Prep the dough

In a large mixing bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer with dough hook attachment), whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In a separate small bowl, whisk together sourdough discard, whole milk, egg, melted butter, and honey.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix on low speed until a shaggy dough forms. Switch to medium speed and knead until smooth—about 2–3 minutes. If mixing by hand, knead on a lightly floured work surface for 3–5 minutes.

Let the dough rest under a kitchen towel for about 10 minutes (a mini dough rest helps hydrate the flour).

Roll it out

On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a rectangle roughly 10x29 inches. Since we’re making mini cinnamon rolls, this longer, thinner rectangle works best. Once rolled out, use a sharp knife or bench scraper to cut the rectangle in half across the middle, creating two shorter strips. Roll each section up individually from the long side, then slice into smaller rolls. This little trick helps keep them truly “mini” and prevents them from puffing up to full-size Christmas morning cinnamon roll status.

Make the filling

In a small bowl, mix softened butter, brown sugar, maple syrup, and spices. Spread evenly over the dough, leaving a ½-inch border along the long side.

Roll and slice

Starting at the long edge, gently roll the dough into a tight log. For the cleanest cuts, use unflavored dental floss to trim off the uneven ends first—this helps each roll have a nice, flat top and bottom. Then, using the floss or a sharp knife, slice the log into about 25 mini rolls, each roughly 1 inch thick. The floss trick makes it easy to cut without squishing the dough and preserves all those beautiful cinnamon swirls.

Bake

Place rolls in a greased baking dish or cast iron skillet lined with parchment paper. Bake at 330°F for 20–25 minutes, until golden brown on top.

Frost

While still warm, spread with cream cheese frosting and let it melt into the spirals.