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Iced cinnamon rolls in a metal pan with a jar of discard in the background and a manual mixer in the background.

Sour Dough Discard Cinnamon Rolls

Michele Wendt
Sour Dough Discard Cinnamon Rolls are soft, gooey and packed with cinnamon sugar. Iced with cream cheese frosting, they are a perfect way to use up your sour dough discard.
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Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Rise Time 2 hours 45 minutes
Total Time 4 hours
Course Breakfast, Brunch, Snack
Cuisine American, Danish, German, Swedish
Servings 12 rolls
Calories 925 kcal
Equipment
  • stand or hand mixer
  • large mixing bowl
  • medium mixing bowl
  • 9 x 13-inch metal baking pan (recommend metal, but can use glass)
  • measuring cups and spoons
  • whisk
  • Rubber/silicone spatula
  • Rolling Pin
  • kitchen scale (optional)
  • oven thermometer (optional but recommended)
  • small offset spatula
  • large wooden cutting board
  • large serrated knife
  • tea towel
Ingredients
  

For the rolls

  • 1/4 cup (75g) water, lukewarm
  • 2 1/2 tsp (7.5g) instant yeast (You can use active dry, may just take a little longer to rise.)
  • 3/4 cup (168g) milk, 2% or whole, lukewarm
  • 1/2 cup (100g) sugar
  • 1/2 cup (120g) active sour dough starter (100% hydration)
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1/3 cup (75g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
  • 4 1/4 cups (510g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/4 tsp (8g) salt
  • non-stick cooking spray or oil

For the filling

  • 1 cup (213g) brown sugar
  • 3 tbsp (22g) cinnamon
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 2 tbsp (30g) heavy cream (for drizzling over the rolls before baking)

For the cream cheese icing

  • 8 oz (226g) cream cheese (1 block), softened
  • 1/2 cup (113g) butter (1 stick), softened
  • 2 cups (226g) powdered sugar
  • 2 tbsp (30g) heavy cream
  • 1 tsp (4g) vanilla extract
Instructions
 

For the rolls

  • In the bowl of a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl, combine water, yeast and 1 teaspoon of the sugar.
  • Let the yeast bloom for 5-10 minutes until it starts to get foamy.
  • Add milk, the rest of the sugar and room temperature sourdough discard to the bowl with the water and yeast. Blend together on low speed with the paddle attachment if using a stand mixer, or by hand with a whisk or big spoon.
  • Add eggs one at a time until combined, mixing well after each addition.
  • Add melted butter and mix until combined.
  • Using your dough hook now, or a large spoon if mixing manually, gradually add 4 cups of the flour and the salt, mixing on low (speed 2 on KitchenAid) after each addition of flour.
  • Gradually add the remaining 1/4 cup of flour (one tablespoon at a time), mixing after each addition until the dough is very soft, still sticky and still sticks to the bottom and sometimes the side of the bowl. The dough should not fully clean the bowl.
    Stop adding flour once your dough reaches this stage and stretches without tearing. (You may not add the whole additional 1/4 cup of flour and that is okay.)
  • Knead the dough for 5-7 minutes on low (speed 2) if using a stand mixer (7-10 minutes by hand). The dough should be smooth, slightly glossy and still a little tacky.
  • Spray a large bowl with non-stick cooking spray or use a paper towel to grease the bowl with oil.
  • Transfer dough to the greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and a tea towel and place in a warm spot. (I like to turn on my oven to about 300°F and place my bowl on top of the stove if I don’t have a warm area.)
  • Let the dough rise for 1-2 hours until it has doubled in size.

For the filling

  • Add brown sugar, cinnamon and salt to a medium-sized mixing bowl and mix until combined. Set aside.
  • Punch down the dough.
  • Transfer to a floured counter or cutting board. (I use a large wooden cutting board.) Lightly flour the top of the dough and a rolling pin.
  • Roll out dough to a large rectangle (About 14 x 18 inches).
  • Spread softened butter over the dough, leaving 1/2-inch on the edges for sealing.
  • Pour the cinnamon roll filling out onto the buttered dough. Spread it out with a knife or small spatula.
  • From the long side, roll dough into a log, rolling away from you, until completely rolled.
  • Butter a 9 x 13-inch metal pan with a paper towel. Set aside.
  • Using a large serrated knife, cut cinnamon rolls into 12 equal pieces using a sawing motion with your knife.
  • Arrange rolls in buttered pan slightly spaced apart.
  • Cover rolls with plastic wrap and a tea towel and let them rise for 30-45 minutes until the rolls are puffy and touching.
  • Preheat oven to 350°F.
  • Drizzle 2 tablespoons of heavy cream evenly over the rolls. (This really helps them to reach their gooey potential.)
  • Insert an oven thermometer into the middle cinnamon roll. (I highly recommend using a thermometer so you don’t overbake your rolls. I like to make sure mine are doughy and gooey.)
  • Bake cinnamon rolls until tops are pale golden, the centers are very soft when pressed and the thermometer reads 175-178°F. If you don’t have a thermometer, about 22-28 minutes. I recommend to start checking them after 22 minutes.
    If you like your cinnamon rolls a little less doughy and more fully set, bake until the tops are golden brown, the edges are fully set and the thermometer reads 180-185°F, about 25-32 minutes. Start checking after 25 minutes.
  • Once the rolls are baked, let them cool for 10 minutes while you make your cream cheese icing.

For the cream cheese icing

  • Add softened butter and cream cheese to the bowl of a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl.
  • Beat on medium speed with a stand mixer or in a large bowl with a hand mixer until creamy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed.
  • Add powdered sugar, heavy cream and vanilla extract to the bowl. Beat until smooth and combined, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed.
  • Using a small spatula or butter knife, ice the cinnamon rolls. (Depending how much icing you like on your cinnamon rolls, you may not use all of it.)
  • Enjoy!

For Overnight Cinnamon Rolls

  • After the first rise and you prepare your rolls and arrange them in the pan, cover tightly with plastic wrap.
  • Refrigerate rolls overnight. (8-12 hours)
  • In the morning, remove the rolls from the refrigerator and let them come to room temperature 40-60 minutes. They should look puffy.
  • Bake as previously directed. Cool rolls for 10 minutes and ice.
Notes
Storing Cinnamon Rolls
 
Room temperature:
  • Store rolls tightly covered at room temperature for up to 2 days.
  • Rolls are best eaten within the first 24 hours of baking and icing.
  • Rewarm in the microwave for 10-15 seconds per roll.
Refrigerator:
  • Store rolls covered in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.
  • Refrigerating rolls firms them up, so rewarm in the microwave for 15-25 seconds to restore softness. You can also cover them with foil and warm them in the oven at 300°F for 8-10 minutes.
Freezing:
  • Freeze rolls without icing – highly recommended. (Rolls can be frozen with icing for up to 1 month, but the icing may soften or weep.)
  • Let rolls completely cool.
  • Wrap rolls tightly in plastic wrap and then foil.
  • Freeze for up to 2 months.
To Serve after freezing:
  • Thaw rolls at room temperature.
  • Loosely cover on a plate with a damp paper towel.
  • Microwave 10-15 seconds, or more, if needed.
  • Glaze just before serving.
Freezing raw cinnamon rolls:
  • Assemble rolls and arrange in pan.
  • Freeze rolls uncovered until solid (1-2 hours).
  • Wrap pan tightly or transfer rolls to a freezer bag.
  • Freeze up to 1 month.
Bake after freezing:
  • Thaw rolls overnight in the refrigerator or
  • Thaw at room temperature for 2-3 hours until puffy. (Rolls must fully rise before baking or they will be dense.)
  • Bake as directed.
Keyword Cinnamon, cinnamon rolls, Sour dough, sour dough discard, Sourdough, Sourdough discard