This Wilderness Our Home

Adapted from the original Cultures for Health recipe, refined for consistency and an even rise.

I didn’t grow up baking with sourdough. My great-grandma canned almost everything and made pies people still talk about, but bread wasn’t something she passed down. So when I stepped into fermentation, I wasn’t continuing a family tradition—I was starting fresh, beginning with a scoop of starter a friend shared with me. She’s kept hers alive longer than I’ve been married, and mine grew from that one jar, shaped by our tiny cabin kitchen and whatever season of life we were in.

Later, I found Cultures for Health and started learning the parts of sourdough that don’t get explained in everyday kitchens—why cultured dairy behaves differently, why long fermentation can sit safely at room temperature, and why some doughs rely more on time than effort. Their long-fermented cinnamon rolls caught my attention immediately. I remember reading the part about mixing dough with yogurt or milk and leaving it out overnight, stopping short because it went against everything I thought I knew. I checked that bowl more times than I care to admit.

But we tried it anyway.
And somewhere along the way, it became part of our Christmas rhythm.

Every Christmas Eve, after the kids watch their movie and the house finally quiets down, I make the dough and leave it covered on the counter. It’s never a production—just a quiet, anchoring task at the end of the night. In the morning, while the kids open their presents and the living room fills with wrapping paper, I roll out the dough, assemble the spirals, and slide the pan into the oven. I don’t drink coffee at all—it’s water or tea for me, any time of day—so those few minutes usually happen with nothing in my hand except the dough and the soft early morning light.

We’ve always loved the original recipe, but it wasn’t perfect. The rise could be uneven, and the centers sometimes a little too soft, especially when I wasn’t using cast iron. Over time I learned the recipe didn’t need replacing—it just needed a little more development so it behaved consistently in a regular home kitchen.

This version is the one that finally works every time.
Still long-fermented.
Still rooted in the Cultures for Health method.
Still the same comfort we count on each year.
Just more reliable now—the kind of recipe I can trust half-asleep on Christmas Eve and depend on in the morning while the kids are lost in their gifts.

Every year I think about adding fruit—thin apple slices or a handful of berries tucked into the spiral—and if there’s time this year, I might finally try it. I’ve included it as a variation, along with the pumpkin pie spice we naturally folded into the filling over time.

This is our version.
The one they can smell before they’re fully awake.
The one that starts Christmas morning the same way, year after year.

Credit

Adapted from the original long-fermented cinnamon roll recipe by Cultures for Health.

 🧡 Long-Fermented Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls (Improved)

Soft, deeply flavored, perfectly risen cinnamon rolls with an overnight fermentation and a dependable morning bake.

Ingredients

Dough

• 1/2 cup cold butter or lard, diced
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup sourdough starter (active or discard)
• 2–3 Tbsp sugar or honey
• 1 cup yogurt
  OR 1 cup buttermilk, OR ¾–1 cup whole milk (milk varies in hydration)
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda

Enhanced Filling

• 1/2 cup brown sugar or sucanat
• 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4–1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 6 Tbsp melted butter
• 1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
• 1 Tbsp flour (optional; prevents leaking)

Fruit Variation (Optional)

If you want to try the fruit this year:

Layer sparingly over the filling before rolling:

• Thin apple slices (paper-thin)
• Halved raspberries
• Halved / lightly crushed blueberries
• Thin pear slices

Avoid heavy layering to prevent excess moisture.

Instructions

Christmas Eve: Long Fermentation (7–12 hours)

1. Cut cold butter into flour until pea-sized crumbs form.
2. Stir in sourdough starter, sweetener, and yogurt.
3. Mix until the dough just comes together—no kneading needed.
4. Cover tightly and leave at room temperature overnight.

Christmas Morning: Strengthen the Dough

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Mix baking powder, baking soda, and salt together.
3. Sprinkle the mixture over the fermented dough.
4. Knead gently for 10–20 seconds until smooth and cohesive.

Roll + Fill

1. Roll dough into a ¼-inch thick rectangle.
2. Spread filling evenly.
3. Add fruit variation if using.
4. Roll up tightly and slice into 1–1¼-inch pieces.

Bake

Choose your pan:

• Best overall: 9×13 glass or ceramic (even rise, tender crumb)
• Most caramelized: cast iron
• Avoid: metal cake pans (too fast browning)

Bake 22–28 minutes, or until rolls are lightly golden and fully set in the center.
Fruit variation may add 2–3 minutes.

🧁 Frosting (Choose Your Finish)

Classic Cream Cheese Frosting (Our Favorite)

The one we make every Christmas.

Ingredients:

• 4 oz cream cheese, softened
• 3 Tbsp butter, softened
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1–2 Tbsp milk or cream
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt

Instructions:
Beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add powdered sugar, vanilla, salt, and 1 Tbsp milk. Mix until creamy. Add more milk only if needed for spreading consistency.

Maple–Vanilla Frosting (Variation)

Pairs beautifully with the pumpkin pie spice.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2–3 Tbsp maple syrup
• 1/2–1 Tbsp milk
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt

Instructions:
Whisk together until smooth.
Thin with a tiny splash of milk only if needed.

Simple Vanilla Glaze (Optional)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1–2 Tbsp milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt

Whisk until smooth and drizzle lightly over warm rolls.

Make-Ahead Frosting Note

All frostings can be made the night before.
Refrigerate covered, bring to room temperature in the morning, and stir before using.

Fermentation Safety Note

Cultured dairy and sourdough starter create an acidic environment that safely ferments at room temperature overnight. The active cultures lower the pH enough to discourage harmful bacteria.
Use fresh yogurt/buttermilk and keep dough covered.

These cinnamon rolls anchor our Christmas morning. Slow, warm, familiar, and deeply comforting. They’re simple to make, easy to trust, and dependable enough to become part of the rhythm of the day.

Related Posts

Christmas Eve: A Gentle Rhythm

Homemade Holiday Spice Blends

Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookies

Author’s Note

Thank you to Cultures for Health for the original inspiration. This is the version that grew with us through the years and finally became our Christmas morning recipe.