Perfectly Soft and Easy Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls with Active Starter
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These homemade sourdough cinnamon rolls are soft, fluffy, and filled with a buttery cinnamon-sugar filling before being topped with a sweet cream cheese frosting. They’re the kind of cozy, from-scratch breakfast that feels special enough for Christmas morning or a slow weekend at home, while still being simple enough for everyday baking.
If you’ve been looking for another way to use your sourdough starter beyond a traditional loaf of bread, cinnamon rolls are one of my favorites!
Nothing compares to a pan of warm cinnamon rolls coming out of the oven that fills the kitchen with cozy aromas. And while sourdough can sometimes feel complicated, it really doesn’t have to be. This recipe uses simple ingredients and a same-day or overnight rise, making it easy to make the same day for a dessert OR =do most of the prep the night before and bake fresh cinnamon rolls in the morning.
Why You’ll Love These Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls
Soft and fluffy: These cinnamon rolls bake up soft and tender with that classic gooey cinnamon center.
Made with active sourdough starter: No commercial yeast needed! Your sourdough starter gives the dough its rise while adding that delicious sourdough flavor.
Perfect for making ahead: Prepare the dough the night before and let it ferment overnight so there’s less work to do in the morning.
Made with simple ingredients: Just like so many of my favorite sourdough recipes, these rolls are made with basic ingredients you probably already keep in your kitchen.
Perfect for holidays or weekends: Make them for Christmas morning, Easter brunch, birthdays, or simply because your family wants cinnamon rolls.
What Is Sourdough Cinnamon Roll Dough?
Sourdough cinnamon roll dough is similar to a traditional cinnamon roll dough, but instead of relying on commercial yeast to make the rolls rise, it uses an active sourdough starter.
The longer fermentation time works especially well for a recipe like cinnamon rolls because you can prepare the dough in the evening, let it ferment overnight, and finish the rolls the following morning.
The result is a soft, homemade cinnamon roll with all the cinnamon-sugar goodness you expect, plus the flavor of sourdough.
Ingredients for Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls
Dough
- active sourdough starter
- milk
- honey
- egg
- butter, melted
- salt
- all-purpose flour
Cinnamon Filling
- melted butter
- brown sugar
- cinnamon
Cream Cheese Frosting
- cream cheese
- softened butter
- vanilla extract
- powdered sugar
- milk (more for a thinner frosting/glaze)
How to Make Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls
1. Prepare the Dough
- Whisk together starter, milk, honey, egg, melted butter, and salt. Stir in flour until combined. Cover and rest 1 hour.
- Perform 4 sets of stretch & folds, 30 minutes apart.
2. Let the Dough Ferment
Let rest 1 hour, or refrigerate overnight for a long ferment. The timing of this is flexible, anything between the 1 hour and overnight is just fine! The longer you ferment, the more tangy your dough will become.
3. Make the Cinnamon Filling
Mix the melted butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a bowl.
4. Roll and Cut the Cinnamon Rolls
Roll dough into a large 12-inch rectangle on a lightly floured surface. You can make the length however long you want, the longer it is the more layers in your roll you will get. We usually roll this out and get 11-12 rolls the way you see it being cut in the photo below.
Spread with the cinnamon filling, cut into 1 inch strips with a bench scraper, roll up tightly, then place in a greased baking dish or cast iron pan.
Note:You can cut into 1 inch strips and then roll each strip up individually, or roll up into a log and then cut, either way works. It just depends on what you prefer. I have found individual rolls like shown below is easier for kids to help with!
5. Let the Cinnamon Rolls Rise
Cover and let them do their second rise until noticeably puffy. This could take 30 minutes to two hours depending on your environment.
6. Bake
Bake at 375°F for 20–25 minutes, until golden brown.
7. Make the Cream Cheese Frosting
Beat frosting/glaze ingredients, adding powdered sugar last, until smooth and fluffy. I love using my Kitchenaid mixer for this. Spread or drizzle over warm cinnamon rolls and enjoy! If you want a thiner glaze, add more milk until it reaches your preferred consistency. For a thicker frosting, use less milk.
Spread the cream cheese frosting over the cinnamon rolls while they’re still slightly warm. This lets some of the frosting melt down into all those cinnamon-sugar layers.
Serve warm and enjoy!
How to Make OVERNIGHT Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls
One of my favorite things about this recipe is being able to prepare most of it the night before.
Start your dough in the evening and allow it to bulk ferment overnight. In the morning, you can roll out the dough, add the cinnamon-sugar filling, shape the rolls, and allow them to complete their second rise before baking.
Example schedule:
Evening: Mix the dough and begin the overnight fermentation.
Morning: Shape the cinnamon rolls, allow them to rise, and bake.
The exact timing will depend on the temperature of your kitchen and how active your sourdough starter is, so look at your dough rather than relying only on the clock.
How Do I Know When My Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls Are Ready to Bake?
Your cinnamon rolls should look noticeably puffier after their final rise. The individual rolls will have expanded and should begin filling out the baking dish.
Sourdough fermentation can move faster or slower depending on the temperature of your home, the strength of your starter, and other factors. A warm kitchen will generally result in faster fermentation, while a cooler kitchen may require additional time.
Tips for the Best Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls
Use an active starter. For the best rise, use a bubbly sourdough starter that has recently been fed and is at or near its peak.
Don’t rush the rise. Sourdough takes longer than commercial yeast. Give your dough enough time to ferment and become light and airy.
Keep the rolls similar in size. Cutting your cinnamon rolls evenly helps them bake at approximately the same rate.
Don’t overbake them. Pull them from the oven once they’re baked through and lightly golden so they stay soft.
Frost them while they’re warm. Let them cool slightly first, but add the cream cheese frosting while the rolls are still warm for that delicious gooey finish.
Can I Prepare Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls Ahead of Time?
Yes! Cinnamon rolls are a great make-ahead sourdough breakfast.
Because sourdough naturally requires a longer fermentation, much of the preparation can happen while you’re sleeping. This makes them especially nice for holidays when you want a homemade breakfast without starting completely from scratch first thing in the morning.
How to Store Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls
Because these cinnamon rolls are topped with cream cheese frosting, store leftovers covered in the refrigerator.
When you’re ready to enjoy one, you can warm it slightly before serving to bring back that soft, fresh-from-the-oven texture.
My favorite thing to warm up our food in is this air fryer oven that has a reheat option.
Can You Freeze Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls?
Yes. Baked cinnamon rolls can be frozen for longer storage. Allow them to cool completely before placing them in a freezer-safe container.
For the best results, you may prefer to freeze the rolls without the cream cheese frosting and add fresh frosting after reheating.
What to Serve With Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls
For a simple weekend breakfast, we usually don’t need much alongside a warm cinnamon roll! But if you’re serving these for brunch or Christmas morning, pair them with scrambled eggs, bacon or sausage, fresh fruit, coffee, or a glass of cold milk.
They make such a cozy centerpiece for a breakfast table.
More Sourdough Recipes to Try
If you love finding simple ways to use your sourdough starter, try some of my other everyday sourdough recipes:
- Sourdough Pancakes
- Sourdough Waffles
- Sourdough English Muffins
- Sourdough Bagels
- Sourdough Dutch Baby
- Sourdough Banana Bread
- Sourdough Artisan Bread
Easy Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
Method
- Whisk together starter, milk, honey, egg, melted butter, and salt.
- Stir in flour until combined. Cover and rest 1 hour.
- Perform 4 sets of stretch & folds, 30 minutes apart.
- Let rest 1 hour, or refrigerate overnight for a long ferment.
- Roll dough into a large 12-inch rectangle on a lightly floured surface.
- Spread with the cinnamon filling, roll tightly, and slice into 1-inch rolls.
- Place rolls in a greased baking dish or cast iron skillet and let rise again, until noticeably puffy.
- Bake at 375°F for 20–25 minutes, until golden brown.
- Beat glaze ingredients, adding powdered sugar last, until smooth and fluffy.
- Spread or drizzle over warm cinnamon rolls and enjoy!
Nutrition
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!A Cozy From-Scratch Breakfast
These sourdough cinnamon rolls are one of those recipes that remind me why I love making food from scratch in the first place. It’s not about making everything complicated or spending all day in the kitchen. Sometimes it’s simply mixing up a dough before bed and waking up knowing that warm cinnamon rolls will soon be on the table.
Whether you’re making them for a holiday, a slow Saturday morning, or just because, I hope this recipe becomes one your family asks for again and again.
If you make these sourdough cinnamon rolls, I’d love to hear how they turned out!
Happy baking! 🤍
Emily
Fuentes Family Homestead
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