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These overnight sourdough cinnamon rolls can be made with either an active sourdough starter or sourdough discard. They are sweet and tangy in flavor, but simple enough for even a beginner baker.

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Cinnamon rolls are a birthday and Christmas morning treat at our house. They used to be requested for special events. Since I started making these overnight cinnamon rolls, they have been making their way into our regular breakfast menu. You can make these two ways, with active sourdough starter or sourdough discard. I’ve given directions to both below. Jump to that description here.

Cinnamon rolls are delicious any way you try them, but with the added sourdough starter the flavor gets turned up a notch. They are soft, warm, gooey, and sweetened to near perfection. Some in my family would enjoy them without the glaze, but sometimes you just need to go a little over the top.

Why sourdough?

Why sourdough cinnamon rolls you might be asking? The benefits of sourdough are a bonus to that wonderful tangy flavor. Sourdough, being a long-fermented bread, is more nutritious and healthier than regular white or whole-wheat bread. It also is easier for your body to digest and contains less gluten. 

If you don’t have a sourdough starter yet, check out my post on All Things Sourdough Starter on how to start your own. Or send me a message and I can get you started on your sourdough journey with my fifth child, Arlo the Sourdough.

Tools

These are the tools I used when baking these overnight sourdough cinnamon rolls. Not all are required, but could make the baking process a little easier.

• Spatula
• Mixing bowl
• Cheese grater
• Rolling pin
• Pastry brush
• Cast iron skillet
• Bench scraper/knife 
• Kitchen scale (although not necessary)

Bakers Schedule

To enjoy them fresh in the morning follow the sample schedule below. 

12:00 pm: Feed sourdough starter (allow 8-12 hours for starter to be ready),

8:00 pm: Mix sourdough cinnamon roll dough to proof overnight.

8:00 am: Assemble cinnamon rolls.

8:00-9:00 am: Allow to rise and become puffy.

9:00 am: Glaze the cinnamon rolls and enjoy! 

While this is just a sample schedule, you can start them a little earlier or pop the dough in the fridge until you are ready to bake them. You will need to take into consideration the temperature of your kitchen which might vary the proofing/rising times. My kitchen is normally 70 degrees and my starter is ready sooner than the average time. In very warm environments your starter could be ready to use in as little as 4-6 hours.  It takes just a little planning, but that is the only tricky part of finding success with this recipe.

Step-by-Step Instructions

• 1. Prep:
  • 8-12 hours before, feed starter so it will be active and ready to use.
  • Melt butter and allow to cool a little.  
  • Add the sourdough starter, milk, honey, egg, to the cooled and melted butter.
  • Mix flour and salt with a spatula. Add to wet ingredients until well combined. Let sit for 30 minutes.
  • Knead for 3-5 minutes. If the dough seems too sticky, perform a few rounds of stretch and folds to add more structure to the dough.
  • Place in a lightly greased bowl.
  • Cover the bowl and allow to rest for 10-12 hours.

• 2. Filling: The Next Day
  • Mix the brown sugar and cinnamon and set aside.
  • Melt butter and set aside.
• 3. Dough.
  • Roll out the dough on a generously floured surface with a rolling pin into a 12” x 15” shape.  The dough should be about 1/2” thick

• 4. Shape Rolls & Rise
  • Use a pastry brush to spread melted butter over the rectangle shape.
  • Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture evenly over the dough.

Starting on one side begin to roll the dough into a log shape. Use a bench scraper or knife to cut into approximately 12 pieces. 

Lay the pieces into the cast iron skillet leaving space between them to expand. Allow 1 hour to rise.

• 5. Bake:
  • Preheat the oven to 375.
  • Bake the cinnamon rolls for 30-35 minutes until golden brown. 
  • While baking, make the glaze by combining the powdered sugar, butter, vanilla extract, and heavy cream. 
  • Remove the cinnamon rolls from the oven and put the glaze on while they are warm.
  • Serve and enjoy!

Tips

• Using a scale can be beneficial to ensure precise measurements. If you don’t have a kitchen scale use the scoop and level technique. Fluff up the flour with a fork before you begin. Then, scoop up the flour and level off the top. 
• Put the glaze on the sourdough cinnamon rolls while they are still warm and remove from the pan. This will prevent the sugary goodness on the bottom of the skillet from getting stuck. 
• Cover and place the assembled sourdough cinnamon rolls in the fridge after forming until you are ready to bake. Just remove and allow to sit at room temperature while the oven is preheating 
• If you don’t have a cast iron skillet you can use a 9 x 13 baking dish or even a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
• If the dough seems too sticky, perform a few rounds of stretch and folds to develop more structure to your dough.

Options

You can make these sourdough cinnamon rolls with sourdough discard as well. You will just need to add 1 tsp of baking powder and ½ tsp of baking soda the next morning. The next day mix these two ingredients until no lumps remain, and add them into the dough with your hands right before rolling out. Then you can place them straight into the oven after forming. No extra rise time!

I hope you enjoy these sourdough cinnamon rolls as much as we do. Leave me a comment and a picture below if you give these yummy cinnamon rolls a try. You can also follow along with our other baking and homemaking projects on Instagram @overeasyhomestead. 

Check out more of my sourdough recipes here:

• Sourdough Sandwich Bread
• Sourdough Bagels
• Everyday Muffins with Sourdough Discard
• Chocolate Chip Cookies with Sourdough Discard

This post contains Amazon affiliate links.

Recipe

Prep: 15-20 mins. Fermentation Time: 10-12 hrs. Cook Time: 30 mins.

Serving: 12 cinnamon rolls Author: Elizabeth Loveday

Ingredients 

• 8 tablespoons butter (melted)
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• ⅓ cups of active sourdough starter (100 g) See options above for instructions on using sourdough discard.
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 cup milk
• 1 tbsp of honey (20 g)
• 1 egg

Cinnamon-Sugar Filling

• 4 tbsp butter (melted)
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• ¾ c light brown sugar (150 g)

Cinnamon Roll Glaze 

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tbsp butter (melted)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp heavy cream

Step-by-Step Instructions

• 1. Prep:
  • 8-12 hours before beginning, feed starter so it will be good and active.
  • Melt butter and allow to cool a little.  
  • Add the sourdough starter, milk, honey, egg, to the cooled and melted butter.
  • Mix flour and salt with a spatula. Add to wet mixture until well combined. Let sit for 30 minutes.
  • Knead for 3-5 minutes. If the dough still seems too sticky, perform a few rounds of stretch and folds to add more structure to the dough.
  • Place in a lightly greased bowl.
  • Cover the bowl and allow to rest for 10-12 hours. 
• 2. Filling: The Next Day
  • Mix the brown sugar and cinnamon and set aside.
  • Melt butter and set aside.
• 3. Dough.
  • Roll out the dough on a generously floured surface with a rolling pin into a 12” x 15” shape.  The dough should be about ¼” thick. 
• 4. Shape Rolls
  • Use a pastry brush to spread melted butter over the rectangle shape.
  • Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture evenly over the dough.
  • Starting on one side begin to roll the dough into a log shape. Use a bench scraper or knife to cut into approximately 12 pieces. 
  • Lay the pieces into the cast iron skillet leaving space between them to expand. Allow 1 hour to rise. 
• 5. Rise:
  • Preheat the oven to 375.
  • Bake the cinnamon rolls for 30-35 minutes until golden brown. 
  • While baking, make the glaze by combining the powdered sugar, butter, vanilla extract, and heavy cream. 
  • Remove the cinnamon rolls from the oven and put the glaze on while they are warm.
  • Serve and enjoy!