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These tiny brown butter sourdough cinnabundts turn a basic cake into something magical. Mixing the zippy sourdough discard with toasty brown butter, cozy cinnamon swirls, and smooth cream cheese filling makes a tasty snack that works any time. These cute little bundts will wow your friends and fix your sweet tooth cravings.
I whipped up these cinnabundts while trying to find new ways to use my leftover sourdough starter. They've now become my go-to treat when friends pop over for brunch. The mix of brown butter with sourdough gives them a richness that regular cinnamon cakes just don't have.
What You'll Need
- All purpose flour: gives these soft cakes their perfect foundation
- Baking powder and soda: team up for the best possible lift
- Salted butter: turns golden brown for yummy caramel hints
- Greek yogurt: keeps everything moist with a slight tang that works with the sourdough
- Sourdough discard: adds depth and special flavor without being too strong
- Brown sugar: turns all gooey and sticky in the swirls while baking
- Cinnamon: brings that warm, cozy spice that makes these bundts so tempting
- Cream cheese: makes a rich filling that cuts through the sweetness just right
How To Make Them
- Get Ready:
- Turn your oven to 350°F and butter your mini bundt pan completely before sprinkling with flour so they'll pop out easily. If you're using a loaf pan instead, grease it well and put parchment paper inside for easy lifting. Don't skip this step or your pretty bundt shapes might stick.
- Make the Brown Butter:
- Put butter in a pan over medium high heat and keep stirring. Watch it as it foams up, then starts showing little golden specks at the bottom, usually in about 5 to 8 minutes. You'll smell a nutty scent when it's done. Take it off the heat right away so it doesn't burn and let it cool down for 5 to 10 minutes before you use it.
- Mix the Base:
- While your butter cools, sift all the dry stuff together to avoid lumps. After the brown butter has cooled a bit, mix it with both sugars until everything's combined. This gets all those tasty brown butter bits spread throughout the batter.
- Build Your Batter:
- Add eggs one at a time, making sure each one's mixed in before adding another. Then stir in the sourdough discard, greek yogurt and vanilla until it looks smooth. The mix might look a bit funny at first but keep whisking and it'll come together. Last, fold in the dry ingredients gently just until you can't see any flour anymore. Don't mix too much or your cakes will turn out tough.
- Make Your Swirls:
- Stir brown sugar and cinnamon together in a small bowl. Put some cake batter in each bundt hole, filling about one third, and spread it out. Sprinkle about a tablespoon of cinnamon mix over this. Top with the rest of the batter, filling each spot about three quarters full, and smooth the tops so they'll bake evenly.
- Bake Them Up:
- Bake mini bundts for 15 to 20 minutes until they bounce back when you touch them lightly and a toothpick stuck in comes out clean. While they're baking, mix all your filling ingredients until they're smooth and you can pour them. Let the bundts cool in the pan for 10 minutes before carefully flipping them onto a cooling rack.
- Add the Filling:
- Once they're totally cool, pour your cream cheese filling into the middle hole of each mini bundt. The filling should be thick enough to stay put but runny enough to pour in. If you want, dust them with a little powdered sugar right before serving to make them look fancy.
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My favorite thing about these bundts is watching my friends cut into them and find the cream cheese center for the first time. That look of surprise never gets old, even though I've made them tons of times. Taking the time to brown the butter is totally worth it. It really changes the whole flavor.
Keeping Them Fresh
These cinnabundts stay good on your counter for about two days if you keep them in something airtight. If you need them to last longer, stick them in the fridge for up to a week, but let them warm up before eating for the best taste and feel. If you're making them ahead, you can prepare the cakes and filling separately, keeping the filling in the fridge until you're ready to put them together. This stops the cream cheese from soaking into the cake.
No Sourdough Options
Don't have sourdough starter? Don't worry. You can use an extra half cup of greek yogurt instead of the sourdough discard. The texture won't be exactly the same but they'll still taste great. If you want that sourdough flavor without keeping a starter going, you can also add store-bought sourdough flavoring to greek yogurt, though it won't be quite as good as the real thing.
Ways To Enjoy Them
These mini bundts work great as the main attraction at brunch with some fresh fruit and coffee on the side. For dessert, try them slightly warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a real treat. In fall and winter, they taste amazing with spiced apple cider or chai tea which brings out the cinnamon flavors. For special times, try adding a drizzle of caramel sauce over the cream cheese filling before serving.
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Recipe FAQs
- → What’s the easiest way to make the cinnamon swirl?
Just stir together cinnamon and brown sugar in a bowl. When you’re adding batter to the pan, sprinkle in the mixture between layers.
- → Why do you use sourdough discard for this?
The discard gives the cakes a tangy twist and keeps them moist. Don’t have any? Greek yogurt works as a swap!
- → Can I skip the mini bundt pans?
Totally! Use a standard 8.5x4.5 loaf pan instead. Just alternate the batter and cinnamon mixture like usual.
- → What does browning the butter do?
It brings out a toasty, nutty depth that adds extra richness and complexity to the flavor.
- → What’s the best way to save leftovers?
Pop them in a sealed container and keep them in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can also freeze them for later.