If you are looking for a traditionally leavened, super soft, lightly sweet, rich dough recipe then this is your lucky day!
I’ve been messing around with this recipe for a few months and even before it was perfect it was sooooo good. The dough is easy to handle, ferments beautifully, and tastes incredible.
I chose the classic braided presentation for my photos but any shape will work well. This rich dough makes wonderful dinner rolls, sweet buns, filled pastries, and brioche.
What Is a Rich Dough?
Rich dough is short for a dough that has been enriched. Enrichment is typically done by adding fats and sweeteners. Most often enriched dough or rich dough has whole eggs or egg yolks, butter, milk, and sugar added into the dough to make it soft and sweet. The addition of fats in rich dough also shortens gluten strands, making the crumb more tender. Rich doughs are delicious and in this case made even better with healthy real-food fats and unrefined sugar.
Try this bread sliced thin, brushed with butter, and baked for the most delectable toast points you’ve ever had. Serve your toast points with a classic Chicken Liver Pâté or my famous Cranberry Apple Duck Liver Pâté.
Of course my favorite way to eat this bread is sliced and slathered with pastured butter!
The perfect multipurpose rich dough for challah, rolls, buns, pastry, brioche, and more!
Soft and Sweet Sourdough Rich Dough
Ingredients
Egg Wash
Instructions
The Night Before
The Next Morning
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grace
Saturday 21st of May 2022
would it hurt to only use all purpose flour instead of mixing bread and all purpose?
Butter For All
Monday 30th of May 2022
Hi Grace!
I apologize for my slow response! It won't hurt at all! You can mix and match most flour, just be aware that whole wheat might require a little extra hydration :)
Happy Baking!
Courtney
Joni Boyce
Friday 21st of January 2022
I absolutely love this recipe! It turned out perfectly the very first time, although it took a long time to proof (I keep my home on the cooler side). My loaf finally fully proofed by closing it a cold oven and turning the light on. I adapted my last batch by adding currants, orange peel, pecans, honey and cardamom to the last stretch and fold. Makes a delicious and decadent breakfast loaf. Thanks so much for sharing. I’ll be using this recipe as a base for who knows what type of mad scientist/baker shenanigans!
Butter For All
Tuesday 25th of January 2022
Hi Joni!
Your adaptations sound heavenly! I'm thrilled you had such great success! Thank you for posting a review :)
Courtney
Jane
Monday 20th of December 2021
Will this recipe work for brown and serve type rolls?
Butter For All
Monday 20th of December 2021
Hi Jane!
Absolutely, this recipe makes incredible rolls! Just warm them in the oven prior to serving!
Help you have a great holiday!
Courtney
Sarah
Saturday 13th of November 2021
This is my favorite sourdough roll recipe, I love it. Have made it more times than I can count. Question: To make ahead and reheat would you bake completely, partially or not at all before freezing? Thanks!
Butter For All
Monday 22nd of November 2021
Hi Sarah!
THANK YOU! I needed some good vibes today!
I would bake completely, defrost, wrap, and then reheat at 300 degrees until hot through.
Bridgette
Thursday 8th of April 2021
Do you suggest letting the dough rise in the refrigerator? How long would it be ok to let it stay on the counter, due to the eggs? Thanks for your help!
Butter For All
Friday 21st of May 2021
Hi Bridgette,
The dough will be just fine overnight. Sourdough has lactic acid that acts like a preservative. I've never encountered a problem with a long slow ferment at room temperature!
Butter For All
Sunday 11th of April 2021
Hi Bridgette,
I actually get asked this a lot. The dough is perfectly fine to stay out at room temperature and I've never had a problem fermenting dough with eggs or milk for as long as between 8-16 hours. The acids in sourdough act as a kind of preservative that is further increased by the fermentation process. If you are worried about it, you can let it double at room temp and then shape it and let the second rise happen slowly in the fridge, but I wouldn't worry personally!
I hope you love the recipe!
Courtney