Made with all purpose flour and just a touch of butter, learn how to make soft, tender sourdough sandwich bread with bubbly, active sourdough starter. So easy! Recipe adapted from my book: Artisan Sourdough Made Simple.
Out of the 4 classic sourdough bread recipes I make weekly (sourdough bread, sourdough focaccia and sourdough pancakes), sandwich bread is the most requested by far. Why? It’s soft. Buttery. It makes the whole kitchen smell like magic. And best part about making it yourself? It’s 100% natural.
There are no chemicals or nasty preservatives in homemade sourdough sandwich bread. Just hints of creamy butter with mild, tangy sourdough flavor in every bite. In this post, I’ll show you how make easy sourdough sandwich bread with step-by-step instructions and video. You’ll also find a sourdough cinnamon-raisin and whole wheat variation, plus more recipes in my bestselling book: Artisan Sourdough Made Simple. You’ll never go back to store-bought again!
Sourdough Sandwich Bread: Ingredients & Equipment You Will Need:
- All purpose flour
- Unsalted butter
- Sugar
- Sea salt
- Sourdough starter
- Warm water
- Stand Mixer
- Loaf Pan
Recipe Tips
- No stand mixer? No problem! After mixing and resting the dough, knead by hand on a lightly floured surface for 8-10 minutes, or until smooth, soft and elastic. Do not worry about under/over kneading. This is very difficult to do by hand. Relax into the process and focus on the texture, not the time.
- Think about pan size. For a lofty-high rise, use an 8.5×4 inch loaf pan instead of the traditional 9×5 inch loaf pan. The smaller pan size will give the dough a boost. However, both sizes will work.
- Why Sugar? Enriched doughs, like this one, usually contain sugar (and butter, sometimes eggs). It adds just a hint of sweetness. This bread is not sweet. Omit if you want.
- Make it vegan. Replace the unsalted butter with your favorite plant-based, dairy free butter for a similar taste. Just watch the salt content though; some plant-based brands are very salty!
- Temperature controls time. The warmer it is, the faster the dough will rise. I’ve included helpful tips to boost the process. Full details in the recipe at the end of this post.
how To Make Sourdough Sandwich Bread
Mix the Dough
Weigh your ingredients using a scale. You’ll get better results doing so. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment: add the flour, butter, sugar and salt. Mix until the butter looks like crumbs.
Add the sourdough starter and water; mix again to combine. The dough will feel slightly sticky and elastic at this stage. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel and rest for 30 minutes- the gluten needs to relax.
After the dough has rested…
Switch to the dough hook, and run the machine on medium low to knead the dough. This should take about 6-8 minutes or so. The dough should feel soft and supple, and not stick to your hands. On this particular day, my dough was a little bit stickier than usual so I added a dusting of flour to even it out.
Bulk Rise
Cover the dough with plastic wrap or a damp towel. Let rise overnight at room temperature (68 F) for 10-12 hrs. The dough is ready when it has doubled in size.
Shape the Dough
The following morning, coat a 8.5×4 inch loaf pan (or 9×5-inch pan) with softened butter.
Remove the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Gently flatten the surface to release some of the air bubbles. Sandwich bread should not have any large holes (unless you like jelly in your lap).
Starting at the bottom, roll the dough into a log tucking the ends underneath. Transfer to the loaf pan. Watch the Video!
Second Rise
Now the dough needs to rise again.
This step is important because it builds back additional strength after the bulk rise. You’ll get a nice rise when it’s done correctly.
The dough is ready when the center rises to about 1-inch or more above the rim. It should look nice and puffy, and no longer dense. Be patient with this step. It takes time especially when the weather is cold. This is where the smaller 8.5×4 inch loaf pan comes in handy; the smaller size will speed of the rise. Consider using a proofing box to boost the rise.
Preheat your oven to 375 F.
TIP: For higher oven spring, preheat your oven to 500 F (instead of 375 F). Once the bread goes in, reduce the temperature to 375 F and bake as directed.
Bake the Dough
Place the dough on the center rack and bake for 45-50 minutes.
Once finished, let the loaf cool for at least an hour before your dive in. It’s worth the wait!
Additional Notes
If you have a large family, or just eat a lot of bread, I highly suggest doubling this recipe. Bake (2x) loaves side by side and freeze whatever you don’t eat. This loaf can be frozen whole, covered tightly in plastic wrap or as individual slices.
Sourdough Sandwich bread Variations
- Whole Wheat: Replace 20% all purpose flour with whole wheat or light whole wheat flour. If the dough seems dry (whole grain flours absorb more liquid), add more water as needed to achieve a workable consistency. Do this 1 tsp. at a time.
- Bread Flour: Do an even swap, adding more water if the dough is dry. For example, King Arthur Bread flour is very “thirsty” so more liquid might be needed. If using Gold Medal bread flour, which is not as absorbent, additional adjustments might not be necessary.
- Sourdough Cinnamon Raisin: Click here for my step-by-step post!
More Sourdough Bread Recipes To Try!
- Sourdough Focaccia Bread
- Sourdough Bread: A Beginner’s Guide
- Best Sourdough Pizza Crust (No steel or stone!)
- Easy Homemade Sourdough Bagels
- Light Whole Wheat Sourdough Bread
Easy Sourdough Sandwich Bread
- Prep Time: 12 hours
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 12 hours 50 minutes
- Yield: 1 loaf
- Category: Sourdough Bread
- Method: Oven-Baked
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
A simple and easy recipe for homemade sourdough sandwich bread. Made with all purpose flour and just a touch of butter. I like to make the dough at night so we can have fresh bread in the morning. This loaf freezes well (whole or sliced). I recommend this loaf pan.
Notes
For best results, please weigh your ingredients with a scale instead of using measuring cups.
Here’s why: weight and volume measurements are not equal, only approximate! This is especially important regarding the sourdough starter. If your starter is very bubbly, 1/4 cup might only weigh 30 g which is too little for this recipe (you need 50 g). The dough will take forever to rise! Same goes for the flour… 4 cups might end up weighing way over 500 g depending on how tight the flour was packed into the cup. You’ll end up with dry dough.
I used Whole Foods 365 Everyday all purpose flour for this recipe. King Arthur and Trader Joe’s ap flour will work as well. If using another brand with a lower protein content (i.e. Gold Medal, Pillsbury, Heckers) consider reducing the total water amount by 15 g.
Ingredients
- 500 g (4 cups) all purpose flour
- 60 g (4 tbsp.) unsalted butter, softened, cut into cubes
- 12 g (1 tbsp.) sugar
- 9 g fine sea salt
- 50 g (1/4 cup) bubbly, active sourdough starter (100% hydration)**
- 270 g (1 cup + 2 tbsp) warm water
Helpful Tips:
** If the weather is not warm enough, sometimes the second rise can take longer than expected. To speed up the rise, use an 8.5×4 inch loaf pan (instead of a 9×5 inch pan), increase the amount of starter and decrease the amount of water for best results. Please choose one of the following adjustments below, keeping the rest of the ingredient quantities the same:
- 100 g starter + 255 g water
- 150 g starter + 250 g water
Additionally, because temperature controls time you can also increase your surrounding temperature for the bulk or second rise, as needed. Place the dough in a proofing box set to 75-80 F. Or, preheat your home oven to 75-80 F and then shut it off immediately (use an oven thermometer to make sure it’s set to exactly 80 F and not higher!). Place the covered dough inside until it bulks up. Do no use this option overnight- it will be too warm.
Instructions
Baking Schedule: this is an overnight dough which takes approximately 10-12 hrs to rise @ 68 F. Start the night before, in the evening, and plan to bake the following day. If it’s warmer than 68 F the dough will take less time to rise. Alternatively, start in the morning and bake in the afternoon or evening.
Mix the Dough
In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the flour, butter, sugar and salt. Mix on low speed until combined; the butter should look like crumbs.
Add the starter and warm water. Mix until the flour is fully absorbed (get in there with your hands to finish mixing). The dough will feel slightly sticky and elastic at this stage. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel and let rest for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, replenish you starter with fresh flour and water.
After the dough has rested, switch to the dough hook and run the machine on medium-low (#3 on a KitchenAid) for 6-8 minutes. The dough will feel soft and supple and not stick to your hands. If it does, add a dusting of flour.
Note: If you do not have a stand mixer, the dough can be made by hand. After mixing and resting for 30 minutes, knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for 8-10 minutes, or until smooth, soft and elastic. Do not worry about under/over kneading. Relax into the process and focus on the texture, not the time.
Bulk Rise
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rise overnight at room temperature (68 F) until double in size, about 10-12 hrs. Please refer to the Baking Schedule above for additional rise time options.
Shape the Dough
In the morning, coat an 8.5×4 inch loaf pan with butter.
Remove the dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Gently flatten the surface to release any large air bubbles.
Roll the dough into a log tucking the ends underneath. Rest for 5-10 minutes. With floured hands, gently cup the dough and pull it toward you to tighten its shape. Using a bench knife, place the dough into the loaf pan seam side down.
Second Rise
Cover the dough with lightly oiled or buttered plastic wrap. Let rest at room temperature until it has risen to about 1-inch above the rim of the pan (check the height by looking at the domed center portion of the dough). You are not looking for it to double in size. For timing, this can take anywhere from 1 1/2-2 hours (or more!) depending on temperature and the amount of sourdough starter used. Remember, the warmer it is, the faster the dough will rise. Refer to the “helpful tips” at the top of this post.
Preheat your oven to 375 F. Note: For higher oven spring, preheat to 500 F instead. Reduce to 375 F once the dough goes into the oven and bake as directed.
Bake the Dough
Bake the dough on the center rack for about 45-50 minutes, or until golden brown.
Cool in the pan for at least 10 minutes, and then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
This sandwich loaf will stay fresh for up to 3 days, stored in a plastic bag at room temperature.
Comments
Lisa says
This is easy and delicious! I should have listened to you and made two at a time because it disappeared very quickly. Thank you for your great recipes!
Anita says
So I have made this loaf successfully several times but am finding it it taking longer and longer to rise. ( by longer I mean close to 24 hours!) What am I doing wrong? How soon after feeding your sourdough (I keep mine out all the time) do you bake? Thank you!!!
Kaylee says
Hi there! I was super excited to try this recipe but not quite sure my starter was fully ready. It seemed pretty active but was only about a week old. The dough didn’t rise like it should have and the loaf came out very dense. The flavor was good but it’s very heavy. Do you think the starter wasn’t quit ready? All your beginner posts have been very helpful and made sourdough seem easy. Thank you!
Kimsu K says
I was so excited to find this recipe where I was able to see step by step walk-through. I’ve read the comments which were also very helpful. My problem is that after 14 hrs. my dough hasn’t risen twice the size. When I touch it with my finger, the indent doesn’t Spring back. Please Help as I don’t know what to do!
Seth says
Just made this and it was super easy and amazing tasting. The only issue I had was during the 2nd rise it wasn’t rising that much. I read the instructions again and added the oiled/buttered wrap and within an hour it puffed up. I wish it talked about the wrap in both sections of the recipe. I have a double oven (top is smaller then the bottom) and I am definitely going to need to use the bottom oven next time as it rose up so much it eventually touched the burner. It also only took about 35 minutes to cook. Amazing and will be making this again.
Chris says
I cannot tell you how thrilled I am to have found this recipe! My journey to sourdough baking started a few months ago at the beginning of the quarantine and I have not made a successful loaf until now! This bread is melt-in-your-mouth delicious and perfect for sandwiches! Thank you for making the process seem do-able as I was about to give up after so many failed loaves and wasted cups of precious flour. This will be my go-to sandwich bread recipe from now on. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Jessica Thommarson says
I loooooove this recipe! I make mine with 400g bread flour and 100g whole wheat and it turns out perfectly. I only have to bake mine for about 35 mins though, so my advice to anyone attempting this recipe is to make sure you check on your bread after about 25 mins in the oven to see how brown it is. You may not need the whole 45-50 mins.
Ian says
I just made this recipe and it is awesome. I let it proof overnight in my office, as that was the only room that came close to being 70F (21C) in my house. I did the second rise in my oven, using the proof setting; it took 2h15 to get it to the height I wanted. I’ve now found another use for my starter, Doughbie Wan Kenobi.
John says
How much less than the 10-12 hours is the rise time if I put it in the oven at 75-80° as you suggest?
Is it shortened enough to do everything in one day?
Emilie Raffa says
Hi there! It’s tough to say (and to be exact). However, yes: if you start early enough you can bulk rise and bake the loaf on the same day.
David S says
Thanks for the recipe. I just made it. The two rises took more than 24 hours (& I was ready to throw the dough away yesterday afternoon, but I just let it sit in the pan another 16 hours to see if something would happen, and it did). It is beautiful and tasty.
Meru says
Hi David, I’m curious about what happened to your dough. Mine has not risen at all in the last 11 h at room temperature of 22 C. I’ve made this recipe twice already (once using 100% APF, and another with 20% WW flour), and both turned out really well. My sourdough (100% hydration) is also healthy and I bake regularly with it in the last month. Yesterday I used it at 8h after feeding and passed the float test. I wonder what went wrong. I just put my dough in my oven with a cup of hot water sitting at the bottom rack.
Olivia says
Can the dough be frozen before baking? Most dough freezing instructions I’ve seen have been for yeast breads rather than sourdough, but I don’t see any reason it wouldn’t work for sourdough. I’m guessing freezing should be done after shaping, then when ready to bake, put it in the bread pan for the second rise (4-5 hours maybe?), and bake at the same temp. Thoughts?
Kelly says
This is soooo good!! Thank you so much for the recipe. I’m making some this time for a friend who can’t have dairy- what’s the ratio to replace butter with olive oil? Do you have a type of olive oil you’d recommend? Also, Do you think ghee would work? Thanks!
Nina says
I tried twice and failed to gain any height in the 2nd rise so I used the proof setting (79-80degF) on my countertop oven for my third attempt. I was pleased with the progress at first. The starter floated. I kneaded until the dough did not stick. The first rise doubled in the countertop oven and was full of bubbles. I poured the dough out and gently pressed out bubbles. I rolled the dough. I shaped it with no issues (unlike the first two times, when the dough was very wet). I used the countertop oven for the 2nd rise and after 2 hours, it did not rise, and the bread baked with a dome but as flat as ever on the sides. You mentioned in one of your comments that your kitchen is normally 72deg. Please help! Flour is so hard to find round here.
Sophia says
I just finished the bulk rise and am waiting for the 2nd rise. It’s 9:30pm already though and I want to go to bed. Can I leave it out overnight and bake it in the morning? Or should I stick it in the fridge?
Emilie Raffa says
Hi there! I would cover the pan with lightly oiled wrap and chill in the fridge overnight.
Erin B says
I started this dough at 8:00 PM last night, shaped it and placed it in the loaf pan at around 8:00 AM this morning. It took until 7:00 PM this evening to rise to the just above the edge of the loaf pan, even with my kitchen at 72 degrees F. I wanted to point out how long it took to rise because you weren’t kidding when you said to keep an eye on the dough, not the clock! Thanks for that reassuring nugget of wisdom because otherwise I might have been worried. It was so nice to NOT worry and just let the dough do what it wanted to do! And now I’ve just taken it out of the oven and it looks identical to your loaf in the photo – I’m thrilled! This is exactly the kind of bread my kids like, so thanks! Next time I might try spreading the flattened dough with a light layer of shredded sharp cheddar, garlic and green chili, before rolling it to shape. I bet it will make such a pretty, cheesy swirl!
Sarah Hwang says
Mine’s same way…mine’s been proofing for 4 hours and it just hit the top of the loaf pan.
sarah says
Just made this yesterday! I love that you say to ‘watch the bread and not the clock’, I felt much better letting it do its thing instead of panicking about a deviance in the recipe. I love this so much that I bought your book!
Emilie Raffa says
Ahh… thanks for the support! :) x E
Rohan Agnani says
Hi I live in india and it’s 88°f here what should be my bulk fermentation duration and then shaped proofing too ?
Emilie Raffa says
Hi there! Do the bulk rise during the day (instead of the overnight rise); it might be ready in 3-4 hours. Make sure the dough doubles in size to ensure proper gluten development. For the second proof, perhaps 30 minutes to 1 hour? My timeframes are approximate. Watch the dough and not the clock.
Sarah L says
This bread was delicious! Quick question though, I made two loaves and both burst at the seams on one side (similar to how an artisan sourdough loaf does) should I be doing something differently with the second rise? Everything looked exactly like your pictures and the taste and texture are perfect they just don’t look perfect like yours! Any ideas? Thanks!
Emilie Raffa says
When the seam bursts, it’s because the crust hardens too quickly while the dough is still rising. It’s possible your oven needs a bit of steam to counteract this. Place a metal pan (not glass) on the bottom rack when the oven heats up. Add a few ice cubes to the pan for steam when the dough goes in.
Durshi says
I just made this today and it was absolutely delicious! The bread did not seem to rise as much as I wanted but that may have been due to my starter. Next time I think I’ll make two loaves because it’s so good. Do you think I could use olive oil instead of butter next time though? I’m trying to watch my cholesterol!
Emilie Raffa says
Durshi, yes: you can absolutely use olive oil. Just watch the baking time and temperature as the loaf might brown a bit faster. Use a foil tent if necessary.
Polina K says
Thank you for such an accurate recipe! This was my very first sourdough bread and it came out perfectly!
Stephanie says
Does altitude affect the rise and/or flour/water amount? We live above 6000ft. I’ve made this recipe 3 times now. The 1st time I decreased the water by 1 grams because I used gold medal flour and it turned out good. The 2and and 3rd time I followed the recipe exactly with King Arthur flour. The first rise was super sticky and couldn’t hold shape well. The second rise took hours, almost all day to rise above the rim of the dish and never made it to 1in over I just finally baked it because I had been waiting all day. Lol. Any tips? It has tasted delicious every time I’m just wanting to perfect it!
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Stephanie! I don’t have much experience with high altitude baking. But I do know it has an effect on bread. Try googling: “King Arthur High Altitude Baking” for more specific details.
Lauren says
Hi, I’ve made this twice now and just mixed the dough a third time; however, I was wondering what temperature should the warm water be? I’ve been doing about 80-85 degrees Fahrenheit.
Also, even with my apartment at 68 degrees Fahrenheit, I don’t always feel like my dough is doubled and during the bulk rise even after 12 hours nor does it rise 1-inch above the rim of my loaf pan during the second rise after 2 hours, but it always seems to puff up pretty well in the oven and the bread tasted great.
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Lauren! 80-85 F is fine. It doesn’t have to be exact, but if it’s too hot for your hands it’s too hot for he dough.
Regarding the rise: this is normal. The temperature can dip down on the overnight. You can use the oven trick to speed up the bulk rise the following day, same for the second rise. However, based on what you’ve described: if it’s rising in the oven and tastes great, I would continue to do what you’re doing.
M says
Success at last making sourdough bread! Thank you. The only deviation from your recipe instructions was the final rise which took 5 hours. But the bread is delicious and is picture perfect.
Carole Matthews says
Getting back into sourdough after like 50 years. My overnight rise didn’t double. I proceeded with the second rise which took 10 hours. Not quite doubled, but considerably higher than the pan. Absolutely delicious. My question is: how can you do the first overnight rise at 68 degrees during the summer? I was told the frig was too cold. What can you suggest? Is the length of time to rise due to the fact it is SD bread? Made lots of different bread over the years and never had to wait this long🍞😬.
Thanks so much.
Farah says
Hi! I make this recipe almost daily but my family goes through it so fast! Is there a way to double this recipe and put it in a bigger loaf pan?
Emilie Raffa says
Hi there! The recipe can easily be doubled. But I would bake the dough in two separate loaf pans.
Komal says
Hi. Just tried this recipe. It all seemed straightforward but my dough did not double during bulk fermentation. It rose but not double. And now that it’s in the pan for the second rise it’s not rising much either. Do you think my starter wasn’t strong enough? Any ideas what may have happened? It’s May in CT and the temperature in the house was 72° overnight.
Emilie Raffa says
Hi there! If the dough rose, then your starter is indeed working. It’s hard to diagnose its actual strength without working with it myself. Your overall environmental temp of 72 F is good (I’m in NY). Personally, I would just give it more time to rise and double next time. That should help.
Deanne says
I just cut my loaf its soft and springs back into place. It tastes like fresh croissants. thanks for the recipe
Marie says
I always feed 1/2 cup starter with 1/2 cup water and 1 scant cup of flour. Will that work for this recipe? I just looked up 100% hydration starter and didn’t feed it with these quantities. Thanks!
Emilie Raffa says
Hi! See my other response! The quantities will differ because you’re measuring by volume :)
Marie says
I always feed 1/2 cup starter with 1/2 cup water and 1 scant cup of flour. Will that work for this recipe? Thanks!
Emilie Raffa says
I believe so. Using a 100% hydration starter (fed equal parts flour and water by weight) is what you’re looking for. Measuring by volume is fine too; just make sure the consistency is like thick pancake batter when flat.
Wendy says
Hi there. I was surprised the recipe didn’t call for slashing the dough before cooking. Would doing that help the oven rise?
Thanks for the very clear instructions!
Susan says
Do you know if I can line the bread pan with parchment? I need new pans and the ones I have now aren’t high quality so I want to line them. Thanks!
Emilie Raffa says
I don’t see why not! I’d lightly coat with cooking spray or brush with melted butter to prevent sticking, just in case.
Candice Goewey says
Here’s a silly question. How do you keep your d from drying out too much/ going stale? Gasp right!? I make sandwich bread for my family. But because I’m still new and learning, my breads are not always winners. So my family isn’t always keen on eating my not so perfect loafs. So then I’m left eating it (over a few days) for sandwiches all by my self. The bread is great the first few days. But then it gets dried out. I tend to cut the entire loaf at the same time. I’ve also tried only cutting what I need over time. The latter ends up a crummy mess on the last day. I have turned the last bit of bread into crumbs for meatloaf before which was great. But I want to extend the longevity of my loaf. Help!
Carola says
I suggest you slice it up and put it wrapped tightly into the freezer, then toast however many slices you want to eat each day.
Tom Hill says
Can i use bread flour for this recipe as i now have a 25 lb to use up! Ha
Emilie Raffa says
Yes! However, I’d increase the water to get the right consistency. Perhaps, start with an extra 15g?
JaNae says
Yummy! It didn’t rise an inch above the pan, but I baked it anyway . It rose in the oven. Still seems a little on the flat side, but the taste is delicsious.
ken bell says
Great recipe. My family loves it and for a beginning baker, easy to succeed at. Question, could you use about 25% whole wheat flour or would that mess things up too much?
Emilie Raffa says
Hi there! I’d recommend 20% and a touch more water if the dough seems very dry.
Ken Bell says
Hi,
So I did what you suggested. 100g Whole Wheat and 400g White and it turned out brilliant. So if people want the illusion of slightly “healthier” bread it works. Plus the taste is a little heartier.
Shannon says
Would this work well to substitute some of the flour and water for discard starter? I have lots of it and I’m not planning on baking much but sandwich bread.
Emilie Raffa says
Hi there! I haven’t tested it myself so I’m unable to advise on the specifics. But I’m sure it can be done with some experimenting.
Carol says
I’m new to sourdough baking and it’s been going very well so far with my artisan loaves. I followed this recipe last night with my Kitchen Aid. This morning (11 hours later) there is no rise in the dough whatsoever. My starter had doubled, was very bubbly and passed the float test so I don’t think it’s the starter. It was a littler cooler last night but the house temp didn’t go below 65. Would that have prevented any rise?
Emilie Raffa says
Carol, it’s the temperature- 65 F is on the chilly side which is delaying the rise. To speed things along, adjust your oven to 75-80 F (please use a thermometer to double check) and then immediately turn it off. Place the covered bowl of dough inside until in bulks up.
Maria says
Hi Emilie
Thanks for another wonderful recipe. Am a newbie. Your banana bread was amazing. I was too scared to try the loaf but went ahead. It tasted really good. A few questiins. When you do bulk rise is the dough suppose to get soft n spongy. My dough seemed heavy dense.
My dough did not rise in the fridge. I had to keep it at room temperature for a really long time to rise.
Lastly, after baking the bread did not have many holes not light it had a light brown colour not like a white loaf when u cut n tasted a bit sour. My starter is being fed once a day
Am i doing something wrong.
I am definitely going to give this a try once again. Thank you so much for a lovely recipe
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Maria! For best results with this recipe, rise the dough at room temperature (not the fridge). Perhaps this is why it was dense. Find a warmer spot. Sandwich bread shouldn’t have large holes. I believe you’re looking for a more artisan-style loaf? The color of this sandwich bread should be white or at the very least “light golden” but not brown. Please make sure you’re using all white flour and not whole wheat. Hope this helps!
Lucien says
First rise in the oven with the light in overnight and it rose amazingly well. More than doubled. But the second rise is painfully slow and still, after 3 hours, not 1″ above the pan. Any suggestions?
Emilie Raffa says
Lucien, the second rise can be a bit sluggish. I’d continue to rise the dough in the oven with the light on. Alternatively, turn on the oven to the lowest setting (75- 80 F) and then shut it off immediately. Place the covered dough inside.
M says
Thank you! This was delicious. Your instructions were very clear and easy to follow and the outcome was just as I’d hoped. I mixed the flour salt and butter together the day before and didn’t get to bake that day so wrapped it up and carried on with the next step a day later. Also I added a bit of cornmeal to the bottom of the loaf pan to prevent any sticking and a light brushing of butter on top after baking (I was told this keeps the crust soft…and its butter so where could it go wrong!) I’ve already shared this with my friends!
Anika Hickman says
I am new to sour dough baking. I started when the virus forced us to stay home. I call my starter, Heloise, and she is about two months old. My boules of SD break are beautiful but the SD flavor is very mild, almost imperceptible. So I was blown away when I made this bread yesterday. The SD flavor was intense. I also really enjoyed how soft the texture is. I was really proud of it and the kids even liked it!
Taylor says
Just made this and hoping you can help me troubleshoot? The bread came out delicious and perfectly sour and is going to make great toast and sandwiches, overall I’m so happy with it! My issue though is that it’s definitely too dense and I’m not sure if my problem is in the first or second proof? I left it about 10 hours in the bowl, at about 74 degrees on my counter, and then actually ended up leaving it for almost 4 hours for the second proof and it just barely was higher in the middle than the pan. The domed part of the loaf was perfect, it’s really the bottom 2/3 that’s more dense. I’m thinking next time I’m going to start it earlier but any help is greatly appreciated! Thanks so much for such great recipes!
CJ says
I baked my bread this morning and just enjoyed a sandwich with it! This recipe is a keeper! I’m new to sourdough baking and determined to master sandwich bread (hubby takes a sammy for lunch daily), I think I did it!
I followed the recipe exactly, starting with my stand mixer then kneading by hand as I don’t have a dough hook. Everything turned out wonderful.
Emilie Raffa says
Yay! Thanks so much for your feedback, CJ!
Deanna says
Do you do your bulk rise in the same bowl, or do you oil a bowl so it doesn’t stick? When I have made this I put it in a lightly oiled bowl, but if it doesn’t need it why do more dishes.
Emilie Raffa says
You can do it both ways. It’s your choice. Agree with you on not doing more dishes!
Melissa Scott says
My sourdough starter, Minerva, and I are just getting to know each other. I am LOVING your blog.
I have already made this bread 4 times – and only once did it rise properly. (STILL – ALL 4 TIMES IT WAS AMAZINGLY DELICIOUS.)
My husband should eat a Low FODMAP diet (he suffers when he doesn’t) and I have read that White Whole Wheat is Low FODMAP. I found some WWW flour at Trader Joe’s and I am going to try substituting it in this recipe. I would love any tips you have to offer.
Natalie says
Can you do this without using a mixer? Can you do it by hand instead? Thanks :)
Meagan says
Can I put it in the bread machine to make the dough and then remove it to bulk over night and in the oven the next day?
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Meagan! I haven’t tested it, but I believe so. The bread machine would just do the kneading part, correct? If so then yes!
Vilma says
This is the best ever sandwich loaf I have ever made! Last weekend I had a big fail with another recipe from the internet, but this one is amazing.
Sarah says
Do you use your starter after it is fed? If so, how long? Do you need to use the float test? I am new to sourdough and this recipe looks great!
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Sarah! Yes: your starter can only be used for baking after it has been fed fed, it doubles in size, and passes the float test. You are ready to make the dough when these conditions are met.
Summer says
This sounds like the perfect recipe! I really want to try it now but only have salted butter on hand.
Is it possible to use that? Would I just reduce the actual salt ingredient in the recipe? Or should I not try until I can buy unsalted butter?
Thanks for sharing your recipe :)
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Summer! You can go ahead and use the salted butter, it’s fine. You can try reducing the actual salt ever so slightly (or not at all!). Enjoy :)
EDB says
So good! Nice change of pace from my regular crusty sourdough. The whole family gives it two thumbs up.
Meru says
Hi, I just want to say big thanks for this really great recipe! I’m quite new in the sourdough baking club and this is just the third bread recipe I’ve tried so far. You weren’t exaggerating when you say it’s an “easy” recipe, even for a newbie like me. The dough was so easy to handle. Thanks a lot for the simple and clear description of the procedure. The bread came up sooooo beautifully I felt like weeping. It tastes amazingly good too! I’m afraid even my kids won’t settle for the store-bought loaves anymore after this. I’m baking another loaf again tomorrow and will try to substitute 20% whole wheat flour. Let’s see. :)
Alison Dragstedt says
How did it go with whole wheat?