Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls Recipe with Brown Sugar & Walnuts (2024)

This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I may earn from qualifying purchases, at no additional cost to you.

Jump to Recipe Print

Sourdough cinnamon rolls area a fluffy overnight treat, made with brown sugar & walnut filling. Everyone will want seconds of this pantry staple breakfast! These brioche cinnamon buns are warm and delicious, a perfect brunch treat for hungry families or guests.

The dough is made the night before, just roll. fill, and bake in the morning. A fantastic weekend treat for breakfast or brunch.

Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls Recipe with Brown Sugar & Walnuts (1)

It’s been a full year with my sourdough starter, and to celebrate I decided to try a fancy brioche cinnamon bun recipe that is loaded with sweet sticky flavor. This overnight sourdough buns recipe is simple to make, and requires no kneading.

It has a light and delicious sourdough flavor and is SO good with a little coconut milk buttercream icing on top. These brioche cinnamon rolls are of one my favorite sourdough recipes so far, very fitting for my sourdough anniversary!

These Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Rolls Are:

  • Light
  • Sticky
  • Sweet
  • Flaky
  • Decadent
  • Flavorful
  • Made without Kneading
  • Perfect for hosting brunch guests
Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls Recipe with Brown Sugar & Walnuts (2)

Sourdough Starter Cinnamon Rolls for the WIN!

The dough for these Sourdough Brioche Cinnamon Buns recipe is the perfect way to use your sourdough discard from a starter. I hate throwing out food (or rather, composting it!)- so I’m always looking for ways to reuse kitchen scraps to cut back on waste. Instead of tossing your discard when you feed your sourdough starter, try this awesome recipe instead.

I have a whole page on my site for recipes that use sourdough discard. That way you can add a hint of sourdough flavor to your baked goods, and cut back on food waste. This recipe uses unfed starter, so just use the discard straight from the bowl.

What’s In This Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls Recipe?

See the recipe card below for full ingredient amounts and recipe instructions!

Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls Recipe with Brown Sugar & Walnuts (3)

What Baking Equipment Do I Need for these Sourdough Cinnamon Buns?

One of the BEST Pantry Staple Cinnamon Rolls from Scratch Recipes

These cinnamon buns with sourdough starter recipe is a fantastic pantry-staple meal! It uses almost all ingredients you would have in your dry pantry or cupboards. You probably have a lot of these ingredients on hand. Keeping a well-stocked pantry makes it easy to come up with delicious meals using a few staples you can rotate.

I made a list of my Top 125 Plant-Based Pantry Staples that always keep on hand. And you can check out all my favorite pantry staple recipes on TheHerbeevore.com here. By stocking up on whole ingredients you can cook delicious recipes without a trip to the store!

Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls Recipe with Brown Sugar & Walnuts (4)

How Do I Make Cinnamon Rolls with Sourdough Starter?

This may look like a complicated recipe because it has a lot of steps, but believe me this is a simple and easy bread to bake! It’s actually easier than my normal sourdough recipe because you don’t have to knead it.

  1. In a large mixing bowl, add the sourdough starter, flour (start with 4 1/2 cups), sugar, active yeast, and salt. Mix well to combine, and make a well in the center of the flour mixture.
  2. Add melted butter, milk, and egg to a bowl, scramble well with a fork until combined. Add the egg mixture to the center of the flour well. Pour the warm water over the egg mixture. With a large spoon, mix well to combine all ingredients into a dough. Dough should be sticky and thick. If your dough is sticking to the sides of the bowl, add the remaining 1/2 cup flour.
  3. Cover with plastic wrap and place bowl in the refrigerator overnight (8 to 12 hours).
  4. The next morning, grease 2 9×9 loaf pans. Turn dough out onto a well-floured work surface.
  5. Roll out the dough into one large rectangle.
  6. In a saucepan, heat the butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon and stir until well combined. Pour the cinnamon mixture over the dough, and use a spoon or pastry brush to make an even layer over the top of the dough. Sprinkle on the walnuts and ground flaxseeds.
  7. Take the long side of the dough, and tightly roll the edges towards the other side, roll all the way until you have a long log of dough. With a sharp knife, cut the buns into 2 inch slices. Place the slices in your greased loaf pans (mine fit 6 in each).
  8. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake rolls for 30-45 minutes (mine took the full 45). Tops should be brown, but if it starts to look burnt, then cover with foil and continue to bake.
  9. Allow buns to cool on a rack for at least 20 minutes before enjoying. Top with icing, butter, or powdered sugar if desired.
Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls Recipe with Brown Sugar & Walnuts (5)

Dietary Modifications

  • To make this bunsvegan: substitute out the eggs, butter, and milk for plant based varieties. I’ve actually make brioche with almond milk before and it tastes great!
  • To make dairy free: use plant-based milk and butter.
  • To make gluten free: use a gluten free baking mix instead of the flour, and a gluten free sourdough starter instead of one that has wheat.

More Sourdough Discard Recipes We Love!

Sourdough Bagels Recipe (Vegan)

Vegan Sourdough Muffins with Blueberries

Sourdough Garlic Naan Recipe (Vegan, Dairy Free, Egg Free)

Sourdough Starter Pizza Crust Recipe (Vegan, Dairy Free)

Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls Recipe with Brown Sugar & Walnuts (6)

As always, if you make this easy overnight sourdough cinnamon rolls with sourdough starter be sure to leave me a comment, rate this recipe, and tag me @theherbeevore on Instagram so I can feature you. I love seeing all your photos of my recipe recreations!

Let’s keep in touch – make sure to sign up for my newsletter to get fresh recipes weekly. And don’t forget to follow over on Pinterest, Instagram , & Twitter– I’d love to connect with you there!

Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls Recipe with Brown Sugar & Walnuts (7)

Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls

Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls Recipe with Brown Sugar & Walnuts (8)Kelly Jensen

Giant and fluffy overnight sourdough cinnamon buns loaded with brown sugar and walnuts. Everyone will want seconds of this pantry staple breakfast! These brioche cinnamon rolls are warm and delicious, a perfect brunch treat for hungry families or guests.

5 from 3 votes

Print Recipe Pin

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Rise Time 14 hours hrs

Total Time 14 hours hrs 35 minutes mins

Course Baked Goods, Bread, Breakfast

Cuisine American

Servings 15 buns

Calories 310 kcal

Equipment

  • 2 9×9 inch loaf pans

Ingredients

For the Dough

  • 1 cup sourdough starter unfed
  • 4 1/2 to 5 cups flour plus extra for sprinkling
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 teaspoons Sea Salt
  • 2 1/4 teaspoons active yeast or 1 packet
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 2 tablespoons melted butter
  • 1 egg
  • 1 cup warm water

For the Filling

  • 1/2 cup butter melted
  • 1 tablespoon cinnamon
  • 1/3 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup ground flaxseeds
  • 1 cup walnuts crushed

Instructions

  • In a large mixing bowl, add the sourdough starter, flour (start with 4 1/2 cups), sugar, active yeast, and salt. Mix well to combine, and make a well in the center of the flour mixture.

  • Add melted butter, milk, and egg to a bowl, scramble well with a fork until combined. Add the egg mixture to the center of the flour well. Pour the warm water over the egg mixture. With a large spoon, mix well to combine all ingredients into a dough. Dough should be sticky and thick. If your dough is sticking to the sides of the bowl, add the remaining 1/2 cup flour.

  • Cover with plastic wrap and place bowl in the refrigerator overnight (8 to 12 hours).

  • The next morning, grease 2 9×9 inch loaf pans. Turn dough out onto a well-floured work surface.

  • Roll out the dough into two large rectangles.

  • In a saucepan, heat the butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon and stir until well combined. Pour the cinnamon mixture over the doughs, and use a spoon or pastry brush to make an even layer over the top of the dough. Sprinkle on the walnuts and ground flaxseeds.

  • Take the long side of the dough, and tightly roll the edges towards the other side, roll all the way until you have a long log of dough. With a sharp knife, cut the buns into 2 inch slices. Place the slices in your greased loaf pans (mine fit 9 in each).

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake rolls for 30-45 minutes (mine took the full 45). Tops should be brown, but if it starts to look burnt, then cover with foil and continue to bake.

  • Allow buns to cool on a rack for at least 20 minutes before enjoying. Top with icing, butter, or powdered sugar if desired.

Nutrition

Calories: 310kcalCarbohydrates: 48gProtein: 8gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 17mgSodium: 345mgPotassium: 170mgFiber: 4gSugar: 13gVitamin A: 92IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 58mgIron: 2mg

Did You Make This Recipe?Please leave a rating and comment below, let us know what you loved about it!

This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I may earn from qualifying purchases, at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting the brands that support us!

About the Author: Kelly Jensen

Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls Recipe with Brown Sugar & Walnuts (9)

Kelly Jensen has 7 years experience as a food blogger, freelance recipe developer, content creator, beekeeper, and loves cooking everything she can from scratch.

View all post by Kelly Jensen | Website

Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls Recipe with Brown Sugar & Walnuts (2024)

FAQs

What happens if you add sugar to sourdough? ›

The yeast and bacteria in your sourdough starter actually feed off the sugar from the starches in the flour. They essentially don't need any extra food. In fact, while adding sugar to the dough may provide "fast food" for your sourdough yeast, this quick food source is unlikely to provide any protein.

Is light or dark brown sugar better for cinnamon rolls? ›

As a general rule, when a recipe calls for brown sugar, you will most likely use light brown sugar. Baking recipes are typically sensitive to both moisture and density, so the difference in moisture content will make an impact. This is especially true for desserts like cakes, cupcakes, cinnamon rolls, pies, etc.

Can I use brown sugar instead of granulated sugar in cinnamon rolls? ›

Use brown sugar or granulated sugar in the filling: I used to use granulated sugar in the cinnamon sugar filling, but recently switched to brown sugar for extra flavor. Brown sugar doesn't necessarily make the filling more moist—there's so much butter, so it's moist and gooey either way. Use whichever sugar you prefer.

How much sugar can I add to sourdough? ›

According to Red Star Yeast, a dough with more than 1/2 cup (64 grams) of sugar in 4 cups (520 grams) of flour is a sweet dough and will start showing the effects of too much sugar. The sugar will compete with the yeast for water, it will also create a higher osmotic pressure which can kill yeast.

What ingredients should not be in sourdough bread? ›

The inside of the bread should be bubbly and chewy and the bread should have a slightly tangy taste. Real sourdough bread does not contain additives like oil, milk, corn, and dough conditioners. It is made with whole grains and is generally more expensive than regular bread.

What is the best flour for sourdough bread? ›

All-purpose Flour

It strikes a perfect balance of softness and structure, making it an ideal choice for various recipes. Due to its wide availability and affordability, all-purpose flour is often my top recommendation for creating and maintaining a sourdough starter.

What is the healthiest flour for sourdough bread? ›

Compared to whole wheat flour, rye flour is said to be the most nutrient- and amylase-dense option for a sourdough starter. Overall, it has a lower gluten protein content than wheat flour, which means it produces slack, sticky, and dense doughs.

How do you make sourdough bread more flavorful? ›

Generally a more mature and well established starter will produce a more flavorful, sour loaf. Hydration of the Dough - this affects how long your dough will take to ferment. A slightly lower hydration will take longer to ferment than a higher hydration loaf, leading to a bigger depth of flavor and sourness.

What is the secret ingredient in Cinnabon? ›

Cinnabon's Secret Ingredient

This special Indonesian cinnamon, called Makara, is trademarked by Cinnabon. And because of that trademark, you won't find this product in your local grocery store spice aisle.

What is the best cinnamon for cinnamon rolls? ›

In our opinion, the best variety of cinnamon for cinnamon rolls is Saigon cinnamon. It's true that it's not the special type of Makara cinnamon that Cinnabon uses. But, the reality is that this type of cinnamon really isn't necessary.

Why use brown sugar in cinnamon rolls? ›

Brown Sugar: Using brown sugar in the filling gives these cinnamon rolls an extra-delicious depth of flavor.

What happens if you use more brown sugar than granulated sugar? ›

The molasses content of brown sugar leads to baked goods that are softer and moister. You can still swap them, but you'll need to use less brown sugar in a recipe that calls for white. Brown sugar will add a caramel-ish hint to your baked good and darken its color.

What can I replace brown sugar with in cinnamon rolls? ›

For every cup of brown sugar called for in your recipe, substitute 1 cup (198g) white granulated sugar and 2 teaspoons (14g) molasses for light brown sugar; or 1 cup (198g) white granulated sugar and 1 tablespoon (21g) molasses for dark brown sugar.

What are 3 effects of adding sugar to bread dough? ›

How does sugar affect bread dough? Sugar acts as a liquefier. It absorbs water, weakens the gluten structure, and makes the dough looser. The dough expands more when baking achieving an airier and softer crumb.

Can I add a pinch of sugar to my sourdough starter? ›

Once you have the starter going, you can store it in the refrigerator indefinitely, feeding it regularly and enjoying the tangy fruits of your labors. Adding a little sugar will help jump-start the yeast process because yeast feeds on sugar; just don't use too much. Two teaspoons is about right.

How does adding sugar affect bread? ›

Adding sugar to the dough provides the yeast with the food it needs to thrive. Flavor: Sugar adds sweetness to the bread, which can help balance out the flavors of other ingredients in the dough. The type and amount of sugar used can also affect the overall flavor profile of the bread.

What happens to sugar in bread dough? ›

Sugar is added to give the yeast a boost and get fermentation happening quickly. If you want your bread in a rush this makes sense. However, I always recommend that you try to plan your bread in advance and give the dough as long a fermentation time as you can.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Rev. Porsche Oberbrunner

Last Updated:

Views: 6751

Rating: 4.2 / 5 (73 voted)

Reviews: 88% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Rev. Porsche Oberbrunner

Birthday: 1994-06-25

Address: Suite 153 582 Lubowitz Walks, Port Alfredoborough, IN 72879-2838

Phone: +128413562823324

Job: IT Strategist

Hobby: Video gaming, Basketball, Web surfing, Book restoration, Jogging, Shooting, Fishing

Introduction: My name is Rev. Porsche Oberbrunner, I am a zany, graceful, talented, witty, determined, shiny, enchanting person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.