Cranberry Orange Sourdough Star Bread Recipe

Cranberry Orange Sourdough Star Bread dusted with confectioners sugar

Cranberry Orange Sourdough Star Bread Recipe

Yield: Star Bread

Prep Time: 8

Cook Time: 25

Second Rise Time: 2

Total Time: 10 25

Cranberry Orange Sourdough Star Bread is a festive treat featuring a tangy sourdough star filled with homemade orange cranberry sauce, creating a perfect balance of sweetness and tartness. Top the star with a dusting of confectioner's sugar for the most stunning holiday-inspired bake!

4.84 from 12 votes

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Equipment

Ingredients

Cranberry Orange Filling

340 grams fresh cranberries 12 ounces
60 grams fresh orange juice, about 1 medium orange 1/4 cup
200 grams sugar 1 cup
.5 gram ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon
.5 gram ground nutmeg 1/4 teaspoon
.5 gram ground ginger 1/4 teaspoon

Orange Glaze (Optional)

226 grams powdered sugar 1 3/4 cups
60 grams fresh orange juice, about 1 medium orange 1/4 cup
8 grams orange zest 1 Tablespoon
5 grams unsalted butter, melted 1 teaspoon

Instructions

Make the Dough

In a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, mix room-temperature milk and sugar until all of the sugar is dissolved. Then add active starter, room-temperature eggs, vanilla, and salt. Mix until combined.
180 grams milk, room temperature, 50 grams sugar, 100 grams active starter, 2 large eggs, 4 grams vanilla extract, 3 grams salt
Add all-purpose flour. Mix until a dough forms. Leave to rest for 15 minutes.
540 grams all-purpose flour
Switch the paddle attachment to the dough hook. Mix the dough on medium speed while adding bits of the butter at a time. Continue to knead the dough until it is smooth, elastic, and pulls away from the side of the bowl, about 5-6 minutes.
113 grams unsalted butter, room temperature

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.

Once the dough is smooth and the butter is completely incorporated, place the dough in a greased straight-edge bowl. Cover the dough with a plastic cover or plastic wrap. Store in a warm environment and allow the dough to double in size for the remainder of the bulk rise.
In my 70 degree kitchen, the took an additional 8-12 hours. Rise times depend greatly on the temperature of your kitchen. The warmer your kitchen, the faster the dough will rise. The cooler, the opposite is true.
I love using a straight-edge bowl because it allows me to clearly see when the dough has finished rising.

Prepare the filling

While the dough rises, prepare your filling! Find other filling recommendations below!
Place cranberries, orange juice, sugar, and spices into a medium-sized saucepan. Cook over medium heat for about 8-10 minutes, or until the cranberries have softened. Stir occasionally.
340 grams fresh cranberries, 60 grams fresh orange juice, about 1 medium orange, 200 grams sugar, .5 gram ground cinnamon, .5 gram ground nutmeg, .5 gram ground ginger
Use an immersion blender to puree the orange cranberry sauce. Continue to cook for an additional 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove from the heat and pour into a separate bowl. Cover and llow it cool to room temperature before using as a filling.

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 260g each.
With a floured rolling pin, roll each 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 for a perfect circle shape.
Line a rimmed baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper. Place the bottom layer on the prepared baking pan.
Spread 1/4 cup of the orange cranberry sauce on top of the dough. For best results, leave 1/2 inch of the dough exposed along the edges. Continue to top with the other layers and fillings. Leave the last layer plain with no filling.
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 cut 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.
Lightly 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 1-2 hours.

Not ready to bake these on the same day?

No worries! Cover the unbaked star bread on a with plastic wrap and store it in the fridge overnight. Before you’re ready to bake them, pull the star bread out of the fridge and allow the dough to rise. This will take longer since the dough is cold from the fridge, about 3-4 hours.

Bake

Once the star has 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
Just before baking, lightly brush the top of the dough with the egg wash for a beautiful golden finish.
Bake the Cranberry Orange Sourdough Star Bread for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown with an internal temperature of 190 degrees F. Remove from the oven and cool slightly on a wire rack.

Orange Glaze Recipe

Mix powdered sugar, orange juice, orange zest and melted butter and whisk until smooth.
226 grams powdered sugar, 60 grams fresh orange juice, about 1 medium orange, 8 grams orange zest, 5 grams unsalted butter, melted
Drizzle on top of the loaf or serve on the side. Enjoy!

Notes

This recipe card was updated on February 27th, 2026.

SAMPLE BAKER’S SCHEDULE 1 -

Day 1

8 am – Mix dough

8:15 am – Knead dough

8:30 am - Continue bulk fermentation at room temperature

* Make filling while dough rises *

8:30 pm – Shape, cover and place in fridge overnight

Day 2

6 am – Remove from the fridge for second rise

10:00 am – Bake

** This schedule is made for a 68-70 degree environment. Higher temperatures will quicken the process. Lower will lengthen the process.

SAMPLE BAKER’S SCHEDULE 2 -

Day 1

6 pm – Mix dough

6:15 pm – Knead dough

6:30 pm - Continue bulk fermentation at room temperature

* Make filling while dough rises *

Day 2

6 am – Shape & second rise

8 am – Bake

** This schedule is made for a 68-70 degree environment. Higher temperatures will quicken the process. Lower will lengthen the process.

How to Serve

For a stunning work of art, lightly dust the top of the sourdough star bread with confectioner's sugar. You could also serve this delicious bread with a simple orange glaze for a touch of extra sweetness.

How to Store

Leftover Cranberry Orange Sourdough Star Bread should be stored in an airtight container and kept at room temperature for 2-3 days. Before serving, I always like to reheat it quickly in the microwave.

Can I make this Sourdough Star Bread without a stand mixer?

If you do not have access to a stand mixer, this dough can be mixed by hand.

Can I add nuts or other ingredients to customize?

Absolutely! Sourdough Star Bread is perfectly versatile! For more texture or crunch you could add dried cranberries or chopped nuts with the filling. You can also swap the cranberry orange filling for chocolate hazelnut spread, cinnamon and sugar, or your favorite jams or jellies!

Hazelnut Spread - about 2-3 T per layer. Heat up the hazelnut spread before spreading on top of the dough for easy spreading!
Cinnamon + Sugar - 14g (1 T) of melted butter per layer, 42g (3 T) total. Mix 100 grams (1/2c) of sugar with 6g (1 T) of cinnamon. Divide between the 3 layers.
Jelly - about 2-3 Tablespoons per layer

Can I prepare the dough ahead of time and store it in the fridge overnight?

Yes! After shaping, cover the Cranberry Orange Sourdough Star Bread with plastic wrap and store the baking sheet in the fridge. The next morning, remove the bread dough from the fridge and allow it to return to room temperature before topping it with the egg wash and baking.

Nutrition

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