10 Sourdough Dessert Recipes Made From Scratch
We cherish these 10 sourdough dessert recipes in our home. I’ve developed each one from scratch with wholesome ingredients so you can enjoy something sweet without tons of sugar or any additives. These recipes are beginner-friendly and so simple to make!
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If you want to make this recipe but don’t have a sourdough starter, no worries! Grab my free guide so you can make your own starter at home.
If you’re new to sourdough baking and feel hesitant, or you have questions, I’ve got something for you! I broke down the basics of what you need to know about sourdough baking in my free sourdough baking guide for beginners. I highly recommend grabbing a copy!
Why Make Desserts with Sourdough?
When you make desserts with sourdough, either fed or discard, you’re adding in live cultures that are good for your gut.
Many people think sourdough is just a replacement for yeast and makes breads rise. While that’s true, sourdough is also full of live cultures that are good for our guts due the fermentation. So when we add it into a dough or batter, you’re adding in the benefits of fermentation.
But to take it a step further, if you let the batter or dough sit in the fridge (cold fermentation for anything that’s not bread and doesn’t need a rise) for 12-24 hours, those cultures ferment all the other ingredients. This makes the dessert easier to digest and better for our bodies! How cool is that?!
Discard or Fed Starter for Desserts?
In most sourdough desserts, you can just use sourdough discard, AKA unfed starter. But for any kind of bread item, you will want to use a fed starter that’s active and bubbly. Each of my recipes below will specify which one to use.
10 of the Best Sourdough Dessert Recipes
Whether you whip up a sourdough lemon pound cake or try your hand at honey buns, you’ll love each of these recipes! I’ve developed them so even beginner bakers can make them.
These 10 dessert recipes have been created, made multiple times, and loved in our kitchen. My hope is they’ll do the same in yours,
Sourdough Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes
Sourdough Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes are much better than the pre-made boxed version on the grocery store shelves! Mine are made from scratch with wholesome ingredients. They start with a moist sourdough vanilla cake. Then, they are layered with homemade stabilized whipped cream and topped with melted chocolate and natural decorating sugar.
Sourdough Chocolate Babka
Sourdough chocolate babka is a sweet, enriched dough that’s filled with a smooth homemade chocolate filling, rolled, and braided before baking. It’s a simple bread that will make your house smell as amazing as the bread tastes!
Sourdough Coffee Cake
If you’re looking for wholesome sourdough coffee cake, you’ve found it! My recipe gives you the moist, fluffy cake you’re craving without all that sugar. I use a pure maple syrup to sweeten the cake itself and a small amount of light brown sugar in the cinnamon layer as well as the streusel topping. You get the same delicious flavor without needing to gulp water after you eat it!
Sourdough Honey Buns (better than Little Debbie’s)
I’ve got a secret: These sourdough honey buns are better than Little Debbie’s. When you take a bite of these buns, you get a mouth full of pillowy soft sourdough, sweet honey, and a hint of cinnamon. You won’t regret whipping up this simple recipe. It really is easy!
Sourdough Peach Cobbler
Each bite of this sourdough peach cobbler has a caramelized, brown sugar peach layer and cinnamon-kissed drop biscuit topping. With southern peaches from The Peach Truck and biscuit dough made with sourdough, you won’t ever need another recipe. You’ll keep coming back for another bite!
Mini Sourdough Fruit Pizza
A mini sourdough fruit pizza is by far my favorite birthday treat and summer dessert. My recipe is wholesome, simple, and irresistible. The crust is a sourdough sugar cookie, the cream cheese is pure with honey whipped in, and the berries are seasonal. In one bite, you’ll experience a soft and creamy texture that will keep you coming back for more!
Best Sourdough Carrot Cake
My sourdough carrot cake is a moist, fluffy, spiced cake full of finely shredded carrots topped with a light cream cheese frosting. My husband, who doesn’t like carrot cake, said it was not only the best carrot cake he’s had but the best cake in general he’s eaten. Wow, what a statement! I know you’ll love it just as much as we do!
Sourdough Lemon Pound Cake
If you’re looking for a simple cake bursting with lemon flavor, this sourdough lemon pound cake is for you. No lack of flavor or overcomplicated steps, finally! This recipe is cherished in our home and I hope it will be in yours as well. Whether you need a dessert for a potluck or you’re craving something sweet, this pound cake is perfect.
Sourdough Brownies
These easy sourdough brownies from scratch are the perfect chocolatey treat for any occasion. You can whip them up for a delicious afternoon treat or long ferment overnight. Whether you’re using fed sourdough starter or discard, this recipe tastes fantastic!
Cut Out Sourdough Sugar Cookies
These cut out sourdough sugar cookies from scratch are perfect for any occasion, especially Christmas. My husband and I love spending a cozy Saturday baking and frosting these cookies together. It’s something I’ve done with my family growing up and now I’ve brought into our marriage! If you’re looking for a new tradition, this cookie recipe will be the perfect place to start!