Sourdough Recipes
Below you will find a large variety of scrumptious recipes we have hand-selected from our favorite
sourdough recipe books.
Also check out our section dedicated to GLUTEN FREE recipes, baking tips and books.
To view the books these recipes were inspired from and other books we recommend, visit our
Sourdough Recommendations page.
Simple Sourdough Recipe
This is our basic go-to recipe, that is great for starting out. It also includes a delicious waffle recipe!We have formatted it to print as a recipe card, making it perfect to stick in your favorite recipe box or
album!
View and Print this recipe
Traditional San Francisco Sourdough Bread (your authentic basic recipe based off The
Bread Baker's Apprentice recipe)
Expanding the starter ingredients:
2/3 cup starter (4 oz)
1 cup (4.5 oz) unbleached high-gluten or bread flour
1/8 to ¼ cup water
Final dough ingredients:
4 ½ cups (20.25 oz) unbleached high-gluten or bread flour ( or you can sub in up to half of this with
a whole grain such as wheat or rye)
2 teaspoons salt (.5 oz)
1 ½ – 1 ¾ cups water (not hot!)
semolina flour or cornmeal for dusting if desired
1.Remove the barm (starter) from the refrigerator and measure it out about 1 hour before making
the starter expansion (to take off the chill). Keep it covered in a bowl.
2.Add the flour to the starter and mix together, adding only enough additional water so that you can
knead this into a small ball. You don't need to work this very long, just until all the flour is hydrated
and the starter is evenly distributed. Lightly oil a small bowl or mist the inside of a plastic bag with
cooking spray oil and place the starter in the bowl or bag, turning to coat it with oil. Cover the bowl
or seal the bag.
3.Ferment at room temperature for approx. 4 hours, or until the starter has at least doubled in size.
If it takes more time than 4 hours, give it additional time, checking every hour or so. Then, put it into
the refrigerator overnight, just as it is.
4.Remove the starter from the refrigerator 1 hour before making the dough. Cut it into about 10
small pieces with a pastry scraper or serrated knife. Mist with oil, cover with a towel or plastic wrap
and let sit for 1 hour to bring to room temperature.
5.To make the dough, stir together the flour and salt in a 4-quart or larger mixing bowl. Add the
starter pieces and enough water to bring everything together into a ball as you stir with a sturdy
spoon (or mix on low speed with the paddle attachment for those with a food
processor/KitchenAid).
6.Sprinkle the counter with flour, transfer the dough to the counter and knead by hand for 12 to 15
minutes (or mix with the dough hook for 4 minutes on medium-low speed, allow the dough to rest
for 5 to 10 minutes and then mix for 4 more minutes). Adjust the water and flour as needed. The
dough should be firm but tacky, like a stretchy play dough. It should pass a 'windowpane' test
(gently stretch the dough and see if you can get it thin enough to see through like looking through a
dark thick balloon, without it breaking – this means it isn't too dry and the kneading has broken
down the proteins and made them stretchy). Lightly oil a large bowl and transfer the dough to the
bowl, rolling it around to coat it with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap.
7.Ferment at room temperature for 3-4 hours, or until the dough has nearly doubled in size. You
can also test by gently push your finger into the dough about ½ and inch. If the hole disappears
within a minute, its not quite ready, if the indent remains, it is done proofing.
8.Gently remove the dough from the bowl and divide it into 2 equal pieces (or smaller if you want
rolls) being gentle to deflate the dough as little as possible. Gently shape the dough into whatever
shape you desire. This is done first by 'rounding' to make the outer skin of the dough tighter first.
This helps it rise better. To do this you pull the edges that were just cut underneath, making a
round ball. Pinch the bottom together. Then put the rounded dough on a clean, flour dusted counter
top (or cutting board) and push the dough from alternate sides with your palms so that it spins
round and round on the counter while giving it a slight downwards tucking push as well, as if you
were trying to tuck more of the sides underneath the ball. You will see the skin tightening as you do
this. Take this tightened ball and coax it gently into a longer shape if desired, or leave it round as is.
9.Proof the dough on a parchment-lined sheet paper that has been dusted with semolina flour or
cornmeal (rough flour helps to keep it from sticking -fine flour is absorbed and less effective). You
can also put in in a banneton, couches or proofing bowl. You can also put it parchment lined or
semolina dusted (or non-stick) basic bread loaf tins! There are many beautiful bowls for shaping
and baking bread that improve the shape and final outcome of your bread that you can purchase.
The La Cloche is a favorite among home bread bakers. Regardless of the method, mist the
exposed part of the dough with oil and loosely cover the dough with a towel or plastic wrap or slip it
into a food-grade plastic bag. At this point you can either proof the loaves for 2-3 more hours or
retard overnight in the refrigerator. If retarding, remove them from the refrigerator approx. 4 hours
before you plan to bake them. Retarding develops more complex and sour flavors – it simply
means to put it in the refrigerator for a specified time.
10.Prepare the over for baking, by setting a pan or oven safe bowl (ie Pyrex) with ridges on the
bottom rack and preheating to 500°F. This pan is for steaming purposes which is a great way of
simulating the results of a professional baking oven in your own home (thick, golden, artisan-
crunchy crust, which we highly recommend!!) Carefully remove the towel or plastic wrap from the
dough or slip the pan/bowl from the bag, 10 minutes before baking.
11.Generously dust the back of a sheet pan with semolina or cornmeal and gently transfer the
dough to the pan. If the dough was prepared on a sheet pan, it can be baked directly on that pan.
Score the dough if desired (this is an art that takes awhile to get used to, and isn't necessary).
Slide the dough onto a baking stone, or bake directly on the sheet pan. Pour 1 cup hot water into
the pan and close the door. After 30 seconds, spray the oven walls with water and close the door.
Repeat twice more at 30 second intervals. After the final spray, lower the oven setting to 450° and
bake for 10 minutes. Rotate the loaves if necessary for even baking and continue to bake another
10-20 minutes. Or until the loaves are done. They should register 205°F in the center (with a meat
or baking probe) and be a rich golden brown all over. They should sound hollow when thumped on
the bottom with your fingers.
12.Transfer the finished loaves to a rack and cool for at least 45 minutes before slicing or serving.
This is the basic sourdough recipe from Peter Reinhart. We encourage you to check out his other
amazing recipes and tips within this book and others, especially if you are still new to baking!
There are endless delicious variations, techniques and ideas!
Whole Grain Sourdough (a simple, delicious and famous bread from historian Steven
Kaplan's Good Bread is Back )
Start the recipe in the evening. You can implement some of the techniques (such as rounding,
dusting and steaming from the previous recipe).
Evening of Day 1: Mix together:
200 grams (7 oz. or 7/8 cup) water
120g (4 oz. or 1/2 cup) sourdough starter
236 grams (8 1/3 oz or 2 cups) whole wheat flour
Ferment (let sit out at room temperature covered loosely with plastic) at 69°F (approx) for 12 hours.
Morning of Day 2: Add to Day 1 ingredients:
274 grams (9 2/3 oz. or ~1 1/4 cup) water
85 grams (3 oz. or 7/8 cup) rye flour
250 grams (8 3/4 oz or 2 cups) white bread flour
170 grams (6 oz. or a tad over 1 3/4 cups) spelt flour
13 grams (scant tbs.) salt
Knead 8-12 minutes, place in a dusted plastic covered bowl and refrigerate for 24 hours.
Morning of Day 3: Form a boule (round loaf) on a parchment covered cookie sheet and ferment (let
sit out on counter) 5 hours at 69F. Refer to the first recipe for baking tips and techniques!
Bake at 485F for 40-45 minutes.
Notes: The recipe was created using grams for measurement. For those without a kitchen scale I
have translated to ounces and cups. Some of the measurements don’t translate all that nicely, but
what I have here is close enough.
No-Knead Whole Spelt Sourdough (from Eric and Denyse, who are mentioned in the Lisa
Rayner's Wild Bread )
This is one of our favorites. Spelt is an ancient wheat grain that many people with wheat allergies
or sensitivities can tolerate well. This grain is sometimes preferred to wheat because its less bitter
and has a great flavor! It also gives beautiful open crumb (large holed-bread)!)
The Ingredients:
1/4 cup sourdough starter
530 grams (about 5 cups well fluffed up) whole spelt flour
350 grams (~1+1/2 cups) water
10 grams (1+1/2 tsp) salt
3 Tbs honey or sugar or 2 Tbs agave
Start in the evening the day before baking:
1.Add water to mixing bowl, mix in the sweetener.
2.Mix in the starter until relatively dissolved
3.Mix in the flour (all 5 cups) for a minute or two until combined
4.Cover and let sit an hour, then come back and do 1 stretch and fold. To do this, you take the
dough in your hands stretch it out, fold it over and pull from another direction and fold. If its sticky,
give it a generous dusting of flour. You will want to do 2-3 more of these at 15 minute intervals,
allowing the dough to rest and remain covered in between.
5.After the last stretch and fold, allow the dough to sit out overnight, covered. You can also do this
recipe in the morning and put it directly in the fridge at this step, and take out before bed and let
rise overnight, covered.
6.The next morning, dust it, draw the dough together and pinch lightly underneath to form a nice
ball (and round it according to the procedure given in the first recipe). Allow to rise on your final
dusted baking sheet (lined with parchment) or whatever baking bowl or tin you will be using. Allow
to proof/rise for about 1 to 1 ½ hours, while pre-heating the oven.
7.Bake at 450° for 45 minutes or until internal temp is 195-200°. You can bake in a covered baking
dish (like a dutch oven, clay baker or La Cloche or open on a parchment lined-cookie sheet. You
can also put it in basic bread loaf tins!
San Francisco Sourdough in Bread Machine (from Classic Sourdoughs )
Because of the fermentation process (12-14 hours) of sourdough and the lower temperature, it is
best to use your bread machine only for the mixing. Most bread machines have a rise function of
90-100°, which will kill the lactobacilli in your culture.
½ cup cold sponge culture
4 cups white flour
1 ¼ cup water
1 tsp salt
1.Place the sponge (expanded starter) in the machine pan with 1 cup of the flour and ½ cup of the
water. Machine mix and knead 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the machine, cover lightly with
plastic wrap, and proof 12 hours at room temperature (68-72°) or 6 hours in a proofing box at 85°.
2.Return the pan to the machine and add 1 cup of the flour and ½ cup of the water. Mix 10 minutes.
Remove the pan from the machine and proof 8 hours at room temperature or 4 hours in the
proofing box.
3.Return the pan to the machine. Dissolve the salt in the remaining ¼ cup water and add to the pan
along with the remaining 2 cups flour mixture. Mix and knead 15-20 minutes.
4.Remove the pan from the machine and proof at the same temperature until the dough rises
about ½ inch above the pan top (2 to 3 hours at room temperature; 1 ½ to 2 hours in the proofing
box).
5.If your machine has a bake only cycle, return the pan to the machine and program the cycle to
bake at 375° for 50 to 60 minutes. If not, move the pan to your preheated oven at 375° and bake for
45 minutes. You can brush a lightly beaten egg white with 1 tablespoon water on the loaf for a
more crunchy and golden crust. If you are baking in the oven, you can place a shallow pan of water
(1-2 inches) on the bottom shelf of your oven (put in and preheat oven) to create steam which
makes the crust nice and crunchy. Remove the loaf from the pan and cool on a wire rack.
Gluten-free Sourdough
Also check out our section dedicated to GLUTEN FREE recipes, baking tips and books!
Although it won't look or taste exactly like your standard bread, when you need to be gluten-free this
is as good as it gets! You will first need to purchase a gluten-free bread flour or make your own.
There are many wonderful gluten-free bread mixes to purchase in your local specialty store or on
Amazon, which can be used for this recipe, including:
Or to make your own flour, simply combine these ingredients:
Flour recipe:
3 cups garbanzo/fava bean flour (see notes)
2 cups potato starch or 2 cups cornstarch
1 cup tapioca flour
1 cup sorghum flour
OR you may try this combination (it is supposed to be slightly tastier, but more complicated):
2 cups fava/garbanzo bean flour
1 cup sorghum flour
2 ¼ cups tapioca flour
2 ¼ cups arrowroot flour (starch)
1 cup rice flour
1 tablespoon potato starch
2 tablespoons potato flour
2 tablespoons xanthan gum
2 packages gelatin (unflavored)
¼ cup sugar
1 ½ teaspoon salt
Bread recipe:
This recipe has been converted from grams. As with most bread recipes, the amounts are
approximate, go ahead and adjust your dough if its too wet or too dry! This recipe was formed
using gluten-free flour from a UK company, 'Doves Farm'.
300g prepared starter (about 1 1/4 cups)
500g gluten free bread flour (about 4 cups) (from any of the above store or home-made versions)
300ml warm water (about 1 1/4 cups)
Mix until you have a workable dough - not too wet or sticky - add flour or water a tiny bit at a time to
get the right consistency if necessary. Knead for about 10-15 minutes. Then cover with plastic wrap
or heavy cloth and leave for until doubled (usually around 4 hours, you may retard the dough by
letting it rise in your fridge for 12-24 hours for a more sour flavor and slower rise. The original
recipe for this calls for a 12 hour room temp rise, which you can experiment with too (but it may
produce an over-fermented bread with poor oven spring and a pale crust).
Pre-heat oven to 200°C/400°F. Punch down down and knead briefly, then shape it into a torpedo-
shape log. Place on a greased or parchment paper lined baking sheet. Cover again to let rest and
rise another half hour. Bake for 30-35 minutes until golden and produces a hollow sound when
tapping the bottom. Spray first 5 minutes for a crisper crust.
Let cool on a wire rack, and store in a sealed bag for a softer bread or a paper bag for a crunchier
one! Wrapping in towels is the best of both worlds, keeping the crust mostly dry and the inner
bread from drying out as quickly as a paper bag.
Sourdough Breadsticks (from Classic Sourdoughs )
These can be long and thin for a crisp bread stick or thick and short for a more chewy one!
2 cups starter
4 ¾ cups flour
1 ¼ cups water
1 ½ tsp salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon butter, melted
Glaze
2 eggs, beaten
poppyseeds, sesame seeds, coarse salt, or parmesan
Mix the starter with 1 cup of the flour and ¼ cup of the water in a large mixing bowl. This is the
working culture. Proof this 8-12 hours at room temperature (68-72°F).
Add 1 cup of the flour and ½ cup of the water. Mix and knead until smooth. Proof 6-8 hours at room
temperature.
Punch down. Mix together the remaining ½ cup water, salt,sugar, and butter. Add to the dough and
mix well. Reserve 1 cup of the flour for flouring the board. Mix and spoon knead the remaining 1 ¾
cups into the dough 1 cup at a time. When too stiff to work by hand, transfer to the floured board
and knead in the remaining flour.
Divide the dough into about 20 small balls. Roll each ball into a rope ¼ - ½ inch in diameter.
Arrange the ropes 1 inch apart on a baking sheet. Proof at room temperature until they start to rise
or 30-45 minutes.
Glaze the bread sticks by brushing on the beaten eggs and then sprinkle with the seeds or cheese.
Bake in a preheated oven at 375°F for 15-20 minutes or until uniformly brown. Transfer to wire
racks to cool.
Pizza Crust (from Classic Sourdoughs )
It's not the topping that gives sourdough pizza an Old World flavor. It's the crust. The choice of
topping is yours, but don't try this recipe unless you are prepared to become addicted!
2 cups cold liquid starter
4 ¾ cups white flour
1 cup water
1 ½ tsp salt
2 tablespoon vegetable oil
cornmeal or semolina
Mix the starter with 1 cup of the flour and ¼ cup of the water in a large bowl and cover for 12 hours
at room temperature (or overnight).
Add 1 cup of the flour and ¼ cup of the water. Mix and knead until smooth. Proof another 6-8 hours
at room temperature, covered.
Punch down. Mix together the remaining ½ cup water, the salt and the oil. Add to the dough and mix
well. Reserve 1 cup of the flour for flouring the board. Mix and spoon knead the remaining 1 ¾ cups
flour into the dough 1 cup at a time. When too stiff to mix by hand, transfer to the floured board and
knead in any remaining flour.
Divide the dough into 4 equal portions and form each into a ball. Roll out each ball into a 12-13
inch round about 1/8 inch thick. Gently fold each round in half and transfer to a bakers peel or
rimless baking sheet sprinkled with cornmeal or semolina. Or simply put them on a pizza pan.
Unfold the rounds and pinch a rim about ½ inch high along the edge of each round. Proof 1 ½
hours at room temperature.
Preheat a baking stone and an oven to 475°F. If you don't have a baking stone a pizza pan will work
fine- and doesn't need to be preheated.
Add toppings of choice to the dough rounds and transfer them (if needed) to the hot baking stone.
Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the edges of the crusts are brown. Remove from the oven (if on the
stone, remove by using the baker's peel or baking sheet).
Authentic Sourdough Waffles (based off the recipes in Alaska Sourdough )
This recipe also works equally well for pancakes (we like to make double the amount and use half
as waffles, half as pancakes, freezing the extras to stick in the toaster another morning!)
Heat the the butter in a pan until its melted and then add the cold milk to cool.
1/2 cup (4 oz or 115 g) butter
1 cup (8 oz or 225 g) milk
Add the milk-butter mixture to:
1 cup (9 oz or 255g) starter
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp (packed) brown sugar
1 1/2 cups (6 oz or 170 g) all purpose flour
Mix these together to form a thick batter, cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let stand at
room temperature for 8-14 hours. If you do this before going to bed, you’ll have the batter ready for
breakfast the next day.
Preheat your waffle iron for 10-15 minutes.
Uncover the batter and whisk in 2 large eggs and 1/4 tsp baking soda. Pour 1/2 to 3/4 cups of
batter on the hot waffle iron and close the lid. Let cook for 3-5 minutes until golden brown and crisp.
Traditional Sourdough Pancakes (based off the recipes in Alaska Sourdough )
3 large eggs
1 cup milk
2 cups Sourdough Starter
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup butter melted
Beat eggs in a medium bowl. Add milk and sourdough starter. Sift together flour, baking soda,
baking powder, salt, and sugar; add to the egg mixture, mixing well. Stir in melted butter. Lightly
grease a hot griddle. Drop the batter by 1/4 cup onto the griddle and cook until light brown, turning
once. Serve hot and drizzle with some pure maple syrup and butter!
Sourdough English Muffins (from Bake Your Own Bread & Be Healthier )
The Night Before:
1 cup starter
2 tablespoons honey
2 cups milk (whole is best)
4 cups unbleached white flour
Mix starter, honey and milk in mixing bowl until smooth. Add 4 cups flour, 2 cups at a time, and mix
in. There's no need for gluten development now, so do not whip or knead, just get all the flour
thoroughly wet. Cover with clean towel and leave at room temperature in a draft free place overnight.
The Next Morning:
1 scant teaspoon baking soda
1-2 cups unbleached white flour
2 tsp salt
Cornmeal for sprinkling.
Stir down mixture (it will have risen considerably). If it has risen too high and fallen, no problem,
just stir down the rest of the way. Sprinkle a scant teaspoon baking soda and 2 teaspoons sea salt
over the surface of the dough and work in.
Flour your board with 1 cup flour or more (up to 2 cups), until dough is medium stiff - enough to roll
out. Once you have enough flour in (I go by feel-never too dry and always moist) and the dough no
longer sticks to your hands, give it a 5 minute kneading.
Get 2 baking sheets or jelly roll pans and line with waxed or parchment paper-sprinkle corn meal
over both.
Flour board again and lightly roll dough to about 1/2-inch thick. Take a 3 inch round cutter (a bit
larger diameter, different shapes are fine too) and cut as many rounds as you can-rolling the left
over dough out and cutting more until the dough is all used up. Try to keep them very uniform in
thickness and diameter.
As you cut each round, place on corn-mealed wax or parchment paper-don't allow raw muffins to
touch--they will stick. When all rounds are cut, sprinkle corn meal over tops of muffins.
Allow to rise in warm place, covered, for about an hour or until risen again. Don't get impatient, let
them rise so you have nice big holes and texture to your muffins!
Now Comes The FUN Part! Preheat a griddle with a TINY bit of butter, until butter sizzles. Use a low
flame or heat setting so the inside of the muffin bakes and outside does not burn. Pan bake one
side for about 4 minutes and turn. Pan bake other side for about 4 minutes. Turn only once so be
sure the one side is cooked before turning. While you can skip the butter if you have a non-stick
skillet, they won't taste as good without it! They look like store bought, and taste supreme!
Sourdough Bagels (from Classic Sourdoughs )
No sourdough baking is complete without trying these! They are easier than you think!
2 cups stiff starter (whole wheat or all white)*
4.5-7 cups white all-purpose or bread flour
½ cup water
½ cup milk
1 tsp salt
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons vegetable oil (sunflower, canola, safflower, olive)
2 eggs, beaten
For Cooking Water: 4 quarts water (1 gallon), and 2 tablespoons sugar, dissolved (step 4).
1.Mix the 2 cups starter with 1 cup of the flour an ¼ cup of the water in a large mixing bowl. This is
the working culture, and should be quite stiff. Proof 12 hours at room temperature.
2.Add another 1 cup of flour and ¼ cup water. Mix and knead until smooth. Proof 8 hours at room
temperature. After proofing, this is the fully active culture.
3.Punch down. Mix together the milk, salt, 2 tablespoons of the sugar, the oil and the eggs. Add to
the active culture and mix well. Stir in 1 cup flour. Now with your hands, mix and spoon knead the
remaining flour into the dough 1 cup at a time , until you feel that it is soft, but not sticky. If it's not
holding together well and very stiff, it has too much flour (add water, a tbs at a time until it returns to
a more pliable dough). When too stiff to work by hand, transfer to the floured board and knead in
the remaining flour.
(*If you used an all white starter, you may need all 7 cups to reach the right consistency. If you used
a whole wheat starter, 4.5-5 cups should be about what you need.)
4.Divide the dough into 15 equal balls. Roll each ball into a 6-inch-long rope. Pinch the ends of
each together to form a donut shape. Or roll into a ball, press to flatten slightly, poke a hole in the
middle than twirl it around your finger, gently pinching to round the shape out. Place them on a
heavily floured, or silicone pad (you're going to need to gently pry them off later, without deflating
them). Proof, covered 2 hours at 75-85 degrees F or 12-24 hours in fridge.
5.Bring the 4 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot and add the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar to
the water. Drop the bagels, two at a time, into the boiling water. When they rise to the surface, or at
bout 45 seconds, turn them, boil another 45 seconds, then using tongs or preferably a slotted
spoon, transfer them to paper towels to drain briefly, then place on a baking sheet.
6.Bake in a preheated oven at 375°F for 20 to 25 minutes, or until slightly golden. Transfer the
bagels to a wire rack to cool. Bag them to help them retain moisture or they will dry out.
Polish Cottage Rye Sourdough (from Local Breads )
This is the darkest, most rustic of polish ryes and stands up to strong flavors like stews, sausages
and vodkas. It has a wonderful old-fashioned flavor that's impossible to find in the United States.
Because this bread is made with a large quantity of sourdough, it will stay fresh for at least 5 days
and its rye flavor will be more pronounced.
Step 1 – the sponge
3 tbs starter
¾ cup tepid water
1 cup white rye flour
Make the rye sourdough sponge: take 3 tbs active starter, ¾ cup tepid water, and 1 cup white rye
flour. Stir until it makes a smooth thick paste. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let stand for 8-
12 hours.
Step 2 - the dough
2 cups approx. of the sponge
1 ½ cups tepid water
3 ¼ cups unbleached bread flour, preferably high-gluten
1 ½ tsp sea salt
Stir the sponge to break it up and soften it, add the flour, water and salt and stir just until a rough,
ragged dough forms.
Knead the dough by hand for 15-18 minutes until the dough becomes smooth and springy (or put it
in a mixer with a dough hook on medium speed for 12-13 minutes, stopping once or twice to
scrape down the hook and sides – the dough will be sticky and not clear the sides of the bowl on
its own).
Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled, clear 2-quart container with a lid. With masking tape, mark the
spot on the container that the dough will reach when it rises one and a half times in volume. Cover
and leave it to rise and room temperature until it reaches this mark (2 – 2 ½ hours approximately).
It will feel spongy and less sticky at this point.
Shape by heavily dusting a bowl, banneton or towel-lined colander with rye flour. Lightly dust the
counter with rye flour. Scrape the dough out of the container and onto the counter and shape it into
a round (using the 'rounding' procedure described in the 'Baking Tips' section). Place the round,
smooth side down into the new container and cover with plastic wrap.
Proof the round: leave to rise at room temperature (70 to 75°) until it doubles in size (1 ½ to 2 hours
approximately). It will look airy and soft.
About 1 hour before baking, place a baking store if you have one, on the middle rack of the oven
and a cast iron skillet or baking pan on the lower rack. Heat oven to 450°.
Bake: lightly flour a baker's peel or rimless baking sheet with rye flour. Uncover the loaf and tip it
out onto the peel or cookie sheet, guiding it to the center with one hand. Slide the round onto the
baking stone (or, if you don't have one, keep it on the cookie sheet). Place ¾ cup of ice cubes in the
skillet/baking pan on the lower rack to produce steam. Bake until the round is dark reddish brown,
40 to 50 minutes.
Cool on a wire rack completely for about 2 hours before slicing. This bread can be stored in a
paper bag for approximately 5 days or freeze in a plastic bag for 1 month.
Sourdough Apple Streusel Muffins (from Pat's Sourdough Favorite Recipes )
“These muffins have a crumb topping that makes them resemble miniature coffee cakes. Been a
favorite in our family for years.”
Batter:
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon allspice
½ teaspoon salt
2 eggs
½ cup sourdough starter
1 cup sour cream
¼ cup melted butter
1 cup diced unpeeled apples (tart)
Topping:
½ cup chopped walnuts
¼ cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons butter at room temperature
½ teaspoon salt
Mix flour, baking powder, sugar, soda, cinnamon, allspice, soda and salt together in a bowl until
well blended. Mix eggs and sour cream, sourdough starter and melted butter. Beat until well
blended. Stir diced apples. Pour egg mixture over flour mixture and blend until dry ingredients are
moist. Spoon into greased muffin tins. Top with cinnamon topping. Bake 375°F for 20 minutes.
Topping: Mix all topping ingredients with fork until mixture resembles coarse meal
Old-fashioned Donuts (from Pat's Sourdough Favorite Recipes )
These are easy to make and very delicate.
Prepare a sponge the night before by mixing 2 cups tepid water with 2 cups flour and 1 cup
sourdough starter in a medium bowl. Cover and let sit over night.
1 ½ cups starter sponge
1 egg, well beaten
1 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons melted butter
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
dash of cinnamon (a shake or two)
dash of mace (may be omitted)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 ½ cups all-purpose gold medal flour
Mix the sponge with the egg, honey, melted butter and add the salt, dash of cinnamon, nutmeg and
mace. Mix together the flour and baking powder. Add to the sponge mix and work until all flour is
blended. Turn onto floured surface and knead a few seconds until the dough handles well. The
dough should be soft and not sticky. Set to raise in a buttered bowl, cover and put in the refrigerator
to chill for 1 hour.
Turn out onto a lightly floured board and roll to ½ inch thick. Cut with a donut cutter. Save centers to
fry or re-roll for more donuts. Let set for 3 minutes while oil is heating to 375°F in an electric skillet
or to temperature on a candy thermometer. The cooking oil should be held at a constant
temperature and do not cook more than 4-5 donuts at a time. Have oil 4 inches deep. Place 4-5
donuts in oil at a time. Cook for 1 ½ minutes and turn with tongs. Cook another 1 ½ minutes or until
lightly browned. Drain on paper towels, let cool. Dust with powdered sugar or any other desired
topping or frosting.
Makes 13 donuts and holes.
Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies (from Pat's Sourdough Favorite Recipes )
Absolutely delicious, these are an all-time favorite. Makes about 70 small cookies. Recipe can be
cut in half for a smaller batch.
4 ½ cups flour all-purpose, unsifted
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup Crisco, softened (or replace with lard, butter, palm or coconut oil)
1 ½ cups sugar
1 ¼ cups brown sugar, packed
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup sourdough starter
4 eggs
1 ¾ cup walnuts, chopped
1 12-ounce packages chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 375°F
In a a large bowl, combine butter, Crisco, sugars and mix well. Add eggs and beat until all is
blended. Add vanilla and sourdough starter. Beat in flour, soda and salt and mix well. Fold in
walnuts and chocolate chips. Drop by tablespoons onto greased or lined cookie sheets. Bake 10
to 12 minutes (or longer if needed). Cool on a wire rack.
Sourdough Old Fashioned Cinnamon Buns (from Pat's Sourdough Favorite Recipes )
A classic that's made better with sourdough and is perfect for breakfast!
4 cups flour all-purpose
½ cup sugar
½ teaspoon salt
2 cups sourdough starter (take out a ½ cup of starter the night before and feed it 2 cups water and
2 cups flour and 1 tablespoon sugar. Let sit covered overnight).
1 cup milk
¼ cup butter
1 egg
½ cup firmly packed brown sugar
½ cup white sugar
½ cup finely chopped walnuts
½ cup raisins
2 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
2/3 cup softened butter
Sugar glaze- 1 cup confectioners sugar plus 4 teaspoons melted butter, and enough real dairy
cream to make a smooth paste (or cream cheese for extra rich cream). You may add rum or vanilla.
In a bowl, combine sugar, salt and sourdough starter. In a saucepan heat milk and ¼ cup butter
until warm (not hot). Add milk and butter mixture to starter. Now add the one egg and beat well. Stir
in the rest of the flour one cup at a time. Turn out onto a floured board and knead until smooth. Add
more flour if needed, a little at a time. Put into a well greased bowl and let rise until double in size.
Punch down and roll out into a square. Combine the sugars, spread the softened butter onto the
dough. Sprinkle the sugars evenly. Now dust with cinnamon, raisins and walnuts, roll and cut into
1 inch pieces. Put cut side down in a grease pan. Let rise again until double in size. Cook in a 375°
F oven for 30 minutes. Frost while still warm.
Cheddar Cheese Bread (from Cooking the Sourdough Way )
If your a cheese fan, this simple tangy cheese bread is not one to pass up!
Prepare a sponge by taking 1 ½ cups starter, with 1 ½ cups flour and 1 cup tepid water. Cover and
let sit out for 8-12 hours (overnight).
1 ½ cups sponge
1 cup milk
¼ cup sugar (less if desired)
1 tsp salt
3 tablespoons melted butter
1 egg
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
4 cups all purpose flour
Mix ingredients in order. Add the flour a little at a time. Once the ingredients are mixed, turn the
dough out onto a flat floured surface and knead it until soft. Form the loaf and place it in a greased
bread pan. Let the bread set in a warm place until double in bulk. Bake at 375°F for 30 minutes or
until golden brown. Test for completion by thumping the loaf with your finger and listen for a hollow
sound. When its done, remove the bread from the pan and let it cool.
Country Corn Bread (from Cooking the Sourdough Way )
Prepare a sponge by taking 1 ½ cups starter, with 1 ½ cups flour and 1 cup tepid water. Cover and
let sit out for 8-12 hours (overnight).
1 ½ cups sponge
1 ½ cups yellow cornmeal
1 cup milk
2 eggs
2 tablespoons sugar
½ cup melted butter
½ tsp salt
Stir the ingredients together and pour the batter into a greased bread pan. Bake at 450°F for 25
minutes or until golden brown. This bread is only complete when served hot with lots of butter!
German Christmas Bread (from Classic Sourdoughs )
Sweet yeast breads from Germany are known as 'stollens' throughout Europe. A sourdough sweet
Christmas bread may strike you as an oxymoron. Maybe it is, but try it and be surprised! You can
substitute a mixture of candied fruits for the citron. Top with a glaze of your choice.
2 cups cold liquid starter
4 ¾ cups white flour
½ cup water
¾ cup milk
½ cup butter, melted
2 tsp salt
½ cup raisens
½ cup currants
½ cup candied citron
grated zest of 1 lemon
½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp cloves
½ tsp cardamom
Mix the liquid culture with 1 cup of the flour and ¼ cup of the water in a large mixing bowl. Cover and
let sit 12 hours at room temperature.
Add 1 cup of the flour and the remaining ¼ cup water. Proof 4-8 hours. After proofing, this is your
fully active culture
Punch down. Mix together the milk, butter, salt, raisins, currants, citron, lemon zest and spices. Add
to the dough and mix well. Reserve 1 cup flour for flouring the board. Mix and spoon knead the
remaining 1 ¾ cups flour into the dough 1 cup at a time. When too stiff to mix by hand, transfer to
the floured board and knead in the remaining flour.
Form an oblong loaf, place on a baking sheet, and proof at the same temperature used above until
the dough is double in volume (3-4 hours).
Bake in a preheated oven at 375°F for 50-55 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. You may glaze the top of
the loaf with whatever you desire (orange glaze, sugar cream frosting, etc) while its still warm.
Myrtle's Sourdough Chocolate Cake (from The Complete Sourdough Cookbook )
½ cup starter
¼ cup non-fat dry milk
1 ½ cups flour
1 cup tepid water
½ cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
½ tsp salt
1 ½ tsp baking soda
2 eggs
3 squares melted chocolate
Mix the first half of the ingredients and let stand a couple hours until it smells a bit yeasty. Then
cream the shortening and sugar in a separate bowl. Add the vanilla, salt and baking soda to this
mix. Then add 2 eggs, one at a time and mix well. Add the 3 squares melted chocolate. Stir this
creamed mixture into the sourdough mix. Gently blend. Pour into a cake tin about 7x11 inch size.
Bake at 350°F for 35-40 minutes. Cool before slicing.
Sourdough Banana Bread (from The Complete Sourdough Cookbook )
1/3 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 cup mashed bananas (take old, ripe bananas and press with a fork)
1 cup sourdough starter
1 tsp vanilla or 1 tsp grated orange rind
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
¾ cup chopped walnuts
Cream together the shortening and sugar, add egg, and mix until blended. Stir in bananas and
sourdough starter. Add orange rind or vanilla. Sift flour, and add the salt, baking powder and baking
soda. Add flour mixture and walnuts to the wet mixture, stirring just until blended. Pour into a
greased or lined 9x5 inch loaf pan. Bake in moderate or 350°F oven for 1 hour or until toothpick
comes out clean. Cool before slicing.
sourdough recipe books.
Also check out our section dedicated to GLUTEN FREE recipes, baking tips and books.
To view the books these recipes were inspired from and other books we recommend, visit our
Sourdough Recommendations page.
 | Traditional San Francisco Sourdough Bread | |
| Whole Grain Sourdough | |
| No-Knead Whole Spelt Sourdough | |
| San Francisco Sourdough in Bread Machine | |
| Gluten-free Sourdough | |
| Sourdough Breadsticks | |
| Pizza Crust | |
| Authentic Sourdough Waffles | |
| Traditional Sourdough Pancakes | |
| Sourdough English Muffins | |
| Sourdough Bagels | |
| Polish Cottage Rye Sourdough | |
| Sourdough Apple Streusel Muffins | |
| Old-fashioned Donuts | |
| Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies | |
| Sourdough Old Fashioned Cinnamon Buns | |
| Cheddar Cheese Bread | |
| Country Corn Bread | |
| German Christmas Bread | |
| Myrtle's Sourdough Chocolate Cake | |
| Sourdough Banana Bread |
Simple Sourdough Recipe
This is our basic go-to recipe, that is great for starting out. It also includes a delicious waffle recipe!
album!
View and Print this recipe
Traditional San Francisco Sourdough Bread (your authentic basic recipe based off The
Bread Baker's Apprentice recipe)
Expanding the starter ingredients:
2/3 cup starter (4 oz)
1 cup (4.5 oz) unbleached high-gluten or bread flour
1/8 to ¼ cup water
Final dough ingredients:
4 ½ cups (20.25 oz) unbleached high-gluten or bread flour ( or you can sub in up to half of this with
a whole grain such as wheat or rye)
2 teaspoons salt (.5 oz)
1 ½ – 1 ¾ cups water (not hot!)
semolina flour or cornmeal for dusting if desired
1.Remove the barm (starter) from the refrigerator and measure it out about 1 hour before making
the starter expansion (to take off the chill). Keep it covered in a bowl.
2.Add the flour to the starter and mix together, adding only enough additional water so that you can
knead this into a small ball. You don't need to work this very long, just until all the flour is hydrated
and the starter is evenly distributed. Lightly oil a small bowl or mist the inside of a plastic bag with
cooking spray oil and place the starter in the bowl or bag, turning to coat it with oil. Cover the bowl
or seal the bag.
3.Ferment at room temperature for approx. 4 hours, or until the starter has at least doubled in size.
If it takes more time than 4 hours, give it additional time, checking every hour or so. Then, put it into
the refrigerator overnight, just as it is.
4.Remove the starter from the refrigerator 1 hour before making the dough. Cut it into about 10
small pieces with a pastry scraper or serrated knife. Mist with oil, cover with a towel or plastic wrap
and let sit for 1 hour to bring to room temperature.
5.To make the dough, stir together the flour and salt in a 4-quart or larger mixing bowl. Add the
starter pieces and enough water to bring everything together into a ball as you stir with a sturdy
spoon (or mix on low speed with the paddle attachment for those with a food
processor/KitchenAid).
6.Sprinkle the counter with flour, transfer the dough to the counter and knead by hand for 12 to 15
minutes (or mix with the dough hook for 4 minutes on medium-low speed, allow the dough to rest
for 5 to 10 minutes and then mix for 4 more minutes). Adjust the water and flour as needed. The
dough should be firm but tacky, like a stretchy play dough. It should pass a 'windowpane' test
(gently stretch the dough and see if you can get it thin enough to see through like looking through a
dark thick balloon, without it breaking – this means it isn't too dry and the kneading has broken
down the proteins and made them stretchy). Lightly oil a large bowl and transfer the dough to the
bowl, rolling it around to coat it with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap.
7.Ferment at room temperature for 3-4 hours, or until the dough has nearly doubled in size. You
can also test by gently push your finger into the dough about ½ and inch. If the hole disappears
within a minute, its not quite ready, if the indent remains, it is done proofing.
8.Gently remove the dough from the bowl and divide it into 2 equal pieces (or smaller if you want
rolls) being gentle to deflate the dough as little as possible. Gently shape the dough into whatever
shape you desire. This is done first by 'rounding' to make the outer skin of the dough tighter first.
This helps it rise better. To do this you pull the edges that were just cut underneath, making a
round ball. Pinch the bottom together. Then put the rounded dough on a clean, flour dusted counter
top (or cutting board) and push the dough from alternate sides with your palms so that it spins
round and round on the counter while giving it a slight downwards tucking push as well, as if you
were trying to tuck more of the sides underneath the ball. You will see the skin tightening as you do
this. Take this tightened ball and coax it gently into a longer shape if desired, or leave it round as is.
9.Proof the dough on a parchment-lined sheet paper that has been dusted with semolina flour or
cornmeal (rough flour helps to keep it from sticking -fine flour is absorbed and less effective). You
can also put in in a banneton, couches or proofing bowl. You can also put it parchment lined or
semolina dusted (or non-stick) basic bread loaf tins! There are many beautiful bowls for shaping
and baking bread that improve the shape and final outcome of your bread that you can purchase.
The La Cloche is a favorite among home bread bakers. Regardless of the method, mist the
exposed part of the dough with oil and loosely cover the dough with a towel or plastic wrap or slip it
into a food-grade plastic bag. At this point you can either proof the loaves for 2-3 more hours or
retard overnight in the refrigerator. If retarding, remove them from the refrigerator approx. 4 hours
before you plan to bake them. Retarding develops more complex and sour flavors – it simply
means to put it in the refrigerator for a specified time.
10.Prepare the over for baking, by setting a pan or oven safe bowl (ie Pyrex) with ridges on the
bottom rack and preheating to 500°F. This pan is for steaming purposes which is a great way of
simulating the results of a professional baking oven in your own home (thick, golden, artisan-
crunchy crust, which we highly recommend!!) Carefully remove the towel or plastic wrap from the
dough or slip the pan/bowl from the bag, 10 minutes before baking.
11.Generously dust the back of a sheet pan with semolina or cornmeal and gently transfer the
dough to the pan. If the dough was prepared on a sheet pan, it can be baked directly on that pan.
Score the dough if desired (this is an art that takes awhile to get used to, and isn't necessary).
Slide the dough onto a baking stone, or bake directly on the sheet pan. Pour 1 cup hot water into
the pan and close the door. After 30 seconds, spray the oven walls with water and close the door.
Repeat twice more at 30 second intervals. After the final spray, lower the oven setting to 450° and
bake for 10 minutes. Rotate the loaves if necessary for even baking and continue to bake another
10-20 minutes. Or until the loaves are done. They should register 205°F in the center (with a meat
or baking probe) and be a rich golden brown all over. They should sound hollow when thumped on
the bottom with your fingers.
12.Transfer the finished loaves to a rack and cool for at least 45 minutes before slicing or serving.
This is the basic sourdough recipe from Peter Reinhart. We encourage you to check out his other
amazing recipes and tips within this book and others, especially if you are still new to baking!
There are endless delicious variations, techniques and ideas!
Whole Grain Sourdough (a simple, delicious and famous bread from historian Steven
Kaplan's Good Bread is Back )
Start the recipe in the evening. You can implement some of the techniques (such as rounding,
dusting and steaming from the previous recipe).
Evening of Day 1: Mix together:
200 grams (7 oz. or 7/8 cup) water
120g (4 oz. or 1/2 cup) sourdough starter
236 grams (8 1/3 oz or 2 cups) whole wheat flour
Ferment (let sit out at room temperature covered loosely with plastic) at 69°F (approx) for 12 hours.
Morning of Day 2: Add to Day 1 ingredients:
274 grams (9 2/3 oz. or ~1 1/4 cup) water
85 grams (3 oz. or 7/8 cup) rye flour
250 grams (8 3/4 oz or 2 cups) white bread flour
170 grams (6 oz. or a tad over 1 3/4 cups) spelt flour
13 grams (scant tbs.) salt
Knead 8-12 minutes, place in a dusted plastic covered bowl and refrigerate for 24 hours.
Morning of Day 3: Form a boule (round loaf) on a parchment covered cookie sheet and ferment (let
sit out on counter) 5 hours at 69F. Refer to the first recipe for baking tips and techniques!
Bake at 485F for 40-45 minutes.
Notes: The recipe was created using grams for measurement. For those without a kitchen scale I
have translated to ounces and cups. Some of the measurements don’t translate all that nicely, but
what I have here is close enough.
No-Knead Whole Spelt Sourdough (from Eric and Denyse, who are mentioned in the Lisa
Rayner's Wild Bread )
This is one of our favorites. Spelt is an ancient wheat grain that many people with wheat allergies
or sensitivities can tolerate well. This grain is sometimes preferred to wheat because its less bitter
and has a great flavor! It also gives beautiful open crumb (large holed-bread)!)
The Ingredients:
1/4 cup sourdough starter
530 grams (about 5 cups well fluffed up) whole spelt flour
350 grams (~1+1/2 cups) water
10 grams (1+1/2 tsp) salt
3 Tbs honey or sugar or 2 Tbs agave
Start in the evening the day before baking:
1.Add water to mixing bowl, mix in the sweetener.
2.Mix in the starter until relatively dissolved
3.Mix in the flour (all 5 cups) for a minute or two until combined
4.Cover and let sit an hour, then come back and do 1 stretch and fold. To do this, you take the
dough in your hands stretch it out, fold it over and pull from another direction and fold. If its sticky,
give it a generous dusting of flour. You will want to do 2-3 more of these at 15 minute intervals,
allowing the dough to rest and remain covered in between.
5.After the last stretch and fold, allow the dough to sit out overnight, covered. You can also do this
recipe in the morning and put it directly in the fridge at this step, and take out before bed and let
rise overnight, covered.
6.The next morning, dust it, draw the dough together and pinch lightly underneath to form a nice
ball (and round it according to the procedure given in the first recipe). Allow to rise on your final
dusted baking sheet (lined with parchment) or whatever baking bowl or tin you will be using. Allow
to proof/rise for about 1 to 1 ½ hours, while pre-heating the oven.
7.Bake at 450° for 45 minutes or until internal temp is 195-200°. You can bake in a covered baking
dish (like a dutch oven, clay baker or La Cloche or open on a parchment lined-cookie sheet. You
can also put it in basic bread loaf tins!
San Francisco Sourdough in Bread Machine (from Classic Sourdoughs )
Because of the fermentation process (12-14 hours) of sourdough and the lower temperature, it is
best to use your bread machine only for the mixing. Most bread machines have a rise function of
90-100°, which will kill the lactobacilli in your culture.
½ cup cold sponge culture
4 cups white flour
1 ¼ cup water
1 tsp salt
1.Place the sponge (expanded starter) in the machine pan with 1 cup of the flour and ½ cup of the
water. Machine mix and knead 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the machine, cover lightly with
plastic wrap, and proof 12 hours at room temperature (68-72°) or 6 hours in a proofing box at 85°.
2.Return the pan to the machine and add 1 cup of the flour and ½ cup of the water. Mix 10 minutes.
Remove the pan from the machine and proof 8 hours at room temperature or 4 hours in the
proofing box.
3.Return the pan to the machine. Dissolve the salt in the remaining ¼ cup water and add to the pan
along with the remaining 2 cups flour mixture. Mix and knead 15-20 minutes.
4.Remove the pan from the machine and proof at the same temperature until the dough rises
about ½ inch above the pan top (2 to 3 hours at room temperature; 1 ½ to 2 hours in the proofing
box).
5.If your machine has a bake only cycle, return the pan to the machine and program the cycle to
bake at 375° for 50 to 60 minutes. If not, move the pan to your preheated oven at 375° and bake for
45 minutes. You can brush a lightly beaten egg white with 1 tablespoon water on the loaf for a
more crunchy and golden crust. If you are baking in the oven, you can place a shallow pan of water
(1-2 inches) on the bottom shelf of your oven (put in and preheat oven) to create steam which
makes the crust nice and crunchy. Remove the loaf from the pan and cool on a wire rack.
Gluten-free Sourdough
Also check out our section dedicated to GLUTEN FREE recipes, baking tips and books!
Although it won't look or taste exactly like your standard bread, when you need to be gluten-free this
is as good as it gets! You will first need to purchase a gluten-free bread flour or make your own.
There are many wonderful gluten-free bread mixes to purchase in your local specialty store or on
Amazon, which can be used for this recipe, including:
- Pamela's Wheat-Free Amazing Bread Mix
- The Gluten-Free Pantry Favorite Sandwich Bread Mix
- Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free Homemade Wonderful Bread Mix
- Kinnikinnick Foods Gluten-Free Bread & Bun Mix
Or to make your own flour, simply combine these ingredients:
Flour recipe:
3 cups garbanzo/fava bean flour (see notes)
2 cups potato starch or 2 cups cornstarch
1 cup tapioca flour
1 cup sorghum flour
OR you may try this combination (it is supposed to be slightly tastier, but more complicated):
2 cups fava/garbanzo bean flour
1 cup sorghum flour
2 ¼ cups tapioca flour
2 ¼ cups arrowroot flour (starch)
1 cup rice flour
1 tablespoon potato starch
2 tablespoons potato flour
2 tablespoons xanthan gum
2 packages gelatin (unflavored)
¼ cup sugar
1 ½ teaspoon salt
Bread recipe:
This recipe has been converted from grams. As with most bread recipes, the amounts are
approximate, go ahead and adjust your dough if its too wet or too dry! This recipe was formed
using gluten-free flour from a UK company, 'Doves Farm'.
300g prepared starter (about 1 1/4 cups)
500g gluten free bread flour (about 4 cups) (from any of the above store or home-made versions)
300ml warm water (about 1 1/4 cups)
Mix until you have a workable dough - not too wet or sticky - add flour or water a tiny bit at a time to
get the right consistency if necessary. Knead for about 10-15 minutes. Then cover with plastic wrap
or heavy cloth and leave for until doubled (usually around 4 hours, you may retard the dough by
letting it rise in your fridge for 12-24 hours for a more sour flavor and slower rise. The original
recipe for this calls for a 12 hour room temp rise, which you can experiment with too (but it may
produce an over-fermented bread with poor oven spring and a pale crust).
Pre-heat oven to 200°C/400°F. Punch down down and knead briefly, then shape it into a torpedo-
shape log. Place on a greased or parchment paper lined baking sheet. Cover again to let rest and
rise another half hour. Bake for 30-35 minutes until golden and produces a hollow sound when
tapping the bottom. Spray first 5 minutes for a crisper crust.
Let cool on a wire rack, and store in a sealed bag for a softer bread or a paper bag for a crunchier
one! Wrapping in towels is the best of both worlds, keeping the crust mostly dry and the inner
bread from drying out as quickly as a paper bag.
Sourdough Breadsticks (from Classic Sourdoughs )
These can be long and thin for a crisp bread stick or thick and short for a more chewy one!
2 cups starter
4 ¾ cups flour
1 ¼ cups water
1 ½ tsp salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon butter, melted
Glaze
2 eggs, beaten
poppyseeds, sesame seeds, coarse salt, or parmesan
Mix the starter with 1 cup of the flour and ¼ cup of the water in a large mixing bowl. This is the
working culture. Proof this 8-12 hours at room temperature (68-72°F).
Add 1 cup of the flour and ½ cup of the water. Mix and knead until smooth. Proof 6-8 hours at room
temperature.
Punch down. Mix together the remaining ½ cup water, salt,sugar, and butter. Add to the dough and
mix well. Reserve 1 cup of the flour for flouring the board. Mix and spoon knead the remaining 1 ¾
cups into the dough 1 cup at a time. When too stiff to work by hand, transfer to the floured board
and knead in the remaining flour.
Divide the dough into about 20 small balls. Roll each ball into a rope ¼ - ½ inch in diameter.
Arrange the ropes 1 inch apart on a baking sheet. Proof at room temperature until they start to rise
or 30-45 minutes.
Glaze the bread sticks by brushing on the beaten eggs and then sprinkle with the seeds or cheese.
Bake in a preheated oven at 375°F for 15-20 minutes or until uniformly brown. Transfer to wire
racks to cool.
Pizza Crust (from Classic Sourdoughs )
It's not the topping that gives sourdough pizza an Old World flavor. It's the crust. The choice of
topping is yours, but don't try this recipe unless you are prepared to become addicted!
2 cups cold liquid starter
4 ¾ cups white flour
1 cup water
1 ½ tsp salt
2 tablespoon vegetable oil
cornmeal or semolina
Mix the starter with 1 cup of the flour and ¼ cup of the water in a large bowl and cover for 12 hours
at room temperature (or overnight).
Add 1 cup of the flour and ¼ cup of the water. Mix and knead until smooth. Proof another 6-8 hours
at room temperature, covered.
Punch down. Mix together the remaining ½ cup water, the salt and the oil. Add to the dough and mix
well. Reserve 1 cup of the flour for flouring the board. Mix and spoon knead the remaining 1 ¾ cups
flour into the dough 1 cup at a time. When too stiff to mix by hand, transfer to the floured board and
knead in any remaining flour.
Divide the dough into 4 equal portions and form each into a ball. Roll out each ball into a 12-13
inch round about 1/8 inch thick. Gently fold each round in half and transfer to a bakers peel or
rimless baking sheet sprinkled with cornmeal or semolina. Or simply put them on a pizza pan.
Unfold the rounds and pinch a rim about ½ inch high along the edge of each round. Proof 1 ½
hours at room temperature.
Preheat a baking stone and an oven to 475°F. If you don't have a baking stone a pizza pan will work
fine- and doesn't need to be preheated.
Add toppings of choice to the dough rounds and transfer them (if needed) to the hot baking stone.
Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the edges of the crusts are brown. Remove from the oven (if on the
stone, remove by using the baker's peel or baking sheet).
Authentic Sourdough Waffles (based off the recipes in Alaska Sourdough )
This recipe also works equally well for pancakes (we like to make double the amount and use half
as waffles, half as pancakes, freezing the extras to stick in the toaster another morning!)
Heat the the butter in a pan until its melted and then add the cold milk to cool.
1/2 cup (4 oz or 115 g) butter
1 cup (8 oz or 225 g) milk
Add the milk-butter mixture to:
1 cup (9 oz or 255g) starter
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp (packed) brown sugar
1 1/2 cups (6 oz or 170 g) all purpose flour
Mix these together to form a thick batter, cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let stand at
room temperature for 8-14 hours. If you do this before going to bed, you’ll have the batter ready for
breakfast the next day.
Preheat your waffle iron for 10-15 minutes.
Uncover the batter and whisk in 2 large eggs and 1/4 tsp baking soda. Pour 1/2 to 3/4 cups of
batter on the hot waffle iron and close the lid. Let cook for 3-5 minutes until golden brown and crisp.
Traditional Sourdough Pancakes (based off the recipes in Alaska Sourdough )
3 large eggs
1 cup milk
2 cups Sourdough Starter
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup butter melted
Beat eggs in a medium bowl. Add milk and sourdough starter. Sift together flour, baking soda,
baking powder, salt, and sugar; add to the egg mixture, mixing well. Stir in melted butter. Lightly
grease a hot griddle. Drop the batter by 1/4 cup onto the griddle and cook until light brown, turning
once. Serve hot and drizzle with some pure maple syrup and butter!
Sourdough English Muffins (from Bake Your Own Bread & Be Healthier )
The Night Before:
1 cup starter
2 tablespoons honey
2 cups milk (whole is best)
4 cups unbleached white flour
Mix starter, honey and milk in mixing bowl until smooth. Add 4 cups flour, 2 cups at a time, and mix
in. There's no need for gluten development now, so do not whip or knead, just get all the flour
thoroughly wet. Cover with clean towel and leave at room temperature in a draft free place overnight.
The Next Morning:
1 scant teaspoon baking soda
1-2 cups unbleached white flour
2 tsp salt
Cornmeal for sprinkling.
Stir down mixture (it will have risen considerably). If it has risen too high and fallen, no problem,
just stir down the rest of the way. Sprinkle a scant teaspoon baking soda and 2 teaspoons sea salt
over the surface of the dough and work in.
Flour your board with 1 cup flour or more (up to 2 cups), until dough is medium stiff - enough to roll
out. Once you have enough flour in (I go by feel-never too dry and always moist) and the dough no
longer sticks to your hands, give it a 5 minute kneading.
Get 2 baking sheets or jelly roll pans and line with waxed or parchment paper-sprinkle corn meal
over both.
Flour board again and lightly roll dough to about 1/2-inch thick. Take a 3 inch round cutter (a bit
larger diameter, different shapes are fine too) and cut as many rounds as you can-rolling the left
over dough out and cutting more until the dough is all used up. Try to keep them very uniform in
thickness and diameter.
As you cut each round, place on corn-mealed wax or parchment paper-don't allow raw muffins to
touch--they will stick. When all rounds are cut, sprinkle corn meal over tops of muffins.
Allow to rise in warm place, covered, for about an hour or until risen again. Don't get impatient, let
them rise so you have nice big holes and texture to your muffins!
Now Comes The FUN Part! Preheat a griddle with a TINY bit of butter, until butter sizzles. Use a low
flame or heat setting so the inside of the muffin bakes and outside does not burn. Pan bake one
side for about 4 minutes and turn. Pan bake other side for about 4 minutes. Turn only once so be
sure the one side is cooked before turning. While you can skip the butter if you have a non-stick
skillet, they won't taste as good without it! They look like store bought, and taste supreme!
Sourdough Bagels (from Classic Sourdoughs )
No sourdough baking is complete without trying these! They are easier than you think!
2 cups stiff starter (whole wheat or all white)*
4.5-7 cups white all-purpose or bread flour
½ cup water
½ cup milk
1 tsp salt
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons vegetable oil (sunflower, canola, safflower, olive)
2 eggs, beaten
For Cooking Water: 4 quarts water (1 gallon), and 2 tablespoons sugar, dissolved (step 4).
1.Mix the 2 cups starter with 1 cup of the flour an ¼ cup of the water in a large mixing bowl. This is
the working culture, and should be quite stiff. Proof 12 hours at room temperature.
2.Add another 1 cup of flour and ¼ cup water. Mix and knead until smooth. Proof 8 hours at room
temperature. After proofing, this is the fully active culture.
3.Punch down. Mix together the milk, salt, 2 tablespoons of the sugar, the oil and the eggs. Add to
the active culture and mix well. Stir in 1 cup flour. Now with your hands, mix and spoon knead the
remaining flour into the dough 1 cup at a time , until you feel that it is soft, but not sticky. If it's not
holding together well and very stiff, it has too much flour (add water, a tbs at a time until it returns to
a more pliable dough). When too stiff to work by hand, transfer to the floured board and knead in
the remaining flour.
(*If you used an all white starter, you may need all 7 cups to reach the right consistency. If you used
a whole wheat starter, 4.5-5 cups should be about what you need.)
4.Divide the dough into 15 equal balls. Roll each ball into a 6-inch-long rope. Pinch the ends of
each together to form a donut shape. Or roll into a ball, press to flatten slightly, poke a hole in the
middle than twirl it around your finger, gently pinching to round the shape out. Place them on a
heavily floured, or silicone pad (you're going to need to gently pry them off later, without deflating
them). Proof, covered 2 hours at 75-85 degrees F or 12-24 hours in fridge.
5.Bring the 4 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot and add the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar to
the water. Drop the bagels, two at a time, into the boiling water. When they rise to the surface, or at
bout 45 seconds, turn them, boil another 45 seconds, then using tongs or preferably a slotted
spoon, transfer them to paper towels to drain briefly, then place on a baking sheet.
6.Bake in a preheated oven at 375°F for 20 to 25 minutes, or until slightly golden. Transfer the
bagels to a wire rack to cool. Bag them to help them retain moisture or they will dry out.
Polish Cottage Rye Sourdough (from Local Breads )
This is the darkest, most rustic of polish ryes and stands up to strong flavors like stews, sausages
and vodkas. It has a wonderful old-fashioned flavor that's impossible to find in the United States.
Because this bread is made with a large quantity of sourdough, it will stay fresh for at least 5 days
and its rye flavor will be more pronounced.
Step 1 – the sponge
3 tbs starter
¾ cup tepid water
1 cup white rye flour
Make the rye sourdough sponge: take 3 tbs active starter, ¾ cup tepid water, and 1 cup white rye
flour. Stir until it makes a smooth thick paste. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let stand for 8-
12 hours.
Step 2 - the dough
2 cups approx. of the sponge
1 ½ cups tepid water
3 ¼ cups unbleached bread flour, preferably high-gluten
1 ½ tsp sea salt
Stir the sponge to break it up and soften it, add the flour, water and salt and stir just until a rough,
ragged dough forms.
Knead the dough by hand for 15-18 minutes until the dough becomes smooth and springy (or put it
in a mixer with a dough hook on medium speed for 12-13 minutes, stopping once or twice to
scrape down the hook and sides – the dough will be sticky and not clear the sides of the bowl on
its own).
Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled, clear 2-quart container with a lid. With masking tape, mark the
spot on the container that the dough will reach when it rises one and a half times in volume. Cover
and leave it to rise and room temperature until it reaches this mark (2 – 2 ½ hours approximately).
It will feel spongy and less sticky at this point.
Shape by heavily dusting a bowl, banneton or towel-lined colander with rye flour. Lightly dust the
counter with rye flour. Scrape the dough out of the container and onto the counter and shape it into
a round (using the 'rounding' procedure described in the 'Baking Tips' section). Place the round,
smooth side down into the new container and cover with plastic wrap.
Proof the round: leave to rise at room temperature (70 to 75°) until it doubles in size (1 ½ to 2 hours
approximately). It will look airy and soft.
About 1 hour before baking, place a baking store if you have one, on the middle rack of the oven
and a cast iron skillet or baking pan on the lower rack. Heat oven to 450°.
Bake: lightly flour a baker's peel or rimless baking sheet with rye flour. Uncover the loaf and tip it
out onto the peel or cookie sheet, guiding it to the center with one hand. Slide the round onto the
baking stone (or, if you don't have one, keep it on the cookie sheet). Place ¾ cup of ice cubes in the
skillet/baking pan on the lower rack to produce steam. Bake until the round is dark reddish brown,
40 to 50 minutes.
Cool on a wire rack completely for about 2 hours before slicing. This bread can be stored in a
paper bag for approximately 5 days or freeze in a plastic bag for 1 month.
Sourdough Apple Streusel Muffins (from Pat's Sourdough Favorite Recipes )
“These muffins have a crumb topping that makes them resemble miniature coffee cakes. Been a
favorite in our family for years.”
Batter:
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon allspice
½ teaspoon salt
2 eggs
½ cup sourdough starter
1 cup sour cream
¼ cup melted butter
1 cup diced unpeeled apples (tart)
Topping:
½ cup chopped walnuts
¼ cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons butter at room temperature
½ teaspoon salt
Mix flour, baking powder, sugar, soda, cinnamon, allspice, soda and salt together in a bowl until
well blended. Mix eggs and sour cream, sourdough starter and melted butter. Beat until well
blended. Stir diced apples. Pour egg mixture over flour mixture and blend until dry ingredients are
moist. Spoon into greased muffin tins. Top with cinnamon topping. Bake 375°F for 20 minutes.
Topping: Mix all topping ingredients with fork until mixture resembles coarse meal
Old-fashioned Donuts (from Pat's Sourdough Favorite Recipes )
These are easy to make and very delicate.
Prepare a sponge the night before by mixing 2 cups tepid water with 2 cups flour and 1 cup
sourdough starter in a medium bowl. Cover and let sit over night.
1 ½ cups starter sponge
1 egg, well beaten
1 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons melted butter
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
dash of cinnamon (a shake or two)
dash of mace (may be omitted)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 ½ cups all-purpose gold medal flour
Mix the sponge with the egg, honey, melted butter and add the salt, dash of cinnamon, nutmeg and
mace. Mix together the flour and baking powder. Add to the sponge mix and work until all flour is
blended. Turn onto floured surface and knead a few seconds until the dough handles well. The
dough should be soft and not sticky. Set to raise in a buttered bowl, cover and put in the refrigerator
to chill for 1 hour.
Turn out onto a lightly floured board and roll to ½ inch thick. Cut with a donut cutter. Save centers to
fry or re-roll for more donuts. Let set for 3 minutes while oil is heating to 375°F in an electric skillet
or to temperature on a candy thermometer. The cooking oil should be held at a constant
temperature and do not cook more than 4-5 donuts at a time. Have oil 4 inches deep. Place 4-5
donuts in oil at a time. Cook for 1 ½ minutes and turn with tongs. Cook another 1 ½ minutes or until
lightly browned. Drain on paper towels, let cool. Dust with powdered sugar or any other desired
topping or frosting.
Makes 13 donuts and holes.
Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies (from Pat's Sourdough Favorite Recipes )
Absolutely delicious, these are an all-time favorite. Makes about 70 small cookies. Recipe can be
cut in half for a smaller batch.
4 ½ cups flour all-purpose, unsifted
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup Crisco, softened (or replace with lard, butter, palm or coconut oil)
1 ½ cups sugar
1 ¼ cups brown sugar, packed
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup sourdough starter
4 eggs
1 ¾ cup walnuts, chopped
1 12-ounce packages chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 375°F
In a a large bowl, combine butter, Crisco, sugars and mix well. Add eggs and beat until all is
blended. Add vanilla and sourdough starter. Beat in flour, soda and salt and mix well. Fold in
walnuts and chocolate chips. Drop by tablespoons onto greased or lined cookie sheets. Bake 10
to 12 minutes (or longer if needed). Cool on a wire rack.
Sourdough Old Fashioned Cinnamon Buns (from Pat's Sourdough Favorite Recipes )
A classic that's made better with sourdough and is perfect for breakfast!
4 cups flour all-purpose
½ cup sugar
½ teaspoon salt
2 cups sourdough starter (take out a ½ cup of starter the night before and feed it 2 cups water and
2 cups flour and 1 tablespoon sugar. Let sit covered overnight).
1 cup milk
¼ cup butter
1 egg
½ cup firmly packed brown sugar
½ cup white sugar
½ cup finely chopped walnuts
½ cup raisins
2 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
2/3 cup softened butter
Sugar glaze- 1 cup confectioners sugar plus 4 teaspoons melted butter, and enough real dairy
cream to make a smooth paste (or cream cheese for extra rich cream). You may add rum or vanilla.
In a bowl, combine sugar, salt and sourdough starter. In a saucepan heat milk and ¼ cup butter
until warm (not hot). Add milk and butter mixture to starter. Now add the one egg and beat well. Stir
in the rest of the flour one cup at a time. Turn out onto a floured board and knead until smooth. Add
more flour if needed, a little at a time. Put into a well greased bowl and let rise until double in size.
Punch down and roll out into a square. Combine the sugars, spread the softened butter onto the
dough. Sprinkle the sugars evenly. Now dust with cinnamon, raisins and walnuts, roll and cut into
1 inch pieces. Put cut side down in a grease pan. Let rise again until double in size. Cook in a 375°
F oven for 30 minutes. Frost while still warm.
Cheddar Cheese Bread (from Cooking the Sourdough Way )
If your a cheese fan, this simple tangy cheese bread is not one to pass up!
Prepare a sponge by taking 1 ½ cups starter, with 1 ½ cups flour and 1 cup tepid water. Cover and
let sit out for 8-12 hours (overnight).
1 ½ cups sponge
1 cup milk
¼ cup sugar (less if desired)
1 tsp salt
3 tablespoons melted butter
1 egg
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
4 cups all purpose flour
Mix ingredients in order. Add the flour a little at a time. Once the ingredients are mixed, turn the
dough out onto a flat floured surface and knead it until soft. Form the loaf and place it in a greased
bread pan. Let the bread set in a warm place until double in bulk. Bake at 375°F for 30 minutes or
until golden brown. Test for completion by thumping the loaf with your finger and listen for a hollow
sound. When its done, remove the bread from the pan and let it cool.
Country Corn Bread (from Cooking the Sourdough Way )
Prepare a sponge by taking 1 ½ cups starter, with 1 ½ cups flour and 1 cup tepid water. Cover and
let sit out for 8-12 hours (overnight).
1 ½ cups sponge
1 ½ cups yellow cornmeal
1 cup milk
2 eggs
2 tablespoons sugar
½ cup melted butter
½ tsp salt
Stir the ingredients together and pour the batter into a greased bread pan. Bake at 450°F for 25
minutes or until golden brown. This bread is only complete when served hot with lots of butter!
German Christmas Bread (from Classic Sourdoughs )
Sweet yeast breads from Germany are known as 'stollens' throughout Europe. A sourdough sweet
Christmas bread may strike you as an oxymoron. Maybe it is, but try it and be surprised! You can
substitute a mixture of candied fruits for the citron. Top with a glaze of your choice.
2 cups cold liquid starter
4 ¾ cups white flour
½ cup water
¾ cup milk
½ cup butter, melted
2 tsp salt
½ cup raisens
½ cup currants
½ cup candied citron
grated zest of 1 lemon
½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp cloves
½ tsp cardamom
Mix the liquid culture with 1 cup of the flour and ¼ cup of the water in a large mixing bowl. Cover and
let sit 12 hours at room temperature.
Add 1 cup of the flour and the remaining ¼ cup water. Proof 4-8 hours. After proofing, this is your
fully active culture
Punch down. Mix together the milk, butter, salt, raisins, currants, citron, lemon zest and spices. Add
to the dough and mix well. Reserve 1 cup flour for flouring the board. Mix and spoon knead the
remaining 1 ¾ cups flour into the dough 1 cup at a time. When too stiff to mix by hand, transfer to
the floured board and knead in the remaining flour.
Form an oblong loaf, place on a baking sheet, and proof at the same temperature used above until
the dough is double in volume (3-4 hours).
Bake in a preheated oven at 375°F for 50-55 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. You may glaze the top of
the loaf with whatever you desire (orange glaze, sugar cream frosting, etc) while its still warm.
Myrtle's Sourdough Chocolate Cake (from The Complete Sourdough Cookbook )
½ cup starter
¼ cup non-fat dry milk
1 ½ cups flour
1 cup tepid water
½ cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
½ tsp salt
1 ½ tsp baking soda
2 eggs
3 squares melted chocolate
Mix the first half of the ingredients and let stand a couple hours until it smells a bit yeasty. Then
cream the shortening and sugar in a separate bowl. Add the vanilla, salt and baking soda to this
mix. Then add 2 eggs, one at a time and mix well. Add the 3 squares melted chocolate. Stir this
creamed mixture into the sourdough mix. Gently blend. Pour into a cake tin about 7x11 inch size.
Bake at 350°F for 35-40 minutes. Cool before slicing.
Sourdough Banana Bread (from The Complete Sourdough Cookbook )
1/3 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 cup mashed bananas (take old, ripe bananas and press with a fork)
1 cup sourdough starter
1 tsp vanilla or 1 tsp grated orange rind
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
¾ cup chopped walnuts
Cream together the shortening and sugar, add egg, and mix until blended. Stir in bananas and
sourdough starter. Add orange rind or vanilla. Sift flour, and add the salt, baking powder and baking
soda. Add flour mixture and walnuts to the wet mixture, stirring just until blended. Pour into a
greased or lined 9x5 inch loaf pan. Bake in moderate or 350°F oven for 1 hour or until toothpick
comes out clean. Cool before slicing.
Copyright © 2010 Yemoos Nourishing Cultures. All rights reserved.
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Genuine Sourdough Starters
Sourdough Supplies
Learn About Sourdough
Overview
What is Sourdough?
Commercial vs Home
Our Starter
Fun Facts
Dictionary
Mini Pic Guide
Preparing for Baking
Feeding/Vacation/Storage
Starter Troubleshooting
Baking Troubleshooting
Varieties of the World
Recipes
Baking Conversion Chart
Media
Picture Guides
Videos
Weekly Interactive Q&A Sessions
Recommended Books & Products
Worldwide Culturing Community