The Best Sourdough Sandwich Bread

Equipment

Mixers

You can knead this bread by hand or use a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment.

• Kitchen Aid– I used to have a Kitchen Aid 4.5qt and I loved it but it was a little too small for me. Whenever I made 2 loaves of anything the dough would climb the hook and would quickly become a mess. The kitchen aid also seemed like it was struggling with the dough.
• Bosch– I recently upgraded to a bosch and love it. I can make 4 loaves of dough in it with no issues. I recently got a bottom driver bowl and love how easy it is to get the dough out.

Loaf Pan

I love my USA 1lb Bread Pans for sourdough sandwich bread. My loaves come out of the pan easily and bake evenly.

Warming Mat

If your house runs cold this proofing mat (use code country10 for 10% off) works great for keeping your dough and sourdough starter warm.

Bread Knife

Once you bake your loaf, you will need a good bread knife to achieve clean, even slices. I always reach for my Mercer Bread Knife. But I also love Barlow & Co’s Bow Bread Knife (use code countryroadssourdough for 10% off).

Ingredients

• Sourdough Starter- Use the starter when it is at peak meaning it is bubbly and doubled in size. This replaces commercial yeast and is what makes the bread rise.
• Milk, Preferably whole milk- The fat creates a more tender, softer, and sweeter crumb. For a dairy free option use full fat coconut milk.
• Water- Tap or filtered water will work just fine.
• Sugar- This will sweeten the dough and help balance the tang from the sourdough starter. For a healthier alternative you can use honey.
• Melted Butter- The butter helps to tenderize the crumb and adds flavor.
• Salt- An essential ingredient that helps with the structure and flavor of the bread.
• Flour- This combination of white and whole wheat flour makes for a fluffy crumb while also providing additional nutrients.

How To Make Sourdough Sandwich Bread

Kneading

Begin by mixing all the ingredients together in the stand mixer with a dough hook. Continue to knead the dough in the mixer for about 10-15 minutes. This can also be done by hand on a lightly floured surface.

Windowpane test

In order to determine when the dough is done kneading we will perform what is called a windowpane test. The windowpane test is performed by gently pulling a section of the dough thinly enough that you can see light through it. If you can see light through the dough is strong and elastic enough to move forward. Be sure to let the dough rest for 2-3 minutes before performing the test to ensure the dough is relaxed. If the dough tears when pulled thin continue kneading it. If the dough is still not passing windowpane test after 20 minutes just proceed forward.

First rise

Shape the dough into a ball and place it into a large bowl. Cover the bowl with a dinner plate, reusable cover, or foil wrap. Let the dough sit in a warm area for about 8-12 hours or until the dough is doubled in size. See the tips below if your dough is taking longer than that timeframe.

Shaping

Once the dough doubles in size, punch the dough down. Place the dough on the counter, lightly flouring if needed, and pull the dough into a rectangle. Fold one side of the dough to the middle followed by the other side. Roll the dough up like a cinnamon roll. Pinch the sides of the dough the seal the seams.

Second rise

Place the shaped loaf into a greased loaf pan. Cover with foil, seran wrap, or a reusable cover and let the dough rise until it fills the loaf pan and rises above the pan. About 1-3 hours.

Baking

Once the dough rises preheat the oven to 350F. Bake the loaf for 40-50 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 190F and is browned. If it is getting too brown add tinfoil the last 15 minutes. If you would like a buttery crust rub butter on the surface of the crust after baking. Remove the loaf from the pan and let it cool on a cooling rack.

Tips for Making Soft Sandwich Bread

The key to a successful sourdough sandwich loaf is heat. Enriched doughs take longer to rise, especially in cooler weather. If your dough does not double in size in the first rise and does not rise above the loaf pan in the second rise it is going to be dense when baked. If the loaf is a very heavy, dense or doughy in the middle it most likely did not rise long enough.

To ensure a soft, fluffy loaf especially in cooler temperatures here are a few tricks:

• Use more sourdough starter in the recipe. If your loaves take too long to rise add up to 150 grams of active sourdough starter in the recipe. You do not need to change anything else. If in the warmer months the dough is rising too quickly you can bump the measurement down to 100 grams of active sourdough starter.
• Use warm ingredients. Heat up the milk and water but make sure it is not hot to the touch as we don’t want to kill the wild yeast.
• Find a warm spot for it to continue to rise like in the microwave or the oven with the light on for an hour or two. I love to place my dough on my proofing mat (use code country10 for 10% off) at 77F overnight or 100F for a shorter period of time.

Storage Tips

Once the loaf cools completely, you can store it in a bread box or ziplock bag. It usually will last 5-7 days unless humidity is high which can cause it to mold quicker.

This sourdough sandwich bread freezes well too. I like to double the recipe and keep one on my counter and one in the freezer. You can either freeze the entire loaf uncut or sliced. To freeze an uncut loaf simply wrap in foil or place in a freezer safe ziplock. Once you are ready to eat the loaf place it on your counter covered overnight to thaw. To pull slices out individually, cut the loaf and place pieces of parchment paper in between each slice. Place in a freezer safe ziplock and pull slices out as needed.