Description

This Sourdough Chai Spice Star Bread is a beautifully shaped, soft, and fluffy bread infused with warm chai spices. Featuring a festive star design, it’s perfect for special occasions or cozy gatherings. The bread combines fragrant spices with a tender sourdough base and is layered with buttery, spiced sugar for a delightful cinnamon-roll-like treat.

Ingredients

Scale

Chai Spice Blend

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground all-spice
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground star anise
1 teaspoon grated whole nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
4 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Dough

100 g active sourdough starter (1/2 cup)
250 g full fat coconut milk (1 cup)
24 g raw honey (2 tablespoons)
14 g extra virgin olive oil (1 tablespoon)
13 g vanilla extract (1 tablespoon)
6 g kosher salt (1 teaspoon)
300 g all purpose flour (2-1/2 cups)

Filling and Assembly

100 g whole cane sugar or coconut palm sugar (2/3 cup)
16 g chai spice blend (2 tablespoons)
58 g melted vegan butter (1/4 cup)
Confectioner’s sugar for dusting (optional)

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Prepare Chai Spice Blend: Add all of the spices for the chai blend to a jar, cover, and shake well to combine. Store in a cool, dry place until ready to use.
Mix Dough: Measure out the dough ingredients into a stand mixer bowl. Stir or combine by hand into a rough dough. Attach the dough hook and knead on low speed for 8-10 minutes until the dough is smooth, soft, and forms a ball that pulls away from the bowl. If too sticky, add a little more flour until desired consistency is reached. Alternatively, knead by hand on a lightly floured surface for 10 minutes.
Bulk Fermentation: Place the dough in an oiled bowl, cover, and allow to rise until doubled in size and soft and pillowy—about 8-10 hours, or overnight in a warm spot.
Prepare Filling: Once the dough has risen, mix the cane sugar and 2 tablespoons of chai spice blend in a small bowl. Melt vegan butter and keep it ready with a pastry brush.
Shape and Layer Dough: Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Turn dough onto an oiled surface, divide into four equal pieces. Roll each piece into a 1/4 inch thick round. Place the first round on the parchment, brush with melted butter, and sprinkle one-third of the sugar-spice mix over it. Repeat layering with the remaining rounds, ending with the last dough layer on top.
Cut and Twist Star Pattern: Place an inverted small glass in the center of the top layer. Using a sharp knife, cut the dough from the rim of the glass to the outer edge in sixteenths—start with quarters, then eighths, then sixteenths. Press the glass to make an indentation and remove it. Take two cut pieces at a time and twist them away from each other to form each star point. Repeat with all pairs to create an eight-point star, then pinch the ends of each star point together.
Proof the Shaped Dough: Brush the star bread with melted butter. Cover with a tea towel and set in a warm spot for about 1 hour or until it puffs up noticeably.
Bake the Bread: Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Bake the bread at 400°F for 20 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 350°F (175°C) and bake for an additional 10 minutes. The bread should be dark golden brown and sound hollow when tapped.
Cool and Serve: Remove the bread from the pan and cool on a wire rack. Before serving, brush the top with melted vegan butter for a glossy finish and dust lightly with confectioner’s sugar if desired. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Notes

This star bread combines the warm, aromatic flavors of chai spices with the tangy depth of sourdough for a unique and festive bread.
The star shape looks elaborate but is surprisingly straightforward to make with the cutting and twisting technique described.
If your environment is cold, allow extra time for the dough to ferment adequately.
You can substitute the sugars and milk with other vegan-friendly alternatives based on preference.
Store leftover bread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or freeze for longer storage.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 piece
Calories: 170
Sugar: 8 g
Sodium: 172 mg
Fat: 7 g
Saturated Fat: 4 g
Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
Trans Fat: 1 g
Carbohydrates: 24 g
Fiber: 1 g
Protein: 3 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg