Same Day Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Buns with Brown Butter Frosting
If you’ve been holding onto extra sourdough discard and wondering what to make with it, these same-day sourdough discard cinnamon buns with brown butter frosting are the answer. They’re soft, pillowy, and full of warm cinnamon flavour. And instead of waiting overnight, you can start and finish these buns in just a few hours.
What makes them even more special? That brown butter vanilla bean cream cheese frosting. It’s rich, a little fancy, and absolutely worth it.
Why You’ll Love These Same-Day Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Buns with Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting!
- You can make them start-to-finish in one day
- It’s an easy way to use sourdough discard
- The flavour is next-level thanks to the brown butter
- These cinnamon buns stay soft for days
- No overnight rise required
Tips for the Best Same-Day Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Rolls
- Warm your milk, don’t overheat it. Aim for about 100°F to help activate the yeast.
- Use room-temperature sourdough discard. Cold discard can slow things down.
- Cool your browned butter before adding it to the frosting, or it’ll get too runny.
- Unflavoured floss makes clean, perfect cuts without squishing your rolls.
How to Store These Cinnamon Buns
On the counter: Keep covered in the pan for up to 2 days.
In the freezer: Freeze individual rolls (frosted or unfrosted) and reheat when you are ready for a treat.
Why This Recipe Uses Yeast and Sourdough Discard
These cinnamon buns use sourdough discard for a little extra flavor and some gut-friendly benefits. They also rely on active dry yeast to help them rise quickly, so you can make them from start to finish in just a few hours. It’s the best of both worlds!
If you’re on a time crunch (or not in the mood for a full-day sourdough bake), this method is super convenient and still gives you amazing results.
Would you prefer to use an active starter? You totally can! Swap the discard and yeast for 100g of active sourdough starter and extend your bulk fermentation (usually 4–6 hours). That version takes longer and often includes an overnight rise, so plan ahead if you go that route.
Soft Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Rolls + Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl
- Small bowl or measuring cup (for activating yeast)
- Saucepan (for browning the butter)
- Kitchen scale
- Dough whisk or spoon
- Rolling Pin
- 9×13-inch baking dish
- Sharp knife, bench scraper, or unflavoured dental floss (for cutting rolls)
- Stand mixer (optional) – great for kneading the dough or mixing the frosting
- Handheld electric mixer or whisk – for making the frosting if you don’t have a stand mixer
- Clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap
- Oven
Ingredients
For the Dough:
- 250 g warm milk 100–110°F / 38–43°C
- 60 g granulated sugar 1/4 cup
- 1 packet 7g or 2¼ tsp Yeast (I used Fleischmann’s Active Dry Yeast)
- 100 g sourdough discard unfed, room temp
- 1 large egg
- 60 g unsalted butter softened (1/4 cup)
- 1 tsp salt
- 500 g all-purpose flour about 4 cups
For the Filling:
- 60 g unsalted butter softened
- 100 g brown sugar 1/2 cup
- 1.5 tbsp ground cinnamon
For the Brown Butter Vanilla Bean Cream Cheese Frosting
- 115 g cream cheese softened (1/2 block)
- 60 g unsalted butter softened (1/4 cup)
- 120 g powdered sugar 1 cup
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract optional
- Pinch of flaky sea salt optional, like Maldon
Instructions
Proof the yeast:
- Warm your milk until it feels like bath water, just warm to the touch, not hot. Stir in the sugar and yeast, and let it sit for 5–10 minutes. You’re looking for it to get foamy. If a few granules float, no stress, as long as it bubbles, you’re good.
Make your dough:
- Mix the milk mixture with your sourdough discard, egg, butter, and salt in a big bowl. Then add the flour a bit at a time. Once it comes together, knead it by hand or in your mixer for about 8–10 minutes until it’s smooth but still a little tacky.
Let it rise:
- Put the dough into a greased bowl, cover it, and let it hang out in a warm spot for 1.5 to 2 hours until it doubles in size.
Time to roll + fill:
- Roll your dough out into a rectangle about 12×18 inches. Spread softened butter all over it, then sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar mix evenly on top. Smells so good already, right?
Roll it up + slice:
- Roll the dough up nice and tight from the long side. Then cut it into 12 buns. You can use a knife or bench scraper, but honestly? Unflavoured floss is the cleanest way, it slices right through without squishing the rolls.
- Second rise:
- Place the rolls into a greased 9×13 baking dish, cover, and let them rise again for about 45–60 minutes until they’re puffy.
- Want to bake them in the morning? You can stick the pan in the fridge overnight, just let them come to room temp for 30–45 minutes before baking.
Bake ‘em:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and bake the buns for about 20–25 minutes, until the tops are golden and the centers are cooked through.
Make the frosting (brown butter vanilla bean cream cheese):
- Melt 60g of butter in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally. It’ll foam, turn golden, and smell nutty this takes about 5–7 minutes. Once browned, pour it into a bowl to cool for 10–15 minutes.In a separate bowl, beat the cooled brown butter with the softened cream cheese until smooth. Add powdered sugar, vanilla bean paste (if using), and a pinch of flaky salt. Mix until creamy and spreadable, use a stand mixer with a paddle, a hand mixer, or just a whisk and a little effort.Spread the frosting over warm buns (not hot-hot, just warm). If you’re feeling extra, sprinkle on a little more flaky salt for that bakery finish.
Don’t have a sourdough starter? No Problem! Check out my beginner-friendly sourdough starter guide.
Having trouble with your sourdough starter? Here are some ways to troubleshoot to get a super strong sourdough starter!
Need to stock up on sourdough essentials? Check out my sourdough must haves!
These are epic! 10/10
So so good! So quick and easy and were a huge hit for my Mother’s Day brunch! It was almost like I knew what I was doing. The brown butter icing just added that extra richness to make these so much better! 👌
This frosting is so incredible! The cinnamon rolls themselves are not super sweet, which is a big plus.
So good 😍
These are PERFECT! I already have friends and family putting in orders for more. Any tips for freezing?