Easy Sourdough Discard Pull Apart Bread With Garlic and Thyme

Name: Sourdough Pull Apart Bread
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 45 min
Ingredients: 2 tsp active dry yeast; 1/4 cup warm water (60 grams); 2 tsp sugar; 1/2 cup warm milk (120 grams); 1/2 Cup sourdough discard; 1 egg; 1 egg yolk; 2 tbsp butter (unsalted); 1 tsp salt; 3 2/3 cup flour (450 grams); 6 tbsp unsalted butter (softened); 2 tsp dried thyme (or 2 tbsp fresh thyme); 1 tsp dried parsley (or 1 tbsp fresh parsley); 1/2 tsp dried garlic; 3/4 cup mozzarella; 1/4 cup parmesan

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Looking for a cheesy, savory way to use some of your sourdough discard? I have just the recipe for you, my friends! Give this easy sourdough discard pull-apart bread a try— I know you are going to love it!

Click the “jump to recipe” button at the top of the page to get to your new favorite recipe! Don’t forget to leave a comment to let me know what you think.

This recipe is perfect for game day parties, Thanksgiving, and even Christmas parties. The savory aroma of thyme and the comforting deliciousness of melted cheese on soft, buttery sourdough bread will blow your mind (and tastebuds!). The best part? This recipe is beginner-friendly and easy to make in as little as 3 hours.

Sourdough Discard Pull-Apart Bread

Helpful Equipment

Loaf Pan
Bowl
Stand Mixer (optional)
Kitchen scale

Ingredient Breakdown

Baker's yeast (Active Dry Yeast)
Sourdough discard (fed or unfed works)
Granulated sugar
Warm water
Warm whole milk (or non-dairy milk of choice)
Unsalted butter
Two eggs (one whole egg and one yolk)
Garlic powder
Dried thyme
Dried parsley
Mozzerella
Parmesan

Instructions

Step 1: Make the dough -- Add your warm water (roughly 120 degrees or less) to your large mixing bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer). Mix in active dry yeast and sugar. Allow to rest for roughly 5 minutes while the yeast blooms.

Step 2: Next, add in warm milk, softened butter, and 1 egg + 1 egg yolk (preferably room temperature). Mix until combined.

Step 3: Add in the flour and salt. Mix together by hand or in a stand mixer on low speed until a smooth ball is formed.

Step 4: Knead for 5-10 minutes or until the dough passes the "windowpane test" (where you can stretch the dough without it breaking but can see light through it). Don't worry about over-kneading.

Step 5: Allow to rest in a greased bowl for roughly an hour or until it has doubled in size.

Step 6: Make the filling-- While the dough is rising, make your garlic and herb butter. In a bowl, mix together the butter, mozzarella, parmesan, salt, dried garlic, dried parsley, and dried thyme. Set aside.

Step 7: Once the dough has fully proofed, place it on a lightly floured surface and separate into 12 equal-sized balls. Each ball will be roughly 70 grams in weight if you want to be technical.

Step 8: Flatten each ball. Don't worry about making them particularly uniform in shape. Place roughly 1 tablespoon of your butter mixture on each flattened dough ball.

Step 9: Lightly spread to cover all of the dough.

Step 10: Fold dough over the mixture like a taco and lightly stretch to make a rectangle (you'll want it to be about as wide as your loaf pan)

Step 11: Place each of the 12 pieces of dough in a buttered loaf pan one after the other. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and allow the dough to rest while it preheats. Don't worry about how much it rises.

Step 12: Bake the sourdough pull-apart bread for 40-45 minutes or until it is golden brown and fully baked through.

Top with melted butter and enjoy warm!

Notes

Hint: If the ingredients are cold, the butter will not mix very well with the rest of the liquids. This is NOT a big deal! The butter will mix into the rest of the dough during the kneading process.

Sourdough Pull-Apart Bread - FAQ

Can I use a fed starter in this recipe?

Absolutely! I've used both fed and unfed sourdough starter in this recipe and it always turns out great! It won't change your results much.

What if my starter hasn't been fed in a while?

Your bread will still rise just fine even if your starter hasn't been fed in a while. If your starter has developed a hooch on top and has a strong alcohol smell, I would suggest feeding it at least once before baking as it could give your bread a slight alcoholic taste.

Can I make this without sourdough discard?

100% yes! To swap out the 100g of discard, just add 50g of flour and 50g of liquid to your dough to make up for it.

Sourdough Pull Apart Bread

A buttery, cheesy, herb-infused loaf made with sourdough discard.

Print Recipe

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 45

Resting Time 1

Course Appetizer, Side Dish

Servings 8 People

Equipment

Stand Mixer optional
mixing bowl if not using a stand mixer
Kitchen Scale optional but highly recommend
Loaf Pan

Ingredients

Make The Dough

2 teaspoon active dry yeast
¼ cup warm water 60 grams
2 teaspoon sugar
½ cup warm milk 120 grams
½ Cup sourdough discard
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2 tablespoon butter unsalted
1 teaspoon salt
3 ⅔ cup flour 450 grams

Make The Filling

6 tablespoon unsalted butter softened
2 teaspoon dried thyme or 2 tablespoon fresh thyme
1 teaspoon dried parsley or 1 tablespoon fresh parsley
½ tsp dried garlic
¾ cup mozzarella
¼ cup parmesan

Instructions

Add your warm water (roughly 120 degrees or less) to your large mixing bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer). Mix in active dry yeast and sugar. Allow to rest for roughly 5 minutes while the yeast blooms.
Next, add in warm milk, sourdough discard, softened butter, and 1 egg + 1 egg yolk (preferably room temperature). Mix until combined.
Add in the flour and salt. Mix together by hand or in a stand mixer on low speed until a smooth ball is formed.
Knead for 5-10 minutes or until the dough passes the "windowpane test" (where you can stretch the dough without it breaking but can see light through it). Don't worry about over-kneading.
Allow to rest in a greased bowl for roughly an hour or until it has doubled in size.
While the dough is rising, make your garlic and herb butter. In a bowl, mix together the butter, mozzarella, parmesan, salt, dried garlic, dried parsley, and dried thyme. Set aside.
Once the dough has fully proofed, place it on a lightly floured surface and separate into 12 equal-sized balls. Each ball will be roughly 70 grams in weight if you want to be technical.
Flatten each ball. Don't worry about making them particularly uniform in shape. Place roughly 1 tablespoon of your butter mixture on each flattened dough ball.
Lightly spread to cover all of the dough. If you have any leftover mixture, you can melt it and spread it over the loaf prior to baking for extra flavor.
Fold dough over the mixture like a taco and lightly stretch to make a rectangle (you'll want it to be about as wide as your loaf pan)
Place each of the 12 pieces of dough in a buttered loaf pan one after the other. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and allow the dough to rest while it preheats. Don't worry about how much it rises.
Bake the sourdough pull-apart bread for 40-45 minutes or until it is golden brown and fully baked through.
Top with melted butter and enjoy warm!

Notes

Make sure you spread the butter mixture over all of the flattened dough balls. If it is mostly concentrated in the center of the flattened dough, the bottom of the loaf will be very season-y!
The loaf will be ready when the internal temperature is at least 180 degrees Fahrenheit.
Feel free to use fed OR unfed sourdough in this recipe. Just make sure that it was fed recently so that it doesn't give your loaf an alcoholic flavor (not the good kind!!)