Sourdough Discard Challah Buns are made with your sourdough starter discard. These super soft buns are studded with dark chocolate chips. With just a slight sourdough tang, these beautiful buns are perfect for breakfast, or for an afternoon coffee break.
If you love baking with discard, also try my sourdough discard challah bread and my sourdough banana bread - both are wonderful ways to use what you would otherwise throw away.
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These sourdough discard challah buns are the reason I no longer throw away my sourdough discard. They are pillowy soft, slightly enriched from the eggs and oil, and every single bite has a dark chocolate chip hiding inside.
I will be honest, I ate two straight from the oven. The smell alone was enough to undo me: warm challah dough, toasty dark chocolate, a faint hint of tang. I could not help myself.
The sourdough flavor is very subtle here. The discard adds depth and tenderness rather than sourness - it is more of a background note that makes these taste complex without tasting like sourdough bread.
Instead of wasting it, make these gorgeous challah buns with dark chocolate chips!
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Great for breakfast or a coffee break. They are small, fun to pull apart, and not too sweet. They work any time of day.
- No wasted discard. This recipe uses a full cup of sourdough starter discard. No more guilt about what gets thrown out on feeding day.
- Pillowy soft texture. The combination of challah dough and sourdough discard creates an incredibly tender, pull-apart crumb that stays soft for days.
- A chocolate chip in every bite. Dark chocolate chips are kneaded directly into the dough so they are distributed throughout - not just on top.
- Subtle sourdough tang. Not sour at all. The discard gives depth and complexity without any sharp flavor.
What is Sourdough Discard?
Sourdough discard is the portion of your starter that you remove before feeding it. It is not dead or spent - it still has flavor, acidity, and some leavening power. Most bakers throw it away, but it bakes beautifully into breads, pancakes, and pastries.
In this recipe, the discard adds tenderness and a very faint tang to the challah dough. The active dry yeast does the main leavening work, so these buns rise reliably even if your discard is a week old.
Other ways to use discard: sourdough discard apple galette, sourdough discard pumpkin bread, sourdough pumpkin coffee cake, and sourdough pizza dough.
Ingredients
For the Dough
- 1 package (2¼ teaspoons) active dry yeast
- 1 cup warm water, no more than 110°F (43°C)
- 1 teaspoon + ⅓ cup granulated sugar (divided)
- 4½ to 5 cups bread flour (or 5½ to 6 cups all-purpose flour)
- 2 teaspoons sea salt
- 3 large eggs
- ¼ cup peanut, corn, or canola oil
- 1 cup sourdough discard (unfed sourdough starter)
- 1 cup dark chocolate chips
For the Egg Wash
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon water
The sourdough starter:
Here is a photo of my faithful sourdough starter. This starter has never let me down! Even when I have had no choice but to leave it alone for weeks (even 2-3 months), the starter didn't let me down.
Before we get onto this recipe, I want to show you some more inspirations.
There are so many ways to use up that sourdough discard! Here are some sourdough discard starter recipes we recently shared:
- Sourdough Discard Apple Galette
- Sourdough Discard Pumpkin Bread
- Sourdough Pumpkin Coffee Cake
- Sourdough Pizza Margherita
- Sourdough Banana Bread
- Blueberry Limoncello Pie with Sourdough Crust
How to Make Sourdough Discard Challah Buns
Step 1: Bloom the Yeast
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the warm water, yeast, and 1 teaspoon of sugar. Stir to combine. Let sit for 5 minutes until foamy and fragrant. If it does not foam, your yeast is not active - start with a fresh packet before continuing.
Step 2: Add Flour, Eggs, and Oil
With the mixer on low, add 1 cup of flour and mix until combined. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing after each. Add the remaining ⅓ cup of sugar and the oil. Mix until everything is combined.
Step 3: Add the Sourdough Discard
Add the sourdough discard and mix on low until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Step 4: Build the Dough
Slowly add the remaining flour one cup at a time with the mixer on medium-low, stopping to scrape the bowl between each addition. Once all the flour is in, add the sea salt. Mix on low for 12 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic. Give your mixer a rest mid-way if needed to avoid burning out the motor. The dough will be slightly sticky but should hold together and pull away from the sides of the bowl. Add flour one tablespoon at a time if it is too sticky to work with.
Step 5: Knead in the Chocolate Chips
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead briefly by hand for about 1 minute. Flatten the dough slightly, scatter the chocolate chips across the surface, and fold the dough over them. Knead gently until the chips are evenly distributed throughout. If the dough feels too sticky after adding the chips, dust with a small amount of flour.
Step 6: First Rise
Shape the dough into a ball and place in a lightly oiled bowl. Swish the dough around to coat it lightly in oil, then flip it so the smooth side faces up. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm, draft-free spot until doubled in size, about 1 to 1½ hours.
Step 7: Shape the Buns
Punch down the risen dough. Divide it into 18 equal pieces - use a kitchen scale if you want them uniform. Roll each piece into a smooth ball by cupping your hand over it and rolling it against the counter in a circular motion. Place on two parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing evenly.
Step 8: Second Rise
Loosely cover the baking sheets with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel. Let the buns rise in a draft-free place for 30 minutes, until puffed.
Step 9: Bake
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Whisk together the egg, sugar, and water for the egg wash. Brush each bun generously just before baking. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until deep golden brown and the internal temperature reads 190°F. Let cool on the pan for 10 minutes before serving.
Expert Tips
- Bloom your yeast first. Do not skip the blooming step. If the yeast does not foam in the warm water within 5 minutes, it is not active and your buns will not rise. This 5-minute check saves a lot of wasted effort.
- Rest the mixer. Mixing the dough for 12 minutes on a stand mixer is a long time. Pause halfway through to let the motor cool. Do not switch to a higher speed to compensate - low and slow builds the gluten properly.
- Do not rush the rise. A cold kitchen will slow the rise significantly. Place the bowl near a warm oven or in an oven set to just 80°F with the door slightly open. The dough needs to genuinely double in size.
- Use a kitchen scale for uniform buns. Dividing by eye gives uneven buns that bake at different rates. Weighing the dough ensures all 18 buns bake evenly.
- Check the internal temp. The most reliable way to know if the buns are done is an internal temperature of 190°F. This matters more than color, especially if your oven runs hot.
Storage and Freezing
Counter:
Let the buns cool completely. Store in a large zip-lock bag at room temperature for up to 2 days. They stay soft thanks to the oil and eggs in the dough.
Freezer:
Freeze in zip-lock freezer bags for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature for a couple of hours, or warm in a 300°F oven for 8 to 10 minutes. They taste freshly baked.
Sourdough Discard:
Unused discard keeps in a sealed jar in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Variations
- Skip the chocolate chips. These buns are delicious plain. The challah dough is beautiful on its own, slightly sweet and very tender.
- Use raisins instead. Substitute the chocolate chips with golden or regular raisins for a more traditional challah flavor. Soak them in warm water for 10 minutes first so they stay plump.
- Add a cinnamon sugar swirl. Roll each portion of dough flat, brush with melted butter, and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar before rolling into a ball. The filling melts inside during baking.
Love challah? Also try my chocolate chip challah bread, my apple harvest challah bread, and my cinnamon raisin challah.
The longer it sits, the more sour it becomes - older discard is better suited for savory recipes
FAQ'S
Honestly, the possibilities are endless! The discard could be used in pancakes, brownies, waffles, pizza dough (yes, pizza dough!). Sweet or savory recipe, the discard works wonderful!
I would store the sourdough discard for up to a week in a closed jar in the refrigerator. As the days pass, the flavor may get more sour, so just use it in a savory recipe.
Sourdough discard can last for a week or two in the fridge, but for best results you should use it up within that time frame.
Since you are making these buns with the sourdough discard (and some yeast), it does not have a very sour flavor (the flavor is subtle). But the texture will be outstanding!
You could use bread flour or all-purpose flour. I often run out of bread flour, so then I'll use my all-purpose. Keep in mind that any high in gluten flour will give you a dough with a nice stretch. From all the challahs I've baked, either bread or all-purpose flour will work for this recipe.
More Sourdough Discard Recipes
- Sourdough Discard Challah Bread - the full loaf version of this recipe
- Sourdough Banana Bread - moist, fluffy, and a perfect use for ripe bananas and leftover discard
- Sourdough Discard Pumpkin Bread - a subtly spiced quick bread for fall
- Sourdough Pumpkin Coffee Cake - tender coffee cake with a cinnamon streusel topping
- Sourdough Pizza Margherita - use your discard in a savory pizza dough with incredible flavor
- Blueberry Limoncello Pie with Sourdough Crust - a beautiful sourdough pie crust with a bright summer filling
More Bread Recipes
- Chocolate Chip Challah Bread - the classic loaf with chocolate chips throughout
- Honey Challah - a traditionally braided challah sweetened with honey
- Braided Italian Easter Bread - a beautifully enriched Italian bread for the holiday table
- Strawberry Monkey Bread - a pull-apart bread with fresh strawberries
- Crusty No-Knead Italian Bread - the easiest artisan loaf with a golden crust
Sourdough Discard Challah Buns
Ingredients
- The Dough:
- 1 package 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast I used Red Star Yeast Platinum for this recipe
- 1 cup warm water no more than 110°F [43°C]
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 4 ½ to 5 cups bread flour or 5 ½ to 6 cups bleached all-purpose flour depending on brand of flour, you may need less or more
- 2 teaspoons sea salt
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 3 eggs
- ¼ cup peanut corn or canola oil
- 1 cup sourdough discard unfed sourdough starter
- 1 cup dark chocolate chips
- For the egg wash:
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 Tablespoon water
Instructions
- In a mixer, with a dough hook attachment, add the warm water, yeast and a teaspoon of sugar. Mix until blended. Let the yeast bloom (could take up to 5 minutes). Once it has bloomed, slowly mix in 1 cup of the flour until combined.
- Mix in the eggs one at a time until they are combined. Add in the rest of the sugar and the oil. Mix until combined.
- Add in the sourdough discard.
- Slowly add the rest of the flour with the mixer on medium-low speed, and mix until combined. Stop the machine as you add each cup of the flour to scrape the sides of the bowl and incorporate the flour.
- Mix on low speed for 12 minutes until dough is incorporated. Be sure to give your mixer a break and as you don't want to burn it out. Add flour, if needed, 1 tablespoon at a time. The dough will be a little sticky but also firm.
- Take dough out of mixer bowl, and place it on a clean counter or work space. Knead the dough a minute or so on the counter. Knead in the chocolate chips.
- Check the dough and if it is still too sticky to work with, add a tablespoon of flour to make it pliable. If dough is still too sticky, add another tablespoon of flour at a time until it is smooth, yet slightly sticky.
- Form the dough into a ball and place into an oiled bowl (when I put the dough in the bowl I swish the dough around the bottom of the bowl and then flip it over so all of the dough is covered in a light film of oil). Cover with plastic wrap and let it rise at room temperature until doubled in size (about 1-1 ½ hours).
- When the dough has risen, punch down the dough.
- Divide the dough into 18 equal pieces. Shape into balls and place on 2 parchment lined baking sheets.
- Loosely cover with plastic wrap (or a clean kitchen towel) and let rise in a draft free place for 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350 F.
- When ready to bake, brush with egg wash (egg wash is the egg, a tablespoon of water, and sugar whisked together in a small bowl).
- Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until buns are golden brown and have an internal temperature of 190°.
Nutrition Disclaimer
Please keep in mind that the nutritional information presented below is an approximation and may vary depending on the exact ingredients used.
What are we supposed to do with the 2tsp of salt? There is no where in the recipe for what to do with it. Is it supposed to be mixed in with the dough? Sprinkled on top? This might be a stupid question, but I’m a new baker and have no idea what I’m doing and have the salt left over.
Hi Bobbi-You must have missed it on Step 4: Slowly add the rest of the flour (and the salt) with the mixer on medium-low speed, and mix until combined. Stop the machine as you add each cup of the flour to scrape the sides of the bowl and incorporate the flour.
I explain to add the flour along with the salt right in that step. Maybe you re-read the recipe and figured it out and added it in!
Hope that helps!