Easy homemade sourdough sandwich bread with the goodness of whole wheat flour.
Sourdough can be so intimidating and frustrating for beginners. That is why I tailored this recipe to be as easy and simple as possible. Even a beginner sourdough baker can feed their family healthy whole wheat sourdough bread every week.
I personally use this recipe each week for our sandwich bread. There are 3 main reasons that I really like making this bread.
- You can prepare the dough the night before and let it do its bulk fermentation overnight. This makes the whole process easy because I am not babysitting it all day long. I also like fresh bread in the morning instead of in the evening.
- This recipe uses 1/2 whole wheat flour and still comes out soft and fluffy. It calls for 2 cups of whole wheat flour and 2 1/2 cups of all purpose flour.
- The taste is amazing! Because of the long fermentation time, this bread has the perfect sourdough taste. The mix of honey and maple syrup gives it just the right amount of natural sweetening without being too sweet.
This is the closest I have been able to come to the taste and texture of store bought whole wheat bread. But, this recipe is so much better for you and your family because of the added sourdough benefits and the fact that there are no preservatives or additives.
Ingredients
Butter
Make sure you soften your butter by leaving it on the counter at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before making your dough.
Honey and Maple Syrup
You can use 1 TBSP of just honey or 1 TBSP of just maple syrup if that is all you have. I like this recipe because it is flexible in that way. I use 1/2 TBSP of each because I like the unique flavor that each of these ingredients brings to the bread.
Egg
A room temperature egg is best for this recipe but I have used a cold egg before without any issue. I also forgot the egg once and the bread was still very yummy. It was just a but more crumbly because of all the whole wheat flour. So if you don’t have an egg, just leave this ingredient out.
ACTIVE Sourdough Starter
I make sure I feed my starter in the morning of the day I want to make my dough. I feed it in the morning and then it is active, frothy, and bubbly by the time I want to use it to make the dough in the evening.
Flour
This recipe calls for whole wheat flour and all purpose flour. The reason I mix the two is that this gives the best texture for a sandwich bread. Too much whole wheat makes it a bit too dry and dense. The mixture is the prefect balance of healthy ingredients and a soft and fluffy texture.
Water
Be careful with the water you use because most tap water has chlorine in it which will kill the activity of your starter. I use filtered water. I leave it on the counter for 30 minutes before mixing my dough up so that it becomes room temperature.
Salt
This adds flavor to the bread so make sure you don’t forget to add salt. Any salt will work but I use kosher salt.
What Equipment do I need to Make Whole Wheat Sourdough Sandwich Bread?
- A stand mixer is extremely useful if you plan on making bread regularly. Mine is a 4.5 qt mixer and it is perfect for a single loaf. If you plan on doubling the recipe, you will want a 7 qt mixer.
- You will need at least one bread pan. I like the metal ones best because I find they give an even bake to your bread. They are easy to use without risk of damaging the bread when you remove it from the pan.
How to Get a Good Rise?
- Make sure your bread is doing its bulk fermentation and second rise in a location that has the right temperature. If it is too hot, the dough will rise too fast and the result will not be good. If it is too cold, the dough wont rise enough and your bread will be very dense. The best temperature is 80–90°F (27–32°C).
- Make sure you are working with an active and bubbly starter. This is why I feed mine in the morning and I let it get more and more active sitting on the counter until I am ready to make the dough in the evening.
- Don’t add cold ingredients. If possible, try to have all your ingredients be room temperature before you start making your dough.
Final Thoughts and Tips
- Allow the bread to fully cool down before you cut into it. Placing it on a wire cooling rack is helpful for this.
- Once you have baked this bread you can keep it in an air tight container for 7 days.
- You can freeze this loaf for 6 months.
- If your bread doesn’t rise the way you want it to, do not throw it away. Instead you can cut it up and use it as croutons in salads and soups.
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Easy Whole Wheat Sourdough Sandwich Bread
This is the closest I have been able to come to the taste and texture of store bought whole wheat sandwich bread. This bread is easy, simple, and absolutely delicious. This bread is soft and fluffy with a beautiful sourdough taste that is not too overwhelming.
Yield: 1 loaf
Prep Time:
20 Minutes
Cook Time:
80 Minutes
Additional Time:
12-16 hours
Total Time:
17 Hours 40 Minutes
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup softened butter
- 1/2 TBSP honey
- 1/2 TBSP maple syrup
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup ACTIVE sourdough starter
- 1 1/4 cup room temperature filtered water
- 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 cups whole wheat Flour
- 1/2 TBSP salt
Directions
- Feed your starter sometime in the morning of the day you want to make your dough. Leave it on the counter until you start making the dough in the evening.
- To a stand mixer with a dough hook attached, add all the ingredients. Add the flour last, so you can add a bit less or more depending on your starter’s hydration level.
- Knead dough in mixer or by hand. It should pull away from the sides of the mixing bowl and be smooth and elastic. I do this in the mixer for about 10 minutes and then for about a minute with my hands to make sure it feels stretchy and smooth.
- Place dough into a greased, covered bowl for 30 minutes. Do stretch and folds every 30 minutes. Do 4 total stretch and folds for best results.
- Allow to bulk rise, covered, for 10-12 hours in a warm place like on top of a stove or refrigerator. NOTE: I make the dough around 6pm.
- The next morning (6-8am), shape by rolling the dough flat into a rectangle and rolling it up.
- Add to parchment lined or buttered loaf pan.
- Allow for a second rise for 2-4 hours at room temperature, or until doubled. I cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap while the second rise is happening.
- Bake at 375°F for 80 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 205°F. NOTE: I do this around 8am. Cover with aluminum foil half way through to avoid the top from getting too brown.
- Allow to cool completely before slicing
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Thank you so much for taking the time to try this recipe. Please leave a comment and let me know how your bread turned out. I would also love to know if you came up with any tips and tricks to make it even better!
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