If you’ve been around for long, you’ll know that I LOOOVVVEEE pumpkin everything! You can find recipes on my blog for pumpkin sourdough pancakes, or chocolate chip sourdough pumpkin cookies, or spiced sourdough pumpkin cinnamon rolls, or pumpkin sourdough waffles with discard. So. Many. Pumpkin. Options. And now there’s one more!

You won’t believe how easy scones are to make. Once you cut your butter into the dry ingredients, you pour in the wet ingredients, mix gently, and shape. They are super simple and before long you’ll be able to serve your friends the best scones they have ever had! I think you’ll find it to be the perfect fall treat.

Ingredients for sourdough pumpkin scones

It’s that time of year for pumpkin spice lattes and pumpkin everything! Whether you need a quick breakfast, a Thanksgiving brunch, or a fast treat, this is a great way to get the pumpkin flavor in a new way! Furthermore, a big plus is that you’ll also have a new way to use up the extra sourdough discard you have sitting around!

This post contains affiliate links, so we may earn a small commission when you make a purchase through links on our site at no additional cost to you.

Dry Ingredients

• 240g. all purpose flour (I use fresh milled flour made from soft white wheat)
• 60g. dark brown sugar
• 1t baking powder
• 1/2t baking soda
• 1/2t salt
• 1 1/2t pumpkin pie spice

Cut in the butter!!

• 1 stick of butter, cubed or grated

Wet Ingredients

• 100g sourdough starter (active sourdough starter or sourdough starter discard)
• 1 egg
• 100g pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie filling)

Instructions

Dry ingredients

In a large bowl, mix dry ingredients together – flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and pumpkin pie spice. If you use freshly milled flour, it needs to cool because it comes out of the mill a bit warm. Pop it into the freezer for a while until it cools down. You want all the ingredients very cold in order to make sure the scones are nice and chilled when they go into the hot oven. This helps the butter melt more slowly and it creates a flaky texture.

I usually mix all my ingredients with a whisk, or my new favorite kitchen tool – a danish whisk!!

Cut in the butter

Add cubed unsalted butter into the flour mixture and cut it in with a pastry cutter until the chunks of butter are the size of peas. Make sure you have very cold butter. If you have room temperature butter, it won’t make tender scones with flaky layers. My very favorite pastry cutter has solid sides like THIS one so it’s sturdier.

As an alternative to the pastry blender, you can use grated butter that has been frozen or is very cold. Just add the grated frozen butter and you won’t need to use the pastry blender. Some people also use a food processor to chop the butter into small pieces. I’ve never done that, but I heard it works well.

Wet Ingredients

In a small bowl, combine the wet ingredients – sourdough starter, egg, and fresh or canned pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie filling).

Give it a good stir! Once you add it to the flour mixture, you don’t want to work it too much, so it’s good to have it all completely incorporated at this point.

After that, add wet ingredients to the large mixing bowl with dry ingredients and mix with a wooden spoon until it just comes together. Do not overmix or it will develop the gluten and make the scones tough. You’ll end up with a shaggy dough.

Shaping the sourdough pumpkin scones

Turn the shaggy dough onto a lightly floured surface, scraping the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. I usually flip the dough over onto the floured countertop so that both sides have a bit of the flour and aren’t sticky. Pat the soft dough into a rectangle. Fold it over and pat out again. Certainly you can use a rolling pin, but it’s easier just to pat it out with your hands. Do this a total of 7 times, and it will give you a light airy scone with flaky layers and pockets of air.

Gently make the scone dough into a circle about 1″ thick. Use a sharp knife or a bench scraper to cut the dough into 8 pie shaped pieces. Cut the dough straight down and straight up to make clean cuts. Surprisingly, when you saw back and forth, the edges will seal and it causes the scones to not raise as high. You can also use a round cookie cutter or a biscuit cutter, but make sure you put the cookie cutter straight down and back up without twisting it.

When you cut the butter in well, you end up with these flecks of butter that will give you the flakey layers. SO good!

Baking the pumpkin spice scones

Finally, line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set the sourdough pumpkin scones onto the parchment lined baking tray. Leave plenty of room between the scones on the tray to allow them room to spread while cooking.

Use a pastry brush to brush the tops of the scones with half and half, heavy cream, or a little extra buttermilk.

Put scones into the freezer while the oven preheats to 400 degrees. It is especially important to preheat the oven AFTER you make the scones when you’re using freshly milled flour. When working with flour that you mill at home, you need to let the mixture rest for at least 15 minutes before baking so it has time to absorb all the liquids. Even if you’re using all purpose flour, you’ll want to let them rest in the freezer to get nice and cold so they keep their shape better in the oven.

Bake the sourdough pumpkin scones on the prepared baking sheet for 18-20 minutes until they are golden brown.

Cool sourdough pumpkin scones on a wire rack.

Overall, for best results, eat immediately or store in an airtight container for about a week.

FAQs for pumpkin sourdough scones

Can you freeze sourdough pumpkin scones?

Absolutlely! These are a great make-ahead option. You can freeze the leftover scones after they are baked. I put them on a parchment lined baking sheet in the freezer. Once they are fully frozen, place the frozen scones into a zip top freezer bag or an airtight container and store in the freezer. Reheat in the toaster oven or microwave.

Alternately, you can freeze shaped scones on a baking sheet lined with a piece of parchment paper. Once they are frozen, take the unbaked scones and store in a freezer-safe bag or airtight container in the freezer. Next time you’re ready for a fall treat, simply bake them. Follow the baking instructions and add a few extra minutes on to the bake time for the frozen scones.

Variations:

Add chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, or cinnamon chips into the dough before shaping.

Cover dough with plastic wrap and put in the refrigerator overnight. Bake the next day for fermented sourdough pumpkin scones.

Top with a maple glaze.

Add streusel to the top of the scones for an extra decadent treat!

Drizzle with cream cheese frosting for an extra sweet treat!

In conclusion, these sourdough discard pumpkin scones are an excellent addition to your sourdough discard recipes. If you love quick breads, you’ll love this scone recipe. It’s easy and makes the most delicious scones full of pumpkin and warm cinnamon fall flavor!

Recipe Card for Sourdough Pumpkin Scones

Sourdough Pumpkin Scones

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Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

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• 240g. all purpose flour (I use fresh milled flour)
• 60g. dark brown sugar
• 1t baking powder
• 1/2t baking soda
• 1/2t salt
• 1 1/2t pumpkin pie spice

The rest of the ingredients!

Toggle ingredient group

• 1 stick of butter, cubed (or grated)
• 100g sourdough starter
• 1 egg
• 100g pumpkin puree

Instructions

1. Mix dry ingredients together - flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soday, salt and pumpkin pie spice. If you use freshly milled flour, it needs to cool because it comes out of the mill a bit warm. Pop it into the freezer for a while until it cools down. You want all the ingredients very cold in order to make sure the scones are nice and chilled when they go into the hot oven. This helps the butter melt more slowly and it creates a flaky texture.
2. Add cubed butter and cut it in with a pastry blender until it is the size of peas. Alternately, you can use grated cold or frozen butter as well. Some people also use a food processor to chop the butter into small pieces. I've never done that, but I heard it works well.
3. Add wet ingredients - sourdough starter, egg, and pumpkin puree. Mix with a wooden spoon until it just comes together. Do not overmix or it will develop the gluten and make the scones tough.
4. Turn the shaggy dough onto a lightly floured surface, scraping the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. I usually flip the dough over onto the floured countertop so that both sides have a bit of the flour and aren't sticky. Pat the soft dough into a rectangle. Fold it over and pat out again. You can use a rolling pin, but it's easier just to pat it out with your hands. Do this a total of 7 times, and it will give you a light airy scone with flaky layers and pockets of air.
5. Gently make the scone dough into a circle about 1" thick. Use a sharp knife to cut the dough into 8 pie shaped pieces. Cut the dough straight down and straight up to make clean cuts. If you saw back and forth, the edges will seal and it causes the scones to not raise as high. You can also use a round cookie cutter or a biscuit cutter, but make sure you put the cookie cutter straight down and back up without twisting it.
6. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set the sourdough pumpkin scones onto the lined baking tray. Leave plenty of room between the scones on the tray to allow them room to spread while cooking.
7. Brush the top of each scone with half and half, heavy cream, or a little extra buttermilk.
8. Put scones into the freezer while the oven preheats to 400 degrees.
9. Bake the sourdough pumpkin scones for 18-20 minutes until they are golden brown.Eat immediately or store in an airtight container for about a week.

The post The Best Easy Sourdough Pumpkin Scones with Discard appeared first on Little Reasons.

While regular cornbread muffins are great, when you add either active sourdough starter or sourdough discard and let it have time for fermentation to occur, it gives a deeper flavor. Additionally, there are also more health benefits when you allow the wild yeast to eat the sugar and gluten in the sourdough corn muffins.

This is a super easy recipe. Sourdough discard makes healthier muffins and is a great idea to use up older discard.

This post contains affiliate links, so we may earn a small commission when you make a purchase through links on our site at no additional cost to you.

Ingredients for sourdough corn muffins

Wet ingredients

• 225g or 1c sour cream
• 75g or 1/4c sourdough discard or active starter
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 30g or 2T avocado oil or melted coconut oil

Dry ingredients

• 100g or 3/4c white cornmeal, yellow cornmeal, OR coarse cornmeal
• 120g or 1c all purpose flour (or whole wheat flour or freshly milled flour)
• 50g or 1/4c sugar
• 2t baking powder
• 3/4t. pink Himalayan salt
• ADD LATER: 1/2t baking soda

Instructions for sourdough corn muffins

Wet and Liquid Ingredients:

In a large mixing bowl, combine the wet ingredients together and stir to combine. That will be the sourdough discard or active sourdough starter, 1 large egg, and oil (avocado oil, melted coconut oil, or vegetable oil), and sour cream. Surprisingly, this is really the secret ingredient because the sour cream helps keep the cornbread recipes from drying out!

If you want to try to make your own sourdough starter, check out my guide HERE>

Dry Ingredients:

Next, in a separate bowl, combine dry ingredients – cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, salt, all purpose flour or whole wheat flour or freshly milled flour. If you use all purpose flour, I love this King Arthur one.  

(DO NOT ADD BAKING SODA YET! Let it sit overnight. Because both the sour cream and the baking soda work together as a leavening agent to help it rise, I always add it after it has a chance to ferment.)

Mix

Put the liquid ingredients and dry ingredients together and use a wooden spoon or whisk to combine. I am absolutely loving the danish whisk for thick batters like this one. It works like a whisk but the thick batter doesn’t get stuck in the middle. It’s much easier for cleanup!

Do not overmix. If you mix the batter too much, it develops the gluten and makes it tough. Consequently, make sure to stop whisking as soon as it comes together. 

Always ferment sourdough recipes for best results – even a few hours will help the yeast to go to work on the sugar and gluten. As a result, I usually make this the night before and cover with plastic wrap and put it in the fridge overnight.

In the morning, I add the baking soda and continue on. Write on the plastic wrap like I did below to help you to remember to add the baking soda in the morning! Trust me on this. Unfortunately, I have forgotten one too many times and it’s SO disappointing!!!

The Next Morning

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In the morning, add the baking soda and give it a gentle mix.

The next thing you do is to prepare the muffin pan by either spraying with cooking spray, or using muffin liners. Divide the batter between the muffin cups in the prepared muffin tin, filling each 2/3 full.

Then, bake in the preheated oven set at 350 degrees for 20-23 minutes until golden brown. Finally, when they come out of the oven, you can brush them with a bit of melted butter or melted unsalted butter if desired. I really love a silicone and wood pastry brush like THIS ONE.

Take sourdough cornbread muffins out of the pan and let them cool on a wire rack. Eat immediately for the best result. Store leftovers in an airtight container for 3-5 days.

These muffins are absolutely delicious. They are not overly sweet like you’d find in Jiffy muffin mix. They also aren’t dry like many cornbread recipes are. The sour cream keeps them moist. If you’re looking for something that tastes more like it came out of a box, you may want to kick up the sugar a bit to give that flavor.

But I think you’ll find these cornbread muffins with the deeper flavor of sourdough and the homemade taste will beat a box mix every time! There’s nothing like being able to control the ingredients that go into your family’s bodies!

FAQs

Do I have to let it sit overnight?

Nope! Letting the sourdough corn muffins ferment will give it the biggest health benefits. But you could make it in the morning and let it sit in the fridge until you bake them for dinner, or you can whip them up and cook immediately.

Variations and toppings for sourdough corn muffins:

*My personal favorite is to top the sourdough cornbread muffins with a little bit of butter and jam

*Swap out dairy products for oat milk, coconut milk, or another non-dairy milk and sour cream for a dairy free version!

*Use whole wheat flour or fresh milled flour for an even healthier option.

*Use the sourdough corn muffins in cornbread stuffing

*Skip the muffin liners and pour in a 9×13 baking dish for 15-30 minutes

*Make into what my mom called “ho-cakes” or “Johnny cakes” and cook them on a hot skillet or cast iron skillet like pancakes instead of in muffin tins. It makes them cook SO fast!

*Use gluten-free flour or almond flour for a version that has no gluten in it!

*Pour into a greased loaf pan for a sourdough corn quick bread -lengthen baking time and cook 45min-1hour

*Place dollops of cornbread on top of an oven proof pot of chili and cook as directed for cornbread topped chili! Or just serve the moist cornbread muffins next to a bowl of chili!

*Add vanilla extract and a little more sugar for a sweet cornbread version.

*Serve with a pat of butter and a drizzle of honey

*For a very savory side, omit the sugar, and add chopped jalapeños and cheddar cheese before baking for a cheesy and spicy perfect side dish.

*Swap out the white sugar for maple syrup for a refined sugar free sourdough cornbread recipe

*Add fresh corn cut off the cob for an even sweeter sourdough corn muffin with a delicious texture and even more corn flavor.

*Brush the tops with a melted butter mixture to make them even softer.

How to store sourdough corn muffins

Store in an airtight container or ziploc bag for 3-5 days.

Freeze in a freezer-safe bag or airtight container for 3-6 months.

Heat leftover muffins in the microwave or toaster oven.

I hope you try this cornbread muffin with a sourdough twist! It will become one of your new favorite sourdough muffin recipes I’m sure! It’s the perfect addition to a cozy fall or winter dinner and it’s a great way to use up older discard that you have sitting in the back of your fridge. If you try any of the variations, please let me know. I always love to hear how your ideas turn out. Happy baking!

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Sourdough Corn Muffins

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Ingredients

Wet ingredients

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• 225g or 1c sour cream
• 75g or 1/4c sourdough starter
• 1 egg
• 30g or 2T avocado oil

Dry ingredients

Toggle ingredient group

• 100g or 3/4c cornmeal
• 120g or 1c all purpose flour (or freshly milled flour)
• 50g or 1/4c sugar
• 2t baking powder
• 3/4t. salt
• ADD LATER: 1/2t baking soda

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine wet ingredients together. 2. In a separate bowl, combine dry ingredients. (DO NOT ADD BAKING SODA YET! This reacts with the sour cream to help it rise, so I always add it after it has a chance to ferment.) 3. Put the wet ingredients and dry ingredients together and whisk until just mixed. If you overmix the batter, it develops the gluten and makes it tough. So make sure to stop whisking as soon as it comes together.  4. Sourdough recipes are best if they have a chance to ferment, so I usually make this the night before and cover with saran wrap and put it in the fridge overnight. In the morning, I add the baking soda and continue on.

5. Prepare muffin tins with liners. Divide the batter between the liners, filling each 2/3 full. 6. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-23 minutes.  7. Take out of pan and let cool. Store in an airtight container.

The post Easy Sourdough Corn Muffins Your Family Will Love appeared first on Little Reasons.

I love recipes I can make up in advance and have ready to go in the morning. It’s even better when making it in advance enhances the health benefits – and that’s exactly what happens in this recipe! The sourdough discard is not used as a leavening agent in this recipe. Instead, it’s used as a way to make it more healthy, by giving the wild yeast time to essentially “eat up” the gluten and sugars present in the flour during the overnight fermentation. This makes the flour more digestible and makes the pancakes easier on your gut.

You’ll find the fluffy texture of these sourdough banana pancakes will rival the best restaurant pancakes, but in a way that benefits your family’s health! So read on for the super simple instructions on how to make this delicious fall breakfast.

Ingredients for Sourdough Banana Pancakes

The ingredients for sourdough banana pancakes are super simple and are usually found in a well stocked pantry. This is a perfect way to take those pantry staples, pair them with a few overripe bananas and end up with a delightful fall breakfast! You can use up all the extra sourdough starter discard you have in your fridge from making sourdough bread. Plus, finding another great way to use up your overripe bananas can’t be a bad thing, right?

So, if you’re ready to go beyond the classic sourdough pancakes, and to have less work in the morning follow along!

This post contains affiliate links, so we may earn a small commission when you make a purchase through links on our site at no additional cost to you.

Wet ingredients

• 2 overripe bananas, mashed
• 1/2c extra starter ( active sourdough starter or sourdough discard)
• 1 egg
• 1T melted butter, vegetable oil, or melted coconut oil
• 1t. vanilla extract
• 1c cultured buttermilk

Dry Ingredients

• 1 1/4c all purpose white flour, fresh milled flour, or whole wheat flour (do not use bread flour)
• 1t ground cinnamon
• 1T raw sugar, white sugar or brown sugar
• pinch of Himalayan sea salt, or any salt you have on hand
• 1t baking powder
• ADD LATER! 1t baking soda

Instructions for Sourdough Banana Pancakes

The night before:

Mash bananas in a large mixing bowl or medium bowl. Add the active sourdough starter (or extra sourdough discard), egg, melted butter or oil, vanilla extract, and buttermilk. Whisk to combine.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, cinnamon, sugar, salt, and baking powder (DO NOT ADD THE BAKING SODA AT THIS TIME! IT WILL BEGIN TO REACT IMMEDIATELY)

Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients in the large bowl and mix with a wooden spoon until the flour is just combined. Any time you are working with things like pancakes, cakes, and cookies, you’ll want to make sure to stop mixing as soon as it’s all coming together. If you overmix the pancake batter, you’ll work the gluten in the flour and it will make the pancakes tough.

Cover the large bowl with plastic wrap and put in the refrigerator. If you’re like me and you have an ADHD brain, you may want to write “add 1t. baking soda!” to the top of the plastic wrap so you don’t forget in the morning!

The next morning:

After you’ve had the batter rest overnight, heat a cast iron skillet on medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes. While that is preheating, take the batter out of the fridge and add the baking soda, mixing with a wooden spoon or a dough whisk (this is my new favorite kitchen tool!!!) until it is just combined.

Turn the hot pan down to medium heat and use fresh butter, cooking spray, or a little oil on the pan to prevent sticking. Then use a 1/4 cup batter to make medium pancakes and 1/3 to 1/2 cup measure for larger pancakes.

Let the pancakes cook until you see bubble on the surface begin to pop. Flip them over and allow the second side to cook until it’s golden brown. Take the cooked pancakes off the pan and put on a serving platter. Cover them with a tea towel to keep in the heat while you finish cooking the pancakes.

Serve immediately.

FAQs

How do I store banana sourdough pancakes?

I store these either in my refrigerator or the freezer. To store in the fridge, put them in an airtight container or zip top bag. You’ll want to use them over the next 3-5 days.

I often make a double batch and put the extras in the freezer for longer storage and for quick meals in the future. When I do that, I freeze them on a sheet pan covered in parchment paper. Put them in a single layer and freeze until completely frozen. Put the frozen pancakes into a Ziplock freezer bag or an airtight container.

By freezing them individually, it keeps them from freezing together and allows you to pull out one at a time. Then you can pull out fluffy sourdough banana pancakes any time your heart desires without having to make them fresh!

How do I reheat sourdough banana pancakes?

I find the best way to reheat these is in the toaster oven. It makes them a bit crispy on the exterior, but if you want them super soft, you can just wrap them in aluminum foil first. Alternately you can heat them up in the microwave!

What kinds of toppings do you recommend for sourdough banana pancakes with discard?

Here are some of our favorite things we use as toppings, plus some ideas I want to try here at home:

*pure maple syrup and butter

*brown sugar and pecans

*butter and cinnamon sugar

*chocolate chips and whipped cream would be amazing!!!

*cinnamon chips would be sooooo good

*I think my warm caramel buttermilk syrup would be divine on these!

*My recipe for cream cheese whipped cream would take these to the next level!

*Maybe a bit of natural peanut butter with more fresh bananas on top

*Marshmallow fluff and peanut butter for a little fluffer nutter pancake?

I’d love to hear your favorite toppings or what other ideas you come up with!

Do I have to make them the night before?

No you can absolutely make these right before cooking them! Leaving them in the refrigerator overnight is just to give the wild yeast time to have a long fermentation and give the health benefits of sourdough. Additionally, it gives the slight tang of the sourdough to add to the flavor. However, these are just as yummy if you mix them up and cook them right away!

Can I use something instead of cultured buttermilk?

Yes absolutely! I love using cultured buttermilk because it makes such fluffy pancakes! However, in a pinch, you can put a splash of vinegar or lemon juice in the bottom of the measuring cup before you pour in the milk. Then after you pour the milk in, give it a stir and let it sit for about 5 minutes for it to begin to curdle.

That acidity from the lemon juice or vinegar will react with the baking soda to create the chemical reaction that allows the pancakes to rise.

So, if you’re looking for an easy recipe and different ways to use up overripe bananas outside of the typical sourdough banana bread before you add them to your food waste, this is the recipe for you!

Printable sourdough banana pancake recipe card below:

Sourdough Banana Pancakes

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Ingredients

Wet ingredients

Toggle ingredient group

• 2 bananas, mashed
• 1/2c sourdough starter
• 1 egg
• 1T melted butter
• 1t. vanilla
• 1c cultured buttermilk

Dry Ingredients

Toggle ingredient group

• 1 1/4c all purpose flour (or fresh milled flour)
• 1t cinnamon
• 1T raw sugar
• pinch of salt
• 1t baking powder
• ADD LATER! 1t baking soda

Instructions

1. Combine wet ingredients together. 2. In a separate bowl, combine dry ingredients. (DO NOT ADD BAKING SODA YET! This reacts with the buttermilk to help it rise, so I always add it after it has a chance to ferment.) 3. Put the wet ingredients and dry ingredients together and whisk until just mixed. If you overmix the batter, it develops the gluten and makes it tough. So make sure to stop whisking as soon as it comes together.  4. Sourdough recipes are best if they have a chance to ferment, so I usually make this the night before and cover with saran wrap and put it in the fridge overnight. In the morning, I add the baking soda and continue on. 5. Preheat a cast iron skillet, then turn down to low.

6. Put butter on the skillet and then drop batter by spoonful (or using a 1/4c measuring cup).

7. Flip after the pancakes have bubbles that begin to pop.

8. Let cook on second side until they are golden brown.

9. Serve with whipped cream, syrup and pecans or walnuts, or just a sprinkle of powdered sugar.

The post The Best Sourdough Banana Pancakes with Discard appeared first on Little Reasons.

Cozy fall mornings are one of my very favorite things! It’s pumpkin season, and I I love ALL the autumn recipes and warm spices and pumpkin flavor! If you haven’t seen a pattern in my blog yet, you can look back to my pumpkin cinnamon rolls, or pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, or pumpkin waffles… So many fall favorites! And here’s a new one to add!

Why Use Sourdough in Pumpkin Pancakes?

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Sourdough is for more than just sourdough bread! I love to add sourdough to all my baked goods! Sourdough starter is full of gut healthy bacteria that break down the sugar and gluten in the pancakes.

While you can make the pumpkin sourdough pancake batter and use it right away, it’s best to make this the night before and pop it in the fridge to let the batter ferment. Overnight, the yeast and bacteria goes to work breaking down the phytic acid, gluten and sugar in the batter. It’s the best way to make these even healthier.

When you pull it out the next morning, not only are these fluffy sourdough pancakes a super delicious fall breakfast, but it has had a long fermentation that makes them a healthy breakfast full of fall flavors.

Sourdough Pumpkin Pancake Recipe:

Wet Ingredients:

• 3T. melted butter or coconut oil
• 1 (15oz) can of pumpkin purée
• 2 eggs
• 2c. cultured buttermilk
• 1/2c. active sourdough starter (or leftover sourdough discard)
• 1 1/2t. vanilla extract

Dry Ingredients:

• 1 1/2t. pumpkin pie spice
• 1/8t. salt
• 2t. baking soda
• 2t. baking powder
• 2T. raw sugar or brown sugar
• 2 1/2c. all purpose flour, whole wheat flour or my favorite – freshly milled soft white wheat

Instructions:

These fluffy sourdough pancakes with pumpkin have minimal ingredients, so they are super simple to throw together before you go to bed at night. Then the next day they are waiting for you to make!

Combine dry ingredients:

The night before you want to make pancakes, combine dry ingredients into a large bowl (except for baking soda – the baking soda makes a chemical reaction with the buttermilk to help rise the pumpkin sourdough pancakes, so we will keep this out until we are ready to make them)

So mix the raw sugar, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder and flour. I use freshly milled soft white wheat flour (see the above photo – I have ground my flour for years in my Vitamix dry container).

I find that it gives the best taste, and it’s full of fiber and vitamins. If you don’t mill your own flour, you can use whole wheat flour or all purpose flour. I’ve used many kinds of flour to make these and they all work well.

Combine wet ingredients:

Combine wet ingredients into a separate bowl or glass measuring cup – melted butter, fresh pumpkin puree, eggs, buttermilk, active starter or sourdough starter discard, and vanilla extract. (Because you’re not using the sourdough as a leavening agent, it doesn’t matter if you use discard or active starter. Either is fine.)

In a large bowl, add the dry ingredients and the wet ingredients. Mix until they are just combined. You don’t want to overmix pancakes because it will make them tough as the gluten in the flour is developed. So as soon as you see it come together, stop.

Let the batter rest:

Cover the pancake mixture with plastic wrap and put in the fridge until the next morning. I always write “add 2t. baking soda” to the tight plastic wrap so I don’t forget to do that in the morning.

The next day when you pull the large mixing bowl out of the fridge, add 2t. of baking soda and begin making pancakes. Heat cast iron skillet on medium high heat for a few minutes. Apply butter liberally just before you add the batter to the hot pan.

(You could also use a non-stick pan. I just don’t have one! You can also use non-stick spray instead of butter.)

I almost always use a cast-iron skillet to make my pancakes. In these photos, I’m using a piece of steel my brother in law gave me that he used to use in his sourdough bakery. He passed it along to me to use as a pizza steel, but I often use it like this for pancakes, French toast, quesadillas, grilled cheese, and more.

You can get a similar pizza steel HERE.

Bake:

Measure about one quarter cup of batter onto the hot pan. Turn heat down to medium heat – the cast iron skillet holds onto that heat and can burn the pancakes fast.

As you’re cooking the first side, keep a close watch. Once you see little bubbles forming and popping on the pancakes, use a metal spatula to flip them over. This usually takes a few minutes. When the second side is golden brown and they have crispy edges, take them off the pan. This side cooks much faster!

Continue until you use up the rest of the batter. Make them all because they save really well!

Serve immediately or store in the fridge or freezer for quick and healthy fall breakfasts.

Variations on pumpkin sourdough pancakes:

Variations:

• Pumpkin Spice Latte Pancakes – Add 1-2 tablespoons of espresso powder to the batter. Make whipped cream with a dash of expresso powder, brown sugar, and pumpkin pie spice for topping!
• Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Pancakes – Fold in dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips for the chocolate lover! Top with homemade whipped cream.
• Nutty Pumpkin Pancakes – Add chopped pecans, walnuts, or other nuts for a crunch.
• Cranberry Pumpkin Pancakes – Fold in fresh or dried cranberries for a tart twist.
• Maple Glazed Pumpkin Pancakes – Cook down your real maple syrup to make a maple glaze, then drizzle with the maple glaze instead of syrup.
• Thanksgiving Pancakes – Top with candied pecans and a dollop of whipped cream.
• Mini Pancake Stacks – Perfect for brunch boards or a special breakfast for kids.
• Peanut butter Pumpkin – My family loves to top any kind of pancake with natural peanut butter and real maple syrup.
• Dairy-Free Pumpkin Pancakes – Swap regular milk for oat milk, soy milk, coconut milk, or almond milk and butter for coconut oil. Just make sure to add a splash of vinegar or lemon juice in with your alternate milk in order to react with the baking soda correctly.
• Egg-Free Pumpkin Pancakes – Use 2T. of ground flax and 6T. of water to replace the eggs. Whisk together mixture and let sit for about 5 minutes to thicken. Alternately, you can use applesauce as a binder in place of the eggs (about 1/4c per egg).

Syrup & Favorite Toppings:

• Pure Maple Syrup – This is my preference! We use maple syrup from our maple trees. SO delicious! If you want to learn how to make real maple syrup at home, check out THIS blog post.
• Cinnamon Cream Cheese Drizzle – Like a pumpkin roll in pancake form. Combine cream cheese, a little brown sugar and cinnamon, and milk or half and half to thin it out. Use a hand mixer to mix until it’s the perfect drizzle consistency.
• Salted Caramel Drizzle – Use your favorite Carmel sauce and top with flaked salt. Sweet and Salty!
• Apple Compote Topping – Cook apples down with cinnamon, sugar, and a little butter and spoon it over the sourdough pumpkin pancakes.
• Whipped cream and fresh fruit – A classic!
• Buttermilk syrup – This homemade buttermilk syrup would taste AMAZING on them!
• Pumpkin Roll Topping – My very favorite way to make these pancakes taste like a pumpkin roll!!! Just take a look at how delicious these look with this topping!!! (photo below) Get the recipe HERE!

Freezing Fluffy Sourdough Pumpkin Pancakes

I freeze these pancakes on a baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange the sourdough pancakes in a single layer and freeze for a few hours. Then put into an airtight container or zip top bag in the freezer. I find that freezing them this way makes them easier to pull out of the freezer instead of having them freeze together.

FAQs

Do I have to make the batter for sourdough pumpkin spice pancakes in advance?

While you can make these pancakes immediately, you get the most health benefit by letting them sit about 8 hours or overnight. However, I have made them right away after mixing the batter lots of times! Sometimes, best isn’t always possible, so I do what I can! Feel free to make these right away or make the batter the night before. Either works fine.

If you choose to make them right away and not let the batter rest overnight, that’s just fine. But if you are using freshly milled wheat flour, the batter does need to sit for at least 15 minutes in order to allow the flour to absorb all the liquid. This definitely helps the texture of the pancake to be really fluffy pancakes that are light.

Do I have to use buttermilk for sourdough pancakes?

No. While I love using cultured buttermilk for the best flavor and texture, you absolutely don’t have to use it! You can simply use whole milk with a splash of vinegar or lemon juice to make sure it’s acidic enough for the baking soda to react with.

I don’t have any sourdough starter. Can I leave it out?

Yes, if you don’t have any active starter or sourdough starter discard on hand, you can leave it out and cook the pumpkin pancakes right away. However, if you’d like to get started with sourdough recipes, you can learn to make your very own sourdough starter HERE.

I hope this one makes it into your favorite sourdough recipes for the fall. It’s really a great way to use simple ingredients in order to eat healthy, and enjoy all the warm spices and pumpkin goodness that autumn offers! So for your next Saturday morning big breakfast, grab a hot cup of coffee and this recipe and you’ll be in fall heaven!

Printable recipe card for Pumpkin Sourdough Pancakes:

Pumpkin Sourdough Pancakes

If you're looking for a light and fluffy pancake that's full of gut healthy sourdough and tastes like fall, you've found it!

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Ingredients

• 3T. melted butter
• 1 (15oz) can of pumpkin puree
• 2 eggs
• 2c. cultured buttermilk
• 1/2c. active sourdough starter or sourdough discard
• 1 1/2t. vanilla extract
• 1 1/2t. pumpkin pie spice
• 1/8t. salt
• 2t. baking soda
• 2t. baking powder
• 2T. raw sugar
• 2 1/2c. flour

Instructions

1. The night before you want to make pancakes, combine wet ingredients into a bowl - melted butter, pumpkin, eggs, buttermilk, sourdough starter, and vanilla.
2. Combine dry ingredients into a separate bowl (except for baking soda - the baking soda makes a chemical reaction with the buttermilk to help rise the pancakes, so we will keep this out until we are ready to make them)
3. Gently mix the wet ingredients and dry ingredients together until they are just combined. You don't want to overmix pancakes because it will make them tough as the gluten in the flour is developed. So as soon as you see it come together, stop.
4. Cover the pancake mixture with plastic wrap and put in the fridge until the next morning. I always write "add 2t. baking soda" to the tight plastic wrap so I don't forget to do that in the morning.
5. When you pull the mixture out of the fridge, add 2t. of baking soda and begin making pancakes.
6. Heat cast iron pan and apply butter liberally.
7. Using a 1/4c measure, put pancakes onto the pan.
8. Once you see bubbles forming and popping on the pancakes, use a spatula to flip them over.
9. When the second side is browned, take them off the pan.
10. Serve with maple syrup (learn how to make it from your maple trees here!), whipped cream, or this amazing cream cheese whipped cream!

Notes

While you can make these pancakes immediately, you get the most health benefit by letting them sit about 8 hours or overnight.

The post How to Make Pumpkin Sourdough Pancakes With Discard appeared first on Little Reasons.

The base of this recipe has been in my recipe cards for probably 20 years. My best friend passed it along to me, but I have no idea where it came from originally. Without a doubt, I have loved making it every year! I keep changing it and adding to it each year and eventually it became this unbelievable sourdough recipe with freshly milled flour and a soft, cakey texture. It’s similar to the original recipe, but with my changes it has become a whole food autumn dessert that can actually be called healthy pumpkin cookies!

Seeing that I love all things pumpkin, this recipe is such a great way to give a pumpkin lover a cookie that is full of fall flavor, and uses gut healthy sourdough and vitamin and fiber rich freshly milled flour. Of course, if you don’t mill your own grains, this makes a perfect cookie if you choose to use all purpose flour, so don’t worry!

If you’re a pumpkin lover like me, you can also try my sourdough pumpkin cinnamon rolls and my sourdough pumpkin waffles for the best fall breakfast flavors!!

*note: these are not chewy cookies like a regular chocolate chip cookies. They are soft and delicate and cakey, more like a sourdough pumpkin bread. Undeniably, this will be one of your new favorite pumpkin recipes!

Ingredients for sourdough pumpkin cookies

Dry Ingredients

• Pinch salt
• 200g (1 cup) brown sugar (you can substitute white sugar if that’s all you have)
• 10g (2 teaspoons) baking powder
• 7g (1 teaspoon) baking soda
• 240g (2 cups) freshly milled soft white wheat, spelt or einkorn (you can also substitute all purpose flour and it works perfectly)
• 3g (1 teaspoon) cinnamon (for extra pumpkin pie flavor you can substitute pumpkin pie spice)

Wet Ingredients

• 1 room temperature egg
• 8g (1 teaspoon) vanilla extract
• 70g (1/4 cup) sourdough discard or active starter
• 1 small 15oz can of pumpkin puree (be very sure you are not using pumpkin pie filling)
• 1/2 stick unsalted butter, melted (can substitute a neutral tasting oil)

While this post contains affiliate links and we may earn a small commission when you make a purchase through links on our site, it is at no additional cost to you.

Add Ins for sourdough pumpkin cookies

• 200-400g (1-2 cups) dark chocolate chips

Instructions for sourdough pumpkin chocolate chip cookies:

In the following recipe, I provide regular measurements, as well as scale weight. I think it’s well worth it to purchase an inexpensive kitchen scale to make sure your baked goods have a consistency to them by always having the correct measurement of ingredients. While I use scale weights now, I grew up in a measuring cup / teaspoon household so I’ve provided both. In either case, you’ll end up with delicious sourdough pumpkin chocolate chip cookies!

1. Combine wet ingredients

In a small bowl, combine wet ingredients – room temperature egg, vanilla extract, sourdough starter discard (or active sourdough starter), pumpkin puree.

2. Combine dry ingredients

In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients – salt, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, freshly milled flour (or all purpose flour), and cinnamon. NOTE: for a richer fall flavor, you can add pumpkin spice to add a depth of flavor and a taste of warm spices.

*I use a Mockmill 200 to grind my wheat berries. You do not need to use freshly milled flour, but it does add nutrition and fiber. I purchased my Mockmill grain mill HERE. I buy all my wheat berries from Azure Standard.

3. Make browned butter for sourdough pumpkin cookies

In a small saucepan, melt the unsalted butter on medium heat. If you’d like to give the sourdough discard pumpkin cookies a nutty flavor, you can make it into brown butter by cooking it until it gets golden brown and begins to foam up. So, make sure to use a large enough saucepan because it tends to fuzz up and bubble over. Sadly, I did that today as I made these!! Regardless whether you use brown butter or just melted butter, they will be amazing.

4. Mix wet and dry ingredients

In the large mixing bowl, combine the wet ingredients, dry ingredients, and butter mixture (browned butter) with a wooden spoon, danish whisk, or hand mixer. I absolutely love my danish whisk because I don’t get a ton of cookie batter stuck in it. It’s perfect for brownies, cookies, pancakes, and batters that are a little thicker.

For best results, mix it until it is just combined so you don’t overwork the gluten in the flour and end up with tough cookies. You can also place the ingredients for the sourdough cookies in the bowl of a stand mixer and mix gently with the paddle attachment.

5. Add in chocolate chips

Once it’s just combined, add in the chocolate chips and gently mix in. For a rich flavor that’s not too sweet, my favorite thing to use is dark chocolate chips. So good! 

6. Rest the batter

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel. Freshly milled wheat needs to rest so it can soak up all the moisture in the wet ingredients.

Let it sit for at least 15 minutes. Furthermore, this sourdough cookie batter can be put in the fridge for as much as 24 hours to allow the sourdough discard to begin to eat the sugar and gluten and make the sourdough pumpkin cookies more gut healthy. 

7. Scoop the sourdough pumpkin cookies

After that, scoop small balls of cookie dough (I use a medium sized cookie scoop which gives me about 1 1/2-2 tablespoons of dough) onto prepared baking sheets. I use a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. I can fit 24 cookie dough balls on a prepared baking sheet. A cookie scoop that is similar to what I use is HERE.

8. Bake

Bake cookies in a 375 degree oven for 10-12 minutes. I tend to take mine out at exactly 12 minutes for my oven. Play with the time to make sure you adjust it to your oven’s temperature. 

9. Storing sourdough pumpkin chocolate chip cookies

Place the baked sourdough chocolate chip cookies to cool on a wire rack and serve immediately. Once they are cooled, take them off the cooling rack and store in an airtight container, Ziploc bag, or glass jar on the counter. Alternately, you may keep them in the freezer for longer storage.

***makes about 48 small cookies***

FAQs

Do I have to use fresh milled flour to make sourdough pumpkin cookies?

Although freshly milled flour adds nutritional density to these cookies, it’s not necessary. As a matter of fact, I made these with traditional all purpose flour for years before I started milling my own flour.

Can you freeze sourdough pumpkin cookies?

By all means, freeze these cookies! Due to the fact that I haven’t tried to use frozen cookie dough and bake them from frozen, I can’t recommend that. Normally, I bake them and then store in an airtight container with parchment paper between the layers of cookies. That works perfectly.

Above all, these little palm sized sourdough cookies that are full of pumpkin flavor and rich chocolate will be one of your favorite fall sourdough discard recipes! It’s such a perfect way to use leftover starter and create a cookie that is healthier and doesn’t make you feel guilty to eat it! So add this to your sourdough pumpkin recipe arsenal. All in all, you won’t be sorry.

Printable recipe card below:

Sourdough Pumpkin Cookies

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Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

Toggle ingredient group

• Pinch salt
• 200g (1 cup) brown sugar
• 10g (2 teaspoons) baking powder
• 7g (1 teaspoon) baking soda
• 240g (2 cups) freshly milled soft white wheat, spelt or einkorn (you can also substitute all purpose flour and it works perfectly)
• 3g (1 teaspoon) cinnamon (for extra pumpkin pie flavor you can substitute pumpkin pie spice)

Wet Ingredients

Toggle ingredient group

• 1 room temperature egg
• 8g (1 teaspoon) vanilla extract
• 70g (1/4 cup) sourdough discard or active sourdough starter
• 1 small 15oz can of pumpkin puree (be very sure you are not using pumpkin pie filling)
• 1/2 stick unsalted butter, melted (can substitute a neutral tasting oil)

Add Ins

Toggle ingredient group

• 200-400g (1-2 cups) dark chocolate chips

Instructions

In the following recipe, I provide regular measurements, as well as scale weight. I think it's well worth it to purchase an inexpensive kitchen scale to make sure your baked goods have a consistency to them by always having the correct measurement of ingredients. However, I grew up in a measuring cup / teaspoon household so I've provided both.

1. Combine wet ingredients in a small bowl - room temperature egg, vanilla extract, sourdough starter discard, pumpkin puree.

2. In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients - salt, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, freshly milled flour (or all purpose flour), and cinnamon. NOTE: for a a change you can add pumpkin spice to add a depth of flavor and a taste of warm spices

3. In a small saucepan, melt the unsalted butter on medium heat. If you'd like to give the sourdough discard pumpkin cookies a nutty flavor, you can make it into brown butter by cooking it until it gets golden brown and begins to foam up. Make sure to use a large enough saucepan because it tends to fuzz up and bubble over. Sadly, I did that today as I made these!!

4. In the large mixing bowl, combine the wet ingredients, dry ingredients, and butter mixture (browned butter) with a wooden spoon, danish whisk, or hand mixer. Mix it until it is just combined so you don't overwork the gluten in the flour and end up with tough cookies. You can also place the ingredients for the sourdough cookies in the bowl of a stand mixer and mix gently with the paddle attachment.

5. Once it's just combined, add in the chocolate chips and just mix in. For a rich flavor that's not too sweet, use dark chocolate chips. So good!

6. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel. Freshly milled wheat needs to rest so it can soak up all the moisture in the wet ingredients. Let it sit for at least 15 minutes. However, this sourdough cookie batter can be put in the fridge for as much as 24 hours to allow the sourdough discard to begin to eat the sugar and gluten and make the sourdough pumpkin cookies more gut healthy.

7. Scoop small balls (I use a medium sized cookie scoop) onto prepared baking sheets. I use a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. I can fit 24 cookie dough balls on a prepared baking sheet.
8. Bake cookies in a 375 degree oven for 12-14 minutes. I tend to take mine out at exactly 12 minutes for my oven.

9. Place the baked cookies to cool on a wire rack and serve immediately. Once they are cooled, take them off the cooling rack and store in an airtight container, ziplok bag, or glass jar on the counter. Alternately, you may keep them in the freezer for longer storage.

***makes about 48 small cookies***

Pin for Later!!!

The post Super Easy Chocolate Chip Sourdough Pumpkin Cookies appeared first on Little Reasons.

There’s nothing quite like the cozy flavors of pumpkin wrapped up in a soft, gooey cinnamon roll. These sourdough pumpkin cinnamon rolls have the tangy depth of sourdough bread. But they also have the rich, spiced sweetness of pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice for the ultimate fall indulgence.

If you love homemade cinnamon rolls, this recipe will take your baking to the next level. You’ll love the slight sourdough tang and a melt in your mouth soft texture of these pumpkin cinnamon rolls.

Developing the pumpkin cinnamon roll recipe

I absolutely love a good homemade cinnamon roll. While I’ve used my cinnamon swirl bread to make them, I do find that they aren’t as soft and fluffy as I’d like. They also don’t last as long and they get a bit dry over time.

That’s when I realized that an enriched dough is what would make homemade cinnamon rolls perfection. An enriched dough is one that goes beyond flour, water, salt, and sourdough starter. It adds eggs or butter or milk that enrich the dough and make it softer. Not only is it softer when you first make it, but it stays that way for days!

I made my first round of homemade cinnamon rolls with my enriched challah bread recipe and there was no going back! So it was a natural that when I developed a pumpkin cinnamon roll recipe, I would start with my sourdough challah bread recipe and adapt it from there.

I added a little pumpkin puree, some pumpkin pie spice, and a rich tangy brown sugar cream cheese icing gave me everything I needed for a perfect pumpkin treat!

This post contains affiliate links, so we may earn a small commission when you make a purchase through links on our site at no additional cost to you.

Ingredients you’ll need for sourdough pumpkin cinnamon rolls:

To get the best results, gather all your dough ingredients ahead of time. Using a kitchen scale is important for consistent results.

Sourdough pumpkin cinnamon roll dough ingredients:

170g. active sourdough starter

175g. pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie filling. Make sure it’s pumpkin puree)

1t. pumpkin pie spice

90g. honey

75g. avocado oil (or melted butter)

10g. salt

2 eggs at room temperature

500g. bread flour or all purpose flour

Sourdough pumpkin cinnamon roll filling ingredients:

1/4c. softened butter

1/2c. brown sugar

2t. cinnamon

Brown sugar cream cheese icing ingredients:

1 – 8oz package softened cream cheese

3/4c brown sugar, packed

1/2 stick butter, softened

1t. vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste

pinch of salt

Steps for sourdough pumpkin cinnamon rolls:

Feed your sourdough starter:

The day before you want to make your pumpkin sourdough cinnamon rolls, you’ll need to feed your sourdough starter. Pull out 100g. of sourdough starter and feed it with 100g of unbleached flour and 100g of filtered water. Cover it and let it rise until it’s doubled in size.

I normally do this midday and make the dough two hours before I go to bed. That way I can do the stretch and folds before bed and let it rise all night. The next day, I shape them in the morning and I’m ready to go!

Prepare the dough:

In a large mixing bowl, combine active starter, pumpkin puree, pumpkin spice, honey, avocado oil, salt, eggs and bread flour in a bowl. Mix with a dough whisk or wooden spoon until it’s too hard to mix and then use your hands to combine the rest.

This is a stiffer dough and you’ll need to work it in with your hands to get all the dry ingredients combined. If you’re using a KitchenAid, once the dough comes together, use the dough hook attachment for 2 minutes and then let it rest. I leave the dough hook in it and place a wet towel over the bowl.

Stretch and folds:

Over the next 2 hours, do 4 sets of stretch and folds about every half hour. To do this, you pull the dough and then fold it over. Turn the bowl 1/4 turn and do it again until you’ve done it 4-8 times.

Because this is a stiffer dough, I find it hard to do stretch and folds. I ended up pulling the dough ball out of the bowl, stretching it with my hands, then folding it over on itself a few times. Cover it with plastic wrap or a damp towel until the next set.

If you use a KitchenAid, you can just turn on the dough hook on low for 30 seconds for each set of stretch and folds and then just put the wet towel back on it to rest.

Bulk rise:

After your stretch and folds, let the sourdough pumpkin cinnamon rolls rise for 8-12 hours in a warm spot, until doubled in size. I normally make the dough 2 hours before bed so I can let it rise all night and then shape them in the morning.

Alternately, you can make the dough in the morning and let it rise all day. Then shape the cinnamon rolls in the evening.

Roll and fill the homemade cinnamon rolls:

This is the fun part! Once the dough has doubled in size, turn it onto a very lightly floured work surface. I use a plastic bench scraper to help get it all out of the bowl. Use a rolling pin and roll it into a large rectangle. I usually use my rolling pin to measure and make the rectangle as long as my rolling pin.

Spread the softened butter over the surface, then sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon. You can either mix the brown sugar and cinnamon together in a bowl, or just sprinkle it on evenly.

Roll the dough tightly from the long side into a tight log. Use unflavored dental floss or a sharp knife to cut the log into 12 even rolls.

Place into a greased 9×13 baking sheet or pan. I also love putting them into (2) 8×8 pans with 6 in each pan (3 per half. Then there’s none in the middle and they all cook evenly). It also gives you the opportunity to cook one pan now and put one in the freezer for later!

You can also line the baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper for a bit of easier clean up!

Second rise:

At this point, cover and allow the cinnamon roll dough to rise in a warm place for 2-3 hours before baking. You’ll want them to be puffy and touching each other.

Bake the sourdough pumpkin cinnamon rolls:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake the sourdough pumpkin rolls in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes until golden brown. Some people take the internal temperature and make sure it’s 190 degrees.

Make the brown sugar cream cheese icing:

While the sourdough pumpkin cinnamon rolls are cooling, make the brown sugar cream cheese icing. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine softened cream cheese, brown sugar, butter, vanilla extract and salt.

Using a paddle attachment or whisk attachment, start at a low speed and slowly raise the speed until you get to high. Let it whip for about 5 min., stopping the mixer and scraping down the sides a few times.

It should be super light and fluffy. Spread over the sourdough pumpkin cinnamon rolls and enjoy!

Storage tips:

Store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days or in the fridge for up to a week. Reheat in a microwave, or wrap in aluminum foil and heat in a toaster oven or regular oven.

Sourdough Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

Yield: 12 cinnamon rolls

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Sourdough pumpkin cinnamon rolls are the perfect treat for pumpkin season! So if you want a soft and gooey treat, these are for you!

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Ingredients

Sourdough pumpkin cinnamon roll dough ingredients:

Toggle ingredient group

• 170g. active sourdough starter
• 175g. pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie filling. Make sure it's pumpkin puree)
• 1t. pumpkin pie spice
• 90g. honey
• 75g. avocado oil (or melted butter)
• 10g. salt
• 2 eggs at room temperature
• 500g. bread flour or all purpose flour

Sourdough pumpkin cinnamon roll filling ingredients:

Toggle ingredient group

• 1/4c. softened butter
• 1/2c. brown sugar
• 2t. cinnamon

Brown sugar cream cheese icing ingredients:

Toggle ingredient group

• 1 - 8oz package softened cream cheese
• 3/4c brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 stick butter, softened
• 1t. vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
• pinch of salt

Instructions

1. Feed your sourdough starter:
The day before you want to make your pumpkin sourdough cinnamon rolls, you'll need to feed your sourdough starter. Pull out 100g. of sourdough starter and feed it with 100g of unbleached flour and 100g of filtered water. Cover it and let it rise until it's doubled in size.

I normally do this midday and make the dough two hours before I go to bed. That way I can do the stretch and folds before bed and let it rise all night. The next day, I shape them in the morning and I'm ready to go!

2. Prepare the dough:
In a large mixing bowl, combine active starter, pumpkin puree, pumpkin spice, honey, avocado oil, salt, eggs and bread flour in a bowl. Mix with a dough whisk or wooden spoon until it's too hard to mix and then use your hands to combine the rest.

This is a stiffer dough and you'll need to work it in with your hands to get all the dry ingredients combined. If you're using a KitchenAid, once the dough comes together, use the dough hook attachment for 2 minutes and then let it rest. I leave the dough hook in it and place a wet towel over the bowl.

3. Stretch and folds:
Over the next 2 hours, do 4 sets of stretch and folds about every half hour. To do this, you pull the dough and then fold it over. Turn the bowl 1/4 turn and do it again until you've done it 4-8 times.

Because this is a stiffer dough, I find it hard to do stretch and folds. I ended up pulling the dough ball out of the bowl, stretching it with my hands, then folding it over on itself a few times. Cover it with plastic wrap or a damp towel until the next set.

If you use a KitchenAid, you can just turn on the dough hook on low for 30 seconds for each set of stretch and folds and then just put the wet towel back on it to rest.

4. Bulk rise:
After your stretch and folds, let the sourdough pumpkin cinnamon rolls rise for 8-12 hours in a warm spot, until doubled in size. I normally make the dough 2 hours before bed so I can let it rise all night and then shape them in the morning.

Alternately, you can make the dough in the morning and let it rise all day. Then shape the cinnamon rolls in the evening.

5. Roll and fill the homemade cinnamon rolls:
This is the fun part! Once the dough has doubled in size, turn it onto a very lightly floured work surface. I use a plastic bench scraper to help get it all out of the bowl. Use a rolling pin and roll it into a large rectangle.

Spread the softened butter over the surface, then sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon. You can either mix the brown sugar and cinnamon together in a bowl, or just sprinkle it on evenly.

Roll the dough tightly from the long side into a tight log. Use unflavored dental floss or a sharp knife to cut the log into 12 even rolls.

Place into a greased 9x13 baking sheet or pan. I also love putting them into (2) 8x8 pans with 3 per half. This way they are able to cook more evenly. It also gives you the opportunity to cook one pan now and put one in the freezer for later!

You can also line the baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper for a bit of easier clean up!

6. Second rise:
At this point, cover and allow the cinnamon roll dough to rise in a warm place for 2-3 hours before baking. You'll want them to be puffy and touching each other.

7. Bake the sourdough pumpkin cinnamon rolls:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake the sourdough pumpkin rolls in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes until golden brown. Some people take the internal temperature and make sure it's 190 degrees.

8. Make the brown sugar cream cheese icing:
While the sourdough pumpkin cinnamon rolls are cooling, make the brown sugar cream cheese icing. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine softened cream cheese, brown sugar, butter, vanilla extract and salt.

Using a paddle attachment or whisk attachment, start at a low speed and slowly raise the speed until you get to high. Let it whip for about 5 min., stopping the mixer and scraping down the sides a few times.

It should be super light and fluffy. Spread over the sourdough pumpkin cinnamon rolls and enjoy!

Notes

Storage tips:

Store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days or in the fridge for up to a week. Reheat in a microwave, or wrap in aluminum foil and heat in a toaster oven or regular oven.

If you love pumpkin recipes, this pumpkin cinnamon roll recipe will become your new fall favorite! Save this recipe card and enjoy making these warm cinnamon rolls for breakfast, brunch, or a cozy weekend treat.

Pin for later:

The post How to Make Spiced Sourdough Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls appeared first on Little Reasons.

Once you’ve mastered basic sourdough bread, there’s so much more you can do!!! I’ve been experimenting with a ton of sourdough recipes. I’ve found a plethora of different ways to take the same 4 ingredients – flour, water, salt, and sourdough starter, and mix them up in new and exciting ways! One of my favorite takes on sourdough is my simple sourdough sandwich bread. It’s so soft and squishy and it’s such a simple delicious bread recipe! For this sourdough cinnamon swirl bread, I did a variation of that bread and gave it a sweet and cinnamony swirl! It has a soft texture and a delicate tender crumb and I think you’ll love it.

The other thing you’ll love is that you don’t need a dutch oven to make this! Just use simple loaf pans. The only caveat is that you’ll need two pans for every loaf of bread because you set a loaf pan on top to create that steamy environment that sourdough loves.

This post contains affiliate links, so we may earn a small commission when you make a purchase through links on our site at no additional cost to you.

Sourdough Cinnamon Swirl Bread Dough Ingredients

I’ve learned that the food you make is only as good as the ingredients you put into them. Because this recipe has so few ingredients, you’ll want to make sure you use good quality ingredients to make it taste its best.

Flour

For this cinnamon swirl bread, I always use King Arthur Bread Flour. I love that it’s got a high protein content, so as you work the dough through sets of stretch and folds, it gives it a super high rise. I’m also a fan of flour that has not been bleached or bromated. Who needs extra chemicals in our food? You can use a regular all purpose flour for this as well, but I do find that the bread flour gives it a better texture overall and helps the dough rise more.

Water

This recipe uses filtered water. You can use tap water, as long as you don’t use it to feed your starter. Long term use of tap water in your sourdough starter can kill it from the additives they put in the water. However, if you can use filtered water, I think it makes the best tasting bread.

If you use warm water to make the sourdough cinnamon bread, it will help the dough rise during bulk fermentation a little faster. However, I usually just use room temperature water from my water filter and it works perfectly.

Salt

For all my sourdough recipes, I love to use Himalayan sea salt. It’s totally not necessary though. I haven’t noticed much of a difference at all if iodized salt is used.

Active Starter

For this recipe, you can either use sourdough discard, or a bubbly and active sourdough starter. In my sourdough discard sandwich bread, I use discard which just takes a little longer to rise because it hasn’t been fed within the last 12 hours. However, with the bubbly and active sourdough starter, it has had a fresh feed, so it’s ready to go and it will go through the bulk fermentation faster.

There’s no commercial yeast in this recipe, which is what makes true sourdough bread recipes. Because traditional sourdough uses a long, slow rise, it gives the yeast time to work, which breaks down the phytic acid, as well as eating some of the sugar and gluten in the flour. That’s what makes it so much better for you! It’s not a quick bread, but it’s well worth it.

Cinnamon

I love the Kirkland Saigon Cinnamon. While I have been using it for years, I didn’t realize how amazing it was. I needed to grab some cinnamon from Aldi in a pinch a couple weeks ago. I was shocked at the difference. Next time, I’ll just wait until I can get to Costco to buy it!

Sugar

The sugar in this sourdough bread is located in two places – first in the swirl of course! But it’s also in the dough. It makes the bread a little bit sweet, gives it a more tender crumb, and helps to feed the yeast so it makes the bread nice and fluffy!

I normally use brown sugar for the cinnamon swirl, but you can absolutely use white sugar too. I think even coconut sugar would still give it the slightly sweet flavor with a little bit of complexity from the low refined coconut sugar.

Butter

The butter in this recipe is also found in the cinnamon swirl. In addition to that, there is a stick of melted butter in the bread. The fat from the butter makes the bread soft and tender. It is such a perfect addition to make this loaf different from your average artisan sourdough. It’s also used on top of the dough when it comes out of the oven and before you let the bread cool, to keep it soft and delicious.

For the butter, I usually just use normal sticks of butter from Costco. I haven’t seen as much of a difference from using something like Kerrygold in the recipe. However, if I slather butter onto a slice, the grass fed milk that makes Kerrygold really does make a difference!

Raisins

This is an optional addition to the sourdough cinnamon swirl bread, but my husband loves it! Adding a handful of sweet raisins right before you roll the bread up is a delicious addition, making an amazing sourdough cinnamon raisin swirl bread.

How to make Sourdough Cinnamon Swirl Bread

Making the dough for sourdough cinnamon swirl bread

This dough comes together quite quickly. In a large mixing bowl, combine the wet ingredients first –

sourdough starter – either sourdough discard, or fed and bubbly active starter. (The discard will take longer to rise but you do need to make sure it has been fed recently in the prior few days. If you grab old starter that’s been in your fridge for weeks, it won’t rise correctly)

filtered water

white sugar

melted butter (in a pinch, avocado oil or olive oil can be substituted)

I use my favorite dough whisk to mix it all together and add the dry ingredients –

salt

bread flour

I can usually use the dough whisk to bring it mostly together and then knead it to work the rest of the flour into the shaggy dough. It looks like the photo below. As you work it through the stretch and folds, the dough will become much more smooth and elastic. Set it in a warm place and cover it with plastic wrap or a damp tea towel.

Stretch and Folds

Every 30 minutes for the first two hours, you’ll do sets of stretch and folds. I usually grab from underneath the dough, stretch it, and fold it over. I turn the dough a 1/4 turn and do it again for a total of 4-8. Then I flip the dough over so the smooth side is up.

Repeat this every 30 min for a total of 4 sets. You’ll see the dough really build tension with each set you do and it will go from a shaggy dough to a smooth dough.

I thought I’d show you pictures after each of the 4 sets of stretch and folds to show what it’s supposed to look like. You’ll see that the dough begins to look different after each set.

Bulk Fermentation

Typically I make the dough first thing in the morning on a day when I’ll be home, or 2 hours before bed. That way I can get the stretch and folds done, and then let it have its first rise all day and shape the loaves in the evening – or overnight and shape the loaves the next morning.

This bulk fermentation is the first time you rise it. It gives it a chance to let the dough rest and allow the wild yeast in the sourdough starter to go to work. During this portion, I tend to favor plastic wrap over the bowl so that it doesn’t dry out overnight. At this point in time, you’ll also want to pull out your butter so it’s nice and warm and ready to use when you shape the loaves.

Shape the sourdough cinnamon swirl bread

The next day, or after it has risen all day, it’s time to shape the sourdough loaves. Dump the dough onto a clean counter and divide it into 3 loaves (or 2 large loaves if you have large loaf pans).

Use a rolling pin to roll the dough into a long rectangle. I put my pan at the top of the rectangle and make sure the dough rectangle is a little narrower than the length of the pan so once you roll it up it will fit in the pan perfectly.

Slather the warm butter (or brush melted butter) on the dough all the way to the top and bottom but not quite to the sides. This leaves a little area where you can pinch the ends together.

In a small bowl, mix the brown sugar or white sugar and cinnamon in a bowl. Then sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture on top and get it evenly spread out. Alternately, you can do what I usually do and sprinkle the brown sugar on the dough and spread it out, then sprinkle cinnamon on top, as I did in the photo below.

Roll the loaf towards you tightly. Pinch the seams together and the ends and flip it upside down and place into a greased loaf pan so the top of the bread is the smooth side. My very favorite loaf pans are cast iron ones like these, but I regularly use the metal ones (pictured below) that I purchased at an estate sale that work great too! Just make sure they fit together nicely to keep the steam in.

2nd Rise

The second time you rise the bread has options too! First, you can slide the loaf pans into a plastic bag and throw them in the fridge for 1-3 days and cook them when you have time. Then you’ll preheat your oven. Once it’s screaming hot, pull the bread from the fridge, score it, and cover it with a second loaf pan in the oven.

Alternately, you can put them on top of the stove as you preheat it, creating a warm place for the bread to have its second rise. Give it 1-2 hours until it puffs up and then when it rises up close to the rim of the pan, it’s time to bake.

Baking the sourdough cinnamon swirl bread

This sourdough cinnamon swirl bread is so easy to bake. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees.

When the loaves are risen on top of the stove, or pulled fresh from the refrigerator, score them. Some people use a sharp knife, but I really find that best way is to use a lame. I love the look of a few horizontal slashes across the top.

Pop the other loaf pan on top and put into the screaming hot stove. THIS PART IS VERY IMPORTANT!!! TURN THE OVEN TEMPERATURE DOWN TO 450 DEGREES. If you leave the oven at 500, your bread will be burned. If you feel like you may not remember, just preheat it to 450 degrees. That extra hot oven does give it a boost in the rise and gives it more oven spring, but it’s not worth burning your loaf to do it!

Leave it in the oven for 20 min and then take the top pan off. Cook another 10-25 min until the top is golden brown.

Cool

Now, you very carefully take the hot bread out of the loaf pans and place them on a cooling rack. In a pinch, I have skipped the wire rack step and flipped the pan upside down with the loaf on top of it to cool. That works too. Just be super careful because the hot cinnamon sugar tends to seep out and that stuff BURNS!

Take a cold stick of butter and run it over the top of the bread. This gives it a super soft top and makes it extra yummy! Now the hard part is waiting for it to cool before you cut it! Sourdough continues to bake inside, so you don’t want to cut into it too soon or it will be gummy!

Sourdough Cinnamon Swirl Bread

Yield: 3 loaves

This super soft sourdough cinnamon swirl bread is so unbelievable delicious, people won't believe you made it from scratch!

5.0 Stars (148 Reviews)

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Ingredients

• 180g freshly fed sourdough starter
• 660g filtered water
• 20g Himalayan sea salt
• 55g brown sugar or white sugar
• 1 stick of melted butter
• 1000g Bread Flour

Instructions

1. Making the dough for sourdough cinnamon swirl bread
This dough comes together quite quickly. In a large mixing bowl, combine the wet ingredients first -
sourdough starter (either sourdough discard, or fed and bubbly active starter. The discard will take longer to rise)
filtered water
sugar
melted butter (in a pinch, avocado oil or olive oil can be substituted)


2. I use my favorite dough whisk to mix it all together and add the dry ingredients -
salt
bread flour
I can usually use the dough whisk to bring it mostly together and then knead it to work the rest of the flour into the shaggy dough.

3. Set it in a warm place and cover it with plastic wrap or a damp tea towel.

4. Stretch and Folds
Every 30 minutes for the first two hours, you'll do sets of stretch and folds. I usually grab from underneath the dough, stretch it, and fold it over. I usually turn the dough a 1/4 turn and do it again for a total of 4-8. Then I flip the dough over so the smooth side is up.

Repeat this every 30 min for a total of 4 sets. You'll see the dough really build tension with each set you do and it will go from a shaggy dough to a smooth dough.

5. Bulk Fermentation
Typically I make the dough first thing in the morning on a day when I'll be home, or 2 hours before bed. That way I can get the stretch and folds done, and then let it have its first rise all day or overnight and shape the loaves the next morning.

This bulk fermentation is the first time you rise it. It gives it a chance to let the dough rest and allow the yeast to go to work. During this portion, I tend to favor plastic wrap over the bowl so that it doesn't dry out overnight. At this point in time, you'll also want to pull out your butter so it's nice and warm and ready to use when you shape the loaves.

6. Shape the sourdough cinnamon swirl bread
The next day, or after it has risen all day, it's time to shape the sourdough loaves. Dump the dough onto a clean counter and divide it into 3 loaves (or 2 large loaves if you have large loaf pans).

Use a rolling pin to roll the dough into a long rectangle. In a small bowl, mix the cinnamon sugar mixture (brown sugar or white sugar and cinnamon). Fold the rectangle into thirds like you would fold a letter.

Slather the butter on the dough all the way to the top and bottom but not quite to the sides. This leaves a little area where you can pinch the ends together. Then sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture on top and get it evenly spread out.

Roll the loaf towards you tightly. Pinch the seams together and the ends and flip it upside down and place into a greased loaf pan so the top of the bread is the smooth side. My very favorite loaf pans are cast iron ones like these. But I regularly use metal ones from an estate sale that work great too! Just make sure they fit together nicely to keep the steam in.

7. 2nd Rise
The second time you rise the bread has options too! First, you can slide the loaf pans into a plastic bag and throw them in the fridge for 1-3 days and cook them when you have time. Then you'll preheat your oven. Once it's screaming hot, pull the bread from the fridge, score it, and cover it with a second loaf pan in the oven.

Alternately, you can put them on top of the stove as you preheat them, creating a warm place for the bread to have its second rise. Give it 1-2 hours until it puffs up and then when it rises up close to the rim of the pan, it's time to bake.

8. Baking the sourdough cinnamon swirl bread
This sourdough cinnamon swirl bread is so easy to bake. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees.

When the loaves are risen on top of the stove, or fresh from the refrigerator, score them. Some people use a sharp knife, but I really find that best way is to use a lame. I love the look of a few horizontal slashes across the top.

Pop the other loaf pan on top and put into the screaming hot stove. THIS PART IS VERY IMPORTANT!!! TURN THE OVEN TEMPERATURE DOWN TO 450 DEGREES. If you leave the oven at 500, your bread will be burned. If you feel like you may not remember, just preheat it to 450 degrees. That extra hot oven does give it a boost in the rise and gives it more oven spring, but it's not worth burning your loaf to do it!

Leave it in the oven for 20 min and then take the top pan off. Cook another 10-25 min until the top is golden brown.

9. Cool
Now, you very carefully take the hot bread out of the loaf pans and place them on a cooling rack. In a pinch, I have skipped the wire rack step and flipped the pan upside down with the loaf on top of it to cool. That works too. Just be super careful because the hot cinnamon sugar tends to seep out and that stuff BURNS!

Take a cold stick of butter and run it over the top of the bread. This gives it a super soft top and makes it extra yummy! Now the hard part is waiting for it to cool before you cut it! Sourdough continues to bake inside, so you don't want to cut into it too soon or it will be gummy!

How to serve Sourdough Cinnamon Swirl Bread

There’s so many ways to eat this super soft and slightly sweet bread.

*It’s such a delicious breakfast bread and my favorite way to eat this is freshly sliced and topped with room temperature Kerrygold butter.

*This makes the absolute best french toast, especially if it’s a few days old and you’re trying to use it up. You could also cut it into cubes and let them sit out to get a bit dry and use it for a sweet breakfast bake!

*My husband’s family eats this toasted with butter and peanutbutter. I was horrified the first time I saw them do it and now I’m a convert!!

*It would make the most incredible grilled cheese with brie, apple, and bacon. I just love that sweet and salty vibe!

Can you make Sourdough Cinnamon Swirl Bread in a stand mixer?

Yes, you can make sourdough cinnamon bread in a stand mixer, but I wouldn’t recommend it. When I was first recipe testing, I tried the normal sourdough method with stretch and folds, and another with my Kitchenaid. The one that turned out the absolute best was the hand made one using sets of stretch and folds. The Kitchenaid one wasn’t as great. With that being said, there may be times when you don’t have 2 hours at home and need to run out the door. In that case, I’d use a stand mixer.

If you use this method, put all the ingredients into the bowl of a stand mixer. Use the dough hook attachment set to level 2. When the dough begins to pull together, set a timer for 5 minutes (or as much as 8 minutes if you want to keep going). Once you’re done with the machine kneading,

Dump the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead it by hand a few times. Once you reach this step, you can follow the rest of the directions as written.

Can I use this dough to make sourdough cinnamon rolls?

You could! I normally make sourdough cinnamon rolls using my sourdough challah recipe, but I this did make nice cinnamon roll. It just wasn’t quite as soft and tender as the sourdough challah version. However, in a pinch it worked well!

And that’s sourdough cinnamon swirl bread! I hope you love it!

If you try it, would you let me know in the comments?

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The post How to Make Simple Sourdough Cinnamon Swirl Bread appeared first on Little Reasons.

I am absolutely in love with Auntie Anne’s pretzels, but I don’t often buy them – partly because I never go to the mall, and partly because when I do, I’m too frugal to spend the money. Plus, I am addicted to sourdough!

Enter, copycat Auntie Anne’s sourdough pretzel bites. This easy recipe is simple to make and delicious to eat! The chewy texture and coarse salt is the perfect snack for pretzel lovers like me. Eat the warm pretzels alone, with honey mustard, or with a gooey beer cheese dip. You could even add cinnamon sugar and use this for a cinnamon pretzel bites recipe!

Any way you eat them, you’ll be glad you decided to make these easy homemade soft sourdough pretzel bites!

This post contains affiliate links, so we may earn a small commission when you make a purchase through links on our site at no additional cost to you.

How to make Sourdough Pretzel Bites:

1. Feed Your Starter

These soft sourdough pretzel nuggets don’t use any instant yeast or commercial yeast, so you’ll begin with a bubbly and active sourdough starter.  If you don’t have a sourdough starter, you’ll want to begin there.  You can click here to get my free checklist and instructions on how to make your very own sourdough starter!  Or, if you know someone who bakes sourdough, you can always ask if they will share some of theirs! While this recipe was adapted from one using commercial yeast, I find that it’s healthier and has a bit of a better flavor with the sourdough.

About 6-8 hours before you want to start mixing the dough for your pretzel bites, you’ll want to feed your sourdough starter with equal parts filtered water and unbleached flour.  Stir it, then leave it on the counter to let it get good and bubbly.

After it has doubled in size, you’re ready to mix your dough!  These soft pretzel bites only take a few ingredients.  

2. Melt the butter and heat the milk

In a small pot on the stove, combine milk and unsalted butter.  Melt the butter and heat until the mixture reaches 110 degrees.  You won’t want it much hotter than that or it can kill the yeast in your dough. You don’t need a fancy thermometer. One like this is inexpensive and works great!

While that is heating, you’ll want to get the other ingredients ready.

 3. Combine with other dough ingredients

In the bowl of a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl, add flour (you can use all purpose flour or bread flour), salt, sourdough discard (it should be a fed and bubbly starter), and light brown sugar.  Once the milk and butter mixture reaches 110 degrees, you can add it to the other ingredients and mix.  

Stand mixer:

If you put the ingredients into the bowl of a stand mixer, you can use the dough hook attachment and turn it on a low speed for 5 minutes to bring it all together.   

By hand:

If you’re using a large bowl, just mix all the ingredients with a wooden spoon.   If the flour doesn’t incorporate completely, you may need to get in there with your hands and mix it all up.   You aren’t trying to knead it, it’s just a great way to get all the ingredients integrated.

At this point, you have a pretty wet and shaggy dough. That’s exactly what it’s supposed to be like! You’ll begin to develop structure in the dough during the next phase of stretch and folds. It’s basically the kneading that happens with a sourdough recipe. It’s amazing how it will change in the process.

4.  Stretch and Fold the sourdough pretzel bites dough

Once you reach this point, you’ll want to cover your bowl with plastic wrap or a damp towel and do 4 sets of stretch and folds over the next two hours.  This process follows exactly what we do on other sourdough recipes like overnight sourdough bread or sourdough rye bread with caraway seeds.  It’s all the same process, just different ingredients!

Every 30 minutes or so, just stretch the dough and fold it over on itself.  Turn the dough ¼ turn and do it again.  You’ll keep doing this 4-8 times total.  As with other stiff doughs, you may need to stretch it with both hands and fold it over and then turn it and do it again.

Can you believe how different this dough looks from the shaggy, wet dough we saw earlier?!

5.  Bulk Fermentation

After you’ve completed the stretch and folds about every 30 minutes for two hours, let it rise in a room temperature location until it has doubled in size. I usually let mine rise overnight or all day long. In this case, I made the dough in the morning and got to this part later in the evening.

6. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees

Once the dough has doubled, move the oven rack to the center of the oven and set the temperature to 450 degrees.

7. Portion out sourdough pretzel bites dough

At this point, your bubbly sourdough pretzel dough can be cut into 12 equal portions.  I usually divide my dough in half, divide each of those halves in half, and then separate those 4 into 3 equal pieces.  If you’re more of a perfectionist, you can weigh your dough, divide that by 12, and then portion each ball out into that amount.  

Roll each of those 12 portions into a long rope, about 20″ long.  You don’t need to measure it! I just wanted to give you a rough estimate. If it’s too sticky, you can sprinkle a little flour to create a lightly floured surface to roll them out on.

8. Baking soda bath

Many recipes for soft pretzels instruct you at this point to drop the sourdough pretzel dough into a large pot of boiling water with baking soda and have you fish them out with a slotted spoon.  That’s not my favorite step in the process, so we are going to dip our sourdough pretzel bites into a warm baking soda water bath.  It will accomplish the same thing, without the extra steps and risk of being burned! Plus it gives the chewy texture that we are looking for in a soft pretzel bite.

Instead of filling a pot of water, mix the baking soda and warm water in a bowl and stir it.  Once the baking soda is all dissolved, drop the sourdough pretzel bite ropes into the baking soda wash and then set them on a cooling rack placed on top of a cooking sheet.  I do this just to let them drip a little bit before I put them on the prepared baking sheet. This gets rid of the excess water from the baking soda bath.

9. Dividing the pretzel dough

Using a sharp knife or a bench scraper, divide the rope in half, then each of those halves in half again.  Keep doing this until you end up with 16 rectangular pieces.  

Line a baking tray with a piece of parchment paper and put the pieces of dough in rows, leaving a little bit of room for them to puff up.  You may be able to use cooking spray instead, but I find that parchment paper gives the best results. Sprinkle with coarse pretzel salt. I had a hard time finding this locally, so I ordered it on Amazon. Here’s the link for the one I purchased. But you can top them with flaky sea salt, everything but the bagel seasoning, kosher salt, coarse sea salt, or pretzel salt.

10. Let the dough rest

At this point, some people choose to let the dough rest and get a second rise. I tried it right away and with the second rise, and I didn’t see a noticeable difference, so I’d say skip it! But you can put it in a warm place to allow it to have the dough rise more if you’d like.

11. Bake!

We are so close to being able to eat these soft sourdough pretzels!  Take the large baking sheets and pop them into a 450-degree oven until the sourdough pretzel bites are golden brown.  This usually takes about 9 minutes.

12. Brush sourdough pretzel bites with melted butter

This is the best part!  Brush the sourdough pretzel bites with a little bit of melted butter before serving and they are pure heaven! I use a pastry brush and melted unsalted butter in a small bowl.

Serve alone, or with cheese sauce, or your favorite dips!

Timeline:

I usually feed my starter in the morning, make my dough a couple of hours before bed and let it rise all night long.  Then the next day it’s ready to go!  

As an alternate timetable, I feed my starter the night before, make the dough in the morning, let it rise throughout the day, and then make pretzels in the afternoon/evening.

How to store sourdough pretzel nuggets:

These are very easy to store!  Place them in an airtight container or a Ziploc bag and they will last a few days at room temperature.  Or, you can put them into a zip top freezer bag and put them in the freezer for later.   Make sure to remove as much of the air as you can so they will last longer. 

I did try to store them in a paper bag, and that worked well too! I probably would not store them that way for longer than 24 hours, or they will get dried out.

Originally, I thought they’d be better stored in a paper bag, like many people store bread. But I couldn’t taste a noticeable difference between the two storage ways when I tried them the next morning.

FAQs

Can I make these into traditional pretzels?

Yes! Instead of cutting them into bites, take each piece of dough, roll it into a long rope, and then shape into a pretzel shape. Pinch the ends down and dip the pretzel into the baking soda solution. Follow instructions from there.

How to reheat sourdough pretzel bites

Oven:

Preheat oven to 225 degrees. Heat sourdough pretzel bites on a cookie sheet in the preheated oven for 10 minutes.

Air Fryer:

Pop sourdough pretzel bites into cold air fryer and heat at 300 degrees for 5 minutes.

Can I make sourdough pretzel bites with sourdough discard?

Sure you can!   The biggest difference with sourdough discard is that it’s been dormant for a little while in the fridge.   Because of that, it may take longer to rise.  However, I have made these with bubbly active starter, and with sourdough discard and this soft sourdough pretzel recipe turns out great either way!  I think it’s best when you use sourdough discard that has been fed recently. That’s the best way to make sure it’s hungry and will rise for you! I guess I could have called them sourdough discard pretzel bites instead!!

Check out my other sourdough discard recipes:

Sourdough discard pancakes

Overnight sourdough chocolate chip cookies

Pumpkin sourdough waffles

Other variations:

Cinnamon pretzel bites:

Follow the steps outlined above but omit sprinkling with salt.  When they come out of the oven, brush them with butter and shake them in a paper bag with cinnamon sugar.  It’s a sweet treat you’ll love!

Sourdough pretzel sticks:

Cut each rope into quarters and score with a sharp knife, lame, or a flat razor blade before putting it into the oven.  It makes the most adorable soft pretzel sticks!

Sourdough Pretzel Bites

Yield: 16 dozen pretzel bites

Cook Time: 9 minutes

Total Time: 9 minutes

Who doesn’t love sourdough pretzel bites?! And when they are a copycat of Auntie Anne’s recipe, they’re even better!

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Ingredients

• 2c. milk
• 4T. butter
• 100g. brown sugar
• 420g. sourdough starter
• 750g. all purpose or bread flour
• 14g. salt

Baking Soda Dip

Toggle ingredient group

• 1/3c. baking soda
• 3c. warm water

Brush with Butter

Toggle ingredient group

• 6T. melted butter

Instructions

1. Feed Your Starter
These soft sourdough pretzel nuggets don’t use any instant yeast, so you’ll begin with a bubbly and active sourdough starter. If you don’t have a sourdough starter, you’ll want to begin there. Make your very own sourdough starter, or if you know someone who bakes sourdough, you can always ask if they will share some of theirs!
About 6-8 hours before you want to start mixing the dough for your pretzel bites, you’ll want to feed your sourdough starter with equal parts filtered water and unbleached flour. Stir it, then leave it on the counter to let it get good and bubbly.
After it has doubled in size, you’re ready to mix your dough! These soft pretzel bites only take a few ingredients.

2. Melt the butter and heat the milk
In a small pot on the stove, combine milk and butter. Melt the butter and heat until the mixture reaches 110 degrees. You won’t want it much hotter than that or it can kill the yeast in your dough.
While that is heating, you’ll want to get the other ingredients ready.
3. Combine with other dough ingredients
In the bowl of a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl, add flour (you can use all purpose flour or bread flour), salt, sourdough discard, and light brown sugar. Once the milk and butter mixture reaches 110 degrees, you can add it to the other ingredients and mix.

Stand mixer:
If you put the ingredients into the bowl of a stand mixer, you can use the dough hook attachment and turn it on low for 5 minutes to bring it all together.
By hand:
If you’re using a large bowl, just mix all the ingredients with a wooden spoon. If the flour doesn’t incorporate completely, you may need to get in there with your hands and mix it all up. You aren’t trying to knead it, it’s just a great way to get all the ingredients integrated.

At this point, you have a pretty wet and shaggy dough. That’s exactly what it’s supposed to be like! You’ll begin to develop structure in the dough during the next phase of stretch and folds. It’s basically the kneading that happens with a sourdough recipe. It’s amazing how it will change in the process.
4. Stretch and Fold the sourdough pretzel bites dough
Once you reach this point, you’ll want to cover your bowl with plastic wrap and do 4 sets of stretch and folds over the next two hours. This process follows exactly what we do on other sourdough recipes like overnight sourdough bread or sourdough rye bread with caraway seeds. It’s all the same process, just different ingredients!
Every 30 minutes or so, just stretch the dough and fold it over on itself. Turn the dough ¼ turn and do it again. You’ll keep doing this 4-8 times total. As with other stiff doughs, you may need to stretch it with both hands and fold it over and then turn it and do it again.
5. Let the dough rise
After you’ve completed the stretch and folds about every 30 minutes for two hours, let it rise in a room temperature location until it has doubled in size. I usually let mine rise overnight or all day long. In this case, I made the dough in the morning and got to this part later in the evening.

6. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees
Once the dough has doubled, move the oven rack to the center of the oven and set the temperature to 450 degrees.
7. Portion out sourdough pretzel bites dough
At this point, your bubbly sourdough pretzel dough can be cut into 12 equal portions. I usually divide my dough in half, divide each of those halves in half, and then separate those 4 into 3 equal pieces. If you’re more of a perfectionist, you can weigh your dough, divide that by 12, and then portion each ball out into that amount.

Roll each of those 12 portions into a long snake, about 20″ long. You don’t need to measure it! I just wanted to give you a rough estimate.

8. Soda bath
Mix the baking soda and warm water in a bowl and stir it. Once the baking soda is all dissolved, drop the sourdough pretzel bite snakes into the water and then set them on a cooling rack placed on top of a cooking sheet. I do this just to let them drip a little bit before I put them on the prepared baking sheet.
Using a sharp knife or a bench scraper, divide the rope in half, then each of those halves in half again. Keep doing this until you end up with 16 rectangular pieces.
Line a baking tray with a piece of parchment paper and put the pieces of dough in rows, leaving a little bit of room for them to puff up. Sprinkle with coarse pretzel salt.

9. Bake!
Take the cookie sheet and pop it into a 450-degree oven until the sourdough pretzel bites are golden brown. This usually takes about 9 minutes.
10. Brush sourdough pretzel bites with melted butter
This is the best part! Brush the sourdough pretzel bites with a little bit of melted butter before serving and they are pure heaven!

Notes

How to reheat sourdough pretzel bites

Oven:

Preheat oven to 225 degrees. Heat sourdough pretzel bites on a cookie sheet in the preheated oven for 10 minutes.

Air Fryer:

Pop sourdough pretzel bites into cold air fryer and heat at 300 degrees for 5 minutes.

Other variations:

Cinnamon pretzel bites:

Follow the steps outlined above but omit sprinkling with salt. When they come out of the oven, brush them with butter and shake them in a paper bag with cinnamon sugar. It’s a sweet treat you’ll love!

Sourdough pretzel sticks:

Cut each rope into quarters and score with a sharp knife, lame, or a flat razor blade before putting it into the oven. It makes the most adorable soft pretzel sticks!

I hope you love these sourdough pretzel bites! I’m experimenting with all sorts of new recipes like sourdough bagels, sourdough crackers, and sourdough English muffins…  But until I get those perfect, check out some of my other delicious recipes below!

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The post How to Make Easy Homemade Sourdough Pretzel Bites appeared first on Little Reasons.

I didn’t start out to make a bread proofer. Last year, my son had a science fair. He decided to see how much bacteria lived on our cell phones and what hand sanitizer what most effective against it. In order to grow the bacteria, we needed to be able to keep the Petri dishes at a pretty consistently warm temperature over the course of a few days.

Through trial and error, we figured out a system that kept the temperature between 80-100 degrees. The perfect temperature to grow bacteria!

It got me thinking, though. If that was the perfect temperature to grow bacteria, could it also be a perfect temperature to grow yeast? Would my bread rise if I provided it that same environment? That is how my dough proofing box was born!

This post contains affiliate links, so we may earn a small commission when you make a purchase through links on our site at no additional cost to you.

What is a bread proofer?

A bread proofer is a box that holds a consistent temperature to enable the best environment for yeast to rise. Most commercial kitchens have a HUGE dough proofing box for their yeasted breads and pizza dough to rise in.

But an at home kitchen doesn’t often have the space to have something like that. However, they do make bread proofers for small batches like a home baker would use.

Can’t I just buy a bread proofer?

You can absolutely buy a dough proofing box…if you have a spare $200 laying around! Yup! It costs $200 to buy a box that warms bread dough?!

This option and this option are both really popular options for a bread proofer because they fold up for storage. Maybe I’m cheap, but I just cannot seem to wrap my head around buying something that has only one use. Especially something that’s so pricey.

So that’s why I decided that making a dough proofing box was the way I wanted to go to keep my bread dough at a consistent temperature.

How to make a dough proofing box:

Find a container for your bread proofer:

When I made my dough proofing box, I began with a lightweight, see-through plastic box that I had laying around. I bought them in a 3 pack at Costco. They are called the Iris 45qt boxes. I can’t find them online to buy but this is the one I have. This one is really similar in dimensions so I think it would work great.

But honestly, the main goal of not buying a bread proofer is to save money, so use whatever box with a lid that you have laying around your house!

I do think it is SO handy if it’s see through. That way you can check on how your dough is doing and see if it has doubled.

You could probably get away with a much smaller box than this one for your diy bread proofer, but I do love that it fits two big batches of dough. It’s super handy for when I’m baking in large amounts.

Get a heat source for your dough proofing box:

The next thing you need to do is to provide heat within the bread proofer so your dough can have the help it needs to rise!

If you read my post on how to start seedlings using soil blocking, you’ll remember that I start my seedlings using some reptile heating pads that I’ve had forever! Those have been so helpful over the years. When I started making kombucha, I wrapped them around my jars to keep the temperature even. While I no longer do that, I have repurposed the reptile heating pads to start my seedlings.

And now I use them to heat my dough proofing box! Because I was just using what I had laying around, I used that. However, if you had a typical seed starting mat, that would work perfectly.

I simply tape my reptile mat to the side of the bread proofer box so it stays in place. When I put my dough in the box, I put the bowl against the opposite wall so that it’s not right up against the heat source.

What other heat sources can be used for the bread proofer?

As I’ve been pondering this, I thought that a heating pad you typically use for aches and pains would also work really well.

Alternately, we raise chickens and use this chick brooder and coop heater. Of course, if you’ve used it with chicks, you would not want to put it inside the proofing box. But you could put it underneath to provide the heat source!

If you do that, I’d put the dough on top of a cooling rack so it’s not sitting directly on the heat source. You don’t want to cook the dough – just rise it!

Lastly, you could try to pour boiling water in a bowl next to it to provide heat and steam for the dough. I’ve never used this method, but since boiling water is 212 degrees, it seems that it would do a good job raising the ambient temperature in the box.

OPTIONAL – Get a thermometer for the bread proofer:

This is absolutely not a necessary step. For me, sourdough and bread is an art and not a science. So I’m not precise about temperature. What I do know is that in the wintertime, the kitchen in my 1930s house is pretty cold. So I need to prepare a warmer spot if I want my bread to rise faster. This dough proofing box provides a warmer environment.

However, I know some people really desire to know exactly what temperature the bread proofer is. For those people, I would definitely recommend adding a thermometer to give you an exact measurement.

When I was making this for my son, the bacteria grew in a specified range, so I purchased an oven thermometer and a fridge thermometer. It was all I could find that was affordable, so I used that. Usually my dough proofing box was hotter than 80 but under 100, so I knew it was in the right range for bacteria growth. And now I know that my dough proofer keeps my sourdough around that temperature and I’m fine with a general range of warmth.

What should my bread proofer temperature be?

If you google bread proofer temperature, you’ll find a wide range of numbers. Many say between 80-100. Some say over 70 but below 138 (which kills the yeast). Some say commercial bakeries shoot for 100 degrees.

All of that tells me that my bread proofer temperature just needs to be warmer than my kitchen ambient temperature! I feel comfortable with my temperature in the bread proofer to be 80-100 degrees. You can always play with your bread proofer temperature to keep it where you would like it.

How do I use my dough proofing box?

It’s really quite simple. After you’ve kneaded your dough, or done your stretch and folds on your sourdough, you’re ready for it to rise.

The above picture is a batch of challah bread that I made for cinnamon rolls. That’s what it looked like after I used the Kitchenaid to knead the dough. I greased the bowl and popped the dough in. After I took this photo, I wrapped the top in plastic wrap and allowed it to rise.

This is when you put it into the dough proofing box. When I put my dough in the box, I put the bowl against the opposite wall so that it’s not right up against the heat source. I just want to make sure the dough doesn’t get cooked by being too hot.

Put the top on the sourdough proofing box and allow it to rise until doubled (see below). That’s it! Isn’t it so easy?!

Can I use this as a pizza dough proofing box?

Of course! While I use this mainly as a sourdough proofing box, I also use it for pizza dough! If you look at my blog post about cold fermented pizza dough, I explain that I keep my crust in the fridge for a few days to enhance the flavor and chewiness of the crust.

However, once you pull the dough out of the fridge, you’ll need to warm it up before you begin making your pizza. Sure, you can put it on your stove as it warms up, but this pizza dough proofing box works like a charm!

This will really work for any yeasted dough you make – sourdough bread, cinnamon rolls, pizza, English muffins, focaccia, burger buns, or anything that needs to rise!

One Last Tip for Your DIY Bread Proofer:

The last thing I do to keep in as much heat as I can is to drape the box with a bath towel. I feel like it adds an extra layer of insulation that helps to keep that heat inside. It’s not necessary, but especially in the wintertime, it’s nice to make sure that you’re not losing all your heat into the room.

Please let me know if you have any questions! And if you try it, I’d love to hear feedback on how it worked for you. Happy Baking!

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The post Learn How to Make a Bread Proofer! appeared first on Little Reasons.

I love to make food the old fashioned way without lots of extra accessories. In this blog post, I’ll give you step-by-step instructions on how to make overnight sourdough bread without all the extras. I think you’ll fall in love with this simple sourdough bread – like grandma used to make! You won’t have to look for sourdough bread recipes ever again!

Sourdough bread is made the way people have made bread for thousands of years. It yields a chewy texture with a slightly tangy flavor, making it an absolutely delicious bread. It uses a sourdough starter that contains flour, water, and wild yeast from the air. The other ingredients are salt, flour, and water. That’s all!

Is overnight sourdough bread better for you?

A long fermentation sourdough bread gives time for the bacteria and yeast in the culture to go to work eating up the gluten and carbs in your flour. Because of this, many people who have sensitivities to gluten can often eat sourdough without issues. *This does not apply to people with true gluten allergies, like those with Celiac *

Sourdough also works to break down the phytic acid in the flour, making it more easily digestible. Additionally, my husband is diabetic, and when I bake things with sourdough and ferment them overnight like my sourdough pancakes or sourdough burger buns, they don’t affect his sugar as strongly!

Honestly, I think that using sourdough for baked goods is the easiest way to begin to change your eating habits without eating very differently!

Tools you’ll need for easy overnight sourdough bread

This post contains affiliate links, so we may earn a small commission when you make a purchase through links on our site at no additional cost to you.

Because I try to use accessories you’ll already have on hand, I think there’s only 2 things you’ll need that you may not have. The first is a kitchen scale. They are really important when you’re baking in order to get consistent results. You can find an inexpensive one on Amazon that will serve you for a long time.

The other thing you’ll need is a cast iron dutch oven for baking the overnight sourdough bread. I’ve been experimenting with how to make sourdough without the dutch oven, but I haven’t gotten consistently good results yet. I’ll share them as soon as I do!

Other than those two items, you should have all the other tools – bowl, wooden spoon, plastic wrap, etc…around the house! So here’s the first and only sourdough recipe you’ll need!

Ingredients for Easy Overnight Sourdough Bread

Unbleached flour (all purpose or bread flour)

I usually use King Arthur flour because I know it is high in protein which allows the gluten structure to develop well. But I go back and forth between their bread flour and the all purpose flour. Both seem to work well.

No matter what brand you choose, just make sure it is not bleached, as that could also damage your yeast in the starter. A great way to see which variety of flour you like better is to bake a batch with all purpose flour and another with bread flour and see if you get different results.

I recommend using white flour for your first loaf of sourdough bread to give you the best and fluffiest results. The sourdough loaf using all white flour tends to turn out well without many issues. After you’ve got the hang of it, you can play around with the dough ingredients and replace about 30% of the overall weight of flour with whole wheat flour or rye flour or spelt flour. It adds a nutty and rich flavor to the bread. But, adding too much flour that is whole grain can tend to make the loaves very dense.

Filtered Water

It is important not to use tap water for this recipe. The chemicals and fluoride in the water can kill your active yeast culture. You’ll want to make sure you’re using some sort of filtered water for this recipe. I use this Aquasana filter under my sink for our filtered water.

Himalayan Sea Salt

I use Himalayan sea salt in my home because the minerals have not been stripped out of it. But any old salt would work fine!

Bubbly and active sourdough starter

I originally got sourdough starter from my brother in law. Over time, though, I learned how to make my own. It was so freeing to know that I had the skills to make it myself if I ever accidentally killed it – like I have done many times!

(Because I’ve killed it a few times, I now keep preserved sourdough starter on hand. You can read my blog post here on how to freeze sourdough starter. I have another blog post here on how to dry sourdough starter. )

When you buy sourdough in stores, they often add commercial yeast to make the bread rise quicker. Unfortunately, the long fermentation process is what gives the health benefits of sourdough bread. So the instant yeast gives it a huge boost and allows it to rise super quickly. Making bread yourself without commercial yeast and just your own active starter full of wild yeast yields a better and healthier bread.

I put off making my own sourdough starter because I was terrified that I would ruin it. When I did it for the first time, I was shocked at how easy it was to mix a little flour and water and watch the wild yeast colonize! I wanted to make it even easier for you by making a Sourdough Starter Checklist that takes all the guesswork out of it. I’ve included instructions on one page, and a handy little checklist on the second page to help you remember where you are in the process. Fill out the information below to have your Easy Sourdough Starter Checklist sent to your email box!

Feeding the Sourdough Starter

Once you have a starter that is ready to use, you begin by feeding the starter to get it good and bubbly. I usually use 100g. of starter, 100g. of filtered water, and 100g. of unbleached flour. Mix it up and allow it to sit for 6-8 hours until it is doubled in size.

I normally do this around lunchtime so that a couple hours before bedtime it’s ready for me to mix up my dough.

It should look like this after it’s mixed up. It’s kind of like thick pancake batter. Put a lid on it but it doesn’t need to be screwed on tight. I just put it on and very gently screw it on.

Make sure you have it in a jar that is at least big enough for the starter to double. It always stinks to come back to sourdough starter drying all over your jar and countertop because your container was too small and it bubbled over! I usually use a quart mason jar for mine.

This one is starting to get bubbly in the picture below. It hasn’t doubled but it’s beginning to work. When it’s all bubbly and doubled in size, you can begin to make your overnight sourdough bread. Again, this normally takes 6-8 hours.

Mixing the Ingredients for Overnight Sourdough Bread

About 2 hours before bed, mix all the ingredients (flour, water, starter, and salt) in a large mixing bowl with a wooden spoon.  I begin by mixing my water, salt and starter together with a danish whisk. You can absolutely use a wooden spoon. It works great too. I just love how the danish whisk works for this part!

I add the water first, and then put the sourdough starter on top of it. This allows the starter to float on top of the water, showing that it is ready to use because the bubbles in it allow it to pass the float test!

After you’ve mixed the starter, water and salt, go ahead and add the flour. I add it all at once and then begin to mix it all in.

Oftentimes you won’t be able to incorporate all the flour into the dough using a wooden spoon or a danish whisk. That’s totally fine! At this point, just use your hands to work the flour in.

You don’t need to worry about kneading the dough. Just get to the point where all the dry bits of flour are mixed in. It will make a shaggy dough and that’s ok! As you work the dough through the sets of stretch and folds, it will become a smooth ball and it will come together beautifully. It’s not a very wet dough, so it takes a few sets of stretch and folds to come together fully.

Stretch and Folds

Now, cover the dough with plastic wrap. You’ll need to do 4 sets of stretch and folds in the two hours before you head to bed. Set the timer for a half hour. Once it goes off, do a set of stretch and folds and set the timer for a half hour again and do that until you have done it 4 times.

It does not have to be that scientific. If you’re less forgetful than I am, you can just wander over to it every half hour or so to do the stretches. It doesn’t technically have to be at 30 minute intervals. Just make sure you get 4 sets in before you go to bed.

Why do stretch and folds?

Doing stretch and folds in sourdough bread is equivalent to kneading regular bread dough. It works the dough to give it more structure and develop the gluten. Sourdough is a simple process, but not easy enough to mix it and forget it. You’ll want to make sure you do this series of folds in order to have a light and fluffy loaf.

Sometimes the first couple of sets of stretch and folds can be a little sticky, so it’s often helpful to have wet hands when you do them. Additionally, as you complete the stretch and folds, you’ll see that any little dry bits get integrated into the dough more completely.

How to perform stretch and folds

After it’s been sitting about 30 minutes, uncover the dough and complete a series of “stretch and folds”. You do this by grabbing the dough, stretching it up and folding it over. Turn the dough 1/4 turn and repeat.

Do this 4-8 times until the dough is too tight to stretch. Sometimes when it starts getting tight and won’t stretch easily, I’ll try to stretch it and then bounce the dough to get it to stretch enough for me to fold it over.

After you’ve done 4-8 stretch and pulls, cover the dough with plastic wrap. Repeat this process every 30 minutes for 2 hours, or a total of 4 times.

Bulk Rise

After the final stretch and fold, cover the dough with plastic wrap and allow it to sit for its first rise overnight. This is usually called the bulk rise or the bulk fermentation. I don’t get super fancy. My dough just rises overnight and usually when I wake up, it has doubled in size and is full of beautiful air bubbles. I’d guess it rises about 8-10 hours.

How ambient temperature affects rise time

I should probably mention that the room temperature controls how fast or slow your bread rises. The cooler it is, the slower it rises. Warmer kitchens will cause the dough to rise in less time, and may rise too much if you sleep for more than 8 hours. I had a batch this summer that was in my super hot house and rose really fast. It was fine and did not overproof, but it did make for a more sour bread!

One thing you’ll learn with sourdough is that there are no absolutes! If you have air conditioning and heat, then you’ll probably keep it at a similar temperature all year long. That should help with consistency.

However, if you keep your house really cold (like below 70 degrees), you might need to find a warm place for the bread to bulk rise, or check out my post on how to make a bread proofer. It also uses things you commonly have around your house, and creates a warmer environment for your bread to rise.

This is what my dough looked like after the 4 sets of stretch and folds. I covered it with plastic wrap and went to bed. Alternately, you can cover it with a damp towel in order to help keep the moisture in the dough.

And this is what it looked like when I woke up in the next morning! So puffy and beautiful and full of air bubbles! This is why you need to make sure you use a large bowl, so there’s room for it to rise!

Shaping Your Overnight Sourdough Bread

When you first wake up the next day, you’ll want to shape your loaves. Put a very very little dusting of flour onto the work surface. Then dump the dough out onto the counter and divide it in half. If the dough sticks to the side of the bowl, you can use a plastic dough scraper to get it all off the sides.

Do not dump it onto a floured surface like you would do with other bread dough. You want it to be a little sticky so that when you’re shaping the loaves, they don’t just slide around on the counter. This helps you to build the surface tension that allows the bread to have a good oven spring. You want them to stick a little bit and that helps you develop the structure of the bread just a little bit more during that last dough rise time.

*PLEASE NOTE*

DON’T SKIP THIS STEP! THIS RECIPE MAKES 2 ARTISAN LOAVES, SO DIVIDE YOUR DOUGH IN HALF AT THIS POINT. I tend to use a bench knife (also called a bench scraper) for this part, but you can also use the plastic dough scraper.

On each of the two loaves of bread, bring all four sides into the middle. Then flip it upside down onto an area of the counter that has no flour on it. Begin gently pulling it toward yourself. Give it a quarter turn and do it again until it starts to get a nice taught top – usually 4-6 times or so.

I realized I didn’t have any photos for this portion, so I’m linking this video to show you how to do it. The first 2 minutes of the video are great.

I don’t do what she says after that. I do not let it rest and shape it a second time. I’m a lazy sourdough baker and I think that’s overkill!

So I just fold in the edges, flip it, pull it toward myself a few times to get the top nice and taught and then flip the shaped dough upside down into the tea towel lined bowl or banneton for the second rise.

Using a large bowl for overnight sourdough bread

Once it reaches this point, you can line a 2 large bowls with tea towels and generously flour the tea towels. I try to make sure I use a bowl with a more narrow bottom. It makes for a taller loaf that way. Flip the loaves upside down into the bowl so the pretty, smooth side is on the bottom of the bowl. That will be the top of your bread when you bake it!

Using a banneton for overnight sourdough bread

Alternately, you can use a banneton – also called a proofing basket. I’ve used them with the fabric inside and then just covered it with plastic wrap. Some people even just slide it into a plastic bag! I’ve also removed the liner and floured the surface of the banneton and then used the liner to cover it. It gives a really cool circular design to the top of the bread that way.

You absolutely do not need a banneton, but lots of people like to use them!

What kind of flour do I use on the tea towel or banneton?

You can either use regular flour, or you can use rice flour. Regular flour can tend to get a little gummy if it gets too wet. I don’t find that to be a problem with this bread because the hydration of the dough is quite low. I don’t think you need to use one or the other to get the best results. They both turn out well.

However, rice flour is a bit more grainy so it doesn’t clump at all. You can buy rice flour, or throw some white rice in your high powered blender to make a batch. I did love how my first loaf came out when I used it, but I honestly forgot all about it and haven’t used it again!

The Final Rise

Once you shape the 2 loaves, you need to let the dough rest and let it rise a bit more for its final proof. There are two ways you can do the second rise. Either way, you take the bowl with the dough and cover it up with the rest of the tea towel and let it rise.

Bake Immediately

If time permits, you can bake it right away. If you do it this way, after you cover the bread, set it on the stove and preheat the oven temperature to 450 degrees with your cast iron dutch oven inside it on the center rack. After at least 1 hour, but as much as 2-3 hours later (depending on the temperature of your kitchen), you can bake it using the instructions below.

Refrigerate and bake in the next 1-3 days

Another way you can do it – and the way I prefer to do it – is to cover the loaves with the tea towel and pop them into the fridge. Let them sit there for 1-3 days and bake it whenever you’d like in that time period.

When you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven to 450 degrees with the cast iron dutch oven inside it. Once it has been preheating for about an hour, take the dough out of the fridge and follow the baking instructions below.

When you refrigerate the dough, it allows for a longer fermentation period. Additionally, it is much easier to score when it’s cold! So if you want to practice pretty scoring, this really helps. Also, when you do it this way, you can take one loaf out to bake and leave the rest of the dough in the fridge to bake fresh the next day!

Baking your Overnight Sourdough Bread

When you’re ready to bake the sourdough, preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Put the cast iron dutch oven into the oven while it’s preheating. Allow it to heat for about an hour before you bake your bread. You want a really hot dutch oven to bake the bread in because it gives it a better oven spring and makes it nice and fluffy.

Rip a piece of parchment paper a little larger than your loaf of bread. This is the brand I use. Dump the loaf of sourdough out onto the parchment paper so that the seam side is down and the smooth side it up. The part that was in the bottom of the bowl is now the top of the loaf.

Score it

Use a very sharp knife or a lame or a straight razor blade to score the top of the dough. You can just make a slash in the bread like I did below. Or you can practice making fancy designs in it. It tastes the same either way!

Bake Your Sourdough

Once it’s slashed, lift the piece of parchment paper and gently set the dough and parchment inside the dutch oven. Put the lid on quickly and let it cook for 20 minutes. (*OPTIONAL* you can put a couple ice cubes inside the dutch oven if you’d like to. I did it a few times but stopped because it made my pan rust)

After the 20 minutes is up, take off the lid and cook for another 10-15 minutes. I usually cook for 10 to get a golden brown, but my brother in law loves the color to be deeper and lets his go longer. There’s no right way to do it. Just let it cook until it is the color you like to see. You can also make sure the internal temperature is around 200 degrees if you like to be more exact.

Cool it

Take it out of the oven and set it on a cooling rack or a wire rack. Resist the urge to cut it until it’s cooled. If you cut it while it’s still hot, it can make the inside of the loaf gummy. People don’t realized that all that steam trapped inside keeps cooking the dough for a while.

I cook mine one loaf at a time in the dutch oven so I just cook them back to back and it works well for me. Some people say to let the oven and cast iron dutch oven reheat before you make the second loaf. I don’t find that I need to do that.

FAQs

What temperature should my water be?

It doesn’t matter if you use cold water or warm water for this bread. I think that’s why overnight sourdough bread is a perfect recipe. It’s so easy, takes minimal effort, and it’s not super specific! It’s just a delicious sourdough bread.

Can I made an overnight sourdough bread loaf in a regular loaf pan?

If you don’t have a dutch oven, you can absolutely make this in loaf pans. When I do that, I weigh my dough and then divide it in thirds to make sure my loaves are all the same size.

Then you place dough into 3 greased loaf pans. You could use a cooking spray, or just spread a little olive oil on the inside of the pan.

Let it rise or put it in the fridge. When you’re ready to bake, score the top. You will need to have another loaf pan the same size to set on top. That holds in the steam and makes it a nice moist environment for the bread to rise without the crust getting dry too soon. After 20 min take off the 2nd loaf pan and let it cook another 10 minutes.

The only bad part about the loaf pan method is that since this makes 3 loaves, you need to own 6 loaf pans if you bake them all at once. However, this is my family’s favorite way to eat it because it’s perfect sandwich size and the crust and the bottom of the loaf comes out much thinner!

Do I have to do Stretch and Folds?

If you have a Kitchenaid, it can do the stretching and folding for you by kneading your dough with a dough hook! This is the simplest way to make overnight sourdough bread in my opinion.

Making overnight sourdough bread without stretch and folds

Put all the ingredients into the Kitchenaid stand mixer, fitted with the dough hook attachment. Turn it on low. As soon as the dough comes together, set a timer for 5 min and let it knead your dough.

Overnight rise

After the 5 minutes, cover the dough with plastic wrap or a damp towel and allow it to rise overnight.

Shaping into loaves

In the morning, shape the dough into loaves. At this point, you can throw it into the fridge for 1-3 days, or you can let it rise for about 1-2 hours. Preheat the oven and cast iron dutch oven for an hour and bake the bread following the instructions above.

Here’s a photo I took this morning of the bread I made using this method. See? Perfectly fluffy and golden and beautiful and no stretch and folds!

(As a side note, the loaf below had a 2nd rise in a banneton with no liner. That’s what made the spiral design on top!)

Can I use whole grains?

Yes! I’ve made this with whole wheat flour, spelt, emmer, and rye. It’s important to know that you don’t want to exceed 30% of the overall flour weight in whole grains if you want it to stay light and fluffy. So you’ll use a mixture of flour consisting of about 300g of whole grains and 750g of bread flour. That gives you the nutty whole grain flavor and the light fluffy consistency in your homemade bread.

Can I use sourdough discard for this overnight sourdough bread recipe?

You sure can! While using an active sourdough starter will yield the fluffiest results, I’ve often used sourdough discard in my bread and still had wonderful loaves. Sometimes it needs to sit a little longer in order to get the full rise, but I’ve had other times where it rose just as quickly!

You do, however, need to make sure it’s a starter you’ve fed and used in the last week or so. I you use really old sourdough starter from your fridge, it may give you flat loaves. It is always best and yields the most consistent results if you use freshly fed starter that is active and bubbly.

So these are my best tips for the perfect recipe for simple overnight sourdough bread! I’d love to hear how the process goes for you. I hope you find this overnight method to be an easy sourdough bread recipe that you can fall in love with. Let me know in the comments!

Basic Overnight Sourdough Bread

Yield: 2 artisan loaves

Once you get the hang of it, making overnight sourdough bread is a simple thing to add into your schedule…and it tastes delicious!

5.0 Stars (446 Reviews)

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Ingredients

• 180 grams Sourdough Starter
• 660 grams Filtered Water
• 1050 grams Bread Flour
• 20 grams Salt

Instructions

1. Feed Your Sourdough Starter

Begin by feeding your sourdough starter. I normally do this at lunchtime so it's ready to use in the early evening because I mix up my dough 2 hours before bedtime.
Place 100g. sourdough starter in a jar with 100g. filtered water and 100g. unbleached flour. Mix well and allow to sit loosely covered for 6-8 hours, until it is doubled in size.
2. Mix Ingredients

About 2 hours before bed, mix all the ingredients (flour, water, starter, and salt) in a bowl with a wooden spoon.
Oftentimes you won't be able to incorporate all the flour into the dough, so use your hands to work the flour in.
3. Stretch and Folds

Cover the dough and allow it to rise for 30 min. Then uncover it and do a series of "stretch and folds" by grabbing the dough, stretching it up and folding it over. Turn the dough 1/4 turn and repeat. Do this 4-8 times until the dough is too tight to stretch. Cover the dough with plastic wrap.
Repeat this process every 30 minutes for 2 hours, or a total of 4 times.
4. 1st Rise

After the final stretch and fold, cover the dough with plastic wrap and allow to rise overnight.
5. Shape Loaves

When you first wake up, you'll want to shape your loaves. Dump the dough out onto the counter.

*THIS RECIPE MAKES 2 LOAVES SO DIVIDE IT IN HALF AT THIS POINT*
On one half of the dough, bring all four sides into the middle. Then flip it upside down and begin gently pulling it toward yourself. Give it a quarter turn and do it again until it starts to get a nice taught top.
Once it reaches this point, you can line a mixing bowl with a tea bowl and generously flour the tea towel. I try to make sure I use a tea towel with a more narrow bottom. It makes for a taller loaf that way. Flip the loaf upside down into the bowl so the pretty, taught top is on the bottom of the bowl. That will be the top of your bread when you bake it!
Alternately, you can use a banneton. I've used them with the fabric inside and then just covered it with plastic wrap. I've also removed the liner and floured the surface of the banneton and then used the liner to cover it. It gives a really cool circular design to the top of the bread that way.
You absolutely do not need a banneton, but lots of people like to use them!


REPEAT THIS PROCESS WITH THE SECOND LOAF.


6. 2nd Rise

There are two ways you can do the second rise. Either way, you take the bowl with the dough and cover it up with the rest of the tea towel and let it rise.
7. Bake

Rip a piece of parchment paper a little larger than your loaf of bread. This is the brand I use. Dump the loaf of sourdough out onto the parchment paper. The part that was in the bottom of the bowl is now the top of the loaf.
Use a very sharp knife or a lame to score the dough. You can just make a slash in the bread or you can practice making fancy designs in it. It tastes the same either way!
Once it's slashed, lift the parchment paper and gently set the dough and parchment inside the dutch oven. Put the lid on quickly and let it cook for 20 minutes.
After the 20 minutes is up, take off the lid and cook for another 10-15 minutes. I usually cook for 10 but my brother in law loves the color to be deeper and lets his go longer. There's no right way to do it. Just let it cook until it is the color you like to see.
Take it out of the oven and set it on a cooling rack. Resist the urge to cut it until it's cooled. If you cut it while it's still hot, it can make the inside of the loaf gummy. People don't realized that all that steam trapped inside keeps cooking the dough for a while.


Option 1 - Bake Immediately
The first thing you can do is to bake it right away. If you do it this way, after you cover the bread, set it on the stove and preheat the oven to 450 degrees with your cast iron dutch oven inside it. After at least 1 hour, but as much as 2-3 hours later, you can bake it using the instructions below.
Option 2 - Refrigerate and bake in the next 1-3 days
Another way you can do it – and the way I prefer to do it – is to cover the loaf with the tea towel and pop it into the fridge. Let it sit there for 1-3 days and bake it whenever you'd like in that time period.
When you're ready to bake, preheat the oven to 450 degrees with the cast iron dutch oven inside it. Once it has been preheating for about an hour, take the dough out of the fridge and follow the baking instructions below.
When you're ready to bake the sourdough, preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Put the cast iron dutch oven into the oven while it's preheating. Allow it to heat for about an hour before you bake your bread.

Notes

If you'd like to add whole grains to your loaf, I recommend starting at about 30% of the overall weight of flour being whole grain. Ex. use 300g of whole wheat flour and 750g of bread flour. This keeps it nice and fluffy!

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