Artisan Eggnog Sourdough Bread

Here is my favorite eggnog sourdough bread recipe, with a soft, tender crumb from the eggnog, a hint of warm spices, and that classic sourdough tang that makes everything better.

This bread has become our go-to holiday baking project in December. I love how it fills the house with the smell of cinnamon and nutmeg while it bakes, and it makes the best French toast on Christmas morning. Plus, it’s a great way to use up any leftover eggnog sitting in your fridge.

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What Kind of Eggnog Should I Use?

You can use store-bought or homemade eggnog for this bread, and both will give you great results. If you’re going with store-bought, any brand from your local grocery store will work just fine – just make sure it’s the refrigerated kind, not the shelf-stable version, as it tends to have better flavor. Homemade eggnog is always a nice touch if you have the time, and it’ll give your bread a richer, more authentic taste. Keep in mind that eggnog can vary in thickness, so if yours is particularly thick or thin, you might need to adjust the water slightly to get the right dough consistency.

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Options for Substitutions

This recipe has some room for swaps, though a few ingredients are best left as-is:

• Sourdough starter: This one’s non-negotiable – you really need an active sourdough starter for this bread to work properly. It’s what gives the bread its rise and that signature tangy flavor.
• Bread flour: If you don’t have bread flour, all-purpose flour can work in a pinch, but your loaf might be slightly less chewy. The higher protein content in bread flour really helps with structure.
• Spelt and rye flour: Don’t have these specialty flours? You can replace them with additional bread flour or whole wheat flour. The texture will be slightly different, but the bread will still turn out great.
• Eggnog: This is the star ingredient, so try not to substitute it. However, if you’re in a bind, you can make a quick substitute by mixing whole milk with a beaten egg, a tablespoon of sugar, and the spices listed in the recipe.
• Spices: Feel free to adjust the cinnamon and nutmeg to your taste, or add a pinch of cloves or allspice for extra holiday flavor. You could also use pumpkin pie spice as a one-to-one replacement for both spices.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The biggest mistake when baking sourdough bread is not checking that your starter is active and bubbly before mixing your dough – if it hasn’t doubled in size within 4-6 hours of feeding, your bread won’t rise properly and you’ll end up with a dense loaf.

Since eggnog contains sugar and fat, this dough can brown faster than regular sourdough, so keep an eye on it during the last 15 minutes of baking and tent it with foil if the crust is getting too dark.

Another common error is adding too much flour during kneading because the dough feels sticky – sourdough should be slightly tacky to the touch, and adding extra flour will make your bread dry and tough.

To get the best oven spring, make sure your dutch oven or baking vessel is fully preheated for at least 30 minutes before you add the dough, as this initial blast of heat is what creates that beautiful rise and crispy crust.

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What to Serve With Eggnog Sourdough Bread?

This bread is perfect for your holiday breakfast table, sliced thick and toasted with a generous smear of salted butter that melts into all those nooks and crannies. I love making French toast with it too – the eggnog flavor really shines through when you dip it in an egg mixture and cook it until golden brown. For a simple snack, try it with cream cheese and a drizzle of honey, or toast it up and spread on some apple butter or pumpkin butter for a cozy fall or winter treat. It also makes an amazing base for breakfast sandwiches with scrambled eggs and bacon.

Storage Instructions

Store: Keep your eggnog sourdough bread wrapped in a clean kitchen towel or in a bread box at room temperature for up to 3 days. The crust will stay nice and crispy this way. If you prefer a softer crust, you can store it in a plastic bag instead, but it won’t be quite as crunchy.

Freeze: This bread freezes really well for up to 3 months. I like to slice it first, then wrap the whole loaf tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil. That way, you can pull out just a slice or two whenever you want without thawing the whole thing.

Enjoy: Frozen slices can go straight into the toaster from the freezer, which is super convenient for quick breakfasts. If you want to thaw the whole loaf, just leave it on the counter for a few hours. A quick refresh in a 350°F oven for about 10 minutes will bring back that fresh-baked feel.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 1600-1750
• Protein: 45-50 g
• Fat: 10-14 g
• Carbohydrates: 330-355 g

Ingredients

For the dough:

• 3 cups bread flour (King Arthur all-purpose works well)
• 1 3/4 tsp salt
• 2/3 cup water
• 1/4 cup sourdough starter (active, fed 4-8 hours prior)
• 1/3 cup rye flour (adds subtle depth and nuttiness)
• 1/4 cup spelt flour
• 1 cup eggnog (full-fat for richness, chilled)

For the spices:

• 1/4 tsp cinnamon (freshly ground preferred)
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg (freshly grated for best flavor)

Step 1: Prepare Mise en Place and Mix the Dough

• 3 cups bread flour
• 1/3 cup rye flour
• 1/4 cup spelt flour
• 1 cup eggnog
• 2/3 cup water

Gather all ingredients and ensure your sourdough starter has been fed and is active (bubbly and doubling in size within 4-8 hours of feeding).

In a large mixing bowl, combine the bread flour, rye flour, and spelt flour.

Add the chilled eggnog and water, then stir until all dry ingredients are fully hydrated—you’re looking for a shaggy, somewhat stiff dough.

Let this mixture rest for 20-30 minutes (this is your autolyse period, which develops gluten naturally).

I find this rest period makes the dough much easier to work with and improves the final texture.

Step 2: Incorporate Starter and Build Gluten Structure

• 1/4 cup sourdough starter
• dough mixture from Step 1

Add the active sourdough starter to the hydrated dough from Step 1 and mix thoroughly for 1-2 minutes by hand or with a dough hook, ensuring the starter is completely incorporated.

The dough will feel wet and sticky at this point—this is normal.

Cover the bowl and let it rest for 30-60 minutes to allow the gluten network to begin developing.

This rest period, called a rest phase, gives the flour time to fully absorb the liquid and the starter time to begin fermentation.

Step 3: Salt and Develop Final Dough

• 1 3/4 tsp salt
• dough mixture from Step 2

Sprinkle the salt over the dough from Step 2 and mix it in thoroughly—this can take 2-3 minutes by hand or with a dough hook.

Salt strengthens gluten and controls fermentation speed.

Once incorporated, cover the dough and set it aside for 1 hour at room temperature.

This resting period allows salt to fully integrate and fermentation to continue building flavor.

Then perform a series of stretch-and-fold movements: wet your hand, grab one side of the dough, stretch it up and fold it over itself, rotate the bowl 90 degrees, and repeat 4-6 times.

This builds strength without aggressive kneading.

Step 4: Add Warm Spices and Continue Bulk Fermentation

• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• dough mixture from Step 3

After the stretch-and-fold movements from Step 3, sprinkle the freshly ground cinnamon and freshly grated nutmeg over the dough.

Gently fold these spices into the dough using the same stretch-and-fold technique—just 2-3 folds to distribute them evenly throughout.

Cover the dough and let it continue fermenting at room temperature for another 1-2 hours, or until it has increased in volume by about 50% and shows visible air bubbles on the surface.

I always use freshly grated nutmeg rather than pre-ground because the warm, aromatic oils make a noticeable difference in the final bread’s flavor.

Step 5: Shape and Cold Proof Overnight

• dough mixture from Step 4

Turn the fermented dough from Step 4 onto a lightly floured surface and gently pre-shape it into a round by folding the edges toward the center.

Let this rest for 15-20 minutes, then perform your final shaping by folding the edges toward the center again to create surface tension.

Place the shaped dough seam-side up into a floured banneton proofing basket (or a bowl lined with a floured kitchen towel).

Cover the basket and place it in the refrigerator for 8-14 hours.

This long, cold proof develops deeper flavor through slow fermentation and makes scoring and handling the dough easier.

Step 6: Score and Bake with Steam

• shaped and cold-proofed dough from Step 5

Preheat your oven to 475°F with a Dutch oven inside for at least 30 minutes—the hot vessel creates steam which develops a beautiful crust.

Turn the cold dough from Step 5 out of the proofing basket onto parchment paper and score the top with a sharp knife or lame (a single 1/4-inch-deep slash works well).

Carefully place the dough (still on parchment) into the preheated Dutch oven, cover with the lid, and bake at 475°F for 15 minutes to trap steam.

This is where the eggnog and spices really shine—they caramelize slightly in the heat and create a complex, holiday-spiced crust.

Step 7: Finish Baking to Golden-Brown Crust

• partially baked bread from Step 6

After 15 minutes at 475°F, reduce the oven temperature to 450°F and remove the Dutch oven lid.

Continue baking for 15 minutes, then rotate the Dutch oven for even browning.

Bake for another 15-20 minutes until the crust is a deep golden-brown (almost mahogany in color).

The total bake time should be around 45-50 minutes.

Remove the bread from the oven and let it cool on a wire rack for at least 1 hour before slicing—this allows the interior crumb to set properly and makes slicing cleaner.

Artisan Eggnog Sourdough Bread

Delicious Artisan Eggnog Sourdough Bread recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 4 hours hrs

Cook Time 8 hours hrs

Total Time 12 hours hrs

Servings 4

Calories 1675 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the dough:

• 3 cups bread flour (King Arthur all-purpose works well)
• 1 3/4 tsp salt
• 2/3 cup water
• 1/4 cup sourdough starter (active, fed 4-8 hours prior)
• 1/3 cup rye flour (adds subtle depth and nuttiness)
• 1/4 cup spelt flour
• 1 cup eggnog (full-fat for richness, chilled)

For the spices:

• 1/4 tsp cinnamon (freshly ground preferred)
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg (freshly grated for best flavor)

Instructions

 

• Gather all ingredients and ensure your sourdough starter has been fed and is active (bubbly and doubling in size within 4-8 hours of feeding). In a large mixing bowl, combine the bread flour, rye flour, and spelt flour. Add the chilled eggnog and water, then stir until all dry ingredients are fully hydrated—you're looking for a shaggy, somewhat stiff dough. Let this mixture rest for 20-30 minutes (this is your autolyse period, which develops gluten naturally). I find this rest period makes the dough much easier to work with and improves the final texture.
• Add the active sourdough starter to the hydrated dough from Step 1 and mix thoroughly for 1-2 minutes by hand or with a dough hook, ensuring the starter is completely incorporated. The dough will feel wet and sticky at this point—this is normal. Cover the bowl and let it rest for 30-60 minutes to allow the gluten network to begin developing. This rest period, called a rest phase, gives the flour time to fully absorb the liquid and the starter time to begin fermentation.
• Sprinkle the salt over the dough from Step 2 and mix it in thoroughly—this can take 2-3 minutes by hand or with a dough hook. Salt strengthens gluten and controls fermentation speed. Once incorporated, cover the dough and set it aside for 1 hour at room temperature. This resting period allows salt to fully integrate and fermentation to continue building flavor. Then perform a series of stretch-and-fold movements: wet your hand, grab one side of the dough, stretch it up and fold it over itself, rotate the bowl 90 degrees, and repeat 4-6 times. This builds strength without aggressive kneading.
• After the stretch-and-fold movements from Step 3, sprinkle the freshly ground cinnamon and freshly grated nutmeg over the dough. Gently fold these spices into the dough using the same stretch-and-fold technique—just 2-3 folds to distribute them evenly throughout. Cover the dough and let it continue fermenting at room temperature for another 1-2 hours, or until it has increased in volume by about 50% and shows visible air bubbles on the surface. I always use freshly grated nutmeg rather than pre-ground because the warm, aromatic oils make a noticeable difference in the final bread's flavor.
• Turn the fermented dough from Step 4 onto a lightly floured surface and gently pre-shape it into a round by folding the edges toward the center. Let this rest for 15-20 minutes, then perform your final shaping by folding the edges toward the center again to create surface tension. Place the shaped dough seam-side up into a floured banneton proofing basket (or a bowl lined with a floured kitchen towel). Cover the basket and place it in the refrigerator for 8-14 hours. This long, cold proof develops deeper flavor through slow fermentation and makes scoring and handling the dough easier.
• Preheat your oven to 475°F with a Dutch oven inside for at least 30 minutes—the hot vessel creates steam which develops a beautiful crust. Turn the cold dough from Step 5 out of the proofing basket onto parchment paper and score the top with a sharp knife or lame (a single 1/4-inch-deep slash works well). Carefully place the dough (still on parchment) into the preheated Dutch oven, cover with the lid, and bake at 475°F for 15 minutes to trap steam. This is where the eggnog and spices really shine—they caramelize slightly in the heat and create a complex, holiday-spiced crust.
• After 15 minutes at 475°F, reduce the oven temperature to 450°F and remove the Dutch oven lid. Continue baking for 15 minutes, then rotate the Dutch oven for even browning. Bake for another 15-20 minutes until the crust is a deep golden-brown (almost mahogany in color). The total bake time should be around 45-50 minutes. Remove the bread from the oven and let it cool on a wire rack for at least 1 hour before slicing—this allows the interior crumb to set properly and makes slicing cleaner.