100% Whole Wheat Sourdough Sandwich Bread – Two Easy Methods
If you’re looking for a soft, nutritious, and delicious bread for sandwiches, this whole wheat sourdough sandwich bread is the perfect choice. Made with freshly milled whole wheat flour, naturally leavened with sourdough, and sweetened with honey, this bread is a healthier alternative to store-bought options. Whether you use a bread machine or a KitchenAid mixer, this recipe ensures a soft, fluffy loaf every time.
Why Make Homemade Sourdough Sandwich Bread?
Store-bought sandwich bread can be expensive and often contains processed ingredients. Making your own soft sourdough sandwich bread at home is a great way to control what goes into your food while providing your family with a nutritious and delicious staple.
Not only is this sandwich bread naturally leavened with sourdough, but it also contains honey instead of cane sugar and freshly milled whole wheat flour for an added boost of vitamins, minerals, and protein. I was inspired to start making most of my bread with freshly milled flour after listening to some of Sue Becker’s podcasts. Sue Becker runs the store Bread Beckers, which is a fantastic resource for all things bread baking and freshly milled flours. The actual store is local to me, so I stopped by and stocked up on bulk grains. It’s been so fun scooping up wheat berries, turning them into fresh flour, and making the most beautiful bread.
Two Easy Methods: Bread Machine vs. KitchenAid
In this post, I’ll walk you through two easy methods for making this soft sourdough sandwich bread: the hands-off bread machine method and the KitchenAid mixer method. Both yield fantastic results, and you can choose which works best for your schedule and preferences.
Ingredients:
- 285g water
- 140g active sourdough starter
- ¼ cup melted butter (salted or unsalted)
- 80g honey (about ¼ cup)
- 9g salt (about 1½ teaspoons)
- 450g freshly milled whole wheat flour (or store-bought whole wheat flour)
Bread Machine Method:
- Place the bread machine bowl onto a kitchen scale and ddd the ingredients in this order: water, sourdough starter, melted butter, honey, and salt. Then, add the freshly milled whole wheat flour on top.
- Set the bread machine to the leaven cycle (menu option 12 on the KBS bread machine). This cycle mixes and warms the dough to help it rise but does not bake it.
- Let the dough bulk ferment in the bread machine for 6–7 hours.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly greased Pullman loaf pan, shape it, and cover it for an overnight rise in the fridge.
- The next morning, allow the dough to proof at room temperature for 1–2 hours while the oven preheats to 375°F.
- Bake for 45 minutes. Optionally, brush the top with butter for a softer crust
KitchenAid Mixer Method:
- Place mixing bowl onto a kitchen scale and combine all liquid ingredients first, then add the flour on top.
- Use the dough hook attachment and knead on medium speed for about 10+ minutes, until the dough passes the windowpane test.
- Cover the dough and let it rise at room temperature for 6–8 hours.
- Shape the dough and place it in a greased Pullman loaf pan.
- Cover and refrigerate overnight.
- The next morning, let the dough proof for 1–2 hours before baking at 375°F for 45 minutes.
Tips for Success
Watch the rising time: Dough will rise slower in the winter and faster in the summer, so keep an eye on it and adjust accordingly.
Feed your starter early: For the best results, feed your sourdough starter first thing in the morning and mix the dough by midday. I did a whole post on feeding your sourdough starter here.
Create a warm proofing environment: If your home is cold, cover your KitchenAid mixing bowl with plastic wrap and place it in a warm spot to help the dough rise properly.
Adjust flour for texture: If you prefer a fluffier texture, you can substitute some of the whole wheat flour with white bread flour.
Storage options: Store the baked bread in a bread box or bread bag at room temperature for up to three days. For longer storage, slice and freeze the bread, then toast or warm slices as needed.
Final Thoughts
Both methods produce a soft, fluffy sourdough sandwich bread with the added nutrition of freshly milled whole wheat flour. While the bread machine is a more hands-off approach, the KitchenAid method is a great alternative if you don’t have a bread machine.
I hope you enjoy making this wholesome homemade sandwich bread! If you try this recipe, let me know in the comments how it turns out. Don’t forget to like and subscribe for more homemade bread recipes.
Looking for sourdough discard bread ideas? Try this sandwich bread!
Happy baking!
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100% Whole Wheat Sourdough Sandwich Bread
Equipment
- Bread Machine or Mixer (I used the KBS Bread Machine and KitchenAid mixer for this recipe)
Ingredients
- 285 grams water
- 140 grams bubbly sourdough starter Feed your starter first thing in the morning so it's ready for mixing the dough by mid day. I do 1 tbsp starter + 1 cup flour & 1 cup water when I feed my starter.
- 1/4 cup slightly melted butter salted or unsalted
- 1/4 cup honey about 80 grams
- 9 grams salt 1.5 tsps
- 450 grams whole wheat flour
Instructions
KBS Bread Machine Instructions
- Place the bread machine bowl on a kitchen scale and add all ingredients to the bowl with the flour going in last.
- Set the bread machine to option 12, or the Leaven cycle. This will mix and rise the dough but it will not bake. Let the dough continue to sit in the bread machine for the next 4-8 hours. This goes quickly in the summer and slowly in the winter.
Shaping & Overnight Cold Ferment
- In the evening, dump the dough onto a clean counter. It helps to slightly wet the counters and your hands to prevent sticking. Spread the dough out into a rectangle shape, fold in the right side a bit, then the bottom, then the left side, then take the top corners and pull them in, crossing them over each other a bit, and tightly start rolling it up towards you. If it's easier, you can also just roll up the dough without all the folding. Place this log shape dough into a slightly greased loaf pan.
- Cover the loaf pans and set them in the fridge overnight.
Baking
- In the morning, pull the pans out to proof another 1-2 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 375. Once preheated, bake loaves for 45 minutes. Remove from oven and place on a cooling rack and brush the tops with butter if you would like softer, glossier crust. Let cool completely before cutting.
KitchenAid Instructions
- Place the mixer bowl on a kitchen scale and add all ingredients to the bowl with the flour going in last.
- With a dough hook, knead the dough for 10-15 minutes until it passes the window pane test.
- Cover the dough with plastic wrap and let it rest in a warm spot for 6-8 hours.
- Follow the same instructions listed above for shaping, overnight cold ferment, and baking.
Would you be willing to make this bread sometime but substitute a dairy free option (like coconut oil) for the butter and then update the recipe to show how much coconut oil to use as a substitution? If not, no biggie! I love your YouTube channel!
I would be willing! i’ll give it a try : )