Name: Sourdough Discard Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls (1 hour recipe)
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 30 min
Ingredients: 5 1/4 cups (665g) all-purpose flour; 1 1/2 tsp baking powder; 1 tsp baking soda; 1/2 tsp salt; 2 tsp ground cinnamon; 1/2 cup (100g) granulated white sugar; 1 (50g) large egg; 1/2 cup (120g) sourdough discard (100% hydration); 3/4 cup (200g) pumpkin purée (blotted if watery); scant 3/4 cup (170g) whole milk or buttermilk; 1/3 cup (80g) sour cream (full-fat); 1 tsp vanilla extract; 1/4 cup (57g) unsalted butter, softened; 1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened; 3/4 cup (150g) brown sugar; 2 tbsp (16g) all-purpose flour; 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon; 1 tsp ground ginger; 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg; 1/4 tsp ground cardamom; 1/8 tsp sea salt; 1/3 cup (70g) heavy cream; 4 oz (113g) cream cheese, room temperature; 1/2 tsp vanilla extract; 1/4 tsp sea salt; 1/4 cup (57g) unsalted butter, softened; 1/2 cup (60g) powdered sugar; 1-2 tbsp heavy cream (more if thinner glaze is desired)

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Sourdough Discard Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

One of my favorite recipes I have developed over time with my friend Samantha from Healing Slice has been this Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Rolls recipe. We have shared notes and tweaked this recipe and it’s taken on many forms! Samantha has used this base to make her Sourdough Cinnamon Sticks (discard recipe) linked here if you’d like to make them. This is my pumpkin variation, Sourdough Discard Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls (1 hour recipe).

These rolls are enriched with butter, sour cream, and pumpkin purée to keep them soft, spiced all the way through, and filled with gooey brown sugar pumpkin spice filling. Finished with a tangy cream cheese glaze, they’re bakery worthy with half the work and time!

If you’d like to see more of our quick and easy discard recipes using this base, I’ve listed them here!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe:

This discard dough is easy to mix up with ingredients readily on hand, and can be shaped and baked right away or covered and refrigerated for longer fermentation if desired. Skip all of the kneading and stretch and folds- just mix your dough, roll, shape and bake.

Whip up an easy cream cheese icing while your rolls bake, and you’ll have everyone thinking you slaved for hours over these sourdough pumpkin cinnamon rolls!

As an amazon affiliate, this post may contain affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission for qualifying purchases. I will only recommend products that I personally love and use.

Tools You’ll Need:

Stand mixer with hook attachment (or strong hands!) – to mix dough.
Measuring cups and spoons– to measure smaller ingredients.
Digital scale– for accurate measurements.
Mixing bowls- to mix dough, filling, and icing.
Rolling pin- to roll out your dough.
Sharp knife or pizza wheel- to cut dough for rolls.
9×13 baking pan- I love this pan here from USA https://amzn.to/45hReWn.
Spatula- to spread icing.
Tape measure or ruler- for precise measurements when shaping rolls.

Gather Your Ingredients:

Unsalted butter – Adds richness and tenderness to the dough. Helps the cinnamon sugar mixture caramelize.
Pumpkin Puree- adds pumpkin flavor and softness to the rolls. Don’t use pumpkin pie filling only puree.
Egg – Provides structure and helps bind the dough.
Sourdough discard– Adds moisture and is the magic that ferments your dough. Can be used fed, past peak, or straight from the fridge.
Whole milk – Adds moisture and a slight tang, aiding in tenderness. Can be substituted for buttermilk.
Sour cream – Enhances softness and structure. This is the secret ingredient to a tender crumb. You can substitute for whole milk Greek yogurt, but a word of caution avoid anything that is non-fat or it won’t have the same results.
Vanilla extract – Adds depth of flavor to rolls and icing.
All-purpose flour – Provides structure and stability. You can substitute bread flour but I like the softness all-purpose gives the dough.
Baking powder – Helps with lift and rise.
Baking soda – Balances acidity from the sourdough discard and buttermilk.
Sea salt – Enhances overall flavor.
Granulated sugar – Adds sweetness and helps with browning.
Brown sugar – Adds sweetness and caramel texture to the filling.
Ground cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cardamom – adds warmth and spice to the filling and dough giving the rolls the signature pumpkin spice taste. If you want, you can substitute for a pumpkin spice blend for the amounts listed for the spices. Be aware all blends are different, and may affect the taste differently.
Cream cheese– Creates a creamy, tangy fluffy icing we know and love to top the rolls.
Heavy Cream- to lock in moisture in rolls while baking.
Powdered sugar – Sweetens and thickens the glaze. Do not use granulated sugar in the glaze or it will be grainy.

Now let’s bake!

Instructions

Step 1: Mix the Dough

In a stand mixer bowl (or large bowl) whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.

Add in the egg, pumpkin puree, sourdough discard, milk or buttermilk, vanilla, sour cream, butter and sugar to the dry ingredients.

Add wet ingredients — Whisk together dry ingredients

Knead your dough for roughly 8 minutes on low by mixer or by hand, until everything is well combined. The dough should be well mixed, and will be slightly sticky and wet. If the dough is very sticky and soupy, add 2 Tablespoons (25g) of flour and mix. This dough is rather wet, so be careful here not to add too much flour or the rolls will be dry. See above for how the dough should look when complete.

Cover the bowl with plastic, and transfer to the refrigerator to chill for at least 20 minutes. This makes the rolls easier to shape.

Optional Overnight Fermentation: Cover bowl and refrigerate overnight if you want a longer fermentation if you’re gluten sensitive.

Step 2: Make Brown Sugar Filling

In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cardamom, and salt for the filling. Set aside. Make sure your butter is room temperature for the filling at this time, you should be able to easily leave a fingerprint in it.

Prepare the brown sugar mixture and the butter for the filling

Step 3: Shape and Bake the Rolls

Preheat your oven to 350 F. Lightly spray a 9×13 baking pan with cooking oil and set aside.

Remove the dough from the refrigerator. Gather your pizza or pastry wheel, rolling pin, tape measure or ruler if using, and a spatula. We’re going to use all of these tools to make our rolls!

Flour your work surface very well. I mean this! This dough can get sticky so please don’t skip this step. Dump your dough out onto your work surface, and flour the top of the dough and your rolling pin well. Just trust me!

Roll out your dough to a 12×18 inch rectangle, aiming for a 1/4 inch thickness. Use your ruler to trim the edges to make a uniform rectangle if desired (the sides should be 12 inches and the bottom and top edges 18 inches).

Cover the rectangle of dough with the softened butter, leaving a 1/2 inch border at the top. Sprinkle the brown sugar filling over the butter, covering the butter well. Cut the rectangle into 12 even strips with your pastry cutter, about 1 1/4 inch wide.

Cover dough with butter leaving a top border of 1/2 inch

Cover the butter with the brown sugar filling — Cover dough with butter leaving a top border of 1/2 inch

Roll up tightly to make your rolls — Cut dough into even 1 1/4 inch strips

Starting at the bottom of each strip, roll each strip up tightly to form a roll. Continue this with all 12 rolls. Place in the oiled 9×12 baking dish 3 rolls across in 4 rows.

Pour heavy cream over the rolls evenly to lock in moisture.

Bake the rolls at 350 F for 25-30 minutes, when you push on the dough portion of the center of a roll, it should feel firm. Rolls should be golden brown. Remove the rolls from the oven and allow to cool while you prepare the icing. Internal temperature should be 195-200 F.

Step 4: Make the Cream Cheese Icing

Make sure your cream cheese and butter are soft, this is important to make sure the icing comes togehter correctly.

Using hand beaters or a stand mixer, cream together the cream cheese and the butter. Beat for a minute on high until cream cheese and butter are smooth and light. Add in the vanilla and salt, and beat in for another minute.

Sift in your powdered sugar so you don’t have any lumps, and beat into the icing for 1-2 minutes. Add 1-2 Tablespoons of cream to the icing, and beat until light and fluffy for another minute.

Scoop icing onto warm rolls, and spread generously over the tops. Serve warm!

Yields 12 rolls

How to Store:

Room temperature- Store covered at room temperature for 1–2 days.

Refrigerator- up to 5 days. Gently reheat to enjoy.

Freezer- Store unglazed rolls wrapped tightly in plastic up to 2 months. Defrost, warm gently in the oven, and glaze fresh.

FAQ’S:

Can I make these ahead?

Yes! Shape the rolls and place in the pan, cover tightly, and refrigerate overnight. Bake in the morning.

Do I need active starter?

Nope. This is a discard recipe. Baking powder + soda are your main rising agents.

Can I make these without sour cream?

Yes, substitute full-fat Greek yogurt for the same tenderness.

Can I leave out the cardamom?

Definitely! Cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg carry most of the pumpkin spice flavor.

Can I substitute the spices with a pumpkin spice blend?

Yes, substitute the spices for equal measurement pumpkin pie spice blend.