Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls with Maple Brown Sugar Icing
The only cinnamon roll recipe you’ll ever need. These rolls are light and fluffy and oh so delicious. But it’s the brown sugar icing that puts them over the top!
Equipment
- Digital Kitchen Scale
- Mixer or large bowl & spoon
- Sheet pan with a lid
- Measuring cups & spoons
- Medium size sauce pan
- Whisk
Ingredients
Sweet Stiff Levain
- 25 grams sourdough starter
- 25 grams granulated sugar
- 100 grams all purpose flour
- 50 grams water
Dough
- 200 grams active levain
- 450 grams milk, warm (whole milk or 2% milk is best)
- 125 grams granulated sugar
- 10 grams salt
- 113 grams unsalted butter, melted (1 stick or 1/2 cup)
- 2 large eggs
- 950-975 grams bread flour
Cinnamon Roll Filling
- 113 grams unsalted butter, very soft (1 stick or 1/2 cup)
- 200 grams brown sugar, loosely packed
- 16 grams ground cinnamon (2 tablespoons)
- 25 grams all purpose flour (a large heaping tablespoon)
Maple Brown Sugar Icing
- 113 grams unsalted butter (1 stick or 1/2 cup)
- 200 grams brown sugar (1 cup, loosely packed)
- 125 grams evaporated milk (1/2 cup)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon maple extract
- 375 to 500 grams powdered sugar (this all depends on how thick you want your icing to be)
Instructions
Make the Levain
- About 10-12 hours before you want to make cinnamon rolls, mix your sweet stiff levain. Because this is a stiff levain, it will be difficult to incorporate all the ingredients. Don't be afraid to dump it out on the counter and knead it a bit to make sure everything is well mixed. It's going to have the texture of dough.
Day 1: Make your Dough
- Combine levain, warm milk, melted butter, sugar, salt, eggs and about 850 grams of flour into a stand mixer. Mix until just combined. Scrape down the sides and add remaining flour about 50 grams at a time.
- Your dough will be slightly tacky, but should not be sticky. If your dough is too sticky, add an additional 25 grams of flour until it’s easier to manage. Be careful not to add too much flour, or your rolls will be dry.
- Cover and let proof. This usually takes about 4 hours, assuming your dough is 75-78*F. If your dough is cooler, it will take longer. You’ll know the dough is finished proofing when it feels light and airy and has risen at least 50%.
Shape your Rolls
- Make your cinnamon roll filling by combining brown sugar, cinnamon and flour. Mix well so there's no clumps of flour or brown sugar. Set aside.
- Lightly flour your counter and roll your dough into a large rectangle - approximately 24x15
- Spread softened butter across all the dough, leaving about 1/2 inch along the bottom edge. Sprinkle cinnamon sugar mixture and spread until it covers all the butter.
- Starting at the top, long end, roll your dough until it looks like a log. Gently pinch the end seam closed.
- Slice into 12 even pieces (or 18-24 if you want smaller rolls). You can use dental floss or a serrated knife.
- Place rolls onto a greased sheet pan. Cover and begin your second proof. *See note for an overnight option
- Let proof until rolls have doubled in size – usually about 2-3 hours. If they haven’t puffed up, do not bake them yet. Sometimes this dough takes longer to raise, especially if it's cold in your kitchen.
- Bake at 350 °F for 20-30 minutes until rolls are golden brown and outside edges are no longer doughy.
Make your Icing
- In a medium size sauce pan melt one stick of butter over medium heat. Stir in one cup of brown sugar. Stir until well combined and melted.
- Add evaporated milk and bring to a boil. Let boil for 1 minute.
- Reduce heat to low and stir in powdered sugar until it reaches your desired thickness.
- Drizzle over warm cinnamon rolls and enjoy!
Notes
If you want to enjoy these cinnamon rolls in the morning, simply shape your rolls and let them raise until they are almost doubled in size. Then cover and place your rolls in the fridge for the night. Then bake from cold in the morning.
Don't have time for the second proof on day 1, don't worry. Simply shape your rolls, cover them and place them in the fridge for the night. Then the next morning, get them out for your second raise. They'll take longer (4-6 hours) to double in size because they're cold from the fridge, but you'll have fresh rolls by mid-day.
