Sourdough Cinnamon or Nutella Rolls

Soft, naturally leavened cinnamon or Nutella rolls with a golden crust, brushed with a glossy sugar syrup for a bakery-style finish. No yeast needed!

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Recipe

Servings: 9 rolls

Calories per serving: ~250 kcal

Total time: 7 hours

Sourdough Cinnamon or Nutella Rolls

Ingredients

Dough:

• 200g (¾ cup + 1 tbsp) active sourdough discard (bubbly)

• 120g (½ cup) warm cocoa milk

• 50g (¼ cup) melted butter

• 1 large egg

• 30g (2 tbsp) honey or sugar

• 300g (2 ½ cups) all-purpose flour

• ½ tsp baking powder

• ½ tsp salt

Filling (Choose One):

• Cinnamon: 50g (¼ cup) butter, softened + 50g (¼ cup) brown sugar + 1 tbsp cinnamon

• Nutella: ¼ cup Nutella, softened

Egg Wash:

• 1 egg, beaten

Sugar Syrup:

• 100g (½ cup) water

• 100g (½ cup) brown sugar

Instructions

1. Make the Dough (11:00 AM)

1. In a large bowl, mix sourdough discard, warm cocoa milk, melted butter, egg, honey (or sugar), flour, baking powder, and salt.

2. Knead for about 5 minutes until smooth and slightly sticky.

3. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 2.5 hours (until puffy but not necessarily doubled).

2. Roll & Fill (1:30 PM)

1. Roll the dough into a 12x10-inch rectangle.

2. Spread butter + cinnamon sugar OR Nutella evenly over the surface.

3. Roll tightly from the long side and cut into 9 equal pieces.

3. Second Rise (1:45–5:00 PM)

1. Arrange rolls in a buttered 9-inch baking dish.

2. Cover and let rise until noticeably puffy. If slow, place in a warm oven (~90°F) for a boost.

4. Bake (5:00–6:00 PM)

1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).

2. Brush rolls with beaten egg for a golden finish.

3. Bake for 20–25 minutes until golden brown.

5. Sugar Syrup Glaze (5:30 PM)

1. Microwave water + brown sugar until boiling.

2. Brush over baked rolls, then return to oven for 2 more minutes.

3. Let cool slightly before serving.

Nutrition (Per Serving):

• Calories: ~250 kcal

• Carbs: 35g

• Fat: 10g

• Protein: 5g

Storage Instructions

• Store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

• For longer storage, freeze rolls and reheat at 300°F (150°C) for 10 minutes before serving.

Ingredients

Make the Dough

Make the Dough

Make the dough

Roll & Fill

Roll & Fill

Roll & Fill

Roll & Fill

Roll & Fill

Roll & Fill

Second Rise

Brush rolls with beaten egg

Bake

Sugar Syrup Glaze

Sugar Syrup Glaze

Sugar Syrup Glaze

Sugar Syrup Glaze

Enjoy

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Prompt

Again, I needed an idea how to use my sourdough starter, so I asked ChatGPT:

It's 11 am, I have fed and bubbly sourdough discard, and I want to make cinnamon rolls or Nutella rolls for 6 pm. Is it possible or will I need yeast?

And it responded kind of literally:

You can definitely make cinnamon rolls or Nutella rolls with your bubbly sourdough discard in 7 hours without needing extra yeast! Since your discard is active, it should have enough leavening power if you manage fermentation well.

Here’s a rough timeline:

1. 11:00 AM – Mix dough and let it rise at a warm room temperature (~75–80°F).

2. 1:30 PM – Roll out, fill, and shape the rolls. Place in a warm spot for the second rise.

3. 5:00 PM – Preheat oven and check if they’ve risen enough. If not, you can boost the rise by putting them in a slightly warm oven (around 90°F).

4. 6:00 PM – Bake!

If your kitchen is cool, the rise might be slower. If you’re worried, adding ½ teaspoon of baking powder to the dough can give a little insurance. Want a specific recipe that fits this timeline?

So I had to specifically ask for the recipe:

Ok give me a recipe please

And it gave me one:

Here’s a sourdough cinnamon (or Nutella) roll recipe that fits your 7-hour timeline!

Soft Sourdough Cinnamon or Nutella Rolls (No Yeast)

Ingredients (Makes ~9 rolls)

Dough:

• 200g (¾ cup + 1 tbsp) active sourdough discard (bubbly)

• 120g (½ cup) warm cocoa milk

• 50g (¼ cup) melted butter

• 1 large egg

• 30g (2 tbsp) honey or sugar

• 300g (2 ½ cups) all-purpose flour

• ½ tsp baking powder (helps with rise)

• ½ tsp salt

Filling (Choose One):

• Cinnamon: 50g (¼ cup) butter, 50g (¼ cup) brown sugar, 1 tbsp cinnamon

• Nutella: ¼ cup Nutella, softened

Glaze (Optional):

• Powdered sugar + a little cocoa milk for drizzling

Instructions

1. Make the Dough (11:00 AM)

• Mix all the dough ingredients in a bowl. Knead for ~5 minutes until smooth. The dough should be soft and slightly sticky.

• Cover and let rise in a warm spot (75–80°F) for 2.5 hours.

2. Roll & Fill (1:30 PM)

• Roll dough into a rectangle (~12x10 inches).

• Spread butter + cinnamon sugar OR Nutella.

• Roll up tightly and cut into 9 pieces.

3. Second Rise (1:45–5:00 PM)

• Place rolls in a buttered 9-inch pan. Cover and let rise until puffy. If slow, place in a slightly warm oven (~90°F) to speed it up.

4. Bake (5:00–6:00 PM)

• Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).

• Bake for 20–25 minutes until golden.

• Drizzle glaze if using.

Would you like any adjustments?

I have never seen warm cocoa milk as part of the recipe. I thought it was odd. I later found out it committed me preferring cocoa milk over regular milk, which was weird, but I deleted that memory. I asked why:

Why warm cocoa milk?

It thought I asked why warm and not why cocoa milk:

Warming the cocoa milk helps:

1. Better Dough Hydration – Warm liquid helps the flour absorb moisture more effectively, leading to a softer dough.

2. Boosts Fermentation – Since you’re relying on sourdough discard, a warm environment encourages a faster rise, helping you stay within the 7-hour timeline.

3. Enhances Flavor – Cocoa milk adds a subtle richness that pairs well with cinnamon or Nutella, making the rolls extra delicious.

If your discard is very active and your kitchen is warm, you can use room-temperature cocoa milk instead.

I didn't know about the memory thing then, so asked if I can DIY the cocoa milk part:

I have milk cocoa and sugar. Can I just mix and microwave for warm cocoa milk or will microwaving hurt it?

It said yes:

Microwaving is totally fine! Just mix your milk, cocoa, and sugar, then warm it in short bursts (15–20 seconds at a time), stirring in between to prevent hot spots. You want it warm (not hot), around 100–110°F—comfortable to the touch but not scalding. If it gets too hot, let it cool a bit before using, so it doesn’t accidentally slow down the sourdough fermentation.

Initially, I didn't see much rise so I asked:

Should I be noticing significant rise in bulk fermentation?

So it responded:

Yes, you should be noticing some rise during bulk fermentation, but it might not be as fast as dough with commercial yeast. With sourdough, the rise tends to be slower but steady. Given that you're working on a 7-hour timeline, aim for a rise of about 50–75% of the dough's original size during bulk fermentation.

Here’s what to look for:

• Bubbly texture – The dough should feel airy and have some visible bubbles when you gently press or stretch it.

• Slight puffing up – You don’t need it to double in size, but it should become noticeably puffier.

• Soft and slightly sticky texture – If it’s too firm, it might need a bit more time.

If after 2 hours there’s not much rise, you could gently place the dough in a warmer spot or even try using a bit of extra baking powder to help it along.

How’s it looking so far?

Scroll to the top of this page or click below for the final recipe.

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