The Weekly Rise — Issue No. 006

August 30, 2026

Inclusions

Making sourdough more interesting without making your loaf fall apart.

FROM MY KITCHEN

I’ve been playing around with inclusions a lot lately, and I’ve learned that adding something extra to sourdough isn’t always as simple as tossing it in and hoping for the best. 😂

Cheese, fruit, chocolate, nuts, cinnamon sugar—they all behave differently in dough. Some add moisture, some add fat, and some can actually create weak spots in the loaf.

So, this week, we’re talking inclusions: when to add them, how much to use, and a few tricks to help keep those beautiful additions from working against your dough.

And because so many of you have asked about cinnamon sugar swirls, we’re tackling that one too.

BAKER'S BENCH

Inclusions aren’t just about what you add—they’re about what that addition does to your dough.

Before you fold in your favorite cheese, fruit, chocolate, or cinnamon sugar, consider moisture, fat, sugar, weight, and timing. Each can change how your dough behaves.

A good rule of thumb: build some strength in your dough first, then add your inclusions gently. This helps distribute them without tearing apart the gluten network you worked so hard to build.

And remember: more isn’t always better. A loaf packed with inclusions still needs enough dough structure to hold everything together.

YOU ASKED . . .

Community Question

Question:
"Why does my cinnamon sugar swirl turn into such a mess?"
- Nettie W., Blue Ridge Sourdough Community member

Answer:

Cinnamon sugar swirls look simple until you actually put one inside sourdough. The butter and sugar are the troublemakers—butter adds fat and sugar pulls in moisture, which can create a slippery, gummy layer that weakens the dough.

A few things help contain the mess:

Build some dough strength first before adding your filling during lamination and shaping.
Use a thin, even layer of butter rather than a thick coating.
Leave a small border around the edges so the filling doesn’t squeeze out when you roll and shape.
Don’t overload the sugar. More isn’t always better!
Roll it snugly but gently and pinch/seal the seam well.
Once filled, handle the dough gently so you don’t tear the gluten network.

And if you’re experimenting with cinnamon sugar, try a flavorful blend instead of just cinnamon and white sugar. I’ve been having fun experimenting with different spice blends lately.

Clear Creek tip: If your swirl keeps creating a gummy or weak layer, try using less filling before changing your whole recipe.

Sometimes the simplest fix is just… less stuff.

THE BAKER'S CHALLENGE

Your turn: What’s going in your dough?

Pick an inclusion you’ve never tried before.

It can be sweet. It can be savory. It can be completely questionable.

Make a loaf. Take a picture. Tell me what you put in it—and whether you’d make it again.

And if it goes horribly wrong?

I want to hear about that too.

Reply to this email or share it with the Blue Ridge Sourdough Community on Facebook!

REFERENCE CORNER

Sourdough Inclusions

How much? When do I add them? And how do I keep them from taking over my dough?

Adding cheese, fruit, nuts, chocolate, herbs, or other goodies can turn a basic sourdough loaf into something really special—but inclusions can also change how your dough behaves.

The easiest way to start thinking about them is with baker’s percentage:

Flour weight × inclusion percentage = inclusion weight

So, for a dough made with 500g of flour:

10% = 50g
15% = 75g
20% = 100g
25% = 125g
30% = 150g

There isn’t one magic percentage for every inclusion. Start lower, see how your dough handles it, and work your way up.

When should you add them?

For most larger inclusions, let your dough develop some strength first. Then add them during a later stretch-and-fold or through lamination.

Think: build the dough → add the goodies → handle gently.

And remember that not all inclusions behave alike. Nuts and chocolate are very different from fresh fruit, olives, peppers, cheese, or a buttery cinnamon-sugar filling.

A little inclusion of wisdom:

- Start low.
- Watch your moisture.
- Don’t overload a weak dough.
- Distribute inclusions evenly.
- Be gentle once they’re added.

And if you’re making a cinnamon-sugar swirl, remember that you’re creating a layer, not simply adding an inclusion. Butter + sugar can create a slippery, moisture-rich layer that needs a little extra attention.

I’ve put together a more detailed Sourdough Inclusion Guide just for you as The Weekly Rise subscribers! This printable guide includes amounts, timing, techniques, and troubleshooting to help take your loaf to the next level.

COMMUNITY CRUMB

Meet Kayla From California: Baking Her Way Through the Alphabet

Kayla has been baking sourdough for about a year and a half, but her sourdough journey started with a simple challenge:

Could I actually make my own starter from scratch?

She wasn't sure she'd even succeed. Now, a year and a half later, she's taking on a much bigger challenge: baking her way through the alphabet with sourdough.

🔤 An A–Z Sourdough Challenge

Kayla created the series as a way to challenge herself, branch beyond the traditional sourdough and discard recipes she had been making and give her followers a reason to keep coming back.

She's currently on Letter I, and her followers have added another fun twist: she's making one sweet and one savory loaf for each letter.

And the community gets to help decide what's coming next by suggesting ideas in the comments.

🫐 Favorite so far?

Of all the creative loaves she's made, blueberry lemon has been one of Kayla's favorites.

And that's probably one of the biggest lessons she's discovered along the way:

You can get incredibly creative with sourdough.

🌰 When things don't go quite as planned...

Not every experiment has worked exactly as expected.

Her hazelnut spread loaf tasted great, but the spread didn't swirl the way she had envisioned.

And then there's her apricot loaf—which didn't turn out the way she expected at all.

But interestingly, that's the loaf she'd most like to make again.

Because sometimes the biggest baking lessons come from the loaves that don't go according to plan.

🔮 What's next?

Kayla isn't planning to stop when she reaches Z.

She's looking forward to experimenting with different designs and scoring techniques, while continuing to let her followers influence what she tries next.

And honestly, that's what makes this series so fun: she doesn't know exactly where it's going either.

We're looking forward to seeing what letter inspiration comes next!

Kayla can be found on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook @raisingboysandbread. Follow along with Kayla's A–Z sourdough adventure:

FRESH FROM CLEAR CREEK

Fall Vanilla Spice Sugar

Fall has officially arrived in the Clear Creek kitchen.

I’ve been working on this one for a while, and I’m pretty excited about how it turned out.

Cinnamon • Ginger • Nutmeg • Clove • Real Vanilla

It’s warm and spicy without being overwhelmingly “pumpkin spice,” and I’ve been thinking about all the ways to use it.

Of course, sourdough is high on the list.

Try it in:

- Cinnamon-sugar sourdough toast
- Swirl breads
- Morning buns
- Sweet discard bakes
- Cookies
- Muffins
- Quick breads
- Oatmeal
- Coffee or tea

And yes… we’re going to have to try that cinnamon swirl.

See the recipes + Get Fall Vanilla Spice Sugar

COMING OUT OF THE OVEN

The next issue is taking us somewhere a little different. We’re going to look at the cottage baker behind the bread—the business, the practical stuff, and what happens when baking starts becoming a real little business.

And then we’re getting back into the dough.

I’m especially excited about a conversation I have coming up with a local baker who mills her own flour.

Fresh-milled flour brings up so many questions for sourdough bakers—how it behaves, what changes in your dough, and what you need to know when you start baking with it.

I have a feeling this is going to be a good one.

See you in Issue 7.

UNTIL NEXT TIME. . .

Thanks for spending a little time with me this week. I hope you learned something new and found a bit of inspiration for your next bake.

We are taking a little break next week while I enjoy the Labor Day holiday and some much-needed vacation time.

The Weekly Rise will be back the following week, and I already have some fun things planned.

Until then, keep baking, keep experimenting, and please send me pictures of what you're putting in your dough.

Happy Baking!

Alice Wilson

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