These soft and fluffy sourdough cinnamon rolls are easy to make. Start the night before for pillowy delicious rolls the next morning.

sourdough cinnamon rolls with cream cheese glaze

Soft and fluffy sourdough cinnamon rolls are the best thing out there! This recipe is started the night before for delicious rolls the next morning. Alternatively you can make these ahead of time and freeze after shaping the rolls. Simply remove from freezer and allow to rise overnight.

Sourdough Cinnamon Roll Ingredients

Water - used in both the dough, if you are comfortable with leaving milk out to ferment then swapping the water for milk gives a little fluffier of a result, but water works great also.
Milk - used in the glaze
Butter - used in dough, filling, and glaze. I use unsalted, but swap for your preferred butter
Sourdough Starter - we are using bubbly active starter. Learn how to make your own here.
Sugar - granulated for the dough, brown for the filling, and powdered for the glaze.
Flour - I like to use unbleached all purpose flour, you could swap for bread if you want.
Salt - adds flavor and structure to your dough
Cream Cheese - for the best cream cheese glaze!
Vanilla Extract - for a vanilla flavor

sourdough cinnamon rolls with powdered sugar

How to Make Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls

In a large bowl combine the melted butter, water, sourdough starter, and sugar. Mix to combine. Add the flour and salt. Mix to combine, the dough will be sticky. Cover with a damp towel and let rest for 30 minutes.
After the dough has rested, knead for 5-10 minutes. The dough should feel soft and smooth. Add flour as needed during the kneading but try not to add too much.
Transfer dough back into the large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap. Let rise overnight until double in size, about 8-10 hrs. (@70 F, this time will depend on temperature).
In the morning: Line a cast-iron skillet or baking dish with parchment paper.
Lightly flour your countertop to prevent sticking. Pour the dough out of the bowl. Gently pat into a rough rectangle.
Roll the dough into a 18 x 12-ish rectangle. If the dough resists, let rest for 5-10 minutes and try again.
Spread the softened butter from the filling ingredients onto the dough. Then sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon.
Starting on the long side of the dough, roll it into a log pressing down gently as you go. Take your time with this step. The log needs to be tight so the swirls stay in tact. TIP: if the dough starts to get sticky from the heat of your hands, lightly oil or flour your fingertips, take a deep breath and try again. I also will occasionally use a bench scraper to help me pull the dough away from the counter if it is too sticky.
Cut the dough into 2-inch sections using a oiled knife or bench scraper.
Place the rolls into the lined pan and let rest for about 2 hours, or until the dough puffs up. Alternatively, if you’d like to chill or freeze the rolls, do that at this step.
Preheat oven to 350 F. Bake the dough onto the center rack and bake for 35-40 minutes. The tops should turn light golden brown when ready.
Remove from the oven and cool in the pan for 15 minutes. This helps the butter to absorb back into the dough. Then lift up the rolls, while still on the parchment paper, and transfer to a wire rack.
While the rolls are baking or cooling make the glaze. In a bowl combine butter, cream cheese, vanilla extract and powdered sugar. Beat until smooth, thinning out the consistency with milk as needed.
To serve, top the rolls with some of the glaze or lightly dust with powdered sugar.

Share Your Experience

I would love to hear about your experience making and enjoying these Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls! Feel free to tag me on Instagram or leave a review below. Your feedback helps me improve our recipes and provides inspiration to fellow home cooks.

Save this recipe for later by simply using the pin button on the recipe card or any of the photos above. Happy cooking!

Kayla Zenner