20+ well-tested sourdough recipes ranging in skill level and spanning all meals (yes, even dessert!). Includes recipes for using up sourdough discard and active sourdough starter.
Tried & True Sourdough Recipes
Since creating my sourdough starter years ago (RIP Scotty Sr.), I’ve taken a deep dive into the world of baking with sourdough. From fluffy muffins to chewy, restaurant-worthy pizza crust, my list of sourdough recipes has evolved into quite the collection (and I have even more I haven’t shared yet!).
I know not everyone has hopped on the sourdough bandwagon yet, but for those of you who have, this post is meant to be a resource for you! Whether you’re itching to try something new with your trusty starter or want to repurpose your sourdough discard instead of tossing it, you’ll find everything you need here!
My top recommended sourdough recipe here today is my sourdough starter recipe. It’s the foundation of all of today’s recipes (even the sourdough discard recipes!), so it’s essential that you get it right. I have a detailed tutorial on how to make it and maintain it, but if you have more questions, check out my secondary guide on the care and keeping of your sourdough starter.
If you already have an established starter, there’s no need to start over and make a new one. In that case, I’d recommend my sourdough chocolate chip cookies or sourdough donuts–both are incredible and can be found below!
First Thing’s First: Sourdough Starter
A great place to start (pun intended!). If you don’t already have an active starter on hand, this recipe will guide you through the process of growing, feeding, and maintaining one.
Ready to hop on the sourdough bandwagon? This is the place to start! You’ll learn how to make a sourdough starter that can be used for everything from bread and biscuits to donuts and pretzels.
HOW TO MAKE A SOURDOUGH STARTER
Sourdough Recipes With Active Sourdough Starter
1. Sourdough Bread
Low-maintenance and perfect for sandwiches, homemade croutons, or as bread cubes for stuffing! My recipe is beginner-friendly and highly rated.
Only 5 ingredients! My recipe is beginner-friendly and has plenty of tips to ensure your success.
SOURDOUGH BREAD RECIPE
2. Sourdough Pizza Crust
We use this for everything from buffalo chicken pizza to garlic knots. It’s incredible!
No supplemental yeast, freezes well, and can be made ahead of time! This recipe makes the most incredible pizza crust.
SOURDOUGH PIZZA CRUST RECIPE
3. Sourdough Dinner Rolls
The sourdough version of my make-ahead dinner rolls, these are so soft and fluffy.
Pillowy soft and perfect for making ahead of time! This recipe is a bit more advanced, but beginners can be successful if they follow all of my tips.
SOURDOUGH DINNER ROLLS RECIPE
4. Sourdough Soft Pretzels
These aren’t your average soft pretzels! The sourdough flavor shines through, and I include instructions to make them with or without a lye bath.
These old-fashioned soft pretzels will absolutely blow your mind! They are super simple to make, but you will need to make the dough one day and bake it the next.
SOURDOUGH SOFT PRETZELS RECIPE
5. Sourdough English Muffins
Classic English muffins are great, but ferment them with sourdough and they’re fantastic!
Elevate your breakfast with a batch of warm and perfectly chewy English muffins! Note: the dough needs to rest overnight before baking.
SOURDOUGH ENGLISH MUFFINS RECIPE
6. Sourdough Donuts
Ready for the most incredible homemade donuts you’ve ever tried? Perfect texture, flavor, and rise!
If you love donuts, you are in for a treat. Homemade donuts are amazing, but homemade sourdough donuts? Life changing.
SOURDOUGH DONUTS RECIPE
7. Cheddar Jalapeno Sourdough Bread
Can you imagine the grilled cheeses made with this bread?! Sublime.
Learn how to make an impressive bakery-style cheddar jalapeno loaf! This recipe is best for bakers who have already tried my sourdough bread recipe.
CHEDDAR JALAPENO SOURDOUGH BREAD
Sourdough Recipes That Use Sourdough Discard
Discard is the part of your sourdough starter that is usually, well, discarded each day. Instead of tossing it in the trash, use it to make one of my favorite sourdough discard recipes:
8. Sourdough Chocolate Cake
One of my all-time favorite sourdough recipes! This one takes its cues from my classic chocolate cake, but the flavor is even more complex and delicious.
This might just be the best chocolate cake you’ll ever try! The flavor is incredible, the texture is unparalleled, and it’s *perfectly sweet* and chocolatey.
SOURDOUGH CHOCOLATE CAKE
9. Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies
One of my most raved about recipes. “Amazing! Best chocolate chip cookies I’ve ever had. Browning the butter is key!”
Made with brown butter and a sprinkle of sea salt, these are some of the BEST chocolate chip cookies on the internet!
SOURDOUGH CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
10. Sourdough Blueberry Muffins
Another fan favorite among my sourdough recipes! If you’ve tried my classic blueberry muffins, you’ll love this sourdough version.
Soft, fluffy, and packed with juicy blueberries! I share my trick for tall, pretty muffin tops in this recipe.
SOURDOUGH BLUEBERRY MUFFINS RECIPE
11. Sourdough Banana Bread
One of my go-to sourdough recipes for using up sourdough discard! This is very similar to my popular banana bread recipe.
Use up your old bananas and your sourdough discard! This recipe can be customized with your favorite add-ins like nuts or chocolate chips.
SOURDOUGH BANANA BREAD RECIPE
12. Sourdough Oatmeal Cookies
If you like my classic oatmeal cookies, you’ll love this sourdough version.
SOURDOUGH OATMEAL COOKIES RECIPE
13. Sourdough Brownies
“These are by far the best brownies I’ve ever made! They are fudgy and delicious. I’m new to sourdough and I’ve just started baking with my discard. The recipe was really easy to follow and they turned out perfect.”
Just 12 minutes to prep! These are fudgy and so chocolatey–the best brownies you’ll try!
SOURDOUGH BROWNIES RECIPE
14. Sourdough Peanut Butter Cookies
Soft and chewy, these peanut butter cookies are a hit with everyone who tries them!
SOURDOUGH PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES
15. Sourdough Crackers
Feel free to get creative with the seasoning here–everything bagel seasoning or taco seasoning would be tasty!
Crispy and customizable! These crackers will become a staple in your kitchen.
SOURDOUGH CRACKERS RECIPE
16. Sourdough Pancakes
“Best pancakes ever!! I’m not really a big fan of them typically…but these are so fluffy and tasty and even better made with sourdough!!! Everyone in my family raved about them!”
Similar to buttermilk pancakes in flavor and texture, these sourdough pancakes will start your morning on a sweet note!
SOURDOUGH PANCAKES RECIPE
Sourdough Recipes With either Discard or Active Starter
These recipes work no matter what stage your starter is in:
17. Sourdough Pie Crust
Perfect for any of my pie recipes! It’s also makes an incredible chicken pot pie.
Take your homemade pies to the next level with this sourdough pie crust! It comes together so easily in the food processor (a pastry cutter works too!).
SOURDOUGH PIE CRUST RECIPE
18. Sourdough Biscuits
It’s hard to beat my classic homemade biscuits, but these sourdough biscuits might just take the prize.
Buttery, flaky, and tender, these biscuits are brag-worthy! They rise sky high and taste great on their own or smothered in butter and jam.
SOURDOUGH BISCUITS RECIPE
19. Sourdough Scones
These can be transformed into your favorite flavor; we especially like lemon poppy seed scones and chocolate chip scones!
SOURDOUGH SCONES RECIPE
20. Sourdough Chocolate Chip Muffins
I’ve got a thing for bakery-style muffins, and this recipe fits the bill!
Easy, yet so impressive! These can be baked right away or set in the fridge to ferment overnight.
SOURDOUGH CHOCOLATE CHIP MUFFINS
21. Sourdough Banana Muffins
I’m a bit of a banana muffin expert, so you can expect great things from this recipe!
SOURDOUGH BANANA MUFFINS RECIPE
22. Chocolate Sourdough Muffins
My double chocolate muffins inspired this super tender and chocolatey recipe.
Frequently Asked Questions
While there are certainly some health benefits of sourdough, sourdough cookies, cakes, and muffins are still cookies, cakes, and muffins. Sourdough or not, we can probably agree they should still be consumed in moderation as part of a balanced diet.
Many of my sourdough discard recipes like my sourdough cookies, sourdough muffins, sourdough scones or biscuits, sourdough brownies, sourdough chocolate cake, sourdough banana bread, and sourdough pancakes are all beginner-friendly.
Any recipe that uses active starter and requires a rise or streching/folding is usually a bit more complicated (but still doable if you follow my instructions!).
Generally yes, though you may have some extra lift from the active sourdough starter that you wouldn’t get from the discard, so keep that in mind. When doing this, it’s best to weigh the sourdough with a scale rather than using a measuring cup to make surer you use theh proper amount (if you don’t have a scale, stir the starter down before using).
Conversely, sourdough discard cannot be swapped for active starter unless are using supplemental yeast in the recipe OR if you reactivate your discard by taking some time to feed it. There are some exceptions to this depending on the recipe and the age of the starter you got your discard from, but generally, you don’t want to swap sourdough discard in for starter in sourdough recipes.
Love baking with sourdough? I’ll keep updating this list as I add more sourdough recipes to my collection. Save this post so you can come back to it!
Also, if there’s a sourdough recipe that isn’t in this list you’d like to see from me, please leave me a comment below. I love reader requests!
Enjoy!
If you try any of these recipes, be sure to tag me on Instagram, and you can also find me on YouTube and Facebook
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