Soft Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Rolls + Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
These soft and fluffy same-day sourdough discard cinnamon buns are the perfect cozy treat, made with unfed starter, a touch of yeast, and no overnight wait. They're filled with classic cinnamon-sugar goodness and finished with a rich, nutty brown butter cream cheese frosting infused with vanilla bean. The result? Bakery-style cinnamon buns you can make at home, start to finish in one day.
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
- 9x13-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 12x18 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 9x13 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.