Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Rolls (Easy One Bowl Recipe!)
Use up your extra sourdough discard and make these simple, one bowl sourdough discard cinnamon rolls! These cinnamon rolls are made from scratch, are extra soft and fluffy, and are topped with a delightfully rich cream cheese frosting!
I’ve made these cinnamon rolls so many times that I could do it in my sleep at this point! I’ve even been known to wake way before the sun to make the dough and let it rise while I get an extra hour or two of shut-eye…so perhaps I have made them in my sleep?
Anyway, if you’re in charge of breakfast, you’ve gotta make these cinnamon rolls! They’re absolutely perfect for Christmas morning or brunchtime bridal showers.
Looking for other sweet breakfast recipes? Then check out these apple pie-filled cinnamon rolls, lemon blueberry scones, buttermilk pancakes, sourdough discard apple walnut coffee cake, or sourdough discard banana muffins!
Why You’re Going to Love These Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls
- Only One Bowl is Needed! Throw all the ingredients into your stand mixer and let the machine do the work. Well, the kneading, at least. 😉
- Less Waste. As someone who makes sourdough, (which I assume you do if you’re looking at a sourdough discard recipe!) you know that there’s a lot of extra discard unless you’re baking sourdough bread every day. Instead of throwing out the sourdough discard, bake something delicious with it!
- Light, Fluffy, Sweet. These cinnamon rolls are perfect for the holidays (Christmas morning would be a great time to enjoy them!), brunch, weekend mornings, or as a satisfying snack.
Ingredients
For the dough:
- milk – I prefer whole milk, though any milk (cow’s milk, almond milk, oat milk) will do!
- active dry yeast – this is necessary as a leavener to assist in the rising of the dough
- egg
- brown sugar
- softened butter – I use salted butter, but unsalted works as well. Add an extra pinch of salt to the dough if you’re using unsalted butter.
- salt
- sourdough discard – I use unfed sourdough discard, but active, fed sourdough also works!
- all-purpose flour – I prefer using the unbleached King Arthur brand all-purpose flour.
For the filling:
- softened butter – salted butter
- brown sugar – light or dark brown sugar works!
- ground cinnamon
For the cream cheese frosting:
- cream cheese – I use half a block of cream cheese for this recipe. If you’re looking for ways to use up the other half of the cream cheese, might I suggest making these strawberry cheesecake cinnamon rolls or red velvet loaf cake each of which uses half a block of cream cheese. 🙂
- softened butter – salted butter always in this house. Unsalted works fine too.
- powdered sugar
- vanilla extract
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step One: Add the warm milk, brown sugar, and active dry yeast to the bowl of a stand mixer. Whisk together and let sit in a warm place for 5-10 minutes, or until it starts to bubble on top.
Step Two: Once the mixture is foamy, the yeast is active and you can add the rest of the dough ingredients: the egg, brown sugar, softened butter, salt, sourdough discard, and flour to the mixing bowl. Mix on medium speed with the dough hook attachment, using a rubber spatula to scrape the sides of the bowl to incorporate all the ingredients.
Step Three: Knead on medium speed for 7-9 minutes. Helpful Hint: You’re done kneading when you can press your finger onto the dough and none of the dough sticks to your finger.
Step Four: Roll the dough into a ball, return it to the bowl, cover it with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel, and place the bowl in a warm area. Let the dough rise for 1.5 to 2 hours, or until the dough has doubled in size.
Step Five: Grease a 13×9″ baking dish and set aside. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Punch the dough down (small child’s handprint not required, but highly recommended ;), dust a clean surface with a light coat of flour, and roll the dough into a 12″ x 18″ rectangle. Spread the softened butter evenly over the dough. Mix the brown sugar and ground cinnamon in a small bowl. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the buttered dough.
Step Six: Roll the dough into a tight cylinder length-wise. Take your time with this step! Cut the dough into 12 rolls. You can do this by using unflavored dental floss or a sharp serrated knife. I like to cut the dough in half, then cut each half in half, then finally, each half in thirds to ensure the cinnamon rolls are equal sizes. Place the rolls in the dish and bake for 30-35 minutes or until the tops are golden brown.
Step Seven: Make the cream cheese frosting. With a hand mixer, whip together the softened cream cheese, softened butter, vanilla extract, and powdered sugar until completely combined. Spread over the cinnamon rolls and serve!
Let’s Bake More Sourdough Discard Goodies
- Brown Butter Sourdough Discard Maple Cookies
- Sourdough Discard Peanut Butter Cookies
- Sourdough Discard Chocolate Chip Muffins
- Sourdough Discard Brownies
- Sourdough Discard Chocolate Chip Cookies
Helpful Hints
Use a Kitchen Scale! If you don’t have a kitchen scale, I highly recommend getting one. I didn’t get my kitchen scale until I started baking sourdough, and it’s a total game-changer! Also, they are very reasonably priced.
Also, a Stand Mixer is Helpful. You can absolutely knead the dough yourself by hand. But a stand mixer is another game-changer when it comes to cinnamon rolls.
Want a More Tangy, Classic Sourdough Flavor? Use active (fed) sourdough starter instead!
Storage
Store leftover cinnamon rolls in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Warm up the cinnamon rolls in the microwave before enjoying.
Have you tried this recipe?
I’d love to hear your thoughts on this recipe if you made these cinnamon rolls. Let me know in the comments below!
Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Rolls
Equipment
- kitchen scale
Ingredients
Cinnamon Roll Dough
- 150 grams warm milk 105℉-110℉
- 7 grams active dry yeast one packet is 2 1/4 teaspoons
- 1 large egg
- 50 grams brown sugar light or dark
- 75 grams salted butter room temperature
- 6 grams salt
- 200 grams sourdough discard
- 425 grams all-purpose flour
Cinnamon Roll Filling
- 100 grams salted butter room temperature
- 100 grams brown sugar light or dark
- 38 grams ground cinnamon
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 113 grams cream cheese room temperature half a block of cream cheese
- 28 grams salted butter room temperature
- 115 grams powdered sugar
- 2 grams vanilla extract
Instructions
- Make the Dough: Warm the milk by microwaving it for about 60 seconds. Use a kitchen thermometer to check that it's between 105-110℉. If you don't have one, just ensure the milk is warm to the touch, but not scalding hot.
- Add the warm milk, active dry yeast, and brown sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer. Whisk, cover with a towel, and place in a warm area for 5-10 minutes, or until the milk mixture is foamy (that's how you know the yeast is activated).
- Add the egg, softened butter, salt, sourdough discard, and flour to the bowl of a stand mixer (alternatively, you can use a wooden spoon and a large mixing bowl if you're not using a stand mixer) with the dough hook attachment on. Mix the ingredients on medium speed until the flour is combined, making sure to scrape the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula to incorporate all the flour.
- Knead the dough (either with your hands or with the stand mixer) on medium for 7-9 minutes. The dough is done kneading when you press your finger on the dough and it doesn't stick to your finger.
- Form the dough into a ball and return it to the bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel, and place in a warm area to rise for 1.5 to 2 hours (or once the dough has doubled in size).
- Prepare the Cinnamon Rolls: Preheat oven to 350℉. Dust a clean surface with flour. Roll out the dough into a 12" by 18" rectangle. Spread the butter evenly on top of the dough. Next, sprinkle the brown sugar and cinnamon evenly over the buttered dough.
- Roll the dough length-wise into a tight cylinder and cut into 12 equal-sized rolls. For best results, use unflavored dental floss to cut the rolls. You may also use a sharp serrated knife. To ensure the cinnamon rolls are equal in size, cut the roll in half, then each half in half again, then finally, each half in thirds.
- Place the rolls in a greased 13×9" baking dish. Bake for 30-35 minutes until the rolls are fully baked and are golden brown on top.
- Make the Frosting: While the cinnamon rolls are baking, make the frosting. With a hand or stand mixer, combine the cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth. If you'd like to thin the frosting out, add a tablespoon of milk. Drizzle over the cinnamon rolls while they are still warm. Serve immediately and enjoy!
