Sourdough rolls, buns and bagels
These recipes are all about softness, structure and really enjoyable dough handling. Rolls and bagels use many of the same skills as sourdough bread but with a gentler feel and a more relaxed shaping style. This hub gathers all of the soft sourdough bakes in one place so you can choose the texture and style you want, whether that is a fluffy dinner roll or a chewy bagel.
Soft doughs teach you how to judge gluten strength with your hands. They start out sticky, then slowly turn smooth and elastic. Shaping is simpler than bread. Instead of forming a full boule, you are working with smaller pieces of dough, which is a great way to practise tension and even shaping without pressure. These recipes are also very adaptable. You can adjust rise times, add toppings or bake the dough closer together for pull apart breads.
If you are new to sourdough rolls, start with the dinner rolls or the English muffins. They are forgiving and give you a good feel for the dough. Once you understand the rhythm of shaping and proofing, the bagels and burger buns are the next natural step. They help you build confidence with tighter doughs and the slightly longer shaping process.
Below you will find all the soft sourdough styles in one easy list so you can jump straight to the recipe that suits what you want to bake.
Sourdough rolls, buns and bagels
Savoury rolls and buns
- Sourdough Dinner Rolls
- Sourdough Burger Buns
- Sourdough Hot Dog Buns
- Soft Sourdough English Muffins
- Sourdough Pull Apart Bread
- Sourdough Garlic Knots
- Sourdough Salt Bread (Japanese Shio Pan)
Sweet rolls and buns
- Soft Sourdough Hot Cross Buns
- Sourdough Chocolate Chip Hot Cross Buns
- Sourdough Sticky Buns
- Sourdough Brioche Cinnamon Rolls
Sourdough Bagels
Where to go next
If you want to try bakes with richer doughs, explore the Enriched Sourdough hub. If you want something more structured and flaky, the Laminated hub is the next step. You can also return to the main sourdough hub to explore all the clusters in one place.
