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. Recipe adapted from my bestselling book:
Artisan Sourdough Made Simple.
Out of all the sourdough bread recipes I make on repeat (my beginner sourdough bread recipe,
sourdough focaccia and sourdough pancakes to name a few!), this easy sourdough sandwich bread gets the most requests. Why? It’s soft. It’s buttery. It makes the kitchen smell like magic.
And the best part: you made it yourself. No junk or preservatives. Just simple sourdough with a soft crust, subtle tang and fluffy crumb that holds up to slicing, toasting and sandwiches (anything really).
Below, you’ll find my step-by-step walkthrough and baking schedule. You’ll also get three solid
variations (cinnamon raisin, whole wheat and bread flour) plus more sandwich loaf recipes in my book for inspiration.
Good To Know:
- What most bakers get wrong: the second rise goes for too long. This creates over proofed dough that bakes up flat. Follow my recommended timing and tips to master this step.
- Pan size matters. Want a taller loaf? Use an 8.5×4 inch pan instead of the standard 9×5 inch pan. Both work, but the smaller size will give the dough a nice upward boost.
- Use softened butter. If it’s cold, it won’t blend into the dough.
- Make it vegan. Swap in your favorite plant-based butter. Just check the label. Some brands are very salty.
- Temperature controls time. Warm kitchen? The dough will rise fast. Cold kitchen? Give it more time. Watch the dough and not the clock.
How To Make Sourdough Sandwich Bread {Step-By-Step Recipe}
Step 1: Mix the Dough
To Start: Add the flour, softened butter, sugar and salt to a bowl. I like using a stand mixer for this recipe. The dough is naturally a bit sticky; the machine makes it easier to handle. Mix with the paddle attachment until the butter looks like crumbs.
Mix in your bubbly, active sourdough starter and water until everything comes together. Cover and rest for 30 minutes to relax the dough before kneading.
Note: If you need assistance with your sourdough starter, read my companion articles Feeding Sourdough Starter: My Best Tips & Tricks and Troubleshooting Sourdough Starter.
After 30 minutes of resting…
Remove the paddle attachment and switch to the dough hook. Knead until soft and supple, about 6-8 minutes. Note: on this particular day, my dough was stickier than usual so I added a sprinkle of flour to even it out. You can do that too.
No Stand Mixer? Knead the dough by hand on a lightly floured surface until it feels smooth, soft and elastic, about 8-10 minutes. Don’t worry about under/over kneading. If it’s springy (not sticky) you’re good to go.
Step 2: Bulk Rise (Overnight)
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rise overnight at room temperature (68 F), about 10-12 hrs. The dough is ready when it’s puffy, airy and has doubled in size.
Tip: This is an overnight sandwich dough. However, you can do a same-day bake instead (see my Sample Baking Schedule).
Step 3: Shape the Dough
Remove the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Gently flatten to release the air bubbles (you don’t want big holes like ciabatta!).
Roll the dough into a log, tucking the ends underneath. Then, with floured hands pull the dough towards you creating surface tension to tighten its shape. Place the dough into a buttered loaf pan, but make sure it’s seam side down.
Step 4: Second Rise
This step is crucial. When done correctly, your loaf will build back additional strength needed for good oven spring. Cover the pan with lightly oiled plastic wrap so the dough doesn’t stick to the top. Let rise until the center domes about 1 inch above the rim of the pan. You’e not going for double in size or sky scraper height; just notably puffy and less dense.
Tip: Cold Kitchen? Your second rise might take longer than expected @ 68 F. Be patient with this step. Plan on 1 1/2 -2+ hours depending on your specific room temperature and starter strength. If you’re short on time, use a proofing box or my DIY warm oven trick to speed things up (see “Helpful Tips” in the recipe card below).
Step 5: Bake The Bread
Preheat your oven to 375 F. For better oven spring, preheat to 500 F instead, then lower the temperature to 375 F when the dough goes into the oven. Bake on the center rack for 45-50 minutes or until golden brown.
Cool in the pan, then transfer to a wire rack. Wait an hour before slicing (skipping this step can turn the inside gummy).
Tip: Have an extra loaf pan? Some bakers create a makeshift “lid” by placing a separate, upside loaf pan on top of their pan before baking. This traps steam inside, creating a humid environment for the dough to rise avoiding potential blow-outs or tears, and keeps the crust soft. It’s similar to using a Dutch oven for my sourdough bread recipe.
Slice & Store
You’ll need a good serrated knife (I use this one). For a moderately priced option, try this knife instead. If your bread slices are really uneven, consider this collapsable bread slicer with 3 different thicknesses: thin, medium and thick to guide you along.
What I do at home: If you have a large family, or just eat a lot of bread, I highly suggest doubling this recipe. Bake (2) 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% of all purpose flour with whole wheat or white 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 teaspoon at a time.
- Bread Flour: Do an even swap, adding more liquid 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 Bread: You’ll find my step-by-step post here. The vanilla-soaked raisins make it a community favorite!
What To Bake Next
In addition to the above variations, a natural next step for sandwiches and breakfast fare would be my easy, NY-style sourdough bagels (they are so incredibly chewy and addictive) and these super soft sourdough english muffins. I’m excited to see what you make next.
Sample Overnight Baking Schedule (68 F)
Feel free to adjust the start times below as needed. It’s flexible. For a same-day bake, start early in the morning and bulk rise at a warmer temperature.
Day 1 (Evening)
- 4:30 PM: Feed sourdough starter (to activate)
- 8:00 PM: Mix dough
- 8:30 PM: Rat 30 minutes, then knead.
- 9:00 PM: Cover and bulk ferment, room temp @ 68 F overnight (10-12 hrs).
Day 2 (Morning)
- 7:00-8:00 AM: Check the dough (should be doubled)
- 8:15 AM: Shape dough
- 8:30 AM: Second rise (1 1/2 – 2+ hours)
- 10:30 AM: Preheat oven
- 10:45 AM: Bake
- 11:30 AM: Cool
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Easy Sourdough Sandwich Bread
- Prep Time: 12 hours
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 12 hours 50 minutes
- Yield: 1 loaf 1x
- 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.
Helpful Tips:
- For best results, weigh your ingredients with a scale instead of using measuring cups. Weight and volume measurements are not equal, only approximate! For example: 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 weigh over 500 g depending on how tight the flour was packed into the cup. More flour = dry dough.
- This recipe works with Whole Foods 365 Everyday, King Arthur and Trader Joe’s all purpose flour. If using another brand with a lower protein content (i.e. Gold Medal, Pillsbury, Heckers) consider reducing the total water amount by 15 g.
- For a variation of this recipe with more sourdough starter, 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.
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
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
Dina M Abramo says
I’m really happy with the results of my sourdough starter and the sandwich bread I made! Your notes are SO helpful and I love the recipes. I’ve made the artisan bread and focaccia so far and they were delicious! Thank you so much for the detailed instructions; it really helps! I’ve made bread before but this is the first time making SOURDOUGH bread and it definetely has a learning curve! Having patience is key for me!
Emilie Raffa says
This is really great to hear Dina. Thank you. Patience is *huge* when you bake sourdough. It literally forces you to slow down and pay attention! II’m happy you’re having success with your starter & breads 🥰
Paul says
What a wonderful sourdough bread the only thing one loaf is just not enough CAN I double the reciepe and make two loafs at a time thanks
Pj says
Yes, it doubles nicely
Shannon says
I doubled and used 300g of starter!!! It gave it a wonderful true sourdough taste! Love it!!! It got a bit hard on top so I lightly rubbed it with a stick of butter before it cooled.
Manuela says
Can this loaf be made with milk instead of water?
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Manuela! I haven’t tested this particular recipe with milk only. I suspect it would be more fluffy. If you experiment, consider doing a 50/50 combo to start, and work your way up from there until you reach your desired texture.
Tonya says
I’ve made this twice and it is hands down the absolute best sourdough recipe I’ve ever made. I have made dozens of different recipes even one of Emilies (the beginners one) and I still think this is the best recipe ever. The bread stays soft for well over a week and it’s just so delicious. I actually wanted to try and take this recipe and make rolls with it, instead of a loaf. I hope it will work
Brandi says
I have made this numerous times only loaf bread I make with bread flour or all purpose it great bread both pan sizes have their plus. Way worth using as base recipe no regrets.
Terri says
I precisely followed all the steps, making sure to measure using a scale. My kitchen air temperature is 68°. After 14 hours of bulk fermentation, my dough has not risen 😞. Any thoughts? I’ll still continue with the bulk fermentation and hope and pray!
Mary says
Is your starter strong and well established? Did you use an active starter or discard from the fridge?
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Terri! Sourdough (dough) needs three things to rise: strong starter, temperature, and time. It sounds like your starter may not have been active enough. So I’d start there, feeding it as needed to make it vibrant and strong. For temperature, you might want to place your dough in a warmer spot during bulk fermentation (this will give it a boost). Try inside the oven with the light on. And finally: time. The dough will alway take longer to rise in cold weather, especially with a sluggish starter. Try these tips and see how you go!
Haley says
Delicious sandwich bread! Mine took much longer to rise as I have a cold house, but it was totally worth the wait. Soft and moist but sturdy enough to hold up in a sandwich. This is the first recipe I’ve tried with my starter that actually had a noticeable sour taste to it. Will definitely make again!
Mary Wright says
My 6 qt kitchen aid mixer specifically says to not use dough hook at more than speed 2. You recommend speed 3 and I am reluctant to do that. I will use speed 2 but wonder if you should change your instructions and what my results will be at a slower speed.
Looking forward to your feedback. Thanks.
Jerry Head says
I use speed 3 in my older Kit hen Aide and it works well.
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Mary! I’ve never encountered any issues. However, if you are reluctant, go ahead and try speed 2. It will take a bit longer to come together. But the end goal is the same. The dough should feel soft and supple, not sticky. Hope this helps! 🥰
Sue says
Made this bread today! I measured by the recipe to the gram, and I loved working with this dough. I did not preheat at a higher temperature as I did not want too much additional oven spring. The texture appears like a really nice sandwich bread but the feel in your mouth is a little off and the taste is flat. Maybe a salt/sugar ratio thing? Perhaps I undercooked it just a tad at 45 minutes even though the crust was quite well browned. Not sure what I did wrong, but practice makes perfect and I’ll get another loaf baked soon!
Mary says
Can you tell me what the purpose would be to increase the starter and water amounts?
I used the 50 grams of starter but it has taken my dough in the bread pans all day to rise, and it still hasn’t risen to the top. If I use more starter will it rise quicker?
Thanks
Sandy says
Using more sourdough starter and less water create a faster fermentation cycle and a more dense chewier dough with less tang.
julie hynes says
I have the same question as Mary, my dough has been in the pan for over 3 hours and it is not to the top of the pan? It grew but did not make it to the top of the bread pan. I am hoping it works anyway.. and love to get feed back on this also.
Tasha says
Mine took almost 12 hours for the second rise, but eventually did. lol I think it just has to do with the temperature of your kitchen being a little to cold.
Mary says
I am trying the sourdough sandwich loaf today. It is now on the final rise before baking. If I use a cast iron enamel bread pan with a lid, like a Dutch oven, do I keep the top on for the entire baking time? Or do I remove it like when I make the beginning artisan boule? Thanks for your recipes. They are so easy to follow and delicious!
Mary Cate says
I have the same question!
Lisenell says
Beautiful, great tasting bread and an easy recipe.
Dee Thistle says
I have been watching videos and listening to people on YouTube. This by far was the best explanation and it only took a few minutes to read but most importantly, understand what bulk fermentation was and what to do afterwards thank you thank you thank you
Katie says
Such a good recipe! I refrigerated the dough during bulk rise, it took 24 hours to double. It was DELICIOUS and had so much sourdough flavor you don’t normally get in a sandwich loaf.
Sandy says
By bulk fermenting it for 24 hours you created an extra sour sourdough loaf!
T Rose says
I have tried a couple other sandwich loafs, but this one was super easy, added tips and came out looking just the the picture. Excellent Sandwich bread. I will be making this again. Thanks Emilie!
Miranda says
Can you use plant-based butter?
Hannah says
I make it with plant based butter and it comes out great!
Tanga Stewart says
Made this sandwich sourdough bread yesterday. Delicious! It is very soft and holds together. After cooling we made meatloaf sandwiches. The bread was perfect. It held together was soft and moist not dry and crumbly. Will definitely do this again! Thank you!
Mary says
Hi there!
I have loved making your different breads. I made this one for the first time, and it is delicious. However, my loaf did crack around the edges; what did I do wrong?
Thank you for your time, and advice.
Lindsey says
This is delicious and super easy. I added cinnamon swirl-perfect for toast.
Laura Tiffany says
My first loaf of sourdough sandwich bread
Nhi says
Hi i can I replace the butter for olive oil? I would like to make it allergy friendly for my son.
Karen says
This was fantastic! Thanks for including the measurements in cups, etc. I discovered after buying my sourdough starter that my kitchen scale doesn’t actually weigh in grams, so it was great having everything listed both ways. Turned out delicious and was very easy to make.
Andrea says
Hi!! I’m new to sourdough but I really want to try your recipe since I already make my own regular sandwich bread. My question is, can I use a lidded pan for this recipe? And if yes, how tall do I let it rise on the second rise. Thank you!
Meeghan says
Hi! (Obviously im not the creator) but I used the lidded loaf pans for mine. It rises all the way towards the lid usually and bakes perfectly square!
Catherine Remus says
I followed the ingredient amounts, in grams, exactly but when mixing it was extremely stiff and lumpy not shaggy hard and lumpy. Hopefully it will soften up after autolyzing. Can I add more water at that point or is it too late?
Mickey says
Can I do honey instead of sugar ? Is it the same amount as the sugar. If so do I add the honey to the starter and water. Thank you Mickey
Eric Miller says
I am experimenting with using heirloom /heritage turkey red wheat flours and was wondering if you could advise on adjustments to this recipe if using 100% whole wheat flour and if using 100% bolted wheat flour. Thank you.
Amy says
Great straightforward recipe that I will use over and over! Made a delicious and soft loaf. I doubled it and froze one for later.
Nicole Cumberbatch says
I’m a newbie to making sourdough bread. I followed you recipe exactly as given and my first sourdough sandwich bread came out AMAZING and DELICIOUS!
Thank you so much for sharing
Danielle says
I just made this bread and it is by far the softest sourdough sandwich I have ever made. I definite keeper!!!
Pip Hyde says
Hi,
Question my bread came out cakey, I didn’t put in as much salt as I used salted butter, also had to cook longer as internal temp was WAY under 95c
Im guessing should be same as boules… any advice would greatly accepted.
Laur says
This has quickly become my go to sourdough loaf! It’s so easy and yummy, I have one in process right now. Tweaking the sourdough started amount this time, excited to see the result, but really this recipe never fails.
Rebecca says
Thanks for sharing! This is my go to sandwich bread recipe. I’ve made it 3 times now and always double it to create 2 loaves.
Tania Carrier says
Question for you… do you separate the dough before the first rise or before the second rise?
Rebecca Elaine Thomas says
I separate before the second rise.
Jackie says
First off, Happy New Year! Thank you for this delicious recipe! I’m rather newish on my sourdough journey, but immensely enjoying it. I did start this loaf rather late in the day. I did an 11 hour BF in my cool 68° kitchen. Wanted to go to bed at 11PM so I shaped, put into banneton, covered with oiled plastic wrap. Took it out at 7AM, scored it and then wondered what to do :) I let it sit one hour. Preheated oven. Covered with my other loaf pan for 20 minutes, uncovered let it brown. It’s not as beautiful as yours, it’s a bit heavy in weight, BUT THE FLAVOR IS HEAVENLY. I can’t stop nibling LOL I did replace one cup APF with one cup whole wheat. I’m gonna try this again soon and start earlier in the day! I suspect during the summer months this preparation will go much faster! Again, thank you!
Diane says
Do you have a daytime time chart? Can’t wait to try this recipe.
Annette Martinez says
Can I use Bread flour instead of all purpose flour?
Suzy Charto says
Can you use a bread maker for mixing the dough
Jessi says
This recipe was exactly what I was looking for! My kids eat lots of sandwiches and I just wanted a healthier option for them. I’m very new to sourdough (still struggling to make the artesian loaf), but this has been so easy. I’ve been tweaking my timing to get it a little fluffier. This last time I accidentally let it rise too long in our warm house and it overflowed, but I think that longer bulk rise may have been the secret.
I also tried it with honey, golden wheat flour, bread flour, and AP flour. Trying to make a soft honey wheat. If you have any recommendations on that I would love to hear them!
Kristen Maleski says
Can I put this in the refrigerator overnight after the second rise in the sandwich pan and bake it the next morning straight from the fridge? Or should I do the second rise in the pan after refrigerating it overnight?
Deloah Browne says
I was wondering this too.
Sandy says
I have made this recipe about 5 times with no issues at all, it’s simple and comes out so delicious! It’s my favorite sourdough sandwich bread recipe! The only changes I made were substituting honey for the sugar and leaving a loaf pan on top of the loaf with the dough in it as a makeshift Dutch oven for @30 min and then removing it for the rest of the bake. I like my bread a lighter color than more golden. It is So good!
Gerrit says
Hi,
This was my first attempt at Sourdough and typical me I went all out… 3kg flour bake. It came out perfectly. Took 23 hours as I was gifted a 40g starter so I first made a 1:16:16 levian…
Ralph says
Could I suggest, perhaps, having the conversion next to the imperial measurement for your international audience? Save us toggling back and forth to the Google tab to run the conversion.
Sunny says
This has been my go-to recipe and has been so consistent and lovely each time!! I would like to make smaller loaves for friends this holiday, and have 7″X2.5″ paper pans to use. My thought is to split the dough an half for this recipe (1 regular loaf pan = 2 minis) but how would the bake time be adjusted?
Adrii says
Do you cover the loaf with anything when it’s baking in the oven or leave it open?
Casey says
I have made another of your sourdough loaves and its gone within a few days. Its delicious!
Just curious- if I wanted to double or triple this recipe, would I just simply double or triple all the ingredients or are there certain modifications? I bake a loaf every weekend, but would love to make a few at the same time to save time!
Thanks!
Geri says
Can I make this Everyday Bread in an oval Dutch oven or do I have to use a loaf pan.
Vicki Metherd Allwardt says
This was a very tasty loaf even tho I started too late and had to leave. It on fridge too long. Will give it another go
Mary Ellen says
Wow! I am so excited with how this turned out. This is my first loaf. I’m looking forward to making this again. I did put it in the oven with the light on to get the initial rise going. Delicious! Thank you!
Diane L. says
This is the first sourdough sandwich bread I’ve made. It is fabulous! Slices easily, buttery, rich flavor. It’s my favorite recipe!
Angie Coffey says
Hi. I’m going to give this sandwich loaf a try today as the comments are so good I can’t resist. I’m a bit of a novice at sourdough baking and trying to understand all the intricacies with starters, hydration, gluten development etc. Can I substitute the sugar for honey and if so how many grams would I use? Thank you
Sandy says
I do and it comes out really good! I use the same amount as the recipe states for the sugar.
I have made this recipe 3 times so far and it is my favorite!
KJo says
Worked out well for my first sandwich loaf, thank you for your thoughtful tips throughout, I’m new to this so was really not sure but just followed all of your tips and it was great; very tasty, not too chewy but still the lovely sourdough flavor! Will be making this again!
Laura Larsen says
SO SO GOOD! The first sourdough recipe I’ve ever made! So easy to follow and turned out perfect!