Farmer-Style Sour Cream Bread

This free-form bread gets its tender, slightly tangy crumb from a full cup of sour cream worked into the dough. The food processor does all the kneading, turning yeast, flour, sour cream, and a touch of baking soda into a smooth ball in about a minute.

The baking soda isn’t here for rise. The yeast handles that. The soda neutralizes the acidity of the sour cream so it doesn’t interfere with the yeast’s ability to leaven the dough. It also helps create a more tender crumb.

Shaped into a flat 8-inch circle on a cookie sheet, this bakes into a rustic farmhouse-style round with a golden crust and a soft, pillowy interior. Brush it with oil and scatter sesame or poppy seeds on top for a professional finish.

Pro Tips

• Bring the sour cream to room temperature before using. Cold sour cream shocks the yeast and slows the rise.
• Add flour gradually through the food processor feed tube until the dough forms a ball that cleans the sides. Too much flour makes the bread dense and dry.
• Flatten the dough with your hands, not a rolling pin. You want a rustic, slightly uneven thickness, not a perfectly uniform disc.
• The single rise keeps this bread quick for a yeast bread. Don’t punch down or reshape after it doubles.

Variations

• Fold in chopped fresh herbs like rosemary or dill before shaping for a savory herb bread.
• Replace sour cream with plain Greek yogurt for a tangier, slightly lighter loaf.
• Top with everything bagel seasoning instead of sesame seeds for a bolder crust.