Sourdough Brown Bread (Sandwich Style)
This Sourdough Brown Bread (Sandwich Style) is incredibly soft with a tender crumb, a hint of sweetness from honey and molasses, and just enough whole wheat flour to give it that classic hearty flavor without feeling dense. It slices beautifully for sandwiches, makes incredible toast, and stays soft for days, making it one of those recipes you’ll find yourself baking again and again.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Classic brown bread flavor: Honey, molasses, whole wheat, and oats give this bread that nostalgic brown bread taste.
- 100% sourdough: This bread uses active sourdough starter for incredible flavor and texture.
- Soft for days: Thanks to milk and honey this loaf stays soft and fresh for days.
- Simple pantry staples: Made with everyday staples you probably have in your kitchen.
- Perfect for sandwiches: this loaf slices beautifully without crumbling, making ideal for sandwiches, toast, and grilled cheese.
Tools You’ll Need:
- Large bowl or straight edge container- You can use a bowl if you’d like, but I prefer to use a large square Tupperware with a straight edge so I can assess the rise of my dough easily. I use this Cambro 6 quart with a lid for up to 2 loaves at a time.
- Digital kitchen scale– for accurate measuring as this recipe is in grams and cups, especially helpful with sourdough baking. This kitchen scale is great to start with.
- Digital food thermometer (optional)- to check the temperature of your dough and bread, this ensures a more reliable result. I use this one linked here.
- Dough Spatula (optional)- to help release the dough. I love this silicone dough spatula for mixing linked here.
- Loaf Pan- I always use these 1 lb sandwich loaf pans from USA Baking, they’re reliable, don’t stick, and give a golden finish to your bread.
- Cooling rack- to allow bread to cool.
- Bread Knife- a quality bread knife is essential to even slices for your bread.
- Pastry Brush- to brush the top of the bread with egg wash.
Gather Your Ingredients:
- Sourdough Starter– recently fed and doubled, ready to use in your bread. This is the main leavening agent for the bread.
- All-purpose flour– I recommend AP flour over bread flour to create a more tender crumb, but you can substitute for bread flour if needed.
- Water- adds moisture to the bread.
- Whole milk- adds richness and keeps the bread softer for longer.
- Whole Wheat Flour- adds a nutty wholesome flavor to the bread. If you want the closest result to restaurant bread, I recommend using this. You can substitute this for more AP flour if you need to.
- Cocoa Powder- adds the color to this dough for that signature brown look.
- Molasses- sweetens and adds a rich iconic flavor to the dough. I prefer using unsulphered, like Grandma’s linked here that can also easily be found in major grocery stores.
- Honey- this adds sweetness and makes the crumb extra soft.
- Avocado Oil- keeps the bread light and soft. You can substitute this for any neutral cooking oil.
- Sea Salt- strengthens the gluten and balances the sweetness of the bread.
- Vanilla- adds a hint of warmth to the dough.
- Cinnamon- this is my secret ingredient, and there is something it adds to the dough that you won’t want to skip! You’ll also use this in your honey butter.
- Rolled Oats- sprinkled on top of the rolls for that signature look. Only use rolled oats.
- Egg White- used as an egg wash to help the oats stick to the rolls.
Instructions
Step 1: Feed the Starter the Night Before
In a clean jar, mix your mother starter with the flour and water. Give it a good stir, and allow it to rest at room temperature (optimally 73-75 degrees F). I like to mark the volume in my jar with a rubber band so it’s easy to asses the rise the next morning. When the starter has doubled in size, it’s time to mix your dough.
Step 2: Mix the Dough
In a mixing bowl, add the active starter, warm water, whole milk, cocoa powder, molasses, honey, avocado oil, vanilla, and cinnamon and whisk until generally combined.
Once the wet ingredients are combined add the all-purpose or bread flour, whole wheat flour, and salt to the bowl.
With your hand or a dough spatula, combine the dough until it’s well mixed and forms a smooth ball. Cover the bowl with a lid or a damp towel, and allow it to rest 30 minutes in a warm place (75-78 degrees).
Step 3: Bulk Fermentation
Once the dough has rested for 30 minutes, it’s time to perform the first set of stretch and folds.
How to perform a stretch and fold: Beginning at the edge of the bowl, lift the dough up without tearing it, and fold it back into the center. Repeat this step around the edge of the bowl until the dough forms a ball. This is one set of stretch and folds. Cover the dough again and return it to a warm environment to rest 30 minutes.
Repeat this step of stretch and folds a total of 3 times. You should see the dough go from shaggy to smooth.
Once these stretch and folds are finished, cover the dough again and allow it to rest in a warm spot for roughly 6-8 hours and doubled in size. The key is to make sure this dough has doubled before you continue.
If the dough isn’t rising quickly, it’s probably too cold. Try placing it in the oven with a light on or on top of a warm dryer to heat it up so the starter can work.
Optional Overnight Fermentation: If you want to chill the dough overnight at this point for further fermentation benefits or to shape and bake the following day, simply cover the dough and transfer to the refrigerator to shape the next day.
Step 4: Shaping the Dough
Lightly spray a clean work surface with cooking spray or dust with flour, then gently turn out your dough.
To shape the sandwich loaf: Gently stretch the dough about 8 inches wide and 9 inches long.
Starting with one of the (9 inch) sides, fold the dough into thirds over itself, like a letter. Repeat this step on the other side. You should now have a rectangle about 9 inches long and 5 inches wide.
Starting at the bottom, roll the dough up gently to form a log shape. Pinch the seam and ends to seal.
Transfer your loaf to the oiled pan, seam side down. Cover loosely with plastic or a damp towel to proof.
Step 5: Final Proofing
Allow the sandwich loaf to proof roughly an hour at room temperature covered, the dough should rise about 1/2 inch over the edge of the pan. Don’t skip this rise, it’s key to a light and airy loaf!
Overnight Fermentation Option: If you want to refrigerate your loaf overnight, simply cover the dough filled pan with plastic (I use a disposable shower cap) and transfer to the refrigerator overnight. You WILL NOT proof the dough in the pan until the next day.
When you’re ready to bake the loaf the next day, follow the directions to proof the dough over the edge of the pan before baking. Please note that this make take longer as the dough is colder, and that the loaf may brown more on the edges due to condensation.
Step 6: Baking the Bread
Preheat your oven to 400 F. Make sure your oven is full preheated before baking your bread.
Beat the egg white and water in a small bowl, and brush the top of the bread liberally with the egg wash.
Sprinkle the rolled oats on top of the bread, patting them to press them on.
Transfer your bread to the oven and bake for 30 minutes, then rotate the pan to avoid the edges over browning.
Bake the bread for another 20 minutes after this at 400 F, for a total of 50 minutes. Your bread internal temperature should read between 200-205 F, you can check this by inserting a digital thermometer into the side of the bread (Don’t worry, it won’t hurt it!).
If your bread is starting to burn or get too brown on the top and hasn’t finished baking, tent with foil and finish baking to avoid the top being burned. All ovens are different so watch for this!
Remove the bread from the oven as soon as it’s finished baking, and let it rest in the pan a minute or two. Once slightly cooled, remove the bread from the pan and transfer the loaf to a wire cooling rack to completely cool and to prevent soggy crusts.
Allow bread to fully cool before slicing and serving!
Yields 1 sandwich loaf
How to Store:
Room Temperature- Allow bread to cool completely before storing. Transfer to a sealed bag of your choice with the air removed. This sandwich bread will stay fresh at room temperature for 4-5 days before molding. For best results, slice and freeze by day 3-4 to extend freshness.
Freezer- Store sliced bread in a freezer-safe bag with as much air removed as possible. For easier separation, place pieces of parchment between the slices before freezing. Thaw at room temperature and toast directly for best flavor and texture.
FAQ’s
No, it’s very mild and mainly provides color and subtle depth.
For the rustic flavor yes, but if you don’t have it replace it with more all-purpose or bread flour.
Your starter may not have been active enough, or your dough was too cold. Sourdough loves warmer environments try to keep your dough at 75 degrees (not warmer).
Yes! Shape the loaf, cover it, and refrigerate overnight before the final proof. Be aware it might be a little more brown on the edges due to condensation.
It likely needed more bake time or needed to cool longer before slicing. Make sure the bread cools fully and the internal temperature is at least 195 F.
If you enjoyed this recipe, drop a comment and leave a star review and don’t forget to try more of my sourdough bread recipes!
Sourdough Bread Recipes:
- Easy Sourdough Sandwich Bread
- Sourdough Cinnamon Raisin Swirl Bread
- Sourdough Raspberry Cheesecake Bread
Sourdough Brown Bread (Sandwich Style)
Ingredients
Feed Your Starter:
- 1 1/2 (20g) Tbsp mother starter
- 1/2 (100g) cup water
- 3/4 (100g) cup all-purpose flour
Wet Ingredients:
- 1 (225g) cup water room temperature
- ⅓ (100g) cup whole milk slightly warmed to 80 degrees
- ½ (100g) cup active sourdough starter (100% hydration)
- 3 (45g) tablespoons unsulphured molasses
- 3 (70g) tablespoons honey
- 4½ (65g) tablespoons avocado oil or any neutral oil
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 (13g) tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Dry Ingredients:
- 3⅓ (400g) cups 400g bread flour
- ¾ (100g) cup whole wheat flour
- 1¾ (10g) teaspoons fine sea salt
Egg Wash:
- 1 egg white
- 2 tsp water
Garnish:
- 1/2 (50g) cup rolled oats
Instructions
Step 1: Feed the Starter the Night Before
- In a clean jar, mix your mother starter with the flour and water. Give it a good stir, and allow it to rest at room temperature (optimally 73-75 degrees F). I like to mark the volume in my jar with a rubber band so it’s easy to asses the rise the next morning. When the starter has doubled in size, it’s time to mix your dough.1 1/2 (20g) Tbsp mother starter, 1/2 (100g) cup water, 3/4 (100g) cup all-purpose flour
Step 2: Mix the Dough
- In a mixing bowl, add the active starter, warm water, whole milk, cocoa powder, molasses, honey, avocado oil, vanilla, and cinnamon and whisk until generally combined.1 (225g) cup water, ⅓ (100g) cup whole milk, ½ (100g) cup active sourdough starter (100% hydration), 3 (45g) tablespoons unsulphured molasses, 3 (70g) tablespoons honey, 4½ (65g) tablespoons avocado oil, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, 2 (13g) tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Once the wet ingredients are combined add the all-purpose or bread flour, whole wheat flour, and salt to the bowl.3⅓ (400g) cups 400g bread flour, ¾ (100g) cup whole wheat flour, 1¾ (10g) teaspoons fine sea salt
- With your hand or a dough spatula, combine the dough until it’s well mixed and forms a smooth ball. Cover the bowl with a lid or a damp towel, and allow it to rest 30 minutes in a warm place (75-78 degrees).
Step 3: Bulk Fermentation
- Once the dough has rested for 30 minutes, it's time to perform the first set of stretch and folds.
- How to perform a stretch and fold: Beginning at the edge of the bowl, lift the dough up without tearing it, and fold it back into the center. Repeat this step around the edge of the bowl until the dough forms a ball. This is one set of stretch and folds. Cover the dough again and return it to a warm environment to rest 30 minutes.
- Repeat this step of stretch and folds a total of 3 times. You should see the dough go from shaggy to smooth.
- Once these stretch and folds are finished, cover the dough again and allow it to rest in a warm spot for roughly 6-8 hours and doubled in size. The key is to make sure this dough has doubled before you continue.
- If the dough isn’t rising quickly, it’s probably too cold. Try placing it in the oven with a light on or on top of a warm dryer to heat it up so the starter can work.
- Optional Overnight Fermentation: If you want to chill the dough overnight at this point for further fermentation benefits or to shape and bake the following day, simply cover the dough and transfer to the refrigerator to shape the next day.
Step 4: Shaping the Dough
- Lightly spray a clean work surface with cooking spray or dust with flour, then gently turn out your dough.
- To shape the sandwich loaf: Gently stretch the dough about 8 inches wide and 9 inches long.
- Starting with one of the (9 inch) sides, fold the dough into thirds over itself, like a letter. Repeat this step on the other side. You should now have a rectangle about 9 inches long and 5 inches wide.
- Starting at the bottom, roll the dough up gently to form a log shape. Pinch the seam and ends to seal.
- Transfer your loaf to the oiled pan, seam side down. Cover loosely with plastic or a damp towel to proof.
Step 5: Final Proofing
- Allow the sandwich loaf to proof roughly an hour at room temperature covered, the dough should rise about 1/2 inch over the edge of the pan. Don’t skip this rise, it’s key to a light and airy loaf!
- Overnight Fermentation Option: If you want to refrigerate your loaf overnight, simply cover the dough filled pan with plastic (I use a disposable shower cap) and transfer to the refrigerator overnight. You WILL NOT proof the dough in the pan until the next day.
- When you’re ready to bake the loaf the next day, follow the directions to proof the dough over the edge of the pan before baking. Please note that this make take longer as the dough is colder, and that the loaf may brown more on the edges due to condensation.
Step 6: Baking the Bread
- Preheat your oven to 400 F. Make sure your oven is full preheated before baking your bread.
- Beat the egg white and water in a small bowl, and brush the top of the bread liberally with the egg wash.1 egg white, 2 tsp water
- Sprinkle the rolled oats on top of the bread, patting them to press them on.1/2 (50g) cup rolled oats
- Transfer your bread to the oven and bake for 30 minutes, then rotate the pan to avoid the edges over browning.
- Bake the bread for another 20 minutes after this at 400 F, for a total of 50 minutes. Your bread internal temperature should read between 200-205 F, you can check this by inserting a digital thermometer into the side of the bread (Don’t worry, it won’t hurt it!).
- If your bread is starting to burn or get too brown on the top and hasn’t finished baking, tent with foil and finish baking to avoid the top being burned. All ovens are different so watch for this!
- Remove the bread from the oven as soon as it’s finished baking, and let it rest in the pan a minute or two. Once slightly cooled, remove the bread from the pan and transfer the loaf to a wire cooling rack to completely cool and to prevent soggy crusts.
- Allow bread to fully cool before slicing and serving!
- Yields 1 sandwich loaf