We love sourdough pumpkin cinnamon rolls! Traditionally prepared overnight for easy digestion, this recipe is a dream: no kneading of the dough, it rises beautifully, and bakes up soft and tender. No yeast required!
What breakfast treat gets you and your family the most excited?
Our family loves the flavor of sourdough and the magic of eating freshly baked, homemade cinnamon rolls!
Why is sourdough bread so popular?
Sourdough originated thousands of years ago as a leavening agent.
The symbiotic yeast and bacteria culture helps bread to rise. The microorganisms in sourdough also predigest anti-nutrients and create a tender dough.
The sourdough bread-making process is also very restful, cultivating a connection between past and present and connecting us with our food in a tangible way.
Taking care of a sourdough starter is a little like taking care of a pet: The starter needs regular attention, and gives back to its caretaker in a unique way.
Watching the starter bubble, stirring in fresh flour and water, and seeing bread rise from wild yeasts and bacteria found in nature all connect us with God’s mysterious and wonderful creation!
Plus, we get to create when we make bread from scratch.
Sourdough Cinnamon Roll Recipe
I personally love making sourdough cinnamon roll dough. This recipe is easy to work with: no kneading of the dough, it rises beautifully, and bakes up soft and tender.
The sourdough process makes this recipe very gentle and easy to digest. No commercial yeasts or leaveners are needed.
The dough for this recipe gets two rises:
- The dough is made and allowed to rise for 8 to 12 hours.
- The cinnamon rolls are assembled. The rolls rise again for at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Then we bake and enjoy!
Learn to make your own sourdough starter here.
Fall Recipes: Pumpkin & Spices!
Most people love to use pumpkin each fall. Pumpkin is a comforting and warming food.
Pumpkin’s carbohydrates give us energy as the weather turns colder.
We love to add pumpkin to our dough in the fall for an extra special flavor and soft dough texture! For a different flavor option, try making sourdough apple cinnamon rolls.
The spices associated with pumpkin are also warming yet invigorating.
I use only cinnamon in this recipe, to keep the cinnamon rolls tasting very traditional and not too complex in flavor.
Yet if you simply love the spiciness, you can certainly add allspice, cloves and ginger to the filling of this recipe. I’m sure you’ll love the result!
Easy Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Tips
If you haven’t made your own cinnamon rolls before, you’ll love the ease with which this recipe is made!
Here are a few tips to ensure success:
- Use organic unbleached all-purpose white flour in this recipe for best results, or another all-purpose flour such as spelt or einkorn.
- Your dough should be a little bit sticky. Don’t add more flour.
- Grease the bowl in which the dough rises, and line the baking dish with parchment paper.
- Generously flour your work surface before forming the cinnamon rolls.
That’s it! This recipe is very straightforward and is an easy way to enjoy sourdough!
Cream Cheese Icing For A Special Touch
One thing makes sourdough cinnamon rolls more special… and that’s cream cheese icing!
This recipe uses cream cheese (or cultured cream cheese), butter or coconut oil, and pure maple syrup to create a decadent spreadable frosting!
If you’re dairy-free, you can skip the cream cheese frosting. Instead, top the cinnamon rolls with sautéed apples and drizzle with dairy-free caramel sauce.
Or use vegan cream cheese frosting.
Uses For Pumpkin Puree
In this recipe we use half a cup of canned pumpkin. You can also use leftover cooked winter squash in this recipe!
If you used canned pumpkin, what to do with the rest of the can? Here are a few favorite recipes that also use less than a full can of pumpkin:
- Soaked Pumpkin Muffins with Cream Cheese Filling
- Overnight Pumpkin Chia Seed Pudding
- Paleo Sugar Cookies with Pumpkin Glaze
- Sprouted Apple Pumpkin Breakfast Cookies
- Sprouted Pumpkin Spice Coffee Cake
- Pumpkin Cheesecake Mousse Pie
- Instant Pot Grain-Free Pumpkin Cheesecake
- Cultured Pumpkin Pie Overnight Oats
- Pumpkin Cookies or Giant Pumpkin Cookie (grain-free)
- 32 THM:S & Low-Carb Pumpkin Recipes (Dinner, Drinks, & Dessert!)
How To Make Sourdough Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
Warm the pumpkin and butter in a small saucepan. Cool slightly. Add apple cider vinegar. Set aside.
Add egg, starter, and coconut sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer with a whisk attachment and a dough hook, or a large metal bowl if using a handheld mixer. (A handheld mixer works fine to mix this soft dough.)
Add and mix in the pumpkin mixture using whisk attachment.
Add the flour, water and sea salt, and continue mixing with dough hook until a sticky dough forms, about 1 minute. (If using a handheld mixer, the dough will climb up the beaters a bit. Just use the mixer on its lowest speed.)
Use a spatula or your fingers to scrape dough into a greased glass or ceramic bowl. Cover loosely with a wet towel and set in warm location for 8 to 12 hours.
Assembling The Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
Line a 9” pie plate or an 8” to 9” square baking dish with parchment paper (VERY important, or the gooey filling will make the cinnamon rolls stick to the pan). Press the parchment down into the pan, making folds where needed, and weight it down if desired until you’re ready to add the cinnamon rolls.
Prepare the filling by melting butter or coconut oil. When melted, stir in sugar, cinnamon and vanilla. Allow to cool while you roll out the dough (the butter needs to be more solid than liquid so it stays in the roll rather than leaking out).
Generously flour your countertop to prevent sticking. Fold the edges of the dough into the center to deflate.
Pour the dough onto the floured surface and pat it a few times to deflate any air.
To roll out the dough, use a rolling pin or your fingers. This dough is very soft and pliable, so I like to just work with my hands.
If using a rolling pin, sprinkle surface of dough and rolling pin lightly with flour. I don’t use any extra flour if using my hands.
Roll out to a 12” by 8” rectangle. (If using your hands, gently push and spread the dough to the desired shape, stretching slightly as needed.)
Dump the buttery cinnamon sugar over the dough. Spread filling over dough’s surface, leaving a 1/2” border around the edges.
Working with the long side of the dough, roll the dough tightly, pressing down as you go. (If you want fewer, fatter cinnamon rolls, work from the short side of the dough. This is the method pictured).
Using dental floss or thin string, cut cinnamon rolls into 2” rings. (If larger cinnamon rolls are desired, cut into 3” rings.)
Arrange in baking dish, cover loosely with a wet dish towel, and allow to rise 4 to 8 hours. (You can also place the cinnamon rolls in the fridge overnight, and then allow them to rise at room temperature the next day for 4 to 6 hours.)
Baking The Rolls
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Bake cinnamon rolls until browned and fully cooked, about 40 to 45 minutes. (The internal temperature should read 190 degrees Fahrenheit.)
Making The Cream Cheese Frosting
While cinnamon rolls cool, make cream cheese frosting. Place all three ingredients in a mixing bowl: cream cheese, butter or coconut oil, and maple syrup.
Beat with a handheld mixer until they’re evenly mixed. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula as needed.
Place frosting in the refrigerator briefly if the frosting is too runny, stirring and checking it regularly until a spreadable consistency is achieved.
When cinnamon rolls are fully cooled, spread on the frosting and serve.
Sourdough Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
We love sourdough pumpkin cinnamon rolls! Traditionally prepared overnight for easy digestion, this recipe is a dream: no kneading of the dough, it rises beautifully and bakes up soft and tender. No yeast required!
Ingredients
Dough Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour use white flour for best results, or all-purpose einkorn or spelt flour
- 1/2 cup sourdough starter freshly stirred
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/4 cup pure water
- 1/4 cup grass-fed butter unsalted (or coconut oil for dairy-free)
- 1 large organic or pastured egg
- 2 tablespoons coconut sugar
- 1 tablespoon raw apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
Filling Ingredients
- 1 cup coconut sugar or maple sugar or Sucanat
- 1/2 cup grass-fed butter or coconut oil for dairy-free
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients
- 8 ounces organic cream cheese room temperature
- 1/2 cup grass-fed butter melted and cooled (or coconut oil for dairy-free)
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
Instructions
Making & Souring The Dough
-
Warm the pumpkin and butter in a small saucepan. Cool slightly.
-
Add apple cider vinegar. Set aside.
-
Add egg, starter, and coconut sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer with a whisk attachment and a dough hook.
-
Mix in the pumpkin mixture using whisk attachment.
-
Add the flour, water and sea salt, and continue mixing with dough hook until a sticky dough forms, about 1 minute.
-
Use a spatula or your fingers to scrape dough into a greased glass or ceramic bowl.
-
Cover loosely with a wet towel and set in warm location for 8 to 12 hours.
Making The Filling & Assembling The Rolls
-
Line a 9” pie plate or an 8” to 9” square baking dish with parchment paper.
-
Prepare the filling by melting butter or coconut oil.
-
When melted, stir in sugar, cinnamon and vanilla. Allow to cool while you roll out the dough.
-
Generously flour your countertop to prevent sticking.
-
Fold the edges of the dough into the center to deflate.
-
Pour the dough onto the floured surface and pat it a few times to deflate any air.
-
To roll out the dough, use a lightly-floured rolling pin or your fingers.
-
Roll out to a 12” by 8” rectangle. (If using your hands, gently push and spread the dough to the desired shape, stretching slightly as needed.)
-
Dump the buttery cinnamon sugar over the dough.
-
Spread filling over dough’s surface, leaving a 1/2” border around the edges.
-
Working with the long side of the dough, roll the dough tightly, pressing down as you go. (If you want fewer, fatter cinnamon rolls, work from the short side of the dough. This is the method pictured, above).
-
Using dental floss or thin string, cut cinnamon rolls into 2” rings. (If larger cinnamon rolls are desired, cut into 3” rings.)
-
Arrange in baking dish, cover loosely with a wet dish towel, and allow to rise 4 to 8 hours. (You can also place the cinnamon rolls in the fridge overnight, and then allow them to rise at room temperature the next day for 4 to 6 hours.)
-
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
-
Bake cinnamon rolls until browned and fully cooked, about 40 to 45 minutes. The internal temperature should read 190 degrees Fahrenheit.
Making The Cream Cheese Frosting
-
While cinnamon rolls cool, make cream cheese frosting.
-
Place all frosting ingredients in a mixing bowl: cream cheese, butter or coconut oil, and maple syrup.
-
Beat with a handheld mixer until they’re evenly mixed, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a spatula as needed.
-
Place frosting in the refrigerator briefly if the frosting is too runny, stirring and checking it regularly, until a spreadable consistency is achieved.
-
When cinnamon rolls are fully cooled, spread on the frosting and serve.
Recipe Notes
If you'd like to use whole grain flour, I recommend trying whole wheat pastry flour, whole grain spelt, or whole grain einkorn. These are the lightest whole grain flours.
This recipe works well with two different time frames:
If you start the process in the evening, the dough can ferment and rise overnight. The cinnamon rolls can be assembled and baked in the morning. However, the assembled rolls do need an additional 4 hours rising time, so this recipe will not work well for an early breakfast.
Alternately, make the dough the morning of the first day. Allow it to rise for 8 hours. Form cinnamon rolls, and allow them to rise overnight. Bake in preheated oven first thing in the morning.
Looking for More Sourdough Recipes? Try These!
- The Best Sourdough English Muffins (Traditional Recipe)
- Whole Grain Sourdough Bread
- Sourdough Sandwich Bread
- Einkorn Sourdough Bagels
- Homemade Sourdough Pancakes
- Soft & Chewy Sourdough Pretzels
- Einkorn Sourdough Chapatis {Indian Flatbread}
- Sourdough Pizza
- Sourdough Apple Cinnamon Rolls w/Cream Cheese Frosting
- Sourdough Chocolate Cake With Chocolate Frosting
- 30+ Sourdough Dessert Recipes
Have you made sourdough cinnamon rolls before?
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Amanda Carruthers says
Just curious… Why the ACV? I don’t fully understand the concept, but I thought missing ferments was a bad thing?
Megan Stevens says
Hi Amanda, I have found that the ACV makes an even lighter dough. The two ferments do not compete with one another in this setting. Enzymes in the vinegar add acidity and give the dough extra lift. Thanks for the question! 🙂
Barbara says
I do not understand freshly stirred sourdough starter. Does that mean fed recently?
Megan Stevens says
Hi Barbara, stirring the sourdough starter before measuring is a good idea if there is hooch on top that is thin and watery.
Elizabeth Van Wormer says
Yum! Yum! I made these yesterday and baked this morning. They spent all night in the fridge and came out so good that my sister in law who doesn’t care for sourdough said they were good! I even used whole wheat flour sort of by accident. Makes me feel good knowing they are better for you.
Megan Stevens says
Yay, terrific, Elizabeth!! Thank you so much for coming back to share, so appreciated!! 🙂
catmum says
I wish the measurements were in gram weights instead of cups. I bake sourdough and breads all the time and find results are so much better if I use gram weights. Would love to see an amended recipe by weight measurements please.
April says
I’m curious to know why you use white flour. Just because it gives the best results? Usually people in the real/traditional food world espouse white flour as anathema. Does using it in sourdough make it “more okay”?
Megan Stevens says
Hi April, sure, good question. White flour sourdough is actually gentler and easier to digest than whole grain sourdough. If someone is coming off of a grain/gluten-free diet and introducing sourdough, whole grains are still harder to digest than grains with their bran and germ intact. Yes, white flour creates a yummy sourdough!, but I have always loved whole grains in baked goods. My purpose behind this recipe was two-fold: gentle sourdough and yummy baked good. I did not trial this recipe with a whole grain sourdough starter, but from my experience, the recipe would also work with that adaptation for those who prefer, but may require more water. While soured whole grains have more nutrition, my experiences with healing diets led me to create a sourdough treat that put digestion above nutrition, knowing we get our nutrition from all of the other foods we eat, while this is an occasional treat. Lastly, I have in mind those with Celiac, who often find they can tolerate white flour fully fermented sourdough if other health goals are met. It’s a great pleasure to enjoy sourdough again after years of being gluten-free! I love that sourdough can fully digest gluten and make bread safe again.
Sarah Burns says
If you were making a batch to freeze, at what point would you put the rolls in the freezer? Making these for Thanksgiving morning, can’t wait!
Diane says
If you were making a batch to freeze, at what point would you put the rolls in the freezer? Making these for Thanksgiving morning, can’t wait!
Allison says
YUM! Can you leave out the egg or replace it with something else?