I’m no stranger to making an enriched sourdough dough, spreading on a filling, rolling it up, and then enjoying the delicious outcome. But these sourdough cardamom rolls take a decidedly delicious detour at a few places along the way. First, I’ve added a small bit of cardamom directly to the dough for enhanced flavor and aroma. Next, the dough has a yudane (similar to tangzhong) mix-in for added tenderness. Finally, these indulgent cardamom rolls aren’t topped with icing, but rather, a cardamom-infused simple syrup for a shiny and not-too-sweet twist.
If I were to create a hierarchy defined by the level of enrichments (eggs, butter, sugar) amongst my sourdough babka, brioche-style cinnamon rolls, and these cardamom rolls, these rolls would be at the bottom of the ladder. Why? These rolls have significantly less egg, butter, and sugar than my cinnamon rolls and a smidgen less than my babka, but the secret here is the yudane: it brings tenderness without adding fat (egg, milk, or butter).
Cardamom is a spice I seldom use, but it’s one that brings a luxurious aroma and a sweet punch. Like many spices, I find it can be overpowering when used in high quantity, but it also depends on whether your cardamom is freshly prepared in a mortar and pestle or already ground cardamom in a bottle. Fresh cardamom certainly has a stronger flavor than the two. I use ground cardamom in this recipe and have it included in the dough, the filling, and the simple syrup itself. If you’re using freshly ground cardamom, you might want to consider reducing the amount mixed into the dough.
Let’s dig into the flour I use in this recipe and what yudane brings into the mix (couldn’t resist 🙂).
Flour Selection and Yudane (Similar to Tangzhong)
This recipe will work well with any all-purpose flour or medium-protein bread flour (11-12% protein). The dough is on the stiffer side before the butter is added, so if you’re using a higher protein white flour or one that’s especially absorbent, you might need to adjust with an added dash of milk.
Read the guide to what butter does to bread dough for a deeper look at its effect.
To add extra tenderness to these cardamom rolls, I add a pre-gelatinized flour mixture called yudane. Compared to tangzhong, which calls for actively cooking flour and milk over the stove, yudane calls for boiled water to be poured over the flour, and then the mixture is stirred until it thickens. It’s a straightforward way to make the mixture, taking only minutes, and it adds a distinctly “shreddy” texture to these rolls.
I opted for yudane in this recipe for two reasons: 1) I don’t have to take any of the milk from the main mix to make the yudane, and 2) it’s incredibly easy, and easy is good.
Let’s look at the baking schedule.
Baking Schedule
I spread making these rolls over two days. The first day goes all the way up to shaping and cutting. Once cut, place the pieces in their baking pan, cover, and retard overnight. This way, you can take them out in the morning to finish proofing and bake them fresh for breakfast or brunch.
Baking Equipment
Pan choice: USA Pan 8-inch square pan.
My goal for these cardamom rolls was to have fewer, larger rolls packed tight in a pan. To that end, I used my 8 x 8-inch square USA Pan, which has a natural nonstick liner. If you want to make more, smaller rolls, cut them smaller and use a larger pan. If you’re not using a nonstick pan, I recommend lining the pan with parchment paper.
Cardamom Rolls Formula
For tips on how to calculate baker’s percentages or how to modify this sourdough cardamom rolls formula, check out my guide to baker’s percentages (baker’s math).
| Total Dough Weight | 1,200 grams |
| Sourdough starter in final dough | 30.00% |
| Yield | Nine large cardamom rolls (baked in an 8 x 8″ square pan) |
Total Dough Formula
Desired dough temperature: 76°F (24°C).
| Weight | Ingredient | Baker’s Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| 101g | Yudane: All-purpose flour (~11% protein, King Arthur Baking All-Purpose) | 20.00% |
| 106g | Yudane: Water, boiled | 21.00% |
| 404g | All-purpose flour (~11.7% protein, King Arthur Baking All-Purpose) | 80.00% |
| 136g | Butter, unsalted and at room temperature | 27.00% |
| 131g | Milk, whole | 26.00% |
| 131g | Eggs | 26.00% |
| 25g | Sugar, caster | 5.00% |
| 3g | Cardamom, ground | 0.60% |
| 10g | Salt | 1.90% |
| 152g | Sourdough starter | 30.00% |
Cardamom Rolls Filling
Make this filling when your dough is chilling in the fridge. Be sure to give it enough time to let the melted butter slightly cool.
| Weight | Ingredient |
|---|---|
| 30g | Butter, unsalted and melted |
| 90g | Brown sugar |
| 2g (1 teaspoon) | Cinnamon, ground |
| 1g (1/2 teaspoon) | Cardamom, ground |
Cardamom Simple Syrup
Instead of topping these sourdough cardamom rolls with icing (which you totally could, if you wanted), I opt for a cardamom-infused simple syrup.
| Weight | Ingredient |
|---|---|
| 100g | Sugar, granulated (don’t waste your superfine caster sugar here; use any granulated white sugar) |
| 45g | Water |
| 2g (1 teaspoon) | Cardamom, ground |
Cardamom Rolls Method
1. Pre-cook Flour (Yudane) – 8:00 a.m.
Be sure to make this yudane ahead of time to give it time to cool before mixing. The texture of the mixture seems to improve if left to rest for at least one hour.
Do ahead: Alternatively, you could make the yudane the night before, let it cool, then cover and place it in the fridge. The next morning, let it warm to room temperature before mixing it into your dough.
| Weight | Ingredient |
|---|---|
| 101g | All-purpose flour |
| 106g | Water |
Boil the water and pour it over the flour in a small heat-proof mixing bowl. Stir or whisk until the mixture tightens up and all dry bits are incorporated. Let the pre-gelatinized flour cool on the counter until you mix the main dough.
2. Mix – 9:00 a.m.
Because I used a KitchenAid stand mixer to quickly and efficiently mix, and because I’m not looking for added extensibility, I decided against using an autolyse for this enriched dough.
| Weight | Ingredient |
|---|---|
| 200g | Yudane (from above) |
| 404g | All-purpose flour |
| 136g | Butter, unsalted and at room temperature |
| 131g | Milk, whole |
| 131g | Eggs |
| 25g | Sugar, caster |
| 3g | Cardamom, ground |
| 10g | Salt |
| 152g | Sourdough starter |
First, take out your butter and cut it into 1/2″ pats. Set the butter on a plate to warm to room temperature and reserve until the end of mixing.
To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, add the milk, flour, sourdough starter, eggs, sugar, yudane, cardamom, and salt. Mix on speed 1 (STIR on a KitchenAid) for 1 to 2 minutes until the ingredients come together. Increase the mixer speed to speed 2 (2 on a KitchenAid) and mix for 6 to 7 minutes until the dough starts to strengthen and clump around the dough hook.
This dough doesn’t need to be fully developed in the mixer, but it’s better to mix longer than shorter—you want a strong dough before adding the butter. It won’t completely remove from the bottom of the bowl, and it will still be shaggy, but the majority of the dough should clump up around the dough hook.
Let the dough rest in the mixing bowl for 10 minutes.
Your butter should now be at room temperature; a finger will easily slide in and leave an impression. Turn the mixer on to speed 1 and add the butter, one pat at a time, waiting to add each pat until the previous one is fully absorbed. Adding all the butter could take around 5 to 8 minutes.
As you can see above, the sourdough cardamom rolls dough is soft but mostly smooth and holding its shape at the end of mixing. The dough will be further strengthened through stretch and folds during bulk fermentation. Transfer your dough to a bulk fermentation container and cover.
3. Bulk Fermentation – 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
At a warm room temperature, around 76°F (24°C), bulk should take about 3 hours. If your kitchen is cooler, place the pan to rise in a small dough proofer, or extend bulk fermentation as necessary.
Give this dough three sets of stretch and folds (see my guide on how to stretch and fold sourdough) during bulk fermentation at 30-minute intervals. The first set starts after 30 minutes from the start of bulk fermentation. For each set, wet your hands, grab one side and stretch it up and over the dough to the other side. Rotate the bowl 180° and perform another stretch and fold (this forms a long rectangle in the bowl). Then, rotate the bowl 90° and do another stretch and fold. Finally, turn the bowl 180° and do one last stretch and fold. You should have the dough neatly folded up in the bowl.
After the third set, let the dough rest, covered, for the remainder of bulk fermentation.
4. Chill Dough – 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.
At this point, your dough should have risen in your bulk container, be puffy to the touch, and have smoothed out. If the dough still feels dense and tight, give it another 15 minutes and check again.
Place your covered bulk fermentation container in the refrigerator for at least one hour to fully chill the dough.
5. Roll and Shape – 1:30 p.m.
Before removing your dough from the refrigerator, make the filling. In a small mixing bowl, combine the following. It may seem like it’s not enough filling to cover the entire surface of the dough—spread it thin.
| Weight | Ingredient |
|---|---|
| 30g | Butter, unsalted and melted |
| 90g | Brown sugar |
| 2g (1 teaspoon) | Cinnamon, ground |
| 1g (1/2 teaspoon) | Cardamom, ground |
Above is my dough at the end of bulk fermentation and after the 1 hour in the refrigerator. The dough should be cold and firm to the touch; give it more time to chill if necessary.
Next, butter your baking pan (even if it’s nonstick) to ensure the rolls remove cleanly after baking. My 8 x 8-inch nonstick pan has never had issues, but I still lightly butter the pan just in case.
This dough is very soft. Act quickly to roll, spread the filling, and cut before the dough warms and softens further. If it begins to soften, place it in the fridge to firm.
Remove your bulk fermentation container from the fridge, lightly flour your work surface in a large rectangle shape, and the top of the dough in the bowl. Then, gently scrape out the dough to the center of your floured rectangle. Lightly dust the top of the dough with flour, and using a rolling pin, roll the dough out to a 15″ x 15″ square.
As shown above, use a small offset spatula or your hands to spread on the cardamom and cinnamon filling evenly. It may look and feel like not enough filling, but there’s plenty when the dough is rolled up.
Starting at one of the long sides of the rectangle in front of you, begin rolling up the dough as you move across. Be sure to tightly roll the dough by gently tugging on the dough as you roll.
Once finished rolling up the dough, divide it into nine 1 1/2″ pieces using a sharp knife. Transfer the pieces to the prepared baking pan and cover with a large, reusable bag.
6. Cold Proof – 2:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. (Overnight)
As you can see above, the nine cut pieces are placed into the square pan, ready for their overnight proof in the refrigerator. Also noticeable is how soft the dough is—it’s ok if they’re not neatly placed into the pan. As they rise, they’ll fill the nooks and crannies.
Place the covered pan into the refrigerator and proof overnight.
7. Warm Proof – 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. (next morning)
In the morning, take the pan out of the refrigerator about three to four hours before you want to bake the rolls, depending on the temperature in your kitchen.
Be sure to start preheating your oven about 30 minutes before you feel the rolls will be fully proofed. For me, the final warm proof time was about 3 hours in my 77°F (25°C) proofer, so I started preheating around 9:30 a.m.
8. Bake – 10:00 a.m.
Preheat your oven, with a rack in the middle, to 400°F (200°C).
After the warm proof, uncover your dough and gently press the tops of a few rolls. As you can see above, the fully proofed cardamom rolls will look very soft. The texture of the dough will be almost like a whipped mousse. Be sure to give them extra time in warm proof if necessary. If the dough needs more time to proof, cover the pan and give the dough another 15 to 30 minutes at a warm temperature and check again.
Once your oven is preheated, remove your pan from its bag, slide it into the oven, and bake for 30 to 35 minutes.
While your rolls are baking, prepare the simple syrup. Combine the following in a saucepan and heat until boiling. Remove from the heat and let cool until ready to use. You will have some leftover syrup.
| Weight | Ingredient |
|---|---|
| 100g | Sugar, granulated |
| 45g | Water |
| 2g (1 teaspoon) | Cardamom, ground |
The rolls are finished baking when the tops are well-colored and the internal temperature is around 195°F (90°C). Remove the rolls from the oven and brush on the cardamom-infused simple syrup. Let the rolls cool for 5 to 10 minutes in the pan, then serve.
These are best the day they’re made, and certainly fresh from the oven, but can be reheated in a warm oven a day or two after.
Print
Sourdough Cardamom Rolls
- Prep Time: 24 hours
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 24 hours 30 minutes
- Yield: 9 large rolls
- Cuisine: American
Description
Sticky, sweet (but not too sweet), and utterly delicious, these sourdough cardamom rolls use yudane—similar to tangzhong—to bring them extra tenderness. The cardamom-infused simple syrup is a different way to dress the typical roll and adds an added hint of sweetness with a captivating aroma.
Ingredients
Pre-cooked Flour (Yudane)
- 101g all-purpose flour
- 106 water
Dough
- 404g all-purpose flour
- 136g butter, unsalted and at room temperature
- 131g milk, whole
- 131g eggs
- 25g sugar, caster
- 3g cardamom, ground
- 10g salt
- 152g sourdough starter
Filling
- 30g butter, unsalted and melted
- 90g brown sugar
- 2g (1 tsp) cinnamon, ground
- 1g (1/2 tsp) cardamom, ground
Cardamom-infused Simple Syrup
- 100g sugar, granulated
- 45g water
- 2g (1 tsp) cardamom, ground
Instructions
- Pre-cook flour, yudane (8:00 a.m.)
Add the flour listed in the Pre-cooked Flour (Yudane) section to a small heat-proof mixing bowl. Boil the water and pour it over the flour in the bowl. Stir or whisk until the mixture tightens up and all dry bits are incorporated. Let the pre-gelatinized flour cool on the counter until mixing. - Mix (9:00 a.m.)
Cut the butter into 1/4″ pats and let warm to room temperature while mixing the ingredients. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, add the milk, flour, sourdough starter, eggs, sugar, yudane, cardamom, and salt. Mix on speed 1 to 2 minutes until incorporated. Increase the speed to 2 and mix for 5 to 6 minutes until the dough begins to clump around the dough hook (but not completely). Let the dough rest for 10 minutes. Turn the mixer on to speed 1 and add the butter, one pat at a time, waiting to add each until the previous is absorbed. Continue until all the butter is added and the dough is shiny and smooth; this could take around 5 to 8 minutes. - Bulk fermentation (9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.)
Transfer the mixed dough to a bulk container and let ferment for 3 hours at 75ºF (23°C). Perform 3 sets of stretch and folds at 30-minute intervals. - Chill dough (12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.)
Place the covered bulk fermentation container into the fridge for at least 1 hour to thoroughly chill. - Shape rolls (1:30 p.m.)
First, make the filling. In a bowl, mix the filling ingredients and set aside. Next, take out your dough from the fridge, lightly flour your work surface and the dough, and roll out to a 15×15″ square with a long side closest to your body. Spread the filling evenly over the dough. roll the dough up away from you into a tight log. Cut the log into 9 pieces, about every 1 1/2″. Transfer the cut pieces to a baking pan with space around each one and cover. - Cold Proof (2:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.)
Place the covered pan into the refrigerator to proof overnight. - Warm Proof (7:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.)
The next morning, take the pan out of the refrigerator 3 hours before you want to bake the cardamom rolls and let the dough proof on the counter or in a warm proofer. - Bake (10:00 a.m.)
Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Slide the rolls into the oven once preheated and bake for 30-35 minutes. While your rolls are baking, prepare the simple syrup. Combine the simple syrup ingredients in a saucepan and heat until boiling. Remove from the heat and let cool until ready to use. You will have some leftover syrup. When the rolls are finished baking, remove the oven, spread the glaze on the rolls’ tops, and let cool in the pan.
Notes
This recipe uses pre-ground cardamom. If you’re using freshly ground cardamom, you might need to reduce the amount in the dough, filling, and/or glaze.
What’s Next?
These sweet, sticky, and utterly delicious cardamom rolls are sure to make any breakfast one to remember. A distinct cardamom aroma wafts through the kitchen when these are in the oven, an aroma that screams comfort and with it an acknowledgment that when these are finished baking, time will be spent indulging regardless of what might be next on the day’s calendar. I think these sourdough cardamom rolls successfully take the traditional cinnamon roll to a new place, somewhere a little less sweet (if you can believe it) and a little more tender, thanks to a little upfront time making the yudane.
Happy holidays and buon appetito!
P.S. Oh, and if you’re still looking for that perfect gift for the baker in your life, check out my bread baker’s gift guide!
If you use this recipe, tag @maurizio on Instagram so I can take a look!
225 Comments
is the baking process is also by the steam method?, or can it be baked in an ordinary electric oven?
I haven’t found a need to steam the oven for these, they spring up just fine given the enrichment (butter, mostly) in the dough. Some bakers will use an egg wash on these (which means no steam needed), but I haven’t found it necessary! I baked them in my standard home electric oven.
How thick is the yudane supposed to be when the water is mixed in? Mine was very thick and I had a difficult time incorporating all the flour. It did not look like your photo (which looked like a moderately loose mixture). Should I have added more boiling water (for next time?). For this time, I am on the way to the first “Mix.” Thanks! From reading all of the other comments, I have something to look forward to!
The yudane itself is very thick (as you can see in the photo), but it still mixes fairly easily into the main dough (flour, milk, etc.). If you find it’s far too thick, yes, add a little more water next time to try and loosen it up. Have fun, Linda! Let me know how they turn out.
Thanks so much!!
It is going well. One more hour of the bulk rise. The dough was so wet and shaggy after it was kneaded, but now as it is rising and stretched/folded every 30 minutes, it is really coming together nicely. Very smooth. Looking forward to rolling them out, adding the filling, cutting them, and placing them in the refrigerator until morning!
I made these for Christmas morning and they’re our new gold standard. Thank you so much! The bulk fermentation took much longer than anticipated — their hour in the fridge was at 7:15pm — so I did the second rise on the counter overnight instead of in the fridge. We are enamored.
Thanks for this comment! I have a cold kitchen, and sourdough just takes much longer to rise in the winter. I took the rolls out of the fridge at 11 pm (I had put them in at 9:30 pm) and let them finish rising on the counter until 7 am. I baked them at 8 am and they came out perfectly.
Great recipe- I really love the simple syrup glaze and the rolls are so tender.
Right on, Christine, so glad you liked them!
Wonderful to hear that, Lau! Great job no the adjustment given the temperature, as well. Happy Holidays 🙂
Maurizio! These are amazing! I haven’t had a cinnamon roll in years and these were SO GOOD. Perfect combo of crunchy crust and soft pillowy interior.
For everyone who was asking, yes, I mixed these by hand – it’s a pain, and my dough was very sticky and hard to handle, so I added some extra flour (yeah, yeah, I know…). Also because I used three whole eggs, which was 160g, so that added some extra moisture. I never got a “smooth” dough, like in the pic, because it was so sticky, but it was strong and holding together well, so that’s when I called it quits.
Also, I switched the warm proof and cold proof, letting the rolls rise on my counter about 2 hours before putting them in the fridge overnight. Next day, I let them sit on the counter while my oven preheated, for about 40 mins or so and then baked. It took longer to bake, about 45-50 mins, prob because the dough was still a little cold, but they still came out great.
Glad to hear that, Val!
Hello! A genial recipe, I’m going to try out. Do you use sweet levain? Even not, would sweet levain add some benefit if I opted for the sweet one instead of regular? Thanks, Terje
Thank you, Terje! I don’t use a sweet lev for this, just my sourdough starter. You could definitely use one, though, and they’d turn out great!
Also, I baked the sour cherry and pecan bread today. It is awesome, one of my favorites and will be a regular for holidays.
That’s one of my favs as well—too good. Enjoy!
Maurizio,
I have never baked sweet rolls and never seasoned anything with Cardamom. I followed your recipe to the letter and am very pleased with how they looked when I put them in the fridge today. I’ll be baking them in the morning and expect them to be great. I tasted the filling and was blown away at how much more I liked it than plain Cinnamon. My daughter is planning an early breakfast for the extended family, including my ex-wife and her husband. I’ll be up at 5 am to get the rolls ready to bake.
Hey there! Thanks for the feedback. Sounds like your rolls are right on track—these really are incredibly delicious. I hope you all enjoy them and have a happy holiday!
Wow these were delicious. Great introduction to yudane which I hadn’t heard of before. I think they would be great with some raisins too. I had an issue with the filling leaking out a bit (although that had a lot to do with me using a cake tin with a removable base and hence not water tight) but I was thinking to make this as one horizontal loaf so it retains the filling better. I’m thinking I’ll use this dough and make kanelstang… If you haven’t tried this then you need to immediately! It’s similar but a single loaf and filled with custard too.
Glad to hear they turned out well for you, Alex! Yes, the filling will leak a little, which is fine (as long as your pan can hold it!), it bakes up to a nice crunchy base. That is another reason why I kept the filling rather sparse. I haven’t heard of kanelstang—checking that out for a future bake! Thanks for reporting back and enjoy!
What if I were to make the filling more buttery, like the Swedish cardamom rolls that are oozing with butter? Do you think that would work? Cardamom rolls are my most favorite pastry but I think the butteriness of the filling is pretty key… I’ve tried (non sourdough) cardamom rolls without so much butter in the filling and they were not fantastic. Your thoughts?
I’ve used a few different fillings with these and they were wonderful. The dough is a fantastic base for any filling, really. I’ve used butter in the filling, but not in high percentage, as just a way to moisten the sugar and add a bit of richness. You could try increasing the butter a bit!
Just replied to your other comment, Rachael, but wanted to say thanks so much for the kind words, I really appreciate that! Happy my site and format has helped. Absolutely, this dough without the cardamom added and my other cinnamon filling would be just wonderful—no problem there at all!
Dear Sir, if I am using hand kneading or mixer kneading till windowpane, do you think the outcome of the bread will be excel compare to S & F method ? What do you think both method ? Yield the same result or one is excel than the other. A lot of baker whether home or pro, they usually go for S & F, coil fold or lamination….if One adopting kneading (till windowpane)…..will the final outcome better in term of texture and crumb ?
You definitely want to mix this dough quite far before adding the butter. I do recommend strengthening before bulk fermentation AND before adding the butter—the dough needs to be strong enough (not necessarily full windowpane, but close) before adding the butter.
will this recipe work okay with hand mixing?
Hey, Keith. I had a few questions on this several comments down–you can certainly mix this by hand, but it will be a bit of work. If you go down that path, be sure to strengthen the dough significantly before trying to add in the butter. Then return the dough to the bowl and add the butter in a bit at a time while stretching and folding.
Made these today and used buttermilk instead of milk and only used 2 large eggs. Adjusted the amount of buttermilk and eggs to equal the total amount of liquid you had in original recipe( 262g). Came out fantastic. Very brioche like. Great recipe!
Didn’t think to use buttermilk in this recipe—love the modifications! Glad it turned out well and thanks for reporting back, enjoy!
Yikes. Only saw the note about pre ground cardamom after mixing in the 3g of fresh ground. Even spot a few chunks 😉 love cardamom so let’s see how it goes. Also missed the first 2 folds cuz life but got the last one in at around 11:30a
That’s ok! I should still be just fine 🙂 Let me know how they turn out and enjoy!
they turned out phenomenal! dear goodness..thank you for the recipe! Happy holidays from my family to yours!
So glad to hear that. Happy holidays!
FWIW I used Central Millings’ Bakers Craft Plus and Beehive for flours to a starter fed dark rye and durum.
I like to put them on a sheet pan and warm in the oven for a few minutes, that seems to work the best!
Maurizio, these were just delicious! The yudane was something I’ve never done before, and that turned out great. I had a slight issue with the dough being too slack right through bulk fermentation, and it was very soft during shaping. The flour I’m using seems to have a higher moisture content based on other bakes. They still turned out fine. So if this happens again where the dough is very soft, is it better to adjust by withholding a tablespoon of milk and add if needed, or to add a little flour instead? Thanks!
Awesome, Vicki! You’re right on, hold back some of that milk when mixing. It’s a challenge with enriched dough because you want to hold back enough of the liquid so when you add the butter the dough doesn’t completely soften and become unworkable. On the flip side, if you don’t have enough liquid it’s hard to mix! It’s always a fine line. Happy baking!
Excellent – thanks!
When adding the sourdough starter, do I use it when it passes the float test?
It really depends on your starter consistency on whether it will float or not. But the key is for it to be well fermented and ripe, the same time you’d give it a refreshment (feeding).
Got it. I’m planning to make this for my Christmas morning. Looking forward to it.
@maurizioleo:disqus – any experience using something like a strong food processor with a dough blade? I’ve got a solid Breville one but no stand mixer. Or would you just go to slap and fold?
Hey, Jeffrey. Unfortunately, I’ve never mixed a dough in a food processor. If it develops the dough to a good degree, then that works. I tyically use the slap/fold when not using a mixer!
Good to know! I’ve used it with your pumpkin cinnamon loaf and it seemed to work – might have overworked the dough though. I’ll give it a shot!
These rolls are amazing!! Cardamom is my all time favourite. The instructions were so thorough, my first time ever making cinnamon rolls at all. This will be a keeper in my recipe vault. Just took them out of the oven and only 3 left. 😊
So glad to hear they turned out great, Karen! Enjoy those last ones 🙂I”m making this again myself for Christmas, hopefully they last the end of the day!
Hi, just wondering how this dough compares to your original cinnamon roll recipe. Does it have more spring, is it more tender with the added Yudane technique? Thank you!
Yes, more spring in these for sure. They are more tender, and I’d say a little less sweet, too. The yudane brings a lot of tenderness with less butter and other enrichments. Fun to experiment with something new as well!
Hi, LOVE your recipes. Can I use the dough recipe (minus the cardamom) as the base for babka? Interested if the Yudane method will make the crumb better? I love your babka recipe but thinking about using this method for it. Thanks!!!
Thanks, Valerie! Yup, that’s totally an option, it’d turn out great. Be sure to chill the dough either way 🙂
Update: this comes out amazing as babka. Did a pecan cinnamon filling and it was delicious. Will be using this Yudane method for my sweet breads from now on. Thank you again!!!!
So glad to hear that, Valerie! Pecan + cinnamon sounds fantastic. Thanks for reporting back and enjoy!
Hi Maurizio! I made your rolls with the Tangzhong for Thanksgiving and it was delicious (even If I over proofed them a bit by leaving them to proof overnight). They were a bit sour for rolls, but the consistency was great! I am now trying this recipe with the yudane and am excited to taste the outcome. I love cardamom! The dough seems very heavenly by the smell and texture so far. I’ll update once I bake and finish them. As we speak, they are cold proofing in the fridge after rolling them out and spreading the filling, cut in the 8×8 pan.
Awesome to hear that, Nicole! Yes, if they had a very long proof time they might be overly sour. Sounds like they’re right on track! Please do let me know how you like them—enjoy 🙂
Hi again! Just wanted to see if I could leave them in the fridge for another day — then take them out and warm proof them before baking? I didn’t time it right this time. I will bake them today if the extra fridge time will ruin the rolls.
They turned out delicious! Texture and flavor was perfect and so yummy! I will be making these again…to share with all those I love. Such a treat. I ended up not leaving them in the fridge for an extra day and reheating was just as delicious. Just reheated in the toaster oven for 10 minutes at 325F.
Right on, Nicole! Glad to hear they turned out great. Enjoy 🙂
Started these a few hours later in the day. I used my boyfriend to stir 7 minutes then to stir in the butter because we don’t own a KitchenAid. He complained a little about his elbow. At 7500′ elevation in a chilly room with a fire going, and a sourdough starter that I admit I feed once a week or so, bulk fermentation just wasn’t going well. So by 6pm I put it in the fridge until 6am. Perfect. It rolled out beautifully on the countertop. Such a pleasing dough. I let it proof another 5 hours until about 11:30am, put it in with adjusted heat for elevation, and came out with the best spice rolls I’ve ever had. Very tall, light, airy and feathery, not too sweet, perfect spice, a little chew and a firm dark crust. I shared them with my mother, who agrees. Incredible. Boyfriend hasn’t had them yet; I might have to lift them to his mouth for him because he no longer has use of his arms. Thanks for sharing.
Hah! Almost spit out my coffee. Thanks for the feedback, Caroline, glad to hear they turned out well! Yes, a total workout without a mixer, but I hope after he was fed one, felt it was worth it in the end 🙂Enjoy!
@charpackage:disqus how do you adjust the heat for elevation? Anything else you do for elevation? I live at elevation and have long wondered if there were things I needed to do differently.
I usually add more water/fluid, use less leavener, and turn the oven up about 10º, and (usually bake longer. You’ll find all sorts of advice online about baking at elevation. Look around and see which advice is used most commonly, and start there. Here’s some science from (believe it or not) the US Govt. I also find King Arthur’s advice generally works out well!
I made these a second time following the instructions more religiously and they didn’t come out as easily, nor as pretty. The one-hour cool down wasn’t as nice to the dough as the overnight cool-down. So in order to have these warm in the morning with a long chill, some time-traveling would essentially have to be done, but for anyone who can wait until noon or so to eat them, I highly recommend putting the dough to bed in the fridge for the night, before rolling and cutting, especially if it’s not fully puffed and smooth by 5pm. The cooled early-morning dough is some of the nicest I’ve ever worked with, and it makes for reliably-pretty rolls. Still getting a delightful, shaggy texture which tears like string cheese, and of course, a really nice taste with today’s rolls. My boyfriend refused to mix the dough this time, though!
Hey, Caroline! Wow that’s strange, I replied to your original comment and it seems to have disappeared. Anyway, thanks for reporting back with your modifications. I made these for Christmas and that iteration I did have to chill the dough longer—it makes things so much easier when the dough is sufficiently cold, and an overnight retard would definitely get you there. Glad to hear they still tasted wonderful, and next time tell your BF “no mix, no roll” 😉 Enjoy!
I’ve now made this recipe 5 times, because it is a huge favorite here. I get lazy and follow the instructions less religiously every time, and they come out better every time. I do use my gram scale and the proportions are the same, but as far as waiting for this and that and stirring until my arms fall off, no. Nope. No more. The Yudane? I mix it and five minutes later I’m stirring in everything else, including butter melted very soft in the microwave. I stirred it with a wooden spoon maybe a minute, probably less. Cheating? Yes! Does it work? Perfectly.
Yesterday I was short on sourdough starter and put in 1/3 less. Did it work? Yes (granted, I’m at 6300′ elevation). I give it some folds when I remember to. I put it in the fridge when it looks “about right” (not quite like the pictures here, though). Same amazing light-as-mouse-but-tears-like-string-cheese texture, huge loft, gorgeous color, amazing taste, people fist-fighting over who gets the last one. Good times.
Just thought I’d chime in that as this recipe is written, it’s a bit “voodoo-y,” and perhaps doesn’t need to be. After you’ve made it a couple times, try cutting out some of the prolonged ritual and see what happens. In my case, the same thing happens: a roll to launch a thousand ships.
(Picture and video proof if it’s required)
Awesome, Caroline! I think the important thing is you’re adapting the recipe for your own kitchen, which is always part of the goal in the end. It’s nice to have a semi-strict structure to begin, then branch out once you’re confident and have a firm grip on the process. Exactly as you’ve done 🙂 Enjoy!
Maurizio, what if I do the warm proof for about 3 hours after cutting/shaping at night, and then put then in the fridge, and bake them first thing in the morning directly from the fridge, would it work? thanks!
It can work, yes. If you give them a more time to proof before placing them in the fridge you’ll reduce the time they need in the morning.
Dear Sir, noted that you waited for 3 hours before bake in the next morning. Some sourdough baker just direct bake out from fridge and they claimed successfully having great oven spring. I am a novice and quite confuse. Can we actually directly bake out from fridge or need to finalize the proofing at room temperature as what you did here for your bread ? Thank you.
It’s not necessary to let the dough warm from the fridge, but with this dough it is necessary. With a typical loaf of sourdough bread, usually fermentation has progressed far enough along where the dough can simply be baked straight from the fridge. This dough, however, needs additional proof time on the counter due to the extra enrichments (butter, sugar, egg) added.
Any advice on mixing dough without a stand mixer? I have a hand mixer only.
I’d use the slap and fold technique to efficiently strengthen the dough upfront, then return the dough to the mixing bowl to work in the butter with stretch and folds. Be sure the dough is nice and strong before adding the butter!
Hi Maurizio- love your recipes! (Sourdough bagels have become a staple for me). On these cardamon rolls, which I am in process of making, recipe doesn’t seem to say when to add milk. In the initial mixing I’d assume? Thanks!
Thank you, Nancy! Sorry about that (fixing now). Yes, add in at the onset. Have fun and let me know what you think tomorrow AM!
Hi Maurizio! I can’t wait to make these. Cardamom is 1 of my favorite baking spices. Your cinnamon rolls are absolutely delicious and a family favorite hands down! Do you have any tips for not under proofing these? Other than mousse-like is there other indicators? I notoriously underproof cinnamon rolls although I’m getting better.
That’s awesome to hear, Conni! Just push the proof really far, farther than you might think. The dough almost looks like it’s broken down and won’t rise in the oven, but they sure do spring up (as you can see, the kind of coil over). The feel of the dough when going into the oven really is ultra soft, like a marshmallow when poked. Be sure to keep the proofing rolls warm, too, if you have a warm spot or a proofer, all the better. Let me know how you like them!
Thanks for the tips Maurizio! I’m sure they’ll be wonderful but I let you know after i make them this weekend.
Maurizio the cardamom rolls are delicious! Loved the cardamom flavor throughout! Thank you so much for this recipe! It was easy to follow and the details were very helpful. I ended up having to proof the rolls for 5 hours to get them fully proofed. I think because I left the dough in the fridge overnight before I rolled and filled the dough. I did tweak the simple syrup just a bit as I added a little orange peel to give it a little orange flavor. It was a nice adjustment for this time of year. These are a winner!
Omg, I love cardamom as an ex-pat in Jeddah! I used to cardamom with Arabic coffee and I will try this recipe asap! I’ve had tried your banana bread recipe it was amazing I should have to say thank you. I just added pine nut on banana bread, before I place it in the oven. Pine nut gave the excellent taste! I love it. Btw I have an account on Instagram which is ”sourdough movement” I’ve been baking sourdough bread for a couple of years but I just opened an Instagram account. If you can follow me as a sourdough guru I would be so happy ☺️🌟 Happy new year from now 🙏
Hey there! Happy to hear my recipes have worked so well for you—I’ve never tried pine nuts on the banana bread, sounds like it’s tasty! I’ll take a peek at your IG account and happy baking 🙂
Any suggestion for freezing these unbaked? I want to have these for Christmas morning, but I’ll be up at a cabin where the altitude is around 6000. I’ve not baked there before and would prefer to just prep early at home where I have my mixer, etc. and bring them up to just bake at the higher altitude.
Hey, Tracey. You could try par-baking them. So, only bake for maybe half the time or so, then finish later just to add color. That might work but I’ve never tried this!
I typically feed my sourdough starter once daily in the morning and then it appears mature around 4-6pm. To follow this recipe, I need to use the matured starter in the mix, right? If I began the mix when my starter is mature at 4-6pm instead of the 9am mix in this recipe, would it be okay to shorten the overnight cold proof and possibly extend the following morning warm proof until the rolls look fully proofed?
Otherwise, even though I typically feed my starter once daily in the morning, would you recommend me feeding the starter the night before I intended to follow this recipe and mix in the morning whenever it looks mature? I’m looking for some advice since I don’t have much experience varying the feeding schedule of my starter.
Yes, that’s right and that’ll work without any problem. As long as you adjust the proof time the next morning, which is necessary whether that final proof is short or long, anyway, things will turn out just fine.
Shawn, you might also want to have a look at my sourdough starter maintenance routine guide for tips on how to keep your starter strong and healthy!
If I don’t have my Kitchen Aid mixer with me, would you recommend I use the slap and fold method? Or just get my arm ready for some mixing?
It’ll be a bit of work to be sure, but totally possible with the slap/fold technique and withholding butter until the dough is nice and strong!
Omg these are exactly what I’ve been looking for. Can’t wait to make them! Your cinnamon roll recipe has made me famous amongst my circle, and I’m sure these will reinforce my fame.
Ha ha, that’s so great to hear Diana! Let me know what you think when you make ’em! Happy holidays 🙂
My goodness Maurizio! This is a dream come true! Enriched dough and cardamom together! This will be for sure, my Christmas bake off (since I said I’d take a break from baking for a couple weeks) Thank you very much for sharing your creativity, your knowledge and your recipes. Its always a delight!!! Happy Holidays!!!
That’s awesome to hear, Mayte! You’re very welcome, I hope you like them—I’ll be making them again soon as well, they’re something special. Happy holidays!
I wish it wasn’t in grams
Sorry about that, Rita! A scale really does help with consistency, though 🙂
Ok. I have a scale. I see it has grams. I will try your recipe