Freshly baked sourdough honey wheat sandwich bread on parchment paper.

I love a good rustic sourdough bread with big bowl of hot soup during the fall and winter months. But as we head into spring and I’m not making as much soup I find I don’t really want the rustic sourdough as much but we do still need a little bit of bread. This is where sourdough sandwich bread comes in.

Unlike rustic artisan sourdough, this sourdough honey wheat sandwich bread stays soft and fluffy and still has all the goodness of natural fermentation. It combines the delicious, subtle tang of sourdough a hint of honey and the nuttiness of wheat. This bread has a delightful flavor and texture that’s perfect for your favorite sandwich.

Sourdough sandwich bread is easy to make. Start the dough before bed in the evening then prep your loaves first thing in the morning and you can have freshly baked sourdough sandwich bread for breakfast.

Ingredients for making sourdough honey wheat sandwich bread:

1 cup bubbly active sourdough starter (I recommend feeding your starter 4-6 hours before starting the dough so it’s nice and active.)
1 ¼ cups lukewarm water
2 tablespoons honey
½ stick (¼ cup) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1 cup whole wheat flour
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons salt

Directions:

1.) For fresh bread in the morning start the dough the evening before. I usually do this right before bed. To the bowl of a stand mixer add the active sourdough starter, water, honey, butter, wheat flour and all-purpose flour and salt. Using the dough hook attachment turn the mixer on low and let all the ingredients mix together. Starting out it will be a shaggy dough. Let the mixer knead the dough will become smooth and elastic and won’t be sticky. Use the window pane test to see if the dough is kneaded enough.

Sourdough sandwich bread dough mixing in a stand mixer. — This is the shaggy stage of the dough. The dough will look like this when first mixing.

Showing the window pane test with sourdough sandwich bread dough. — Using the window pane test. You will be able to stretch the dough, it will not tear and you will be able to see your fingers through it when held up to the light. This shows you the dough has been kneaded enough.

2.) Shape the dough into a ball and place in a large mixing bowl that has been greased with oil.

Covering bread dough with plastic wrap for bulk fermentation.

3.) Cover securely with plastic wrap and place in a warm place in your kitchen overnight or 10 to 12 hours. The dough will be doubled in size when it is ready.
4.) The next morning, or 10 to 12 hours later, line two loaf pans with parchment paper. Dump the dough out onto you work surface. Cut into two pieces and shape into loaves. I like to gently stretch the dough into a rectangle, fold into thirds and roll up from a small end into a loaf shape. Place in the parchment lined loaf pans. Let rise for another 2-4 hours until the dough has doubled in size.

Sourdough dough that has finished its bulk fermentation. — This the dough after 10 hours of bulk fermentation over night.

Cutting the dough into two pieces for shaping into loaves. — Cut the dough into two pieces.

Shaping sourdough dough into a rectangle for shaping into a loaf. — Shape the dough into a rectangle.

Folding sourdough dough into thirds for shaping into a loaf. — Fold into thirds.

Rolling sourdough bread dough into a loaf. — Roll up into a small loaf shape.

Sourdough bread dough shaped into a small loaf. — The loaf may not touch the ends of your loaf pan but that’s ok. It will fill up the pans nicely as it rises.

5.) Once the dough has doubled in size preheat the oven to 375 degrees. With a sharp knife or razor blade score the tops of the loaves with three slits. Bake for 30-35 minutes. The bread is done when an instant read thermometer inserted into the middle of a loaf reads between 199 and 201 degrees.

Two loaves of sourdough dough in loaf pans.

6.) Using the parchment paper lift the loaves out of the pans and onto a wire rack. For a softer crust rub the tops of the hot loaves with butter. Wait until the bread is cool before slicing. Enjoy!

Putting butter on top of freshly baked sourdough honey wheat sandwich bread.

Notes:

Feed your starter 4-6 hours before starting the dough to make sure you have an active bubbly starter.
To have fresh baked bread in the morning make sure to start the dough in evening before bed.
Don’t let the dough ferment longer than 12 hours otherwise the dough might over ferment and lose it’s structure.
You can knead the dough by hand if you don’t have a stand mixer. Just make sure to do the window pane test to make sure it has been kneaded long enough.
For a crustier bread skip rubbing the tops of the hot loaves with butter.

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Yield: 2 loaves