Sourdough Discard Cherry Cinnamon Rolls (Quick Mini Sweet Rolls)
These sourdough discard cherry cinnamon Rolls are the perfect way to utilize your starter discard. Turning a quick breakfast favorite into a spectacular seasonal twist. Packed with juicy, vibrant fruit from my partners at Northwest Cherries, this recipe delivers a signature sourdough tang wrapped around a sweet, bubbling orchard filling and a naturally pink cherry cream cheese glaze.
You can find bags of these beautiful Northwest gems at your local grocery store right now. This makes it easy to bake along whether you are out West or here with me in Tennessee. If your kitchen counter is currently overflowing with a beautiful orchard haul, you can keep that momentum going by trying my rustic Cherry Clafoutis Recipe or baking a tray of my tender Cherry Scones.
A Quick Look at This Sourdough Discard Cherry Cinnamon Rolls Recipe
- 🍒 The Flavor Profile: Soft, tangy sourdough layers wrapped around a sweet, jammy cinnamon-spiced fresh cherry swirl, topped with a bright lemon-cherry glaze.
- 🫙 The Batch Size: Yields roughly 25 bite-sized mini sweet rolls, perfectly portioned for small hands and standard 9x13 baking pans or cast-iron skillets.
- ⏰ Time: 20 minutes of prep, 18 minutes to bake, and no long rising times required. Warm rolls on the table in under an hour!
- ⚡ The Secret: A fast-rising, zero-waste dough that utilizes baking powder and baking soda to react instantly with the acidity of your unfed sourdough starter.
Jump to:
- A Quick Look at This Sourdough Discard Cherry Cinnamon Rolls Recipe
- Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Ingredient Notes & Sourcing
- Step-by-Step Instructions: How to Bake Sourdough Discard Cherry Cinnamon Rolls
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Final Thoughts from the Homestead
- You may also want to try:
- Sourdough Discard Mini Cherry Cinnamon Rolls
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Zero Waste Bakery Results: Completely empties out your glass storage jars of unfed sourdough discard with absolutely no commercial yeast needed.
- Stunning Natural Color: The beautiful pink frosting is tinted completely naturally using a single splash of fresh sweet cherry juice.
- Make-Ahead Friendly: You can completely roll, slice, and tuck the unbaked rolls into the refrigerator overnight for effortless baking the next morning.
- Perfect Mini Portions: The smaller size cooks quickly, creates less mess at the breakfast table, and looks gorgeous on a summer brunch platter.
Ingredient Notes & Sourcing
Using your unfed sourdough starter adds a beautiful, complex depth of flavor and a subtle tang that balances out the sweet orchard filling.
- Sourdough Discard: Brings natural acidity and moisture to the dough. Ensure your discard is at room temperature before mixing.
- Fresh Northwest Cherries: The absolute star of the show. We chop and simmer them briefly to remove excess water, concentrating their natural sugars so the filling stays thick and jammy inside the dough.
- Baking Powder and Baking Soda: Our leavening workhorses. Because this is a quick dough, these react instantly with the discard to create a light, airy rise without hours of waiting.
- Lemon Zest: A tiny pinch added to the cream cheese frosting balances out the sweet maple syrup and highlights the bright fruit notes.
Step-by-Step Instructions: How to Bake Sourdough Discard Cherry Cinnamon Rolls
Simmer the Sweet Cherry Sauce
In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine your fresh sweet cherries, brown sugar, and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Simmer for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently, until the cherries break down into a rich, thick sauce. Set aside to cool completely.
Mix the Cinnamon Sugar Filling
In a small bowl, combine softened butter, brown sugar, and ground cinnamon. Stir thoroughly until it forms a smooth, spreadable paste.
Prepare the Sourdough Dough
Mix your sourdough starter, flour, milk, butter, sugar, egg, and salt until a cohesive dough forms. Knead until smooth, cover, and allow the dough to rest and rise until soft and pliable.
Whip the Cream Cheese Frosting
In a mixing bowl, beat together softened cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and a splash of heavy cream until light, creamy, and completely smooth. Set aside.
Roll, Fill, and Slice
Roll the dough into a large rectangle on a floured surface. Spread the cinnamon sugar paste evenly over the dough, followed by the cooled cherry sauce. Roll the dough tightly into a log and use plain dental floss or thread to slice into even rolls. Arrange the rolls closely in a parchment-lined baking dish.
Bake and Frost
Bake the rolls at 350°F (175°C) until golden brown and cooked through. Remove from the oven and immediately spread the cream cheese frosting over the warm rolls, letting it melt into the spirals. Serve topped with additional cherry sauce and fresh cherries.
Storage & Reheating Tips
- Room Temperature: Keep frosted leftovers in an airtight container for up to 1 day.
- In the Fridge: Because of the real fruit and cream cheese frosting, store leftovers in a sealed container in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days.
- Reheating: To quickly soften a leftover roll and restore that fresh-baked gooey texture, microwave it for 15 seconds with a damp paper towel laid loosely over the top to trap the steam. Or, reheat in oven for 10 minutes at 350.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! You can absolutely use an active, fed starter in this recipe at a 1:1 ratio. Because this recipe relies on baking powder and baking soda for its fast rise, your active starter will simply add a slightly milder, sweeter flavor profile to the dough rather than changing the rise time.
If your simmered cherries still have a lot of liquid pooling in the pan, that's fine! Use that to drizzle over the cream cheese frosting with the other leftover filling!
You can freeze the baked, unfrosted rolls easily! Place them in a freezer-safe bag for up to 2 months. When you are ready to enjoy them, thaw them overnight in the refrigerator, warm them in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 8 minutes, and apply fresh frosting right before serving.
Final Thoughts from the Homestead
These easy sourdough discard cherry cinnamon rolls have quickly become our absolute favorite summer morning tradition during school break. They are faster than traditional yeast rolls, perfectly sized for little hands, and showcase the very best of a fresh Northwest Cherry harvest.
If you try this fruit-forward twist in your own farmhouse kitchen, leave a comment below or tag me over on Instagram so I can see your beautiful pink spirals!
You may also want to try:
Sourdough Discard Mini Cherry Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
Cherry Filling
- 1 ½ cups fresh Northwest sweet cherries pitted and finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
The Dough
- 3 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup sourdough discard at room temperature
- ¾ cup whole milk warmed
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup honey
- ⅓ cup butter melted and cooled
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
The Cinnamon Base
- 6 tablespoons softened butter
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
Cherry Lemon Glaze
- 4 oz cream cheese softened
- 2 tablespoons softened butter
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream adjust for thickness
Instructions
- Simmer Fruit Filling: In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine chopped cherries, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, and lemon juice. Simmer 5 to 7 minutes until thick and jammy. Set aside to cool completely.
- Mix the Dough: In a large bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk discard, warm milk, egg, melted butter, and honey. Pour wet into dry and knead 2 to 3 minutes until a smooth dough forms. Rest under a towel for 10 minutes. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Roll and Layer: On a floured surface, roll dough into a 10x29 inch rectangle. Mix the cinnamon base ingredients together and spread evenly over the dough. Curve three quarters of your cooled cherry filling evenly over the top of the cinnamon layer. Reserve the final quarter to drizzle over cream cheese frosting.
- Slice into Mini Rolls: Cut the rectangle in half across the middle to create two shorter strips. Roll each section tightly from the long edge into a log. Use unflavored dental floss to slice the logs into 25 mini rolls, roughly 1 inch thick.
- Bake: Arrange the rolls in a greased baking pan or cast-iron skillet. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 18 to 20 minutes until golden brown and bubbling.
- Frost and Serve: While the rolls bake, beat your cream cheese, butter, maple syrup, powdered sugar, and heavy cream until smooth and pink. Spread over the hot rolls straight out of the oven. Drizzle remaining cherry filling over top. Serve warm.
