Mini Sourdough Walnut Rolls Recipe

Mini Sourdough Walnut Rolls feature soft, rich sourdough brioche dough and a nutty, spiced filling—ideal for a sweet snack or dessert.

Prep Time 45

Cook Time 25

Total Time 13 10

Servings 12 rolls

Calories 494

300 grams walnuts
1 tablespoon butter
150 ml heavy whipping cream
5 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon sour cream can substitute for heavy whipping cream if you don't have sour cream!
optional: lemon peel of about 1 lemon
2 tablespoons honey
½ teaspoon cinnamon ground
3 tablespoons rum

Prepare the Dough: Combine the flour, sourdough starter, milk, sugar, egg, and salt in a stand mixer. Mix on low speed until no dry flour remains.
Incorporate the Butter: Add the butter gradually, one tablespoon at a time, waiting for each to fully incorporate before adding the next. This step makes the dough rich and silky.
Knead the Dough: Increase the mixer speed slightly and knead for about 20 minutes. The dough should be smooth, elastic, and pass the windowpane test.
Rest and Fold: Cover the dough and let it rest for 30 minutes. Perform 2–3 sets of stretch-and-folds, spacing each set about 30 minutes apart.
Bulk Fermentation: Let the dough bulk ferment at room temperature (around 72°F) until it rises about 50%. This typically takes 6–8 hours, depending on your kitchen's temperature.
Optional cold proof: You can put the dough into the fridge and do a cold ferment at this stage for up to 24 hours. If you do that, just pick it up at the next step after you take it out of the fridge. I recommend doing only one cold proof when making this dough because brioche dough doesn't really benefit from the increased sourness.

Prepare the Filling: While the dough finishes rising, pulse the walnuts in a food processor. Mix with melted butter, warm cream, sugar, sour cream, lemon peel, honey, cinnamon, and rum to form a spreadable paste. Adjust consistency if needed.
Roll and Fill: Roll out the dough to about 0.5 cm thick in a rectangle shape. Spread the walnut filling evenly over the dough.
Shape the Rolls: Starting from the long edge, roll the dough tightly into a log. Cut into 5 cm thick rolls. Place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Second Rise: Allow the shaped dough to rise at room temperature for about 3 hours or until it has slightly increased in volume.
Optional Cold Proof: For extra flavor, you can again refrigerate the shaped dough overnight. Alternatively, freeze it for later use and thaw in the fridge before the second rise. I don't recommend doing that if you already did a cold proof in the earlier stages of making the dough.
Bake: Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Brush with egg wash (optional). Bake for 20–25 minutes until golden.

this dough doesn’t need to double during the first or the second rise—it should increase slightly in volume but remain relatively tight. Over-proofing can make it too sour and hard to work with, so don't wait for it to double. It will increase in size and become a bit puffy but more in terms of about 50% - 70%, not 100%.

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