Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Rolls

5 from 2 votes

Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Rolls

These sourdough discard cinnamon rolls are soft, buttery, and packed with cinnamon-sugar swirl in every bite. The best part about this recipe is that you can make the cinnamon rolls from start to finish in about 2 hours.

Prep Time20

Cook Time25

Rise Time1

Total Time1 45

Course: Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: rolls

Calories: 520kcal

Author: Joy Kincaid

Equipment

Ingredients

For the Dough:

3/4 cup sourdough discard about 150 g, room temperature
1/2 cup warm milk 120 g (about 100–110°F)
2 1/4 teaspoon instant yeast 1 packet
1/4 cup granulated sugar 50 g
2 large eggs
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted 85 g
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 420 g, or bread flour (or a mix of both)
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Nonstick spray or neutral oil for greasing the bowl

For the Filling:

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened 85 g
1 cup brown sugar, packed 200 g
1 1/2 -2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

For the Cream Cheese Icing

4 ounces cream cheese 113 g, softened
4 ounces unsalted butter 113 g, softened
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar 180 g
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch of salt
1 to 2 tablespoons milk optional, if needed to thin

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 170°F for 3 to 4 minutes, then turn it off. This gently warms the oven without making it too hot for proofing.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together the room temperature discard, warm milk, instant yeast, sugar, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla until smooth. Add the flour and salt, then switch to the dough hook and knead on medium-low speed for 8 to 10 minutes, scraping down the sides as needed, until the dough is soft and slightly tacky.
Lightly grease a large bowl with neutral oil (like avocado oil) or nonstick spray. Transfer the dough to the bowl, cover, and let rise in the warm (turned-off) oven for 45 to 60 minutes or until doubled. If the top feels dry afterward, rub a little oil over it to soften before rolling out.
Stir together the brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface into a 14x18-inch rectangle. Spread the softened butter all over the dough, then evenly sprinkle with the cinnamon-sugar mix.
Cut the dough into 12 long strips. Roll each strip into a swirl and place in a greased 9x13-inch baking pan. You can also roll the whole thing into a log and slice it into 12 pieces with dental floss or a sharp knife.
Cover loosely and let rise in a warm spot for 20 to 30 minutes. If your kitchen is chilly, you can turn your oven back on for just a minute, turn it off, and let the rolls rise inside. Even if the rolls aren’t fully touching after 30 minutes, you can go ahead and bake. The rolls will rise more in the oven.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake for 18 to 23 minutes, or until the tops are golden and the center reaches 190–195°F when tested with an instant-read thermometer.
While the rolls bake, make the icing. Beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth, then mix in the powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt. Add milk only if needed to thin.
Let the rolls cool for just a few minutes, then spread the icing over them while they’re still warm so it melts into the layers. If you want the icing to stay thick and fluffy, wait until they’re mostly cool before frosting.

Notes

How to Store:

For food safety, it’s best to store these cinnamon rolls in an airtight container in the fridge if they’re frosted with cream cheese icing. They’ll stay fresh for up to 4–5 days. Let them come to room temperature or give them a quick 15–20 second warm-up in the microwave to soften before eating.

If you plan to serve them within a few hours, it’s okay to leave them out at room temperature during that time. Just be sure to refrigerate any leftovers.

Tips:

To use active dry yeast instead of instant yeast, just bloom it in the warm milk with a pinch of sugar for 5 to 10 minutes before mixing it in.
AP flour makes for a super soft cinnamon roll. Bread flour helps to add more structure. Either flour works perfectly in this recipe. I also love using a 50/50 blend of both flours that helps give the best of both worlds.
Room temperature discard works best for this recipe. If the discard is too cold, it can slow down the yeast and the rise of the dough.
If your dough feels dry while mixing, your discard may be thick. Add a small splash of warm milk or an extra tablespoon of butter to adjust.
Don’t stress if the rolls aren’t perfect spirals. They will still be very tasty!
If you have time, you can skip the warm oven and proof at room temperature, but it may take longer than 2 hours total to make the rolls.
When warming your oven for proofing, be sure to set a timer and keep the temperature low. Most ovens have a minimum setting of 170°F. A short warm-up (just 3–4 minutes) is usually enough. You don’t want the oven too hot, or it could dry out your dough instead of helping it rise. What if you let your oven get to the 170-degree temp? I did test and it will rise just fine, I felt the dough did a bit better when it was slightly under that temp in the oven. Don’t stress about it unless you go past the 170-degree mark!
You can make these cinnamon rolls the night before. Once you’ve rolled and sliced them, place the rolls in the pan, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, bring them to room temperature, let them rise in a warm spot until puffy, then bake as usual.

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