This sourdough cheese star pairs robust garlic butter with melty mozzarella cheese for a gooey, pull-apart, savory star bread with a fermented sourdough tang.
Do you recall my sourdough cinnamon star bread? That delightful holiday treat from the colder months – festive, cozy, and bursting with a cinnamon sugar filling. The star shape received countless compliments and also served outstandingly well as a shared dessert.
Now imagine a savory version. Think minced garlic cloves and parsley, with butter and mozzarella cheese melted into the layers of dough. This sourdough cheese star is the ultimate comfort food. Sourdough gives the rise and produces a tender crumb, while also wrapping up a gooey filling of fresh flavors and sourdough tang. The star shape takes some technique, but whether you achieve the perfect shape or you can barely see the resemblance, the taste and texture will still be there.
This cheesy garlic butter sourdough star makes the perfect appetizer or side dish. If you enjoy dipping, try adding some homemade marinara, pretzel cheese sauce, or homemade ranch dressing alongside your star bread. To make it a full meal, pair it with a classic homemade tomato soup with garden tomatoes or a creamy chicken pot pie soup.
Looking for more mouth-watering recipes for a gathering? For savory options, look into sourdough stromboli, mini quiches, or sourdough focaccia with dipping oil. For sweets, check out this triple berry tart with white chocolate custard or homemade cheesecake with fresh strawberry topping.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Beautiful presentation – The shape and technique of this beautiful star bread sets it apart as a true centerpiece.
Full, savory flavor – Garlic butter adds robust flavor within the layers, working alongside the fermented tang of sourdough for a salty, zesty, satisfying layer of layers.
Chewy, tender texture – The sourdough bread itself is tender and puffy, and the layers of buttery garlic and melted cheese add the perfect chewy bite.
Ingredients
Sourdough starter – Recently fed and bubbly. An active starter gives the bread dough its rise.
Warm water – Adding warm water in the beginning kickstarts the gluten activation, which helps build the perfect, airy crust.
Garlic cloves – I mince the garlic raw and add it in, but you can also roast your garlic for a sweeter, more subtle flavor.
Parsley – This recipe calls for 1/4 cup of fresh parsley, but if using dried parsley, use about 4 teaspoons.
A full ingredient list with exact amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
How to Make a Sourdough Cheese Star
Step 1: In the bowl of a stand mixer with a dough hook, add the dough ingredients and knead until the dough forms a smooth ball and passes the window pane test. This can take 10-15 minutes.
Step 2: Cover and allow to rise at room temperature until doubled in size. This can take anywhere from 4 to 12 hours, depending on the temperature of the room. Keeping the dough in a warm spot will speed the rise up.
Step 3: Mince the garlic, then stir it into the softened butter and parsley.
Step 4: Divide the dough into four equal pieces. Use a rolling pin to roll each piece into a 10-inch circle.
Step 5: Place one circle of dough on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Use a baking sheet with raised edges in case some butter leaks out. Spread ⅓ of the butter garlic mixture onto the dough. Top with 1/3 of the cheese.
Step 6: Add another circle of dough on top and spread another third of the butter and garlic mixture, followed by another 1/3 of the cheese. Repeat for the third layer of dough, then add the last dough circle on top.
Step 7: Place a small circle in the center of the dough as a guide, then cut the dough into 16 equal sections, not cutting into the middle circle. I find this easiest to do by cutting it into quarters, then into eighths, then each eighth in half for 16 equal pieces. I like to use a bench scraper for cutting.
Step 8: Take two sections, twist them in opposite directions two times, then pinch the ends together. Take the bottom point and tuck it under. Continue until all the sections are twisted. Cover and allow to rise for 1-2 hours (or until about doubled) for the final rise.
Step 9: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and prepare an egg wash by whisking one egg with one tablespoon of water. Brush the egg wash over the top of the dough.
Step 10: Bake for 45-55 minutes or until golden brown and puffy.
Tips
- Try using a kitchen scale to weigh the dough for equal pieces.
- Use low-moisture cheeses in this recipe for the best results.
- Thin, even layers of filling help the assembly go much more easily.
- Don’t skimp on the second rise. Place the assembled star in a warm place covered with a muslin towel, baking it once it is puffy and nearly doubled.
- Don’t overbake. Remove from the oven once golden.
- Serve warm for best results!
Recipe FAQs
Place leftovers in an airtight container and keep at room temperature for about 3 days. Warm leftovers in the oven or microwave.
You can prepare this recipe a day ahead by completing the first 8 steps, then placing the assembled star in the refrigerator for up to 12 hours before baking.
The tang of sourdough works really well with cheddar, particularly sharp or aged, as well as melting cheeses like gruyere, Havarti, gouda, or mozzarella.
Yes, as long as the filling remains somewhat thick and not too runny, you can experiment with other combinations of cheese, chopped bacon, chilies, diced jalapeño, fresh herbs, and more. Don’t overfill the dough, or it becomes very difficult to form the star shape.
Baker’s Timeline:
This can be started or made at any time.
Feed sourdough starter with flour and water.
Mix the dough until it’s smooth and can pass the windowpane test. Begin the bulk fermentation at room temperature for 4-12 hours.
Assemble the star shape, then rise for 1-2 hours until doubled.
Brush with egg wash and bake for 45-55 minutes.
More Sourdough Recipes from the Farmhouse
- Sourdough English Muffin Loaf
- Sourdough Strawberry Muffins
- Easy Sourdough Crumpets Recipe
- Sourdough Monkey Bread
- Sourdough Cheddar Biscuits Recipe
If you try this recipe and love it, I would love it if you could come back and give it 5 stars! Tag me on Instagram @farmhouseonboone.
Savory Sourdough Cheese Star Bread
Ingredients
Dough
- 5 cups all-purpose flour, 350 grams
- 1 cup active sourdough starter, 200 grams
- ¼ cup sugar, 48 grams
- 1½ cups warm water, 354 grams
- ½ cup melted butter, 57 grams
- 1 teaspoon sea salt, 3 grams
Filling
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ cup butter, softened
- ¼ cup fresh parsley
- 8 ounces mozzarella cheese
- 1 egg + 1 tablespoon water for egg wash
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with a dough hook, add the dough ingredients and knead until the dough passes the window pane test. This can take 10 to 15 minutes.
- Cover and allow to rise at room temperature until doubled in size. This can take anywhere from 4 to 12 hours, depending on the temperature of the room.
- Mince garlic, then stir it into the softened butter and parsley.
- Divide the dough into four equal pieces. Roll each piece into a 10-inch circle.
- Place one circle of dough on a parchment-lined baking sheet (use a baking sheet with raised edges in case some butter leaks out). Spread ⅓ of the butter garlic mixture onto the dough. Top with 1/3 of the cheese.
- Add another circle of dough on top and spread another third of the butter and garlic mixture, followed by another 1/3 of the cheese. Repeat for the third layer, then add the last dough circle on top.
- Place a small circle in the center of the dough as a guide, then cut the dough into 16 equal strips, not cutting into the middle circle. I find this easiest to do by cutting it into quarters, then into eighths, then each eighth in half for 16 equal pieces.
- Take two sections and twist them in opposite directions two times, then pinch the ends together. Take the bottom point and tuck it under. Continue until all the sections are twisted. Cover and allow to rise for 1-2 hours (or until about doubled).
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and prepare an egg wash by whisking one egg with one tablespoon of water. Brush the egg wash over the top of the dough.
- Bake for 45-55 minutes or until golden brown and puffy.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
