This perfectly delicious sourdough bread recipe makes the ultimate snack time dessert. Whether you plan to grab a couple and dunk them in your favorite sauce or devour the entire piece in one go, these delicious loaves are sure to become a staple in your home!
Table of Contents
- ½ cup active bubble sourdough starter
- ¾ cup water
- 1 ½ tbsp. sugar or honey
- 1 ½ tbsp. salt
- ¼ cup softened butter
- 3 glasses unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ tbsp. melted butter
- Coarse salt and garlic powder
Equipment
- Attitude mixer
- Large bowl
- Cooking sheet
- Parchment paper
- rolling pin
- Cutting board
- Pizza cutter
- Pastry brush
- Combine the sourdough starter, water, sugar and softened butter in a mixer fitted with a dough hook. Gradually add flour ⅛ cup at a time until the dough starts to pull away from the mixer. Mix these ingredients until a soft dough is formed.
- Knead the dough on low speed for 8 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic.
- Lightly grease a large mixing bowl and place the dough in the bowl. Cover loosely with a lid and let the dough ferment at room temperature for 3-4 hours. Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours. Remove the dough from the refrigerator one hour before baking.
- Transfer your dough to a lightly floured work surface and roll the dough into a 12×7 inch rectangle.
- Use a pizza cutter to cut the rectangular dough into 12 loaves. Transfer the shaped loaves to a baking sheet lined with parchment.
- Cover the baking sheet with plastic wrap and let the loaves rest in a warm place for 2 hours. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- After 2 hours, remove the plastic wrap from the baking sheet and place the bread sticks in the preheated oven. Bake the buns on the center rack for 10 minutes, or until lightly golden brown.
- Use a pastry brush to brush the hot bread with melted butter. Sprinkle with salt and garlic powder.
endnoteS
- If you are looking to bake a batch of light and fluffy bread, then you may want to add a packet of commercial yeast to your sourdough bread recipe.
- Serve these delicious sourdough breads with your favorite dipping sauce. Keep leftovers in an airtight container.
- Cooking time: 10 min
- Category: side
What are sourdough sticks?
Basically, sourdough sticks are long, pencil-thin dipping sticks made from unleavened bread dough.
Fresh and addictive, they are often enjoyed before a main meal, or as a snack dipped in dipping sauces.
Why make bread sticks with a sourdough starter instead of yeast?
Traditionally, bread is always made from some form of wild yeast, e.g. before starting the sourdough. The long fermentation process increases nutrition, reduces gluten content and improves digestion.
Commercial yeast it mimics this by speeding up the process, thus producing bread that is much more glutenous than sourdough bread.
Breadcrumbs, although considered a snack, are much healthier and more nutritious when made with a sourdough starter.
How to make soft sourdough breadsticks
These sourdough breadsticks make the perfect treat. Super buttery, thickly salted and garlicky on the outside and deliciously soft on the inside. They're super easy to make and make the perfect evening snack, especially when you're feeling a little peckish after dinner. Pair these delicious sticks with a variety of dipping sauces for the ultimate sourdough experience.
Equipment
- Attitude mixer
- Large bowl
- Cooking sheet
- Parchment paper
- rolling pin
- Cutting board
- Pizza cutter
- Pastry brush
Ingredients
- ½ cup active sourdough starter with bubbles
- ¾ cup of water
- 1 ½ tbsp. sugar or honey
- 1 ½ tbsp. salt
- ¼ cup softened butter (you can use tim recipe with homemade butter)
- 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ tbsp. melted butter
- Coarse salt and garlic powder
GUIDELINES
- Combine the sourdough starter, water, sugar and softened butter in a mixer fitted with a dough hook. Gradually add flour ⅛ cup at a time until the dough starts to pull away from the mixer. Mix these ingredients until a soft dough is formed.
- Knead the dough on low speed for 8 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic.
- Lightly grease a large mixing bowl and place the dough in the bowl. Cover loosely with a lid and let the dough ferment at room temperature for 3-4 hours. Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours. Remove the dough from the refrigerator one hour before baking.
- Transfer your dough to a lightly floured work surface and roll the dough into a 12×7 inch rectangle.
- Use a pizza cutter to cut the rectangular dough into 12 loaves. Transfer the shaped loaves to a baking sheet lined with parchment.
- Cover the baking sheet with plastic wrap and let the loaves rest in a warm place for 2 hours. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- After 2 hours, remove the plastic wrap from the baking sheet and place the bread sticks in the preheated oven. Bake the buns on the center rack for 10 minutes, or until lightly golden brown.
- Use a pastry brush to brush the hot bread with melted butter. Sprinkle with salt and garlic powder.
- Serve these delicious sourdough breads with your favorite dipping sauce. Keep leftovers in an airtight container.
How to make sourdough sticks fluffier?
If you are looking to bake a batch of light and fluffy bread, then you may want to add a packet of commercial yeast to your sourdough bread recipe.
Simply combine yeast with warm water and sugar. Let it rest for 5-10 minutes, until you notice the mixture start to foam. Add this to your sourdough flour and continue with the recipe.
Possible recipe variations
This sourdough bread recipe is incredibly easy and very versatile. That's why you should take this opportunity to try several variations of recipes that suit your preference!
- Use whatever flour you like, I like to use hard white bread flour or all purpose flour but you may want to use rye or wheat flour and that's good!
- If you want to make this recipe vegan-friendly, then simply swap out the honey for maple syrup.
- For a spicy kick to your sourdough batter, add some spices and seeds to the bread dough. Flax and sesame seeds are perfect for this recipe. You can also add pumpkin seeds, fennel, paprika, pepper or garlic.
- I like to divide the dough into 30g pieces, then roll each piece into 27cm long cylinders.
- Brush the tops of the loaves with a little flavored olive oil, as well as garlic, sun-dried tomatoes or rosemary. (I've mentioned garlic twice on this list, I love it! Why not try one wild garlic sourdough I have a prescription?)
- Once baked, leave the loaves in the oven, with the door slightly ajar, so they can dry out completely and brown nicely.
If you're spoiled for choice when it comes to choosing the perfect flour, look no further the best flour for sourdough for additional inspiration.
How to store sourdough sticks
Sourdough blocks stay fresh and edible when stored in a jar or glass container. Avoid sealing them in a plastic container, as they will soften faster. Not to mention they look incredibly delicious standing upright in a glass container in all their glory.
How to serve sourdough sticks
Breadcrumbs make the perfect pre-dinner snack and are super fun to eat! Here are some of the ways I like to eat my sourdough loaves:
- Wrap the buns with thinly sliced pepperoni or salami and dip in a cheese sauce or sailor.
- I love to pair peanut butter with just about anything, so why not dip your extra-fresh, slightly crunchy sourdough bread into some nut butter?
- Dip your bread in chocolate and serve with salted caramel sauce along with slices of fresh fruit for a fantastic treat.
Loaves of bread with vegan dough
If you're wondering if sourdough sticks are vegan friendly, then the answer is yes. However, this particular bread recipe usually calls for non-vegan ingredients. But don't worry, this can easily be replaced with vegan-friendly items.
For example:
- Butter can be replaced with almond butter, olive oil or vegetable-based butter.
- Honey can be replaced with other sweeteners such as maple syrup, date syrup or agave nectar.
it's vegan sourdough bread? Find out before your next big cookout!
Sourdough blocks
If you love sourdough sticks like I do, then wait until you get your hands on the next best thing. Bake some of these delicacies sourdough tossing recipe with the help of an undernourished sourdough starter!
Frequently asked questions
Is sourdough bread healthier for you?
Sourdough bread is considered a healthier bread because it contains higher levels of vitamins and minerals compared to regular bread. Additionally, sourdough bread is lower in phytates, allowing your body to absorb nutrients more easily than regular bread.
Is sourdough bread the same as regular bread?
Sourdough is not the same as regular bread because both are different yeasts. While normal bread is protected with commercial yeast, sourdough bread is protected with lactic acid bacteria and wild yeasts.
Why is sourdough bread so healthy?
Sourdough bread is highly nutritious, easier to digest and has a lower glycemic index, making it one of the healthiest breads.
Why is San Francisco Sourdough Bread so good?
San Francisco's hazy climate happens to be the perfect environment for the wild yeast and natural bacteria that give sourdough bread its distinctive tangy flavor.
