Easy, Soft Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls

For someone who recently started experimenting with enriched sourdough doughs… like myself, these rolls are pretty straightforward and don’t need too much attention.

You will need to have a little experience with sourdough, it would be a lot easier if you have a stand dough mixer also, as well as a good, active starter. 

For proofing the dough I use the oven, I pre- warm it slightly, around 30 degrees and keep the 

dough inside. This way I can control the temperature and predict how quickly it will prove.

Ingredients 

• 35g Slightly salted butter (so this way you won’t need to add salt to the dough)
• 160g milk, full fat
• 1 egg - 50g
• 150g Active starter 
• 315g Strong Canadian Flour
• 30g soft brown sugar

The Cinnamon filling

• 30g butter- melted 
• 150g sugar 
• 3tbsp ground cinnamon

I started making the dough at around 9.30am and I prepared the starter overnight.

Melt the butter and leave to cool slightly before adding the milk.

In the bowl of the mixer add the starter, the egg and the sugar. Using the paddle attachment mix to combine all the ingredients very well. I used the medium speed- 3-4. Turn the speed down to 1-2 and add the butter mixture slowly. Change with attachment with the dough hook, and add the flour. Mix for about 1-2 minutes.

Leave to rest for 30 minutes,covered with a lid or another bowl. 

After it has rested, on medium speed 2-3 , mix for 5-10 minutes (depending on your mixer), till you achieve smooth and elasticated dough. It should come off the sides of the bowl and stay on the hook. 

Coat another bowl with butter and transfer the dough. Cover it and leave to proof till it doubles on size. 

I did a few  “stretch and folds” in intervals of 1 hour.

I used the oven to prove the dough.

At around 2pm I was ready to roll out the dough.

Melt the butter and in a separate bowl mix the cinnamon and sugar together .

On a well floured surface tip the dough from the bowl, spread it evenly into a rectangle and leave to rest for 10-15 minutes. This will help you to roll it easier.

Using a rolling pin, roll the dough into 1-½ cm thick.

Spread the butter evenly using a pastry brush and sprinkle generously with the cinnamon mix.

Roll it into a log tightly but still gently. You don't want to destroy the lovely little bubbles that have formed in the fermentation process.

Using a bench scraper, cut the dough into 5cm sections.

Place them in a pan lined with baking paper and let the dough rise. 

It would take 1-2 hours in a 28-30 degrees oven or proofer. 

To speed up the process by warming up the lid on the gas hob before I put it in the oven to prove. This way I warmed the oven quicker as well and the dough was ready to be baked in about an hour. 

I used my dutch oven- Lodge, and baked it with a lid on.

Pre - heat the oven to 170 Degrees and bake for 30-35 minutes. 

I opened the lid after 20 minutes and baked for another 10 without the lid.

The best thing is that actually the rolls are not too sweet and you can add icing, chocolate, jam...to it and enjoy it in many different ways.

My kids sliced them and spread some butter topped with honey.

Couldn't take any photos as they disappeared too quickly ( the kids and the rolls too) 

If you want them sweeter, can increase the sugar in the actual dough as well as in the cinnamon mix.

Happy Baking! 

Yours,

Yana