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These fluffy Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls are a delicious variation of classic cinnamon rolls. Not only are they slightly tangy and chewy in texture, but they are also fully fermented giving you all the benefits of sourdough as well.

I start the process the morning before I plan on baking them so I am going to break it down by the day.

Day 1:

Leaven Preparation

Don’t be intimidated by the word leaven. The bread leaven or levain refers to the sourdough starter used in the bread recipe. It is a mixture of flour and water that has undergone fermentation with the help of wild yeasts and beneficial bacteria present in the environment.

The morning before baking this recipe, remove your sourdough starter from the fridge and prepare the leaven for this recipe. (For example, if you want to make the cinnamon rolls Wednesday morning, do the following steps on Tuesday morning.

To a small bowl or medium size jar add:

• 60g sourdough starter (this can be straight out of the fridge or active starter)
• 60g all purpose flour
• 60g filtered room temperature water

Thoroughly mix, and then let it sit on counter all day long and by night time it is active and bubbly. Make sure to set it in a warm part of your kitchen away from direct sunlight. If it is cold, you can place it in the oven with just the oven light on for a bit of warmth.

Note: If you already have fed and active starter that is ready to use you can skip right ahead to the next step which is done the night before baking.

Dough Preparation: the night before baking

• To a medium/large mixing bowl, add 120g (1/2 cup) of the leaven/ active sourdough starter, 540g (4.5 cups) flour, 120g (1/2 cup) water, 160g (1/2 cup) maple syrup, and 113g (1/2 cup) melted butter to a mixing bowl
• Mix with a dough whisk and then by hand to form it into a ball.
• Cover and allow it to ferment in a warm spot overnight.

Note: The dough ball should be more dry than wet in consistency.

Day 2: The day of baking

Prepare the dough

• Add the dough ball to a stand mixer bowl.
• Add: 2 eggs, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tsp baking soda, and 1 tsp baking powder.
• With the dough hook attachment, mix on a low/med speed for about 5 minutes. If the dough seems too sticky, (you will know if it is sticking to the sides of the mixer) add a bit of flour in small increments until it no longer sticks to the sides of the bowl.

Prepare the filling

While this is mixing, prepare the filling by mixing together 113g (1/2 cup) softened butter, 120g (1/2 cup) brown sugar, turbinado sugar, coconut sugar or any other substitute, and 2 tbs (20g) of Ceylon cinnamon.

If your butter is not soft you can put it in a small pan on the stove and heat it on low, then stir in the sugar and cinnamon. (Allow it to cool a bit before spreading it on your dough.)

Putting it all together

I used slice cinnamon rolls the traditional way where you roll it into a log shape and then use a bench scraper, sharp knife, or dental floss to slice the individual rolls. I recently tried a different method and I don’t think I will ever go back to the old way.

The new way involves using a pastry slicer or a pizza cutter to slice the individual strips and then roll them up. They come out a lot less squished this way and allow you to easily create the heart shaped cinnamon rolls seen here.

• First, preheat your oven to 375°F.
• Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out on to a clean and floured surface about 1/4″ thick.
• Then spread the filling mixture as evenly as possible.
• Using a pastry cutter or pizza cutter, slice your first dough strip about 1 inch thick.
• Then gently roll it up into your desired shape.
• Place the cinnamon rolls into a greased 9×13 glass baking dish or two 9 inch round baking dishes.
• Top the cinnamon rolls with 1/2 cup of heavy whipping cream.
• Place in the preheated oven and bake for about 40 minutes.

Allow them to cool 5 minutes before serving. I don’t do any additional toppings on my cinnamon rolls. I think they are delicious without any additional toppings.

Sourdough Baking Favorites

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