Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls — Fluffy, Gooey, and Naturally Leavened

Sourdough cinnamon rolls are richer, more tender, and more complex in flavour than standard yeasted versions. The long, slow fermentation develops a subtle tang that balances the sweetness of the cinnamon filling, and the naturally leavened dough produces a softer, fluffier texture. They take more time than commercial yeast rolls — but almost all of that time is hands-off, and the result is worth it.

Ingredients

Dough

• 500g baker's flour
• 200ml full-fat milk, warmed to about 35°C
• 100g sourdough starter (active, at or near peak)
• 60g caster sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 80g unsalted butter, softened
• 8g fine salt

Filling

• 80g unsalted butter, softened
• 120g brown sugar (packed)
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp mixed spice (optional)

Cream Cheese Glaze

• 100g cream cheese, softened
• 80g icing sugar, sifted
• 3–4 tbsp milk
• ½ tsp vanilla extract

Method

Day 1 — Mix and First Ferment

1. Mix the dough: Combine flour, warm milk, starter, sugar, and eggs in a bowl. Mix until a shaggy dough forms. Cover and rest for 30 minutes.
2. Add butter and salt: Add salt, then add the softened butter in small pieces, squeezing it into the dough until fully incorporated. The dough will be soft, slightly sticky, and elastic. This is correct.
3. Develop the dough: Knead by hand for 5–8 minutes or perform 4–5 sets of stretch and folds over 2 hours. The dough should become smooth, elastic, and pull away from the bowl cleanly.
4. Bulk ferment: Leave covered at room temperature (22–24°C) for 6–10 hours until doubled in size. The enriched dough ferments more slowly than plain sourdough — be patient.
5. Refrigerate overnight: Once doubled, place in the fridge to chill for 8–12 hours. Cold dough is much easier to roll and shape cleanly.

Day 2 — Shape, Proof, and Bake

1. Make the filling: Beat together the softened butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon until smooth.
2. Roll the dough: On a lightly floured surface, roll the cold dough into a rectangle approximately 40cm x 30cm.
3. Spread the filling: Spread the cinnamon filling evenly over the dough, leaving a 2cm border at one of the long edges.
4. Roll and slice: Starting from the opposite long edge, roll tightly into a log. Slice into 12 even rolls using unflavoured dental floss (loop under the log, cross over the top, and pull through — this cuts cleanly without squashing the rolls).
5. Final proof: Arrange the rolls in a greased 30x20cm baking tin. Cover and leave at room temperature for 2–4 hours until puffy and touching each other.
6. Bake: Preheat oven to 180°C fan. Bake for 22–28 minutes until golden. Don't overbake — they continue cooking in the tin out of the oven.
7. Glaze: While rolls are still warm, beat together cream cheese, icing sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth and pourable. Pour over the rolls and serve immediately.

Storage

Best eaten on the day of baking. Store leftovers covered at room temperature for up to 2 days. Reheat individual rolls in a microwave for 20–30 seconds or in a 160°C oven for 8 minutes. Unglazed rolls freeze well — glaze after reheating.

For a starter to make these with, browse our sourdough starter kits. See our full recipe collection for more sourdough baking ideas.

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