Sourdough Maritozzi – Italian Cream Buns
A new and delicious discovery with Italian roots – sourdough maritozzi. Super soft brioche style buns filled with sweetened whipped cream… I knew they were supposed to be delicious but I didn’t expect to such extent!
They just melt in your mouth, light and tender structure, with a touch of honey and orange zest plus sweet cream… mmm 😛
It’s something that you definitely have to try.
Ingredients
Sweet Stiff Sourdough Starter
- 10g sourdough starter
- 30g water
- 6g sugar
- 60g bread flour
Dough
- 320g bread flour (100%)
- 64g sweet stiff starter (20%)
- 153g milk (48%)
- 50g eggs (16%)
- 60g soft butter (19%)
- 30g sugar (9%)
- 15g honey (4%)
- 5g salt (1.6%)
- Zest of 1 orange
- 0.5g yeast (optional) to reduce sourness
Whipped Cream Filling
- 500g heavy whipping cream
- 200g sugar
- Powdered sugar to sprinkle on top.
Directions
Day 1
Starter
- 10 pm add sugar and sourdough starter to the water, whisk together, add flour, mix well, form a ball, then roll it into a tight roll, place in a jar, cover, let ferment at room temp 74-78F until it increases in volume.
- In about 8-10 hours starter has to double or more in volume.
Day 2
Dough
- 8 am mix starter, milk, eggs, flour, sugar, honey, (let it autolyse for 30minutes).
- During the autolyse period the flour becomes fully hydrated. This activates gluten development.
- 8.30 am mix the dough on low speed of your mixing machine for 2-3 minutes, or KitchenAid on speed 3 for 3-4 minutes until well incorporated.
- Add salt and mix for a couple more minutes. The dough should come up together but still sticking to the bottom of the bowl.
- Add soft butter and orange zest, increase ratio the speed, mix for 10-15 minutes until the dough comes up together. If its not coming up together, feel free to add a little more flour (20-30g).
- 9 am cover and let it proof for 3- 4 hours at 76-80F/ 24-28C.
- During that time perform 2 stretches and folds.
- The dough should become slightly puffy.
- 12 pm transfer the dough to the fridge for cold fermentation for 8-10 hours.
- 9 pm remove the dough from the fridge.
- Divide on 11-12 equal pieces (about 60-65g each.
- Pinch all edges to the bottom of a roll, try to round it tightly.
- Transfer the shaped maritozzi into the baking pan, lined with parchment paper
- Cover and let them proof overnight for 8 -10 hours 70-74F /20-23C until they double in volume.
Day 3
- 7 am Preheat the oven to 375F.
- Mix an egg with 2 tbs of water, egg wash each roll.
- Bake for 25-350 minutes until golden brown.
- Let maritozzi to cool down, meanwhile prepare sweetened whipped cream by whipping heavy whipping cream with sugar until stiff peaks.
- Cut each bun in the middle, fill it with 2-3 tbs of whipped cream.
- Sprinkle with powdered sugar.
Note: not filled maritozzi buns can stay up to 3 days fresh. But filled maritozzi I suggest to eat right away.
Enjoy 🙏
Sourdough Maritozzi – Italian Cream Buns
390kcal
Ingredients
Sweet Stiff Sourdough Starter (Night Before)
- 10 g Sourdough starter culture
- 30 g Water
- 6 g White sugar
- 60 g Bread flour
The Enriched Main Dough
- 320 g Bread flour (100%)
- 64 g Sweet stiff starter (20% – From the stage above)
- 153 g Whole milk (48%)
- 50 g Whole eggs (16% – Roughly 1 large egg)
- 60 g Soft unsalted butter (19%)
- 30 g White sugar (9%)
- 15 g Honey (4%)
- 5 g Salt (1.6%)
- Zest of 1 whole orange
- 0.5 g Active dry yeast (Optional – Used exclusively to offset natural sourdough acidity)
The Elegant Cream Filling & Glaze
- 1 Whole egg (For the raw egg wash glaze)
- 2 tbsp Water (For the raw egg wash glaze)
- 500 g Heavy whipping cream
- 200 g Sugar
- Powdered sugar (Reserved for dusting over the finished tops)
Equipment
- Stand Mixer (Crucial for handling the high-speed, intensive mixing required to emulsify the butter into the enriched dough matrix)
- Baking Sheet & Parchment Paper (To neatly line your pan for a non-stick baking surface)
- Sharp Knife (To cleanly split the cooled buns down the center)
- Pastry Brush (For smoothing on the rich egg wash glaze before baking)
Method
Night Before – Stiff Starter Initialization
- 10:00 PM – Sweet Stiff Starter Build: In a small glass jar, dissolve the 6g of sugar directly into 30g of water, then whisk in your 10g of sourdough starter culture. Stir in the 60g of bread flour thoroughly. Gather the stiff mixture together with your hands and roll it into a tight, compact dough ball. Place it inside the jar, cover loosely, and let it ferment at room temperature 74–78°F (23–26°C) overnight for 8 to 10 hours until it at least doubles or triples in volume.
Day 2 – Enriched Autolyse & High-Speed Emulsification
- 8:00 AM – The Enriched Autolyse: In the bowl of your stand mixer, combine 64g of your active overnight sweet stiff starter, 153g of whole milk, 50g of eggs, 320g of bread flour, 30g of sugar, 15g of honey, and the optional 0.5g of dry yeast (if using to minimize sour profiles). Mix together with a large spoon just until the flour hydrates and forms a rough, messy mass. Cover and let it autolyse untouched for 30 minutes.
- 8:30 AM – The Core Mix: Attach your dough hook. Mix the autolysed dough on low speed for 2 to 3 minutes (or on a KitchenAid using speed 3 for 3 to 4 minutes) until the ingredients are completely integrated. Add the 5g of salt and mix for an additional 2 minutes. The dough will start gathering into a ball but will still stick slightly to the bottom of the bowl.
- The Butter & Zest Incorporation: With the machine still running, gradually add the 60g of soft butter and your fresh orange zest. Increase the mixer speed to medium-high and mix continuously for 10 to 15 minutes until the fat is completely incorporated and the dough smoothly pulls away from the sides of the bowl. (The Backup Check: If your environment is humid and the dough refuses to clear the bowl sides after 15 minutes, feel free to add an extra 20 to 30g of bread flour to assist).
- 9:00 AM – Bulk Proof with Intervals: Cover the mixing bowl tightly and let it proof for 3 to 4 hours in a warm zone kept at 76–80°F (24–28°C). During this window, perform 2 gentle rounds of stretches and folds to structure the expanding gluten. By the end of this stage, the dough should feel noticeably light and puffy.
- 12:00 PM – Cold Fermentation Retard: Slide the entire covered container directly into your refrigerator to rise slowly for 8 to 10 hours of cold retard.
Day 2 (Night) – Dividing & Final Overnight Proof
- 9:00 PM – Portioning & Tension Rounding: Remove the chilled dough from your refrigerator. Tip it onto a lightly dusted surface and divide it cleanly into 11 or 12 equal pieces (aiming for roughly 60g to 65g per bun).
- Pan Setup & Room Rise: Take each individual piece, pinch all the loose outer edges cleanly down into the bottom center, and roll it firmly against your counter using a cupped hand to create a perfectly smooth, taut sphere. Place the shaped rolls side-by-side onto a baking pan lined with parchment paper. Cover loosely and let them proof overnight on your counter for 8 to 10 hours at room temperature 70–74°F (20–23°C) until they cleanly double in size.
Day 3 – The Bake, Cream Whipping, and Assembly
- 7:00 AM – Preheating & Glazing: Preheat your home oven to 375°F (190°C). In a tiny bowl, whisk together your 1 whole egg and 2 tbsp of water. Using a pastry brush, gently sweep the egg wash glaze over the top surface of each fully risen bun.
- Baking: Slide the pan into the oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the tops turn a stunning, uniform golden brown. Remove the buns from the oven and let them cool completely on a wire rack.
- Whipping the Cream Filling: While the buns cool, pour 500g of heavy whipping cream and 200g of sugar into a chilled bowl. Whip on high speed until stiff, stable peaks form.
- The Signature Maritozzi Slice: Using a sharp knife, slice each completely cooled bun right down the middle, making sure not to cut all the way through the bottom base. Open the bun gently and fill the cavity with 2 to 3 large tablespoons of your sweetened whipped cream. Smooth down the front edge cleanly with a spatula, dust a snow-like layer of powdered sugar over the top, and serve immediately!
Nutrition
Calories390kcalCarbohydrates45gProtein7gFat21gSaturated Fat13gPolyunsaturated Fat1gMonounsaturated Fat5gTrans Fat0.2gCholesterol89mgSodium174mgPotassium110mgFiber1gSugar20gVitamin A802IUVitamin C0.3mgCalcium55mgIron0.5mg
Notes
- Why the Sweet Stiff Starter Method is Superior: Traditional liquid sourdough levains feature high hydration levels that promote a sharp, lactic acidity that can easily overpower delicate pastries. This specialized formula opts for a tight, low-hydration sweet stiff starter instead. Adding a small hit of sugar directly to the starter environment slows down acid production while strengthening the yeast, allowing you to secure an explosive rise without any lingering sour notes.
- Managing Enriched Dough Proofing Timelines: Enriched doughs containing fats like dairy and butter naturally ferment much slower than standard flour-and-water artisan boules. If you are baking during cold winter months and your home kitchen drops below 70°F (21°C), your final room-temperature overnight proof may require an extra hour or two to fully double in volume. For optimal results, ensure your proofing zone stays right around 70–74°F (20–23°C).
- Storage and Serving Strategy: Unfilled Maritozzi buns can be stored in an airtight container or zip-top bag at room temperature and will stay perfectly fresh, soft, and pillowy for up to 3 days. However, once you slice the buns open and pack them with the fresh sweetened whipped cream, they should be eaten right away to prevent the moisture from softening the delicate brioche skin.
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I’ll try it for sure.
Looks really good 😋
You’ll love it
I read the recipe and have to say it is superbly scribed. Very succinct and directional. And it is a lovely recipe too!!
Will be trying it.
Thank you for sharing.
Thank you so much!
You’ll love it 💖
Hi Natash thanks for ue great recipe and method🙏🙏
What should be temp.in fridge?
why the final ferment is so long?
Hi!
Temperature in the fridge is 4C, I’m using long final proofing at 20-22C overnight, it works great to my schedule, but you definitely can adjust to yours.
Hello Beautiful,
What if I need to make 24 of them? Do I need to double all the ingredients including the starter?
Thanks!
Hi!
Sure, when you will double the recipe including starter, you’ll get about 24 of them.
Hi natasha? You bake the bread for 25 minutes and the temperatura was 350 f???
Saludos desde Mexico
Hi!
I baked at 375F for 20-25min 🙏
Thank you for sharing, much appreciated.
I made these in the last couple of days and they turned out perfect. I found the outside to have crunch reminiscent of a lean sourdough and tender structure as most sweet dough recipes do. This was my first time using a starter instead of store bought yeast and it turned out so awesome! These cream buns definitely has the tartness of a sourdough, hint of sweet from the honey, and a distinct orange fragrance. I did not try it with whip cream and what i would expect is a great balance of the sour and sweet creamy. Excellent recipe! I already have friends requesting this from me 🙂 Thank you!
I’m so happy you liked the! Thank you so much for your kind feedback 🙏
so natalya , if i have a room temp of ( 29-31 C) and am NOT using the 0.5 g yeast as well , should i expect a 4 – 5 hrs proofing time ?
Is there any criteria about how temp could affect temp times ?
Higher temperature will speed up the fermentation process!
So definitely it will be proofing faster.
I love all your recipes! I am learning a lot with you. Thanks so much!
Could you tell me if I can use fresh yeast and how much, instead the sourdough?
Appreciate
Hugs from Finland
Hi!
Thank you 🙏
Yes!
I prefer to use no more then 1% of yeast from total amount of flour. Less is better. It might take little longer to proof though.
May sound like a silly question, if deciding to use the extra yeast when is it added. I don’t see a note regarding that.
Hi!
Dissolve the yeast in liquid.
Great recipe, thanks!! I used lemon zest as that’s what I had on hand. I used soy milk in place of the milk, and a coconut whipping cream to make the whipped cream as my husband is lactose intolerant. Tried adding in a layer of fresh fruit or jam below the whipped cream and it was amazing. I also loved the rolls on their own! Will definitely become part of the regular rotation.
Andrea, thank you do much for your kind feedback 🙏
Made these last weekend. I messed up some of the proofing steps, but they still came out really well! I also brushed the interior with a rum simple syrup. They were a hit with the family. Will be making them again this weekend!
Thank you for your feedback 🙏
Made these a second time (my first proofing was a bit off due to it being cold weather). Added a spot of Cointreau to the whipped cream and they made a great Xmas breakfast with espresso. A hit, and much better than instant yeast versions requiring a very early start to be ready in time for breakfast. Thank you.
Do they have to be proved in the fridge, can I prove on the counter to make them the same day, also does the first long prove before rolling them into balls need to double in size? Thanks