Honey wheat sourdough sandwich bread is made with a combination of whole wheat and bread flour for a soft sandwich bread that stays fresh for days.
Just like our cinnamon raisin sourdough bread, sourdough Hawaiian rolls, and sourdough ciabatta rolls, it can be mixed and baked on the same day!
This is hands down one of the easiest sourdough sandwich breads to make. There’s only a few minutes of hands-on time and the rest is simply waiting for the sourdough to work it’s magic.
This bread is perfect to make a grilled cheese sandwich with because it has a tight, even crumb that ensures that your toppings stay inside the bread. The tight crumb also makes it easy to cut into thick or thin slices.
This sandwich bread is equally delicious as toast covered with homemade Nutella and strawberry jam.
You’re absolutely going to love the flavor, so let’s get started!
What you'll need
- whole wheat flour and bread flour: A combination of flour is used to make sure the loaf is not too dense.
- honey: Adds sweetness to the bread.
- olive oil: Helps to produce a softer loaf that stays fresher longer. Feel free to use any oil of your choice.
- salt: Fine sea salt is recommended because it dissolves more evenly.
Equipment needed
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Sample baking schedule
- 8 PM: Feed sourdough starter.
- 8 AM: Mix dough and let rest 1 hour.
- 9 AM: Stretch and fold dough into a tight ball and let rest 3-4 hours.
- 1 PM: Shape dough, place into loaf pan and let rise 3-4 hours.
- 5 PM: Bake.
Tips for success
Make sure your sourdough starter has been fed and is active and bubbly when you mix the dough. I recommend feeding your starter a 1:4:4 ratio of starter, water and flour 12 hours before mixing the dough.
Kitchen temperature
Temperature is a very important factor when it comes to baking with sourdough.
Please note that the bulk ferment and second rise times in the instructions are for kitchens that are anywhere between 68-72°F.
If your kitchen is warmer than 72°F, you will need to keep an eye on the dough.
Warmer temperatures will cause the dough to rise more quickly so check it around the 2 hour mark to make sure it does not over-prove. Do the same during the second rise.
How do I know when the dough is ready to shape?
During the first rise, the dough should expand by about 50% in the bowl.
How to shape the dough
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and gently press it into a rectangular shape. Press out any large bubbles. Fold the left and right sides inward and then roll the dough into a log shape.
Place the dough, seam-side down, into a lightly greased 9 x 5” loaf pan.
Allow the dough to rise to the top of the loaf pan. The second rise should take about as long as the first rise, about 3-4 hours.
How to store and freeze
- To store: Store the baked bread in a bread bag, beeswax wrap or kitchen towel at room temperature. This honey wheat sourdough sandwich bread will keep fresh for a few days.
- To freeze: Wrap individual loaves in plastic wrap and insert into a freezer-safe container. Make sure they have cooled completely before wrapping.
Easy sourdough recipes for home bakers
Baking with sourdough is easy when you have the right recipes. Browse through our simplified sourdough recipes and you'll find step-by-step tutorials that will give you confidence in the kitchen!
- soft sourdough dinner rolls
- beginners sourdough bread
- sourdough country loaf bread
- soft sourdough pretzels
Honey Wheat Sourdough Sandwich Bread
EQUIPMENT
- 9" x 5" loaf pan
INGREDIENTS
Ingredients to make ½ cup Active Sourdough Starter
- 1 tablespoon (15 g) sourdough starter
- ⅓ cup + 1 tablespoon (50 g) all-purpose flour
- 3 ½ tablespoons (50 g) water
Dough Ingredients
- ½ cup (100 g) active sourdough starter
- 1 ⅓ cup + 1 teaspoon (325 g) water
- 2 tablespoons (40 g) honey
- 2 tablespoons (30 g) olive oil
- 2 teaspoons (10 g) sea salt
- 1 cup + 1 teaspoon (125 g) whole wheat flour
- 3 cups + 2 tablespoons (375 g) bread flour
INSTRUCTIONS
Feed Your Sourdough Starter
- 12 hours before you plan to mix the dough, add the ingredients to make ½ cup (100 g) of active sourdough starter to a clean jar. Stir until combined, loosely cover the jar and let the starter rise at room temperature. (The ingredients will create a total of 115 g active starter but, because some of it will stick to the sides of the jar during the transfer, we are making a little more than needed.) The sourdough starter is ready to use when it has doubled in size and there are plenty of bubbles on the surface and sides of the jar.
Make the Dough
- 8 AM - Mix the dough: To a large mixing bowl, add ½ cup (100 g) of active sourdough starter, water, honey, olive oil and sea salt. Use a stiff spatula to stir the ingredients. Add the bread flour and whole wheat flour to the bowl and stir with the spatula. Switch to your hands and mix the dough until it resembles a shaggy mess and there are no dry bits in the bowl. Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for 1 hour.
- 9 AM - First rise: Wet your hand with water and stretch and fold the dough until it tightens up and starts to form a ball. Turn the dough in the bowl until it's slightly smooth on the outside. Cover the bowl and allow the dough to rise at room temperature, 68-72°F (20-22°C), for 3-4 hours or until it has risen by about 30-50%.
- 1 PM - Shape and second rise: Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and gently press it into a rectangular shape. Fold the two longest sides inwards about 1 inch. Fold the short side towards the opposite end until the loaf resembles a log shape. Place the dough seam-side down in a lightly greased 9" x 5" loaf pan. Allow the dough to rest at room temperature, uncovered until the dough has risen to the rim of the pan, about 3-4 hours.
- 5 PM - Bake: Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and bake for 45 minutes. Allow the bread to cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
NOTES
- To store: Store the bread in a bread bag, beeswax wrap or kitchen towel at room temperature. The loaf will keep fresh for a few days.
- To freeze: Wrap individual loaves in plastic wrap and insert into a freezer-safe container. Make sure they have cooled completely before wrapping.
Heather says
Love this recipe! Can I add raisins and cinnamon? How many grams would you recommend?
Amy says
You can add about 1/2 cup of raisins and about 1-2 teaspoons of cinnamon. Make sure to soak the raisins in hot water to hydrate them before adding them to the dough.
Cyndie says
This is my new favorite sandwich loaf. I use 50% whole wheat without adding any extra water. I double the recipe for 2 loaves and use about 1 lb. 12 oz. per loaf. That leaves extra dough for dinner rolls. Thank you so much for this recipe.
Amy says
You are so welcome Cyndie! 🙂
Rhiannon says
Do you sell your recipes as a book or even an e-book to print out? I love all your recipes for sourdough made learning how to do this so much easier.
Thank you
Amy says
Hi Rhiannon! I am working on an E-book right now for printing. I will send out an email as soon as it is done!
Klarise says
I’ve made this 3 times in two weeks, I love it! Second loaf I opted for maple syrup and used that loaf to make French toast, highly recommend.
My dough turns out a bit sticky, I weigh measurements but it works, after reading comments, I decided to do half whole wheat and half bread flour, I didn’t need to add more water, but only 2 extra grams snuck in there. That load turned out wonderful as well, it did ferment faster so I was able to get that loaf done in about half the time which was great because I had started late in the day.
It has passed all the tests with my family! Thank you for such an amazing bread recipe! We’ll never go back to store bought.
Question:
I believe I might be rolling the log too much as it has been splitting “a seam” on the side, should I loosen up when I’m shaping the log?
Amy says
Hi Klarise! If I were you I would give the dough a light scoring before you bake it. This will direct the dough to rise where you make the cut instead of at it's weakest point.
Klarise says
Thank you!!
Marina says
Hi! Do you think I could swap out maple syrup for the honey?
Thanks!
Amy says
Yes you can!
Amber says
I will never buy sandwich bread again! This turned out soooo good!
Alyssa says
I've already made this recipe three times this year! It is so easy and delicious, way better than any store-bought bread. I really like it toasted on a skillet with a little butter then I'll load it with turkey deli meat and eggs for breakfast!
Savannah says
Can I add oatmeal to this recipe?
Amy says
Hi Savannah! Yes you can but I would soak it before you add it.
Steve says
Thanks, Amy. I used your recipe yesterday and the result was fantastic. Easy to follow and delicious. I have one follow up question…if I wanted to boost the whole wheat % to 50%, would anything else (like hydration or resting time before folding) likely need to be changed? I’m diabetic, so more whole grains is especially helpful.
Amy says
Hi Steve, yes, if you up the whole wheat, you will need to up the hydration as well. I would start out with what the recipe calls for and gradually add about 15-20 grams of water until it feels like it's at the right consistency. Whole grains tend to ferment slightly faster as well so I would check earlier than normal so that it doesn't over-proof. I hope this helps! 🙂
Cal S says
Love the honey and EVO. I used 300 Bread flour and 200 whole-wheat flour and the loaf was incredible. I stopped room temp fermentation at 50% and then cold fermented over night. To my surprise the dough continued to rise and I was concerned it may have over proofed. Baked in cast iron oven as a hand made bathed. The finished bread had a nice crispy crust, great spring and a moist, light crumb. This may become my go to daily bread.
Amy says
Thanks for sharing your experience Cal! I love a good success story, especially when it comes to sourdough 🙂
Cal S says
Please note should say Formed into handmade Batard and baked in cast iron Dutch oven.
Sarah says
Hi! Can this be used with all purpose flour only?