Fluffy Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls

Ingredients

• 30 g starter
• 60 g all-purpose flour
• 30 g water
• 500 g strong all-purpose flour with around 11% protein
• 50 g granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 200 g milk
• All the stiff starter
• 8 g salt
• 100 g unsalted butter, softened to room temperature, cut into cubes
• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
• 100 g soft brown sugar
• 2 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 60 g cream cheese, at room temperature
• 150 g powdered sugar
• 1-2 tablespoon milk, at room temperature
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract or paste

Instructions

1. 1

   Mix 30g starter with 60g flour and 30g...: Mix 30g starter with 60g flour and 30g water. Knead it for a minute or two into a stiff dough ball.

2. 2

   Place this into a lightly oiled jar. Brush...: Place this into a lightly oiled jar. Brush the top of the ball dough with a bit of water (so it doesn't dry out too much overnight). Loosely cover it with a lid and leave it to rise for 8-12 hours until more than doubled.

3. 3

   Add the flour, sugar, salt, eggs, milk, and...: Add the flour, sugar, salt, eggs, milk, and all the stiff starter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment.

4. 4

   Turn the mixer on low and combine until...: Turn the mixer on low and combine until it forms a thick but slightly sticky dough. Mix this dough on medium-low speed for around 5 minutes to begin developing the gluten.

5. 5

   Add the softened butter to the bowl of...: Add the softened butter to the bowl of your stand mixer, a little bit at a time. Incorporate each cube before the next addition.

6. 6

   Turn the mixer on medium speed and keep...: Turn the mixer on medium speed and keep it mixing for around 15 minutes until the sticky and soft dough strengthens and comes together and pulls away cleanly from the sides of the bowl.

7. 7

   Once finished mixing, leave the dough to rest...: Once finished mixing, leave the dough to rest for a few minutes, then grab a piece and see if you can stretch it out thin, so it’s almost see-through, without it tearing. This is called the 'window pane' effect and shows proper gluten development.

8. 8

   See the full post above for instructions on...: See the full post above for instructions on mixing the dough by hand.

9. 9

   Once the dough is kneaded, shape it into...: Once the dough is kneaded, shape it into a smooth ball and place it into a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with a damp tea towel, compostable plastic wrap, or lid. Place the dough in a warm spot, ideally around 25°C / 76°F, and let it rise.

10. 10

    It won’t double but should bulk out by...: It won’t double but should bulk out by at least 50%. This will take around 4-6 hours, but the rise time will change depending on the temperature. You can create a warm and humid proofing spot by placing a large mug of boiled water in a turned-off oven and putting the dough in there. Replace the water with freshly boiled water if it cools down.

11. 11

    Once risen, place the dough in the fridge...: Once risen, place the dough in the fridge for a minimum of 4 hours, or up to 24 hours. Cover tightly with an airtight lid or plastic wrap to stop the dough from drying out.

12. 12

    Remove the cold dough from the fridge and...: Remove the cold dough from the fridge and pull it from the bowl onto a floured surface. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough into a 12x18 inch (30x45cm) long rectangle.

13. 13

    Spread melted butter over the dough and sprinkle...: Spread melted butter over the dough and sprinkle cinnamon sugar over the butter.

14. 14

    Tightly roll the dough from the long side...: Tightly roll the dough from the long side to form a 45cm/18-inch roll. Slice the log into 12 equal pieces using unflavored dental floss or a serrated knife.

15. 15

    Grease or line a 9x13-inch baking dish and...: Grease or line a 9x13-inch baking dish and place the rolls in it.

16. 16

    Cover the rolls with plastic wrap to stop...: Cover the rolls with plastic wrap to stop the top of the dough from drying out. Let the unbaked rolls have their final rise until they double in size. This can take around 5-8 hours in a warm spot.

17. 17

    The rolls can also be shaped late in...: The rolls can also be shaped late in the evening, to rise overnight for 8-10 hours if your kitchen isn't too warm.

18. 18

    Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).

19. 19

    Bake the buns for around 30 minutes until...: Bake the buns for around 30 minutes until puffed up and golden brown. If they are browning too quickly, loosely cover them with aluminum foil.

20. 20

    In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese...: In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese with an electric beater until smooth and creamy. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla, and enough milk to make a thick and spreadable frosting.

21. 21

    Spread the frosting over the still-warm rolls with...: Spread the frosting over the still-warm rolls with an offset spatula.