Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Rolls with Browned Butter Frosting

Some recipes are a labor of love, and this is one of them. The steps are simple, but a few tweaks (like using sourdough discard, the tangzhong method, and soaking the buns in heavy cream!!) will set this cinnamon bun above the rest.

What You’ll Need

for the tangzhong (milk paste)

• 3 Tablespoons (27g) bread flour – I like to use bread flour here and in the dough for a lot of reasons. I think it creates a softer roll and they break apart more easily, but if you only have all-purpose flour, that’s okay. You can also use that.
• ½ cup (121g) whole milk – You’ll notice this trend in this recipe, but I highly recommend whole milk over skim or low-fat milk. Using whole milk keeps the roll soft and fluffy.

for the dough

• ⅓ cup (73g) whole milk, warm but not hot
• ¼ cup (49g) granulated sugar
• 2 ¼ teaspoons (9g) active dry yeast
• ½ cup (130g) sourdough discard – Unfed is perfect! If there is any grey hooch sitting on top, just stir it in before using in the recipe. (If you want a yeast-free long-fermented recipe, I have sourdough cinnamon rolls with active starter here)
• 3 ¼ cups (390g) bread flour
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 4 Tablespoons (58g) salted butter, softened – I know a lot of people prefer to use unsalted butter when baking, but with this particular recipe I think the extra salt flavor really makes a difference in the final flavor. Unsalted is fine; just add a little more fine sea salt.
• 1 ¼ teaspoons (7g) fine sea salt

for the cinnamon filling

• ½ cup (1 stick) salted butter, very soft (plus extra to butter the dish)
• 1 cup dark brown sugar, packed – light brown sugar is also ok.
• 2 Tablespoons ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground cloves, optional, but recommended to make the rolls even more unique.

before baking

• ½ cup (140g) heavy cream

for the browned butter cream cheese frosting

• ½ cup (1 stick) salted butter
• 4 ounces (½ brick) full-fat cream cheese, softened. I don’t recommend swapping out low-fat cream cheese here…if you’re going to splurge, make it on a good cinnamon roll!
• 2 Tablespoons heavy cream
• 1 Tablespoon vanilla bean paste – You can also use two teaspoons of vanilla extract.
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 ½ cups (155g) powdered sugar

Equipment You’ll Need

As you can tell from the ingredient list, you’ll want a food scale. A food scale is always really helpful when you’re baking. If you don’t have one, it’s okay. Just make sure that you fluff the flour a few times before spooning it into your measuring cup and leveling it off with the handle of your spoon or a knife.

You’ll also find that using a stand mixer makes things SO much easier and faster. Working by hand is also ok — just get ready for a good workout. And grab a 9×13 baking dish. This size fits 12 rolls.

Instructions

Make the tangzhong

What on earth is tangzhong, you might ask!? It’s a Japanese baking technique you’ll be using for a long time after today. It takes just a few minutes and will make a world of difference in your rolls.

Take the flour and milk and put them in a microwave-safe bowl (or even a glass measuring cup works fine), then whisk them together. It doesn’t need to be perfect, and a few lumps are fine. Then microwave the bowl in 30-second increments, mixing well between each, until it forms a paste that looks like mashed potatoes. This usually takes about 90 seconds. Then your Tangzhong is ready to go!

Combine the wet ingredients

Now add the Tangzhong, milk, sugar, and sourdough discard to the stand mixer bowl.

Using the whisk attachment, mix until smooth.

Proof the yeast

Next, you’re going to proof the yeast. Sprinkle the yeast over the mixture. Let it sit for about 5 to 10 minutes, and you’ll notice that it starts to foam and get bubbly on top.

If it doesn’t start to do this after about 5 minutes, your yeast isn’t going to work. It is most likely dead yeast, so you’ll need to start over with new/fresh yeast.

Add the first flour

Once the yeast is proofed, remove the whisk attachment and click in the dough hook.

Then add ⅓ of the flour and run the mixer on low speed until a ball starts to form.

Work in the butter

This is where it gets a little tedious, but stick with me here. Patience and taking your time are what make these rolls so incredible.

Add the butter, one tablespoon at a time, making sure it’s fully incorporated before adding the next.

Add more flour

Once all the butter is added, add another ⅓ of the flour and, still using the dough hook, turn it back on low speed until the dough comes together into a ball again.

Add the egg

Finally, you’re going to add the egg, and we do this last so that the egg doesn’t get overworked.

Turn the mixer back on and mix until the egg is fully incorporated.

Knead the dough

Add the last ⅓ of the flour and the salt, then knead with the dough hook for about 15 minutes. You want the dough to be smooth and a little bit tacky but not sticky.

Finish kneading by hand

To round out this process, I like to finish kneading by hand. It gives a gentler touch, and you can get a better feel for the dough this way. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for around 5 minutes. You want to be able to stretch a piece of dough thin enough to see light through it without tearing. This is called the “windowpane method”.

Let the dough rise

Once you’re done kneading, put the dough into a lightly oiled bowl and cover with a clean towel or plastic wrap.

Now let the dough rise until it doubles in size, about an hour, depending on how warm your kitchen is.

Butter the dish

While the dough is rising, you can do a few things. Start by buttering the baking dish you’ll use to bake the rolls.

Mix the filling

Then add the filling ingredients (softened butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and ground cloves) to a bowl and mix.

It’s going to be a little pasty — and that’s what you want. (And it’s going to smell AMAZING!).

Roll out the dough

After the dough has doubled, roll it out on a lightly floured surface and use a rolling pin to shape it into about a 16×12-inch rectangle. It doesn’t need to be perfect, but this is a good size benchmark.

Spread the filling & cut the strips

Spread the filling evenly over the dough. I like to use the back of a spoon or a small spreading spatula to make sure that it’s nice and even.

Leave about a 1/2-inch border around the edges.

Cut the strips

Using a pizza wheel (or a sharp knife), cut 12 strips along the long edge of the dough. Each strip should be about 1 1/4 inches wide. Go ahead and break out your ruler here if you want. I’m not judging!

The important thing is to make sure you end up with 12 as equal strips as possible. Equal strips = evenly cooked rolls.

Shape the rolls

After you cut into strips, roll each strip up like a snail and nestle it into the buttered baking dish. You should be able to fit 12 perfectly. They don’t need to be super tight (which is why I use the strip-rolling method instead of rolling as a log and slicing). A tightly coiled roll will develop a cone-like center, making it harder to spread the frosting evenly. We want some frosting in every single bite.

Let the rolls rise

We’re almost there! Now these rolls need to rest and rise one more time.

Cover them again with a clean towel or plastic wrap. Let the rolls rest for about an hour, until they puff up a little and the edges touch. In the last 15 minutes or so of the rise, you can preheat the oven to 350°.

Pour on the cream

Lastly, pour the heavy cream over the rolls in the baking dish.

I know this seems a little crazy, but it makes the rolls soft, moist, and delicious.

Bake the rolls

Bake the rolls at 350°F for about 23-25 minutes.

Take them out of the oven when they’re lightly golden, and let them cool.

Brown the butter

One of my favorite parts about this recipe is using brown butter for the frosting. When you brown the butter, it gets a very unique, slightly nutty, almost toffee-like taste, different from a regular cinnamon roll icing. Melt the butter in a small light-colored skillet and watch it brown (about 5-10 minutes). I like a light-colored skillet so I can watch the butter brown and make sure it doesn’t burn too quickly.

Cool the butter

You can’t really make the frosting with melted hot butter, so you’re going to need to cool it down. Pour it into a large heat-proof bowl and then let it cool for about 10 minutes. You can even put it in the fridge to speed it up, but don’t let it get too hard.

Beat in the cream cheese

You can use your stand mixer or an electric hand mixer. Add the soft cream cheese (it really needs to be soft; can’t emphasize that enough), heavy cream, vanilla bean paste, and salt to the browned butter. Beat until it’s super smooth and there are no cream cheese lumps.

Add the powdered sugar

Add the powdered sugar to the bowl and beat on the lowest setting until it’s fully incorporated. Keep beating it until the mixture starts to lighten in color and it becomes smooth and creamy.

Frost the rolls

By this time, the rolls should be pretty cool. You’re going to want to make sure that they’re almost completely cooled off before you start frosting them. If they’re too warm, the frosting will slide off the sides and won’t stick to the tops.

And finally, your cinnamon rolls are done! Take a seat, grab your spatula, place one on your plate, and treat yourself. You deserve it after this recipe. 

Storage Instructions

Store these cinnamon rolls in the refrigerator, covered, for up to five days. Just make sure they are completely cooled before putting them in the fridge. When you’re ready to eat again, heat them individually in the microwave for about 15-20 seconds, or warm a few at a time in the oven at 300°F for about 10 minutes.

You can also freeze these rolls, but I recommend doing it before you frost them. Wrap the rolls tightly, and you can freeze them for up to two months. When you’re ready to eat them, thaw them first, then warm them slightly before frosting and serving. You can make the frosting up to 5 days ahead of time and store it in the fridge. I also recommend bringing it to room temperature before spreading it on the rolls to make it easier.

Questions and Troubleshooting

More sweet sourdough cinnamon bakes

• Sourdough Cinnamon Sugar Muffins
• Sourdough Cinnamon Sugar Quick Bread
• Sourdough Cinnamon Apple Muffins
• Sourdough Coffee Cake
• Sourdough Cinnamon Swirl Bread