This recipe is mixed by hand and allowed to ferment on the counter overnight. When you wake up, add the leavening agents, roll out the dough and bake right away.
Adapted from LittleSpoonFarm.com
Ingredients
Dough
8 Tbsp butter, cold
2½ cups all-purpose flour
⅓ cup sourdough starter discard
1 cup buttermilk (can sub 1 cup of milk with 1 Tbsp lemon juice)
1 Tbsp + 1 tsp honey
¾ tsp fine sea salt
1 tsp baking powder (hold back in initial mix)
½ tsp baking soda (hold back in initial mix)
Cinnamon-Sugar Filling
¾ cup light brown sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon
4 Tbsp butter, melted
Cinnamon Roll Glaze
1 cup powdered sugar
1 Tbsp butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 Tbsp milk
Directions
The night before: Use a cheese grater to grate the cold butter into a mixing bowl. Add the flour and use a bench scraper or pastry cutter to cut the butter into the flour. Add the sourdough starter discard, buttermilk, honey, and salt. Mix with a spatula until the ingredients are well-incorporated. Cover the bowl and let rest on the counter for 10-12 hours. (DO NOT add the baking soda or baking powder. This will be added right before rolling out the dough.)
The next morning: Mix the brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl, set aside. In a separate bowl, mix the glaze ingredients and set aside. Preheat oven to 375°F and butter a 12” cast iron skillet.
Mix the baking powder and baking soda in a small bowl with a fork until there are no visible lumps. Sprinkle the mixture on top of the dough and mix it in well with your hands.
Generously flour your work surface and turn the dough onto it. Flour the top of the dough. Use a rolling pin, roll the dough into a 12” x 22” rectangle.
Use a pastry brush to coat the top of the dough with melted butter and sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar mixture evenly over the surface, leaving a half inch bare along the edges.
Starting on one side, roll the dough into a log shape. Use the bench-scraper to cut the log into 12 pieces (approximately 1½”). Arrange the portions in the cast iron skillet, leaving space in between each piece to expand.
Bake the cinnamon rolls for 35-40 minutes or until the tops are golden brown. Remove from the oven and glaze while hot.