This easy sourdough discard pull-apart bread is a cheesy, savory way to use up some of your sourdough discard — I know you're going to love it!
It's perfect for game day parties, Thanksgiving, and Christmas gatherings, and it's beginner-friendly and ready in as little as 3 hours. If you love this cheesy garlic-butter filling, it's the same one that inspired my sourdough discard garlic knots — and it pairs beautifully with my same-day sourdough dinner rolls or sourdough discard garlic butter dinner rolls for a whole bread spread.
Quick Look: Sourdough Discard Pull Apart Bread
⏱️ Ready In: About 2 ¼ hours (including rise time)
🔥 Bake Time: 40–45 minutes
🍽️ Serves: 8
✨ Calories: Approximately 263 per serving
🥄 Main Ingredients: Sourdough discard, mozzarella, parmesan, garlic, thyme
🌿 Dietary Info: Vegetarian (easily made dairy-free)
💛 Why You'll Love It: A buttery, cheesy, herb-filled pull-apart loaf that uses up your discard.
SUMMARIZE & SAVE THIS CONTENT ON
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- A great way to use discard: A perfect home for that jar of starter in your fridge, just like my sourdough discard bagels.
- Cheesy garlic-herb layers: Mozzarella, parmesan, garlic, and thyme in every buttery fold — the same magic as my sourdough discard garlic knots.
- A showstopping side: It looks impressive on a party table but is genuinely beginner-friendly, right alongside my sourdough cornbread (or sourdough cornbread muffins) and sourdough discard pretzel bites.
- Soft, buttery, tear-and-share: Each piece pulls apart into a soft, herby, cheesy bite.
- Make it your own: Fed or unfed discard both work, and it adapts to whatever herbs you have on hand. If you are looking for another easy way to use up sourdough discard, try my sourdough pie crust and sourdough chicken pot pie!
Jump to:
- Quick Look: Sourdough Discard Pull Apart Bread
- Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Ingredients
- Easy Substitutions & Variations
- Expert Tips
- What Makes This Recipe Special?
- Sourdough Pull-Apart Bread FAQs
- Sourdough Pull-Apart Bread Troubleshooting Guide
- Storage
- Other Savory Recipes to Consider
- Sourdough Discard Pull Apart Bread
Ingredients
For the dough:
- active dry yeast + sugar + warm water: Bloomed together for a reliable, fluffy rise.
- sourdough discard: Fed or unfed, straight from the fridge.
- warm milk + softened butter + egg and yolk: For a rich, tender, enriched dough.
- all-purpose flour + salt: The structure and seasoning.
For the garlic-herb filling:
- softened butter: The base of the buttery filling.
- dried thyme, parsley + garlic: Savory, aromatic flavor throughout.
- mozzarella: For the best melt and browning, use high-fat (whole-milk), low-moisture mozzarella bought in block form and shredded fresh — pre-shredded is coated in anti-caking starch that hinders melting.
- parmesan: For salty, savory depth.
See the recipe card for quantities.
Easy Substitutions & Variations
- Milk: Use a non-dairy milk to make it dairy-free.
- Make it sweet: Use a cinnamon sugar spread instead of cheesy garlic! Like my sourdough cinnamon swirl bread.
- Butter: A plant-based butter works in both the dough and the filling.
- Cheese: Non-dairy shredded cheeses work if you need them dairy-free.
- Fresh herbs: Swap the dried thyme and parsley for triple the amount of fresh.
- Pizza-style: Add a little marinara for dipping and extra mozzarella, like a tear-and-share sourdough discard pizza.
How to Make Sourdough Pull-Apart Bread
Note: I bake by weight for accuracy. Cup measurements are approximate and may vary depending on how you scoop.
Step 1: Make the dough: Add the warm water (about 120°F or less) to your bowl and mix in the yeast and sugar. Let rest 5 minutes until bloomed. Add the warm milk, sourdough discard, softened butter, egg, and yolk; mix until combined. Add the flour and salt and mix until a smooth ball forms, then knead 5–10 minutes until it passes the windowpane test.
Step 2: First rise: Let the dough rest in a greased bowl about an hour, until doubled. Meanwhile, mix the filling: combine the softened butter, mozzarella, parmesan, salt, garlic, parsley, and thyme in a bowl and set aside.
Step 3: Fill and shape: Divide the dough into 12 equal balls (about 70g each). Flatten each, spread about 1 tablespoon of filling to cover, fold it over like a taco, and lightly stretch into a rectangle about as wide as your loaf pan.
Step 4: Assemble and proof: Place the 12 pieces upright in a buttered loaf pan, one after the other. Preheat the oven to 375°F and let the dough rest while it heats — don't worry about how much it rises.
Step 5: Bake: Bake 40–45 minutes, until golden brown and baked through (an internal temperature of at least 180°F). Top with melted butter and enjoy warm.
Step 5: Bake: Bake 40–45 minutes, until golden brown and baked through (an internal temperature of at least 180°F). Top with melted butter and enjoy warm.
Weigh your ingredients! Using a kitchen scale ensures your measurements are accurate, which is key for getting consistent results in baking. It takes the guesswork out of measuring and helps your recipes turn out exactly as intended every time.
Expert Tips
- Spread the filling to the edges. Cover the whole flattened piece — if it's concentrated in the center, the bottom of the loaf turns overly seasoned.
- Shred your own mozzarella. Use high-fat, low-moisture block mozzarella shredded fresh; pre-shredded is coated in anti-caking starch that keeps it from melting and browning well.
- Don't stress about uniformity. The dough pieces don't need to be perfectly shaped — rustic is part of the charm.
- Bake to temperature. The loaf is done at an internal temperature of at least 180°F, so it's fully baked in the center.
- Room-temperature ingredients mix best. Cold butter won't blend smoothly, but it'll incorporate during kneading — no big deal.
What Makes This Recipe Special?
This is a tear-and-share loaf that looks like it took all day but comes together in about three hours. The sourdough discard adds a subtle tang and uses up your starter, while the garlic-herb butter and cheese are layered into every fold for flavor all the way through — the same technique behind my sourdough discard ciabatta rolls and soft sourdough sandwich bread.
It's also endlessly party-friendly. Serve it warm as an appetizer or a side, next to soft sourdough discard burger buns or easy sourdough discard hotdog buns for a whole homemade bread basket.
Sourdough Pull-Apart Bread FAQs
Absolutely! I've used both fed and unfed sourdough starter, and it always turns out great — it won't change your results much.
Your bread will still rise fine. But if your starter has developed a hooch on top and a strong alcohol smell, feed it at least once before baking so it doesn't give the loaf a slightly alcoholic taste.
Yes! To swap out the 100g of discard, just add 50g of flour and 50g of liquid to the dough to make up for it. Since sourdough discard can vary in water content, you might need to add a bit more flour or water to get the right texture.
The loaf is ready when the internal temperature reaches at least 180°F and the top is golden brown.
Sourdough Pull-Apart Bread Troubleshooting Guide
| Problem | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Overly seasoned, soggy bottom | Filling concentrated in the center. | Spread the butter mixture over the entire flattened piece. |
| Cheese won't melt well | Pre-shredded cheese used. | Shred high-fat, low-moisture block mozzarella fresh. |
| Slightly alcoholic taste | Unfed starter with hooch. | Feed the starter once before baking. |
| Doughy center | Underbaked. | Bake until the internal temperature is at least 180°F. |
| Dense loaf | Under-kneaded or under-proofed. | Knead to windowpane and let it fully double. |
Storage
- Store leftover pull-apart bread wrapped or in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- Reheat in a warm oven to revive the soft, cheesy texture.
- Freeze, wrapped tightly, for up to 2 months.
Other Savory Recipes to Consider
Did you make this recipe?
If you try this recipe, I’d love if you left a quick rating and review below! It really helps support my blog and lets others know how the recipe turned out for you. Also, don't forget to tag me @kneadedthat on Instagram and use the hashtag #kneadedthat so I can see what you made and share it!
Sourdough Discard Pull Apart Bread
Equipment
- Stand Mixer optional
- mixing bowl if not using a stand mixer
- Kitchen Scale optional but highly recommend
- Loaf Pan
Ingredients
Sourdough Discard Dough
- 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 60 grams warm water ¼ cup
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 120 grams warm milk ½ cup
- 100 grams sourdough discard ½ cup
- 1 egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- 450 grams all-purpose flour 3 ⅔ cups
Cheesy Filling
- 85 grams unsalted butter softened (6 tablespoons)
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme or 2 tablespoons fresh
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley or 1 tablespoon fresh
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder or 1 clove fresh garlic, minced
- ¾ cup shredded mozzarella use high-fat, low-moisture block mozzarella shredded fresh
- ¼ cup grated parmesan
Instructions
- Add the warm water (roughly 120°F or less) to your large mixing bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer). Mix in the active dry yeast and sugar. Let rest about 5 minutes while the yeast blooms.2 teaspoons active dry yeast, 60 grams warm water, 2 teaspoons sugar
- Add the warm milk, sourdough discard, softened butter, and the egg plus egg yolk (preferably room temperature). Mix until combined.120 grams warm milk, 100 grams sourdough discard, 1 egg, 1 egg yolk, 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Add the flour and salt. Mix by hand or in a stand mixer on low speed until a smooth ball forms.1 ½ teaspoons salt, 450 grams all-purpose flour
- Knead 5–10 minutes, or until the dough passes the windowpane test (you can stretch it thin enough to see light through without it breaking). Don't worry about over-kneading.
- Let rest in a greased bowl about an hour, or until doubled in size.
- While the dough rises, make the garlic-herb butter: in a bowl, mix the softened butter, mozzarella, parmesan, salt, garlic powder, dried parsley, and dried thyme. Set aside.85 grams unsalted butter, 2 teaspoons dried thyme, 1 teaspoon dried parsley, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, ¾ cup shredded mozzarella
- Once proofed, place the dough on a lightly floured surface and divide into 12 equal balls (about 70g each).
- Flatten each ball (they don't need to be uniform) and place about 1 tablespoon of filling on each. Lightly spread to cover all the dough — if you have leftover filling, melt it and brush over the loaf before baking.
- Fold each piece over the filling like a taco and lightly stretch into a rectangle about as wide as your loaf pan.
- Place the 12 pieces upright in a buttered loaf pan, one after the other. Cover and let rise in a warm spot for 30–45 minutes, until noticeably puffy. Toward the end of the rise, preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Bake 40–45 minutes, until golden brown and baked through (an internal temperature of at least 180°F). If the top is browning too quickly, tent loosely with foil for the last 10–15 minutes.
- Top with melted butter and enjoy warm!
Leave a Reply