These viral sourdough discard cinnamon rolls are soft, buttery, and ready in just 30 minutes start to finish—no yeast, no long rise, and the perfect way to turn leftover starter into a warm, gooey breakfast everyone loves.
Quick Recipe Overview: Easy Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Rolls
⏱ Ready In: ~30 minutes
🍽 Serves: 8–10 rolls
🔥 Calories: ~300 per roll (varies by frosting)
🧈 Main Ingredients: Sourdough discard, flour, butter, brown sugar, cinnamon
🌾 Dietary Info: Vegetarian; no commercial yeast
💛 Why You’ll Love It: These quick sourdough discard cinnamon rolls use baking powder for lift—so you get soft, gooey rolls fast, a subtle tang from discard, and zero long ferment or proofing time.
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“These cinnamon rolls are delicious! I’ve made these almost every week since finding this recipe! My family loves them and it is now my go to cinnamon roll recipe. I like how easy they are to whip up and that they use discard or starter. I’ll be sharing this recipe with family and friends 🙂” – Emma V.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Ready in just 30 minutes – This sourdough discard cinnamon roll recipe comes together fast, making them perfect for special occasions or any morning when you want something homemade without the time commitment.
- No yeast or long rise required – There’s no bulk fermentation or proofing at all; this recipe uses baking powder for lift, so you can bake right away with sourdough discard.
- Soft, moist, and buttery every time – The biscuit-style dough creates tender cinnamon rolls that stay rich and fluffy, with no risk of dry results.
- Easy make-ahead option – The dough can be prepped in under 15 minutes, refrigerated overnight, and baked fresh the next morning.
These discard cinnamon rolls are one of my easiest and most viral recipes, perfect for beginners or advanced sourdough bakers who need a quick cinnamon roll recipe in a pinch! Once you master easy sourdough recipes like this, you’ll be ready to get creative with sourdough beignets or sourdough cannoli!
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Key Ingredients
Precise measurements and instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- Sourdough discard – Adds moisture and a mild tang without the need for fermentation; unfed discard works perfectly here. You can use active starter, too.
- All-purpose flour – Forms the base of the biscuit-style dough for soft, tender cinnamon rolls. If using fresh-milled flour, see notes below. I buy all of my flour and grain in bulk from Azure Standard.
- Baking powder – The sole leavening agent, allowing the rolls to rise quickly with no yeast or proof time required.
- Butter – Creates rich flavor and keeps the rolls moist and buttery. Brown sugar – Sweetens the filling and melts into a gooey cinnamon swirl. I prefer brown sugar in filling over cane sugar!
Fresh Milled Flour for Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Rolls
TLDR – I use 2½ cups fresh milled flour from hard white wheat in this sourdough discard cinnamon rolls recipe for better structure, nutrition, and a soft but sturdy dough.
- Best Wheat for Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Rolls: Hard white wheat is ideal for this recipe because it provides enough gluten strength to support the rolls while still producing a soft, tender crumb.
- Flour Ratio: Freshly Milled to All-Purpose Flour: Fresh-milled hard white wheat can be substituted with a 1:1 ratio.
- How Freshly Milled Flour Affects Texture and Flavor: Using freshly milled hard white wheat gives these cinnamon rolls a lightly nutty flavor and a more wholesome texture, while still keeping them soft, buttery, and moist thanks to the biscuit-style dough.
Step-By-Step Instructions for Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls
Preheat oven. Preheat to 425°F (220°C). If using a cast iron skillet, place it in the oven to preheat.
Step 1 – Mix dough. Whisk flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder. Cut or grate in cold butter until coated. Stir in sourdough discard, egg, and milk just until a shaggy dough forms (do not knead).
Step 2- Create layers. Turn dough onto a floured surface, gently fold to combine, then roll into a small rectangle. Tri-fold the dough onto itself three times to create flaky layers.
Step 3 – Roll out. Roll dough into a large rectangle (about 18×12 inches) on a well-floured surface.
Step 4 – Filling. Mix melted butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla. Spread evenly over the dough.
Step 5 – Roll & cut. Roll tightly from the long edge and cut into 12 equal rolls using a sharp knife or floss.
Step 6 – Arrange. Place rolls in a greased 9×13 pan or preheated skillet.
Step 7 – Bake: 15–18 minutes in preheated oven until lightly golden.
Step 8: Frost & serve. Whisk frosting ingredients until smooth, spread over hot rolls, and serve warm.
Easy Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Roll FAQs
Yes, these easy sourdough discard cinnamon rolls are designed to be made start to finish in about 30 minutes. They use sourdough discard for flavor and baking powder for a quick rise, so there is no long fermentation or yeast proofing required.
No, easy sourdough discard cinnamon rolls do not require active starter. You can use unfed, inactive sourdough discard straight from the refrigerator since the recipe relies on baking powder for lift, not fermentation. If you use active starter that’s ok, too, but it won’t change the process at all.
These sourdough discard cinnamon rolls are baked at a high temperature to create steam and rapid oven spring, resulting in soft, flaky layers and a tender interior without drying out the rolls.
Yes, easy sourdough discard cinnamon rolls can be baked in a greased 9×13-inch baking dish instead of a cast iron skillet. The skillet adds extra browning, but it is not required for success.
Sourdough discard cinnamon rolls can be stored covered at room temperature for up to one day or refrigerated for up to three days. Reheat gently before serving for the best texture.
Yes, you can long ferment sourdough discard cinnamon rolls, but the process changes significantly. For a long-fermented version, the baking powder is omitted and the dough relies on sourdough fermentation for rise and flavor. Because grated or cold butter interferes with gluten development and fermentation, it should not be added before the ferment. Instead, allow the dough to ferment first, then incorporate the butter during lamination and shaping before adding the cinnamon sugar filling. A second rise is necessary after cutting rolls.
Expert Tips
- Use cold butter, but add it correctly. Grated cold butter creates flaky layers, but work quickly so it doesn’t melt into the dough.
- Do not knead the dough. Overworking will make the rolls dense instead of tender and flaky.
- Flour the surface generously. This dough is soft and benefits from extra flour during rolling to prevent sticking.
- Preheat the pan if using cast iron. A hot skillet gives faster oven spring and better browning on the bottom.
- Roll tightly from the long edge. This creates distinct cinnamon swirls and even baking.
- Use floss for clean cuts. Dental floss or thread prevents squishing the rolls.
- Frost while hot. Spreading the icing on warm rolls helps it melt into the layers for the best texture and flavor.
- For long fermentation, adjust the method. Omit baking powder and add butter only after fermentation during lamination. Add a second rise before baking.
Storage
Room temperature: Store covered for up to 1 day.
Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Reheating: Warm individual rolls briefly in the microwave or oven until just heated through.
Best texture: These sourdough discard cinnamon rolls are softest and most tender the day they are baked.
If you love this recipe, please leave a ⭐ 5-star ⭐ rating below! If you have questions or suggestions – drop a comment!
Easy Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Rolls {30 minute recipe!}
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat oven. Preheat to 425°F (220°C). If using a cast iron skillet, place it in the oven to preheat.
- Mix dough. Whisk flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder. Cut or grate in cold butter until coated. Stir in sourdough discard, egg, and milk just until a shaggy dough forms (do not knead).
- Create layers. Turn dough onto a floured surface, gently fold to combine, then roll into a small rectangle. Tri-fold the dough onto itself three times to create flaky layers.
- Roll out. Roll dough into a large rectangle (about 18×12 inches) on a well-floured surface.
- Add filling. Mix softened butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla. Spread evenly over the dough.
- Roll & cut. Roll tightly from the long edge and cut into 12 equal rolls using a sharp knife or floss.
- Bake. Place rolls in a greased 9×13 pan or seasoned, preheated skillet. Bake 15–18 minutes, until lightly golden.
- Frost & serve. Whisk frosting ingredients until smooth, spread over hot rolls, and serve warm.
Nutrition
Notes
- Cold butter matters: Grated cold butter creates flaky layers—work quickly so it doesn’t melt into the dough.
- Do not knead: This is a biscuit-style dough; overmixing will make the rolls dense.
- Cast iron option: A 10-inch cast iron skillet gives the best rise and browning, but a greased 9×13 pan works well, too.
- High-heat bake: Baking at 425°F creates fast oven spring for soft, tender rolls.
- Frost while warm: Spread icing on hot rolls so it melts into the swirls.
- Long-ferment variation: To long ferment, omit baking powder and add butter only after fermentation during lamination and shaping, and add a second rise time.
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!About the Author
Welcome to Hopewell Heights, I’m Steph – seasoned sourdough baker, homesteader, homemaker, homeschooling mom of 5, and creator behind this Heritage American food blog. I hope you enjoy my family’s favorite, from-scratch recipes!
I absolutely love this recipe. I made it 2 times in four days and my extended family want more of them. I have made very good yeast cinnamon roll for years that my family love. So I was a little concerned what they would think with a new recipe. But we all love the soft and flaky texture of these cinnamon rolls. I love that I can make delicious cinnamon rolls in 30 minutes. I used discard the first time and active starter the second. They both turned out great. Thank you for making such a simple and delicious recipe for cinnamon rolls.
These are my go-to cinnamon rolls in a pinch and turn out great whether my starter is active and bubbly or flat and needing to be fed!
I am typically very careful choosing a recipe based on reviews first. I gave this a shot because I needed a quick recipe to use for same day cinnamon rolls and WOW! These are amazing. Just try them!