Flavored Sourdough Bread Recipe — Best Easy Ideas For Add-Ins

A good flavored sourdough bread recipe is a baker’s best friend—one simple base with endless ways to make it your own. Whether you crave savory, sweet, or something in between, this sourdough recipe is the perfect foundation for sourdough bread with bold personality.

If you’ve ever wanted to take your sourdough to the next level, a flavored sourdough bread recipe is where creativity meets comfort. A few simple add-ins like herbs, cheese, fruit, or spices, are the best way to turn a your homemade sourdough bread into something unforgettable. 

This flavored sourdough bread recipe gives you the base and the know-how to customize each bake with confidence, whether it’s roasted garlic, sun-dried tomato, or cinnamon and fruit. Experimenting with sourdough add-ins is the best way to find your favorite sourdough bread recipe! 

This base recipe is designed for flexibility. Use it to make a sourdough loaf with seasonal ingredients, fresh herbs, or your favorite delicious flavors. It’s forgiving enough for new bakers, but still deeply satisfying for seasoned sourdough lovers.

If you’re already on your sourdough journey with our rosemary sourdough bread recipe or freshly milled sourdough bread, try some new flavor combinations with this base recipe! If you’re ready to make your own good sourdough bread, I recommend reading through the sourdough guide and making a stiff starter (minimal to no sourdough discard!). Then try a delicious garlic cheddar sourdough focaccia, sourdough bread bowls, or same day sourdough pizza crust. You also cannot go wrong with sourdough calzones or a simple loaf of sourdough bread!

Why You’ll Love This Flavored Sourdough Bread Recipe

Endlessly versatile: Use this as a base for sweet or savory combinations—from cinnamon raisin to jalapeño cheddar, these extra ingredients complement the delicious sourdough bread dough.

Naturally leavened: A good, easy sourdough bread recipe is naturally leavened with wild yeast to create a soft, airy crumb and golden crust. Because it’s made without commercial yeast, it has that signature flavor and digestibility sourdough is known for—something you can’t get from the grocery store!

Perfect for all seasons: Make it cozy with roasted garlic and herbs in fall, chocolate chips or white chocolate chunks for the holidays, or lemon zest and berries for spring.

What Is A Flavored Sourdough Bread Recipe?

Flavored sourdough bread is simply classic sourdough with added ingredients to enhance taste, texture, and aroma. It uses a natural starter instead of yeast and undergoes a long fermentation process that improves flavor and gut-friendliness. The beauty of this loaf is that it starts simple—just flour, water, starter, and salt—and becomes completely your own based on what you fold in.

Compared to sandwich-style loaves or no-knead breads, flavored sourdough offers both rustic charm and artisan flair. It’s beautiful to serve, easy to freeze, and even easier to eat.

Flavored Sourdough Bread Ingredients

A full list of ingredients and quantities is included in the recipe card below. Here’s a breakdown of what you’ll need:

• Bread flour: Bread flour has a higher protein content that gives your loaf structure and chew. You can use a mixture of flour as well–half bread flour and half whole wheat flour. To make your own bread flour, add 1 tablespoon vital wheat gluten to every cup of all-purpose flour
• Active starter: Your sourdough starter should be bubbly and at peak rise. You can perform a float test to check for readiness, if desired.
• Flavor add-ins: Choose one or a few—herbs, spices, cheese, olives, nuts, dried fruit, citrus zest, roasted garlic, and more.

Tools You May Need

• Kitchen scale — You don’t need special equipment for sourdough, but a kitchen scale helps measure grams (g) bread flour.
• Dutch oven — While not 100% necessary, a Dutch oven adds moisture and oven spring. If using a loaf pan or baking sheet, place a small pan of warm water beneath your loaf for the last half of your baking time.
• Proofing basket — You can also use a bowl lined with a tea towel.
• Bench scraper or dough scraper
• Bread lame or razor blade — I like to score the top of the dough with a pretty design. A sharp knife will work as well.

How To Make This Flavored Sourdough Bread Recipe

1. Autolyse: Mix the flour and water in a large bowl with a wooden spoon or Danish whisk until just combined, making sure to get all the flour from the sides of the bowl. Let the dough rest for 45–60 minutes.
2. Add starter and salt: Add the starter and salt and mix well by hand or using a stand mixer with a dough hook. Let rest 15 minutes.
3. Add flavorings: Gently fold in your chosen add-ins during the first stretch and fold. To perform stretch and folds, wet your hand slightly, grab one side of the dough, stretch it up, then fold it over to the opposite side. Rotate the bowl a quarter turn. Repeat 3 more times, until you’ve stretched and folded all four sides.
4. Bulk fermentation: Let the dough rise its first rise and ferment for 4–6 hours at room temperature (or warm spot depending on the temperature of your kitchen), doing 3–4 sets of stretch and folds during the first 2 hours.
5. Pre-shape: Turn the dough out, shape gently, and let the dough rest for 20–30 minutes.
6. Final shape: Shape into a boule or batard and place seam side up in a floured banneton.
7. Cold proof: Cover with plastic wrap and a damp kitchen towel, and refrigerate for 8–12 hours for the bulk rise and fermentation.
8. Bake: Preheat a Dutch oven to 475°F. Turn the dough out onto a sheet of parchment paper or bread sling, seam side down. Dust with rice flour and score, as desired. Transfer the piece of parchment paper to the hot Dutch oven. Bake covered for 20 minutes, then uncovered for 25–30 minutes until golden brown and internal temperature reaches 200–210°F (93–99°C).
9. Slice and enjoy: Cool before slicing.

Recipe Tips For Flavored Sourdough Breads

• Use fresh add-ins. Herbs, cheese, and garlic are best when fresh—avoid pre-shredded or jarred versions for best flavor.
• Balance moisture. Wet add-ins (like olives or roasted veggies) can affect hydration. Reduce water slightly or drain add-ins well.
• Add inclusions during the first or second set of stretch and folds to allow gluten development beforehand.
• Don’t over-stuff.Too many inclusions can make the dough hard to shape and affect oven spring. Stick to 20–25% of flour weight.
• Cool completely. Flavored breads often have a softer crumb—let them cool fully before slicing to avoid gumminess.
• To make bread flour from all-purpose flour, mix 1 tablespoon vital wheat gluten for every 1 cup flour. I find bread flour gives a better crumb and oven spring in my specific environment. Other bakers use only all-purpose flour and have good results, so you can experiment with what works in your specific environment.
• Store baked bread in an airtight container. To freeze, slice and freeze in a plastic bag or container for easy toasting later. Alternatively, flash freeze the whole loaf, then wrap tightly with plastic wrap and place in a freezer-safe storage container. Having delicious bread readily available in the freezer is the best part of homemade bread!

Flavored Sourdough Bread Variations

Sweet Inclusions

• Lemon Blueberry: Gently fold in 1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest and ¾ cup fresh or dried blueberries during your first fold. If using fresh berries, keep them cold to avoid squishing. This one’s lovely as a sweet breakfast loaf or a springtime brunch side.
• Cinnamon Raisin: Add 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon and ¾ cup raisins during the first fold. If you’d like a touch of sweetness, mix in 2 tablespoons maple syrup with your water. This makes a lightly sweet, spiced loaf that’s ideal for breakfast or snacking.
• Cranberry Walnut: Fold in ¾ cup dried cranberries and ½ cup toasted walnuts during the second fold. The tart-sweet fruit and crunchy nuts make this loaf perfect for gifting or pairing with soft cheese and honey.
• Pumpkin Spice: Mix ½ cup pumpkin puree and 1–2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice into the dough during the autolyse phase. Reduce water by about 20–25 grams to account for the moisture in the pumpkin. This cozy, aromatic version is the perfect loaf for fall! It is especially lovely with butter, cinnamon, or a drizzle of maple syrup.

Savory Inclusions

• Olive & Feta: Fold in ½ cup chopped, oil-cured kalamata olives (drained well) and ½ cup crumbled feta after your dough has developed some strength. This tangy, salty combo gives the loaf a Mediterranean flair that pairs well with olive oil or hummus.
• Rosemary Cheddar: Fold in 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar and 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh rosemary during the first or second stretch and fold. The cheddar melts into the crumb while the rosemary adds an earthy aroma—comforting and perfect with a bowl of soup.
• Sun-Dried Tomato Basil: Fold in ½ cup chopped, oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes (drained) and 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil during the first or second stretch and fold. Rich, savory, and herbaceous—perfect with a smear of goat cheese.
• Roasted Garlic Herb: Mash 3–4 cloves of roasted garlic and fold them in with 1 tablespoon each of chopped rosemary and thyme during the second fold. The garlic adds a mellow, caramelized flavor that blends beautifully with the savory herbs. Sprinkle with sesame seeds before baking.
• Chili Cheese: Add 1 cup shredded pepper jack or cheddar and 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh jalapeños (or pickled for less heat) during the first fold. Bold, spicy, and great for sandwiches or serving with chili.
• Caramelized Onion Thyme: Stir in ½ cup fully cooled caramelized onions and 1 tablespoon chopped fresh or dried thyme during the second fold. The sweetness of the onions and earthy herbs make this loaf rich and deeply flavorful.
• Parmesan Herb: Fold in ¾ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese and 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary or thyme. The cheese melts into the crumb for a savory, salty bite that pairs beautifully with soups or pasta night.

Recipe FAQs

I hope you love this recipe!

Flavored sourdough is one of the most joyful ways to experiment in the kitchen. Once you’ve made it a few times, it becomes second nature—and you’ll never run out of ways to make it new.

Other Sourdough Recipes You May Enjoy…

• Overnight Sourdough Bagels
• Sourdough Chocolate Chip Scones
• Soft Sourdough Pita Bread
• Sourdough Discard Buttermilk Cornbread
• Easy Delicious Oat Bread
• What To Serve With Sourdough Bread

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