Whole Wheat Sourdough Sandwich Bread Recipe

Whole Wheat Sourdough Sandwich Bread Recipe

Yield: sandwich loaf

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 50

Bulk Fermentation Time: 12

Total Time: 13

People have been loving my sourdough sandwich bread, but I kept getting messages from followers asking for a whole wheat version. At the time, I didn’t have one, but I decided it was time to give the people what they wanted: whole wheat sourdough sandwich bread! With this sourdough bread recipe, you'll easily say goodbye to store-bought bread.

4.65 from 14 votes

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Equipment

Ingredients

150 grams active sourdough starter 3/4 cup
300 grams warm milk 1 1/4 cups
40 grams honey 2 Tablespoons
57 grams unsalted butter, melted 4 Tablespoons
125 grams whole wheat flour 1 cup
375 grams bread flour 2 2/3 cups
9 grams salt 1 1/2 teaspoons

Instructions

Feed Your Starter

Feed 25g of starter, 75g of warm water, and 75g of flour. Mix until the flour is completely incorporated and leave to rise. Allow your starter to rise and reach its peak. Let the starter to least double in size, with bubbles on top of the dough and all throughout (the top of the starter will look like little craters) before using.
In my 70 degree kitchen, this takes about 12 hours. If your kitchen is warmer, it will take less time. The opposite is true if your kitchen is cooler. Adjust the timing based on your kitchen environment.
Once your starter is ready, prepare to make the dough.

Make the Dough

In a straight-edge bowl bowl, whisk together the starter, warm milk, melted butter, and honey. Then, add flours and salt to the wet ingredients and mix with a Danish dough whisk until all the flour is fully incorporated.
I love using this straight-edge bowl because it allows me to clearly see when the dough has doubled in size.
150 grams active sourdough starter, 300 grams warm milk, 40 grams honey, 57 grams unsalted butter, melted, 125 grams whole wheat flour, 375 grams bread flour, 9 grams salt
I also use a bowl scraper to clean the sides of the bowl and mix all the ingredients together. The dough will be sticky.
Cover the bowl with a cover and let the dough rest for 30 minutes.

Knead the Dough

After 30 minutes, wet your fingers to prevent the dough from sticking.
Take a piece of the wet dough, pull it upwards, and fold it towards the center. Push the heel of your hand into the dough.
Turn the bowl a quarter turn clockwise and repeat the same motion. Continue kneading the dough for about 20 seconds. It should become stiffer and smoother. Stop if the dough starts to tear.

Bulk Fermentation

Cover the bowl again and let the dough rise until it has doubled in size.
In my 70°F kitchen, the first rise took 10-12 hours. Remember, bulk fermentation begins once the ingredients are mixed, not after you’ve kneaded.

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. Continue to punch the edges of the dough to remove all the air bubbles.
Punching the dough helps to create a tighter, more uniform crumb, which is what you want for sandwich bread.
Remove the dough onto a work surface—no flour needed. Stretch or roll the dough into a large rectangle, about 9 inches x 13 inches (it doesn’t have to be exact). Roll the dough into a log, similar to how you would with a cinnamon roll. Tuck the ends of the log under and pinch the seams together.
If you have made sourdough sandwich bread before, you will notice that the dough feels more dense and stiff due to the whole wheat flour.

Second Rise

Using a bench scraper or your hands, gently lift the sourdough dough and place it into a greased 8.5 x 4.5-inch loaf pan with the seam side down. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and let it rise until it is 1 inch above the rim of the pan.
In my 70 degree kitchen, the second and final rise took 1-2 hours. It is tempting to rush this step, but don’t! If your loaf has not risen properly, it will be dense and gummy or bust while baking.

Bake

Preheat your oven to 375°F.
Place the pan in the hot oven on the middle rack and bake for 30-35 minutes. By now, the top of the loaf should be a beautifully dark, golden brown color. To prevent the top from burning, cover the top with a piece of aluminum foil and continue to bake for 20-25 more minutes for a total of 50-55 minutes.
The internal temperature of a properly baked loaf should be 200°F.
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.
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 the Sourdough Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread is still warm, spread butter all over the top of the bread for a super soft crust.
Cool for at least one hour before slicing. Enjoy!

Notes

Baker’s Schedule:

This guideline is for environments that are 70 degrees F. Hotter kitchens will require less time, while cool temps will take longer.

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 Store

Sourdough sandwich bread will stay fresh for 3-5 days when stored in a plastic bag, but my favorite way to store it is by freezing. Once the bread has cooled completely, I slice it and place the pieces in a gallon-sized ziplock bag. I also like to put small pieces of parchment paper between the slices to prevent them from sticking together.

To refresh, simply pull out some slices and bring them to room temperature, or pop them straight into the toaster. It's super simple but still super tasty!

FAQs

Can I make this sourdough bread with all-purpose flour?

Yes, you can make this sourdough bread with all-purpose flour, though it’s recommended to use bread flour for a fluffier and taller loaf. Bread flour has a higher protein content, which helps the dough rise better and results in a softer texture. If you use all-purpose flour, the bread will still be good, but it may not be as airy or tall.

The bottom of my loaf has a gummy line. Why is this happening?

This usually means the bread dough was either underproofed or overproofed. If the bread didn’t rise enough before baking, it might not rise well in the oven. If the dough rose too much, the gluten can break down, which can create a gummy line near the bottom.

Do I have to add honey to the dough?

I highly suggest adding honey to this recipe for multiple reasons. Yeast loves sugars, which helps with fermentation, adds color to the bread, helps preserve it longer, and gives a touch of sweetness. However, it’s not absolutely necessary and can be omitted.

This recipe card was updated on 03/09/26.

Nutrition

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