below for detailed directions.
Substitutions & Variations
This is a very adaptable recipe and below are a few easy substitutions and variations you can try.
- Use active sourdough starter: If you'd like to make this recipe with active sourdough starter instead of discard, you can! To do so, omit the yeast and replace the sourdough discard with sourdough starter (200g). You will also need to adjust the rise times.
- Use rum- or bourbon-soaked raisins: While your dough is rising, soak the raisins in rum or bourbon. This will help them plump up, but also add some of that spirit flavoring!
- Add crushed nuts: Add ¼ cup crushed almonds, pecans or walnuts when you're spreading the cinnamon sugar mixture.
- Interested in cinnamon rolls in a different format? Try this Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Roll Pull Apart Bread and this Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Roll Focaccia.
How to Make Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Rolls
Letting the dough rise for enough time is the key to success with this recipe. There are a few easy steps you'll need to follow to make these Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Rolls!
- Step 1: Mix the dough ingredients, then place in a large, greased bowl and let rise for 60-90 minutes until doubled in size.
- Step 2: Roll the dough into a roughly 12x18-inch rectangle on a floured surface.
- Step 3: Spread the dough with the softened butter, then sprinkle with cinnamon, brown sugar and drained raisins. Be generous with the filling!
- Step 4: From the long end of the rectangle, roll the dough into a log. It shouldn't be loose, but doesn't need to be super tight, either!
- Step 5: Using unflavored dental floss or a sharp knife, cut the rolled log into 12 approximately equal-sized pieces.
- Step 6: Place the pieces cut-side up in a greased 9x13-inch baking pan. They will not fill the pan fully, but they will expand with the second rise. Cover and let rise.
- Step 7: After the second rise, the rolls should be touching each other in the pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes until golden brown. Set aside to let cool.
- Step 8: While the rolls are cooling, combine the ingredients to make the frosting.
- Step 9: Once the rolls have cooled, spread with the frosting.
Expert Baking Tips
- Make sure to knead the dough long enough. The dough should be soft and smooth (not sticky) before the first rise.
- Let the dough rise long enough. Rise times will vary based on the temperature of your room. Remember, dough rises quicker in a warmer room and slower in a cooler room.
- You can use different baking pans. I recommend using a 9x13-inch baking pan for 12 rolls, but this could also work with an 8x11-inch pan (especially if you cut the dough into fewer rolls), or two 8-inch round pans. Cinnamon rolls are very versatile!
- Don't worry about making perfectly-shaped rolls. Embrace the irregularity! Some might be bigger and some might be smaller. What you want to watch is the thickness - rolls should all be the same thickness in order to bake evenly.
- Let the rolls cool before adding the frosting. If you add the frosting before the rolls are cooled, they will still be delicious. The frosting will melt and soak into the rolls a bit (not a bad thing!).
- Looking for other sweet treats? Try these Sourdough Discard Brownies, these Sourdough Lofthouse Cookies, and these Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Sugar Pretzel Bites!
Overnight Cinnamon Rolls
If you want to make an overnight version of these cinnamon rolls, you can! Once you have shaped the cinnamon rolls and placed them in the baking pan, cover with plastic wrap and let rise in the refrigerator overnight. In the morning, remove from the fridge and let the rolls come to room temperature, about 2-3 hours. The rolls should look puffed and be touching each other in the pan.
Pour ½ cup warm milk (any kind) or heavy cream over the rolls, then bake as directed. The additional warm milk will give the rolls a bit of extra moisture that will be soaked up into the dough while baking.
How to Cut Cinnamon Rolls
Cutting the rolls is an important step. You want to make sure the rolls are equal in thickness so they will cook evenly. If they're a little bit off (especially those end pieces), that's ok, but you want to get them as close as possible to the same thickness.
There are a few ways to cut cinnamon rolls:
- Use dental floss: This is my preferred method. Use an unflavored dental floss (if it's flavored, you'll taste that in the final rolls!) and wrap it around the log. Cross the ends over the log and pull to pinch-cut the rolls. Dental floss is ideal here as it's very thin and strong and will cut through the dough easily. I do not recommend using kitchen twine, or a thicker string to try to do this, as that will tear the rolls rather than cutting them cleanly.
- Use a sharp knife: You can also use a large, sharp knife to cut the rolls. Again, you want them to be equal in thickness, and try to get a crisp cut rather than a tear.
- Cut the dough before rolling the rolls: After you spread the filling on the dough, you can use a pizza cutter to cut dough strips. You will then roll each strip into a cinnamon roll. For this, you are cutting before rolling (unlike the above methods). This works well, but I find you need to be a bit more precise with measurements and cutting to size!
For this recipe, I recommend cutting the log into 12 rolls. But cinnamon rolls are very versatile and you could easily cut into fewer or more rolls to fit your baking pan!
Storage
Room Temperature Storage: Store the rolls covered or in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days. They will harden as they dry out. You can reheat the rolls for 15-30 seconds in the microwave to make them warm and soft again.
Freezer Storage: These cinnamon rolls freeze very well. Once the cinnamon rolls are fully cooled, transfer to an airtight container or bag (I like to split them into individual rolls and store each in a plastic bag, which makes it easier to heat up just one roll at a time). Freeze for up to 3 months. To reheat, warm the cinnamon rolls in the microwave for about 60 seconds until soft and warm again.
Recipe FAQs
No. I like to use mine because it's convenient, but you could also use a large mixing bowl and a wooden spoon to mix the dough. Then, knead the dough by hand.
When certain ingredients (like milk, eggs, etc.) are cold, it will impact the rise of the dough, and can even prevent the rise from happening. To encourage rising, you want to make sure these ingredients are at room temperature, or even warmed, as long as it's listed in the directions.
More Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Roll Recipes
If you tried these Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Rolls or any other recipe on my website, please leave a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. I'd love to hear from you! Happy Baking!
Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
For the Rolls
- ½ cup + 3 Tablespoons milk (non-dairy or regular dairy) warmed to 110℉
- 1 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg lightly beaten, at room temperature
- 200 grams (about ¾ cup) sourdough discard unfed, at room temperature
- ½ cup yogurt or Greek yogurt (non-dairy or regular dairy) room temperature
- 4 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter melted and cooled
For the Filling
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened, plus more for greasing the pan
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
- ½ cup raisins optional
For the Frosting
- 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
- 1 ½ cups confectioner's sugar
- 2-3 Tablespoons milk non-dairy or regular dairy
Instructions
- Add the warmed milk to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook*. Sprinkle with yeast and let sit for 5 minutes, or until foamy. If the yeast does not foam, it is dead and you'll need to start over with fresh yeast.
- Add granulated sugar, beaten egg, sourdough discard, yogurt, flour, and salt. Mix on low until combined, adding the melted butter as it mixes. Transfer the dough to a work surface and knead for 3-4 minutes until a soft, smooth dough forms. If needed, add more flour or milk (1 Tablespoon at a time) to reach your desired consistency.
- Transfer the dough to a large, greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 60-90 minutes, or until doubled in size. While the dough rises, soak the raisins in a bowl of hot water (this helps the raisins plump up if they've been sitting in your pantry for a while!).
- Transfer the dough to a floured work surface. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough into a 12x18-inch rectangle**. Drain the raisins. Spread the dough with softened butter and evenly sprinkle with brown sugar, cinnamon, and raisins (optional).
- From the long end of the rectangle, roll the dough into a log, pressing the seam along the edge of the dough to close. Use unflavored dental floss or a sharp knife to cut the log into 12 approximately equal-sized pieces. If using dental floss, wrap the floss around the log, then cross the ends over each other and pinch to cut.
- Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan with 1 Tablespoon melted butter. Transfer the cut rolls into the baking pan, face up. The rolls will not be touching, and there should be room for the rolls to expand in the dish. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 30-45 minutes until the rolls have expanded to touch each other.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180℃). Bake the rolls for 30-35 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool.
- While the rolls cool, make the frosting. In a medium bowl, whip the softened butter until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add vanilla extract and a pinch of salt. Add the confectioner's sugar and 1 Tablespoon milk at a time, mixing until smooth. Add additional milk to reach your desired consistency, if needed. Spread the frosting on the rolls and serve.
Paola says
I have tried many of your recipes and they are all amazing! Thanks for sharing with all of us. Wondering if I can also have the old recipe. 🙂 Thank you!!
Jessica Vogl says
Thanks, Paola! I have the previous version of the recipe linked in the notes section of the recipe card above.