Go Back
–+ servings

Sourdough Brown Bread (Artisan Style)

This Sourdough Brown Bread (Artisan Style) has all of the flavor of your favorite restaurant brown bread, baked into a crusty sourdough loaf! Made with honey, molasses, and a little whole wheat flour, it has a rich brown color and just the right amount of sweetness to make it irresistible.
No ratings yet
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Servings 10

Equipment

  • digital kitchen scale - for weighing out your ingredients (highly recommended for accuracy). This one linked here is great to start with.
  • Measuring cups & spoons (optional) - if you prefer to not use a scale.
  • Bowl or straight edge container for mixing and proofing dough - to mix your dough and make sure your dough is rising properly. I've linked here the container I like to use.
  • Bench knife (optional) - for shaping your dough. I use this bench knife all the time.
  • Banneton basket (or a medium bowl lined with a lint-free cloth) - to proof dough. I've linked a quality banneton and cover here if you'd like to see what I use.
  • Lint-free cloth or plastic wrap - to cover the dough while resting.
  • 5-quart Dutch oven with lid - for baking your loaf. This is an affordable 5-quart Dutch oven that I purchased as my first linked here.
  • Plate or shallow bowl - for the oat coating.
  • Pastry brush (optional) - to brush the bread with water to help the oats stick. You can also use a folded paper towel.
  • Parchment paper or silicone bread sling - To keep bread from sticking to Dutch oven. A reusable bread sling can be really convenient and also helps avoid burning hands on your Dutch oven. I use this set linked here all the time!
  • Sharp knife or lame for scoring - a sharp knife will work for scoring your bread, but I do recommend investing in a lame (razor blade) which will make the process much easier. Here is a great lame to purchase to start out linked here.
  • Digital food thermometer (optional) - to check the temperature of your starter and dough, this ensures a more reliable result. I use this one linked here.
  • Bread knife - for cutting your bread once cooled. I love this bread knife linked here.

Ingredients
  

Feed Your Starter (the night before):

  • 1 (20g) Tbsp mature sourdough starter
  • 1/3 (50g) cup all-purpose flour
  • 3 (50g) Tbsps room temperature water

Dough:

  • 1¼ (300g) cups water slightly warm (75 degrees)
  • 1/2 (100g) cup active sourdough starter (100% hydration)
  • 3 (45g) Tbsp unsulphured molasses
  • 2 (42g) Tbsp honey
  • 2 (28g) Tbsp avocado oil
  • ½ tsp vanilla extract
  • 2½ (13g) Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
  • ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
  • 3⅓ (400g) cups all-purpose flour bread flour
  • ¾ (100g) cup whole wheat flour
  • 1¾ (10g) tsp sea salt

Oat Topping:

  • 1/2 (40g) cup rolled oats
  • 1-2 Tbsps water

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 (20g) Tbsp mature sourdough starter, 1/3 (50g) cup all-purpose flour, 3 (50g) Tbsps room temperature water

Step 2: Mix the Dough

  • In a mixing bowl, add the active sourdough starter, warm water, cocoa powder, molasses, honey, avocado oil, vanilla, and cinnamon and whisk until generally combined.
    1¼ (300g) cups water, 1/2 (100g) cup active sourdough starter, 3 (45g) Tbsp unsulphured molasses, 2 (42g) Tbsp honey, 2 (28g) Tbsp avocado oil, ½ tsp vanilla extract, 2½ (13g) Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder, ¼ tsp 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 all-purpose flour, ¾ (100g) cup whole wheat flour, 1¾ (10g) tsp sea salt
  • With your hand or a dough spatula, combine the dough until it's well mixed and forms a rough 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: Strengthen the Dough (Stretch & Folds)

  • Once the 30 minute rest has finished, you'll begin your stretch and folds. This helps build structure in your dough and strengthen the gluten in the dough.
  • How to do a stretch and fold: Starting at the edge of the dough with lightly wet hands, gently lift one edge of the dough, stretch it up, and fold it over the center. Rotate the bowl or container 90 degrees and repeat with the next side. Do this for all four sides of the dough to form a ball.
  • Cover the dough and let it rest for 30 minutes. Repeat this stretch and fold process two more times at 30-minute intervals for a total of 3 sets. Your dough should go from being rough and clumpy to smooth and silky.
  • Note on Temperature: Your dough loves a warmer climate, so aim to keep your dough between 73-78 degrees (you can use your digital thermometer to check the temperature). If you need to warm it up, try putting it in the oven with a light on, near a heater, or even on top of a dryer that's on to conduct some heat!

Step 4: Bulk Fermentation

  • Assessing Rise Tip: After your stretch and folds are done, try to gently push the dough down to be level in the bowl or container after the stretch and folds. Mark roughly where your dough is hitting on the side of the container with a sharpie or dry erase marker (you can put a piece of tape over if you don't want to mark your bowl or jar).
  • After you mark the volume, make another mark above the that where the dough would be if it rose roughly 50 percent. This will be your target for how much you want your dough to rise during bulk fermentation.
  • Cover the dough and allow it to rest in a warm spot until it has reached a 50-60 percent rise. DO NOT over proof this bread or your loaf will be flat.

Step 5: Shaping the Dough

  • Flour your work surface well and turn out the dough gently. Pre-shape by gently stretching it into a loose square about 15 x 15 inches.
  • To shape your loaf, fold the right side over the center. Next, fold the left side over the center like a letter. This is called a letter fold.
  • You will now have created a long rectangle about 5 inches wide and 15 inches long.
  • Next, roll the dough into a football shape by rolling the rectangle up. Pinch all of the seams together at the ends. Pop any large air bubbles.
  • Flip the loaf over so the seam is on the bottom. Using a pastry brush or a folded paper towel, brush the surface with a light coating of water. This helps the oats stick to the crust.
    1-2 Tbsps water
  • Pour your oats on a plate or shallow bowl, and place the top of the loaf you brushed with water face down in the rolled oats with the seam facing you. Roll the dough side to side to coat the edges.
    1/2 (40g) cup rolled oats
  • Flour your banneton and transfer your loaf seam side up into the floured banneton. Stitch and pinch all of your seams together.
  • Cover the banneton with a cover or plastic wrap. Transfer the dough to the refrigerator overnight for continued cold fermentation.
  • Banneton Note: If you don't have a banneton, you can use a bowl lined with a lint-free towel that is well floured. After you transfer the dough to the towel lined bowl, fold the towel over the top of the dough and refrigerate overnight.

Step 6: Preheat the Oven & Bake

  • Preheat the oven to 500°F (260°C) convection bake. Place a Dutch oven inside the oven and preheat with Dutch oven inside.
  • Take the dough out of the fridge. Turn it out onto parchment paper or bread sling dusted with flour. Use a lame or sharp knife to score the top (a single slash works).
  • This cut should be about 1/2 inch deep from one end of the loaf to the next. This score helps the loaf retain a nice shape while it rises and expands in the oven.
  • Carefully transfer the dough into the hot Dutch oven (using parchment paper or a bread sling for easy lifting).
  • Reduce the heat and bake the bread at 450°F (230°C) for 40 minutes with the lid on.
  • Remove the lid after 40 minutes, and bake for another 5-10 minutes to brown the crust to your desired color.
  • Internal temperature of loaf should read between 195-200 F.
  • Once the bread is baked, remove the bread from the Dutch oven and transfer to a wire rack carefully.
  • Let the bread cool completely (at least 1-2 hours) before slicing. Cutting too soon will result in a gummy crumb because the inside is still setting!
  • Yields 1 loaf

Notes

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 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.

Nutrition

Serving: 1sliceCalories: 285kcalCarbohydrates: 53gProtein: 7gFat: 4g
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!