Mixing The Protein Cinnamon Roll Dough

Blend Liquids and Protein

1. For the smoothest result and easiest mixing add Greek yogurt, sour cream, whey protein, milk, egg and butter to a blender. Blend until smooth.
2. Stir in the sourdough starter gently.

Mix The Dry Ingredients

1. Add the salt to your flour and stir briefly.

Add The Wet Mix To The Dry Ingredients

1. Pour your protein blend into the flour and, ideally using a dough whisk, stir until you have a shaggy dough. 
2. Cover your bowl for about 30 minutes, allowing the flour absorbing the liquid.

Bulk Proof and Stretch and Folds

1. Starting after about 30 minutes to one hour (this is very flexible) do 3 sets of stretch and folds by using wet hands to push under the dough, pulling one side up and folding it over the rest. 
2. Turn the bowl by 90 degrees and repeat. Do this 3-4 times or until the dough looks visibly smoother.
3. Cover again and repeat after about 30 minutes. Repeat 2 more times. 
4. Your dough should now look very smooth and be less sticky. If not, repeat the above once more.

Put into rectangular or square container (optional)

1. I put my dough into an oiled rectangular box that has a lid, as dough “remembers” the shape it was in last, so you’ll have an easier time convincing it to roll into a square shape later.
2. Pat it out with your hands a bit, pushing it into the corners.

Cover and allow to bulk ferment. 

1. I usually let it sit on my counter for a few hours (up to 6 max.) until visibly risen and start shaping it at that point.
2. But depending on your schedule you could also put it into the fridge to cold ferment for up to 3 days of fridge time total. Shape and finish the rise when you have a few hours until baking.

Prepare The Cinnamon Sugar Filling

1. When your dough looks ready to roll, start mixing your filling.
2. Melt the butter. A minute max. in the microwave will be enough. You just want it liquid, not super-hot, as you’ll crumble it later with your fingers.
3. Add cinnamon, salt and flour to the brown sugar and give it a good stir until the sugar is coated with the flour and cinnamon.
4. The salt balances the sweetness and emphasizes the flavor. The flour will bind with the butter and keep it from seeping out during the rise.
5. Pour in the butter and give it a good mix until well incorporated.

Rolling Out the Dough

1. Grease a 9 x 9 inch / 23 x 23 cm baking pan. I like using and empty butter wrapper for this (if I have one handy) to minimise waste.
2. Turn your now fluffy and bubbly dough out onto a lightly floured work surface.
3. Use your hands to pat it out into a square, then use a rolling pin to roll it out to about 12 x 12 inch / 30 x 30 cm. 
4. To get nice straight corners, I like using a dough scraper or the rolling pin to straighten them.

Filling Your Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls

1. Sprinkle all of your brown sugar-cinnamon-butter mix over the dough. Use your hands spreading it around. Make sure to cover it all the way to the sides. This will give you the caramelized cinnamon all the way through without any odd “just dough” ends.

Shaping The Dough Log

1. Now start rolling them up. I usually start with the side closest to me. Take your time making sure especially the start is really tightly rolled, then continue pushing up with your thumbs, gently pulling with your fingertips, to get a firm roll.
2. To seal the seam pull the dough from the end up a little and pinch it close.
3. Turn the roll onto the seam side and very gently pull/roll it out just a little further until it reaches roughly 14 inch / 36 cm.

Cutting Evenly Sized Spirals

1. To get really evenly baked cinnamon rolls, you want to make sure they are as close to being the same size as possible. I use a ruler and a sharp knife, marking the top of the log for 1 ½ inch / 4 cm wide pieces. 
2. For perfectly round shaped rolls, use kitchen twine or, as I did here, unflavored dental floss. (I admit mine was actually mint flavored. But I didn’t notice any of that in the baked rolls later.)
3. Cut off a piece of string, slide it under the log matching the markings, cross it over itself and pull until cut through the dough, leaving you with a perfect spiral. 

Place Into Baking Pan

1. If, despite your efforts your rolls are still ever so slightly unevenly sized, first of all: Don’t worry. Mine are too.
2. To still get them all baked evenly, simply place the largest ones in the 4 corners and the smallest one in the center of the baking pan, so the bigger ones get heat from two sides, and the center one gets baked last later.
3. They should be relatively evenly spaced out with a bit of room between them, which they will fill while rising, leading to soft sides as they’ll be touching.
4. If you don’t have the right sized baking pan, a cast iron skillet will work too. Just make sure it’s not too large, as that will give you crispy sides on all rolls.

Allow To Rise

1. At this point I like to put the whole filled baking pan into a “tent” made out of a large plastic bag that I inflated lightly by blowing into it, then sealed with a clip or a knot. 
2. This keeps the rolls perfectly moist without any dried out corners and created a bit of a micro-climate for them to rise in.
3. You can now either leave them on the counter until they have filled out the form and are visibly puffed up (about 4h at 70°F/21°C). Or put them in the fridge overnight to bake in the morning, ready for breakfast for the perfect overnight sourdough cinnamon rolls. 
4. Alternatively leave them in the fridge for up to 3 days (total time for the dough in the fridge) and bake whenever it suits you.

Bake Your Soft Sourdough Protein Cinnamon Rolls

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F / 175°C with an oven rack in the center. 
2. Take the baking pan out of the bag and bake for 20-30 minutes until very lightly golden on top.
3. Since we want the cinnamon rolls to be soft (though I like slightly crisp tops for mine) an instant read thermometer is really worth using here. Aim for 200°F / 93°C at the center, so you know they are baked through.
4. Allow them to cool while you make the frosting. This will give the caramelized bottoms time to set just so, for the perfect rolls.

Add Protein Cream Cheese Frosting

1. While I’m perfectly happy to munch the rolls just as they are, with their amazingly caramelized bottoms and shiny, bubble cinnamon sugar showing in the spiralled tops, a frosting does makes them even more irresistible.
2. And of course you can use your favorite frosting, but mine comes with an extra protein boost. So give it a try!
3. Start by whisking your room temperature light cream cheese.
4. Add the vanilla extract (I make mine myself, so you can see the bits of real vanilla in it) and butter and whisk until creamy. 
5. Now dump in the protein powder and icing sugar and, ideally using a hand mixer for perfectly creamy results, mix until smooth and delicious.
6. Spread onto your still warm, but not hot cinnamon rolls, so it can melt just a little, but not run off entirely. The icing sugar and butter will set more while cooling, giving you that amazing glazed look and taste.
7. Enjoy with a nice cuppa or hot coffee for breakfast or dessert. Or for dinner, if someone asks me.