Are you looking for the best cinnamon roll recipe to make using your potato flake sourdough starter? You have found it! This recipe is so easy to follow, and only takes a little bit of patience. You’ll be devouring these delicious cinnamon rolls for breakfast and even have friends coming to your house for more!
The same day as I’m posting about these cinnamon rolls, I shared several pans with family and friends, because, well, isn’t it much more enjoyable to share something delicious with others? But hey, no judgement here if you just keep them to yourself and eat them when no one else is around. I won’t tell!
There are a few ways you can substitute some of the ingredients in this recipe so, if you don’t have everything on the ingredient list, don’t pass over too quickly. Check out later in this post, the ways you can switch some things up to still enjoy some delicious cinnamon rolls.
If you don’t have your own potato flake starter, check out how you can make your own starter, and how you can use it in so many different recipes!
What makes these cinnamon rolls the best:
- A potato flake starter is perfect for sweeter breads, making this recipe one of the best things to make with a potato flake starter.
- They are soft, fluffy, gooey and delicious with the perfect swirl of cinnamon, sugar, and butter.
- You don’t need any yeast, baking powder, or baking soda, they will naturally rise using the yeast in your starter.
- The best make ahead breakfast. You can prepare the cinnamon rolls the night before and let them rise over night making it a breeze to pop in the oven when you wake up.
- The fermentation that occurs to make the bread rise, also makes the bread much more digestible and easier for those who don’t tolerate gluten well.
Ingredients
Dough ingredients:
- active potato flake starter
- bread flour
- sugar
- water
- coconut oil
- salt
Filling ingredients:
- sugar
- butter
- cinnamon
Icing ingredients:
- powdered sugar
- maple extract
- milk
- butter
Tools you may need:
- Stand mixer (optional, but so much easier)
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Silicone spatula
- Rolling pin
- Basting brush
- Baking dish (large circle baking dish, 9×13 baking dish, or large cast iron skillet)
How To Make The Easiest Potato Flake Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls From Scratch:
1: Make the dough
In a bowl of a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment, combine fed sourdough starter, flour, sugar, warm water, salt, and melted coconut oil. Mix together until it forms into a ball and the dough is pulling away from the sides.
2: Cover and ferment
Remove the dough and form into a ball and place in a large greased bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap to prevent the dough from drying out and let it set in a warm place throughout the day (or about 8-12 hours).
3: Roll out the dough
That night, or 8-12 hours later, after the dough has about doubled, remove the dough onto a lightly floured surface. (You could do without flouring your surface to avoid unfermented grains and utilize a bench scraper if the dough is sticking) Press the dough flat into a rectangle. Then, using your rolling pin, roll out the dough into a large rectangular shape about 1/4 of an inch thick.
4: Add the Filling
Melt the butter and baste onto the dough, covering the entire surface, all the way to the edges. Sprinkle the sugar and cinnamon on top. (One of these sugar shakers makes this so easy and helps prevent sugar clumps)
Leave about 1 teaspoon of butter in the container you melted it in. Using your basting brush, apply the rest of the butter to the baking dish that you plan to bake your cinnamon rolls in.
Roll the dough up as tightly as you can. Starting at the top and working your way down. When you get to the end, pull it up tightly and pinch the ends into the main roll.
5: Slice and Second Rise
The best to way keep the circular shape of your cinnamon rolls is to cut them using thread or unflavored floss. A knife or bench scraper will do the job, but will squish the rolls, leaving a less aesthetic looking cinnamon roll.
The best way to get evenly sized rolls, is to cut down the middle and divided the two halves in half, and continue this process until you have an even amount of cinnamon rolls about 1 inch or so thick.
I don’t always have the same number of rolls. I will just squish some extra in a pan if I end up with too many.
6. Bake the potato flake sourdough cinnamon rolls
This is optional but makes a much more gooey and moist cinnamon roll. Right before placing the cinnamon rolls into the oven, pour about 1/2 cup of milk over the cinnamon rolls allowing it run over the tops and surround the cinnamon rolls at the bottom of the dish.
Bake the cinnamon rolls in a 350 degree oven for about 25-30 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown. While they are baking prepare the icing. When the cinnamon rolls are done, allow them to cool slightly and top them with icing.
How to make the perfect icing for cinnamon rolls:
Mix powdered sugar, milk, butter, and maple extract together. I whisk mine until smooth. Pour and spread over your freshly baked cinnamon rolls and enjoy!
Optional delicious variation: Add a bit of decaf coffee to the icing. I like to use about 2 tablespoons of decaf espresso and 2 tablespoons of milk, plus more if needed to thin it out.
Tip: If you have more icing then you want to use, freeze it for the next time you want to make cinnamon rolls.
The perfect schedule to make morning cinnamon rolls:
- Day 1 Night: Feed your starter two nights before you want to have cinnamon rolls for breakfast
- Day 2 Morning: The next morning mix your dough and allow for it to bulk rise.
- Day 2 Night: That night divide your dough and form cinnamon rolls, allow for second rise.
- Day 3 Morning: The next morning your rolls will have double and will be ready to bake and eat!
Alternative substitutions:
- You could sub all purpose in place of the bread flour, although it may not be as fluffy. A half and half mixture would be the best option.
- Honey can be used in place of sugar, but you might want to add just a touch more flour since honey is a liquid and will make the dough more sticky.
- Canola oil or vegetable oil can be used in place of coconut oil. But coconut oil is healthier for you.(Trying to make cinnamon rolls as healthy as possible over here!)
- Try subbing milk in place of the water for a richer dough. (I have long fermented dough with milk with no issues, but this is a choice you must make for yourself)
- If you don’t have maple extract, you could use vanilla, but it will not yield the same robust nutty, caramel-like flavor.
Some important tips for making cinnamon rolls:
If you want your cinnamon rolls to expand outwards, be sure to leave them room in the pan and don’t place them right next to each other.
If you place the cinnamon rolls right next to each other, the only way for the to rise, will be up! This is not bad and will result in a nice tall roll, but sometimes the middle can tend to pooch out. This doesn’t affect the flavor, but it doesn’t look as nice. To fix this, check on your cinnamon rolls about half way through, gently press the centers back down with a spatula. Do this again immediately when you pull them out of the oven at the end of the baking time.
Pin it for later and share with a friend:
Potato Flake Sourdough Recipe – Cinnamon Rolls
Equipment
- Stand mixer (optional, but so much easier)
- measuring cups and spoons
- Silicone spatula
- Rolling Pin
- Basting brush
- Baking dish (large circle baking dish, 9×13 baking dish, or large cast iron skillet)
Ingredients
Dough ingredients:
- 1/2 cup active potato flake starter
- 3 cups bread flour
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 3/4 cup warm water not too warm or it can kill your starter
- 1/4 cup coconut oil
- 1/2 T salt
Filling ingredients:
- 1/2-3/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup butter
- 2 T cinnamon Add more if desired
Icing ingredients:
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon maple extract
- 1/4 cup milk add more if need for thinning
- 3 T butter
- 1/2 cup milk to pour on cinnamon rolls before baking
Instructions
- In a bowl of a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment, combine fed sourdough starter, flour, sugar, warm water, salt, and melted coconut oil. Mix together until it forms into a ball and the dough is pulling away from the sides.
- Remove the dough and form into a ball and place in a large greased bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap to prevent the dough from drying out and let it set in a warm place throughout the day (or about 8-12 hours).
- That night, or 8-12 hours later, after the dough has about doubled, remove the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Press the dough flat into a rectangle. Then, using your rolling pin, roll out the dough into a large rectangular shape about 1/4 of an inch thick.
- Melt the butter and baste onto the dough, covering the entire surface, all the way to the edges. Sprinkle the sugar and cinnamon on top.
- Leave about 1 teaspoon of butter in the container you melted it in. Using your basting brush, apply the rest of the butter to the baking dish that you plan to bake your cinnamon rolls in.
- Roll the dough up as tightly as you can. Starting at the top and working your way down. When you get to the end, pull it up tightly and pinch the ends into the main roll.
- The best to way keep the circular shape of your cinnamon rolls is to cut them using thread or unflavored floss.
- Once in the dish, allow for the cinnamon rolls to rise for a second time about 8-10 hours, or until doubled, depending on temperature.
- After the cinnamon rolls have risen, pour about 1/2 cup of milk into the dish allowing it to surround the cinnamon rolls. This is step is optional but makes a much more gooey and moist cinnamon roll.
- Bake the cinnamon rolls in a 350 degree oven for about 25-30 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown. While they are baking prepare the icing. When the cinnamon rolls are done, allow them to cool slightly and top them with icing.
- Mix powdered sugar, milk, butter, and maple extract together. Whisk until smooth. Pour and spread over your freshly baked cinnamon rolls and enjoy!
where is the recipe for the potato flake starter?
https://littletennesseehome.com/how-to-make-a-potato-flake-sourdough-starter/
I have mine ready to bake. I am hoping they will turn out ok because the instructions were a bit confusing. I couldn’t tell exactly what to do with the milk you pour on or around. Both was said, and it said before rising in one place and before baking in another place.
sorry about the confusing directions, I’ll be sure to fix that!
If I wanted to make these ahead of time and freeze them, how would I do that?
The best option is to make them as normal bake them and then let cool. Don’t ice them. But you can prepare the icing. Freeze the baked rolls and icing separately. When you take them out reheat them in the oven until warm. I’d cover with foil to prevent burning the tops. Ice afterwards and enjoy!
Are you rolling the Cinn. Rolls from the long side or short! Thank you for sharing your recipes and wealth of experience!
I roll them up from the long side 🙂
Is the starter supposed to be fed straight from the fridge or fed and left to get to room temperature
I’ve done either way.
Do I need to feed the starter and then use the discard for the rolls or can I take out 1/2 cup of starter in the refrigerator that has not been has not been feed in a few days?
I would feed your starter, allow it to feed and then remove from that what you need for the cinnamon rolls
Hi! I’m having a hard time rolling out my dough. It snaps back and doesn’t get thin at all so I can’t get that beautiful spiral. What am I doing wrong?
I’ve found that it does better if I roll it out on my counter without flour. It sticks to the counter and doesn’t shrink back as quickly. You can also roll it out, cover with a tea towel and let it rest for 5-10 mins. and come back and roll it again after the gluten has relaxed some 🙂
Absolutely the best cinnamon rolls ever. I make a cream cheese maple icing and everyone RAVES about them. Thanks for sharing this amazing and EASY recipe!
Yay! So happy to hear about how much you and your family love them 🙂
Do you pour the milk over the rolls before the second proof? Or just before baking?
just immediately before baking
Also, is 1/2 a tablespoon of salt for the dough and 1/2 a cup of butter for the filling correct? It seems like a lot. I only did about half a teaspoon of salt. I have just melted the butter and it looks like entirely too much for the dough. How many rolls is this recipe supposed to make?
Those are the correct measurements. If you don’t want that much butter, you can reduce it. It typically makes about 12-18 rolls depending on how thinly you roll them out and how thick you cut them. It’s never the same amount for me it seems, but I’m never over precise about how thick I cut them.
Can I bring them through the second rise and then put them in the fridge to bake the next morning? (I started the whole process on Friday night and want to bake them on Sunday morning).
Yes! 🙂
I made these once! Amazing!! Can’t wait to make again! But one question that will help me feel more confident. Could you tell me about how big the rectangle of dough should roll out to be? And about how many rolls you cut out of it? I’m new to homemade cinnamon rolls so I’m a little clueless on that part.
probably about 12″x16″ and aprox. 12-15 rolls
How do you keep the filling from completely oozing out?
I like to use butter that is melted but on it’s way to cooling down that way it will almost congeal with the sugar and cinnamon before rolling it up.
Have you ever tried the filling with 1/2 and 1/2 white and brown sugar? Just wondering how that would be?
I actually have tried recently to fill with dark brown sugar, no white sugar, and they were delicious!
Can the coconut oil be replaced with any other oil?
yes! I just choose coconut oil for health purposes!