Click here to see how to score this “snow-covered pine” on your loaf:

As the holiday season approaches, there’s nothing quite like the comforting aroma of freshly baked sourdough bread wafting through your home. Its tangy flavor, chewy crust, and airy crumb make it the perfect addition to any yearend feast. Whether you’re a seasoned sourdough baker or a beginner, this holiday season is the ideal time to embrace the art of sourdough and create a truly memorable Christmas experience.

Why Sourdough for the Holidays?

  • Timeless Tradition: Sourdough baking has been around for centuries, making it a timeless tradition for your yearend celebrations.
  • Flavorful Feasting: The complex flavors of sourdough bread elevate every dish, from savory appetizers to sweet desserts.
  • Homemade Holiday Cheer: Baking your sourdough bread is a rewarding and heartwarming activity that brings the family together.

Sourdough Recipes for This Festive Season

Here are seven sourdough recipes to inspire your holiday baking:

  1. Classic Sourdough Bread: A timeless recipe that pairs perfectly with holiday roasts, cheeses, and spreads. Making this sourdough bread overnight is an easy and rewarding evening routine. You can enjoy freshly baked bread in the morning by following simple steps and using quality ingredients. After activating the starter, the dough is mixed and raised overnight. The next day, the dough is shaped, scored, and baked in a preheated oven. This overnight method, popularized by experts like Martha Levie and Emilie Raffa, ensures a flavorful and crusty loaf with minimal effort.

2. Sourdough and CornBread Stuffing: A flavorful and hearty stuffing that adds a unique twist to your Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner. We’ll need both sourdough corn muffins and sourdough bread to make this delicious stuffing. The long fermentation process enhances the flavor of the cornbread, while the sourdough bread adds a unique taste to the stuffing. Following this recipe can create a flavorful and satisfying dish for your Thanksgiving meal.

3. Sourdough Lebkuchen—the Flavor of Christmas in Germany: Lebkuchen are honey-sweetened cookies often dipped in chocolate and packed with almonds and ground hazelnuts. It is also loaded with holiday spices and dressed up with honest-to-goodness homemade candied lemon and orange peel (not the junk from the grocers), and as I said, often dipped in a chocolate shell that keeps it moist and soft.

SOURDOUGH LEBKUCHEN

4. German Sourdough Christmas Stollen: Depending on its shape, Dresdner or Weihnachts Stollen is a bread packed with dry fruit, poppy seed filling, or marzipan, which is a German staple during Christmas.

5 Sourdough Chocolate Babka: This recipe is perfect for New Year’s or any indulgent holiday occasion.

6. Cut-out Sourdough Cookies Made with Real Butter. Based on Sue Alder’s Sourdough Christmas Cut-out Cookies and her story about how butter from sixty years ago made all the difference, this is now adapted for sourdough.

7. Kletzenbrot is an Austrian holiday stollen made with dried pears and figs and packed with hazelnuts (not almonds, like the Weihnachtsstollen). It is a great food gift for the holidays.

    More Holiday Recipes from Our Sourdough Friends

    Tips for Sourdough Success

    • Feed Your Starter Regularly: Keep your sourdough starter active by feeding it regularly with flour and water.
    • Patience is Key: Sourdough baking requires patience, but the results are well worth the wait.
    • Experiment with Flavors: Add dried fruits, nuts, herbs, or spices to your sourdough dough for a unique flavor profile.
    • Share the Love: Gift homemade sourdough bread to friends and family as a thoughtful holiday present.

    As you gather with loved ones this holiday season, let the warmth of sourdough fill your home and your heart. Happy baking, and happy holidays!