Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls Recipe

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Use your active sourdough starter for this small batch sourdough cinnamon roll recipe. No yeast, easy instructions, and the perfect way to use your starter that isn’t another loaf of bread.

When I started a sourdough starter, I had so much fun making traditional loaves until I was comfortable branching out into other ways to use it. While I do have a collection of 40+ recipes you can make with sourdough discard, I also have a few recipes for things to make with sourdough starter than aren’t traditional loaves.

These sourdough cinnamon rolls are my favorite place for someone to go once they’ve mastered making cinnamon rolls with traditional yeast. They have a delectably tangy flavor that complements the cream cheese frosting so well, and the nature of sourdough bread-making, which utilizes lots of time, means the dough in these rolls is soft and supple, more so than what you can get with traditional dry yeast.

Once you’ve mastered these rolls, be sure you whip up a batch of sourdough English muffins and sourdough dinner rolls next!

While there is nothing hard, crunchy, or dry about my funfetti cinnamon rolls nor my caramel rolls, these sourdough starter cinnamon rolls were something special.

Extra soft interior and an ever-so-slight tang thanks to the sourdough absolutely made these cinnamon rolls ones to remember.

Also, SMALL BATCH so you aren’t stuck with 12 rolls.

Unless, of course, that’s what you want to do– instructions for how to do that in the notes of the recipe.

We have all the standard ingredients we would use for traditional cinnamon rolls, but since we’re making a sourdough version, we don’t need any yeast.

The rest of the ingredients? Totally the same.

Super basic, super cinnamon-y, and the perfect complement to the tangy sourdough bread base.

This is a simple recipe and one you’ve seen before. You just need

See? Ingredients are simple. You just won’t be needing any yeast.

And because we aren’t using any yeast, the process of making these easy sourdough cinnamon rolls will take a bit longer. Let’s talk about that.

With traditional yeast, you only need to let your dough rest about 10 minutes before shaping it. It will relax its elasticity, give in to your shaping, and rise beautifully as filled, cut rolls before baking.

Since even active starter works more slowly than traditional yeast, our initial rest (which is actually an initial rise) will take about 3-4 hours instead of just 10 minutes.

2. To that mixture, add the sugar, salt, vanilla, and egg. Whisk together to combine.

Since we know the starter is active, we don’t have to wait or “proof” anything like we typically do when working with yeast.

3. Once all of those ingredients are well-combined, add about 1 and ½ cups of the flour and stir (or use your dough hook attachment in the bowl of a stand mixer).

4. When this dough has come together, add in the softened butter. Adding it in now as opposed to earlier in the melted form will help create fluffy sourdough cinnamon rolls with lots of layers within the layers of the rolls. I use this method with all of my cinnamon roll recipes, and it’s a winner every time for mega texture!

5. After the butter has been blended, add the remaining 1 cup of flour and blend until dough comes together.

6. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface, then knead for a few minutes until dough is uniform.

After this step in traditional yeast bread making, you’d normally punch the dough down to release any extra air. But because we want to keep the air that we’ve gotten in this dough, we will work carefully in the next step.

Keep in mind that after the initial rise/bulk fermentation, while the dough will look larger and rounder, it won’t be nearly as puffed up as you’re used to seeing after the first rise of a traditional yeast bread. This is ok and to be expected. As long as your dough is larger and rounder, it’s doing what it’s supposed to do!

9. Once you have your rectangle, spread the cinnamon filling all over, roll the dough up tightly, and then cut into 6 even rounds.

Are you taking notes? This means you’ll need about 8-12 hours for this whole process. Be sure to plan ahead! And check out the notes section of the recipe card if you want to prepare the rolls ahead of time and bake them in the morning of the next day.

12. Bake for 25-30 minutes, after which they will be practically begging for a slathering of some creamy dreamy cream cheese frosting.

It doesn’t get a whole lot better than this, my friends.

Sourdough Cinnamon Roll Recipe Variations

Once you’re comfortable with making cinnamon rolls using a sourdough starter, you can convert any of my yeasted cinnamon roll recipes into a sourdough version!

Check out any of the following ways to jazz up your flavor:
Funfetti Cinnamon Rolls
Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls
Coffee Rolls
Lemon Poppy Seed Sweet Rolls
Small Batch Cinnamon Rolls (Makes 6)
Mini Cinnamon Rolls (Makes 24 Bite-Size)
Eggnog Cinnamon Rolls
Caramel Rolls

How to serve Sourdough Starter Cinnamon Rolls

I prefer to serve these rolls warm, so be sure to warm before you eat them if you’re not eating them fresh.

How to store Sourdough Starter Cinnamon Rolls

Store these cinnamon rolls at room temperature or in the refrigerator up to 4 days. Rolls freeze well, up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator or at room temperature.

If you’re still rocking a sourdough starter from 2020, these sourdough cinnamon rolls are where it’s at.

Perfect as an indulgence, perfect for gifting to new neighbors (you’ll be their new favs!), or simply just a way to use your starter that isn’t another loaf of sourdough.

FAQs for Cinnamon Rolls with Sourdough Starter

Soft, cinnamony, swirly, scientifically proven to be gone in a few hours… You’ve got to put these on your to-do list!