Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls

Sourdough cinnamon rolls are everything store-bought ones aren't — soft, complex, balanced, with real depth from the fermentation. Mix the night before; bake in the morning.

Recipe — twelve rolls

Dough

• 500g bread flour
• 200g whole milk, warmed
• 100g active starter
• 1 large egg
• 60g sugar
• 60g butter, melted
• 8g salt

Filling

• 100g butter, room temperature
• 150g brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons cinnamon
• Pinch of salt

Glaze

• 100g powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• Pinch of salt

Method

Mix dough

Combine warm milk, melted butter, sugar, and starter.

Whisk in egg.

Add flour and salt. Mix until shaggy.

Knead 5 minutes by hand or 4 minutes in a stand mixer with a dough hook. The dough should be soft, smooth, and slightly tacky.

Bulk

Cover. Bulk 4–6 hours at room temperature, or 8–10 hours overnight in the fridge.

Roll out

On a lightly floured counter, roll dough into a 12 × 18 inch rectangle, about ¼ inch thick.

Fill

Spread softened butter evenly across the entire rectangle.

Mix brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Sprinkle evenly over the butter.

Roll and cut

Starting from a long edge, roll tightly into a log.

Pinch the seam to seal.

Cut into 12 equal pieces (use unflavored dental floss or a sharp serrated knife).

Pan

Place rolls in a buttered 9×13 pan, cut-side up. Leave a little space between them.

Final proof

Cover. Proof 1–2 hours at room temperature, or refrigerate overnight (8–12 hours).

The rolls should be visibly puffy and starting to touch each other.

If proofed cold, take out 30 minutes before baking to take the chill off.

Bake

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Bake 25–30 minutes until deeply golden and the centers register 190°F.

Glaze

While rolls are warm (not hot), whisk glaze ingredients and drizzle over.

Eat warm.

What good cinnamon rolls are

• Soft, fluffy, tender crumb
• Distinct cinnamon swirl
• Glossy glaze
• Slight tang from the sourdough underneath the sweetness
• Pull apart easily

Make-ahead

The cold-overnight option is the magic of this recipe. Mix and shape on Friday evening; bake Saturday morning. Fresh, hot rolls without dawn baking.

Variations

• Pecan sticky buns — replace glaze with caramel and pecans on the bottom of the pan, invert after baking
• Cardamom — substitute cardamom for cinnamon
• Apple — add 200g chopped apples to the filling
• Cream cheese frosting — replace glaze with 100g cream cheese, 50g butter, 100g powdered sugar, 1 tsp vanilla, beaten until smooth

Common mistakes

• Tough rolls — over-kneaded or under-proofed. Mix gently; let it rise fully.
• Bland — under-fermented. Cold overnight is your friend.
• Burnt bottoms — oven too hot or pan too thin. Use a heavy pan; consider 325°F if your oven runs hot.
• Filling leaked out — over-filled or rolled loose. Less filling, tighter roll.

Storage

Best within 24 hours of baking. Reheat individual rolls 20 seconds in the microwave or 5 minutes in a 300°F oven.

Freeze unbaked, just before final proof. Thaw and proof overnight; bake fresh.