The Best Sourdough Sandwich Bread Recipe: Soft & Easy

Share it!

This homemade sourdough sandwich bread will quickly become your family favorite. With simple ingredients and easy processes, this recipe works every time and will become your go-to sandwich bread recipe. It’s perfect for everything from french toast to grilled cheese.

Tips for Making Homemade Sourdough Sandwich Bread

For best results, understanding the following ingredients and techniques is crucial:

Bread flour is a good idea due to its higher protein content, though I’ve had plenty of success using all-purpose flour and adding in whole grain flours. 

The wet ingredients, including your active sourdough starter, need careful temperature control for proper dough proof and bulk fermentation.

A bench scraper or bench knife comes in handy for handling this dough. While a danish dough whisk or bread machine can be useful, I prefer traditional hand-kneading or using the dough hook attachment of a stand mixer.

Ingredients:

• 4 cups active starter: Make sure your sourdough starter is active and bubbly. This recipe will work with a sluggish starter, but the rise time may be much longer. How do you get 4 cups of starter? Just keep feeding your starter and don’t discard! This will build up over time until you have more than 4 cups. 
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter: Use good quality butter to add flavor and moisture to the bread. 
• 1 cup milk: I like to use whole milk for the added fat, but 1% or 2% will work in a pinch. 
• 2 teaspoons salt: Use good quality fine salt. I like Redmond Real Salt.
• 2 tablespoons sugar: I like to use white sugar, but your can substitute brown sugar for a subtle flavor twist. 
• 6 cups white flour (plus extra for your lightly floured surface): You can use unbleached white flour, bread flour, or a mixture of whole wheat and white flour in this recipe. Just monitor the dough hydration. You don’t want your dough to be too dry.

Tools:

Large Mixing Bowl

Stand Mixer

Small Saucepan

Wire Cooling Rack

Dough Whisk

Loaf Pans

Bench Knife

Kitchen Thermometer

How to Make Sourdough Sandwich Bread

Initial Mixing

1. Place your active sourdough starter in a large bowl.
2. In a small saucepan, melt the butter over low heat.
3. Add milk and warm briefly (keep temperature under 85°F).
4. Add salt and sugar, stirring until dissolved.

Mixing the Dough

1. Add the warm milk/butter mixture to your active starter in the large mixing bowl.
2. Begin incorporating bread flour one cup at a time until the sides of the bowl come clean.
3. The bread dough will be too stiff to mix by hand at this point.

Kneading

Turn onto a lightly floured surface and begin kneading. You’ll notice sets of stretch and large bubbles developing. Continue kneading until:

• Dough passes the windowpane test
• Surface becomes smooth
• This process can take 20 minutes at medium speed or by hand

Shaping Your Sourdough Sandwich Bread Loaf

1. Divide dough in half for each sandwich loaf.
2. Form into balls on your work surface.
3. Shape each into an oval.
4. Place in greased loaf pan.

Bulk Rise

1. Cover shaped loaves with plastic wrap or a tea towel.
2. Let dough rise until slightly above the rim of the pan.
3. Rise times vary (5-15 hours) depending on:
   • Time of year
   • Room temperature
   • Active starter strength

Baking Sourdough Sandwich Bread

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Bake 10 minutes.
3. Reduce heat to 350°F.
4. Bake 45 more minutes until top of the loaf is golden brown.
5. Check internal temperature (should reach 190°F).
6. Remove from bread pan to cool.

Storing Sourdough Sandwich Bread

Store fresh bread in a plastic bread bag at room temperature for 4-5 days. This soft sourdough sandwich bread freezes beautifully. 

Sourdough Sandwich Bread Recipe Notes

• Use olive oil or avocado oil to grease your loaf pans
• The amount of water in your starter affects hydration
• Looking for a soft crust? Brush with melted butter after baking
• Great base recipe for whole wheat flour experimentation

From french toast to grilled cheese to peanut butter and jelly, this recipe opens up endless possibilities. Let me know in the comments what you create with your homemade bread!

More Sourdough Recipes

4 Ingredient Basic White Sourdough Bread

Waffle Recipe Without Milk: Crispy, Fluffy, and Easy

Easy Cast Iron Sourdough Cheddar Chive Biscuits

Whole Grain Sourdough Bread

Pin For Later

Continue to Content

The Best Sourdough Sandwich Bread Recipe: Soft & Easy

Yield: 2 Loaves

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 55 minutes

Additional Time: 5 hours

Total Time: 6 hours 10 minutes

This sourdough sandwich bread is soft and easy to make. This bread makes great grilled cheese, peanut butter and jelly, or french toast! Enjoy all the benefits of using sourdough to make your sandwich bread!

Print

Ingredients

• 4 cups active sourdough starter
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 cup milk
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 6 cups white flour

Instructions

1. Place your active sourdough starter in a large bowl.
2. In a small saucepan, melt the butter over low heat.
3. Add milk and warm briefly (keep temperature under 85°F).
4. Add salt and sugar, stirring until dissolved.
5. Add the warm milk/butter mixture to your active starter in the large mixing bowl.
6. Begin incorporating bread flour one cup at a time until the sides of the bowl come clean. The bread dough will be too stiff to mix by hand at this point.
7. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and begin kneading. You'll notice sets of stretch and large bubbles developing. Continue kneading until the dough surface becomes smooth. This process can take 20 minutes at medium speed or by hand.
8. Divide dough in half for each sandwich loaf.
9. Form into balls on your work surface.
10. Shape each into an oval.
11. Place in greased loaf pans.
12. Cover shaped loaves with plastic wrap or a tea towel.
13. Let dough rise until slightly above the rim of the pan.
14. Rise times vary (5-15 hours) depending on: time of year, room temperature, and active starter strength.
15. When dough has risen slightly above the rim of the pan, preheat oven to 375°F.
16. Remove plastic wrap and place loaves in the oven.
17. Bake 10 minutes.
18. Reduce heat to 350°F.
19. Bake 45 more minutes until top of the loaf is golden brown.
20. Check internal temperature (should reach 190°F).
21. Remove from bread pan to a wire rack to cool.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 24 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 203Total Fat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 3mgSodium: 183mgCarbohydrates: 41gFiber: 2gSugar: 2gProtein: 6g

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Pinterest

East Fork Growing LLC is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. These products do not cost anymore to you, but we earn a small commission if you use our links. Thanks for your support!