Many home bakers have wondered “Can you bake sourdough in a loaf pan?” The answer is yes! Learn how to bake this super soft sourdough sandwich bread with a beautiful crust in a loaf pan. This recipe is not only delicious, but it also gives you consistent results. A sourdough bread recipe that will be a favorite for the whole family!
Did this happen to you?
A week was spent (or more) developing the perfect sourdough starter. Now it is active and bubbly and you are antsy to FINALLY bake some bread.
All your ingredients are laid out on the counter ready to make the perfect loaf. You have your favorite sourdough bread recipe pulled up on your phone…ahem…maybe mine?! You take a final glance over the instructions until you see this – “Bake in a large Dutch Oven.”
And the disappointment sets in when you realize you don’t have one.
The good news is that not all is lost! Though you might not be able to bake that signature crusty sourdough loaf today, you still can bake a delicious sourdough sandwich bread with a loaf pan.
Praise! Bread will still be baked today.
This super simple recipe creates a tender crumb, with a soft and gold brown crust, perfect for your everyday bread, but with a sourdough tang!
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What is Sourdough?
Sourdough is a slow-fermented food that uses a natural leaven – a sourdough starter.
Don’t have your own sourdough starter? Let me be your guide on how to create your very own sourdough starter from scratch! All you need is flour, water, and one week! Here you will find simple step-by-step directions, plus a sourdough starter schedule free printable.
A sourdough starter is what creates that light and fluffy texture we all love about bread and baked goods. Give your sourdough starter enough time to ferment, and it will break down the phytic acid naturally found in wheat.
Not only is sourdough full of rich flavor, but its fermented dough is easier for our bodies to digest.
Why Do I Need a Dutch Oven to Bake Sourdough Bread?
Baking a sourdough loaf in a Dutch oven is the best practice in order to achieve a perfect rise (what bakers refer to as the best oven spring) and for even cooking throughout the loaf.
This is due to the fact the Dutch oven captures all the steam while the bread bakes. The steam keeps the loaf soft so it can rise fully until the very end of the baking time before it becomes golden brown with a crispy crust.
Can You Bake Sourdough Bread in a Loaf Pan?
What if you don’t have a Dutch oven? Can you bake sourdough bread in a loaf pan?
Let me cut to the chase and tell you – YES, you can!
Too often bread bakers stall their sourdough bread baking journey when they find out that they need a large Dutch Oven to cook an artisan bread loaf. But let the relief set in when you hear that you can still bake sourdough bread without a cast iron Dutch oven!
This basic sourdough recipe will give you the most delicious sourdough sandwich bread and all you need is a loaf pan – you don’t even need a banneton!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe:
No Fancy Equipment Required:
As I revealed above, for the best results all you need is a tin loaf pan to bake a delicious loaf of bread. No fancy Challenger bread pan or Le Creuset Dutch Oven is needed here.
Delicious and Soft Sourdough Bread the Whole Family Will Love:
Say goodbye to Sarah Lee and all of her sliced sandwich bread buddies! This sourdough sandwich bread recipe gives you soft and incredibly delicious bread without all the additives. It will be the easiest swap, no one will notice the difference between this homemade bread and store-bought!
Bare Minimum Kneading:
Only 20 seconds of kneading is required, that’s all! Can this recipe get simpler than that?
Can Be Made and Baked in 1 Day:
I’ve included two baker’s schedules with step-by-step instructions. One schedule will even give your fresh bread all in one day. How about that for sourdough?
Ingredients:
Active Sourdough Starter – No commercial yeast is needed for this recipe! Your active starter will do all the work to give you that soft and chewy slice of sandwich bread.
Warm Water – Make sure that the water isn’t boiling. This can kill your sourdough starter, causing the dough not to rise and instead be dense.
Unsalted Butter, melted – Adding butter to this recipe makes this everyday bread so soft. You can substitute for a 1:1 ratio with olive oil if preferred.
Sugar – For some sweetness and color! While the bread bakes, the crust will turn golden brown due to the Maillard reaction.
Bread Flour – Bread flour has a higher gluten count, which helps this homemade sourdough bread keep its shape.
All-Purpose Flour – Incorporating some white flour keeps the bread nice and soft.
Salt – To enhance the overall flavor of the bread.
Supplies:
Large Bowl
Kitchen Scale – Baking is about precision and this help tremendously.
Dutch Dough Whisk – Great for mixing bread dough and pancake batter!
Bench Knife
Wire Rack
Baker’s Schedule:
Bake the Same Day:
9 am: Make the Dough
10 am: Knead the Dough
10 am: First Rise
7 pm: Shape
7 pm: Second Rise
9 pm: Bake
Bake the Next Day:
9 pm: Make the Dough
10 pm: Knead the Dough
10 pm: First Rise
Next Morning:
7 am: Shape
7 am: Second Rise
9 am: Bake
How to Make Sourdough Sandwich Bread in a Loaf Pan:
Make the Dough
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the starter, warm water, melted butter, and sugar. Add the flour and salt to the wet ingredients and mix with a Danish dough whisk until all the flour has been incorporated. The bread dough will be shaggy and a little sticky.
Cover the bowl with a damp tea towel, a tied plastic bag, or plastic wrap. Let the dough rest for 30 minutes to an hour to allow the gluten to relax a little bit.
Knead the Dough
First, wet your fingers so the dough doesn’t stick to them.
Then, take a piece of the bread dough, pull it upwards, and fold it towards the center of the dough. Push the heel of your hand into the dough.
Turn the bowl clockwise a quarter turn and repeat the same motion. Continue to knead the dough for about 20 seconds. The dough should become more stiff and smooth looking.
Grease another bowl with butter and place the dough with the seam side down.
Bulk Fermentation
Cover the bowl again and let the dough rise till doubled in size. In my 70 degree F kitchen, the bulk rise will take anywhere from 8-10 hours. If your kitchen is cooler, then this will take longer. If your kitchen is warmer, then it will take less time.
Shape the Dough
Once the dough has doubled in size, remove the bowl cover and punch the dough. Do so by placing your fist in the center of the dough and pushing it downwards. Punching the dough helps to release all the gas. This creates a tighter crumb that you want for sandwich bread.
Remove the dough onto a non-floured surface. Stretch the bread dough into a large rectangle on your work surface. Roll the bread dough into a log, like you would a cinnamon roll. Curl the ends of the sourdough sandwich bread under itself and pinch the seams together.
Second Rise
Using a bench scraper, gently lift the sourdough bread dough and place it into a greased 8.5 x 4.5 inch loaf pan with the seam side down. Cover the dough for the final rise. In my 70 degree F kitchen, this typically takes 1-2 hours before the dough is 1″ above the rim of the pan.
DO NOT rush this step. If you bake your loaf before it has properly risen, it will bake up dense and gummy. Continue to check on the loaf often.
Bake
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F.
Place the pan in the hot oven on the middle rack and bake for 40-50 minutes.
To prevent the sourdough sandwich bread crust from tearing, I like to place a cast iron skillet or baking sheet on the oven rack below the bread with a cup of ice cubes. This creates extra steam in the oven while the bread bakes, which keeps the surface of the dough soft allowing the bread to expand and rise without tearing.
If you notice the top of your loaf is browning to quickly, cover it with a piece of aluminum foil and continue to bake.
A baked sourdough sandwich loaf will have the internal temperature of 190-200 degrees F.
Remove from the oven and place the bread pan on a wire rack. Keep the pan loaf in the tin pan for an extra 5 minutes before removing it to cool.
While it is still warm, spread butter all over the top of the bread for a super soft crust.
Cool for at least 1 hour before slicing.
How to Serve
This sourdough sandwich bread is your everyday kind of bread. Slice and toast it up for some morning eggs and toast or stack it high with your favorite meat, cheese, and veggies for today’s lunch.
Even when the bread gets a bit stale, I love transforming it into either crunchy croutons or convenient bread crumbs.
The options are endless with this versatile sourdough bread!
How to Store/Freeze:
Sourdough sandwich bread will stay fresh for 3-5 days when stored in a plastic bag.
My favorite way of storing this bread is actually by freezing it. Once the bread has cooled completely, I will slice it up and store the pieces in a gallon-sized ziplock bag. I also like to place small pieces of parchment paper in between the slices so they don’t freeze together.
To refresh, I will either pull out some slices and bring them to room temperature or pop them straight into the toaster. Super simple, but still super tasty!
Happy Baking!
More Sourdough Recipes Like This:
Soft Whole Wheat Sourdough Sandwich Bread
Easy Sourdough Bread for Beginners
Roasted Garlic, Rosemary, and Cheese Sourdough Bread
FULL RECIPE TUTORIAL
Soft Sourdough Sandwich Bread Recipe
Learn how to bake this soft sourdough sandwich bread with a beautiful crust in a loaf pan. This recipe is not only delicious, but it also gives you consistent results. A sourdough bread recipe that will be a favorite for the whole family!
Ingredients
- 65 grams active sourdough starter (heaping 1/4 cup)
- 300 grams warm water (1 1/3 cups)
- 57 grams unsalted butter, melted (4 Tablespoons)
- 25 grams white sugar (2 Tablespoons) see notes*
- 400 grams bread flour (2 3/4 cups + 1 Tablespoon)
- 100 grams all-purpose flour (3/4 cup)
- 9 grams salt (1 1/2 teaspoons)
Instructions
Make the Dough
*Find 2 Baker's Schedules below in the Notes:
For the best results, use a kitchen scale and measure ingredients by grams.
1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the starter, warm water, melted butter, and sugar.
65g (heaping 1/4c) starter, 300g (1 1/3c) water, 57g (1/4c) unsalted butter, 25g (2T) sugar
2. Add the flour and salt to the wet ingredients and mix with a Danish dough whisk until all the flour has been incorporated. The bread dough will be shaggy and a little sticky.
400g (2 3/4 + 1 T) bread flour, 100g (3/4c) all-purpose flour, 9g (1 1/2 tsp) salt
3. Cover the bowl with a damp tea towel, a tied plastic bag, or plastic wrap. Let the dough rest for 30 minutes to an hour to allow the gluten to relax a little bit.
Knead the Dough
4. First, wet your fingers so the dough doesn't stick to them. Then, take a piece of the bread dough, pull it upwards, and fold it towards the center of the dough. Push the heel of your hand into the dough.
5. Turn the bowl clockwise a quarter turn and repeat the same motion. Continue to knead the dough for about 20 seconds. The dough should become more stiff and smooth looking.
6. Grease another bowl with butter and place the dough with the seam side down.
Bulk Fermentation
7. Cover the bowl again and let the dough rise till doubled in size. In my kitchen at 70 degrees F, the bulk rise will takes anywhere from 8-10 hours. If your kitchen is warmer, it will take less time. Check often and look for signs that your dough is done, rather than the time. The dough will have doubled in size, be domed on top, remove easily from the bowl and if you are using a glass bowl, you'll see bubbles all throughout the bottom of the dough.
Shape the Dough
8. Once the dough has doubled in size, remove the cover and punch the dough. Do so by placing your fist in the center of the dough and pushing it downwards. Punching the dough helps to release all the air bubbles.
9. Remove and stretch the bread dough into a large rectangle on your work surface, then roll the bread dough into a log, like you would a cinnamon roll. Curl the ends of the sourdough sandwich bread under itself and pinch the seams together.
Second Rise
10. Using a bench scraper, gently lift the sourdough bread dough and place it into a greased 4.5 x 8.5-inch loaf pan with the seam side down.
11. Cover the dough for the final rise. In my 70 degree F kitchen, this will typically take 1-2 hours. Don't rush this step, allow the dough to rise until it is 1″ above the rim of the pan. Otherwise, the loaf will bake up dense and gummy.
Bake
12. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F.
13. Place the loaf pan in the hot oven on the middle rack and bake for 45-50 mins, or until golden brown on top and the internal is 190-200 degrees F. If you notice that the top is browning too much before the loaf has finished baking, place a piece of aluminum foil on top of the loaf. for the rest of the baking time.
14. Keep the loaf in the tin pan for an extra 5 minutes before removing it to cool on a wire rack.
15. While the loaf is still warm, spread butter all over the top of the bread for a super soft and shiny crust.
16. Place the loaf on a cooling rack for at least 1 hour before slicing.
Notes
- To prevent the sourdough sandwich bread crust from tearing, I like to place a cast iron skillet or baking sheet on the oven rack below the bread with a cup of ice cubes. This creates extra steam in the oven while the bread bakes, which keeps the surface of the dough soft allowing the bread to expand and rise without tearing.
- Sourdough sandwich bread will stay fresh for 3-5 days when stored in a plastic bag.
- Sourdough sandwich bread freezes exceptionally well. Once the bread has cooled completely, slice and store the pieces in a gallon-sized ziplock bag. Place small pieces of parchment paper in between the slices so they don't freeze together.
BAKER’S SCHEDULE:
BAKE THE SAME DAY:
9 am: Make the Dough
10 am: Knead the Dough
10 am: First Rise
7 pm: Shape
7 pm: Second Rise
9 pm: Bake
BAKE THE NEXT DAY:
9 pm: Make the Dough
10 pm: Knead the Dough
10 pm: First Rise
Following Morning:
7 am: Shape
7 am: Second Rise
9 am: Bake
I made it today and it worked and tasted great. Thank you very much!
I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe, Kiki! Thank you for sharing.
This was awesome!! So happy it turned out well.
Does temperature affect the process ? It’s cold where I live and the house is topically 68 degrees. I currently have the dough in the loaf pan but it’s not rising.
Starter did double in size and was ready to use.
Temperature does! The cooler it is in your environment, the longer it will take for your dough to rise.
Can the recipe be doubled for baking two loaves at once?
Absolutely! Just double the recipe for 2 loaves.
How much oil should I add to replace the butter?
You can substitute butter for oil 1:1.
Can this be made with just all purpose flour? Thank-you!
Bread flour will give you a better rise, but you can use all-purpose flour.
I’ve tried about 6 different sandwich bread sourdough recipes. This is our favorite. I love it because it’s so easy. I had to use a heated dough mat since my kitchen is colder to get the dough to do the last rise. I love that I don’t use a mixer for this recipe and my family loves the bread. The clean up is easier. I’m playing around with fresh milled flours and this recipe and am liking the results.
I hope to dive into the world of freshly milled flour this upcoming year! I’m thrilled to hear that this recipe is suitable for this type of flour as well! Thank you so much for sharing.
Can you convert to cups
I’ve tried many recipes and this is the best. Sometimes when I’m in a hurry I add 1/4 tsp of yeast to warm water and it doubles fast … ready to bake in just in a few hours. It’s a beautiful loaf either way.
So thrilled to hear that you love this recipe, Kate! Thank you!
Could this recipe be altered for whole wheat?
I have only tested this recipe with bread flour. Whole wheat sandwich bread recipes tend to need a higher hydration, compared to other flours.
This is by far the easiest and most delicious sourdough sandwich bread I’ve tried! It’s so soft and SO much easier to make than some other recipes I’ve tried! Definitely my go-to 👍🏼
Thank you so much for sharing, Alissa! We can’t get enough of this recipe!
Can this be made w/o the sugar? Would you delete? Or make with a clean replacement like maple syrup, honey or coconut sugar?
The sugar can my omitted, but honey is a great substitute as well!
Would you substitute with the same amount? 25mg?
Yes! Use 24g of honey (1 Tablespoon)
Can olive oil be subbed for butter? Vegan daughter would love to try this recipe. Thx.
Absolutely! Olive oil would be a great substitute.
After a few dense loaves with the recipe I finally decided to adjust the hydration to 70% using 315 water, 450 bread flour and holy moly!! Absolutely the perfect loaf!!
I’m so thrilled to hear this! Thank you for sharing!
It got late so I need to pause after shaping. Can I do a cold proof in the fridge instead of the second rise? It’s in the fridge now.. when I remove tomorrow, should I let it sit out for a while before baking?
Hi Mel! Yes, this is exactly what I would do! Since the dough will be cold from the fridge, it may take extra time for it to rise until the rim of the loaf pan.
What if you have already done second rise and don’t have time to bake. Can it go in the fridge overnight and warm up to room temp the next morning then bake?
Hi Lelia!
Yes, cover the dough and store it in the fridge overnight, then bake straight away the following morning.
I believe the flour amount is incorrect. I added 500g of flour and it seems to be the correct or close to the correct amount?
Hi Jessica! You are correct – the recipe calls for 400g bread flour and 100g all-purpose flour, equalling 500g of flour total!
Does the bulk fermentation happen at room temp or in the fridge?
Hi Sarah! The bulk fermentation is done at room temperature.
My bread never rises above my pan. Doesn’t even get to the rim.
What am I doing wrong?
You may need to allow for more time. If your house is on the chilly side, it can take longer than 1-2 hours for the dough to rise above the rim. I like to place mine in my OFF OVEN with the light on to create a warm environment.
I just gave this recipe a try and I love it! Super straightforward and easy to follow. I must have messed up with the cook times somehow though. Recipe calls for 50-55 minutes, I pulled mine at 40 minutes because the top of the bread was almost black. Waiting for it to cool to see how it fared!
Have you tried inclusions with this recipe?
I’ve done a cinnamon swirl and raisins! https://simplicityandastarter.com/cinnamon-raisin-swirl-sourdough-bread-recipe/
Can you add cheese and other items to this recipe like you can in other sour dough loaf recipes?
Personally, I have not tried this, but it sounds like a delicious idea! It should work just fine! Inclusions could be added when you knead the dough after the first short rest or while being shaped into a loaf.
Hi McKenna! I got a starter from a friend, she told me to feed it equal parts of its weight in flour and water every day. But she didn’t mention discarding any, do I have to?
Also, I work every third day for 24 hours. So I’ve been keeping my starter in the fridge to feed once a week. But how would I transition it to the counter and feed it a couple times in order to use it for a two day bread recipe?
Thanks!
Hi Alie! Yes, you will want to discard before you feed your starter, otherwise it will continue to grow in size. Discarding helps to keep your starter at a manageable amount. If I were you, I would take my starter out before your shift, feed it, and then feed it again when you come home. It should be perked up after these two feedings to make bread with the following day.
The crust of my bread separates from the center … it leaves a hole through the top of the loaf where crust meets middle . What am I doing wrong ?
Hi Erin! This happens when air bubbles are locked in the dough. Be sure to thoroughly punch the dough after the bulk fermentation to create a tighter and more uniform crumb!
Followed this recipe and turned out perfect. My first rise overnight didn’t quite double in size. I think the kitchen was a little cold so for the 2nd rise in the pan I had the oven on while making breakfast to warm the space and let it rise for 4 hours. Cooked it for 45 minutes and it was perfect color and consistency. Will make again!
My go-to recipe for sandwich bread now! Amazing, thanks so much!
So glad you love it! Thank you for sharing 🙂
I used ghee instead of butter.
I probably could have cooked it about 5 more minutes, but I was too concerned of burning the outside. Absolutely amazing!!
Good to know that ghee works just as well! So glad you enjoy this recipe!
Looking forward to trying this recipe! Can I use all purpose flour instead of bread flour?
Yes, you can! I like to use bread flour because it creates a softer/chewier loaf, but AP flour will work, as well.
This recipe was absolutely delicious! This was my first time trying a sourdough sandwich bread recipe and this will now be a staple in my household. Although it tasted amazing and look beautiful there was a huge whole across the top of the loaf that I noticed after cutting into it. Any tips on how to avoid this? Could it be that I let it BF too long or didn’t get enough air out when I punched it? Thank you!
So glad you enjoyed it! We LOVE this recipe. That is correct. You may need to reduce the BF. Be sure to punch all of the dough to pop all of those air bubbles in order to achieve a tighter crumb.
Could I make this recipe without the sugar?
Yes, but I recommend adding it! Sugar tenderizes the dough, keep it soft and fluffy, helps it bake to a golden brown and increases its shelf-life!
This sandwich bread was really great! I was scared to try it at first because it had such a long schedule to follow, but I went for it. It actually ended up not taking as long as the schedule. And it was so soft and perfect as the final result. I made it twice (first a mix of bread flour and all purpose flour and then with only all purpose flour).
Made for the first time today! It was absolutely delicious and easy enough to make! This will be a new staple in our house
Hi Brittany! I am so happy to hear that you enjoyed this recipe! We simply can’t get enough of it. Thank you for sharing!
I made this last night and planned for the first rise to be overnight but this morning the dough had not risen at all. Now it’s in the oven with the light on, and still doesn’t seem to be rising. What could be wrong? Do I ditch it? Or keep going?
Hi Megan, I’m so sorry to hear that your dough isn’t rising as expected. There could be a few reasons for this. If your kitchen is quite cold, it will take your dough much longer to rise. Sourdough likes to be toasty. Also, you don’t want to use water that is warmer than 120 degrees F. Anything warmer can kill your starter, which will prevent your dough from rising. Hope this helps!
If you follow your same day schedule of making the dough at 9am, when do you feed your starter prior to that? Does it seem to work if you just feed in the night before?
Hi Kayla! I feed my starter a 1:4:4 ratio (ex. 10g starter, 40g water, 40g flour) the night before and in my 69 degree kitchen, my starter is ready to use the following morning!
Hey! What causes a very thin gummy line at bottom? The whole loaf looks wonderful and fluffy except for this thin line at the bottom…under fermented or needs a lil longer in the oven?
Hi Kit! A thin gummy line is typically a sign of a proofing issue. This can happen when the dough was either under or over proofed. I’ve had this happen before and it’s still delicious!
So easy and so fluffy! Thanks for a great recipe! Swapped the sugar for honey and proofed in the oven at 27°C all day. Went fast up to 93°C in the oven so only baked for 35 min or so. Turned out amazing!
So glad you love this recipe as well!