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sourdough garlic pull apart bread rows.

Sourdough Pull Apart Bread

Hailey
A soft and buttery pull apart bread. The perfect appetizer for any gathering when you want to skip making a traditional sourdough loaf and dipping sauce.
5 from 1 vote
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Countertop Fermentation 14 hours
Total Time 14 hours 30 minutes
Course Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine American
Servings 18 slices
Calories 123 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 large mixing bowl with a lid
  • 1 Small Bowl
  • 1 Bench Scraper
  • 1 8x8 Glass Pan Use a 9x13 pan if baking a shape (like the cross example) or you can use a cast iron skillet.

Ingredients
  

Garlic Knots Dough

  • 6 ounces water
  • 3.5 ounces sourdough discard
  • 12 ounces all purpose flour Add a tablespoon or two if dough is sticky.
  • 0.3 ounces salt
  • 0.6 ounces honey Can use sugar or leave out if preferred (it helps the dough rise)
  • 4 T unsalted butter melted

Melted Butter (with garlic seasoning)

  • 4 TBS butter melted
  • 1 tsp parsley
  • 2 tsp Kinders Buttery Steakhouse Seasoning *See notes for seasoning alternatives

Instructions
 

  • Preparing the dough
  • In a large mixing bowl, combine the wet ingredients together. Once stirred together, add in the salt and flour. Mix together with your hands until the dough comes together.
    The dough should be soft and will pull away from the sides of the bowl when mixed. If you need, add flour a tablespoon at a time, incorporating completely until the dough is one unit and does not stick to the sides of the bowl. Do not be afraid of over-mixing as you will add strength to the dough by stretching and folding it.
    Depending on the hydration level of my dough, I need have added 1 or 2 tablespoons of flour to the dough.
    Stretch and fold the dough every thirty minutes for two rounds after mixing the initial dough. Stretch and fold until the dough can no longer stretch and fold (about 8-10 times), rotating the bowl 90 degrees after each stretch and fold is complete.
    Allow the dough to sit on the counter until it has doubled in size (about 10-12 hours). If your dough is close to seeming over proofed, continue to advance and shape.
  • Shaping, Garlic Mixture and Secondary Rise
  • Once the dough has doubled in size, pour onto the countertop and begin to form into preferred shape.
    We have had success shaping these into rolls (circles), slices, breadsticks and even knots. This dough is stable and can be formed into any shape you like.
    Once your preferred shape is made, in a separate bowl melt the butter and add the spices. Coat the dough entirely within the butter and place on the baking sheet.
    Allow the bread to complete secondary rise (about 2 hours). The dough will get larger in size (almost double) and the tops will indent and bounce back when poked with a finger.
  • Bake and Enjoy!
  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Add the baking vessel to the oven and cook until the pull apart bread is cooked completely through - about 20 - 25 minutes. If using a temperature gauge - the dough will be 190 - 200 degrees Fahrenheit.
    The pull apart bread will turn golden in color. Once removed from the oven, you can coat with more butter by running a stick on the outside of the baked dough.

Notes

Sourdough Discard vs. Active Starter
For the fluffiest pull apart bread, I would personally recommend using active sourdough starter. This will give your sourdough the highest rise and fluffiest texture. 
If you use sourdough discard, consider adding a touch more honey to the batter to balance out the acidity of starter which has been sitting in the fridge / not fed recently. 
Seasoning Adaptations:
  • Feel free to use your favorite garlic seasoning. Each one we have used has contained two ingredients which we think makes the flavor 'pop' - butter extract and dehydrated garlic. 
Long Fermentation (adapting the recipe):
  • This recipe can be adapted to any timeline - short fermentation (IE within 16-18 hours) or long fermentation (24+ hours).
    • If you are doing to long ferment, wait to stretch and fold the after it has completed the countertop fermentation. Stretch and fold it before placing it into the fridge.
    • When ready to bake, remove it from the fridge and allow it to sit on the countertop to warm up. Once warm, shape into your preferred shape and then dip into the garlic butter mixture. 
      • If your dough is too cold when it goes into the garlic mixture, the butter will solidify and become hard to coat the dough. You may need to reheat the butter mixture in between rolling it on the dough. 
    • Add an additional hour or two of time to proof (or place in an oven with the light on for 30 minutes - DO NOT TURN ON THE HEAT or they will bake).
Baking Vessel - Cast Iron Skillet
  • This recipe can be baked within a cast iron skillet or a glass pan. If using a cast iron skillet, be sure to melt butter before placing the dough in the cast iron skillet. This will help the dough to begin to rise from the heat as well. Cook for 15-20 minutes. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1sliceCalories: 123kcalCarbohydrates: 14.3gProtein: 2.9gFat: 6.3gSaturated Fat: 3.9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.3gMonounsaturated Fat: 1.8gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 16mgSodium: 285mgPotassium: 44mgFiber: 0.6gSugar: 1.1gVitamin A: 185IUCalcium: 8mgIron: 0.8mg
Keyword appetizer, bread, discard, snack, sourdough
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