Sourdough Cinnamon Twist
This easy sourdough cinnamon twist is one of our favorite sweet sourdough breakfast recipes! Made with a soft, fluffy sourdough dough and a generous cinnamon sugar filling, this beautiful braided bread is easier to make than my best homemade cinnamon rolls recipe. You can prepare it the night before and let it rise overnight for a fresh, homemade breakfast in the morning, or make it the same day for a delicious dessert. Whether you shape it into a beautiful wreath for the holidays or a simple cinnamon twist, this recipe is sure to become a family favorite. Best of all, you can make this recipe with either an active sourdough starter or discard. If you need to make a starter, check out my easy sourdough starter recipe to get started! I also love using homemade butter in this recipe. Learn How To Make Butter From Raw Milk for another delicious way to use fresh milk at home.
Quick Look: Sourdough Cinnamon Twist
- ⏱️ Prep Time: 10 minutes
- 🍳 Cook Time: 30 minutes (plus optional 8 hour ferment time)
- 🕒 Total Time: 8 hrs, 40 minutes
- 👥 Servings: 12
- 📊 Calories: ~552 kcal per serving (based on nutrition panel)
- 🔥 Cook Method: Stovetop in cast-iron skillet
- 👩🍳 Flavor Profile: Slightly tangy from sourdough with sweet cinnamon and sugar, soft and tender interior, and a golden, slightly crisp crust.
- ⭐ Difficulty: Easy – beginner-friendly, mostly mixing, shaping, and baking.
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Why You'll Love This Sourdough Cinnamon Twist
- Perfect for sourdough beginners. The dough is easy to work with, and you don't need any special equipment or complicated shaping techniques.
- Easier than traditional cinnamon rolls. You get all the delicious cinnamon sugar flavor without having to individually cut and shape each roll.
- Make it ahead of time. Mix and shape the dough the night before, let it rise overnight, and bake fresh in the morning.
- Use active starter or discard. This recipe is flexible, so you can use whichever sourdough starter you have on hand.
- Beautiful enough for special occasions. Shape it into a braided wreath for holiday breakfasts, brunch gatherings, or the perfect baked christmas gifts.
- Simple, wholesome ingredients. Made with basic pantry staples, homemade butter, and a delicious cinnamon sugar filling.
- Love cinnamon and sourdough? Try my cinnamon raisin sourdough bread recipe or my orange cinnamon rolls recipe for more delicious, sweet sourdough treats!
Ingredients
For a full list of ingredients needed to make this recipe, see the recipe card below.
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How to Make A Sourdough Cinnamon Twist
Step 1: Mix the filling. Combine the cinnamon and sugar filling ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
Step 2: Roll out the dough. On a lightly floured surface, use a rolling pin to roll the dough into a rectangle about ¼-inch thick and at least 20 inches long.
Step 3: Add the filling. Spread the cinnamon sugar mixture evenly over the entire surface of the dough.
Step 4: Roll the dough. Starting with the long side, roll the dough into a log. Pinch the seam together and turn the log seam-side down.
Step 5: Cut the dough. Using a sharp serrated knife, cut the log in half lengthwise, all the way through.
Step 6: Open the dough. Gently separate the two halves so the cut sides and cinnamon filling are facing up.
Step 7: Twist the dough. Carefully twist the two halves over and under each other until you reach the end.
Step 8: Shape into a wreath. Bring the ends together in a circle and pinch them to seal, forming a wreath.
Step 9: Transfer and rise. Gently transfer the twist to a greased 12-inch cast-iron skillet, baking sheet, or 9x13 baking dish. Cover and let rise overnight if using the long-ferment method. For same-day baking, use the baking powder and baking soda as directed in the recipe.
Step 10: Bake and frost. Bake at 350°F for 30–35 minutes or until golden brown. Mix the frosting ingredients with a hand mixer and spread over the warm cinnamon twist. Serve and enjoy!
Tips for Making This Sourdough Cinnamon Twist
- Use a strong, active sourdough starter for the best rise.
- For the best flavor and digestibility, let the dough long ferment overnight at room temperature.
- If your starter is runny, you may need to add a little extra flour to get a soft, workable dough.
- Roll the dough into a long rectangle to give yourself plenty of room to twist and shape the wreath.
- Use a sharp serrated knife to cut the dough log in half lengthwise without squishing it.
- Keep the cut sides facing up while twisting so the pretty cinnamon swirls show.
- Transfer the shaped twist using parchment paper to make moving it easier.
- If making several twists for gifts or gatherings, bake them on large baking sheets to save time.
- Spread the frosting over the twist while it is still warm so it melts slightly into all the cinnamon layers.
Sourdough Cinnamon Twist FAQs
Yes! This recipe is perfect for making ahead. Shape the cinnamon twist, cover it, and let it rise overnight at room temperature. Bake it fresh the next morning. If you need to wait longer, place it in the refrigerator and allow it to finish rising before baking.
Yes! You can use either active sourdough starter or discard in this recipe. Just keep in mind that discard may take longer to rise, especially if it isn't very active.
Absolutely! You can mix and knead the dough by hand in a large bowl. Stretch and fold or knead the dough every 15–30 minutes for a couple of hours to help develop the gluten.
Be sure to pinch the seam of the rolled dough closed before cutting it lengthwise. When twisting the two pieces together, gently press the ends together and pinch them securely when forming the wreath.
Yes! You can freeze the shaped, unbaked twist before it rises. When ready to bake, thaw it and allow it to finish rising before baking. You can also freeze the fully baked bread without frosting and add fresh frosting after reheating.
This can happen if your sourdough starter is weak or inactive, your kitchen is too cold, or the dough simply needs more time. Make sure your starter is healthy and active, and allow plenty of time for fermentation.
Yes! If you want to bake it the same day, add the baking powder and baking soda as directed in the recipe. These help give the dough additional lift without a long fermentation.
Store leftover cinnamon twist bread in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week. Warm individual pieces before serving for that fresh-from-the-oven taste.
Yes! After cutting the rolled dough lengthwise and twisting the two halves together, simply bring the ends around to form a circle. Pinch the ends together to create a beautiful wreath shape.
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If you try this recipe and love it, please come back and give it 5 stars! Tag me on Instagram @wagonwheelhomestead21. I can’t wait to see what all you make!
Sourdough Cinnamon Twist
Equipment
- 1 Stand mixer You can mix these rolls up by hand, but I usually use my favorite Bosch mixer and just mix up the dough while I’m cleaning up supper dishes in the evening. This makes the rolls fast and easy to make.
- 1 measuring cups and spoons
- 1 Rolling Pin
- 1 sharp knife
- 1 cast iron skillet
- 1 Hand mixer for making the frosting
Ingredients
- 1 cup water or milk
- 1 cup sourdough starter
- ½ cup melted butter
- ½ cup sugar or honey
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs
- 4-5 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder optional only use if baking right away
- 1 teaspoon baking soda optional only use if baking right away
Cinnamon Sugar Filling
- ½ cup softened butter
- 1 ½ cups brown sugar
- 2 Tbl. cinnamon
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 oz cream cheese
- ¼ cup butter
- 1 Tbl. vanilla
- 2-3 Tbl. milk (can add more to make a thinner frosting)
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 2-3 Tbl. Leftover coffee optional This will give the frosting the best flavor.
Instructions
- In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, combine the first six ingredients.
- If using a mixer, slowly add the flour while mixing on low speed until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl.If mixing by hand, add the flour and knead until a dough forms. Stretch and fold or knead every 15–30 minutes for a couple of hours to develop the gluten.
- For an overnight rise, leave out the baking powder and baking soda. For same-day baking, add both to help the dough rise.
Assemble The Twist:
- Combine the filling ingredients in a small bowl.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a rectangle about ¼-inch thick and at least 20 inches long. A longer rectangle gives you more room to twist and shape the wreath.
- Spread the filling ingredients on top of the dough (see video).
- Roll the dough up, beginning with the long side of the rectangle. Pinch the dough together and turn it seam side down.
- Using a sharp serrated knife, cut the log of dough in half lengthwise (see video). You may have to cut it more than once to get all the way through the log of dough.
- Beginning on one end, carefully pin the two halves of the log of dough together. Then "twist" the two halves over and under each other until you get to the other end of the log of dough.
- Bring the end of the dough around in a circle to meet where you began making the twist and pinch it together.
- Gently transfer it to a piece of parchment paper. This makes it easy to take it in and out of the pan, especially if you're baking a lot of these at one time for gifts.
- Place the twist in a greased 12-inch cast-iron skillet, baking sheet, or 9x13 baking dish. If making several, you can bake up to six at once using two baking sheets on separate oven racks.
If Allowing To Rise Overnight:
- Cover with plastic wrap or beeswax wrap and let rise overnight at room temperature. If needed, refrigerate and let finish rising for a couple of hours before baking.
- You can also freeze these rolls at this point, and take them out of the freezer to raise and bake later on.
To Bake:
- The next day or when you're ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until golden brown.
- While the twist is baking, mix up all the frosting ingredients in a small bowl using a hand mixer
- Spread the frosting on the warm cinnamon twist when it's fresh out of the oven.
- Serve warm with a cup of coffee or tea from Farmhouse Teas.
- Savor every bite! Store any leftovers in an airtight container in your refrigerator for up to one week, although I know they'll never last that long.
Notes
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If your sourdough starter is thin, you may need to add extra flour. The dough should pull away from the mixer bowl or be only slightly sticky when mixing by hand.
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Use a stand mixer or knead and stretch and fold the dough for about an hour to develop the gluten.
-
You can safely let this egg-containing dough ferment overnight at room temperature when using an active sourdough starter.
This looks so good! Can't wait to try the recipe.
Did you let the dough rise, and for how long, before you rolled out to make the twist? I see it says to let the twist rise overnight on the counter but does not indicate if the dough rises before you roll out.
Great question. I do not let it rise before I roll it out, although you can if you want. So there's really two options. 1. Add the baking soda and baking powder to the dough, roll out and bake right away (no long fermentation benefits, but fast and easy). 2. Don't add the baking soda and baking powder, and allow the twist to raise overnight after rolling it out and shaping it, and then baking it in the morning (this option would have the long fermentation benefits of the sourdough). But you don't need to allow them rise before shaping for either option. Hope this helps. Let me know if you have any more questions.