Easy Overnight Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting

These fluffy easy overnight sourdough cinnamon rolls are made with active starter, filled with melted butter, brown sugar and cinnamon and smothered with a rich cream cheese topping. The best sourdough cinnamon rolls ever!

If you’re new to sourdough, be sure to check out my Sourdough Starter Guide to learn how to create and maintain a bubbly, active starter from scratch!

Recipe Inspiration

I’ve mentioned recently, that I have jumped on the sourdough train and there is no turning back!

I’ve been baking sourdough bread…and making sourdough discard pancakes…and making sourdough discard waffles…and every time I make something new, my family all agrees that it’s their favorite and I can’t go back to the old way of making things!

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For instance, these cinnamon rolls. I have tried my hand at making yeast cinnamon rolls and eggless cinnamon rolls numerous times throughout my baking career, and I always have a hard time getting the dough to rise.

In fact, any yeast recipe I have ever made, I’ve struggled to get the correct rise or doubling in size.

But that has all changed since the introduction of sourdough baking! I have been blown away at the rise I get from using my active and bubbly sourdough starter!…and my kids are extra appreciative as well!

My daughter introduced me to the homesteading YouTube channel, Farmhouse on Boone. I have really enjoyed watching her videos while I run on the treadmill. I love to always be learning, and this helps me not get bored while running!

Overnight Timeline Overview

To make things super simple, here’s a breakdown of the full process from feeding your starter to pulling warm cinnamon rolls out of the oven. Plan ahead so your starter is active and your timing works for your schedule!

• Day 1: 10:00am – Feed sourdough starter
• Day 1: 8:00pm – Mix dough
• Day 1: 8:30pm – Bulk ferment overnight (8-12 hours)
• Day 2: 8:00am – Roll, fill, slice
• Day 2: 9:00am – Bake and frost

How To Make Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls

The process is actually very easy and way less intimidating than what I think of when making yeast breads.

For these sourdough cinnamon rolls, I used my Kitchenaid stand mixer with the dough hook attachment.

Step 1: Mix Ingredients

In a stand mixer bowl, combine ½ cup water and ½ cup active sourdough starter. Stir to combine. Then slowly add: all-purpose flour, melted coconut oil, honey, eggs, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Turn on the mixer with the dough hook and let mix for about 10 minutes.

Pro Tips:

• This is a heavy dough, so start your mixer at a lower speed at first until all of the ingredients are fully incorporated.
• Once the ingredients are fully combined, you may notice that your mixer begins to wobble because the heavy dough puts it off balance. If this happens, turn your speed down. If it continues, turn the mixer off and use a rubber spatula or your hand to remove the dough from the hook. Then turn the mixer back on and allow to continue mixing on a low speed.

Mix until the dough is glossy and when you grab a section of dough and try to pull it apart, it does not tear and you can see through the dough (this is called the windowpane test). The dough should be supple and slightly tacky, but not overly sticky.

Step 2: Bulk Ferment

Place the glossy dough ball into a lightly greased bowl (I sprayed my bowl with cooking spray), and cover with plastic wrap. Allow to rest in a warm place for up to 12 hours, or until doubled in size.

Step 3: Roll Out the Dough

Once the dough has rested and doubled in size, sprinkle your counter with a little bit of all-purpose flour. Turn out the dough onto the lightly floured surface. Using a rolling pin, roll it into a large rectangle, about ¼ inch thick.

Step 4: Add Cinnamon Sugar Filling

In a medium sized microwave safe bowl, melt butter and mix in cinnamon, brown sugar and raisins (optional). Using a rubber spatula, spread the melted butter mixture over the entire dough.

Step 5: Roll and Slice

Roll the dough lengthwise and then using unflavored dental floss, cut discs about 2″ thick.

Step 6: Bake

Place cinnamon rolls into a slightly greased casts iron skillet and bake at 375°F for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown.

Cream Cheese Topping

Step 7: Make Cream Cheese Topping (Optional but recommended!)

A few minutes before the cinnamon rolls are ready to come out of the oven, I made a cream cheese topping that I lathered all over the top of the cinnamon rolls. This is definitely optional – as is how much or how little topping you add.

Note: I have made these cinnamon rolls two ways: 1. with a cream cheese topping 2. with a powdered sugar/glaze topping. I have to admit, the cream cheese topping is better tasting for sure. When I made the powdered sugar glaze, I poured it on top of the cinnamon rolls. when they were still very hot, and the sugar basically crystalized because of the heat, making them crunchy. I wasn’t really a fan.

For the cream cheese topping, I mixed together one block of Philadelphia cream cheese, about a half of a cup of heavy whipping cream, a bit of maple syrup and two teaspoons of vanilla extract. I then mixed it together using my handheld electric mixer.

These cast iron skillet sourdough cinnamon rolls were delicious. My family absolutely loved them. They were so fluffy and so rich…a little too rich, I could only eat ONE! hahaha! My daughter took some of the extras to the farm and gave them to her friends and they all said these were their favorite cinnamon rolls ever also!

If you’re still on the fence if you want to get started in sourdough, I’m here to tell you, YES!! You definitely do want to! What are you waiting for?!?