Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Rolls (2024)

Published: Feb 10, 2022, Last Modifed: Feb 9, 2022, Wendy See Affiliate Policy, Privacy Policy, and Cookie Policy links in footer

Do you have a sourdough starter that you're not sure what to do with? I've got the perfect recipe for you, Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Rolls! These cinnamon rolls turn out light fluffy and delicious.

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Nothing is quite as delicious as waking up and deciding to make cinnamon rolls. These Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Rolls would win dessert of the year! Today you’re going to learn how to make something incredibly delicious!

The best thing about these fluffy sourdough cinnamon rolls is that there is no rise time, you can eat them right away or the next day. Plus, they’re really easy to make. Give them a try today!

Using a sourdough discard starter, you can make Discard Cinnamon Rolls. I used to be intimidated by making cinnamon rolls, but now I can make them without any issues! My step-by-step recipe will teach you how to make the rolls, filling, and glaze!

I have a confession to make: I’m addicted to sourdough discard cinnamon rolls. There, I said it. Every time I make a batch of sourdough starter, I can’t help but think about the delicious cinnamon rolls I can make with the discarded starter.

And let me tell you, they are absolutely delicious! If you’ve never had a sourdough discard cinnamon roll before, you’re in for a real treat. They are fluffy and moist with a sweet and gooey cinnamon filling.

Plus, the added tang from the sourdough starter makes them extra special. So if you’re looking for an easy and delicious breakfast or dessert idea, be sure to give these rolls a try!

❤️ Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Making cinnamon rolls from scratch – If you’ve always wanted to make cinnamon rolls from scratch, then this is your recipe to try!
Easy to follow recipe – Why should you want to spend hours making a recipe that makes no sense? My recipe is simple to follow and you’ll be able to make it in no time.
Cinnamon rolls everyone loves – Now is your chance to make cinnamon rolls that everyone loves!

🛒Ingredients

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Dough Ingredients

butter, cold
all-purpose flour
sourdough starter discard
milk
granulated sugar
salt
baking powder
baking soda

Filling Ingredients

light brown sugar
cinnamon
butter, melted

Glaze Ingredients

powdered sugar
butter, melted
vanilla extract
milk

See the recipe card below for quantities.

🔪 How to Make Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Rolls

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Spray with cooking spray a 12” cast iron skillet.

In a large bowl, add your flour. Cut your butter into pats and add to your flour. Using your hands, or a pastry cutter, work the butter into the dough. Crumbles should resemble pea-sized.

Add to your flour mixture, sourdough starter, milk, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Mix well.

Lightly flour a flat surface and add your dough mixture. Roll your dough to a 12 x 22 inches rectangle.

Filling: Melt your butter in a small bowl. Add to your butter mixture your cinnamon and sugar. Mix.

Brush your cinnamon sugar mixture to your dough evenly, leaving space on the edges.

📝Variations

Sometimes you may find that adding or taking something away makes a recipe worth making. Check out some of these various options.

Different colored icing – change up the color of the icing by adding a little food coloring to the glaze! You can make them holiday appropriate by doing this.
Add more spice – want to make the cinnamon rolls even more amazing? Add more spices. Adding cinnamon, nutmeg, or ginger can add so much to these cinnamon rolls.
Dark chocolate chunks – if you love chocolate, try adding some dark chocoalte chunks to the cinnamon rolls for baking.

Love cinnamon rolls? Strawberry Cinnamon Rolls are soooo delicious.

🥄 Equipment

Castiron skillet or baking dish
large bowl
measuring cups
measuring spoons
pastry cutter
rolling pin
small bowl
pastry brush
sharp serrated knife or bread knife
small mixing bowl for glaze

🥫 Storage

The beautiful thing about these Sourdough Discard cinnamon rolls is that they are easy to store. Place them in an airtight container. You can put them on the counter for up to two days.

These cinnamon rolls can be frozen! Try to consume them within 30 days of freezing them.

💭 Tips

You’ll want to pour the glaze on the cinnamon rolls while they are still warm. Trust me, you’ll love the taste of glaze on the cinnamon rolls while warm!
These soft dough cinnamon rolls do not need time for the dough rise, nor do they need a second rise which is what makes them the best cinnamon rolls if you ask me.
And if you want to get fancy you can use unscented dental floss to cut your cinnamon if you don’t have a knife.
Sourdough cinnamon rolls have a tangy flavor compared to traditional cinnamon rolls.
Don’t forget to use a floured rolling pin to prevent the dough from sticking.
For best results be sure to grease and flour the bottom of the pan or cast-iron skillet well to prevent sticking for sourdough cinnamon buns.
Use cream cheese frosting instead of glaze if you want to add a slight tang to the top of these warm rolls.
Dark brown sugar can be used in the cinnamon filling of these sticky buns.
If you do not have a cast-iron skillet you can use a large rectangle cake pan.

⁉️ FAQ

Do you have questions about this recipe? Here are the answers to the most commonly asked questions.

How do you store cinnamon rolls overnight?

If you want to enjoy cinnamon rolls in the morning, cover them with plastic wrap and place them on the countertop. If you haven’t baked them yet, then cover them with plastic wrap and place them in the fridge overnight.

How long can you leave cinnamon roll dough in the fridge?

You can leave cinnamon roll dough in the fridge for up to 3 days before using it.

Why do my cinnamon rolls get hard?

Your cinnamon rolls might be too hard because you used too much flour. Try to use the recommended amount of flour.

🍽 More Breakfast Recipes

Do you enjoy breakfast? Try these delicious recipes:

Cranberry Walnut Banana Bread
Air Fryer Nutella Pop Tarts
Red Velvet Cinnamon Rolls

🧾Sourdough Discard Cinamon Rolls

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Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls

Do you have a sourdough starter that you're not sure what to do with? I've got the perfect recipe for you, Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Rolls! These cinnamon rolls turn out light fluffy and delicious.

4.14 from 257 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour 5 minutes minutes

Servings: 12 Cinnamon Rolls

Calories: 331kcal

Author: Wendy

Equipment

Large bowl
knife and cutting board
small bowl

Ingredients

8 tablespoons butter cold
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
⅓ cup sourdough starter discard
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
¾ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda

Filling

¾ cup light brown sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
4 tablespoons butter melted

Glaze

1 ¼ cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon butter melted
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 ½ tablespoons milk

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Spray with cooking spray a 12” cast iron skillet.
In a large bowl, add your flour. Cut your butter into pats and add to your flour. Using your hands, or a pastry cutter, work the butter into the dough. Crumbles should resemble pea size.
Add to your flour mixture, sourdough starter, milk, sugar, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Mix well.
Lightly flour a flat surface and add your dough mixture. Roll your dough to a 12 x 22 inches rectangle.

Filling

Melt your butter in a small bowl. Add to your butter mixture your cinnamon and sugar. Mix.
Brush your cinnamon sugar mixture to your dough evenly, leaving space on the edges.
Roll your dough toward you long ways. Pinch the ends together.
Cut your cinnamon rolls into 12 pieces. I suggest using a sharp knife, or bread knife. Cut in the middle to create two pieces, then cut again to create four pieces, etc. until you have 12!
Place each piece of your cinnamon roll in your skillet with the swirl showing top to bottom. Place evenly so that each cinnamon roll has room.
Bake your cinnamon rolls for 35 to 40 minutes or until lightly brown.
While your cinnamon rolls are baking, mixed together all of the ingredients for your glaze. Set aside.
Once your cinnamon rolls are done remove them from the oven. Pour the glaze evenly over the cinnamon rolls.
Serve and enjoy!

Notes

You may need to add up to an additional cup of flour depending on your elevation and starter. You will know you have enough flour when it becomes a dough ball and not more like a batter.
If you want a light and fluffy texture instead of a more dense texture, add your dough to a stand mixer with a dough hook and give it about a minute of mixing to activate the gluten and make them lighter.

Nutrition