9 Cozy Sourdough Recipes for Cold Days to Warm You Up

Last updated on February 23rd, 2026

Cold days need warm, comforting food, and your sourdough starter can make way more than just bread. These cozy sourdough recipes for cold days include everything from sweet cinnamon rolls and muffins to hearty pot pies, soups, and stews that’ll warm you right up.

You’ll find nine recipes that use either an active starter or discard from your fridge. Each one is straightforward and uses basic ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen. Let’s start with the sweetest comfort food of all – sourdough cinnamon rolls.

Table of Contents

• Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls
• Sourdough Tomato Basil Soup with Garlic Bread
• Sourdough Chicken Pot Pie
• Sourdough Apple Cinnamon Muffins
• Sourdough Cheddar and Herb Biscuits
• Sourdough Pumpkin Bread
• Sourdough Beef and Vegetable Stew with Rustic Bread
• Sourdough Banana Bread
• Sourdough Hot Chocolate Bread Pudding
• Cozy Days Call for Sourdough Magic

Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls

Ingredients:

• 1 cup active sourdough starter
• ½ cup warm milk
• ¼ cup melted butter
• 2 eggs
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp salt
• ⅓ cup softened butter (filling)
• ½ cup brown sugar (filling)
• 2 tbsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 4 oz cream cheese (frosting)
• 2 cups powdered sugar (frosting)

Recipe:

1. Mix your bubbly sourdough starter with warm milk, melted butter, eggs, and brown sugar in a large bowl. Add flour and salt, stirring until you’ve got a soft, slightly sticky dough.
2. Cover and let it rise overnight on your counter. By morning, it should’ve doubled and smell incredible.
3. Roll the dough into a 16×12 inch rectangle on a lightly oiled surface. Combine softened butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla extract, then spread this mixture across your dough.
4. Roll it up tight from the long side. Use dental floss to slice into 12 rolls – just slide it under, cross over top, and pull for clean cuts.
5. Arrange rolls in a greased pan, let rise for an hour until puffy, then bake at 375°F for 20-25 minutes until golden.
6. Beat cream cheese with butter until fluffy, add powdered sugar and vanilla. Spread over warm rolls and serve with coffee or hot cocoa.

Sourdough Tomato Basil Soup with Garlic Bread

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs ripe tomatoes
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 cups chicken or vegetable broth
• ½ cup heavy cream
• ¼ cup fresh basil
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• 1 sourdough loaf
• 4 tbsp butter
• 2 cloves of garlic (for bread)
• Fresh parsley

Recipe:

1. Preheat your oven to 400°F. Chop tomatoes and arrange on a baking sheet with whole garlic cloves. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt, and roast for 20 minutes until they’re caramelized and smelling amazing.
2. Transfer the roasted tomatoes and garlic to a blender with fresh basil. Pulse until you’ve got a slightly rustic texture – you don’t want it completely smooth.
3. Pour the mixture into a large pot, add broth, and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Let it bubble away for about 15 minutes, then stir in the heavy cream. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. While the soup simmers, slice your sourdough loaf. Mix softened butter with minced garlic and parsley, then spread generously on each slice.
5. Toast the garlic bread in the oven until golden and crispy. The edges should be crunchy while the center stays soft for dipping.
6. Ladle the soup into bowls and serve alongside the warm garlic bread. This combination is pure winter comfort food.

Related: Ultimate Guide to Garlic Bread (Best Recipe Ever + 5 Delicious Variations to Try)

Sourdough Chicken Pot Pie

Ingredients:

• 3 cups cooked chicken, cubed
• 2 cups sourdough pie crust dough
• 3 tbsp butter
• 1 cup carrots, diced
• 1 cup peas (frozen works)
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 tbsp flour
• 2 cups chicken broth
• ½ cup heavy cream
• Salt and pepper
• 1 tsp thyme

Recipe:

1. Make your sourdough pie crust the night before and let it chill in the fridge. This gives the dough time to ferment and develop those gorgeous flaky layers.
2. In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Sauté carrots, onion, and any other veggies until they’re tender, about 10 minutes.
3. Sprinkle flour over the vegetables and stir for a minute. Slowly pour in chicken broth while whisking, then add cream. Keep stirring until the mixture thickens into a rich gravy.
4. Fold in your cooked chicken, frozen peas, thyme, salt, and pepper. Let this mixture cool completely – hot filling will melt your pastry.
5. Roll out half your pie dough and line a deep pie dish. Pour in the cooled filling. Roll out the remaining dough for the top crust, seal the edges, and cut a few vents.
6. Bake at 425°F for 25-30 minutes until the crust turns golden brown and the filling’s bubbling through those vents. Let it rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Sourdough Apple Cinnamon Muffins

Ingredients:

• 1 cup sourdough discard
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 2 eggs
• ¾ cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 2 medium apples, diced
• ½ cup butter (for topping)
• ¼ cup sugar (for topping)

Recipe:

1. Preheat your oven to 375°F and line a muffin tin with paper liners. In a large bowl, whisk together sourdough discard, oil, brown sugar, and eggs until everything’s smooth.
2. In another bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet mixture and fold gently – don’t overmix or you’ll end up with tough muffins.
3. Peel and dice your apples into small chunks. Fold them into the batter so they’re evenly distributed throughout.
4. For the streusel topping, mix melted butter with sugar and a bit of cinnamon until it forms crumbles.
5. Scoop batter into muffin cups about ¾ full. Sprinkle that buttery topping over each one generously.
6. Bake for 22-25 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean and the tops are golden. These smell absolutely incredible while baking and taste even better warm with butter melting into every crevice.

Sourdough Cheddar and Herb Biscuits

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• ½ cup sourdough discard
• ½ cup cold butter
• 1 cup sharp cheddar, shredded
• 2 tbsp fresh herbs (rosemary, thyme)
• 2 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• ¾ cup buttermilk

Recipe:

1. Preheat your oven to 425°F. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Cut cold butter into small cubes – you want it straight from the fridge for the flakiest biscuits.
2. Use a pastry cutter or your fingers to work the butter into the flour until it resembles coarse crumbs, with pea-sized butter chunks still visible.
3. Stir in shredded cheddar and chopped fresh herbs. The combination of sharp cheese and fragrant herbs makes these biscuits seriously addictive.
4. Add sourdough discard and buttermilk, stirring just until the dough comes together. It’ll look shaggy, and that’s exactly what you want.
5. Turn the dough onto a floured surface and pat it into a rectangle about 1 inch thick. Fold it over itself a couple of times to create those beautiful layers.
6. Cut out biscuits using a round cutter and place them on a baking sheet. Bake for 12-15 minutes until they’re golden on top. Serve these warm alongside soup or stew – they’re perfect for soaking up every last drop.

Sourdough Pumpkin Bread

Ingredients:

• 1 cup sourdough starter
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 3 eggs
• 1½ cups brown sugar
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• ½ tsp ginger
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt

Recipe:

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F and grease two loaf pans. In a large bowl, whisk together pumpkin puree, oil, eggs, brown sugar, and sourdough starter until smooth and well combined.
2. In another bowl, mix flour with all your warming spices – cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. Add baking soda and salt. These spices are what make your kitchen smell like fall.
3. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, stirring just until no flour streaks remain. Overmixing makes bread dense and tough.
4. Divide the batter between your prepared loaf pans. The batter should be thick but pourable.
5. Bake for 50-60 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. The tops will crack slightly and turn a deep golden brown.
6. Let the loaves cool in the pans for 10 minutes before turning them out onto a wire rack. This bread stays moist for days and actually tastes better the next day when all those spices have had time to meld together.

Related: The Ultimate Pumpkin Bread Recipe

Sourdough Beef and Vegetable Stew with Rustic Bread

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs beef chuck, cubed
• 4 carrots, chopped
• 3 potatoes, cubed
• 1 onion, diced
• 4 cups beef broth
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 2 bay leaves
• Fresh thyme
• 1 sourdough boule
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper

Recipe:

1. Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season your beef cubes with salt and pepper, then brown them in batches. Don’t crowd the pan, or they’ll steam instead of getting that gorgeous caramelized crust.
2. Remove the beef and add onions, cooking until they’re soft and golden. Toss in garlic and tomato paste, stirring for about a minute until fragrant.
3. Pour in beef broth, scraping up all those flavorful brown bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the beef back along with carrots, potatoes, bay leaves, and fresh thyme.
4. Bring everything to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and let it simmer for 2-3 hours until the beef is fork-tender, and the broth has thickened into a rich gravy.
5. While the stew simmers, slice your sourdough boule thick. You can toast it lightly or leave it crusty and fresh.
6. Ladle the stew into deep bowls and serve with torn pieces of sourdough for dipping. There’s something magical about dragging crusty bread through that rich, beefy gravy.

Sourdough Banana Bread

Ingredients:

• 1 cup sourdough discard
• 3 ripe bananas, mashed
• ½ cup butter, melted
• ¾ cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ cup chocolate chips (optional)

Recipe:

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F and grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan. In a large bowl, mash your bananas with a fork – the riper and more spotted they are, the sweeter your bread will be.
2. Stir in melted butter, sourdough discard, sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract. Mix until everything’s well combined and smooth.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the banana mixture, stirring just until you don’t see any dry flour.
4. If you’re adding chocolate chips, fold them in now. They add little pockets of melted chocolate throughout the bread.
5. Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. The batter will be thick and almost cake-like.
6. Bake for 60-70 minutes until the top is deep golden brown and a toothpick comes out with just a few moist crumbs. Let it cool for 15 minutes before slicing. This bread is incredibly moist and stays fresh for days wrapped in foil.

Sourdough Hot Chocolate Bread Pudding

Ingredients:

• 6 cups stale sourdough bread, cubed
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 4 eggs
• ¾ cup sugar
• ½ cup cocoa powder
• 1 cup chocolate chips
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• Whipped cream (for serving)
• Mini marshmallows (for topping)

Recipe:

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F and butter a 9×13-inch baking dish. Cut your stale sourdough into 1-inch cubes – day-old bread works perfectly because it soaks up all that chocolatey custard.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together milk, cream, eggs, sugar, cocoa powder, and vanilla until smooth. Make sure there aren’t any cocoa lumps.
3. Add your bread cubes to the bowl and gently press them down so they soak up the chocolate custard. Let this sit for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Fold in chocolate chips, reserving a handful to sprinkle on top. Pour everything into your buttered baking dish.
5. Scatter the remaining chocolate chips and some mini marshmallows across the top. They’ll get all golden and toasty while baking.
6. Bake for 45-50 minutes until the custard is set but still slightly jiggly in the center. Serve warm with a generous dollop of whipped cream. This dessert is pure decadence – perfect for cold evenings when you need something rich and comforting.

Cozy Days Call for Sourdough Magic

When the temperature drops, your sourdough starter becomes the ultimate comfort food sidekick. We’ve covered everything from sweet cinnamon rolls and apple muffins to hearty chicken pot pie and warming beef stew – all perfect for cold days.

Whether you’re using an active starter or that discard hanging out in your fridge, these recipes turn simple ingredients into pure comfort. From breakfast to dessert, you’ve got options to keep your kitchen smelling amazing and your belly happy all winter long. Now get baking!