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When I first created the now-viral Sourdough Croissant Loaf, I knew after just a few bites that a ham and cheese version had to happen. My husband is obsessed with ham and cheese croissants, so this Ham and Cheese Sourdough Croissant Loaf? It’s all for him!
This buttery sourdough croissant-style loaf is everything you didn’t know you needed. Packed with layers of shredded Gruyère cheese and diced ham, it delivers the perfect balance of rich, cheesy goodness and savory bites in every slice. Easier to make than croissants but with a similarly flaky, tender feel, this loaf is a game-changer. Enjoy it warm for breakfast or as a satisfying lunch—you’ve never had sourdough like this before!
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Why You’ll Love This Ham and Cheese Loaf
- Flaky Layers – This recipe incorporates cold butter during the stretch and folds which makes the crust extra flaky – similar to my recipe for traditional sourdough croissants. I use the same technique with my sourdough croissant rolls!
- Flavor and Texture – You can’t beat the buttery texture of this croissant loaf and combined with a sharp cheese and ham – it’s heavenly! And if you love this flavor combo but are looking for something a little easier – these sourdough ham and cheese scones are sure to hit the spot.
- Versatile Loaf – I love the flavor of ham and Gruyère cheese, but you can switch this up with any flavor of cheese you want, like my Asiago Sourdough Bagel Bread – or leave out the ham and cheese and add other flavors to this versatile loaf.
New to Sourdough? If you are new to sourdough, learn how to make a sourdough starter from scratch and check out my Free Sourdough Beginner Guide. Using naturally fermented sourdough will take much longer, but you will love the fermentation benefits and the flavor!
Important Ingredients
- Levain – This recipe uses a levain that combines ripe and active sourdough starter, flour, and room temperature water and is left to rise before using.
- Unsalted Butter – The key to the flaky layers that give this loaf its croissant texture is unsalted butter. I prefer to bake with unsalted butter, but you can also use salted butter if you prefer. This recipe works for both American-style butter that has more water content and European-style butter. The American-style will have more chunks/flakes throughout the dough, but both bake up delicious.
- Gruyère and Ham – I love using freshly grated Gruyère for the sharp, nutty flavor. Any ham will work – I used one from my local deli.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities
Substitutions
- Levain: Instead of levain, you can substitute equal amounts of active and bubbly sourdough starter for the levain in this recipe.
- Unsalted Butter: Substitute salted butter instead of unsalted butter if you prefer.
- Bread Flour: This loaf would also work with all-purpose flour. If you substitute all-purpose flour for the bread flour, I would decrease the water by about 20 grams.
- Cheese: Any sharp and distinctive-tasting cheese would work well in this recipe.
- Ham: Substitute ham for crumbled bacon or even pepperoni would be delicious.
Sourdough Baker’s Timeline
A sample baking schedule helps me when baking with sourdough. Sourdough takes much longer to rise than commercial yeast bread. This schedule helps me plan my bake. This recipe is loosely based off of my recipe for my traditional sourdough bread.
A few notes: I typically keep my dough in the 78-80ºF temperature range. This does not work well for this dough because you want the butter to stay relatively chilled and not melt. Instead for this loaf the dough temperature is 70-72°F throughout the process, which is reflected in the baking timeline.
| Day 1 | Mix Levain |
| 8:00 PM – 8:00 AM | Mix the Levain. Let sit at 78°F for about 10-12 hours until doubled/bubbly and ripe. |
| Day 2 | Mix Dough Bulk Fermentation Lamination/Shaping Cold Fermentation |
| 8:00 AM | Mix Dough and Begin Bulk Fermentation |
| 8:30 AM 9:00 AM 9:30 AM 10:00 AM | Stretch and Fold #1 Stretch and Fold #2 Add half butter Stretch and Fold #3 Add half butter Stretch and Fold #4 |
| 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM | Bulk Fermentation Continued (70-72ºF) |
| 5:00 PM | Laminate Dough and Add Cheese and Ham |
| 5:15 PM | Shape and begin cold fermentation |
| Day 3 | Score and Bake |
| 9:00 AM | Preheat Dutch oven |
| 9:20 AM | Score and Bake |
How to Make Sourdough Croissant Bread
Mix the Levain
Step 1: Mix Levain. Combine ripe sourdough starter with water and flour to prepare your levain (Image 1). Let rise until bubbly and active (Image 2).
Do you have to use a levain in this recipe? No. I prefer it, but if you have a well-maintained and frequently refreshed sourdough starter, you can substitute it in place of the levain in the recipe.
Mix Dough & Bulk Fermentation
Step 2: Mix Dough. Combine ripe levain, water, salt, and bread flour to a large bowl and use a dough whisk to combine until a shaggy dough forms (Image 3). Cover and let rest for 30 minutes.
Step 3: Stretch & Folds. Over a period of about 1 ½ hours, perform a series of “stretch and folds” by reaching to the bottom of the bowl (Image 4) and pulling the dough up to fold over on itself (Image 5). Continue turning the bowl and folding the dough about four times for each round of stretch and folds. Cover and wait 30 minutes between each set of stretch and folds, allowing the dough to become more cohesive and elastic over time (Image 6).
Note: If you want to add an autolyse or fermentolyse to this dough and some vigorous mixing – it will only increase the strength and gluten network in the dough. I use these processes in my Classic Sourdough Bread and they also work well in this loaf. I didn’t include them in the recipe steps because this loaf is already fairly complicated with monitoring temperature and bulk fermentation and adding in cheese and ham – and I wanted to keep the recipe approachable for most bakers.
Add in the Butter: Before your second set of stretch and folds, grate cold or frozen butter (Image 7) and add half of it to the dough (Image 8). Allow the other half to chill in the refrigerator until you add it during the third round of stretch and folds (Image 9).
Step 4: Cover and let the dough rise for 6-7 more hours until it has risen about 70% and has scattered bubbles on top.
Note: Temperature is really important for this loaf! I’ve found a 70-72ºF temperature to work well. I wouldn’t go above 75ºF for this recipe or the butter will get too soft. To do this, use cooler water when mixing your dough, keep the dough in a cool place and take the temperature with a thermometer throughout the process (Image 10).
Laminate in Ham and Cheese, Cold Ferment and Proofing
Step 5: Laminate Dough and Add Cheese and Ham. Once the dough has risen about 70%, dump the dough out on the counter and stretch it into a 14 by 16-inch rectangle (Image 11). Spread about 2/3 of the shredded cheese over the loaf and 3/4 of the ham (Image 12). Fold the dough over (Image 13) and then over again. Spread the remaining ham and almost all the cheese (save 25 grams for topping the loaf before baking) on top of the dough (Image 14).
Note: For best melt and flavor, use freshly grated cheese. Pre-shredded often contains anti-caking agents which affect texture.
Step 6: Shape and Cold Ferment. Roll the dough up (Image 15) place into a prepared banneton basket or bowl (Image 16). Cover the dough and refrigerate overnight or up to 12-18 hours.
Note: I don’t like my ham to sit out longer than 2 hours at room temperature, which is why I choose to add the ham and cheese in toward the end of the bulk fermentation. Refrigerating the dough keeps the butter chilled and the loaf food-safe before baking.
Baking The Ham and Cheese Loaf
Step 7: Baking the Bread. Preheat a Dutch oven at 450°F for 20 minutes. Remove the sourdough loaf from the refrigerator. Dump it out on a piece of parchment paper and use a sharp knife or bread lame to score your loaf (Image 17). Add 25 grams shredded cheese on top of the loaf (Image 18). Remove the Dutch oven from the oven and carefully place the loaf into the Dutch oven. Decrease the temperature to 425ºF and bake for 25 minutes covered (Image 19) and 20 minutes uncovered (Image 20). Your loaf is ready when it is a deep brown color and registers 195-200ºF.
Note: If properly proved, only a little butter will leak out of the dough as it bakes at these high temperatures. The combination of the butter and cheese gives it a buttery, crispy crust that is delicious but can make a little bit of a mess if you don’t use parchment paper. If your dough is not properly proved, butter can leak out everywhere – so please follow the proofing notes.
How to Store Leftovers
After the sourdough croissant loaf has cooled completely, slice it up into pieces. Place sliced bread in a bag, push air out and freeze. This bread toasts up well straight from the freezer into the toaster or defrosts well to enjoy a slice later.
Amy’s Recipe Tips
- Adding inclusions to sourdough often changes the way your sourdough bread looks when baked. The crumb of this loaf will turn out differently from a traditional artisan loaf – that is to be expected. It is not a loaf for intricate scoring, but the final loaf will taste incredible!
- Temperature is key to this sourdough loaf! Keeping the dough cool enough for the butter to give it flaky layers, but warm enough for the dough to rise is really important. I strongly recommend using a thermometer throughout the baking process. I have found the ideal temperature for this loaf is between 70-72ºF to work well. I wouldn’t go above 75ºF for this recipe or the butter will get too soft. Use cooler water when mixing your dough, keep your dough in a cool place and take the temperature frequently so you can make adjustments as needed. You may have to use your fridge to cool down the dough during the bulk fermentation if it gets too warm.
- Adding the Butter: I recommend adding the butter in during the stretch and folds. This allows the dough to get laminated throughout. Do not laminate the butter in at the end of the bulk fermentation. This will create gaps in your dough and cause more butter leakage.
- Sufficient Rise: Because this loaf is kept at a lower temperature to keep the butter cool, it is going to take longer to rise. Let the dough rise until almost doubled in size (about 70% of a rise). This makes sure that the loaf won’t be under-proofed when you go to shape it and bake it. Loaves that are under-proofed tend to have more butter leakage.
Frequently Asked Questions
This can definitely happen and I would plan for it to happen a little bit in this bread. Some of the butter will create flaky pockets and some of it will leak out. We aren’t using traditional lamination methods here, so plan for a little butter leakage.
It’s also possible with this loaf that you will see grease leaking from the cheese as well. The type of cheese you use will make this more or less prevalent. Using parchment paper underneath your loaf and baking in a Dutch oven can help contain any minimal leakage.
I have found that if your dough is well-proofed – light and airy and risen that you don’t get much butter leakage. If your dough is under-proofed, you will get more butter leakage. Let the dough rise at the low and slow 70-72ºF temperature range until about 70% risen before shaping and refrigerating.
Typical sourdough bread doesn’t incorporate butter into the dough, but croissants have a high butter content to give them their flaky layers. This loaf of bread combines the flaky and buttery croissant layers with a sourdough loaf – and ham and cheese. It doesn’t take the place of a traditional croissant, but it does give a similar flavor and is a quicker and easier way for a sourdough baker to get a similar bake.
You don’t have to add ham and cheese, in fact, this recipe is based on my original sourdough croissant loaf recipe that doesn’t have any inclusions. You could also try adding other inclusions like chocolate chips or even almond filling!
I often add chocolate chips in with stretch and folds or other inclusions, but ham specifically I don’t love being out of the fridge longer than a couple hours for food safety reasons. I prefer to add the diced ham in right before shaping the loaf.
More Sourdough Recipes You’ll Love
If you tried this Ham and Cheese Sourdough Croissant Loaf or any other recipe on my website leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. Happy Baking!
Ham and Cheese Sourdough Croissant Loaf
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Ingredients
Levain (1:10:10 ratio, 10-12 hours peak at 78-80ºF)
- 6 grams sourdough starter ripe, bubbly and active , about 1 teaspoon
- 60 grams all-purpose or bread flour, about 1/2 cup
- 60 grams water, about 1/4 cup
Ham and Cheese Croissant Sourdough Bread
- 120 grams levain, ripe, bubbly and active , about ½ cup, see recipe notes
- 340 grams water, about 1 cup plus 6 Tablespoons
- 10 grams salt, about 1 1/2 teaspoons
- 500 grams bread flour, about 3 1/2 cups
- 113 grams unsalted butter, about 1/2 cup
- 175 grams shredded Gruyère cheese, divided, 150 grams for laminating plus 25 grams reserved for sprinkling on top of the loaf when it bakes, about 1 1/2 cups plus 1/4 cup
- 150 grams diced ham, about 1 cup
Instructions
Levain (1:10:10 ratio, 10-12 hours peak at 78-80ºF)
- Mix together ripe/active sourdough starter with all-purpose or bread flour and water. Cover loosely and let sit 10-12 hours at 78-80°F until doubled, bubbly & peaked.Note: If you have a ripe, bubbly, active sourdough starter that is fed equal parts flour and water – it can be substituted equally for the levain in this recipe.
Ham and Cheese Sourdough Croissant Loaf (Dough temperature kept at 70-72ºF)
- Mix Dough: To a large bowl, mix together ripe levain with water. Add salt and bread flour. Mix together using a dough whisk or spoon until a wet and sticky dough forms and the ingredients are fully combined. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes.Note: This dough is very sensitive to temperature. It's important to maintain a temperature where the dough will rise AND the butter stays chilled and flaky. I've found a 70-72ºF temperature to work well. I wouldn't go above 75ºF for this recipe or the butter will get too soft. To do this, use cooler water when mixing your dough and take the temperature with a thermometer throughout the process.
- Stretch and Folds: After the dough has rested, you will perform a series of “stretch and folds” over the next 1 ½ hours. The goal is to strengthen the dough through a gentle kneading process. You will also add cold butter into the dough during this process which will be evenly dispersed throughout the dough through the folds.To “stretch and fold,” wet your hand (so it doesn’t stick to the dough). Reach around the dough down to the bottom of the bowl, pull the dough up and over and place it on top of the dough. Turn the bowl a quarter turn and repeat the stretch and fold. Turn another quarter turn and repeat. Perform one more quarter turn, stretching and folding the dough. Cover and set aside. Take note of how the dough feels through this process. It will go from feeling a little shaggy to smooth and elastic. Cover the bowl and wait about 30 minutes in between stretch and folds.
- Stretch and fold #1: After 30 minutes, perform your first set of stretch and folds. Cover the dough and let rest for 30 minutes.Stretch and fold #2: After 30 minutes, grate the cold butter. Put half of the grated butter on top of the dough. The other half of the butter should be placed in the refrigerator to chill until the next set of folds. Stretch and fold the dough again, incorporating the flakes of butter into the dough. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes.Stretch and fold #3: 30 minutes later, add the rest of the butter to the top of the dough. Stretch and fold again. The butter will continue dispersing throughout the dough. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes.Stretch and fold #4: After 30 minutes do your final set of stretch and folds. You should notice the dough feeling more cohesive and strong. If your dough still feels loose, add in another couple stretch and folds to help strengthen and tighten the gluten strands.
- Rest: Cover the dough and let rise for 6-7 more hours. You will know the dough is ready to shape when the dough has risen about 70%, jiggles when you shake the bowl and has scattered bubbles visible on the sides and top.Note: This is different than my classic sourdough loaf because we are working at lower temperatures to keep the butter colder.
- Prepare a bowl or banneton. Place a kitchen towel or hair net in the bowl and liberally flour as needed.
- Laminate: Once the dough has risen about 70%, dump the dough out onto a counter and gently stretch the dough into an even 14 by 16-inch rectangle. Spread about 125 grams of the cheese and 125 grams of the ham on top of the dough. Fold the dough over and then over again (refer to photos in the post if necessary). Spread the remaining ham and 25 grams of cheese on the rectangle of dough. The last 25 grams of cheese can be refrigerated until ready to top the loaf right before baking. Roll the dough up and place it into a prepared banneton basket. Note: It is possible to shape the dough without any extra flour. The dough can stick to the kitchen towel but doesn't stick to the hair nets if cold proofed.
- Cold Fermentation: Cover the dough with the tea towel/shower cap/plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight or up to 12-18 hours.
- Preheat the oven: Put a Dutch oven (top and all) into the oven and preheat to 450°F for 20 minutes. You are working with high temperatures, so make sure you have some good hot pads. Once preheated for 20 minutes, pull the loaf out of the refrigerator. Remove the covering. Place a piece of parchment paper on top of the dough. Flip the dough over so it is now sitting on the parchment paper. Take off the bowl/banneton and the kitchen towel.
- Scoring: Use a very sharp knife or bread lame to score the dough. Take the bread lame and score on one side of the dough, at a shallow angle about 30º and 1 inch deep. Score straight from the refrigerator on the cold dough for best results. Sprinkle the top with the remaining 25 grams of shredded cheese.
- Baking: Carefully remove the Dutch oven from the 450°F oven. Take the lid off and place your bread into the Dutch oven (including parchment paper – this helps with the transfer). Put the lid on and put it back in the oven. Lower the temperature to 425°F and bake for 25 minutes. After 25 minutes, take the lid off the Dutch oven and continue baking for 20 minutes until the bread is baked through and reaches 195-200ºF temperature. Remove the Dutch oven and let the bread cool on a baking rack. Enjoy!Note: A little butter and some grease from the cheese will leak out of the dough as it bakes at these high temperatures. It gives a buttery, crispy crust that is delicious – make sure you use parchment paper on the bottom of the pot so it doesn't create a mess.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Hi Amy! Can i throw bowl in fridge overnight before I laminate and add the cheese and ham and then next day laminate the ham and cheese in the morning? Would I let rise a couple hours abd bake if I do or just laminate and bake? I do this with your individual Chocolate croissant breads but not sure if would work in this one. Let me know please. I love your recipes.
The only caution I would give you with this plan is to make sure your ham and cheese don’t sit out for longer than about 2 hours before baking for food safety reasons. Happy baking!
Hi I made the plain sourdough croissant and it was delicious. Glad you have it with inclusions. Do you add the cheese and ham at the same time when adding butter? Thank you
Hi Connie – Add the butter during the stretch and folds and wait to add the ham and cheese until the lamination/shaping stage. Hope that helps!
Amy, I am beyond thrilled! I baked the loaf this morning and it turned out absolutely amazing. It was beautiful and the house smelled so good 👍 😍
And when it was cool enough to taste, it was love @ 1st bite. Thank you for this recipe! There will be many repeat performances!!!
So glad you loved this! Thank you for sharing your review.
This looks so good! I plan on making it soon, but I was curious – we love to spread dijon mustard on our ham and cheese croissants – could you incorporate the mustard with the ham/cheese inclusions? Obviously we could just spread the mustard on a slice after it bakes/cools. What do you think?
I haven’t tried that. I would be worried about the added moisture to the dough if adding dijon to the dough, but I think it is worth experimenting with – let me know if you try it!
Made this today and it was sooo delicious.
I’m so glad you loved this recipe! Thank you so much for sharing.
Loved this recipe! How long should I wait to cut into it after baking? I don’t want to make it collapse, but it smells irresistibly good lol. Also, for high temperatures in San Diego, I’ve found that placing a couple of ice packs on my counter for a few minutes cools the surface significantly and is really helpful when I need to handle laminated dough without the butter melting everywhere or the dough sticking to the counter. Thank you for this awesome recipe!
That’s a great tip! I usually wait until it’s mostly cooled – at least an hour (maybe 2) so the loaf is structurally sound before cutting into it. But sometimes we can’t wait and have to slice off a heel or two.
Omg this bread was amazing!
Glad you loved this recipe! Thanks for sharing your review.
One of our new faves from your site!!!
So glad you loved this recipe! Thanks for the review.
OMG!!! So yummy. Bit tricky to manage in the heat/humidity of the summer here in central Ontario, but so worth the effort. ( basement worked well)
Thanks so much for this recipe. It’s a 5 star keeper! 😍
I’m so glad you loved this recipe! Thanks so much for sharing.
Can this loaf be made using a loaf pan. I have a set of 9×5 cast iron pans and they make great bread. The Dutch oven is to heavy for me
Yes, you can make it in a loaf pan. I use this guide: https://amybakesbread.com/how-to-bake-sourdough-in-a-loaf-pan/
I love this recipes and my kids raved about it, last time I think my bread was a touch doughy so I’m baking it 10 more minutes and hope that helps. It never seems to reach 200 degrees though. Is there a spot that I should be measuring? I’m at 155 and I will check again in 10 mins
The bread dough itself should reach about 195-200 in the center of the loaf. If it’s touching the cheese or ham then that reading can sometimes be off a bit.