These sourdough discard cinnamon roll muffins are soft, fluffy, and packed with swirls of cinnamon-sugar goodness—perfect for using up discard while indulging in a bakery-style treat!
Prep Time30 minutesmins
Cook Time25 minutesmins
resting time1 hourhr
Total Time1 hourhr55 minutesmins
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: sourdough discard cinnamon roll muffins
Servings: 12muffins
Equipment
Mixing bowl
Bench/dough scraper
Rolling Pin
Food scale & measuring cups
12 cup muffin pan
Muffin liners
electric hand mixer
Ingredients
For discard brioche dough
165gramsmilkwarmed
150gramssourdough discard room temperature
50gramssugar
1large egg room temperature
1teaspoonvanilla extract
50gramsunsalted butter softened
360gramsall-purpose flour
1/2teaspoonbaking soda
1 teaspoonbaking powder
5gramssalt
For the filling
1/2cupbrown sugar
1/4cupsugar
1tablespoonground cinnamon
70 grams (5 tablespoons)unsalted butter softened
For the cream cheese frosting
4ozcream cheese room temperature
2tablespoonsunsalted butter room temperature
1-2cups powdered sugar adjust to your preferred sweetness
1teaspoonvanilla extract
Instructions
The sourdough discard brioche dough can be mixed by hand or in a stand mixer.
Warm the milk in the microwave for 30-45 seconds and pour it in a mixing bowl.
Stir in the sourdough discard and sugar until mostly dissolved. Then whisk in the egg and vanilla extract.
To a separate bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, & salt, and slowly add it to the wet mixture along with the softened butter.
Mix until the ingredients come together into a shaggy dough, then cover and let it rest for 20–30 minutes to hydrate and relax.
After resting, knead the dough until it becomes fairly smooth, being careful not to add too much extra flour, as this can alter the final texture. It should remain slightly sticky even after kneading.
Once complete, cover the dough and let it rest for another 15-30 minutes.
Shaping sourdough discard cinnamon roll muffins
Line a 12 cup muffin pan with muffin liners and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
In a bowl, combine the brown sugar, granulated sugar, and cinnamon, then whisk until evenly mixed.
After resting, roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface into a 20x10-inch rectangle. Tip: flour your rolling pin to avoid it from sticking.
Spread the softened butter evenly over the dough, leaving a ½-inch border. Sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar mixture over the top, then gently press it into the dough to help it adhere.
Using a ruler or visually estimating, lightly score the top of the dough every 1.5 inches to help guide the cuts and maintain uniformity. Use a pizza cutter to make clean, straight cuts through the dough.
Individually roll each cinnamon roll and place them into the muffin pan.
Bake the sourdough discard cinnamon roll muffins for 23-25 minutes or until the internal temperature is 190-200 degrees F.
Allow the muffins to rest for 10-15 minutes before removing from the pan. While they rest, make the cream cheese frosting.
Make the cream cheese frosting
Using your electric hand mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter together on medium speed in a medium mixing bowl . Mix until they are well combined and have a smooth, creamy texture. This should take about 2-3 minutes.Pour the vanilla extract in and mix until combined.
Reduce the speed of your hand mixer to low. Slowly add the powdered sugar, about one cup at a time. This prevents a sugary mess and ensures that the powdered sugar is incorporated evenly into the mixture.
After each addition of powdered sugar, increase the mixer speed to medium and continue to blend until the frosting becomes smooth and well combined. Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula to ensure even mixing (optional: adjust the consistency by adding a teaspoon of milk at a time).
Top each sourdough cinnamon roll muffin with the cream cheese frosting and enjoy!
Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days. If glazed, keep them in a single layer to prevent sticking.