Here’s a clear, reliable guide to making Inclusion Sourdough Bread—the kind with mix-ins like cheese, herbs, nuts, seeds, or dried fruit baked right into the loaf 🍞
What Is Inclusion Sourdough?
Inclusion sourdough is regular sourdough bread with added ingredients (“inclusions”) folded into the dough during bulk fermentation—not at the start—so the dough structure stays strong.
Basic Inclusion Sourdough Recipe (1 Loaf)
Dough
-
500 g bread flour
-
350 g water (70% hydration)
-
100 g active sourdough starter
-
10 g salt
Inclusions (choose 1–2 total, 100–150 g max)
-
Cheese (cheddar, parmesan, gouda – cubed)
-
Olives (drained & chopped)
-
Roasted garlic
-
Jalapeños
-
Herbs (rosemary, thyme)
-
Seeds (sunflower, pumpkin, sesame)
-
Dried fruit (cranberries, raisins – soak first)
-
Nuts (walnuts, pecans – lightly toasted)
Method
1. Mix
-
Mix flour and water. Rest 30 minutes (autolyse).
-
Add starter and salt. Mix until combined.
2. Bulk Fermentation (4–6 hours)
-
Let dough rest at room temp.
-
Perform stretch & folds every 30 minutes for the first 2 hours.
3. Add Inclusions (IMPORTANT STEP)
-
During the 2nd or 3rd stretch & fold, gently laminate the dough:
-
Stretch dough into a rectangle
-
Sprinkle inclusions evenly
-
Fold dough over itself
-
-
This prevents tearing and uneven distribution.
4. Continue Bulk
-
Let dough rise until ~50–70% larger, bubbly, and jiggly.
5. Shape
-
Shape into a boule or batard.
-
Rest 20 minutes (bench rest), then final shape.
6. Cold Proof
-
Place in banneton, cover, and refrigerate 8–16 hours.
7. Bake
-
Preheat oven + Dutch oven to 475°F (245°C).
-
Score dough.
-
Bake:
-
20 minutes covered
-
20–25 minutes uncovered until deep golden
-
Best Inclusion Ratios (So Bread Doesn’t Collapse)
-
Soft inclusions (cheese, olives): ≤ 20% of flour weight
-
Dry inclusions (nuts, seeds): ≤ 15%
-
Wet inclusions (jalapeños, fruit): pat dry first
Popular Flavor Combos
-
Cheddar + jalapeño
-
Olive + rosemary
-
Cranberry + walnut
-
Garlic + parmesan
-
Cinnamon + raisin (add sugar + cinnamon to dough)
Pro Tips
-
Add inclusions after gluten develops, never at initial mix
-
Cut cheese into small cubes, not shreds
-
If inclusions are salty, slightly reduce salt in dough
If you want, I can:
-
Convert this to high-hydration open-crumb inclusion bread
-
Give a cinnamon-raisin inclusion sourdough (very popular)
-
Help you design a custom inclusion loaf from what you have at home