Pour the warm water into a small saucepan.

Add the flour and whisk until combined.

Add in ½ cup milk and whisk until smooth with no lumps.

Heat over medium heat until smooth and thickened like a slurry.

Remove from heat and pour into a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and gently press the plastic wrap so it’s sitting on the top of the starter mixture so a skin doesn’t form.

In a large stand mixer bowl, add ½ cup of the warm milk.

Add ½ teaspoon of the sugar to the milk and stir.

Sprinkle the yeast over the mixture and stir. Allow mixture to sit for about 10 minutes to allow the yeast to activate. The mixture will be foamy when it is ready.

Once the yeast mixture is ready, add the starter to it along with the remaining sugar, egg, flour and salt.

Using a dough hook, knead dough for about 5-minutes on low speed.

Cut butter into four pieces and add to dough, one at a time, mixing with the dough hook between each addition.

Once combined, turn the speed to medium and knead for about 5 more minutes. Dough should come together and begin to form a ball. It should also be stretchy, if it’s not, continue kneading with the stand mixer until it becomes stretchy.

In a large bowl, add the vegetable oil. Roll the dough ball in the oil until covered. Cover the bowl loosely with plastic wrap and place in a warm spot until doubled, about 1 to 1 ½ hours.

Divide dough in two equal parts and roll each part into an 8×20 inch rectangle.

In a small bowl, add the butter and maple extract. Mix until completely combined.

Spread the maple butter over both rectangle surfaces.

In a small bowl, add the cinnamon and sugar. Stir until combined.

Sprinkle half of the cinnamon sugar mixture evenly on each rectangle.

Using your rolling pin, lightly roll across surface to press the cinnamon sugar into the dough.

Starting at one long end, tight roll up the dough into a log, gently pulling backwards during the process to help the roll to stay tight. Pinch seam together to seal.

Cut into 2-inch slices using a sharp knife or a piece of floss. To use the floss, slide the middle of the piece of floss under the log of dough and cross the two ends that you’re holding and pull until it cuts the roll.

Place the cinnamon rolls on a greased baking pan.

Repeat process with second half of dough.

Cover pans loosely with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled in a warm place, about 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F while the rolls are rising.

Once doubled, brush the rolls with the reserved ¼ cup of milk.

Place in the preheated oven and bake on center rack of oven for about 30-35 minutes, until golden brown. Cool in pan until slightly warm.

While the cinnamon rolls are cooling, prepare the maple icing.

In a small bowl, add the powdered sugar, sour cream, and maple extract. Stir until smooth.

Drizzle the maple icing over the tops of rolls while still warm.