Fall Sourdough Recipes (2024)

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The best fall sourdough recipes that use sourdough starter for fall-inspired breads, rolls, cakes, and cookies.

Fall Sourdough Recipes (1)

Sourdough is for more than bread; it can be used in just about any baked good. And when fall rolls around and you’re craving pumpkin spice or apple cinnamon, your sourdough starter can still be part of the fun.

Don’t be afraid of a sour taste in these baked goodies. Adding starter to sweets mimics a sour cream or buttermilk flavor: slightly tangy, but not sour. Oftentimes you won’t notice any difference and no one will know that there’s sourdough in there at all!

Fall Baking Essentials

  • If you love fall quick breads and cakes, you will love having a special harvest themed baking pan like this sunflower harvest pan.
  • Boiled apple cider (concentrated apple cider) has rich apple flavor that’s delicious for any sweet sourdough baked good, as well as using to mix up a quick glaze.
  • Make sure to stock up on cinnamon, molasses, and nutmeg!

Sourdough Apple Cake

Our favorite use of sourdough discard in the crisp months, sourdough apple cake is loaded with cinnamon, cloves, and apples. Topped with a cream cheese frosting with a splash of apple cider, it’s a true taste of fall in one little pan.

Fall Sourdough Recipes (2)

GET THE RECIPE FOR SOURDOUGH APPLE CAKE

Sourdough Pumpkin Bread

Fall Sourdough Recipes (3)

Nothing says fall baking like pumpkin bread, and if you’re looking for a moist pumpkin bread with just the right amount of spice, this recipe can’t be beat. Great, classic pumpkin bread flavor and just the slightest bit of tang from the sourdough starter. One of my favorite fall sourdough recipes!

Sourdough Apple Fritters

Who could resist a deep fried doughnut loaded with apple flavor? And this apple fritter recipe is light on the inside, slightly crisp on the outside, and has fresh apples in the batter. An absolutely delicious fall recipe!

These do need a lot of time before they’re ready, but a lot of that time is just waiting on your dough. Perfect for a weekend morning spent at home.

Sourdough Peanut Butter Cookies

Fall Sourdough Recipes (4)

Cookies say fall is in the air and back to school, don’t they? And any little person would love to come home to a plate of these peanut butter cookies on the counter. This recipe uses just the right amount of sourdough discard for a soft and chewy peanut butter cookie that the whole family will love.

???? Sourdough Pie Crust

Fall is pie baking time. Whether your favorite is pumpkin, apple, or pecan, you need a pie crust. Why not use some of your discarded sourdough starter to make some? This recipe turns out a flaky and tender pie crust every time. You’ll appreciate the detailed instructions and step by step photos that ensure even beginners will get this one right!

Sourdough Gingerbread

Fall Sourdough Recipes (5)

There’s nothing like a big square piece of old fashioned gingerbread. Warm, spicy, and not too sweet, gingerbread is perfect in fall and will carry you all through the winter. This recipe is easy to make and produces a perfectly moist spiced cake that you will simply love.

Sourdough Molasses Cookies

Molasses cookies are one of the best fall desserts! The epitome of warm and cozy spices that smell absolutely delicious while they bake, and adding your starter to this cookie recipe is a great way to use it.

Like any great molasses cookies recipe, this one turns out crisp edges and a soft and chewy center. You will love them.

???? Sourdough Cinnamon Bread

Fall Sourdough Recipes (6)

Two of the best things about baking cinnamon bread are warming up the kitchen in the morning and a sweet cinnamon smell wafting through the house. Cinnamon swirl bread is perfect for fall mornings, and you can make an easy version using your sourdough starter. This bread dough is easy to work with and uses no yeast. Shape in the evening and bake the next morning for a sweet and delicious breakfast loaf.

GET THE SOURDOUGH CINNAMON BREAD RECIPE HERE

Sourdough Apple Cobbler

Cobbler is one of the fall desserts because its easier than pie but just as delicious. And you can absolutely use your sourdough starter in your cobbler topping.

The recipe below can be used with any fruit. To make the best apple cobbler, simply mix up apples, sugar and spices. (And of course, top with vanilla ice cream!)

Sourdough Oatmeal Muffins

Oatmeal muffins are a cozy and delicious breakfast that can be made ahead and frozen.
Muffins are a great way to use your sourdough discard, and these fall muffins are one of the best.

Enjoy!

I’m sure you’ll find something on this list that you’re excited to bake!

Fall Sourdough Recipes (7)Fall Sourdough Recipes (8)

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Fall Sourdough Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What is the biggest mistake you can make with your sourdough starter? ›

Give it time. The BIGGEST MISTAKE You Can Make With Your Sourdough Starter: Premature Discarding!

What is the secret to good sourdough bread? ›

Top 10 Tips & Tricks for Making Sourdough
  • Use your sourdough starter at its peak. ...
  • Moisten the surface of the dough before baking for more rise. ...
  • Handle with care: be gentle with your dough. ...
  • Use sifted flour to make your sourdough less dense. ...
  • Soak your flour beforehand for a lighter loaf. ...
  • Just add water for softer sourdough.

How long does it take sourdough starter to fall? ›

When your starter is reliably rising to double or triple its size and falling in the jar anywhere between 4-8 hours after you feed it (dependent on your ambient conditions and the flour you feed with) it is ready to bake with.

Can I use a starter that has started to fall? ›

If your starter is well past peak (a few hours) and visibly falling, you can give it a “refresh” feeding to reactivate it.

Do you have to discard sourdough starter every time you feed it? ›

It would be best if you discarded some portion of your starter each time you feed it unless you want to continue to let it grow. Eventually, you need to discard the used “food” (flour and water) that's been used to sustain your starter during the last fermentation period.

How do I know if I killed my sourdough starter? ›

How do you know if sourdough starter has spoiled or gone bad? The main indicator if a sourdough starter is still good or not is if it will still rise and fall after feeding it fresh flour and water. If it does, it's still alive!

What is the healthiest flour for sourdough bread? ›

Compared to whole wheat flour, rye flour is said to be the most nutrient- and amylase-dense option for a sourdough starter. Overall, it has a lower gluten protein content than wheat flour, which means it produces slack, sticky, and dense doughs.

What is the best flour for sourdough bread? ›

The best flour blend for creating a new sourdough starter is 50% whole-meal flour (whole wheat or whole rye) and 50% bread flour or all-purpose flour. I recommend a 50/50 mix of whole wheat flour and bread flour.

How do I make my sourdough starter more flavorful? ›

HOW TO MAKE A MORE SOUR SOURDOUGH
  1. Maintain your starter at a lower hydration level. This means using a higher ratio of flour to water. ...
  2. Use whole-grain flours, which the acid-producing bacteria love.
  3. Keep the hooch or brown liquid layer that forms on a hungry sourdough starter instead of pouring it off.

What if my starter doesn't float? ›

If it floats, it's presumably at its peak activity and contains lots of bubbles of carbon dioxide, the result of happy, thriving, natural yeast. If it sinks to the bottom, the starter is presumably not ready, requiring further time and feedings before use in your sourdough recipes.

Can I use sourdough starter straight from the fridge? ›

Yes, you can bake with sourdough starter straight from the fridge | King Arthur Baking.

Why did my sourdough starter rise then fall? ›

The starter fills with air, was not used in time, runs out of energy, and deflates. Deflation destroys the airy structure of the sourdough starter. By feeding it again, your sourdough starter regains its energy and builds its structure again. This is necessary for rising your bread dough.

What destroys a starter? ›

CAUSES OF FAULTY STARTERS: CAUSE OF FAILURE

Electrical connections faulty. Solenoid switch (engaging relay) stiff or faulty. Electric motor damaged electrically. Single-pinion gear, starter pinion or freewheel damaged.

Why is my sourdough starter bubbling but not rising? ›

If your starter is still plugging along, bubbling but not getting increasingly active, I'd suggest dumping half to three-quarters of the accumulated starter, and then continue feeding and stirring the remainder. The removed starter can be added to a regular bread recipe to flavor it.

Why does my sourdough starter rise but not fall? ›

In some cases, I've found that some starters never fall, or only collapse a small amount in their jar. Again, this is related to the flour used and is not a bad sign. Use the other signs of fermentation to determine when it's ripe and needs feeding.

Can you mess up sourdough? ›

You Don't Let the Bread Proof Long Enough

But the easiest and most dangerous rookie mistake to make is not letting it proof long enough. Under-proofed dough will result in huge uneven tunnels in your finished bread, or a leaden damp texture.

What did I do wrong with my sourdough? ›

Bread too dense? It might be cold dough. One of the most common mistakes is having a dough temperature that's too low for the starter to feed on all the flour in the dough, resulting in a crumb that's dense, with fewer openings. "Starter is happiest and most active at around 75 degrees.

Can sourdough starter become toxic? ›

Can Bad Sourdough Starter Make You Sick? Absolutely! Using moldy sourdough starter is a recipe for disaster. If there's even a tiny bit of mold on your sourdough starter, you need to toss it.

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