Sourdough Discard Orange Cinnamon Rolls
Soft, buttery sourdough discard orange cinnamon rolls with a gooey cinnamon-orange filling and light citrus glaze—easy to make same day or overnight.
Equipment
- 9x13inch baking dish (or similar)
Ingredients
For the dough
- ½ cup sourdough discard (unfed, room temperature)
- ¾ cup whole milk, warm
- 4 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- ¼ cup honey or maple syrup
- 1 large egg
- ¾ tsp instant yeast (or 1 tsp active dry yeast, bloomed in the milk)
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- Zest of 1 orange
- 3 to 3½ cups all-purpose flour (start with 3 cups)
For the filling
- ½ cup unsalted butter, very soft
- ¾ cup brown sugar, lightly packed
- 2¼ Tbsp ground cinnamon
- Zest of 1 orange
- 1 cup walnuts, finely chopped
- ¼ tsp cardamom OR a small pinch of cloves
Optional pre-bake soak
- 4 Tbsp warm milk or cream
For the orange glaze
- ⅓ cup powdered sugar
- juice of ½ orange
- 1½ Tbsp melted butter
- small pinch of salt
Instructions
- Mix the dough: In a large bowl, whisk together warm milk, honey, melted butter, egg, yeast, sourdough discard, salt, and orange zest until smooth.
- Add flour: Gradually mix in flour until a soft, slightly tacky dough forms (you may not need all of it).
- Knead: Knead by hand on a lightly floured surface for 8–10 minutes, or in a stand mixer on low for 5–6 minutes, until smooth, soft, and elastic.
- First rise: Place dough in a lightly buttered bowl, cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel, and let rise until puffy and ~70–75% larger, about 1–2 hours.
- Prepare filling: Chop walnuts and toast lightly in a dry skillet until fragrant. Mix softened butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, orange zest, and cardamom (or cloves) into a smooth paste, then stir in toasted walnuts.
- Roll out dough: Turn risen dough onto a floured surface and roll into a 14 × 18-inch rectangle. Spread filling evenly, leaving a small border.
- Form rolls: Starting at the long side, roll dough snugly into a log, brushing off extra flour as needed. Slice into 12 rolls using a sharp knife or dental floss.
- Second rise: Place rolls in a generously buttered baking dish with a small gap between them. Cover loosely and let rise until puffy and ~75–85% larger, 45–75 minutes. They should spring back slowly when pressed.
- Bake: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Pour 4 tablespoons of warm milk or cream evenly over the rolls just before baking, letting it seep slightly into the spirals. Bake rolls 20–30 minutes until lightly golden and set. Tent with foil if tops brown too quickly.
- Glaze: While baking, whisk glaze until smooth and thin. Brush or drizzle generously over warm rolls.