Soft Sourdough Sandwich Bread
This easy sourdough sandwich bread has a soft crust, gentle chew, and tender crumb that’s perfect for toast, sandwiches, or even just slathered in butter straight from the oven.
Servings: 24 Servings
Calories: 189kcal
Equipment
- 1 Weck Jar for feeding starter
Ingredients
- 655 Grams Filtered Water Warm, About 100°F
- 265 Grams Active Bubbly Sourdough Starter
- 18 Grams Salt
- 130 Grams Honey Sugar, or Sugar Substitute
- 1000 Grams Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
Instructions
Mix the Dough
- In a large bowl, combine the warm water and active sourdough starter. Stir until mostly dissolved.
- Add the honey (or other sweetener), salt, and flour. Mix until a shaggy dough forms.
Rest and Stretch & Fold
- Cover the bowl with a damp towel and let rest for 30 minutes.
- After resting, perform a set of stretch and folds (lift and fold the dough over itself, turning the bowl as you go, about 4 times).
- If desired, repeat another 1–2 times over the next few hours. (I've skipped this step before, and it still turned out great.)
Bulk Fermentation
- Cover the dough and let it rise at room temperature for 6–10 hours until it has doubled in size and looks bubbly and jiggly.
Shape the Loaves
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide in half (no need to be exact unless you want even loaves).
- Gently shape each into a Loaf. (See video for full instructions)
Prepare the Pans
- Butter two loaf pans thoroughly (no spray oils – real butter works best). Place the shaped dough into the pans, seam side down.
Second Rise
- Let the loaves rise at room temperature until they’re nearly to the top of the pans (about 1–2 hours), then cover and put in the refrigerator overnight.
Bake
- In the morning, or when you are ready to bake, preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Score the tops with a bread lame and bake for 35 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Remove from oven and immediately rub the tops with butter for a soft crust.
- Let cool in the pans for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.
Video
Notes
This dough is very forgiving! You can skip extra stretching and folding or adjust the rise times based on your schedule.
The recipe freezes beautifully – just wrap cooled loaves tightly, and freeze.
The nutritional information is based solely on the flour, starter, and honey. Opinions vary widely on how long fermenting the dough breaks it down, making it easier to digest.
Nutrition
Serving: 1Slice | Calories: 189kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 5g | Fiber: 1g