Bakers Percent

Sourdough guide

Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls: Four Recipes Compared by the Numbers

By Bakers Percent editorial7 min readLast updated Researched guide, AI-assisted (how we make these)

On this page
  1. The four doughs side by side
  2. Filling and topping compared
  3. Shaping
  4. Timing: same day or overnight
  5. Baking
  6. Make ahead and storage
  7. Troubleshooting
  8. FAQ

How this guide was made: it is a researched guide compiled from the published recipes listed at the end of this page. We converted each dough to baker's percentages on the same basis and lined up their rolling sizes, rises and bake settings; we don't claim to have baked these rolls. Every number is attributed so you can check it.

A sourdough cinnamon roll dough is an enriched dough: milk, butter, sugar and egg go in alongside the starter. That makes it slower and softer than a lean loaf, and it changes how you read the recipe. The four recipes compared here agree on the basic method (mix, a long first rise, roll, fill, cut, a second rise, bake) but differ a lot in how rich the dough is, how long each rise takes and how hot they bake.

Quick answers

  • Milk plus starter water: about 45–57% of the flour [1][2][3][4]. Butter runs from about 8% to 21% and sugar from about 9% to 15% [1][2][3][4].
  • First rise: about 4 hours somewhere warm (75°F) for King Arthur's dough [1]; the other three take an overnight or all-day rise, typically 8–12 hours [2][3][4].
  • Roll out: about 12 × 18 to 14 × 20 inches for a 12-roll pan [1][2][3].
  • Second rise: 1–3 hours until puffy, or overnight in the fridge [1][2][3][4].
  • Bake: 350–400°F for about 18–30 minutes [1][2][3][4]. King Arthur bakes to 190°F in the center of a middle roll [1].
  • Most common failure: under-proofed rolls. The Pantry Mama warns that rolls that aren't puffy before baking turn out gummy [3].

The four doughs side by side

These are baker's percentages, with each ingredient as a share of the total flour (100%), counting the flour and water inside the starter. None of the four states its starter's hydration, so we assumed equal weights of flour and water (100%). For enriched doughs we show milk plus the starter's water as "liquid", and list butter, sugar and egg separately. Our hydration calculator runs the starter arithmetic, and baker's percentages, explained shows the method.

Recipe Total flour Milk + starter water Butter Sugar Salt Egg Starter flour (% of total) Dough / rolls
King Arthur Baking [1] about 500 g (all-purpose + some whole wheat) 57% 11% 10% 1.8% 1 23% (1 tsp instant yeast optional) ~950 g, 12 rolls (~79 g each)
Country Roads Sourdough [2] 750 g 55% 8% (melted) 13% 0.7% 1 13% ~1.37 kg, 12 rolls (~114 g each)
The Pantry Mama [3] 550 g 45% 21% (softened) 15% 1.3% 1 + 1 yolk 9% ~1.07 kg, 12 rolls (~89 g each)
Yummy Mummy Kitchen [4] 350 g 57% 10% (melted) 9% 1.4% 1 14% ~670 g, 1½-inch slices in a 9 × 9 in pan

Figures are our arithmetic from each recipe's published gram weights (script: research/pillars8/formulas.py). Dough weights include an estimated 50 g for a large egg (Country Roads states 50 g [2]) and about 18 g for a yolk. Per-roll weights are dough weight divided by the stated 12 rolls, before filling.

What the comparison shows:

  • The Pantry Mama's dough is the richest by far. At about 21% butter and 15% sugar with an extra yolk [3], it sits closer to brioche, and it has the least liquid (45%) to match [3]. Country Roads uses the least butter (8%) [2].
  • Salt varies more than you'd expect. Country Roads works out to about 0.7% salt [2], well under King Arthur's 1.8% [1]. If you scale or swap recipes, check the salt line on its own.
  • King Arthur's dough uses the most starter (about a quarter of the flour) [1], which is one reason its first rise is the shortest. It also lists a teaspoon of instant yeast as optional [1].
  • Roll size depends on the dough weight. Country Roads' larger dough makes 12 rolls of about 114 g each [2], King Arthur's about 79 g [1].

Filling and topping compared

Recipe Filling Before baking Frosting
King Arthur [1] 159 g brown sugar, 30 g flour, 8 g cinnamon, 14 g melted butter, pinch of salt ("wet sand") nothing confectioners' sugar icing with butter, vanilla and milk or cream
Country Roads [2] 113 g softened butter spread on, then 220 g brown sugar + 12 g cinnamon nothing cream cheese frosting
The Pantry Mama [3] 75 g melted butter, 100 g brown sugar, 3 g cinnamon, mixed to "wet sand" 200 g heavy cream poured over (optional) vanilla cream cheese frosting
Yummy Mummy Kitchen [4] 50 g softened butter spread on, then 60 g brown sugar + 1 Tbsp cinnamon about ⅓ cup heavy cream poured over (optional) cream cheese frosting

Two recipes pour heavy cream over the rolls just before baking [3][4]. The Pantry Mama says the cream mixes with any filling that has oozed out and turns it into a sauce [3]. King Arthur adds a little flour to its filling [1].

Shaping

Recipe Roll the dough to Cut Pan
King Arthur [1] 14 × 20 in; the log lengthens to about 18 in twelve 1½-in slices 9 × 13 in, greased
Country Roads [2] about 12 × 18 in 12 slices (floss or bench scraper) 9 × 13 in, greased
The Pantry Mama [3] about 20 × 12 in, about ¼ in thick, no flour on the counter about 12 pieces (halve, then halve again) 9 × 13 in
Yummy Mummy Kitchen [4] about 14 × 11 in, on a well-floured surface 1½-in pieces (knife or floss) 9 × 9 in or round springform, parchment-lined

The Pantry Mama leaves a 2-inch strip bare along one long edge and turns the seams inward in the pan so the rolls don't unravel [3]; King Arthur leaves ½ inch bare along a short edge [1].

Timing: same day or overnight

Recipe First rise Second rise Overnight option
King Arthur [1] 4 h at about 75°F, with 3–4 stretch and folds 2–3 h until puffy, then about another hour refrigerate the shaped rolls overnight and bake the next day (up to 24 h later)
Country Roads [2] 8–12 h overnight at 70–75°F, until doubled 1–2 h until puffy shape the day before, fridge overnight once almost doubled; no longer than 12 h
The Pantry Mama [3] all day (sample timeline: covered at 9 am, shaped at 5:30 pm), until risen about 30% and soft until puffy and touching about an hour on the counter, then fridge overnight; out at 6:30 am to warm up, bake at 8 am
Yummy Mummy Kitchen [4] 8–12 h, until doubled 1–2 h until puffy skip the final rise and refrigerate overnight

The sources split on the cold proof: King Arthur allows up to 24 hours [1], while Country Roads says not to go past 12 hours because over-proofed rolls bake up less light [2]. Warmth matters too: King Arthur wants about 75°F [1] and Country Roads 70–75°F [2]. Our bulk fermentation guide explains how temperature changes rise times, and the overnight vs same-day comparison covers fridge timing for lean dough.

Baking

Recipe Oven Time Done when
King Arthur [1] 400°F 18–22 min (20–25 min straight from the fridge) golden; 190°F in the center of a middle roll
Yummy Mummy Kitchen [4] 375°F 20–25 min big, lightly golden, still pale and soft in the middle
Country Roads [2] 350°F 25–30 min lightly browned
The Pantry Mama [3] 350°F (180°C) 30 min golden and bubbling

Frost after a short cool: 5–10 minutes for King Arthur and Country Roads [1][2], about 30 minutes for The Pantry Mama [3].

Make ahead and storage

  • Bake, then reheat. King Arthur lets baked rolls sit covered overnight at room temperature, then reheats them at 325°F for 10–15 minutes before icing [1]. Country Roads also recommends baking ahead and reheating [2].
  • Freeze unfrosted. King Arthur [1] and Country Roads [2] both freeze the rolls without icing; Country Roads gives up to 3 months and suggests thawing overnight before reheating [2]. That matches King Arthur's general advice to add glazes and frosting only after thawing [5].
  • Leftovers: King Arthur says about a day at room temperature in an airtight container [1]; The Pantry Mama up to 48 hours in the covered pan, or 5 days in the fridge [3]. Country Roads stores frosted rolls in the fridge for 5–7 days [2].

For a holiday morning, the overnight options above let you shape the night before and bake while breakfast comes together.

Troubleshooting

Problem What the sources suggest
Gummy rolls Usually under-proofed; wait until the rolls are puffy and full before baking [3]. Bake to about 190°F in the center [1].
Dough didn't rise Use a strong starter that has doubled; a weak one gives a dough that won't rise [2]. Keep it warm, about 70–75°F [1][2].
Rolls flat after the fridge Over-proofing in the fridge makes them less fluffy; Country Roads caps the cold rest at 12 hours [2].
Filling oozes out Common and harmless; The Pantry Mama pours cream over and lets it turn into sauce [3]. Seams facing inward help the rolls hold their shape [3].
Dough too sticky to knead Add a tablespoon of flour [4], or rest the dough first; three of the four rest it 20–30 minutes before kneading [1][3][4].

FAQ

Can I make sourdough cinnamon rolls without yeast? Yes. Three of the four rely on the starter alone [2][3][4]; King Arthur lists instant yeast as optional [1].

How long do sourdough cinnamon rolls take to rise? About 4 hours for King Arthur's first rise at 75°F [1], or 8–12 hours for the overnight doughs [2][4], plus 1–3 hours after shaping [1][2][4].

Can I shape them the night before? Yes. Refrigerate the shaped rolls overnight; King Arthur allows up to 24 hours [1], Country Roads no more than 12 [2].

What temperature should I bake them at? Anywhere from 350°F [2][3] to 400°F [1] in these recipes; hotter ovens bake faster.

How do I know they're done? King Arthur looks for 190°F in the center of a middle roll [1]. Yummy Mummy Kitchen pulls them while still pale and soft in the middle [4].

Why pour cream over cinnamon rolls? Yummy Mummy Kitchen pours it on for extra moisture and richness [4]; The Pantry Mama says it turns leaked filling into a sauce [3].

Can I freeze sourdough cinnamon rolls? Yes, without the frosting; Country Roads says up to 3 months [2].

Sources (checked 2026-10-18)

  1. King Arthur Baking, "Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls": https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/recipes/sourdough-cinnamon-rolls-recipe
  2. Country Roads Sourdough, "Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls Recipe (Easy Overnight Method)": https://countryroadssourdough.com/sourdough-cinnamon-rolls/
  3. The Pantry Mama (Kate Freebairn), "Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls": https://pantrymama.com/fluffy-sourdough-cinnamon-rolls/
  4. Yummy Mummy Kitchen, "Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls" (2024-12): https://www.yummymummykitchen.com/2024/12/sourdough-cinnamon-rolls.html
  5. King Arthur Baking, "How can I freeze my bread? (And defrost it, too!)" (2023-12-20): https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/blog/2023/12/20/freeze-bread

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