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These sourdough brioche rolls are buttery, lightly tangy, and irresistibly soft. With their tender pull-apart texture, they’ll quickly become your go-to for family dinners and holiday gatherings.
Table of Contents
Earlier this week, I wrapped up testing these sourdough brioche rolls and brought a batch to a picnic at a local botanical garden with a group of mamas and our daughters.
It was so sweet about watching our little ones wander through spring blooms, nibbling on homemade rolls.
We all gathered around our picnic blankets, pulled them apart, and shared a slow, simple afternoon together (well, as slow and simple as it can get with a gang of 4-year-olds running around, haha).
That’s what I love most about sourdough bread. Yes, it nourishes, but it also brings people together, especially when you’re serving soft, buttery pull-apart rolls like these.
There’s something communal about them. Even tiny hands know exactly what to do when warm, fluffy pull-apart bread is in front of them.
This pull-apart baking method gives the rolls a gorgeous, pillowy texture. The flavor is rich, lightly sweet, and just the right amount of buttery.
If you’ve made my sourdough burger buns, these will feel familiar but a little more indulgent.
Brioche is a simple bread enriched with pantry staples like butter, eggs, milk, and sugar for a decadent tender crumb and rich flavor.
Because these are naturally leavened with sourdough starter, they have extra depth of flavor and a subtle, tangy finish.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Delicious: These rolls are buttery, lightly sweet, and have the softest crumb of any sourdough I’ve made.
Wholesome: This recipe uses only simple pantry staples and ingredients you likely have on hand.
Perfect for Any Occasion: These rolls are perfect for Easter brunch, a cozy Sunday dinner, or a weekday sandwich.
Sourdough: Because the dough is long fermented, you get the benefits of fermented grains in a buttery soft roll.
Ingredients
Flour: Bread flour makes these rolls light and fluffy, but you can also use all-purpose flour. If you are using fresh-milled flour, I recommend using hard white wheat.
Sourdough Starter: Sourdough starter is the leavener, so you don’t need store-bought yeast. New to sourdough? Download my free sourdough starter eBook to learn how to make your own starter.
Butter: Unsalted butter works best because too much salt inhibits fermentation (aka it slows down the rising process).
Eggs: The eggs create a soft and tender crumb while elevating the bread’s flavor and color. This is a great recipe for using reconstituted freeze-dried eggs.
Milk: I recommend using whole milk for added flavor and an extra tender crumb. But you can use any milk you have on hand.
Get the full list of ingredients and measurements on the printable recipe card below.
Tools You May Need
Stand Mixer: Enriched doughs like brioche need an intense mix. So, if possible, I recommend using a stand mixer. I love my KitchenAid 7-qt bowl lift stand mixer.
Baking Dish: Use an 8×8 or 9×9 baking dish so the rolls touch while proofing. This creates the most delicious soft, pull-apart texture.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Add all the ingredients to the bowl of a stand mixer.
Step 2: Using the dough hook, knead on medium speed for about 15 minutes or until the dough is smooth, slightly tacky, and passes the windowpane test.
If it’s too sticky, add one tablespoon of flour at a time until it is tacky but no longer sticks to your hands.
Step 3: Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with a damp towel. Bulk ferment until doubled, about 8-12 hours at room temperature.
The warmer the room, the faster it will bulk ferment. So, rather than watching the clock, look for the dough to be about doubled in size and domed on top.
Step 4: Turn out the dough onto a clean, unfloured counter and use a bench scraper to divide the dough into 16 equal portions.
Step 5: Shape each portion by first pulling and tucking the edges underneath to create a ball.
Then, turn the dough clockwise while gently dragging it on the counter to create tension and tidy up the shape.
Step 6: Butter a square baking dish (I used a 9×9). Arrange the dough balls in the prepared baking dish so they are touching but not squished together.
Step 7: For Same-Day Baking: Cover the dough with a damp towel or plastic wrap and let it proof until it is puffy, about 1-3 hours, depending on the room temperature.
For Next-Day Baking: Cover the rolls with plastic (I use a plastic shopping bag) and chill the dough in the fridge for 12-15 hours.
When you are ready to bake, remove them from the fridge and let them sit at room temperature until they are puffy. This can take several hours, so keep an eye on them.
Step 8: Preheat the oven to 350° F.
In a small bowl, mix the egg yolk and water to make the egg wash. Brush it over each roll using a pastry brush.
The trick to an egg wash is to coat the dough lightly, so don’t get too heavy-handed or the egg wash will pool under the rolls.
Step 9: Bake for 40-45 minutes or until the tops are golden brown. The rolls are finished when the center rolls reach an internal temperature of 190°-200° F.
Step 10: If serving right away, let the rolls cool in the pan for a few minutes.
If serving later, let them cool in the pan for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and cool to room temperature.
Tips for Success
Don’t Add Too Much Flour: This is a relatively sticky dough, though it shouldn’t stick to your hands. If you need to add more flour, only add enough to bring the dough together and to create a slightly tacky texture.
Use an Active or Inactive Starter: Starter does not have to be active for baking bread. However, an active starter will ferment the dough faster because it contains more wild yeast. Check out my active vs. inactive starter tutorial on YouTube to learn more.
Make in One Day or Two: The best part about making sourdough is that you can tailor it to your schedule. Need rolls by dinner? Start early and bake the same day. If you’re not in a hurry, cold-proof the dough overnight to extend the process and create a more sour flavor.
Let the Dough Touch When Proofing: Proof the rolls snugly so they expand into each other. This creates a classic, tender pull-apart texture.
Storing, Freezing, & Reheating
- Store leftover sourdough brioche rolls in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days.
- You can also freeze sourdough bread and rolls. I put them in a freezer-safe bag and freeze them for up to three months.
- To reheat, warm them in the oven at 300° F for a few minutes or pop them in the microwave for 30 seconds or so.
How To Serve
Honey Butter: Mix a little honey and butter and slather it on your brioche rolls.
Sliders: We love making sliders with brioche rolls. Make simple mini ham sandwiches or whip up an easy chicken salad with leftover roast chicken or egg salad with Instant Pot boiled eggs.
Easter Brunch: Brioche rolls are a classic Easter or holiday side. The whole family will enjoy digging in and pulling them apart.
Herb Butter: Mix butter with fresh herbs and a pinch of salt for an easy compound butter. For ideas, check out my five herb butter recipes.
Soup: Soup and a side of bread is a classic. We like it paired with fire-roasted tomato veggie soup and Cuban garbanzo stew.
Fresh-Milled Sourdough Brioche Rolls
Adapting any recipe to fresh-milled flour is really easy. Just follow these simple steps.
For in-depth details, check out my fresh-milled flour conversion tutorial on YouTube.
Use Hard Wheat: Hard wheat has more gluten, so it is best for recipes like sourdough brioche rolls and bagels, for example.
Adjust the Hydration: Since hard wheat absorbs more liquid, you may need to add a little more milk to this recipe. Pay attention to the dough and adjust it as needed.
Autolyze the Flour: Fresh-milled flour takes longer to absorb liquid. So, before making the dough, mix the flour and milk and let it sit for 30 minutes. Then, follow the recipe as usual.
Faster Fermentation: Often, fresh-milled flour ferments more quickly, so keep an eye on it.
FAQs
Brioche isn’t necessarily a traditional Easter bread. But it is similar to some Italian Easter breads, and its light and sweet texture makes it a lovely side for spring holidays and celebrations.
How long it takes for the dough to rise depends on the maturity of your starter, the room temperature, how recently your starter was fed, and other factors.
Rather than focusing on time, pay attention to your dough. Look for the dough to be doubled and domed on top before turning it out to shape and proof.
This dough should be a little bit sticky. But if it is all over your hands or sticking to the sides of the mixing bowl, add more flour, one tablespoon at a time.
Definitely! Sourdough dough can stay in the fridge for up to 3 days before baking. After the bulk fermentation, cover it and stick it in the fridge. The longer is sits in the fridge, the more sour it will taste.
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Sourdough Brioche Rolls
Equipment
- Mixing bowl
- Baking dish
Ingredients
Dough Ingredients
- 530 grams bread flour, plus more if needed
- 65 grams granulated sugar
- 6 grams salt
- 150 grams whole milk
- 3 large eggs
- 113 grams unsalted butter, softened
- 100 grams sourdough starter, active and bubbly
Egg Wash Ingredients
- 1 egg yolk
- 15 grams water
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients to the bowl of a stand mixer.530 grams (4 1/4 cups) bread flour, 65 grams (1/3 cup) granulated sugar, 6 grams (1 tsp) salt, 150 grams (3/4 cups) whole milk, 3 large eggs, 113 grams (8 tbsp) unsalted butter, 100 grams (1/2 cups) sourdough starter
- Using the dough hook, knead on medium speed for about 15 minutes or until the dough is smooth, slightly tacky, and passes the windowpane test.If it's too sticky, add one tablespoon of flour at a time until it is tacky but no longer sticks to your hands.
- Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with a damp towel. Bulk ferment until doubled, about 8-12 hours at room temperature. The warmer the room, the faster it will bulk ferment. So, rather than watching the clock, look for the dough to be about doubled in size and domed on top.
- Turn out the dough onto a clean, unfloured counter and use a bench scraper to divide the dough into 16 equal portions.
- Shape each portion by first pulling and tucking the edges underneath to create a ball. Then, turn the dough clockwise while gently dragging it on the counter to create tension and tidy up the shape.
- Butter a square baking dish (I use a 9×9). Arrange the dough balls in the prepared baking dish so they are touching but not squished together.
- For Same-Day Baking: Cover the dough with a damp towel or plastic and let them proof until they are puffy, about 1-3 hours depending on the temperature in the room.For Next-Day Baking: Cover the rolls with plastic (I use a plastic shopping bag) and chill the dough in the fridge for 12-15 hours. When you are ready to bake, remove them from the fridge and let them sit at room temperature until they are puffy. This can take several hours, so keep an eye on them.
- Preheat the oven to 350° F.
- In a small bowl, mix the egg yolk and water to make the egg wash. Brush it over each roll using a pastry brush. The trick to an egg wash is to coat the dough lightly, so don't get too heavy-handed or the egg wash will pool under the rolls.1 egg yolk, 15 grams (1 tbsp) water
- Bake for 40-45 minutes or until the tops are golden brown. The rolls are finished when the center rolls reach an internal temperature of 190°-200° F.
- If serving right away, let the rolls cool in the pan for a few minutes. If serving later, let them cool in the pan for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and cool to room temperature.
Notes
- Store leftover sourdough brioche rolls in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days.
- If you are using fresh-milled flour, I recommend using hard white wheat.
- This is a relatively sticky dough, though it shouldn’t stick to your hands. If you need to add more flour, only add enough to bring the dough together and to create a slightly tacky texture.
- Starter does not have to be active for baking bread. However, an active starter will ferment the dough faster because it contains more wild yeast. Check out my active vs. inactive starter tutorial on YouTube to learn more.
- The best part about making sourdough is that you can tailor it to your schedule. Need rolls by dinner? Start early and bake the same day. If you’re not in a hurry, cold-proof the dough overnight to extend the process and create a more sour flavor.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is auto-calculated and may not reflect your final product. Please verify independently if needed.