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Picture of sourdough discard cinnamon rolls.

Fluffy Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Rolls

Audrey
These sourdough discard cinnamon rolls are exceptionally light, fluffy, and easy to make with an optional chai spice buttercream.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Resting Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Course Breakfast
Cuisine American
Servings 12 Rolls
Calories 563 kcal

Equipment

  • Stand Mixer
  • Kitchen Scale
  • 9x13 pan
  • 5-wheel pastry cutter (or sharp knife/pizza cutter)
  • icing knife or regular butter knife
  • Parchment Paper
  • Cling wrap

Ingredients
  

Sourdough Cinnamon Roll Dough

  • 4 cups all-purpose flour
  • ⅓ cup granulated sugar + 1 tsp, divided
  • 2 ¼ teaspoon bakers yeast 1 packet
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ⅓ cup sourdough discard 100g
  • ¾ cup milk
  • 6 tablespoons butter
  • 1 egg room temp preferred

Cinnamon Roll Filling

  • ¼ cup of butter or enough to spread over the rolled-out dough
  • ⅔ cup brown sugar I used dark brown, but light brown works well too
  • 1 tablespoon cinnamon

Chai Frosting

  • ½ cup butter softened
  • 4 oz cream cheese room temp, replace with ½ cup of butter if desired
  • 3 cups powdered sugar 345g
  • 1-2 tablespoons of milk
  • 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 teaspoon chai spice

Chai Spice Mix (optional, can be omitted or substituted with cinnamon)

  • 2 tablespoon Ginger
  • 1 ½ tablespoon Cinnamon
  • 2 ½ teaspoon Cardamom
  • 2 teaspoon Cloves
  • 2 teaspoon Allspice
  • 2 teaspoon Nutmeg

Instructions
 

Make the dough

  • Start by warming your milk and butter in a heat-safe bowl or pan until the butter has melted.
    Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer (or mixing bowl) and allow it to cool until it is just under 120F.
    Add in the bakers yeast and 1 teaspoon of sugar to the milk mixture and stir it all together. Let the mixture rest for 5 minutes or so until the yeast has bloomed.
  • Once the yeast has bloomed, add in the remaining ingredients (sugar, salt, flour, sourdough discard, and egg) for the dough and mix it together until it forms a smooth ball and the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
    Knead it until the dough can pass the windowpane test (see FAQ for an example of the windowpane test).
  • Cover the bowl with a wet towel or cling wrap and allow it to rise until doubled. (For easier removal from the bowl, transfer the dough to a greased bowl while it rises.)

Assemble the rolls

  • Once the dough has doubled, place the dough on a lightly floured surface and roll it out into an 18x12 inch rectangle. Mix together cinnamon and brown sugar in a small bowl.
  • Spread butter over the rolled out dough, then cover the butter with your cinnamon and brown sugar mixture. Use your icing/butter knife or your hands to work the mixture into the butter.
  • Either roll the dough into a log and cut it into 12 equal pieces, or use a pastry knife/roller to cut the rolled-out dough into 12 equal strips and then roll them up (my favorite way). Each strip or roll should be 1.5 inches thick.

Bake the cinnamon rolls

  • Place the rolls in a lined 9x13 inch baking dish and allow them to rise again until slightly puffy. Then bake for 30 minutes at 350F. Allow to cool.

Make the frosting

  • While the rolls are cooling, make the frosting in the bowl of a stand mixer with a whisk attachment.
    Start by beating the softened cream cheese and/or butter until smooth and then gradually add in the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, milk, and optional spices.
  • Top the rolls with the frosting just prior to eating as even slightly warm rolls will melt the frosting. Enjoy warm!

Notes

Store in the refrigerator or at room temperature for 3-5 days. If you would like to freeze these, I would recommend freezing them baked and unfrosted for best results. These cinnamon rolls can be frozen for up to 6 months.
Weigh your ingredients! I can't recommend this enough. Kitchen scales are easy to find, affordable, and beneficial to your baking journey. It is the best way to make sure your recipes turn out as accurate as possible. See my "equipment" section above for links to scales I recommend.

Nutrition

Calories: 563kcalCarbohydrates: 86gProtein: 7gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 13gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 71mgSodium: 351mgPotassium: 134mgFiber: 3gSugar: 48gVitamin A: 591IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 77mgIron: 2mg
Keyword cinnamon, rolls, sourdough discard
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