Long fermented strawberry sourdough cinnamon rolls are soft, fluffy, and filled with a sweet strawberry cinnamon swirl. These rolls are naturally leavened with sourdough for incredible texture and flavor, then finished with a fresh strawberry glaze for a bakery-style breakfast or brunch treat. Need a quick option? See my notes for the discard version!
Quick Recipe Overview: Strawberry Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls
⏱️ Ready In: Overnight (long-fermented) or same-day discard option
🍽️ Serves: 12 rolls
🔥 Calories: 420 per roll (with glaze)
🧈 Main Ingredients: Sourdough starter, flour, butter, strawberries, cinnamon, cream, sugar
🌾 Dietary Info: Vegetarian · Naturally leavened
❤️ Why You’ll Love It: Soft, fluffy sourdough cinnamon rolls filled with a strawberry-cinnamon swirl and finished with a fresh strawberry glaze—perfect for special breakfasts, brunch, or holidays.
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“These are my go to for Valentine’s Day breakfast – they’re so delicious and I love the strawberry cinnamon combo!” – Steph
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Long-fermented option – Slow fermentation gives these rolls incredible softness, flavor depth, and digestibility.
- Discard-friendly – A same-day option lets you use sourdough discard without sacrificing fluffy texture.
- Fresh milled flour option – Notes included for making these rolls with fresh milled wheat.
- Perfect for make-ahead – Ideal for overnight prep, special breakfasts, and holiday brunches.
Check out my classic sourdough cinnamon rolls for a timeless, long-fermented favorite, strawberry discard bread for an easy way to use extra starter, and sourdough strawberry shortcake for a lighter, seasonal dessert!
I may receive a small commission for items purchased through affiliate links in this post at no additional cost to you.
In this video I’m making these delicious sourdough strawberry rolls as I await the arrival of baby #5!
Key Ingredients
- Sourdough Starter: This recipe works with an active starter for a long-fermented dough or discard for a same-day option, giving you flexibility without sacrificing texture.
- Flour: I buy organic, unbleached all-purpose flour from Azure Standard for my daily baking. Notes are included for making these cinnamon rolls with fresh milled flour if preferred.
- Strawberries: Fresh or frozen strawberries create a naturally sweet, fruity filling and glaze that pairs beautifully with warm cinnamon.
- Cinnamon: Used lightly to enhance the strawberry flavor without overpowering it, adding warmth and depth to the filling.
- Butter & Cream: These add richness to both the dough and filling, creating tender rolls and a luscious strawberries-and-cream flavor.
Fresh Milled Flour for Strawberry Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls
TLDR – These strawberry sourdough cinnamon rolls can be made with fresh milled flour by substituting hard white wheat with a simple 1:1 swap.
- Best Wheat Variety: Hard white wheat is ideal for cinnamon rolls because it has enough protein to support a long-fermented dough while maintaining a soft, fluffy crumb.
- How to Substitute: Replace all-purpose flour 1:1 by weight with freshly milled hard white wheat. Allow the dough to rest briefly after mixing so the flour fully hydrates.
- Texture Tip: Fresh milled flour absorbs moisture differently. A slightly tacky dough will yield softer, lighter rolls. If the dough is too sticky after resting, add flour 1 T at a time.
If you need help with sourdough vocabulary, check out my Complete Guide to Sourdough Terms!
Step-By-Step Instructions for Strawberry Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls
Step 1 – Mix and knead the dough: Combine sourdough starter, milk, egg, sugar, and melted butter, then add flour and salt and mix until a shaggy dough forms. Knead until the dough is smooth and elastic.
Step 2 – Bulk ferment: Cover the dough and let it rise until puffy, or refrigerate overnight for a long-fermented option.
Step 3 – Roll out the dough: Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and roll into a large rectangle.
Step 4 – Assemble the Rolls: Spread strawberry filling evenly over the dough, roll into a log from the short side, seal, and cut into 12 even rolls.
Step 5 – Second rise and bake: Place the rolls in a greased baking dish, cover, and let rise until puffy, then bake at 350F for 20 minutes until the centers are set.
Step 6 – Glaze and serve. Mix the strawberry glaze until smooth and pourable, then glaze the rolls while warm (or cooled, if preferred) and serve.
Strawberry Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls FAQs
Yes, strawberry sourdough cinnamon rolls can be made with sourdough discard using a same-day option, just add a tablespoon of yeast to the ingredients when mixing the dough. The rolls still bake up soft and fluffy without a long fermentation.
Strawberry sourdough cinnamon rolls have a very mild tang. The sweetness of the strawberries and glaze balances the sourdough flavor so they are not overly sour.
Yes, strawberry sourdough cinnamon rolls can be long fermented overnight in the refrigerator. This improves flavor, texture, and digestibility while keeping the rolls soft. Cold proof rolls after assembly.
No, cinnamon should be used lightly in strawberry sourdough cinnamon rolls. A small amount enhances the strawberry flavor without overpowering it.
Yes, strawberry sourdough cinnamon rolls can be made with fresh milled flour. Hard white wheat works well when substituted 1:1 by weight with a short rest for hydration.
Yes, strawberry sourdough cinnamon rolls are great for make-ahead baking. You can refrigerate the shaped rolls overnight and bake them fresh the next morning.
Yes, strawberry sourdough cinnamon rolls can be frozen after baking. Let them cool completely, freeze airtight, and reheat gently before serving.
Strawberry sourdough cinnamon rolls can turn out dense if the dough was under-kneaded, under-proofed, or over-floured. Allow the dough to fully rise and stay soft and slightly tacky.
Strawberry Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls – Baking Timelines
Quick Discard Option
Same Day
- 0:00 – Mix the dough and add 1 tablespoon instant yeast for quicker rise.
- 0:20 – Knead until smooth and elastic.
- 0:30 – First rise until puffy.
- 1:30 – Roll out dough, add strawberry filling, and shape rolls.
- 1:50 – Second rise until rolls are soft and pass the poke test.
- 2:30 – Bake until lightly golden and set.
Long Ferment
Overnight + Morning Bake
- Morning – Afternoon – Feed Starter.
- Evening – Mix and knead the dough.
- Overnight – Bulk ferment at room temperature.
- Early AM – Roll out dough, add strawberry filling, and shape rolls.
- Early AM – Second rise until puffy and relaxed.
- Breakfast Time – Bake until golden, glaze, and serve warm.
Expert Tips
- Aim for a soft dough: The dough should be slightly tacky after kneading. Adding too much flour leads to dense rolls.
- Don’t rush the second rise: Rolls should look visibly puffy before baking for the softest texture.
- Discard vs long ferment: Use the discard + yeast option when short on time, but choose the long ferment for the best flavor and digestibility.
- Fresh milled flour tip: If using fresh milled hard white wheat, allow a short rest after mixing so the flour fully hydrates before kneading.
Storage
- Room temperature: Store baked strawberry sourdough cinnamon rolls in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
- Refrigerator: Refrigeration isn’t recommended, as it can dry out the rolls and affect texture.
- Freezer: Let rolls cool completely, then freeze airtight for up to 3 months.
- Reheating: Warm in a 300°F oven until heated through, or microwave briefly for a softer texture.
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Strawberry Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Mix + knead: Mix dough ingredients until a dough forms. Knead until smooth and elastic.
- Bulk ferment: Let dough rise until puffy and almost doubled (4-12 hours depending on starter strength and temperature).
- Mix filling: Whisk filling ingredients in small bowl.
- Roll + fill: Roll dough into a 12×24″ rectangle. Spread filling evenly over dough.
- Shape: Roll up tightly from short side and slice into 1″ rolls. Place in a greased baking dish.
- Second rise + bake: Cover and rise until puffy (2-4 hours), then bake in preheated oven at 350F for 20 minutes until lightly golden and set in the center.
- Glaze + serve: Mix strawberry glaze until smooth and pourable, glaze warm rolls, and serve.
Nutrition
Notes
- Starter options: Use an active sourdough starter for a long-fermented dough, or sourdough discard with 1 tablespoon of instant yeast for a same-day option.
- Dough texture: The dough should be soft and slightly tacky after kneading; adding too much flour will result in dense rolls.
- Fresh milled flour option: Substitute fresh milled hard white wheat 1:1 by weight for all-purpose flour. Allow the dough to rest briefly after mixing so the flour fully hydrates, add flour 1 tablespoon at a time if the dough is too sticky to handle.
- Make-ahead: Shaped rolls can be refrigerated overnight, then brought to room temperature and baked in the morning.
- Storage: Store baked rolls airtight at room temperature for up to 2 days or freeze for longer storage.
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!
These are my go to for Valentine’s Day breakfast – they’re so delicious and I love the strawberry cinnamon combo!