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A single air fryer sourdough cinnamon roll covered in dripping cream cheese frosting and dusted with ground cinnamon, served on a rustic beige plate with a small bowl of cinnamon, a sifter, and silver forks in the background.

Air Fryer Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls

What I love about Air Fryer Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls is that the overnight rest builds all the flavor while I sleep, so the morning of is actually easy. The dough comes out soft and fluffy with that subtle sourdough tang, the cinnamon brown sugar filling runs through every swirl, and the cream cheese frosting is thick, creamy, and melts right into the warm rolls. The air fryer gets them golden and cooked through faster than the oven, which makes holiday mornings so much easier. Store covered at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerate for up to 4 days.
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Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Course: Air Fryer, Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Air Fryer Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls
Servings: 12
Calories: 521kcal
Author: Mandy Applegate

Ingredients

Cinnamon Sugar Filling:

  • ½ cup butter softened
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons cinnamon

Cream cheese topping:

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine active sourdough starter, water, flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, butter, maple syrup, and eggs. Mix together until smooth, glossy, about 10 minutes at low speed. You will know when it’s ready when the dough is translucent and elastic - when placing a ball in your hands you should be able to pull it and light should go through before it breaks.
    ½ cup active sourdough starter, ½ cup water, 4 ½ cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ cup melted butter, ½ cup maple syrup, 2 eggs
  • Place the dough in a greased bowl and cover. Allow to rest in a warm place overnight.
  • In a separate bowl, combine all the filling ingredients.
    ½ cup butter, 1 cup brown sugar, 2 tablespoons cinnamon
  • Lightly dust the counter with flour, and roll out the dough into a ¼ inch thick rectangle.
  • Add butter and cinnamon-sugar filling to the top of the dough and spread evenly. Roll the dough up as tightly as you can. Slice to make 12 even rolls.
  • Place the rolls in the air fryer basket covered with parchment paper.
  • Bake in the air fryer at 160ºC (320°F) for 12-15 minutes or until the rolls are lightly browned and the dough is cooked through. Allow them to cool in a rack.
  • Mix all the cream cheese topping ingredients and spread over the rolls.
    6 ounces cream cheese, ½ cup heavy cream, 1 cup confectioner’s sugar, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • Sprinkle a bit of cinnamon just before serving.

Notes

Here are a few tips I've picked up from making these rolls more than once:
  • Check your starter is active: Use your sourdough starter at its peak, bubbly and doubled in size, for the best rise and flavor development overnight.
  • Don't rush the overnight rest: The long rest is essential. It's what gives the rolls their texture and that gentle sourdough depth. A warm spot in your kitchen works perfectly.
  • Roll the dough tightly: When rolling up the filled dough, go as tightly as you can without tearing it. Tight rolls hold their shape better and give you those clean, defined swirls.
  • Slice with unflavored floss: For clean cuts without squashing the rolls, use a length of unflavored dental floss or a sharp serrated knife instead of a regular blade.
  • Check for doneness carefully: Air fryer temperatures can vary by model. Start checking at the 12-minute mark; the rolls should be lightly golden, and the dough should be fully cooked through with no raw center.
  • Flash-freeze for neat storage: If freezing, place the cooled rolls on a baking sheet for about 1 hour before transferring them to containers or bags. This keeps them from sticking together and makes it easy to grab just one at a time.

Nutrition

Calories: 521kcal | Carbohydrates: 78g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 93mg | Sodium: 411mg | Potassium: 154mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 27g | Vitamin A: 852IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 99mg | Iron: 3mg
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