This sourdough maple pecan twist loaf is a sweet, cozy bread filled with warm cinnamon, plenty of pecans, and a glossy maple glaze that sinks into every swirl. It comes together with a simple enriched dough, a quick cinnamon and pecan filling, and an easy twist shape that looks impressive but is very simple. The loaf bakes up soft and tender and is naturally leavened with your active sourdough starter. It’s the perfect bake for brunch, weekend treats, or anytime you want a sweet loaf.

Close up of a slice of a sourdough maple pecan twist loaf.

This recipe is a bit of a mash up and was created when I had a few hours in the kitchen, alone, with nothing else to do. I took the dough from my sourdough herb and garlic twist, the filling from my sourdough cinnamon rolls and the incredible glaze from my sourdough oatmeal maple pecan cookies! And this is the result!

Why You'll Love This Recipe!

Showstopper Look - The twist shape creates beautiful ribbons of cinnamon, pecans, and maple syrup that make the loaf look like you spent hours on it.

Sweet But Balanced - Maple syrup adds gentle sweetness without being overpowering, so every bite feels warm and comforting.

Easy Shaping - If you can roll dough like cinnamon rolls, you can twist this loaf. The method is simple and very forgiving.

An overhead view of a sourdough maple pecan twist loaf with glaze topping and three slices sliced to show inside texture.

Ingredients

Sourdough Starter - Use bubbly active and fed starter for natural leavening. If you want to use sourdough discard, use 100g of discard with a teaspoon of commercial yeast.
Bread Flour - Gives the dough enough strength to hold the twist shape while still staying tender.
Salt
Butter - You know I love my salted butter. I recommend using salted butter in the filling, but you can use any butter you like for the dough. You can also swap the butter for 50g of vegetable oil or vegan butter if you'd like.
Milk - Any milk, dairy or non-dairy, will work. Just make sure it's a bit warm. I find the warm liquids help the dough to rise more quickly.
Warm Water
Maple Syrup - Make sure you're using real maple syrup, not pancake syrup. It adds natural sweetness to both the dough and filling.
Pecans - Roughly chopped pecans fold into the dough and filling for texture and a toasty, nutty flavor.
Brown Sugar - Gets mixed into the filling for added sweetness and a nice deep caramel flavor.
Cinnamon - We use just enough to bring that cozy bakery smell without overwhelming the maple.

How to Make a Maple Pecan Sourdough Twist Loaf

Add the water, milk and sourdough starter to the bowl of a stand mixer and mix until the sourdough starter is dissolved (it's ok if there's still a few chunks). I just use a spatula for this part.

Now add the bread flour, melted butter and salt to the liquid and bring together to form a shaggy dough. I use a dough hook attachment for this part. Cover and leave to sit for around an hour.

Mixing dough in a stand mixer to make a sourdough maple pecan twist loaf.

Now add the chopped pecans and then knead the dough until it's soft and supple. This takes around 5 minutes on a low speed. The dough will be tacky, but shouldn't be sticky.

Two photos to show adding pecans to the dough for a sourdough maple pecan twist loaf.

Once the dough is soft and supple, cover and allow it to rise around 50%.

While the dough is rising, make the filling so that it is ready to go when you need it. Simply add all of the filling ingredients to a bowl and stir until well combined. Set aside.

Mixing the filling in a bowl to make a sourdough maple pecan twist loaf.

Once the dough has risen a bit, tip it out onto a clean surface and gently shape it into a rectangle with the long edge in front of you. You're looking for a rectangle of around 25" x 8" (64 x 20 cm). Don't be afraid of degassing the dough as it will puff up in the next stage.

Two photos to show the dough slightly risen and stretching the dough out to add filling for a sourdough maple pecan twist loaf.

Now spread the filling all over the dough, leaving a 1" strip at the top with no filling.

Dough for a sourdough maple pecan twist loaf stretched out on counter with a hand using a rubber spatula to spread filling over dough.

Roll the dough up into a big log - just like you would if you were making cinnamon rolls. Make sure it's rolled fairly tightly, but be gentle because the pecans can tear the dough quite easily. Seal the dough up along the seam and roll it over so that the seam is at the bottom.

Dough for a sourdough maple pecan twist loaf rolled up.

Using a knife or dough scraper, cut the log through the middle all the way up, leaving just a small part of the dough attached so you have two strands. You will be able to see the swirls of cinnamon butter filling where you have sliced it.

Two photos to show slicing sourdough maple pecan twist loaf dough with a bench scrapper in order to twist it.

Now, twist the two strands of dough together to form a "rope". Gently push the ends together so that both ends of the rope are sealed. My rope was around 30" (76 cm) long when I finished (the dough does stretch a bit).

Making a rope like dough by twisting cut pieces of dough for a sourdough maple pecan twist loaf.

Now form the rope into a letter "S" curling each end in towards the middle. This forms your twist.

Shaping the rope dough into an S to form the twist for sourdough maple pecan twist loaf.

Place your sourdough maple pecan twist onto a baking tray lined with parchment paper, cover with a damp tea towel and allow to proof for a few hours. You want your dough to be nice a puffy before you bake it.

Two photos to show sourdough maple pecan twist loaf in an S shape on a baking sheet before and after proofing.

Once the dough has proofed, preheat the oven to 200ºC (390ºF) and bake for around 40 minutes or until golden. I recommend placing your twist on the lower shelf to avoid it burning. If your oven is fan forced or it runs hot, reduce this to temp to 180ºC (350ºF).

A fresh baked sourdough maple pecan twist loaf on parchment paper before any glaze topping.

When the twist is cooked, remove it from the oven. Be careful if your baking tray has no sides as some of the butter may drip over the sides.

Brush the finished bake with butter, drizzle with glaze and serve warm.

Close up of a sourdough maple pecan twist loaf on a piece of parchment paper with glaze on top.

Kate's Recipe Tips

Egg Wash - You can use an egg wash on the dough before placing in the oven for a darker color when baked. I've chosen to keep this one egg free (mainly because my chickens didn't lay any eggs this week lol).
Loaf Pan - You can bake this sourdough maple pecan twist in a loaf pan if you prefer. Simply twist the dough and then place into a loaf tin to allow it to proof. You will need to twist it a little tighter and squish it a bit to get it in the pan, but it will puff up when it proofs.

Baker's Timeline for Sourdough Maple Pecan Twist

This is the rough timeline I use when making this sourdough maple pecan twist loaf. You could adapt this timeline to suit your own situation. You might also find this article on creating a sourdough baking timeline helpful in adapting it.

Remember, you need to read your dough, not the clock when it comes to sourdough, so my timeline may be too short or too long for your bread.

The Night Before

10pm - Feed sourdough starter so it's bubbly and ready for work tomorrow morning.

The Next Morning

7am - Mix the dough, knead and allow to rise a little in the bowl

12pm - Spread your dough, roll and twist - set aside to get nice and puffy!

6pm - Bake the sourdough twist!

If you want to make this twist ahead of time, you can place it into the fridge to pause it if you want to. Once you've twisted it, allow it to proof for around an hour at room temperature before covering with plastic wrap and placing into the fridge for up to 12 hours.

When you're ready to bake, remove from the fridge and allow the twist to come to room temperature before you bake it (you still want it to be nice and puffy before it hits the oven).

How to Store + Freeze

Store at Room Temperature - Keep the cooled loaf covered on the counter for up to a day. The glaze keeps the crumb soft, so the loaf stays fresh longer than a typical bread. A quick warm up in the oven makes it taste freshly baked.

Refrigerate - If you want it to last a little longer, store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Warm slices in the microwave or oven to bring back the softness.

Freeze the Baked Loaf - Once completely cooled, wrap the loaf in foil, then place it in a freezer bag. Freeze for up to two months. Thaw at room temperature and warm in the oven before serving.