Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls

 

Adapted from the Clever Carrot, 

EQUIPMENT

• 2 mixing bowls
• Rolling Pin
• pastry brush
• 9" circular baking pan (can use a cake pan, springform pan, or even a square pan if you don't mind the shape of the roll) lined with parchment paper

INGREDIENTS

  

For the dough:

• ⅔ cup vanilla soy milk sub milk if you aren't vegan
• 2 tablespoon vegan butter sub regular butter if you aren't vegan
• ½ cup bubbly active sourdough starter
• 2 tablespoon raw cane sugar sub coconut sugar
• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour, unbleached
• ½ teaspoon pink sea salt
• 2 tablespoon olive oil or avocado oil for coating the bowl

For the cinnamon filling:

• 2 tablespoon vegan butter or coconut oil
• ½ cup raw cane sugar sub coconut sugar
• 4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

For the frosting (optional):

• 2 tablespoon vegan butter
• ⅓ cup vegan cream cheese
• ½-3/4 cup powdered sugar or 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon plant based milk (I used almond milk)
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

INSTRUCTIONS

 

For the dough:

• In the microwave (or in a pan over the stove), heat the milk and butter just until the butter has melted. Allow it to cool to room temperature (but not so cool that the butter starts to harden again)
• In a sepreate bowl, mix the active starter and sugar. Mix until it is just combined. Slowly pour in the warm milk mixture while stirring. Add the flour and salt. Mix  just until a rough dough forms. Using your hands can help. 
• Scrape the sides of the bowl down. Cover it with a damp towel and rest for ~30 minutes.
• Next, knead the dough for around 10 minutes on a lightly floured surface. The dough should be very soft. The dough has been kneaded enough when you can pull out a bit and see through it. 
• TIP: If your dough is very sticky still, add a little more flour into your kneading. 
• Coat a separate bowl with the olive oil. Place your dough in the bowl. Turn it over once and rub the oil to completely coat the dough.
• Cover the bowl with the damp towel and let sit for ~30 minutes.
• After 30 minutes, stretch and fold the dough towards the center 4-5 times to help aerate it.
• Cover the dough again with the damp towel and let it sit at room temperature for 8-12 hours. 
• TIP: The warmer it is in your kitchen, the faster your dough will rise! You can wrap the bowl with a thick towel to help insulate it if you have a cool and drafty kitchen or if is winter time. You can also wrap it with a towel and place it in the stove to keep it very warm. You will know it is done rising when it has doubled in size, jiggles, is domed, has bubbles, and doesn’t stick to your fingers. Also, push your finger into the dough, If it springs back right away, it doesn't yet ready. If your finger indent stays, then it's ready. 

Filling and preparing the cinnamon rolls:

• After 12 hours (typically made the previous evening and prepared the following day in the morning) your dough should be double in size. If it is not double in size.. it was either too cold, or you don't actually have an active starter.
• Turn the dough onto a floured counter surface. Stretch it and fold it over a few times to help soften it and aerate it. Let it sit on the counter ~15 minutes.
• After 15 minutes, use a rolling pin dusted with flour and roll it to a large rectangle. The larger the rectangle, the thinner the dough of your cinnamon rolls will be. You can eyeball it, but if you want to grab the measuring tape mine was ~18" x 12"
• Melt the 2 tablespoon butter in the microwave (or over the stove). Mix the ½ cup of sugar and 4 teaspoon cinnamon into the melted butter. 
• Using a pastry brush or your fingers, brush the melted butter mixture evenly over the top of the dough. Leave ~¼" at the edges. You don't want the mixture to squeeze out while baking and burn on the bottom of your pan!
• Roll the dough up lengthwise. You should end up with a very long skinny log.
• Tuck and seal the ends under. Use a knife to score the dough before you cut it. I did it by dividing in half, and then each of the sections in half and half again!
• Slice the dough. It helps to wipe off the knife each time you cut a slice. Some bakers like to use a thin piece of string to cut their dough.
• Place the pieces spaced evenly apart into your parchment paper lined pan.
• Let the dough rest ~1-2 hours. It will be double in size.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Bake for ~35 minutes or until the tops are a nice golden brown.
• Allow them to cool completely before you frost them. (Or if you are like me, grab one out and frost it immediately hehe!)

For the frosting:

• Soften your butter to room temperature or in the microwave. Don't melt it though!
• Beat the butter with the cream cheese until fully incorporated. Add the powdered sugar or maple syrup, milk, and vanilla extract. Beat again until it is smooth and creamy.
• If you like thicker fluffier frosting, simply add more powdered sugar.
• I hope you enjoy these as much as we did! 

NOTES

Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.

NUTRITION

Serving: 1rollCalories: 339kcalCarbohydrates: 50.4gProtein: 5.4gFat: 12.3g