Honey Wheat Sourdough Sandwich Bread
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
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.
Hi Amy, this was one of the easiest sourdough recipes to follow and such a breeze. My bread came out a little toasty and I ended up taking it out 10 min before because of how much the crust had cooked. I think my oven might be too hot but then if I take it out too quickly it doesn’t cook the inside properly. Would I be able to lower the temperature and cook for a little bit longer rather? Thank you 🙏
Hi Amy! Yes I would turn the oven down and bake longer. I would try 350°F for about an hour, but check on it sooner just in case... You can also try covering the top with some foil when it starts to get too brown.
Thank you for this recipe! It's amazing and my family loves it. Could I double it easily, would I need to alter rising or baking times?
You can double the recipe with no need to alter the rising or baking times!
Excellent, I'm doing that now! Thank you!
I am making this right now, and I’m just wondering, is it 218 calories for one slice (1/12 of the loaf)? I cut the loaf I usually bake into 16, so I will probably do that, and I am just making sure that isn’t per two slices!
Hi Grace, it is for 1/12th of the loaf so if you cut it into 16 equal slices, it would make each slice 163 calories.
I am planning on baking this bread but only have a 8.5 x 4.5 loaf pan. Will that be ok? Will the bake time differ much? I've baked a few of your sourdough recipes and they always come out perfectly.
That should work out fine!
This recipe was so easy and came out great!
Would you have to modify at all to use all bread flour instead of the whole wheat mix?
Thank you!
You may need to adjust the liquid slightly. I would hold back about 25-50 grams and add it as needed so that the dough will not be too sticky.
This was my first time making anything sourdough, so I was very skeptical that it would turn out even 1/4 of the way good. Boy was I wrong! I followed the recipe to a T, and holy cannolis, it’s the best tasting bread I’ve ever had!!I wish I could give it 10 star instead of just 5! My husband ate 1/2 the loaf in one sitting
Thank you Courtney! 🙂
Really enjoyed this bread. Would like a stronger honey flavor. How much honey do you suggest would be the limit, without further adjustments? TIA.
You could double the honey but you may need to add a small amount of flour. I would mix the dough and see how it feels. If it feels sticky, dust it with flour until you get the right consistency.
This is delicious! It was only 1/2 the height BUT still delicious. I will absolutely do this recipe again. I may have 'hurried' the rise parts! Thanks for your wonderful site and all the help you provide!!
I like a hard crusty round loaf of sourdough bread like anyone else. However, having a sourdough bread that is like a normal loaf of sandwich style sliced bread has actually become a staple at our house. This recipe won't disappoint!
I currently only have a 13x4 loaf pan. Will this recipe still work or do I need to modify the amount of ingredients?
You will need to increase the ingredients by 1 1/2.