Recipe Collection

Enriched & Sweet Bread Recipes

Butter, eggs, and a little sugar turn bread into something special. Brioche, challah, babka, cinnamon rolls, and Japanese milk bread, all built for a soft, rich crumb with clear measurements and timing. This is where baking feels like a gift.

88 recipes

Apple Cinnamon Streusel Bread | Recipe Pantry
beginner

Apple Cinnamon Streusel Bread | Recipe Pantry

Tender apple quick bread with brown sugar streusel and a light cinnamon glaze

Tender apple cinnamon quick bread layered with spiced apples, crisp brown sugar streusel, and a light vanilla-cinnamon glaze.

About 2 hours 40 minutes, including coolingOne 9 x 5-inch loaf, about 10 slices
Bakery-Style Hot Dog Buns
beginner

Bakery-Style Hot Dog Buns

Soft, Buttery Split-Top Buns

Pillowy tangzhong hot dog buns that stay soft for 3–4 days. An extra yolk and butter brush take them from good to unforgettable.

3-4 hrsMakes 10 hot dog buns
Bakery-Style Jalapeño Cheddar Sandwich Loaf
beginner

Bakery-Style Jalapeño Cheddar Sandwich Loaf

Soft, cheesy sandwich bread with sharp cheddar and pickled jalapeños

A soft, enriched sandwich bread loaded with sharp cheddar and pickled jalapeños. Perfect for sandwiches, toast, and the best grilled cheese you'll ever make.

3-3.5 hoursOne 9×5" loaf, about 12-14 slices
Banana Blueberry Scones | Baking Great Bread
beginner

Banana Blueberry Scones | Baking Great Bread

Big, tender scones with banana, blueberries, cream, and a crisp sugar top

Tender banana blueberry scones with cold butter, cream, blueberries, and a quick cut-and-stack method for flaky restaurant-style layers.

About 1 hour 5 minutesSix restaurant-size triangular scones. The same batch can be shaped as eight traditional free-form wedges.
Brown Butter Blondies
beginner

Brown Butter Blondies

Deep brown butter, chewy edge to edge, built for seasonal swaps

Brown butter blondies with a high brown sugar ratio for real chew. One base pan, three seasonal versions. Home scale from the market formula.

PT2H30MOne 9x9-inch pan cut into a 4 by 4 grid
Classic White Sandwich Bread
beginner

Classic White Sandwich Bread

Soft, Fluffy, and Better Than Store-Bought

This is the white bread you grew up eating, except better. Soft, fluffy, and impossibly tender, this recipe makes two beautiful loaves that slice perfectly…

3-4 hours2 loaves (about 12 slices each)
Fresh-Milled Pistachio Banana Bread | Recipe Pantry
beginner

Fresh-Milled Pistachio Banana Bread | Recipe Pantry

Tender soft white wheat banana bread with brown butter, sour cream, dark brown sugar, and toasted pistachios

Fresh-milled soft white wheat gives this brown butter pistachio banana bread a tender whole-grain crumb without losing the richness of classic banana bread.

About 2 hours 40 minutes for the loaf, including coolingOne 9 x 5-inch loaf, about 10 slices, or 6 Texas-size jumbo muffins
Fresh-Milled Sandwich Bread
beginner

Fresh-Milled Sandwich Bread

Soft, honey-sweet whole grain sandwich loaves, from berries to bread

Two soft, honey-sweet sandwich loaves made with 100% fresh-milled flour. Milk, butter, and a rest before kneading give you a tender whole grain crumb.

About 4 hoursTwo 8.5 x 4.5 inch sandwich loaves, about 14 slices each
Henry's Bakery-Style Blueberry Scones
beginner

Henry's Bakery-Style Blueberry Scones

Tall, Flaky, and Bursting with Berries

Bakery-style blueberry scones with frozen grated butter, buttermilk, and a quick lamination for flaky layers and a tender, blueberry-loaded crumb.

About 1 hour8 large wedge-shaped scones
Henry's Tall Texas Banana Nut Muffins
beginner

Henry's Tall Texas Banana Nut Muffins

Tall bakery crowns, big banana flavor, and a crunchy nut and sugar top

Tall Texas banana nut muffins with ripe banana, butter, pecans or walnuts, and a crunchy turbinado top. Six jumbo bakery-style muffins.

About 55 minutesSix tall Texas-size muffins, about 205-210g batter each
Jumbo Blueberry Muffins | Baking Great Bread
beginner

Jumbo Blueberry Muffins | Baking Great Bread

Big bakery crowns, tender centers, and blueberries in every bite

Bakery-style jumbo blueberry muffins with vanilla yogurt, tender crumb, and tall sugar-crusted tops.

About 55 minutesSix Texas-size bakery-style muffins, about 205-215g batter per tulip liner
Lemon Shortbread Cookies
beginner

Lemon Shortbread Cookies

Slice-and-bake logs, sandy texture, bright lemon oil

Tender lemon shortbread made as slice-and-bake logs. Sandy, pale, and bright, with a three week shelf life. Home scale from the market formula.

PT2H40M24 rounds, about ⅓ inch thick
Market Oatmeal Cookies
beginner

Market Oatmeal Cookies

One hearty oat dough, split into raisin and chocolate chip

Chewy oatmeal cookies with visible oats and soft centers. One dough splits into raisin and chocolate chip, home scale from the market formula.

PT1H10M18 hearty market-size cookies, half raisin and half chocolate chip
Market Snickerdoodles
beginner

Market Snickerdoodles

Crinkled tops, chewy centers, and a generous cinnamon sugar coat

Real snickerdoodles with cream of tartar tang, crinkled tops, and soft centers. Home scale from the Recipe Pantry Pro market formula.

PT1H5M18 chewy snickerdoodles
Monkey Bread
beginner

Monkey Bread

The pull-apart loaf that forgives everything

Soft enriched dough torn into pieces, coated in butter and cinnamon sugar, baked in a bundt pan under a brown sugar caramel. No shaping required.

About 4 hoursServes 10 to 12
Pineapple Upside-Down Cake | Recipe Pantry
beginner

Pineapple Upside-Down Cake | Recipe Pantry

A buttery pineapple cake with a glossy brown sugar topping

Classic pineapple upside-down cake with caramelized brown sugar, juicy pineapple, and a soft buttery crumb.

1 hour 20 minutesOne 9-inch round cake, about 10 slices
Soft Einkorn Chocolate-Chip Cookies
beginner

Soft Einkorn Chocolate-Chip Cookies

Crisp edges, soft centers, and a grain you can actually taste

Tender einkorn chocolate-chip cookies with caramelized edges and soft centers. A 30-minute chill hydrates the flour and keeps them from spreading thin.

1 hour 15 minutes22 to 24 cookies at 40g each
Sourdough Discard Biscuits
beginner

Sourdough Discard Biscuits

Flaky, buttery biscuits with a real sourdough tang

Sourdough discard biscuits with frozen grated butter and cut-and-stack lamination. Tall, flaky layers with a subtle tang. Ready in under an hour.

35-40 minutes9 to 12 biscuits depending on cut size
Accordion Pull-Apart Loaf
intermediate

Accordion Pull-Apart Loaf

One Dough, Any Filling, Layers That Peel Like Pages

A soft milk bread rolled with filling, cut, stacked, and accordion-folded so every slice pulls apart in sheets. Pick your filling.

4-4.5 hoursOne 9x5 inch loaf, about 12 pull-apart slices
American Sandwich Bread with Sponge
intermediate

American Sandwich Bread with Sponge

Soft Sandwich Bread Using the Sponge Method

Soft, tender sandwich bread using a 50% sponge method for an even crumb that slices beautifully — sandwiches, toast, or just butter.

5-7 hours2 standard loaves (9x5 inch pans)
Baba Wielkanocna — Polish Easter Cake
intermediate

Baba Wielkanocna — Polish Easter Cake

Poland's tall, golden Easter bread — rich with egg yolks, citrus, and tradition

Baba Wielkanocna is the Polish Easter cake — a tall, egg-rich enriched bread baked in a Bundt pan and finished with a bright lemon glaze.

12-16 hours (mostly hands-off)Serves 10-12
Beetroot Star Bread
intermediate

Beetroot Star Bread

Two-Tone Pink & Cream Pull-Apart Star Bread

A showstopper pull-apart star bread with a natural pink beetroot dough and classic cinnamon sugar filling. Same technique as the savory star — just a whole new look.

About 3 hoursServes 8–10
Blueberry Puff Pastry Hand Pies
intermediate

Blueberry Puff Pastry Hand Pies

Flaky Butter Pastry Filled with Fresh Blueberries

Flaky, golden blueberry hand pies with homemade laminated dough and jammy filling. Layers of buttery pastry that store-bought can't match.

3 hours 25 minutes (plus overnight chill recommended)12 individual hand pies
Blueberry Walnut Bread
intermediate

Blueberry Walnut Bread

A Hearty, Lightly Sweet Loaf Bursting with Berries and Toasted Walnuts

Lightly sweet yeasted bread loaded with fresh blueberries and toasted walnuts. Perfect for toast, sandwiches, or straight off the cutting board.

4-5 hoursMakes 1 standard loaf, about 12 slices
Bremer Klaben | North German Christmas Bread
intermediate

Bremer Klaben | North German Christmas Bread

Bremen's Heavily Fruited Christmas Loaf

Bremer Klaben, the North German Christmas bread: rum-soaked raisins, candied peel, and cardamom in a rich yeasted dough. No icing, no butter bath.

3-12 weeks from first soak to first sliceOne large loaf, about 1.5 kg (20 thick slices)
Brioche Bread
intermediate

Brioche Bread

Tangzhong Method for Extended Freshness

This isn't your average brioche. By combining traditional French technique with the Japanese tangzhong method, you get all the rich, buttery flavor of…

12-16 hrsMakes 1 large loaf (9x5 pan) or 12 rolls
Brioche Hamburger Buns
intermediate

Brioche Hamburger Buns

Rich, Golden-Brown, and Decadently Buttery

Rich, golden-brown and decadently buttery with a hint of sweetness. Perfect for burgers, sandwiches, or sliders. These brioche buns elevate any sandwich…

Overnight + 4 hours8 hamburger buns (125g each)
Brown Butter Peach Cobbler Cinnamon Rolls
intermediate

Brown Butter Peach Cobbler Cinnamon Rolls

Soft tangzhong cinnamon rolls filled with roasted peaches, finished with brown butter streusel and a buttermilk glaze. Real fruit, no extract.

3 1/2 to 4 1/2 hours12 rolls in a 9x13-inch pan
Cinnamon Babka
intermediate

Cinnamon Babka

Swirled, pull-apart enriched bread with a buttery cinnamon-sugar filling

A rich enriched dough filled with cinnamon sugar and butter. Mix Friday night, shape Saturday morning, bake cold for perfect layers every time.

Approximately 14 hours (mostly hands-off)One 9x5 inch loaf, serves 8-10
Classic Yeasted Doughnuts
intermediate

Classic Yeasted Doughnuts

Light, Airy Raised Doughnuts

These are the doughnuts that make you close your eyes and remember Friday nights after school, the kitchen like a sauna, burning your lips because you couldn't wait for them to cool. Overnight cold fermentation develops deep flavor and makes the dough easy to handle.

18-20 hours20 doughnuts (about 50g each)
Colomba-Inspired Easter Loaf
intermediate

Colomba-Inspired Easter Loaf

Italy's Easter dove bread — made approachable for the home baker

A home baker's take on Colomba Pasquale — the Italian Easter dove bread. Orange-scented enriched dough with candied peel and a crunchy almond glaze.

12-16 hours (mostly hands-off)Serves 10-12
Croissant Bread (Yeasted)
intermediate

Croissant Bread (Yeasted)

All the flaky layers of a croissant, baked as a loaf

A buttery, flaky croissant loaf made with grated frozen butter instead of a butter block. Same-day yeasted version, no lamination expert required.

about 5 hoursServes 8-10
Danish Pastry (True Puff Method)
intermediate

Danish Pastry (True Puff Method)

Soft, Buttery Layers with Classic Danish Structure

Most Danish recipes skip the real lamination work. This one doesn't. You'll build a proper butter block, execute a book fold and letter fold, and…

2 days8-12 Danish pastries depending on size
Danish Rye Bread
intermediate

Danish Rye Bread

No Sourdough Required

Real Danish rye bread without the sourdough fuss. This dense, seeded loaf uses instant-yeast and a long, slow rise to develop serious flavor. Perfect…

27 hours 40 minutes1 large loaf (about 16 slices)
Easter Bunny Bread
intermediate

Easter Bunny Bread

A soft, golden enriched loaf shaped like a bunny — your Easter table centerpiece

Soft enriched Easter Bunny Bread shaped into a classic bunny face. Make one showpiece loaf or individual bunny rolls. Yeasted and sourdough versions included.

3.5-4 hoursServes 8-10. Or make 8 individual bunny rolls.
Einkorn & Spelt Cinnamon Rolls | Baking Great Bread
intermediate

Einkorn & Spelt Cinnamon Rolls | Baking Great Bread

Soft tangzhong rolls with a cardamom swirl and maple cream cheese frosting

Soft fresh-milled einkorn and spelt cinnamon rolls with a cardamom swirl and maple cream cheese frosting. Tangzhong keeps them tender. Overnight option.

About 4 hours 15 minutesTwelve rolls in a 9x13 inch pan (about 77g of dough each, before frosting)
Enriched Sesame Sandwich Loaf
intermediate

Enriched Sesame Sandwich Loaf

Soft butter, egg, and milk crumb with three diagonal sesame stripes

A soft enriched sandwich loaf with butter, egg, and milk, finished with three diagonal sesame stripes. Bakes top-off for a golden crown, scales for a Pullman.

3-3.5 hoursOne 9x5" loaf, about 12-14 slices. Scale to 1.5x for a 13x4x4" Pullman pan.
Garlic Cheddar Basil Sourdough Knots
intermediate

Garlic Cheddar Basil Sourdough Knots

Soft, pull-apart knots loaded with melted sharp cheddar, fresh basil, and toasted garlic butter

Soft, enriched sourdough knots brushed with toasted garlic butter, folded with sharp cheddar and fresh basil. Built on a fully sourdough levain at 17% inoculation. Same-day or overnight bake.

8 hours same-day or up to 18 hours with overnight retardServes 6-8 as a side or appetizer
Henry's Big, Gooey Cinnamon Rolls
intermediate

Henry's Big, Gooey Cinnamon Rolls

The Ultimate Make-Ahead Rolls That'll Make You a Legend

These aren't your average cinnamon rolls. Using the tangzhong method (a Japanese technique that creates incredibly soft, long-lasting bread), these beauties stay tender for days. The overnight cold-proof develops deep flavor while making your morning routine easier. When Ryan called asking for cinnamon rolls for his track teammates, I knew these had to be perfect. By the end of the day, half the track and field team was in his dorm and all those rolls were gone.

12+ hours12 large cinnamon rolls (1 pan)
Henry's Decadent Blueberry Cinnamon Rolls
intermediate

Henry's Decadent Blueberry Cinnamon Rolls

With Swirled Cream Cheese Frosting

These blueberry cinnamon rolls are built for balance. Soft, enriched dough. Real fruit flavor from preserves and fresh berries. Toasted walnuts for depth.…

4 hours9 large rolls
Henry's Jam Ribbon Sweet Roll
intermediate

Henry's Jam Ribbon Sweet Roll

Soft sweet rolls layered with jam and wrapped into striking ribbons

Soft yeast rolls layered with jam, cut into ribbons, wrapped around a dowel, and baked glossy and golden.

1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hoursTwelve individual jam-filled ribbon rolls
Henry's Japanese Milk Bread (Shokupan)
intermediate

Henry's Japanese Milk Bread (Shokupan)

Pillowy-soft loaf that stays fresh for days

A pillowy-soft, slightly sweet Japanese milk bread using the tangzhong method. Perfect for toast, sandwiches, or eating straight from the bag.

4 hoursOne 9x5-inch loaf (12 slices)
Henry's Paska Easter Bread
intermediate

Henry's Paska Easter Bread

A soft, buttery Easter bread with a little citrus and a lot of meaning

Henry's Paska — soft, buttery, lightly sweet Easter bread with citrus zest in every slice. Sourdough and yeasted versions both included.

Same-day: 10–14 hours | Overnight: 2 daysServes 10–12
Henry's Savory Star Bread
intermediate

Henry's Savory Star Bread

Spinach, Feta & Mozzarella Filling

A pull-apart star bread with a spanakopita-inspired filling of wilted spinach, creamy feta, and stretchy mozzarella. Easier than it looks.

3 hours1 star bread (serves 8–10)
Henry's Sourdough Chocolate Babka
intermediate

Henry's Sourdough Chocolate Babka

The Loaf That Started It All

This naturally leavened babka combines the subtle tang of sourdough with swirls of dark chocolate. Uses your active sourdough starter directly with no levain build required. Overnight cold retard for convenience and deeper flavor complexity.

18-20 hoursOne 9x5-inch loaf (approximately 800g)
Hoagie Rolls (Yeasted)
intermediate

Hoagie Rolls (Yeasted)

Bakery-Style Hoagies Built With Baguette Technique

Soft, chewy yeasted hoagie rolls shaped and scored like baguettes. Great flavor, real technique, and a skill-building shaping method you'll use forever.

2.5-3 hours6 rolls, approximately 9 inches each. Scale to 120g of dough per roll for 9-inch hoagies, 150g for a heartier 10-inch roll.
Holiday Chocolate Babka
intermediate

Holiday Chocolate Babka

Rich Buttery Swirled Gift Bread

Rich, buttery babka swirled with dark chocolate and a hint of cinnamon. This makes the perfect holiday gift bread, whether you bake it as two full…

12 hours (including overnight rise)2 full loaves or 4-6 mini loaves (16 servings)
Holiday Star Bread, Sweet
intermediate

Holiday Star Bread, Sweet

A Sixteen-Point Cardamom Star for the Holiday Table

Soft enriched star bread with cardamom sugar between four rolled layers, cut and twisted into a sixteen-point star. Cranberry-orange variation included.

About 4 1/2 hours (or overnight with the cold retard)One 10-inch sixteen-point star, serves 10-12
Hot Cross Buns
intermediate

Hot Cross Buns

Soft, Spiced, Fruit-Studded Easter Buns with a Traditional Flour Paste Cross

Pillowy spiced buns filled with currants and candied orange peel, topped with a traditional baked flour paste cross and finished with an apricot-orange glaze.

About 3½ hours12 buns in a 9×13 pan
Julekaka, Norwegian Christmas Bread | Recipe Pantry
intermediate

Julekaka, Norwegian Christmas Bread | Recipe Pantry

Soft Cardamom Round with Raisins and Candied Citrus

Norwegian julekake: a soft cardamom-scented round with raisins and candied citrus. Simple, warm, and best toasted with butter. Freshly ground cardamom matters.

About 4 hoursOne 9-inch round loaf, about 16 slices
Khorasan & Emmer Cinnamon Swirl Bread | Baking Great Bread
intermediate

Khorasan & Emmer Cinnamon Swirl Bread | Baking Great Bread

A golden whole grain loaf with a tight, gap-free cinnamon swirl

Fresh-milled khorasan and emmer cinnamon swirl bread with a paste filling that stays bonded. A golden loaf made for French toast, or toast and butter.

About 4 hours 20 minutes, plus 1 hour to coolOne 9x5 inch loaf, about 12 slices (roughly 1,000g with the filling)
King Cake: A Mardi Gras Tradition Worth Mastering
intermediate

King Cake: A Mardi Gras Tradition Worth Mastering

Two Recipes, One Journey: Commercial Yeast & Sourdough Versions

"Henry, is king cake really bread?" I get this question every Carnival season. The answer is yes, absolutely. King cake is an enriched-dough, same…

24+ hours1 large oval ring (serves 12-16)
Marbled Bread (Sourdough)
intermediate

Marbled Bread (Sourdough)

The same stunning marble. The added depth of a long, slow ferment.

Sourdough marbled bread using an enriched base dough at 17% inoculation. Same lamination technique as the yeasted version with a richer, more complex flavor.

14-18 hours (mostly hands-off)One 9x5 inch loaf, about 12 slices
Marbled Bread (Yeasted)
intermediate

Marbled Bread (Yeasted)

One base dough. Endless color combinations. Stunning every time.

A soft enriched yeasted dough marbled with natural colorants. Learn the lamination technique once and you can make any color combination you want.

4 hoursOne 9x5 inch loaf, about 12 slices
No-Gap Cinnamon Swirl Bread
intermediate

No-Gap Cinnamon Swirl Bread

The Foolproof Method for Perfect Swirls Every Time

This recipe solves the most frustrating problem home bakers face with cinnamon swirl bread: the dreaded gap between the swirl and the dough. Through careful testing and understanding the science behind why separation happens, I've built in every technique that actually works. You'll get a soft, pillowy loaf with a tight, beautiful spiral that won't unravel when you slice it or drop filling into the bottom of your pan.

4-5 hoursapproximately 12-14 slices
Pan de Muerto
intermediate

Pan de Muerto

The Traditional Bread of Día de los Muertos

A soft, orange-scented enriched bread crowned with dough bones and finished in butter and sugar. Baked across Mexico for Día de los Muertos, and a beautiful centerpiece for any late-October table.

About 4½ hoursOne 20cm (8-inch) round loaf, about 12 generous slices
Peach and Strawberry Galette
intermediate

Peach and Strawberry Galette

A free-form summer galette with fresh peaches, strawberries, and an almond base that keeps the crust crisp. Full metric and volume measurements.

about 2 hours 15 minutesone 10-inch galette, 6 to 8 slices
Purple Sweet Potato Sourdough
intermediate

Purple Sweet Potato Sourdough

Naturally vivid. Nutty and sweet. A crumb reveal worth waiting for.

Naturally purple sourdough made with purple sweet potato puree or powder. Soft, moist crumb with a nutty sweetness and stunning color throughout.

18-24 hours (mostly hands-off)One 900g boule or one 9x5 inch sandwich loaf
Roasted Garlic and Gruyère Savory Babka
intermediate

Roasted Garlic and Gruyère Savory Babka

A buttery, herb-swirled babka that belongs on every dinner table

Garlic bread reimagined as a twisted pull-apart loaf. Roasted garlic, fresh herbs, and melted Gruyère swirled through buttery enriched dough.

14-16 hours2 full loaves or 4 mini loaves, about 16 servings
Round Honey-Apple Challah
intermediate

Round Honey-Apple Challah

A Tight Crown Braid for a Sweet New Year

A round braided challah with diced apple and honey for Rosh Hashanah. Learn the tight crown tuck and how to fold fruit into enriched dough without wrecking it.

4 hoursServes 10 to 12, or divide into 2 smaller crowns
Soft Italian Sandwich Bread
intermediate

Soft Italian Sandwich Bread

A Lean Loaf with Honey, Olive Oil, and Milk

A lean Italian-style sandwich loaf built on a sponge with honey, olive oil, and milk. Soft, slice-friendly, and made for everyday lunches.

About 8 to 16 hours, mostly hands-offOne 8½ x 4½-inch loaf, about 12 slices
Sourdough Hoagie Rolls
intermediate

Sourdough Hoagie Rolls

Bakery Hoagies With Real Sourdough Flavor and Baguette Technique

Chewy, flavorful sourdough hoagie rolls shaped and scored like baguettes. A cold overnight bulk makes next-morning shaping easy and the flavor complex.

7-8 hours same-day, or overnight + 3 hours6 rolls, approximately 9 inches each. Scale to 120g of dough per roll.
Sourdough Hot Cross Buns
intermediate

Sourdough Hot Cross Buns

Overnight Spiced Buns with Natural Fermentation and a Traditional Flour Paste Cross

Spiced, fruit-studded hot cross buns made with 100% sourdough. A sweet levain controls the sour, tangzhong keeps them soft, and the flour paste cross goes on before baking.

About 14–18 hours (mostly hands-off)12 buns in a 9×13 pan
Sourdough Monkey Bread
intermediate

Sourdough Monkey Bread

Overnight levain, Saturday morning payoff

Sourdough monkey bread built on a levain with an overnight cold retard. Cinnamon sugar, brown sugar caramel, and a tang that balances the sweetness.

About 22 to 28 hours including overnightServes 10 to 12
Sourdough Round Challah
intermediate

Sourdough Round Challah

Honey-sweet, naturally leavened challah braided into a ring.

Honey-sweet sourdough challah braided into a round loaf. Naturally leavened, cold-retarded overnight, finished with black and white sesame.

18-24 hours (mostly hands-off, spread across two days)One large braided round loaf (about 12 slices)
Sourdough Round Honey-Apple Challah Recipe
intermediate

Sourdough Round Honey-Apple Challah Recipe

A Naturally Leavened Four-Strand Crown with Apples and Honey

A soft, naturally leavened honey-apple challah shaped into a four-strand round crown, with detailed fermentation cues, braiding instructions and a warm honey finish.

9 hours 15 minutesServes 10 to 12
Sourdough Savory Star Bread
intermediate

Sourdough Savory Star Bread

Spanakopita-Inspired Pull-Apart with Sourdough Depth

A pull-apart sourdough star bread with a spanakopita-inspired spinach and feta filling. Overnight levain for deeper flavor.

18-22 hours (overnight process)Serves 8-10
Sourdough Soft Italian Sandwich Bread
intermediate

Sourdough Soft Italian Sandwich Bread

A Naturally Leavened Lean Loaf with Honey, Olive Oil, and Milk

A naturally leavened lean Italian sandwich loaf built on a levain with honey, olive oil, and milk. Soft, sliceable, and made for everyday lunches.

About 12 to 24 hours, mostly hands-offOne 8½ x 4½-inch loaf, about 12 slices
Sourdough Soft Pretzels
intermediate

Sourdough Soft Pretzels

Naturally Leavened, Deeply Flavored, No Lye Required

These sourdough soft pretzels use active sourdough starter as the sole leavening. No commercial yeast. The overnight rise develops a complex, tangy flavor that regular pretzels can't touch, while the baking soda bath still gives you that chewy, dark, glossy crust.

6-20 hours (mostly hands-off)8 large pretzels, about 64 pretzel bites, or 12 pretzel buns
Sourdough Twine-Shaped Pumpkin Bread | Baking Great Bread
intermediate

Sourdough Twine-Shaped Pumpkin Bread | Baking Great Bread

Naturally Leavened Savory Loaf with Real Pumpkin and Rosemary

The sourdough take on my pumpkin-shaped savory bread. Real pumpkin purée, whole milk, butter, and fresh rosemary, raised with an active levain instead of commercial yeast. Tie it with oiled twine and you get eight clean pumpkin segments, a golden egg-washed crust, and a soft, tender crumb with just a whisper of tang. Put a cinnamon-stick stem on top and it's the centerpiece of the table.

18-24 hours including levain build (mostly hands-off)Two 7-8 inch pumpkin-shaped round loaves, 14-16 slices total
Special Round Challah
intermediate

Special Round Challah

Glossy, honey-sweet challah you can bake in one afternoon—or slow-ferment overnight with sourdough.

Glossy, honey-sweet challah you can bake in one afternoon—or slow-ferment overnight with sourdough. Enriched dough with honey and eggs, shaped into a beautiful braided circle.

3 hours 30 minutes1 large braided loaf (12 servings)
Spelt & Khorasan Maple Monkey Bread | Baking Great Bread
intermediate

Spelt & Khorasan Maple Monkey Bread | Baking Great Bread

Pull-apart bread with a maple cinnamon coating and a salted caramel base

Fresh-milled spelt and khorasan monkey bread with maple cinnamon coating and a salted caramel base. Soft, sticky, and made for sharing.

About 4 hoursOne Bundt pan, about 28 pieces, enough for 10 servings of 3 pieces
Stollen, the Real One | Baking Great Bread
intermediate

Stollen, the Real One | Baking Great Bread

Dresden-Style Christmas Stollen, Aged the Way It Should Be

Traditional Dresden-style stollen with rum-soaked fruit, almonds, marzipan, and a double butter-and-sugar finish. Bake by December 5 and age it for Christmas.

About 14 hours, then 2-3 weeks of aging before slicingTwo 750g stollen, about 12 slices each
Tangzhong Sourdough Sandwich Bread
intermediate

Tangzhong Sourdough Sandwich Bread

Bakery-soft sourdough sandwich bread made with tangzhong for incredible tenderness that lasts for days

Naturally leavened pillowy loaf using the Japanese tangzhong technique—perfect for sandwiches, toast, or eating warm with jam.

13-17 hoursOne 9×5 inch loaf (12-16 slices)
Tsoureki — Greek Easter Braid
intermediate

Tsoureki — Greek Easter Braid

The aromatic, pull-apart Greek Easter bread you'll make every spring

Tsoureki is the traditional Greek Easter braid — enriched with eggs and butter, scented with mahlab and mastic, braided golden and beautiful.

12-16 hours (mostly hands-off)Serves 10-12
Valentine's Zebra Bread
intermediate

Valentine's Zebra Bread

Soft Tangzhong Milk Bread with Natural Pink Swirl

A soft, pillowy milk bread with a stunning pink-and-white swirl pattern, made with natural roasted beetroot for color and the tangzhong method for that stay-soft texture.

4.5-5.5 hours12-14 slices
Whole Wheat Honey Milk Bread
intermediate

Whole Wheat Honey Milk Bread

The Softest 60% Whole Wheat Sandwich Loaf You'll Ever Make

A 60% whole wheat sandwich loaf built with a tangzhong for maximum softness and shelf life. Rich with honey and whole milk. Stays tender for days.

3.5-4 hoursAbout 10-12 slices. Baked in an 8½ x 4½ inch loaf pan.
Whole Wheat Pullman Loaf
intermediate

Whole Wheat Pullman Loaf

The Ultimate Soft Sandwich Bread

Soft, tender whole wheat sandwich bread with a tight, even crumb ideal for sandwiches. Choose standard or Tangzhong method for extended freshness.

4-5 hours1 Pullman loaf (20-24 slices) OR 2 standard 9x5 loaves
Classic French Croissants
advanced

Classic French Croissants

A faithful 3-day recipe for honeycomb crumb and shattering crust

The classic French croissant broken down into a realistic 3-day home-baker process. Corrected lamination guidance, proofing safeguards, and visual cues for honeycomb crumb and shattering layers.

3 days12 large French croissants
Danish Almond Kringle | Baking Great Bread
advanced

Danish Almond Kringle | Baking Great Bread

Racine-Style, Laminated in a Home Kitchen

Wisconsin-style almond kringle with a simplified home lamination: butter block, 3 letter folds, overnight rest, almond paste filling, and almond icing.

About 24 hours start to finishOne large flat oval kringle, serves 12-16
Henry's Sourdough Japanese Milk Bread (Shokupan)
advanced

Henry's Sourdough Japanese Milk Bread (Shokupan)

Naturally leavened pillowy softness

All the pillowy softness of traditional milk bread, naturally leavened with sourdough starter. Subtle tang, incredible tenderness, and it stays fresh for days.

1 loaf
Panettone with Lievito Madre
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Panettone with Lievito Madre

The Traditional Milanese Method, at Home

Traditional panettone leavened only with lievito madre: three refreshes, two doughs, scarpatura, and the 12-hour hang. The summit of home baking, mapped.

About 48 hours including the 12-hour hangOne 1kg panettone (about 12 generous slices)
Sourdough Accordion Pull-Apart Loaf | Baking Great Bread
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Sourdough Accordion Pull-Apart Loaf | Baking Great Bread

The Same Page-Like Layers, Leavened With Starter

A naturally leavened milk-bread accordion loaf. Soft enriched crumb, thick cinnamon filling, and layers that pull apart like pages.

9-13 hoursOne 9x5 inch loaf, about 12 pull-apart slices
Sourdough Brown Butter Peach Cobbler Cinnamon Rolls
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Sourdough Brown Butter Peach Cobbler Cinnamon Rolls

Naturally leavened, roasted peaches, brown butter streusel

Naturally leavened peach cobbler cinnamon rolls with a tangzhong crumb, roasted peaches, brown butter streusel, and buttermilk glaze. Real fruit, no extract.

About 20-28 hours, including overnight12 rolls in a 9x13-inch pan
Sourdough Croissant Bread
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Sourdough Croissant Bread

Flaky croissant layers with real sourdough tang

A flaky, buttery sourdough croissant loaf made with grated frozen butter and a long cold proof for real tang. The slow-build version of the viral trend.

2-3 daysServes 8-10
Sourdough Croissants
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Sourdough Croissants

True laminated crescents, leavened with your starter

Real laminated sourdough croissants with a honeycomb crumb and gentle tang. The same butter block and three folds as the classic, powered by a levain.

About 3 daysMakes 12 large sourdough croissants
Sourdough Pan de Muerto
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Sourdough Pan de Muerto

The Bread of Día de los Muertos, Naturally Leavened

The same orange-scented, butter-brushed loaf crowned with dough bones, raised with a stiff levain instead of commercial yeast. Mild, not sour, with a softer crumb that stays fresh longer. Build the levain the night before and bake the next afternoon.

About 21 hours, mostly hands-off, across two daysOne 20cm (8-inch) round loaf, about 12 generous slices
Your First Panettone
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Your First Panettone

The Two-Day Yeasted Method That Actually Works

A two-day yeasted panettone for first-timers: stiff biga, two doughs, candied orange and citron, and the 12-hour upside-down hang that keeps the crumb tall.

About 40 hours including the 12-hour hangOne 1kg panettone (about 12 generous slices)
Crust & Crumb Academy

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Who these recipes are for

Butter, eggs, milk, and sugar turn bread into gifts: brioche, challah, babka, cinnamon rolls, milk bread, and doughnuts. These are the bakes people remember, and the collection runs from a first challah braid to laminated Danish pastry.

Enriched doughs are slower than lean ones because fat coats the flour and calms the yeast. That's normal. If your brioche is rising at half the speed of your sandwich loaf, nothing is wrong; the reward is a crumb that shreds into feathers.

What you need

A stand mixer earns its keep here. Brioche and milk bread need long kneading to build strength through all that butter, and doing it by hand is a workout with a sticky ending. Beyond that: a scale, loaf pans, a rolling pin for the babkas and rolls, and a thermometer, because enriched doughs brown long before they finish baking inside.

The tangzhong recipes ask you to cook a small flour-and-milk paste first. It takes three minutes and is the entire secret to milk bread that stays cloud-soft for days.

The two mistakes that ruin enriched breads

First: adding the butter too early. Brioche-style doughs build gluten first, then take the butter in stages. Dump it all in at the start and you get a greasy batter that never comes together. Follow the sequence in the recipe; it exists for a reason.

Second: trusting color instead of temperature. Sugar and dairy brown fast, so an enriched loaf looks done fifteen minutes before it is. Tent it with foil when the color is right and bake to 190°F inside. Gummy babka is underbaked babka, almost every time.

Frequently asked questions

Why is my dough so slow to rise?
Fat and sugar slow yeast down. Enriched doughs can take half again to twice as long as lean doughs at the same temperature. Give them a warm spot, around 78°F, and judge by size, not the clock.
Can I make these without a stand mixer?
Yes, with the slap-and-fold technique and some patience. The milk bread and challah are the friendliest hand-knead candidates. Full-butter brioche is the one I honestly recommend a mixer for.
Can I braid challah the night before?
Yes. Braid, cover, and refrigerate overnight, then bake straight from the fridge in the morning, adding a few minutes. Cold-proofed challah often holds its braid definition better.
How do I keep cinnamon rolls soft the next day?
Underbake by a shade, store airtight while just barely warm, and rewarm before serving. The tangzhong-based dough in the recipe also carries moisture that ordinary doughs lose overnight.