Sourdough Pastry Braid Recipe

Sourdough Pastry Braid Recipe

If you’ve ever walked into a bakery and seen those golden, crisscrossed braids filled with jam or  cream cheese, you know they’re almost too pretty to eat. But here’s the secret: you can make one right at home with your sourdough starter. It’s not as hard as it looks—the braid is just a fancy trick of cutting and folding. The  dough is tender, buttery, and slightly tangy thanks to sourdough, and the filling is up to you: fruit preserves, cream  cheese, Nutella, or even a savory combo like ham and cheese.

This pastry works beautifully for breakfast, brunch, or as a “wow” dessert centerpiece. Once you make one, you’ll want to keep your starter fed just for this recipe.

Ingredients

For the dough:

• 1 cup (240 g) active sourdough starter (100% hydration, bubbly and fed)
• 3 ½ cups (420 g) all-purpose flour (plus extra for kneading)
• ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
• 1 tsp fine sea salt
• 1 large egg
• ½ cup (120 ml) whole milk, lukewarm
• 6 tbsp (85 g) unsalted butter, softened

For the filling (choose one or mix & match):

• 8 oz (225 g) cream cheese, softened + ¼ cup sugar + 1 tsp vanilla (for sweet cream cheese filling)
• ½–¾ cup fruit jam or preserves (raspberry, apricot, cherry, etc.)
• OR chocolate spread, Nutella, or even cinnamon sugar butter

For finishing:

• 1 egg, beaten with 1 tbsp milk (egg wash)
• Coarse sugar or sliced almonds for topping (optional)

Instructions

Step 1: Make the dough

1. In a large mixing bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer), whisk together your sourdough starter, sugar, egg, and warm milk.
2. Add flour and salt, then mix until it starts to come together.
3. Knead in the softened butter, one tablespoon at a time, until smooth and elastic (about 8–10 minutes by hand or 6 minutes in a mixer).
4. Shape into a ball, cover with a damp towel, and let rise at room temperature until doubled in size—this can take 4–6 hours depending on your starter strength.

Step 2: Chill and shape

1. Once doubled, gently punch down the dough and chill it for 30 minutes in the fridge. (This makes it easier to roll out and braid.)
2. Roll the dough into a rectangle about 10×15 inches on a lightly floured surface.
3. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Step 3: Add filling & braid

1. Spread your chosen filling down the center third of the rectangle, leaving about 1 inch space at the top and bottom.
2. Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut diagonal strips about 1 inch wide along both sides of the filling, from the edges toward the center.
3. Fold the top and bottom flaps over the filling, then fold strips over the filling one at a time, alternating left and right, to create a braid pattern.

Step 4: Final proof

1. Cover the braid loosely with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel.
2. Let it rise at room temp for about 1½–2 hours, until slightly puffy.

Step 5: Bake

1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
2. Brush the braid with egg wash and sprinkle with coarse sugar or almonds if desired.
3. Bake for 25–30 minutes, until golden brown and shiny.
4. Cool for at least 20 minutes before slicing (the filling needs time to set).

Serving Tips

• Drizzle with a powdered sugar glaze (1 cup powdered sugar + 1–2 tbsp milk) if you want a bakery-style finish.
• This keeps well for 2–3 days at room temperature wrapped in foil, but it’s best fresh the day it’s baked.