Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Rolls (2024)

These Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Rolls are a great way to use up some of your sourdough discard and make a delicious treat for breakfast, brunch, or a sweet afternoon treat! I added raisins to the filling, but you could easily change that for something else (check out some of my favorite variations below)!

I've also included directions below on how to make overnight cinnamon rolls, in case you want to prep them the day before baking!

If you love this recipe, check out my Sourdough Discard Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls, too! If you're looking for other sourdough discard recipes, try these Sourdough Discard Bagels, these Sourdough Discard Blueberry Muffins, and these Sourdough Discard Soft Pretzels.

Why you'll love this recipe

• Embrace the irregularity! Rolls that are a little irregularly shaped or sized can be very cute (and it makes it so much easier if we're not aiming for perfection!).
• Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Rolls freeze well so you can make a batch and then freeze to enjoy any time.
• You can adapt this recipe to make overnight cinnamon rolls so they're ready to bake first thing in the morning. See the variations section below!
• The raisins add a nice flavor punch, but you can also leave them out or substitute them for other things like crushed nuts.

Ingredients

There are only a few ingredients you'll need to make these Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Rolls.

• Non-dairy milk: I like to use unflavored almond milk, but this would work with any non-dairy or regular dairy milk. Heat the milk in the microwave until warm but not boiling, about 30 seconds.
• Active yeast: Even though we're using sourdough discard, we need to use a leavening agent (in this case, yeast) to make sure the dough rises predictably.
• Egg: You will want the egg to be room temperature before adding to the recipe.
• Sourdough discard: The sourdough discard should be unfed and at room temperature for this recipe. This recipe is designed to be made from a sourdough starter that uses a 1:1 ratio (when you feed your starter, it's with 1 part flour and 1 part water). If your starter uses a different ratio, you may need to adjust some of the ingredients in this recipe.
• Brown sugar: Brown sugar combines with the butter, cinnamon, and raisins to create the filling between the layers of the rolls.
• Raisins: These are optional and you can certainly leave them out (I know there are some strong opinions about raisins!), but I think they add a nice pop to the recipe. See the variations section below for a few other add-in ideas.
• Unsalted butter: There is a good bit of butter in this recipe, and you want almost all of it to be softened at room temperature. Don't forget to take that butter out of the fridge!

See full recipe below for detailed directions.

This recipe knocks it out of the park! 3 pans were gone in less than an hour; everyone said they were incredible. I can't wait to make these again!

- Emma

Substitutions & Variations

This is a very adaptable recipe and below are a few easy substitutions and variations you can try.

• Use active sourdough starter: If you'd like to make this recipe with active sourdough starter instead of discard, you can! To do so, omit the yeast and replace the sourdough discard with sourdough starter. You will also need to adjust the rise times.
• Use regular dairy milk: This recipe uses non-dairy milk, but this recipe will also work just as well with regular dairy milk.
• Use rum- or bourbon-soaked raisins: While your dough is rising, soak the raisins in rum or bourbon. This will help them plump up, but also add some of that spirit flavoring!
• Add crushed nuts: Add ¼ cup crushed almonds, pecans or walnuts when you're spreading the cinnamon sugar mixture.
• If you're looking for other cinnamon roll options, check out these Sourdough Discard Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls and Sourdough Discard Apple Cinnamon Rolls, and this Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Roll Pull Apart Bread!

I have not tested this recipe with other variations, but if you do, let us know how it turns out in the comments! I always love to hear how you're adapting these recipes and use those as ideas for future recipes as well!

How to Make Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Rolls

Letting the dough rise for enough time is the key to success with this recipe. There are a few easy steps you'll need to follow to make these Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Rolls!

Mix the dough ingredients, then place in a large, greased bowl and let rise for 60-90 minutes until doubled in size.

Roll the dough into a roughly 12x18-inch rectangle on a floured surface.

Spread the dough with the softened butter, then sprinkle with cinnamon, brown sugar and drained raisins. Be generous with the filling!

From the long end of the rectangle, roll the dough into a log. It shouldn't be loose, but doesn't need to be super tight, either!

Using unflavored dental floss or a sharp knife, cut the rolled log into 12 approximately equal-sized pieces.

Place the pieces cut-side up in a greased 9x13-inch baking dish. They will not fill the pan fully, but they will expand with the second rise. Cover with a towel and let rise for 45 minutes.

After the second rise, the rolls should be touching each other in the pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes until golden brown. Set aside to let cool.

While the rolls are cooling, combine the ingredients to make the frosting.

Once the rolls have cooled, spread with the icing.

Serve and enjoy!

Expert Baking Tips

1. Make sure to knead the dough long enough. The dough should be soft and smooth (not sticky) before the first rise.
2. Let the dough rise long enough. Rise times will vary based on the temperature of your room. Remember, dough rises quicker in a warmer room and slower in a cooler room.
3. You can use different baking pans. I recommend using an 8x13-inch baking pan for 12 rolls, but this could also work with an 8x11-inch pan (especially if you cut the dough into fewer rolls), or two 8-inch round pans. Cinnamon rolls are very versatile!
4. Don't worry about making perfectly-shaped rolls. Embrace the irregularity! Some might be bigger and some might be smaller. What you want to watch is the thickness - rolls should all be the same thickness in order to bake evenly.
5. Let the rolls cool before adding the frosting. If you add the frosting before the rolls are cooled, they will still be delicious. The frosting will melt and soak into the rolls a bit (not a bad thing!).

Overnight Cinnamon Rolls

If you want to make these cinnamon rolls overnight so they're ready to bake in the morning, you can! To do so, make the cinnamon rolls the night before. Cut the rolls and place them in the baking dish, then cover with plastic wrap and transfer to the refrigerator. The rolls will do their second rise in the fridge overnight.

When you're ready to bake in the morning, let the rolls come to room temperature for about 45-60 minutes. The rolls should have expanded to be touching each other in the pan (if not, give them a little extra rise time), then bake as directed.

How to Cut Cinnamon Rolls

Cutting the rolls is an important step. You want to make sure the rolls are equal in thickness so they will cook evenly. If they're a little bit off (especially those end pieces), that's ok, but you want to get them as close as possible to the same thickness.

There are a few ways to cut cinnamon rolls:

• Use dental floss: This is my preferred method. Use an unflavored dental floss (if it's flavored, you'll taste that in the final rolls!) and wrap it around the log. Cross the ends over the log and pull to pinch-cut the rolls. Dental floss is ideal here as it's very thin and strong and will cut through the dough easily. I do not recommend using kitchen twine, or a thicker string to try to do this, as that will tear the rolls rather than cutting them cleanly.
• Use a sharp knife: You can also use a large, sharp knife to cut the rolls. Again, you want them to be equal in thickness, and try to get a crisp cut rather than a tear. I like to use an 8-inch chef's knife so you can make one clean cut (rather than needing to make a sawing motion with a smaller knife or a serrated knife).
• Cut the dough before rolling the rolls: After you spread the filling on the dough, you can use a pizza cutter to cut dough strips. You will then roll each strip into a cinnamon roll. For this, you are cutting before rolling (unlike the above methods). This works well, but I find you need to be a bit more precise with measurements and cutting to size!

For this recipe, I recommend cutting the log into 12 rolls. But cinnamon rolls are very versatile and you could easily cut into fewer or more rolls to fit your baking pan!

What is Sourdough Discard?

Sourdough discard is what you have left over after you feed a sourdough starter. You can either literally discard it (compost, or throw it away), or you can use it in sourdough discard recipes like this one.

This recipe is designed for a sourdough starter with a 1:1 ratio (when you feed your starter, it's with 1 part flour and 1 part water). If your starter uses a different ratio, you may need to adjust some of the ingredients in this recipe.

Every sourdough starter is different. As you're kneading the dough, if it seems too dry (dense) or too wet (sticky), add more flour or milk (1 Tablespoon at a time) to reach your desired consistency.

If you're new to working with sourdough starter, check out these in-depth guides on how to feed sourdough starter, how to use sourdough discard, and tips for struggling sourdough starter.

Why does this recipe use yeast?

Sourdough discard is inactive, and needs a leavening agent (in this case, yeast) to help the dough rise predictably. You'll still get the benefit of the sourdough flavor, as well as some additional lift from the discard to make these cinnamon rolls extra fluffy. And the best part: you'll be putting your sourdough discard to good use!

Equipment

I use a KitchenAid 5-Quart Stand Mixer with a dough hook to make my dough, but you don't have to. You could also mix the dough by hand in a large bowl with a wooden spoon. Use a kitchen scale to measure your sourdough discard.

You'll need a rolling pin to roll the dough, and either unflavored dental floss or a sharp knife (I like an 8-inch chef's knife) to cut the rolls. Once the rolls are cut, you'll place the rolls in a 9x13-inch baking pan. Then you can use a spoon (or I like to use a GIR Skinny Spoonula) to spread the frosting on the rolls before serving.

Storage

Room Temperature Storage: Store the rolls covered or in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days. They will harden as they dry out. You can reheat the rolls for 15-30 seconds in the microwave to make them warm and soft again.

Freezer Storage: These cinnamon rolls freeze very well. Once the cinnamon rolls are fully cooled, transfer to an airtight container or bag (I like to split them into individual rolls and store each in a plastic bag, which makes it easier to heat up just one roll at a time). Freeze for up to 3 months. To reheat, warm the cinnamon rolls in the microwave for about 60 seconds until soft and warm again.

Recipe FAQ

Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Rolls

Jessica Vogl

A delicious recipe for Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Rolls - perfect for dessert, brunch, or an afternoon treat!

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