My carrot and raisins sourdough bread combines the tangy depth of a traditional sourdough with the sweetness and earthiness of carrots and raisins. The bread’s crumb is typically soft, moist, and slightly chewy, thanks to the natural fermentation of the sourdough starter. The carrots, grated or finely chopped, are distributed throughout, offering bursts of sweetness and a subtle, savory flavor that balances the sourdough’s tang.
Raisins add another layer of sweetness and a soft, plump texture that contrasts nicely with the bread’s crusty exterior. The crust itself is often golden brown and slightly crisp, with a rustic appearance, which is characteristic of sourdough baking.
The combination of flavors — the sourness of the sourdough, the natural sweetness of the carrots, and the juicy raisins — makes for a delightful and complex bread that’s perfect as a snack, a breakfast treat, or even as an accompaniment to savory dishes. Often, hints of cinnamon or nutmeg can be added to accentuate the sweetness of the carrots and raisins, enhancing the bread’s flavor profile.
Why you'll love this recipe!
Making this delicious carrot raisin sourdough bread brings together several benefits that make it a unique and delicious choice:
- Flavor Complexity: The combination of sourdough’s tangy profile with the sweetness of carrots and raisins creates a balanced, multi-dimensional flavor. The bread is both savory and sweet, which makes it versatile for different meal types — it can be enjoyed as a breakfast, snack, or even alongside savory dishes.
- Natural Sweetness and Moisture: Carrots contribute natural sweetness, and raisins add their juicy, chewy texture. Together, they enhance the overall moisture of the bread, making it soft and moist inside with a deliciously crispy crust. This moistness can help extend the bread’s freshness.
- Healthier Ingredients: Carrots are a good source of vitamins and fiber, while raisins provide antioxidants and iron. Including these ingredients can make your bread feel like a more wholesome snack compared to plain sourdough. It adds an extra layer of nutritional value, making it a better choice for those looking for a bread that’s a bit healthier.
Is this carrot raisin sourdough bread healthy?
Yes, the use of a sourdough starter will leaven and ferment the dough to break down gluten and phytic acid, making nutrients more bioavailable and easier to digest. It will also make the dough low glycemic.
The inclusions used in this carros raisin sourdough bread also make it extra healthy.
Carrots bring moisture, subtle sweetness, and beta-carotene, a powerful antioxidant. They also add fiber and color—turning this into a more nutrient-rich loaf.
Raisins are rich in iron, potassium, and antioxidants, and soaking them improves texture and flavor in the final loaf.
Let's solve some typical questions...
What is a sourdough starter?
A sourdough starter is a mixture of flour and water that has naturally fermented over time to cultivate wild yeast and beneficial bacteria.
These microorganisms are what allow the dough to rise without the need for commercial yeast.
The sourdough starter also will transform your dough into a healthy one.
If you want to learn about the benefits of using a sourdough starter, click here.
Where can you get a sourdough starter?
Right here! You can purchase my strong and robust fresh sourdough starter. I ship anywhere in the USA and it includes video instructions, a digital e-book and it is ready to be used within 6 hours.
Can you substitute the sourdough starter in the recipe for commercial yeast?
The substitution is not straight forward as the sourdough starter has flour and water in it. If you prefer to make a recipe with this ingredients its better to google for a recipe that uses commercial yeast.
Can I substitute the bread flour for a different type of flour?
Please do not substitute the type of flour this recipe calls for. Each type of flour behaves differently in terms of water absorption, fermentation and gluten development.
What should be the temperature of the water in the recipe?
Use water that is room temperature. It is important that if you live in an area where the water is heavily chlorinated that you use filtered water.
In what part of the process are the carrots and raisins added to the dough?
They will be added 15 minutes after the salt has been added to the dough.
Do raisins need to be soaked and drained?
Yes! raisins are thirsty and will absorb water from the dough if you don’t soak them for a few hours before mixing them in.
Prior to adding them to the dough you will need to drain them in a colander or strainer to get rid of excess water.
Baking timeline - Example
| Time | Step | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 8pm | Prepare Levain Weigh and soak raisins. | 12 hours before you plan to mix |
| 8:00am | Weigh ingredients and only mix the bread flour, water and levain. | Autolyse |
| 8:20am | Add the salt and mix. | |
| 8:40am | Add the raisins and carrots and mix. | |
| 9:00am - 1:00pm | Perform folds every 30/45 minutes. | Bulk fermentation. The amount of time on this stage will depend on the temperature of the dough. |
| 1:00pm | Divide, pre-shape and bench rest. | |
| 1:15pm | Final shape and place inside the banneton or loaf pan. | |
| 1:15pm | Asses if the dough needs to rise more. f it does, add 30 minutes and assess again. | |
| 1:15pm (or later depending on the above step). | Place in the refrigerator to cold proof for 12 to 24 hours. | |
| Anytime between 12 to 24 hours after shaped. | Bake |
Summary of the Process - Carrot Raisin Sourdough
This carrot raisin sourdough bread can be made from beginning to end in 2 days. This amount of time considers preparing the levain, soaking the raisins, mixing, shaping, cold fermentation and baking.
Levain & soaking
Weigh and Mix
Bulk Fermentation
Divide & Shape
Cold Proof
Baking
Prep Steps - Levain & Soaking
Prepare the levain
When making sourdough bread you will need to prepare a levain 12 hours before planning to mix the dough.
You want the levain to be risen, active and bubbly when adding it to your dough.
Please follow the below amounts to make the levain for 1 loaf.
| Ingredient | Grams | Baker's Math |
|---|---|---|
| All purpose flour | 50 | 100% |
| Water | 50 | 100% |
| Mother sourdough starter | 5 | 10% |
| Total | 105 | 210% |
*Important* the amount of levain needed for 1 loaf is 100 grams (as described in the recipe at the end of the page). The 5 extra grams created are just to consider for what is left stuck in the container. Always weigh your ingredients when making the recipe.
Soak raisins
The raisins used in this recipe need to be soaked anywhere from 1 hr to 12 hours prior to mixing the dough.
I personally prefer to soak them for 12 hours, as I prep them when I make the levain.
It is important to soak the raisins prior to adding them to the dough. Otherwise, they will take water from the dough which will compromise the result.
Weigh Ingredients and Mix
Weigh ingredients
Using a digital scale weigh each ingredient separately. (If you are a more advanced baker, you can mix each ingredient as you go according to the process.)
Autolyse
In a large bowl add the bread flour, water and levain. Thoroughly mix, cover and let rest for 20 minutes.
This process helps hydrate the flour and start gluten development.
Salt
Add the grams of salt the recipe calls for and thoroughly mix, cover and let rest for 20 minutes. You will stop mixing when you do not feel any grains of salt.
Regarding the type of salt, use the type of your preference in a FINE form.
Drain raisins and add carrots
Drain the raisins (to get rid of excess water), then sprinkle on the dough and thoroughly mix. Do the same with the grated carrots.
Mix until you feel they are evenly distributed, cover and let rest for 20 minutes.
Bulk Fermentation
Bulk fermentation is the magic middle stage of sourdough bread making. The main goals during this stage are gluten development and dough rising (fermentation).
Here’s exactly what to do during this phase:
Every 30 minutes make a fold.
Ideally you want to make between 3–4 sets of fold during bulk fermentation. Remember that folding builds gluten strength without kneading.
How to make folds?
If you do not know how to make folds, please check out this link. You will be able to see 2 different types of folds and videos of each.
For how many hours will you need to go back to the dough and fold?
The amount of time in bulk fermentation will depend on the temperature of the dough. Regardless the amount of time your dough ends up being on this stage you want make at least 3 to 4 sets of folds. This will ensure proper gluten development.
It is important that the dough rises during bulk fermentation.
Divide, Shape and Asses
Important: once the dough is shaped and inside the banneton, you NEED to asses if the dough is fully risen and ready to be placed in the refrigerator.
- If you made more than 1 loaf divide in equal pieces (use the digital scale).
- Then, proceed to shape the dough and place in the banneton (seam side up).
- Last, asses fermentation by taking into consideration the below:
For a banneton that is oval and 9 inches long, the dough needs to be all the way up to the rim. Please check photo below.
Cold Proofing
Only after your dough is fully risen, you will place it in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours and max 24 hours.
Baking
Only after your dough is fully risen, you will place it in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours and max 24 hours.
Carrot Raisin Sourdough Bread
My carrot and raisins sourdough bread combines the tangy depth of a traditional sourdough with the sweetness and earthiness of carrots and raisins. The bread’s crumb is soft, moist, and slightly chewy, thanks to the natural fermentation of the sourdough starter.
Equipment
- Medium size bowl
- Dough Scraper
- Banneton (oval or round) 9 inches.
- Dutch Oven (5 qt at least)
- Parchment Paper
- Plastic wrap
- Scoring knife
Ingredients
Levain ingredients
- 5 Grams Mother Starter
- 50 Grams Water
- 50 Grams All purpose flour
Dough Ingredients
- 500 Grams Bread Flour King Arthur Brand
- 380 Grams Water Filtered, Room temperature
- 100 Grams Levain (Ripe sourdough starter)
- 85 Grams Grated Carrots
- 100 Grams Raisins Weighed before soaked
- 10 Grams Salt Fine
- Rice Flour (optional) Just enough to sprinkle inside the bannetons to prevent the dough from sticking.
Instructions
Prepare 12 hours before planning to mix the dough
- 1) Weigh the raisins and place them in a small container covered with water to let soak overnight. 2) Prepare the levain according to instructions.
Mixing
- When planning to mix the dough, weigh all the ingredients separately.
- Mix in a medium/large bowl the bread flour, water and ripe sourdough starter. Mix thoroughly with your hands (making sure there are no dry spots). Then cover and let rest for 20 minutes.For this step you can also use your stand mixer with the dough hook.
- After the above 20 minutes have passed,Add the salt and thoroughly mix again, cover and let rest for 20 minutes. You will stop mixing when you don't feel the grains of salt.
- Once the above 20 minutes have passed,Drain the raisins and remove excess water.Add the raisins and carrots to the dough. Mix until all ingredients are combined.Let the dough rest covered with plastic wrap at room temperature for 20 minutes.
Bulk Fermentation (folds)
- Perform folds every 30 minutes for the next 3 hours. (If you don't know how to perform folds - I left a link just before the recipe in this post that takes you to the video on how to perform folds)
Divide, Shape and Asses
- If you made more than 1 loaf, divide.Shape the dough and place it seam side up in your banneton. I like to use rice flour in my bannetons to avoid the dough from sticking.
- If your dough is not filling up your 9 inch banneton all the way to the rim, let the dough sit at room temperature until it rises.
Cold fermentation
- Then, put your loaf in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours, max 48 hours for the magic to happen!
Baking
- Bake at 475°F for 20 minutes in your Dutch Oven. Make sure to do 20 minutes with the lid on, then remove the lid and bake for an additional 10 minutes or until you like the color of the crust.Enjoy!
Have you made this one?Remember to tag me on IG @vituperiobread so I can see it!
A question for you on this carrot raisin sourdough bread recipe. I did the three hours of stretching and folding. I divided since I’m making two. I thought best to bulk ferment before shaping my loaves. The dough is 74 degrees and now seven hours total bulk fermenting with only a 25 % rise. Maybe my starter isn’t strong as it should be. I was planning on shaping by the 8th hour and refrigerating until tomorrow afternoon when I have the time to bake them. I didn’t see any instructions for the bulk fermentation and a percentage rise. Please give me guidance. I would like to share pictures of my bread once.baked, cooled and cut. Much appreciated,
Hi Robin, thanks for your message! If you havent seen much rise then probably your levain wasnt strong enough. Im not a fan of giving you a % of dough increase as its so subjective. Let me know how it turned out and if you have any additional questions!