Strawberry Sourdough Bread Recipe (With Starter/Discard)

Strawberry Sourdough Bread is a sweet, easy recipe made with active starter or discard and fresh strawberries.

My husband has many memories of his grandmother’s garden, and one of my favorites of his stories is taking any chance he got to sneak strawberries from her berry patch.  I have my own strawberry patch now, and with 5 kids – very few strawberries actually make it into the house.

But that’s ok, seeing little bare feet tiptoeing into the strawberry patch to steal a snack is the sweetest sight in late spring and early summer when our strawberries are ripe for picking.

Maybe one day I’ll expand my berry patch and manage to grow enough strawberries to can for preserves and dehydrate.  But for now, fresh berries that aren’t eaten straight out of the garden are baked into something delicious like this sourdough strawberry bread with a sweet, creamy, strawberry glaze.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• A super easy sourdough discard recipe: This is the one to turn to when you don’t want to throw away that extra sourdough discard. It’s a quick and straightforward recipe, and chances are you already have all the ingredients needed. That’s the beauty of simple sourdough recipes like this one, sourdough discard pancakes, or sourdough discard cinnamon rolls.
• A delicious way to enjoy strawberry season: This strawberry sourdough bread is one of the best ways to welcome strawberry season. The sweet strawberries give the loaf a fresh, summery flavor. And that sweet strawberry flavor smells like those marvelous times when you’re out in the garden picking fresh berries!
• Add in all kinds of sourdough inclusions: You can customize this bread by adding all sorts of flavorful sourdough inclusions to accentuate that summery vibe. Lemon zest adds a bright citrusy kick, while white chocolate chips give the moist loaf a melty, creamy sweetness.
• You can add in some poppy seeds or mix in fresh basil for an herbaceous feel. Simply fold in your favorite inclusions and bake. 
• The texture speaks for itself: This homemade strawberry sourdough bread has soft cakey crumb and is not sour, but sweet, light, and fluffy. The crust is golden while the inside is soft and tender.

What You’ll Need

INGREDIENTS

For the Bread

• 2 cups diced strawberries
• 2 tablespoons flour (for coating the berries) 
• ¾ cup sugar
• ¼ cup heavy cream
• ½ cup avocado oil
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ½ cup sourdough starter, stirred down
• 1 ¾ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp baking powder

For the Glaze

• ¼ cup finely diced strawberries
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon melted butter
• 1 cup powdered sugar

TOOLS

• Large mixing bowl
• Medium mixing bowl
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Spoon or spatula
• Standard loaf pan (9 x 5 x 3 inches) 

Step by Step Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350F and grease a standard loaf pan.
2. The next step is to make the strawberry bread batter. Toss diced strawberries in flour and set aside.  Add the remaining bread ingredients (dry ingredients and wet ones) into a large bowl (or bowl of a stand mixer) and mix until just combined.

3. Do not beat or overmix.  
4. Gently stir in the flour-coated strawberries, then pour the bread batter into the greased loaf pan and bake at 350F for 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the loaf comes out clean.  

5. Let the loaf cool before topping with glaze.
6. Make the strawberry glaze – add all of the glaze ingredients to a medium sized mixing bowl and whisk until the glaze is smooth.  It will be thick and creamy, which is the perfect consistency for topping the bread.  

7. If you want a thinner glaze, whisk in a tablespoon of heavy cream.

FAQ

Tips

• No dough rise needed: Skip the long bread rise or bulk fermentation – simply stir down the starter, mix it into the batter, fold in the berries, and bake. 
• You can use an active starter too: This sourdough loaf turns out great with either sourdough discard or an active sourdough starter.
• Use a toothpick to check for doneness.
• Make sure to coat the fresh berries in flour to prevent the bread from being soggy from extra moisture.

Storage

Wait until the sourdough strawberry loaf cools completely before storing. Store at room temperature for a few days or sealed in plastic wrap or a freezer bag in the freezer for 3 months.