The Ultimate Easy Sourdough Brioche Bread
This easy sourdough brioche bread is a rich, buttery, naturally-leavened loaf made entirely with active sourdough starter – no commercial yeast required. It has a soft, tender crumb and delivers traditional brioche results without complicated techniques.
Have you ever wanted to make that light, airy, and buttery brioche but felt intimidated by the complexity of sourdough? I have a secret for you: you can make a stunning sourdough brioche using only your active starter and a few simple pantry staples. It’s slow fermentation at its best – simple ingredients transformed into something truly special.
This recipe is my personal adaptation of a favorite from my friend Cheryl at Bakes by Brown Sugar. I’ve streamlined the process to make it Anja-style – simple, straightforward, and perfect for the modern homemaker who loves traditional results without the fuss.
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⭐️ Author Notes:
I’ve tested this sourdough brioche multiple times to balance simplicity with proper gluten development. The key is resisting the urge to add more flour – trust the sticky dough. It rewards you with that classic, bakery-style shred.
What is Brioche Bread?
Brioche is a traditional French enriched bread made with generous amounts of butter and eggs, creating a light yet luxurious loaf with a soft, feathery crumb and delicate sweetness.
Why you’ll love this recipe
Ingredients
- Active Sourdough Starter: Fed 8–12 hours before mixing. It should be bubbly and at peak activity.
If you don’t yet have an active starter, you can follow my step-by-step guide to making your own sourdough starter from scratch. - Flour: I use regular AP flour.
- Butter: High-fat European-style butter gives superior flavor and structure.
- Flour: I recommend high-quality bread flour or all-purpose flour.
- Sugar: Just enough cane sugar for a hint of sweetness.
- Salt: Essential to round out the flavors and highlight the sweetness.
- Eggs: Large eggs, added one at a time.
- Egg Wash: One egg mixed with one tablespoon of milk for that signature golden shine.
Simple substitutions
- Milk: You can use a dairy-free alternative like oat milk, though the fat content will change the richness.
- Sugar: Feel free to adjust the amount of sugar up or down based on your preference.
- Toppings: While I keep mine plain, you can top yours with pearl sugar or sesame seeds.
How to make Sourdough Brioche Bread
- Make the preferment with sourdough starter, flour, and milk. Let the preferment sit in a warm spot for about one hour.
- Combine the preferment with the dough ingredients. Mix on medium for at least 5 mins. Let the dough rise in a warm spot for about 4 hours.
- Grease a 9″x5″ loaf pan, possibly another small one to fit all the dough.
- Transfer the brioche dough onto a well-floured work surface.
- With floured hands, shape 8 equal dough balls.
- Transfer the dough balls to the prepared loaf pans. Let them rise for about one hour. Bake them in a preheated oven for one hour.
👉 Anja’ Tips For Success
- Quality Matters: Use the highest quality butter you can afford. European-style butters like Kerrygold have a higher fat-to-moisture ratio, which results in a much richer flavor and better rise.
- Read the Dough, Not the Clock: Sourdough timing depends on your starter’s activity and your room temperature. If it hasn’t risen enough, give it more time!
- Sticky is Good: Don’t add extra flour during the mixing or shaping. The high moisture content is what makes the brioche so light and airy.
Serving suggestions
This brioche is heavenly when pulled warm from the oven. It is excellent on its own, but also wonderful spread with salted butter and homemade jam. It also makes the world’s best French toast the next day! Should you have any left after a few days, just cut it into cubes and make bread pudding.
Storing and freezing instructions
Store your brioche in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. To freeze, wrap the cooled loaf tightly in plastic wrap and then foil; it will stay fresh for up to 2 months.
Easy Sourdough Brioche Bread
Ingredients
For the preferment:
- 60 g AP flour
- 80 ml whole milk
- 100 g sourdough starter very active
For the main dough:
- 350 g AP flour
- 35 g sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 ¼ tsp salt
- 200 g butter at room temperature
For the egg wash:
- 1 large egg
- 1 TBSP milk
Instructions
- In the morning, mix the ingredients for the preferment and keep it in a warm spot until it has visibly risen (about 1-2 hours).
- For the main dough, combine the preferment with the dough ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix on medium for at least 5 mins, up to 10 mins. The dough should be glossy but sticky.
- Cover the bowl with a towel and let the dough rise in a warm spot until visibly risen, at least 4 hours.
- Grease a 9"x5" loaf pan and set it aside.
- Transfer the dough onto a floured worksurface and divide into 8 equal dough balls. You may need more flour to keep the dough ball from sticking to your hands. Place the dough balls in the prepared loaf pan.
- Cover the loaf pan with a towel and let it rise for another 1-2 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 425˚F (220°C).
- Right before baking, mix the egg wash. Gently brush the top of the brioche bread with egg wash.
- Bake the brioche bread for 25 mins. Lower the oven temperature to 350˚F (180˚C) and bake for another 35 mins. The bread should be golden-brown.
Notes
- make sure you have a very active sourdough starter for this recipe
- I highly recommend you use a European-style butter (such as Kerrygold)
- the dough will be sticky, resist the urge to add more flour, though!
- you may need another, smaller loaf pan if the dough balls don’t all fit into one
- if you like you can sprinkle the top of the bread with some sesame seeds or pearl sugar
Nutrition
