Sourdough Apple Cinnamon Rolls

5 from 2 votes

Sourdough Apple Cinnamon Rolls

These Sourdough Apple Cinnamon Rolls are a delicious, fall-inspired twist on the classic. Dotted with sautéed cinnamon apples, this recipe makes incredibly soft, melt-in-your-mouth cinnamon rolls with a warm and cozy fall flavor.

Course Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 17 30

Cook Time 30

Total Time 18

Servings cinnamon rolls

Calories 377kcal

Author Ashley Petrie, RDN, LDN

Equipment

Ingredients

Dough

¾ cup (180 grams) whole milk
4 ¼ cups (510 grams) all-purpose flour
¼ cup (60 grams) ice-cold water
3 large (150 grams) eggs cold
½ cup (100 grams) sourdough starter discard or active sourdough starter
¼ cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ cup (1 stick or 113 grams) unsalted butter softened

Cinnamon Sugar Filling

4 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
½ cup brown sugar packed
4 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Sautéed Apples

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 large apples peeled and diced about ¼-inch
2 tablespoons brown sugar packed
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Icing

2 cups powdered sugar
4 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
3 tablespoons whole milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Instructions

Day 1:

Scald the milk by heating it in a small saucepan over medium heat until it reaches 180°F. Hold at this temperature for one minute. Transfer ¼ cup (60 grams) of the scalded milk to the bowl of a stand mixer. Reserve the remaining ½ cup (120 grams) in the saucepan. Whisk ¼ cup (30 grams) of flour into the reserved milk in the saucepan. Cook over low heat until thickened like mashed potatoes. This is your tangzhong. Transfer it to the stand mixer bowl.
¾ cup (180 grams) whole milk
To the tangzhong in the stand mixer bowl, add ice-cold water and cold eggs. Whisk until mostly combined. Add the sourdough starter and the remaining 4 cups (480 grams) of flour to the bowl. Attach the dough hook and mix on low speed until just combined. Cover and let rest for 5 minutes.
¼ cup (60 grams) ice-cold water, 3 large (150 grams) eggs, ½ cup (100 grams) sourdough starter discard, 4 ¼ cups (510 grams) all-purpose flour
Add granulated sugar and salt to the dough. Knead on medium-low speed for 20 minutes or until the dough cleanly pulls away from the sides of the bowl. With the mixer running on low to medium-low speed, add softened butter one tablespoon at a time. Allowing each piece of butter to fully incorporate before adding the next. The dough may initially separate but will come back together.
¼ cup (50 grams) granulated sugar, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ½ cup (1 stick or 113 grams) unsalted butter
Transfer the dough to a clean bowl, cover, and let it rise at room temperature until doubled in size (about 6-8 hours).
For the filling, mix softened butter, brown sugar, and ground cinnamon until well combined.
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, ½ cup brown sugar, 4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
For the sautéed apples, melt butter in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add diced apples and cook for 5-7 minutes until slightly softened. Add brown sugar and cinnamon, and cook for 3-5 minutes until syrupy. Remove from heat.
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, 2 large apples, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Once doubled, refrigerate the dough overnight or for at least 8 hours so it can be easily rolled out. Refrigerate the cinnamon sugar filling and sautéed apples separately as well. Soften the cinnamon sugar filling before use.

Day 2:

Butter and line a 9"x 13" baking pan with parchment paper.
On a floured surface, roll the chilled dough out into a ¼-inch thick, 12-inch by 20-inch rectangle. Spread the softened filling evenly over the surface, leaving a 1-inch border on one long edge. Sprinkle sautéed apples evenly over the filling. Roll dough tightly from the long edge with filling to the border edge. Pinch to seal and place the log seam side down on the counter. Trim the tapered ends of the log, then cut the remaining log into 15 rolls, about 1 ¼ inch thick each. Place in prepared pan.
Cover and let proof for 1 ½ to 2 hours or until noticeably puffy.
Preheat oven to 375°F about 20 minutes before proofing is complete. Cover the pan with buttered foil and bake for 15 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 10-15 minutes until lightly golden brown.
While the rolls bake, whisk the powdered sugar, melted butter, milk, and vanilla extract together until smooth.
2 cups powdered sugar, 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, 3 tablespoons whole milk, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Cool for 5 minutes before drizzling and spreading the icing evenly over the warm cinnamon rolls. Serve and enjoy!

Notes

Storage: Store sourdough apple cinnamon rolls in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw before reheating.

Nutrition

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