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. 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!
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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.
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.
Recommended kitchen tools
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- 9" x 5" loaf pan (affiliate link)
- beeswax wrap (affiliate link)
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
Rate this recipe!
Equipment
- 9" x 5" loaf pan
Ingredients
- ½ cup (100 g) sourdough starter (active)
- 1 ⅓ cup + 2 teaspoons (325 g) water
- 2 tablespoons (40 g) honey
- 2 tablespoons (30 g) olive oil
- 2 teaspoons (10 g) sea salt
- 1 cup (125 g) whole wheat flour
- 3 cups (375 g) bread flour
Instructions
- 8 PM - Prepare sourdough starter: 12 hours before you mix the dough feed your sourdough starter. To a clean jar add 12g starter (1 tablespoon) + 50g water (¼ cup) + 50g flour (⅓ cup). Stir, cover loosely and let rise at room temperature, 68-72°F (20-22°C), until doubled.
- 8 AM - Mix the dough: To a large mixing bowl, add the 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.
Sue says
The ingredient amount in the recipe says 100g of starter but in the directions for 8 PM the starter, water and flour add up to 112g. Should I use 112g or 100g of active starter? Thanks.
Amy Duska says
100g. I put a little extra in there because some of the starter always sticks to the sides of the jar. Don't want you to have too little 🙂
Sue says
Thanks for the tip. You were right, I needed that little extra. I made the loaf yesterday and it turned out great. I enjoy your site and your detailed directions. It makes sourdough baking easier. Thank you.
Magdalena M says
I just baked my best looking sandwich loaf using this recipe - can’t wait for it to cool down and taste it! This recipe is really easy to follow, easy to adjust for additions/preference, and has great results. This is the 2nd time I’ve baked a loaf using this recipe; I love the slight sweetness of the honey. The timing of my 2nd rise has varied, but I’ve realized that is just the case due to changes in ambient temperature. Today was cold and it took about 5 hours for the loaf to rise. I look forward to trying out other recipes on your site. Thanks for sharing this one!
Molly says
Your recipes are always the best!! Thank you!!!
Anne says
Thanks for the recipe Amy, it is delicious!
Ivana says
Hi Amy!
I'm excited to try this. Have you experimented at all with "sweet" add ins to this recipe, such as blueberries or raisins? I figured since it's honey wheat, it might be a good combination. Thank you!
Amy Duska says
Hi Ivana! Yes you could add raisins or dried blueberries to the dough when you do the stretch and fold. If you are going to add spices like ground cinnamon, add it when you mix all of the ingredients at the beginning. 🙂
Ivana says
I'll give it a try then, thank you for the tips!!
Ivana says
Ended up making a cinnamon raisin variation and it came out great! I increased the honey by 10g to sweeten it up a bit more, and followed your suggestions for incorporating the rest . Definitely worth repeating. Thanks again,il I'm so excited to gift loathes for Christmas!
Becca says
Hi Amy! Do you have any recommendations for the amount of cinnamon and raisins you would add? Hoping to make a sweet loaf this weekend!
Amy Duska says
I would add 1 teaspoon of cinnamon to the dough during the initial mix and a cup of raisins in the first set of stretch and folds. 🙂
Tracy England says
Oh golly!!! This recipe turned out PERFECT the first time I made it. What a wonderful recipe and will easily become my favorite, hands down.
Glenna says
I have made this loaf many times, it always turns out perfect. My brother in law likes multigrain bread, no recipes that I have tried turn out well. Because this one turns out so great, I was thinking about adding some seeds, etc to make it more multigrain, any suggestions?
Diana R says
Hello Amy! I am so glad I found YOU! I have made several of your recipes and I love them all! This bread is so good! I made four loaves today. One for us, and the others to gift to friends.
Chris says
I'm interested in making this, but just ran out bread flour. Is it possible that I could get a similar taste/consistency using King Arthur AP flour plus the whole wheat flour?
Amy Duska says
Hi Chris, yes you can 🙂
Jan says
Would it be ok to lower the honey? I was thinking 1tbsp?
Amy Duska says
Yes you can 🙂
Glenna Sutton says
This recipe turned out really good, thank you!