Dairy-Free and Vegan Sour Cream Bread

I stumbled on a unique sour cream bread recipe last week and knew that it was kismet for the tub of dairy-free, soy-free sour cream alternative chilling in my refrigerator.

Fortunately, the recipe couldn’t be easier. My version has just 7 ingredients and requires only about 15 minutes of hands on time. Because it does need some time to rise and bake, you will want to be home for a few hours while making this sour cream bread, but for 90% of that time you can be doing something else, like laundry, checking emails, watching a movie marathon, pinning things … you know, important stuff.

This bread is very savory, almost like simple buttermilk bread, but with a slightly tangier bite. It’s wonderful for sandwiches, but I really liked thick slices (fresh or toasted) slathered with a sweet spread for contrast; perfect with a giant cup of hot tea.

Dairy-Free and Vegan Sour Cream Bread Recipe

Since the tangy bite of cream cheese and the sweetness of figs is a match made in heaven, I thought it would be fitting to pair the sour cream bread with fig spread. Wow, was I glad I did – it was amazing. For breakfast I added a layer of sunflower seed butter, and topped that with the fig spread – again pure bliss. The spread that I used was Dalmatia Fig Spread; it is wonderfully sweet with a complimentary lemon-y vibe and little fig chunks throughout. I found Dalmatia at my local grocer for a fair price, but it actually seemed to be much more expensive online. Look for it in the specialty food section or with the jams at your grocery store.

I’m sure you are also a bit curious about this vegan AND soy-free sour cream that I used as the base of this recipe. The brand is Wayfare Dairy-Free Sour Cream. Wayfare is very thick, and a little too sour for me to enjoy as is, but it worked like a dream in this recipe …

Dairy-Free and Vegan Sour Cream Bread (also soy-free as made)

Dairy-Free Sour Cream Bread

Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

30 mins

Total time

45 mins

Recipe adapted from Food.com. I added some whole wheat flour to this recipe; just enough to add a little nutty flavor and some fiber, but not enough to affect the texture, which is sublime. The original recipe is also a bread maker recipe, so this should work in a bread machine without a problem, but I've included my by-hand/oven instructions below.

Author: Alisa Fleming

Serves: 12 servings

Ingredients

¼ Cup Warm Water
2-1/4 Teaspoons Active Dry Yeast (1 .25-ounc packet)
1-1/2 Tablespoons Honey (use Agave Nectar for vegan)
1-1/2 Cups Dairy-Free Sour Cream (I used Wayfare Foods), brought to room temperature or warmed slightly
1 Teaspoon Salt
2 Cups Bread Flour
1-1/2 to 1-3/4 Cups Whole Wheat Flour

Instructions

Grease and flour a 9x5-inch baking pan.
Place the warm water in a large mixing bowl and sprinkle with the yeast.
Add the sweetener, sour cream, and salt, and mix until well combined.
Add the bread flour and mix until all of the flour is mixed in.
Gradually add the whole wheat flour. The dough will become quite thick so you will need to work it with your hands. Start with the 1-1/2 cups and add up to another ¼ cup if the dough is too sticky. It should be a just a touch sticky, but smooth, pliable, and easy to knead with your hands.
Place the dough in a greased or floured bowl (I just use the mixing bowl), cover loosely with plastic wrap or a damp towel, and place it in a warm place to rise for 1 hour, or until doubled in size. In the cooler months, I put it in a just warm oven to rise (turn the oven onto 150ºF, then turn it off, letting some of the heat out when I open it).
Punch the dough down, knead it briefly, then shape it into a loaf that will fit into your bread pan.
Return the dough to that warm place to rise for another 30 minutes.
Preheat your oven to 350ºF.
Bake the bread for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the crust begins to brown slightly, and it sounds hollow when tapped.
Let it cool for a few minutes in the pan, then remove it to a wire rack to cool completely before cutting.