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.
Love this bread! Any way to add more whole grains to it without changing the quality of end product??
I'm working on some whole grain recipes. I'll share as soon as I can!
Made this loaf, it was amazing!
Can I leave it in the fridge overnight before baking it?
Yes you can! I would let it rise for a few hours after you shape it and then the rest of the rise in the fridge.
The best sourdough sandwich bread. Thank you Amy for super delicious and super easy sourdough bread recipes. It’s a weekly staple in our home
I wasn’t sure if my bread would turn out because it looked wetter than yours but I followed directions as best I could and baked it anyway. Wow! It is delicious! My kids will enjoy it more than my usual crusty loaf because it’s so soft! I just found my new favorite sourdough recipe.
Thank you Lina 🙂
Hello! I am wanting to try this recipe! I have whole wheat bread flour. Can I just use this for the amount of flour that you have suggested? Instead of using part bread flour and part whole wheat flour? Thanks so much! So excited to get started!
You can use it but you will need to most likely add a little more liquid to the dough. After you mix it and let it sit, if the dough is too stiff, work in about 25 grams of water at a time until the dough is easy to work with.
Thank you so much, I tried it and worked amazing! I am wanting to try making it again but wondering if this bread can be fermented longer? To get more of the health benefits. Can it be fermented in the fridge for a certain amount of time after the 3-4 hours on the counter? Thanks! 🙂
Yes you can transfer it to the fridge after it has risen about an inch from the top of the pan. It should be good for a day or two before baking.
I’m currently trying the recipe and letting the dough rise to the rim of the loaf pan. The top seems slightly hard, not doughy. It’s still rising, but is this common?
It should be fine but you may want to cover the dough next time if it's too dry on top.
Hi. I never normally comment but this was the bread that I’ve been looking for, since starting my sourdough journey 2 years ago!
I make two boules a week. Have a 4 year old who loves it but I find I waste a lot as she likes me to cut her crust off 😂 This is the perfect bread for her! Thank you so much ❤️
This bread recipe is amazingly easy and it turned out absolutely delicious! Thank you!
I pulled this bread out of the oven an hour ago and just ate the first slice - so yummy! Excellent texture and taste and I will definitely make it again and again. I actually used the discard, but mixed it with the flours and water and let it sit overnight. This morning I added the other ingredients and let it rise for a few hours, then shaped, let it rise again, and baked. It should have been in the oven for a few more minutes as it was only 191º, but I was too impatient. The only other change I made was to use 250 grams each of bread flour and whole wheat.
This is the best bread recipe I have found. I double it and get two loaves out of it. Here recently I’ve been making six loaves at a time so I have some on the freezer and I have to bake less frequently. I eat a slice every morning. It’s the only bread that doesn’t hurt my stomach and it tastes great. You can even experiment with adding things to it like a cinnamon sugar swirl and cheese and all. I use freshly milled flour and it’s even better! Thanks for an awesome recipe!
Do you also double the start amount when making 2 loaves?
Yes you do.
Do you have to add more water if your adding things like cinnamon, raisins, cheese etc?!