Sourdough Discard Star Bread (With Your Favorite Filling)
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This Sourdough Discard Star Bread is as stunning as it is delicious. Soft, buttery layers of tender dough are stacked with a classic cinnamon-sugar filling—or any of your favorite variations (I’ve included plenty of ideas in the Notes!)—then twisted into a gorgeous, pull-apart star that practically begs to be placed in the center of your holiday table.
Based off of my 100% Sourdough Star Bread recipe, this dough comes together quickly and is ready to bake in just 2 hours. It’s the perfect Christmas morning bake, a festive addition to holiday brunch, or a truly memorable homemade gift for neighbors and friends.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe:
Gorgeous Christmas Star Bread
This stunning bread looks right at home on your Christmas table and tastes even better warm. It’s soft and buttery, with four layers of dough that bake up tender and pull apart easily. I love serving it during the holiday season, especially on Christmas morning, or really any cozy weekend when homemade bread sounds like a great idea. It takes just 2 hours from mixing to baking, definitely a quick sourdough recipe.
Uses Sourdough Discard in a Really Fun Way
I love sourdough discard recipes because you still get that familiar sourdough flavor without waiting on an overnight dough rise, although it won’t taste quite like long-fermented sourdough star bread. If you enjoy baking things like sourdough discard cinnamon rolls or sourdough discard sandwich bread, this sourdough star bread fits right in. So, stop tossing the discard after feeding your bubbly starter. I bake true sourdough bread from time to time along with other bakes, so I always have some active starter that needs to be fed.
Pick Your Favorite Sweet or Savory Filling
Keep it classic with cinnamon and sugar, or try Nutella, jam, cranberry orange, or apple/pumpkin butter. For a savory star bread, pesto with mozzarella, garlic and herb butter, or marinara with mozzarella are great options. The first three layers of dough get the filling, and the top layer stays plain to complete the star shape.
Ingredients & Substitutions
* To find precise measurements, scroll to the bottom of this post to find the recipe card*
- Flour – I used all -purpose flour for a soft, tender bread dough. You can swap in bread flour if you like a chewier, more springy texture, but use a little less. Bread flour has more protein, so it soaks up more liquid and makes the dough tougher if you don’t adjust.
- Milk – I used whole milk, but this can be substituted with your favorite non-dairy options as well.
- Sourdough Discard – I use fresh, room-temperature sourdough discard that’s no more than 1–2 days old. If using discard straight from the fridge, it’ll slow down the rise time. By the way, you can swap in the same amount of active starter or unfed starter. The starter is mostly for flavor since the instant yeast does the heavy lifting for the rise.
- Instant yeast – I used instant yeast for this recipe, not active dry yeast. Active dry yeast needs to be dissolved in liquid to activate and takes longer to rise dough. Instant yeast, in contrast, can be added directly to dry ingredients, and it works much faster.
- Egg – Used inside the dough for structure and tenderness. One whole egg is mixed with the wet ingredients.
- Sugar – This is the granulated sugar that goes into the dough itself (not the cinnamon sugar).
- Butter – Softened butter is kneaded into the dough to create a soft, enriched texture.
- Salt – Needed to balance the sweetness and strengthen the gluten structure.
- Vanilla Extract – Adds a light flavor to the dough. Mixed in with the wet ingredients.
- Filling – Go classic with cinnamon sugar, or try Nutella, jam, cranberry orange, apple or pumpkin butter, pesto with mozzarella, garlic and herb butter, or marinara with mozzarella. Spread on just the first 3 layers, leaving the top layer plain to finish the star shape.
- Egg (for egg wash) – Whisked with milk and brushed on right before baking to help the star brown.
- Milk (for egg wash) – Just a little mixed with the egg to thin it for brushing.
- Confectioners’ sugar (optional) – Lightly dusted right after baking, while warm.
Filling Options
- Cinnamon & Sugar – Refer to the recipe card below.
- Nutella – Spread 1 Tablespoon (are a touch more!) on each of the 3 layers. For easy spreading, pop the Nutella in the microwave for a few seconds.
- Jam – Spread 1 Tablespoon of your favorite jam or jelly on each of the 3 layers. Raspberry is my favorite!
- Cranberry Orange – I spread about 1/4 cup of my homemade cranberry orange sauce on each of the 3 layers.
- Apple / Pumpkin Butter – Spread 1 Tablespoon of your favorite jam or jelly on each of the 3 layers.
- If you are making a savory version – Reduce the sugar to 25 grams (2 Tablespoons) and eliminate the vanilla extract from the dough.
- Pesto & Mozzarella – Spread 1 Tablespoon of pesto and top that with 1 – 1 1/4 cups of shredded mozzarella on each of the 3 layers.
- Garlic & Herb Butter – Mix 113 grams (8 Tablespoons) of room temperature unsalted butter, with a head of roasted garlic or 1 Tablespoon of garlic powder, plus 3 Tablespoons of chopped parsley, and 6 grams (1 teaspoon) of salt. Divide this mixture into third on each of the 3 layers.
- Marinara & Mozzarella – Spread 1 Tablespoon of marinara and top that with 1 – 1 1/4 cups of shredded mozzarella on each of the 3 layers.
Baking Time For Sourdough Discard Star Bread
|
Time |
Process |
|---|---|
|
6:00 AM |
Mix the dough |
|
6:15 AM |
First rise |
|
7:15 AM |
Shape |
|
7:30 AM |
Second rise |
|
8:00 AM |
Bake |
How to Make Sourdough Discard Star Bread
- To a bowl of a stand mixer, add the milk, eggs, sourdough discard, sugar, and vanilla to the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment. Mix until smooth.
- To the wet ingredients, add the flour, instant yeast, and salt. Mix again on low speed with a dough hook until a shaggy dough forms.
- Continue to knead on low while slowly adding softened butter. Once the butter is incorporated, knead the dough on medium speed for 6 to 8 minutes.
- The dough should be smooth, elastic, and pull away from the sides of the bowl, about 5 to 6 minutes.
- Remove the dough and place it in a lightly greased bowl, cover, and leave to double in size.
- Once the dough has doubled in size, punch the top of the dough to remove all air bubbles. Then place the dough on a lightly floured work surface.
- Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces and roll each into a 10-inch circle. If the dough resists rolling, let it rest for 10 minutes. For a perfect circle, place a 10-inch bowl on top and trim the edges.
- Spread softened butter over the entire surface of the dough, then sprinkle the sugar and cinnamon mixture on top. Repeat for 3 layers with filling.
- Use 1 Tablespoon of butter per layer and 1/3 of the cinnamon sugar per layer, leaving 1/2 inch of edges exposed. The top layer does not have filling.
- Using a bench scraper, divide the dough into 16 even pieces.
- Take two pieces and twist away from each other twice, then pinch the edges together to create 8 points.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Prepare an egg wash by whisking together one egg and a splash of milk, and lightly brush it over the top of the dough just before baking.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. The internal temperature should reach 190 to 200°F. Place on a wire rack to cool slightly.
- Top with confectioners’ sugar and serve warm. Enjoy!
How to Store
This sourdough discard star bread is best enjoyed warm the day it’s baked.
If you have leftovers, wrap slices individually in plastic wrap or keep the whole star in an airtight container. At room temperature, it stays fresh for about 1–2 days.
For longer storage, freeze it by wrapping the cooled bread tightly in plastic, then covering with foil or placing it in a freezer-safe bag. Thaw the bread at room temperature or warm it in a 300°F oven for 10–15 minutes, but don’t refrigerate because it’ll dry out.
FAQs
You can swap in the same weight of active starter.
This recipe works best with instant or active dry yeast to help the dough rise predictably. Instant yeast mixes right in with the dry ingredients and works fast. You can use active dry yeast instead, but it needs to be dissolved in warm milk first, and the rise will take a little longer. Either way, the bread comes out soft, tender, and buttery.
Yes. After mixing the dough and shaping the star, cover it tightly and refrigerate overnight. The cold slows the rise, so let the dough sit at room temperature for 30–45 minutes before baking. This keeps the dough soft and easy to handle while still letting the flavors develop.
Absolutely. Only the first three layers get filling, and the top layer stays plain to complete the star shape. For sweet, try cinnamon sugar, Nutella, jam, cranberry orange, or apple/pumpkin butter. For savory, pesto with mozzarella, garlic and herb butter, or marinara with mozzarella all work well. Avoid very wet fillings because they can make the dough soggy.
Sourdough Discard Star Bread
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Ingredients
Star Bread Dough
- 180 grams milk, room temperature 3/4 cup
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 100 grams sourdough discard, 100% hydration, room temperature 1/3 cup
- 50 grams sugar 4 Tablespoons
- 4 grams vanilla extract 1 teaspoon
- 540 grams all-purpose flour 3 ¾ cups + 1 Tbsp
- 7 grams instant yeast 2 teaspoons
- 3 grams salt 1/2 teaspoon
- 113 grams unsalted butter, room temperature 8 tablespoons
- Egg wash: 1 egg + splash of milk
Cinnamon Sugar Filling
- 42 grams unsalted butter, room temperature 3 Tablespoons
- 100 grams sugar 1/2 cup
- 4 grams cinnamon 2 teaspoons
- *see notes for alternative filling ideas*
Instructions
- ** Please refer to the Notes below for MAKE-AHEAD options **
Make the Dough
- In a stand mixer with paddle attachment, mix room-temperature milk, eggs, sourdough discard, sugar and vanilla on low speed until combined.180 grams milk, room temperature, 2 large eggs, 100 grams sourdough discard, 100% hydration, room temperature, 50 grams sugar, 4 grams vanilla extract
- Switch the paddle attachment to the dough hook To the bowl, add the flour, instant yeast and salt. Mix the dough on low speed until all the flour is combined.540 grams all-purpose flour, 7 grams instant yeast, 3 grams salt
- Cut the butter in 10-12 slices. Increase the speed to medium and continue to knead the dough while adding one slice of butter at a time. Once the butter has been incorporated, add the next tab. Repeat until all of the butter has been added.113 grams unsalted butter, room temperature
- Continue to knead the dough until it is smooth, elastic, and pulls away from the side of the bowl, about 5-6 minutes.If the dough is still very sticky, you may need to add a touch more flour. I would suggest adding 15 grams (1 T) at a time and knead for a little bit until the dough is no longer sticky and instead is smooth and tacky to the touch.
- Place the dough in a straight-edge bowl and cover. Store in a warm environment and allow the dough to double in size.In my 70 degree kitchen, it took about 60-90 minutes. Rise times depend greatly on the temperature of your kitchen and ingredients. The warmer your kitchen, the faster the dough will rise. The cooler, the opposite is true.
Assembly
- Once the dough has doubled in size, remove the dough from the bowl onto a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces, about 270g each.
- With a floured rolling pin, roll each dough ball out to a thin 10-inch circle. If the dough is resisting, allow it to rest for 10 minutes before trying again.I like to place a 10-inch bowl on top and cut away the edge of the dough with a pizza cutter for a perfect circle shape.
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper. Place the bottom layer of dough on the prepared baking pan.
- In a small bowl, add the sugar and cinnamon and mix until combined. Set aside.100 grams sugar, 4 grams cinnamon
- Spread 14 grams (1 Tablespoon) of very soft butter on top of the dough, then sprinkle a ⅓ of the cinnamon sugar mixture. For best results, leave 1/2 inch of the dough exposed along the edges.42 grams unsalted butter, room temperature
- Continue to top with the other layers of dough and fillings. The top layer does not have filling on it, so only top 3 of the 4 shaped circles.
- Place a small 3-inch bowl in the center of the dough. This will be the center of the dough. With a sharp knife or bench scraper, cut 4 evenly spaced cuts around the circle. Continue to divide and cut each section until you have 16 equal strips.
- Grab 2 pieces of the dough. Twist them away from each other two times, then crimp the edges of the dough together. Continue until 8 star points are formed.
- Cover the dough with a plastic cover or plastic wrap and allow it to rise until puffy.In my 70 degree kitchen this took about 30-45 minutes.
Bake
- Once the star has grown and puffed up, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare the egg wash by whisking together one egg and a splash of milk.Egg wash: 1 egg + splash of milk
- Just before baking, lightly brush the top of the dough with the egg wash for a beautiful golden finish.
- Bake the Sourdough Star Bread for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown and the internal temperature is 190-200 degrees F. Remove from the oven and cool slightly on a wire rack.
- Dust with confectioner’s sugar and enjoy it warm!
Notes
MAKE-AHEAD Option
If you are looking to prepare this Sourdough Discard Star Bread the night before and bake them the following morning – here are some options and tips!Chill & Bake
Refer to the Sample Baking Schedule above.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Flour – I used all -purpose flour for a soft, tender bread dough. You can swap in bread flour if you like a chewier, more springy texture, but use a little less. Bread flour has more protein, so it soaks up more liquid and makes the dough tougher if you don’t adjust.
- Milk – I used whole milk, but this can be substituted with your favorite non-dairy options as well.
- Sourdough Discard – I use fresh, room-temperature sourdough discard that’s no more than 1–2 days old. If using discard straight from the fridge, it’ll slow down the rise time. By the way, you can swap in the same amount of active starter or unfed starter. The starter is mostly for flavor since the instant yeast does the heavy lifting for the rise.
- Instant yeast – I used instant yeast for this recipe, not active dry yeast. Active dry yeast needs to be dissolved in liquid to activate and takes longer to rise dough. Instant yeast, in contrast, can be added directly to dry ingredients, and it works much faster.
- Egg – Used inside the dough for structure and tenderness. One whole egg is mixed with the wet ingredients.
- Sugar – This is the granulated sugar that goes into the dough itself (not the cinnamon sugar).
- Butter – Softened butter is kneaded into the dough to create a soft, enriched texture.
- Salt – Needed to balance the sweetness and strengthen the gluten structure.
- Vanilla Extract – Adds a light flavor to the dough. Mixed in with the wet ingredients.
- Filling – Go classic with cinnamon sugar, or try Nutella, jam, cranberry orange, apple or pumpkin butter, pesto with mozzarella, garlic and herb butter, or marinara with mozzarella. Spread on just the first 3 layers, leaving the top layer plain to finish the star shape.
- Egg (for egg wash) – Whisked with milk and brushed on right before baking to help the star brown.
- Milk (for egg wash) – Just a little mixed with the egg to thin it for brushing.
- Confectioners’ sugar (optional) – Lightly dusted right after baking, while warm.
Filling Options
- Cinnamon & Sugar – Refer to the recipe card below.
- Nutella – Spread 1 Tablespoon (are a touch more!) on each of the 3 layers. For easy spreading, pop the Nutella in the microwave for a few seconds.
- Jam – Spread 1 Tablespoon of your favorite jam or jelly on each of the 3 layers. Raspberry is my favorite!
- Cranberry Orange – I spread about 1/4 cup of my homemade cranberry orange sauce on each of the 3 layers.
- Apple / Pumpkin Butter – Spread 1 Tablespoon of your favorite jam or jelly on each of the 3 layers.
- If you are making a savory version – Reduce the sugar to 25 grams (2 Tablespoons) and eliminate the vanilla extract from the dough.
- Pesto & Mozzarella – Spread 1 Tablespoon of pesto and top that with 1 – 1 1/4 cups of shredded mozzarella on each of the 3 layers.
- Garlic & Herb Butter – Mix 113 grams (8 Tablespoons) of room temperature unsalted butter, with a head of roasted garlic or 1 Tablespoon of garlic powder, plus 3 Tablespoons of chopped parsley, and 6 grams (1 teaspoon) of salt. Divide this mixture into third on each of the 3 layers.
- Marinara & Mozzarella – Spread 1 Tablespoon of marinara and top that with 1 – 1 1/4 cups of shredded mozzarella on each of the 3 layers.
Can’t wait to make this! If I’m doing a savory option do I just leave out the vanilla & sugar?
Thanks-I love your recipes!
Great question! Just added this information to the notes in the recipe card! If you are making a savory version, reduce the sugar to 25 grams (2 Tablespoons) and eliminate the vanilla extract from the dough. Thank you so much for making my recipes, hope this is another winner in your kitchen!
What a stunning bake, but truly it is so simple to make! Better yet, I love how many different fillings you can do, from sweet to savory. Just delicious!