Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls with Fresh Milled Flour

This is my go-to sourdough sweet dough when I want cinnamon rolls with real depth of flavor, wholesome nutrition, and an easy, forgiving process. A slow rest in the fridge does most of the work for you, and the dough stays soft and manageable—no stand mixer or hair pulling required!

Sweet Dough Ingredients

• 2/3 cup or 150 g 100% hydration active sourdough starter (Since switching to a stiff starter, I use about 1/4 - 1/2 cup stiff starter)

• 3 TBSP or 50 g water (with my stiff starter I add an extra 2-3 tbsp water)

• 2/3 cup or 150 g milk

• 1/4 cup or 50 g cane sugar

• 2 and 3/4 cup or 350 g Fresh Milled Flour (I like to weigh the berries out before grinding, using 150 grams hard white wheat and the remaining 100 grams something fun like kamut or purple barley, but you can and should experiment with different grains and see what you like!)

• 1 round tsp or about 8 g salt

• 1/2 cup or 113 g lard or butter, softened

Filling

• ½ cup butter, softened

• ½ cup brown sugar (coconut and maple sugar are also delicious options)

• 1–2 TBSP cinnamon (I always lean heavy—2+ TBSP)

• Optional: Coco powder, cardamom, clove, nutmeg, ginger, experiment and have fun with your sweet buns!

Frosting

• 1 package or 8oz cream cheese

• 1/4 cup powdered sugar

• 2 tsp vanilla

• Heavy cream as needed to achieve desired consistency

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, combine your active starter, water, milk, and sugar. Stir until well combined.

2. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour and salt.

3. Add the softened lard or butter to the dry ingredients, gently working it in with your hands or a fork to break up any large pieces.

4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix until everything is just combined.

5. With lightly oiled hands, knead the dough for 2–3 minutes only. Don’t overdo it—this dough will get sticky fast. You’re simply bringing it together and smoothing out any remaining butter or lard pockets and developing a tiny bit of gluten.

6. Cover and place the dough in the refrigerator for 24-48 hours.

Shaping & Baking

1. Grease a 9×13 pan or line it with parchment. (This dough also works beautifully in muffin tins.)
   Preheat your oven to 400°F.

2. Turn the chilled dough out onto a lightly floured or oiled surface and gently roll it into a 10×16-inch rectangle.

3. Spread the softened butter evenly over the dough, then sprinkle the sugar & spice mixture across the top.

4. With the long edge facing you, roll the dough up tightly, rolling away from you, to form that classic swirl.

5. Slice into 1½–2 inch rolls and place them into your prepared pan. You should get about 12 rolls.

6. Cover and let rest at room temperature for 1–2 hours, or until just about doubled.

7. Bake at 400°F for 25–30 minutes, until lightly golden and set through the center.

8. Allow to cool slightly, then top with cream cheese frosting and, if you’re anything like me, a generous drizzle of caramel sauce.

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I get all the ingredients for this recipe from AZURE STANDARD I love their whole grain selection, if you are milling your own flour, seriously check them out!

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