Success! I’ve been enjoying my forays into sourdough bread making and was looking for a good, whole wheat, soft, sandwich style bread recipe. Last weekend when we were at the store we forgot to pick up a loaf of bread for the week, so I decided that was a sign for me to try to make it instead . . . . and boy am I glad I did!
I delved into one of my favorite baking cookbooks and found a great honey whole wheat bread recipe that looked like it was just what we were looking for. With a cross reference to their sourdough section, I adapted it to use sourdough starter and began a sponge the night before to get it going. And it worked great! The crumb is soft, it has a sweetness to it from the honey that is offset by the sourness from the starter, and we’ve enjoyed it plain with butter and honey, grilled up as a salmon melt and simply served (to my little guy) with some melted cheese on top. We will be making this one regularly!
1 cup whole wheat sourdough starter (don’t worry if you only have white starter, it’ll work as well!)
2 cups whole milk
1/4 cup mild honey
2 large eggs
6 cups (divided) whole wheat flour, plus extra for kneading
2 teaspoons sea salt
6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
The Night before you are going to bake bread, using a large bowl make a sponge by mixing the starter with the milk and 2 cups of flour. Cover with plastic wrap and leave at room temperature overnight.
The next morning, stir the sponge before beginning. Then, add in the honey and eggs, stirring until incorporated. Add the flour, salt and butter and stir with your hand or a wooden spoon until a rough mass forms. Using a pastry scraper, scrape the dough out of the bowl and onto a lightly floured work surface. Knead until smooth and elastic, dusting the work surface with only enough flour to keep the dough from sticking, 5-7 minutes.
Form the dough into a ball and transfer into a lightly oiled bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a warm, draft-free spot until it doubles in bulk. Sourdough generally takes longer to rise than commercial yeast, so expect anywhere from two to four hours, depending on the strength of the starter and the heat in your kitchen. Mine took about two and a half hours.
Butter two 9×5-inch loaf pans.
Once the dough has doubled in bulk, punch down the dough and using the pastry scraper, scrape out onto a clean work surface. Cut dough in half with a sharp knife or bench scraper. For each half, evenly flatten the dough with the heel of of your hand. Roll the bottom third up onto itself and seal it by pushing it gently with the heel of your hand. Continue rolling and sealing the dough until you have an oval log. Place the log, seam side down, in the prepared loaf pans. Press on them lightly to flatten them evenly into the pans.
Cover loosely with a kitchen towel and let the loaves rise in a warm, draft-free spot until the double in size, up to two hours.
Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
Slash loaves, then immediately bake loaves until they are honey brown and sound hollow when tapped on the top, 35-40 minutes, turning the loaves once for even browning. Be careful not to overbake this bread or it will be dry. Carefully remove the loaves from the pans and let cool completely on wire racks before slicing.
Cooks Notes:
If you’d like a more “sourdough” style crust on top, when preheating the oven, place a cast iron skillet on a rack below your baking rack and put a kettle of water on to boil. Right before your put your loaves in the oven, slash the tops and then brush with ice water. Put loaves in oven and then immediately pour boiling water in the cast iron skillet below them before quickly shutting the door. Do not open the door until about 25 minutes in, at which time remove the skillet (so the bottom gets browned evenly) and turn the loaves. Allow to bake an additional ten to fifteen minutes until done.
You could also dust the tops of the loaves with a little bit of whole-wheat flour (as the original recipe indicates) or with a grain, like oatmeal, or seed, like sesame, of your choice.
When baking, I made one loaf and then rolled the remainder of the dough (prior to the second rise) into small golf-ball sized balls and froze them for future baking. The day I was going to make my rolls, I simply took the dough out in the morning allowing them to defrost slowly on my counter, then placed them on a greased baking sheet and allowed them to rise before baking. Baking took about twenty minutes at a preheated 375 degree oven.
This bread recipe makes a soft, sandwich-style loaf and is great for toasting. The sourdough tang nicely offsets the sweetness of the honey and has already become a favorite in our home! Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and/or in a ziploc bag and store in the fridge – will last about one week.
Hi! I just finished making a sourdough starter at home (from just whole wheat flour and water) and tomorrow will be my first day to start baking with it. Is this a good recipe for a "young" starter, or do you suggest waiting til it has a bit more age to it to use it in this recipe? Can't wait to try it! Thanks!
Hi Susannah!
If you use a whole wheat starter for this whole wheat bread it will work, but it might take a lot longer to rise, each time (especially with a young starter) and you might need to add a little more liquid to make everything incorporate effectively, but absolutely, it should work! Just make sure that you allow it enough time to rise, don't look at the clock, look at the bread. Good luck!
Best,
Sarah
Hi Sarah-
I have a question re freezing the dough before it's baked. You said to do this before the second rise. Does this mean pop it into the freezer after you have mixed in the rest of the flour to the sponge, or after you have covered it with plastic wrap and before it's punched down after rising? Sorry just a bit confused which rise you mean!
I made this recipe the other day and it turned out fantastic! I'm wondering – do you think that this recipe would work for making hamburger/hotdog buns? Or, do you have a recipe for that? Also, I made your pizza crust and it was out of this world. Thanks for sharing your recipes.
Pam
PS – I'm going to be posting about making the bread today and linking to you, if that's OK.
Hi Pam!
Thanks for your note, I'm glad it was such a success! You could definitely use this for hamburger buns, I haven't tried it that way but it sounds great!
A true hamburger bun recipe is on my list of things to work on with sourdough for this summer, though. I have a good model I'm basing it off of and tweaking it for sourdough. Come back and check it out in a few months!
Please let me know if you have any sourdough questions!
Best,
Sarah
PS – I love that pizza recipe too!
I made this bread & the texture was very soft, but my oh my was it sour! Obviously other people are not having this same experience. This is about my 3rd time baking bread with my sourdough starter, but I've made pancakes, crackers, pita, tortillas. The first time I made bread (different recipe) it was way too dense, no rise in the oven. So I took the keeping my starter on the counter, instead of in the fridge, and feeding it little bits (1/8 c. each day). It had a good rise in this recipe, but do you have any tips for me on making it less sour? Thanks
Hi Lisa!
Thanks for your note! Mine has never been too sour but one thing that I do each time before I bake bread with my starter is feed it a large meal of flour and water about a day before I'm going to bake. Normally at least 1 cup of each. It makes the starter nice and happy and, when you use it the next day it is more fresh tasting with the fresh flour and less sour.
Also, I know that as a starter ages it mellows a bit in flavor. Since yours is still pretty young, it might just need a bit more working and use. I'd also recommend waiting a day or two between feedings on your counter and pouring off any grey water that ends up on top. If you don't allow it to develop between feedings, you'll just be (inadvertantly) stirring it back in which I know makes a starter more sour. Also, if your starter is more acidic to start with (which is why I like feeding it a large quantity of a base, the flour, before my baking day) the bread or whatever you will be baking will be more sour.
I hope this helps!
Don't give up though and let me know if you try it again!
Best,
Sarah
Original comments from former blog:
Michele said…
This recipe sounds delicious! I’ll definitely have to give it a try. Thanks!
Thanks for stopping by my blog.
Blessings,
Michele
mama said…
I am going to try this this week. I have to first go feed my starter and make sure that it is good and strong. Thank you
Rachael said…
I still haven’t tried to make sourdough starter, but this picture of delicious bread might light the fire!
Rachael said…
I’m now a third of the way through the starter process..so excited to try this bread when its all finished!
Jeremy,Kristi and Hannah said…
Hey Sarah! I just got a sourdough start from a friend that is over 100 years old! From a real Alaskan sourdough
I was so excited! I came right to your website and started looking up recipes! I am definitely going to try this one. For the past year I have been making Simple Honey Whole Wheat off allrecipies.com but now I can’t wait to try this one out!! Take care girl & good luck with the boys!! Miss you!
Anonymous said…
I’m new to sourdough – do I have to leave some dough as a starter for next batch?
Susan.
Sarah said…
Hi Susan!
Good Question1
You don’t need to save the dough (i.e. bread dough) per se, but you do need to keep some of the starter for next time. Just feed your starter in advance, use part of it in the recipe, and put the remainder back in your fridge. You always keep part of the starter going in your fridge and keep some for next time, but not part of the bread dough (which also has eggs or milk or other items that can go bad) and don’t add part of the dough back into the starter for the same reasons. The starter should only be fed with flour and water.
I hope this helps and clarifies the sourdough questions!
Best,
Sarah
BigMama said…
how big of a bowl do you need for the starter (step 1)? Will it double in volume similar to feeding a starter?
Sarah said…
I was pretty discouraged over my sourdough failures, but someone mentioned your recipe, so I tried it. I have made this 3 times and it has turned out great. Thanks for posting it!
For the ‘golf ball sized frozen pieces’. How exactly do you thaw/cook them? Do you put it in the fridge the night before? How long does it need to cook,etc.
Thanks again!
Michelle G. said…
Hi! This was the first sourdough bread I ever made, and it came out wonderful. Your directions were very specific for a first-timer. I’ve been making it each week for about 3 weeks now. Thanks for posting it!
KylieNZ said…
Oh wow. Thank you thank you THANK YOU. This bread is amazing. I just enjoyed a slice of it warm from the oven. I am so elated! Finally, a soft, sourdough bread that is delicious and can be used for sandwiches! I have been making sourdough bread for about a year, but my results have never been that great, and I have never found a recipe that I love. Now I’ve found it. THANK YOU.
Do you think this bread would work with spelt flour instead of whole wheat?
Hi Sarah!
I just finished making your bread and it was DIVINE! loved it!
It came out perfectly…I’m so excited I found your blog and look forward to trying out your other recipes…
Quick question….
Does the bread HAVE to be kept in the fridge?? I’m assuming it just wouldn’t last as long…? And also have you ever baked the bread and THEN froze it…instead of freezing the dough?
Thanks again!
Hi Jennifer!
I’m so glad it was a success! To answer your questions, no, the bread does not have to be kept in the fridge, but it will last a few more days if it is. It’ll last four to five days in an airtight bag on the counter. Also, yes, I often freeze baked bread – and this one is a great recipe for that! I cover it in plastic wrap, then freezer-foil before tossing in the freezer. Allow to defrost at room temperature and you will be ready to go!
Hope this helps and thanks for visiting!
Best,
Sarah
it does help! Thank you so much for responding so quickly
I had my family over for lunch today after church and everyone raved about your bread 
Blessings,
Jennifer
This is the first sourdough bread I have made. So far I’ve just been making crackers and pizza, waiting for my starter to gain strength. I started it from freshly ground rye flour about two weeks ago, and have been feeding it wheat or rye (mostly rye). I was definitely timid to make bread for the first time because I’ve read so many first-time hockey puck stories. I am very excited to report that my first loaf is better than I could have ever imagined! I used my mostly-rye starter and I actually used water in place of the milk, otherwise I followed the recipe to the letter. My partner and I are honestly blown away at how fabulous this bread is. Very soft, slightly tangy, springy and just delicious. We just ate it with butter, honey and a glass of raw milk to wash it down. Thank you so much for making my first bread-making experience so positive. I will be making this regularly. I can’t wait until tomorrow morning to try it as toast with eggs and bacon!
P.s.: I love your blog! So many great recipes and bits of wisdom. Thanks and keep up the great work.
Sarah, your bread recipe is amazing. I will be posting on my sourdough journey this evening and wanted to make sure it is okay to publish the recipe along with the correct credit and linkage of course. I will also be linking to your “definitive guide to sourdough”.
Thanks Rebecca, I’m so glad that it worked for you!
Here’s the link to my copyright page – since this is a personally developed recipe I prefer that you don’t copy and paste the recipe in it’s entirety, but have more details here:
http://heartlandrenaissance.com/faq/copyright/
I certainly appreciate you including my link and definitive guide, though! Makes all the work worthwhile knowing that you’re finding such success! Awesome! Please feel free to ask any questions that may come up on your journey!
I need to make more bread myself, tomorrow!
Best,
Sarah
[...] a mature starter bubbling away and a carefully chosen recipe I nervously began to prepare my first successful loaves of sourdough bread. The first stage is [...]
[...] The recipe I used is here. [...]
I made my first sourdough bread with my starter using this recipe. It came out great! I posted about it on my blog here: http://thejoyfulkitchen.wordpress.com
I hope that’s okay! I made a link to your blog and to this recipe.
I hope you have more sourdough recipes to come!
Rachel,
I’m so glad that you enjoyed the recipe! Your bread looks tasty and sounds like it was enjoyed by all! Good luck in your sourdough adventures and let me know how I can be of help!
Best,
Sarah
PS – From your pictures, may I suggest letting it rise a teensy bit more, maybe another hour or two? It should dome a bit more . . . But I know you’re just starting learning and I’ve had LOTS of bread loaves that looked identical to yours! Just my two-cents from someone who has baked this a million times! Sourdough baking is a learning process!
Hi Sarah;
I’m new to Sourdough Bread baking and have had some success with your recipe for Sourdough Honey-Whole Wheat Bread.
After the last rise, I sprinkle old fashioned oats on the top of each loaf and spray with cold water just before popping in the oven.
My question is: Can I put about a cup of the oats into the sponge mix to make this a Sourdough Honey-Whole Wheat Oat Bread?
Thanks
Bill
Hi Bill!
Yes, you can absolutely add oatmeal to the sponge. I’ve found that when adding it to the sponge before you let it sit overnight, the oats kind of disintegrate into the dough. If you want a chewy, oaty texture to the finished loaf, I’d recommend adding them in the morning you make the dough. You might have to adjust the liquid a bit to accommodate, but it sounds yummy!
Good luck!
Sarah
I’m new to sourdough bread baking and have had some success with this recipe for Sourdough Honey-Whole Wheat Bread.
I have also tried your recipe for Multi-Grain Sourdough Bread, though not as successful, but I’m still trying.
I’m curious as to why this recipe calls for making a sponge with the starter the night before, but the Multi-Grain recipe does not.
I would like to add Oatmeal to this recipe, but I’m not sure where to add it.
Could I just add it to the sponge ?
Hi Bill!
Sorry it took me a bit to get back to you on this. Good question regarding the sponge; I had to go back and compare the recipes to see what specifically you were talking about!
If you are having success with the honey whole wheat bread using the sourdough in the sponge, but not the multigrain, perhaps your starter is a bit weak and needs that extra proofing time in the sponge. I say go for it and try adding all or part of the starter to the sponge. It’s (likely) not going to hurt anything. Good luck and let me know if you have any other questions!
Best,
Sarah
Super tasty bread! Thanks for sharing the recipe! My loaf (I made 1/2 a recipe as a test run) came out beautifully…nice domed top, soft texture, great flavor! I am not a huge fan of super tangy sourdough and found that this recipe was perfect for me! I will be making the whole recipe next time for sure!
[...] Recipe makes 2 large loaves and is slightly adapted from Heartland Renaissance. [...]
Will this recipe work with skim milk?
Hi Mary Lynne!
It should be fine!
Best,
Sarah
Should be fine with skim milk, Mary Lynne!
[...] decipher. By trying out recipes. My journey started when I wanted to find a good recipe for a soft, whole grain sandwich loaf to replace the loaves I was buying at the store every week. Then later, I wanted to make a [...]
i am a fairly new bread baker, and i was wondering if it would be just as effective to do a half and half thing on this bread with bread flour and whole wheat. i did a loaf of this type bread (not sourdough–just regular) last week, and the whole wheat component makes the bread incredibly dense. if i use half regular or bread flour and the other half wheat, does anything else change with the starter or when i make each loaf?
Sure! Feel free to experiment with half bread flour and half whole wheat to see what you prefer! It won’t affect the sourdough, though it might make the rising time a little less (because the yeast eats white bread flour faster than it does whole wheat). I also find, when making a whole wheat bread, that you have to be patient with the rise time, especially with sourdough. The longer it is soaked (through sourdough) the softer the bread and higher the rise. I have not had much luck with whole wheat bread made with refrigerated dry yeast – the yeast pops up the dough quickly, but the flour doesn’t have the time to soften and soak and create a soft bread like sourdough does. Hope this helps!
Best,
Sarah
[...] loaves. Wanting to find a recipe for a hearty, whole wheat, sandwich-style loaf, I found that this recipe for Sourdough Honey-Whole Wheat Bread (over at Heartland Renaissance) quite fit the bill. [...]