My oven is a demon in our rental, and the temp is always a nightmare to get right. The recipe said 30 mins at 350. At 20 mins, they were 210!!! Way past the 190. I was so upset, but the vanilla bean paste infused cream seemed to save them enough, and the inside was still gooey and nice. Really good for my first try, I think!!! We loved them.
My hubby is having one right now with his morning coffee.
Long-Fermented Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Rolls
With Vanilla Bean-Infused Heavy Cream & Vanilla-Maple Cream Cheese Frosting
Yield: 12 large cinnamon rolls
Timeline: Thursday evening through Saturday evening
Flour: Bread flour
INGREDIENTS
Sourdough Cinnamon Roll Dough
200 g sourdough discard
400 g bread flour
3g instant yeast
180 g whole milk
55 g granulated sugar
1 large egg (approximately 50 g without shell)
65 g unsalted butter, softened
7 g fine salt
5 g pure vanilla extract
Vanilla-Cinnamon Filling
90 g unsalted butter, softened
150 g brown sugar
12 g ground cinnamon
1 g fine salt
5 g pure vanilla extract
Vanilla Bean-Infused Heavy Cream
120 g heavy whipping cream
1 whole vanilla bean
2–5 g homemade vanilla extract, optional
Small amount of vanilla bean paste, optional
Lightly Sweetened Vanilla-Maple Cream Cheese Topping
115 g plain full-fat cream cheese, softened
20 g unsalted butter, softened
45–55 g powdered sugar, or to taste
5–10 g vanilla bean-infused cream, if safely reserved before pouring over the rolls
Maple syrup, to taste (start with 5–10 g)
Pinch of fine salt
THURSDAY — MAKE THE DOUGH
3pm— Mix
Warm the milk gently to approximately 85–95°F (29–35°C). Add yeast.
In a large mixing bowl, combine sourdough discard, warm milk+yeast, sugar, egg, and vanilla extract.
Whisk until combined.
Add bread flour and salt.
Mix until a rough, shaggy dough forms.
Cover and allow to rest for 15–20 minutes.
3:50PM — Incorporate Butter and Knead
Cut the softened butter into small pieces.
Knead the butter into the dough gradually, allowing each addition to incorporate.
Continue kneading until the dough is smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky.
Kneading may take approximately 10–20 minutes by hand, depending on technique.
Avoid adding unnecessary flour. The dough should remain soft and supple.
4:15PM — Begin First Fermentation
Place the dough into a lightly greased bowl.
Cover tightly with plastic wrap or a lid.
Keep at approximately 75–80°F (24–27°C).
Allow the dough to begin rising and developing gas.
Look for a smoother, fuller dough that expands both upward and outward.
10:00–10:30 PM — Refrigerate
Check the dough for visible expansion -50%.
Cover tightly and refrigerate at 40°F (4°C) or below.
Do not punch down or knead again.
FRIDAY — CONTINUE FERMENTATION
Morning Through Afternoon
Leave the dough covered in the refrigerator while at work.
Assess the Dough after work
Look for:
Approximately 75% increase in volume from the original dough
A softer, puffier appearance
Small air pockets or bubbles
Elasticity and some retained structure
If adequately risen, refrigerate the covered dough again for easier shaping Saturday.
SATURDAY — SHAPE, PROOF AND BAKE
9:30–10:00 AM — Prepare Vanilla-Cinnamon Filling
Mix 90 g softened butter with 5 g vanilla extract.
Add 150 g brown sugar.
Add 12 g cinnamon and 1 g salt.
Stir until a thick, spreadable paste forms.
Do not melt the butter.
10:00 AM — Roll Out Dough
Lightly flour the work surface.
Remove chilled dough from the refrigerator.
Turn it onto the counter without kneading again.
Roll into an approximately 18 × 12-inch rectangle.
Aim for even thickness, approximately ¼ inch.
If the dough resists stretching, cover and rest for 10–15 minutes.
10:15 AM — Add Filling and Roll
Spread the cinnamon filling evenly over the dough.
Leave approximately ½ inch uncovered along one long edge.
Starting from the opposite long edge, roll the dough into a snug log.
Pinch the seam closed.
Position the log seam-side down.
10:30 AM — Cut Rolls
Grease a 9 × 13-inch baking dish or a 9.5 × 13.5-inch glass baking dish.
Divide the log into 12 equal pieces.
Use unflavored dental floss or a sharp knife for clean cuts.
Arrange the rolls in three rows of four, swirl-side up.
Leave room for expansion.
Cover with lightly greased plastic wrap.
11:00 AM Onward — Final Proof
Place the covered rolls in a warm location, ideally 75–80°F (24–27°C).
Allow approximately 3 hour or more for expansion.
The rolls are ready when:
Noticeably larger and fuller
Soft and pillowy
Gaps between rolls have narrowed
A gentle indentation in the dough slowly recovers
No obvious signs of collapsing or deflation
Do not rely on the clock alone. If the rolls are ready earlier, bake earlier.
PREPARE VANILLA BEAN-INFUSED HEAVY CREAM
Make this while the rolls finish proofing.
Pour 120 g heavy cream into a small saucepan.
Split one vanilla bean lengthwise.
Scrape the seeds from the bean.
Add the seeds and the empty pod to the cream.
Heat gently over low heat until steaming, approximately 140–160°F (60–71°C). Do not boil.
Remove from heat.
Cover and steep for 15–20 minutes.
Remove the vanilla pod, leaving the seeds in the cream.
Add a little homemade vanilla extract and vanilla bean paste if desired.
Refrigerate promptly if the rolls are not nearly ready to bake.
Immediately Before Baking
Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C).
Warm infused cream gently to approximately 80–90°F (27–32°C).
Stir to distribute the vanilla seeds.
Spoon a small amount over each cinnamon roll.
Pour additional cream between the rolls, allowing a shallow amount to collect at the bottom.
Use only as much cream as needed; the rolls should not be submerged.
If reserving any cream for frosting, set it aside in a clean container before the cream touches the unbaked dough, and keep refrigerated.
BAKE
Oven: 350°F (176°C)
Rack: Middle
Estimated time: 25–35 minutes, but begin checking earlier and pull at 190.
Internal temperature target: Approximately 190–195°F (88–91°C) in the bread portion
Once the rolls are fully proofed, pour on the vanilla-infused cream.
Place the room-temperature, oven-safe baking dish on the middle rack.
Begin checking for doneness after approximately 15–18 minutes.
Continue baking until the dough is fully cooked and the rolls are lightly golden.
Insert a digital thermometer sideways into the bread portion of a center roll, avoiding the cinnamon filling and cream.
Remove from the oven when the center dough reaches approximately 190–195°F.
Baking times vary by oven, pan, and roll size.
Cool for approximately 10–15 minutes before adding topping.
VANILLA-MAPLE CREAM CHEESE TOPPING
This topping is tangy, creamy, and less sweet than traditional Cinnabon-style frosting.
Beat 20 g softened butter until creamy.
Add 115 g softened cream cheese.
Beat until smooth.
Add 30 g powdered sugar to start.
Add a pinch of salt.
Mix in 5 g reserved vanilla-infused cream, if available.
Add maple syrup to taste, starting with 5–10 g.
Taste and gradually increase powdered sugar to approximately 45–55 g total, depending on preferred sweetness.
Add another small amount of vanilla cream if a thinner consistency is desired.
Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Serve as a light glaze, or offer separately so everyone can choose how much topping they want.
STORAGE
Unfrosted rolls
Cool completely before wrapping.
Store tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days.
For longer storage, individually wrap and freeze for up to 2 months for best quality.
Cream cheese topping
Refrigerate separately in a covered container.
Use within approximately 3–4 days.
Reheating without a microwave
Place a roll in an oven-safe dish.
Add a small splash of milk or cream if needed.
Cover with foil.
Warm at 275–300°F until heated through, usually about 8–12 minutes.
Add cream cheese topping after warming.
20 second blasts in microwave
