Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls (or Cinnamon Star Bread

This is a staple recipe that can transform in several ways. This can be rolls or cinnamon bread. I shaped this dough into a star for Christmas last year and it was such a delight to play with and serve to my family, that we declared it should be a tradition. Omit the cinnamon, and sub in orange zest, and even a bit of orange juice, to make orange rolls, (reference orange roll recipes for this).

Like all sourdough recipes, this one can handle tweaks and modifications based on your kitchen climate.

Prep time: 15 mins

Cook time: 30-45 mins

Total time: 24-30 hours

Serves: 6-12

Yields: 8-12 rolls

Ingredients:

3.5 cups of organic all-purpose flour, sifted

1.5 cups organic whole milk (I use raw milk)

1/4 cup raw honey or maple syrup

1/2 butter melted and cooled

2/3 cup active starter (100% hydration)

1 large egg

1 teaspoon kosher sea salt

Filling:

1/2 cup butter softened (not melted)

1/2 cup organic light brown sugar

1 tablespoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

Frosting:

1 cup of cream cheese, room temperature

1 tablespoon of raw honey or maple syrup

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions:

Plan ahead. Feed your starter 4-8 hours before making the dough. This assembled dough will require approximately 20-24 hours of rise and rest time before baking.

Sift flour into a large bowl and set aside.

Using a stand mixer or a hand whisk, combine all wet ingredients together and mix until smooth.

Combine wet mixture with the flour. Mix until all the flour has been incorporated. Add more milk if needed. Once a shaggy dough has formed, cover and let the dough rest for 30-45 minutes.

Do three rounds of stretches and folds, once every 20-30 minutes, over the course of the next 1.5 hours. The dough should be very smooth and easily form a ball when finished.

Cover the dough with a tea towel and allow it to rise undisturbed, at room temperature until tripled in size. This could take up to 12+ hours.

Once the dough has tripled in size, turn it out onto a lightly floured work surface. Shape the dough into a rectangle approximately the size or a standard cookie sheet (13x18 inches).

Generously butter a 9x13 casserole pan.

In small bowl, combine softened butter for the filling with the honey, vanilla, and cinnamon. Using a frosting spatula, spread the filling over the top of the dough until evenly distributed.

Using floured hands, start at the long side of the rectangle, and begin to gently pull from the edge and roll the dough up and over itself, forming a tube, or long snake with the dough. If the seam is facing up when you are done, gently roll the dough over so that the seam of the dough is flat on the floured surface before you cut it into rolls.

Using a serrated knife, cut the dough into 8-12 discs and carefully place them, swirl side up, into a prepared casserole dish. You can eyeball 12 pieces, or your can use a ruler and score the dough every 1.5 inches (if your dough is truly 18 inches long), to get equal sized rolls. Cut every 2 inches for bigger rolls. Rolls can be touching in the baking pan, but they should not be crammed before the final rise, as they will rise so much, they might not cook evenly, especially in the center of the pan.

If spacing becomes an issue, prepare another appropriately sized baking dish for extra rolls. Sometimes I need to pull out a 9x9 casserole or even a round 9” cake pan, for bonus rolls.

Cover the bread and set aside to rest for at least 30 minutes before baking but only if you’re in a hurry.

This is when I move them to the fridge for a final rest overnight. I take them out first thing in the morning and give them a few hours to come to room temp and get ultra puffy, before baking. You do not have to chill overnight but try to at least give these rolls enough time in the pan to double in bulk. This could take an additional 1-2 hours, or even longer in colder kitchens.

Bake:

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).

Bake, covered for 30-40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean from the center.

Prepare the frosting by combining softened cream cheese, honey, and vanilla. You can also simply dust these rolls with powdered sugar.

Cool before dusting with powdered sugar or frosting (optional). Leftovers are good for a day or two, stored in the refrigerator.