Sarah’s Portfolio: A Collection of My Sourdough Creations

A little about me…

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Recent SOURDOUGH Creations:

Sourdough Pan Loaf

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Sourdough Sandwich Pan Loaf

Ingredients

1. Sourdough Starter (Ripe/Fed): 1 cup (227g)
2. Lukewarm Water: 3/4 cup to 1 cup (170g to 227g)
3. All-Purpose Flour: 3 cups (360g)
4. Salt: 1 1/2 teaspoons
5. Sugar: 1 tablespoon
6. Unsalted Butter (Softened): 3 tablespoons (43g)

Instructions

Cool: Remove from the pan immediately and cool on a rack before slicing.

Mix: Combine the starter, water, and 2 cups of the flour. Stir until smooth. Add the butter, sugar, salt, and the remaining flour.

Knead: Knead the dough by hand or mixer for about 7 minutes until it is smooth and slightly tacky.

First Rise: Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover, and let it rise for about 5 to 7 hours at room temperature, or until nearly doubled.

Shape: Gently deflate the dough and shape it into an 8-inch log. Place it into a greased 8.5″ x 4.5″ loaf pan.

Second Rise: Cover the pan and let the dough rise until it crowns about 1 inch over the rim of the pan (about 2 to 4 hours).

Bake: Preheat your oven to 375°F. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until the crust is golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 190°F.

This loaf began with a simple levain the night before, letting it ferment for about 12 hours until it was airy and ready to use. The dough itself came together quickly the next morning — just nine core ingredients — and once everything was mixed and kneaded, the process was mostly hands‑off. The first rise took about an hour and a half, the final proof about the same, and the bake ran just under 40 minutes.

Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls

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Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls

Ingredients for Dough

1. Sourdough Starter (Ripe/Fed): 1/2 cup (113g)
2. Milk (Lukewarm): 3/4 cup (170g)
3. Large Egg: 1
4. Unsalted Butter (Melted): 4 tablespoons (57g)
5. All-Purpose Flour: 3 cups (360g)
6. Sugar: 1/4 cup (50g)
7. Salt: 1 teaspoon

Ingredients for Filling

1. Brown Sugar: 1/2 cup (100g)
2. Cinnamon: 2 tablespoons
3. Unsalted Butter (Softened): 4 tablespoons (57g)
4. Cream Cheese Frosting: Cream cheese, powdered sugar, and a splash of milk.

Instructions

Finish: Allow to cool slightly before spreading the cream cheese frosting over the warm rolls.

Mix & Knead: Whisk together the starter, milk, egg, and melted butter. Add the flour, sugar, and salt. Knead for 5 to 10 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic.

First Rise: Cover the dough and let it rise in a warm spot for 6 to 8 hours (or overnight) until doubled in size.

Roll & Fill: Roll the dough into a 12″ x 18″ rectangle on a floured surface. Spread the softened butter over the dough and sprinkle evenly with the cinnamon-sugar mixture.

Shape: Roll the dough tightly into a log starting from the long edge. Cut into 12 even rolls using unflavored dental floss or a sharp knife.

Second Rise: Place rolls in a greased 9″ x 13″ pan. Cover and let rise for 2 to 3 hours until puffy.

Bake: Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until lightly golden.

I started the sourdough cinnamon rolls the night before by mixing a simple levain and letting it ferment until it was light and ready to use. The dough came together easily the next morning, just a handful of core ingredients and once it was mixed and kneaded, the rest of the process was mostly waiting. The bulk rise took about three hours, the shaped rolls needed another two to get perfectly puffy, and the bake itself was just under 30 minutes.

Brown Butter Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies

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Brown Butter Sourdough Chocolate Chip Banana Cookies

Ingredients

1. Unsalted Butter: 1/2 cup (113g), browned and cooled
2. Brown Sugar: 3/4 cup (150g)
3. Granulated Sugar: 1/4 cup (50g)
4. Sourdough Starter (Discard or Fed): 1/2 cup (113g)
5. Ripe Banana: 1/2 cup, mashed (about 1 medium banana)
6. Vanilla Extract: 1 teaspoon
7. All-Purpose Flour: 2 1/4 cups (270g)
8. Baking Soda: 1/2 teaspoon
9. Sea Salt: 1/2 teaspoon
10. Chocolate Chips: 1 1/4 cups (dark or semi-sweet)

Instructions

Cool: Let the cookies rest on the pan for 5 minutes before moving them to a wire rack.

Brown the Butter: Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Whisk constantly until it smells nutty and brown bits form at the bottom. Pour into a bowl and let it cool until solid but soft.

Cream: Beat the browned butter with brown sugar and granulated sugar until fluffy. Add the mashed banana, sourdough starter, and vanilla; mix until combined.

Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually stir the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined.

Fold: Fold in the chocolate chips.

Chill: Cover the dough and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours (or overnight). This is crucial for the sourdough flavor to develop and to prevent spreading.

Preheat: Heat your oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Bake: Scoop rounded tablespoons of dough onto the sheet. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until the edges are golden but the centers are still slightly soft.

These cookies started by browning the butter and letting it cool long enough to rewhip it back into something creamy and nutty. From there, the dough followed the structure of a standard sourdough chocolate chip cookie, but the bananas changed everything. I mashed two to three ripe ones directly into the mix, giving the dough moisture, aroma, and a subtle sweetness that played perfectly with the tang of the starter. I used three different types of chocolate, all varying in sweetness, size, and texture.

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Sourdough in the Kitchen

My journey so far….

I received my sourdough starter as a gift from a close friend in early 2025, which I’ve always believed is the only true way to begin sourdough baking. Mine was built from brewer’s yeast sourced from a local brewery in Stillwater, Minnesota, so it already had a little history and personality before it ever reached my kitchen. Naming your starter is crucial because it helps you treat it like something you’re responsible for. I named mine “Dough-ran Mamdani” after the new Mayor of New York and my mom named her starter “Bread Sheeran” after her favorite singer. The best thing I was taught early on is that sourdough isn’t complicated or scientific unless you want it to be. Once you get going, you don’t even have to measure your feeds. I’ll toss mine in the fridge when I’m busy or out of town, sometimes for months, and it always wakes right back up. A single feeding and four hours later, it’s bubbling like nothing ever happened. It’s simple, forgiving, and a little magic.

Starter Feeding Ratio:

Sourdough Tips:

• Once you get comfortable feeding your starter every day, a scale is not needed. I eyeball my feeds now and I have never had an issue on bake days.
• Don’t let other bakers or the internet make you think being a sourdough baker is hard! It’s actually fairly easy and, like anything else, takes practice. The different between you doing it and not is just taking the leap!
• I learned from a baker that once she feeds her starter, she leaves her tools on the counter to dry out. In a couple hours, she has her very own dehydrated starter! She collects that into a jar and gives it to people who are interested in starting their own.
• ALWAYS BAKE. Even if you think your dough is a complete failure, it will probably turn into an incredible focaccia or pizza dough. I use OpenAI for recipe development, or when things go wrong.

Preferred Resources:

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Recipes

Sourdough Sandwich Pan Loaf

Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls

Brown Butter Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies