Christmas is always an enjoyable time of year which includes special foods. This cinnamon star is so delicious with its buttery cinnamon layers. Served with a cup of coffee this will become a traditional favorite.

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Why Sourdough– sourdough bread is made by fermenting the dough naturally using lactobacilli and wild yeast. This was the usual form of leavening bread down into the Middle Ages until it was replaced with commercial yeast products. French Bakers brought sourdough techniques to California during the Gold Rush where it remains a large part of the culture today.

When you ferment bread dough the glycemic index will be lower. Sourdough bread is easier to digest since the fermenting breaks down the phytic acid in the grain. Using sourdough starter is so versatile. You can make all kinds of items using sourdough starter. There are many recipes in this folder using sourdough starter.

The key to a successful sourdough baking day is a mature starter. My starter, pictured below, is over 10 years old. From this jar, I have sent our thousands of packs of starter. Do you want a jump start into start your journey into this intriguing world of baking? Buy a mature starter from this link Sourdough Starter.

Through trial and error I have found that King Arthur Bread flour is the best flour for feeding a starter. The flour is very consistent in quality and performance. It is unbleached which will create a wonderful starter. Bleached flour has had too much of the natural bacteria removed and will not keep a starter well fed. My preferred flour for sourdough dough is Montana Wheat Prairie Gold. This flour is made from hard white spring wheat. It is lighter in taste and color which my family prefers.

Instructions on preparing the Sourdough Cinnamon Star.

Mixing the dough: Mix starter, water, eggs, butter, and honey together in Kitchen Aid Mixer bowl. Add vital wheat gluten, and vanilla. Mix well. Add 2 cups White Whole Wheat Flour. Mix. Add remaining flour in 1 tablespoon increments mixing until you have a soft dough. Let rest 20 minutes. Add salt and yeast. Mix for 6 minutes. Place in a greased bowl and cover with a lid.

When you remove the dough from the fridge it should be puffy and doubled in size.

Filling: Mix the cinnamon, butter and sweetener together until smooth. Set aside.

Remove the dough from fridge. Divide it into two pieces.  Cut each piece into four pieces.

Take one piece of dough and roll it out thinly into a 12-inch circle. Place it on the parchment paper. Spread a layer of the cinnamon mixture over it. Roll another dough ball out and place it on top of the cinnamon mixture. Stretching to fit as needed.

Repeat instructions until you have 4 layers of dough with three layers of cinnamon butter in between. Place a small circle on the center of the dough. Cut each section in 4 pieces for a total of 16 cut sections.

Take 2 sections and twist toward each other 3 times and pinch the ends in a point to seal. Repeat unit you have 8 twists. Repeat instructions with remaining 4 pieces of dough to make a second star.

Bake at 350 degrees F. for 16-18 minutes or until very lightly browned.

Dust with Swerve Confectionery Sweetener.

Doesn’t this look just perfect to serve for brunch Christmas morning.

Sourdough Cinnamon Star, THM XO

• 1 cup active sourdough starter
• 3/4 cup water
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 1/3 cup Greek Yogurt
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• 1 tablespoon vital wheat gluten
• 2 3/4 cups White Whole Wheat Flour
• 1 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 tablespoon Saf Instant Yeast —this helps them taste like the “normal” ones and aids in the rise when baking
• sprouted flour for rolling out dough
• Cinnamon Filling:
• 3/4 cup softened butter
• 1 cup Brown Sugar Sweetener or 1 1/2 cups Brown Swerve Sweetener
• 3 tablespoons cinnamon
• Mixing the dough: Mix sourdough starter, water, eggs, butter, Greek Yogurt, and honey together in a Kitchen Aid Mixer bowl. Add vital wheat gluten, and vanilla. Mix well. Add 2 cups White Whole Wheat Flour. Mix. Add remaining flour in 1 tablespoon increments mixing until you have a soft dough. Let rest 20 minutes. Add salt and Saf Instant Yeast. Mix for 6 minutes. Place in a greased bowl and cover with a lid. Let rise 4 hours and then refrigerate overnight**.
• Shaping the star: Mix the cinnamon, butter and Brown Sugar Sweetener together until smooth. Set aside. Remove the dough from fridge. Divide it into two pieces.  Cut each piece into four pieces. Place a sheet of parchment paper on a baking sheet. Spray the paper lightly with Pam Spray. Dust your counter top lightly with flour. Take one piece of dough and roll it out thinly into a 12-inch circle. Place it on the parchment paper. Spread a layer of the cinnamon mixture over it. Roll another dough ball out into a thin circle. Place it on top of the cinnamon mixture. Stretching to fit as needed. Repeat with the cinnamon mixture. Repeat instructions until you have 4 layers of dough with three layers of cinnamon butter in between. Mark a small circle on the center of the dough. Cut the dough into 4 sections all the way to the circle edge. Cut each section in 4 pieces for a total of 16 sections. Take 2 sections and twist toward each other 3 times and pinch the ends in a point to seal. Repeat unit you have 8 twists. Repeat instructions with remaining 4 pieces of dough to make a second star. Allow the stars to rise for 1 hour or until puffy.
• Baking: Bake at 350 degrees F. for 16-18 minutes or until very lightly browned. Dust with Swerve Confectionery Sweetener. 2 Cinnamon stars 32 servings
• ** the dough is very soft and must be refrigerated to be workable.

This blog post has affiliate links. When you purchase through these links I receive a few pennies but your price doesn’t change. This helps keep this blog updated with new recipes and support us as we serve in a new outreach of our Mennonite Church. I to thank each one who has purchased through these links. It has been a blessing to us. Below are a few of my favorites listed under the affiliate store where they can be purchased.

Amazon

I love my Kitchen Aid Mixer. It works wonderful to make the dough for this recipe.

Vanilla Extract

Wheat Montana White Whole Wheat Flour

Saf Instant Yeast

Xanthan Gum

Brown Swerve Sweetener

The Trim Healthy Mama Store has wonderful products. Here is my affiliate link if you wish to use it. Trim Healthy Mama Store.

If you need a sweetener that will win you family over, try Gentle Sweet. It has the best taste of all sweeteners.

Print

Sourdough Cinnamon Star, THM XO

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 35 minutes

Cook Time 18 minutes

Fermenting time 16 hours

Servings 31

Author Glenda Groff

Ingredients

• 1 cup active sourdough starter
• 3/4 cup water
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup butter melted
• 1/3 cup Greek Yogurt
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• 1 tablespoon vital wheat gluten
• 2 3/4 cups White Whole Wheat Flour
• 1 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 tablespoon Saf Instant Yeast —this helps them taste like the “normal” ones and aids in the rise when baking
• sprouted flour for rolling out dough
• Cinnamon Filling:
• 3/4 cup softened butter
• 1 cup Brown Sugar Sweetener or 1 1/2 cups Brown Swerve Sweetener
• 3 tablespoons cinnamon

Instructions

1. Mixing the dough: Mix sourdough starter, water, eggs, butter, Greek Yogurt, and honey together in a Kitchen Aid Mixer bowl. Add vital wheat gluten, and vanilla. Mix well. Add 2 cups White Whole Wheat Flour. Mix. Add remaining flour in 1 tablespoon increments mixing until you have a soft dough. Let rest 20 minutes. Add salt and Saf Instant Yeast. Mix for 6 minutes. Place in a greased bowl and cover with a lid. Let rise 4 hours and then refrigerate overnight**.

2. Shaping the star: Mix the cinnamon, butter and Brown Sugar Sweetener together until smooth. Set aside. Remove the dough from fridge. Divide it into two pieces.  Cut each piece into four pieces. Place a sheet of parchment paper on a baking sheet. Spray the paper lightly with Pam Spray. Dust your counter top lightly with flour. Take one piece of dough and roll it out thinly into a 12-inch circle. Place it on the parchment paper. Spread a layer of the cinnamon mixture over it. Roll another dough ball out into a thin circle. Place it on top of the cinnamon mixture. Stretching to fit as needed. Repeat with the cinnamon mixture. Repeat instructions until you have 4 layers of dough with three layers of cinnamon butter in between. Mark a small circle on the center of the dough. Cut the dough into 4 sections all the way to the circle edge. Cut each section in 4 pieces for a total of 16 sections. Take 2 sections and twist toward each other 3 times and pinch the ends in a point to seal. Repeat unit you have 8 twists. Repeat with reaming 4 piece sof dough to make the second star. Allow the stars to rise for 1 hour or until puffy.

3. Baking: Bake at 350 degrees F. for 16-18 minutes or until very lightly browned. Dust with Swerve Confectionery Sweetener. 2 stars 32 servings

4. ** the dough is very soft and must be refrigerated to be workable.