soft sourdough bread

Super soft and full of flavor, this loaf bread is perfect for sandwiches or spread with butter. The milk and butter in the dough help give it the soft, rich texture. 

Soft Sourdough Sandwich Bread

(225 grams) warm milk (1 cup minus 2 tablespoons)

(36 grams) granulated sugar

instant yeast (optional if starter is ripe)

(150 grams) sourdough starter, ripe or discard

sea salt

butter,

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the warm milk and the sugar until dissolved.

Add yeast and sourdough starter, stirring to combine.

Add flour and sea salt. Mix on medium-low speed until dough comes together.

With mixer on low speed, add butter pieces one at a time until combined.

Increase speed to medium and let the mixer knead the dough for 5 minutes.

Transfer to a large oiled bowl. Cover with oiled plastic wrap and let rise until nearly doubled, about 2 hours if using the optional added yeast. (If using only starter, this proofing time takes 12-18 hours, which yields a beautiful dough with a more pronounced sour flavor.)

Turn proofed dough out onto a clean counter top and stretch it several times to develop the gluten. Roll it tightly into a loaf, pinching the seams together. Transfer to an oiled loaf pan and cover with oiled plastic wrap to rise again, about 1 hour or until dough is about 1-inch above the rim of the pan (this step will take a few hours if not using the additonal yeast).

Bake at 350° for 35 minutes until golden and internal temperature reaches 190°-200°F on an instant-read thermometer.

Remove from oven and immediately brush top with melted butter. (Do not skip this step as it is key to a soft crust.)

Let cool in pan for 5 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

Finally able to print.  The ingredient amounts for multiple loaves still doesn't transfer to the print. Made 1 loaf today. Turned out good.

My husband is like your daughter, doesn't like the sour taste of sourdough.  I have a starter in the refrig, it's been there for years and rarely gets used because of hubby, BUT this recipe!!!!!  I made it and he loves it!  Nice thing about making this bread is my sourdough starter now can be used instead of discarded.  Thank you and thank your daughter for her taste in breads!!  One other thing - the recipe is easy to make, the crumb is delicate and crust soft.  This recipe is a keeper and will be used often in the future.  Thank you again!

I am going to sound like a broken record here. 
I made this exactly as listed. I used no yeast.
Came out great!
I will make one more time to make sure I have it then I can play around.
I really wanted to add honey instead of sugar.
But that wouldn't be same recipe!
I hate reading recipe reviews and people say, well i changed this, added that ect!

Made this for the first time today, with discard and the yeast, and it is absolutely perfect! My son asked for jelly toast before leaving for school but we didn’t have any bread…so when he gets home in an hour this will be ready to slice. The rise was super quick for me so I’m thinking my starter was strong (I’m super new to this!) so I may use less yeast next time. Love that I can make this in just a few hours!!

First time trying a sandwich loaf and it was wonderful! I did not have a stand mixer, so I was nervous. I weighed all the ingredients and it turned out great. Thanks for the recipe!

This is now my go-to bread recipe.  I make it every week!  I don't use any instant yeast, and sometimes I substitute honey for the sugar.  I don't have a mixer, so I use my bread maker to mix it and then do the first rise in a buttered bowl. It works perfectly to fit it into my weekend schedule and we get fresh, homemade bread for Sunday dinner.

Wow!  These were fantastic! I used my discard and yeast.  Thank you for the great recipe!

Mandy!  I can’t thank you enough for this fabulous recipe!  I’ve made a loaf every day for the last week and my husband and I are demolishing it.  We’re getting fatter but are really enjoying it.

My dough is proving now, but I couldn't wait to comment. The most perfect dough!  Soft and smooth and perfectly elastic!  Made me smile so big!  Can't wait for the finished loaf!

Absolutely delicious! It makes the best toast the next day, IF there is any left!! My husband and I thank you for this easy and yummy recipe.

Thank you ! I made the loaf late last night and it's already almost gone ! I'm thinking I need to make a couple loaves to have on hand. Thank you again for the recipe

This was the second time I've made this recipe. Love, love, love this recipe.  It's so soft! And delicious! The best homemade bread ever! I'm new at sour dough starter and still trying to figure out the feeding, discarding thing. I must be doing something right as this came out beautifully. I didn't use the yeast and it took about 7 hours to double for the first rise and about 3.5 hours for the second rise. I do put it in my oven with the light on as my kitchen is always on the colder side. Thanks for a great recipe. Very easy with superb results.

Do you usually store the loaf in the fridge or on the counter?

This bread turned out beautiful.   Thank you!  It's my favorite bread!

This was perfection. So soft! So easy to make!

Thank you Mandy!!   I have made this beautiful  soft sourdough bread four times now and it is not only a masterpiece to behold, it’s because of your recipe,  but it is so delicious!  Your recipe is clear and effortless!   Thank you again!!

Haven’t completed the whole recipe yet, but on my second rise in the loaf pan. Didn’t use yeast, but had the dough rise in a bowl for 24 hours. Once it was mixed and before the first rise, it seemed really dense and tough. I just kneaded it for the second rise in the loaf pan (it rose and doubled in size in the bowl) it seemed super dense and not light/fluffy and kneadable…Do you think I overmixed it with the dough hook attachment or used too much flour? I used normal King Arthur Flour.

I am about to make this bread for the hundredth time (not literally, but close).  I encourage anyone making it for the first time and almost every time, to follow your directions.  Get a feel for the bread before making any alterations.  The texture of this bread is fantastic.
- I use my dough hook instead of kneading by hand
- I have a large Pyrex bowl with a plastic lid that has proven perfect for letting the dough rise
- I do not use yeast and use the maximum recommended time for raising and proofing

After a few times of making this recipe I made a cinnamon bread that was fantastic.  Once the dough was stretched out, I brushed a beaten egg over the surface and sprinkled it with maple sugar and cinnamon before rolling it up and placing into the bread pan.

Perfect!

Finding recipes is easy; finding good ones can be hard. This is simply excellent. Followed the recipe to the letter for perfect results. Thanks so much!

I made this sourdough bread last week one plain and one cranberry cinnamon, both were delicious. This morning I made 2 loaves putting cranberries and orange peel and a bit of cinnamon. It is absolutely amazing. It is soooo soft. My starter is very mature, but I still put a tsp.  of yeast in it   I followed the recipe as written other than the cranberries and orange peel. I used discard today, and it rose beatifully. Thank you, this is my new sandwich bread recipe!!

When the dough is  ready to be shaped, what kind of stretching is needed? Should I do a stretch &amp; fold prior to shaping? I have just started my sourdough journey &amp; am anxious to try this recipe. Thank you!

On my second loaf, excellent bread. Thanks for sharing.

One of the easiest and best sourdough recipes I have tried. My 92 year old mother in law loves the soft texture.  Nothing beats this, especially if you use starter only.  The flavor is amazing.

I just made this yesterday and it turned out great for a first try!  Lovely flavour and texture!  When baked, per the recipe, the side of the loaf split…a sure sign that it was under proved. But it could also be my flour. Canadian flour is some of the strongest in the baking world!  I made a second attempt today (doing a whole wheat version), increasing both of the dough resting/proofing stages by an additional 50% more time. The end result was a perfect 9x5 loaf that had risen and baked without a crack! I’ll be baking this again, very soon!

The best bread and easiest recipe. Comes out perfect every time!

I completely spaced and used water instead of milk, and I was worried I might’ve ruined it- but oh my goodness this is some of the best bread I’ve ever made!!! I feel like every recipe I try always turns out a little dry or too dense for me to use as sandwich bread, but this bread!! Sooo soft and fluffy!! I love it!

Very soft sourdough loaf, not too tangy.  I doubled the recipe and weighed the ingredients; used only sourdough starter, no yeast.  Very silky, easy-to-work-with dough.  I used my Bosch mixer to mix and knead the dough.  Then I put it into a greased large bowl and did about 4 stretch and folds over about 4 hours.  Then it went into the refrigerator, covered, for an overnight rest.  The next morning, I divided the dough into two parts to form and rise in my two loaf pans.  I turned my oven on to the proof setting, got it a bit warm, then turned it off.  Rise took about 2 hours.  One loaf pan is larger than the other, and I didn't actually get the proportions right, so one loaf was huge and the other one was slightly smaller than it should have been.  Oh well, next time maybe I'll get it right!  But this recipe is definitely a keeper.  Gifted one loaf and my friends loved it too!

I have never taken the time to rate any recipe on the internet for over 15 years of using it.... well this one changed it all! This is absolutely perfect. I have made it so many times, every Sunday either my husband or I make this for the week, for our family. It is the first and only recipe I've ever gotten him to save. It works with both AP flour and bread flour. I could rave on forever. Don't look any further for the absolute best bread recipe ever!

Super easy and incredibly yummy. Thanks for sharing your recipe. I think this will be my new go-to from now on!

I hardly ever leave reviews on recipes but this one is just too good not to. Seriously, the best. So soft, so easy, and delicious!

This recipe is amazing! I made this recipe two days in a row and am currently making it for the 3rd time due to there is none left at the end of the day! My husband will eat it plain with nothing on it because the flavoring is so good.

This was the first time I made it this morning. It looks beautiful!!!  It is huge!!  I’m anxiously waiting for it to cool completely so we can cut into it!!! (I might not let it cool completely bc warm bread is so good with butter slathered on it!!). 😉
Thank you for this recipe. It was so easy!!!

Absolutely perfect, easy fool-proof recipe!! I've made this bread twice exactly as written, both with the half whole wheat option, and the loaf is so soft and fluffy! I've added the instant yeast, but next time will try without. The recipe times are spot on! 

I sliced and froze leftovers, and they come back beautifully in the toaster. The toast has a nice light flavor and still has that chewy/crispy texture sourdough lends. So so good!!

Thank you so much, this is now my go-to sandwich bread recipe!

Made this bread a week ago and I’ve made it three times since. It’s absolutely amazing. Thank you so much for sharing!

This turned out amazing on the first try!

Made this bread three times and for hamburger buns.  Next is for hot dog buns and cinnamon rolls!  Soooo good!  Thank you for sharing your knowledge of sourdough baking!

I use this recipe frequently.  When I first started using it I followed the ingredients exactly as stated, but now I have enjoyed changing it up a bit.  I’ve added raisins and cinnamon for a wonderful cinnamon raisin bread.  I’ve also added combinations of herbs, cheeses, olives, peppers…. Love love love this basic bread recipe.  Thanks so much for sharing it.

This is my go to bread recipe! I’ve stopped buying bread from the store and had tested out quite a few recipes but this is hands down our favorite! My 11 year old son even has his friends asking me to make bread for their homes. Trying it out with whole wheat flour today.

This is now my go to bread!  We absolutely love it!  Thank you so much for sharing❤️

Soft Sourdough Bread makes perfect sandwich slices that are fluffy and light. With the Easy Sourdough Starter and just a few ingredients, this recipe simplifies the basics, making it incredibly easy for beginning sourdough bakers.

Soft Sourdough Bread

Easy Sourdough Starter (*bubbly and active)

sugar (*or honey)

warm water (*105°F

all purpose flour (*unbleached)

salt

Weigh and combine the sourdough starter, sugar and warm water in a large bowl. Mix together until the starter dissolves.Note: Remember to tare your scale before weighing your ingredients.

Add in the flour and salt and mix it in with your hand or a wooden spoon.

Once the flour is mostly incorporated, add the oil and mix until everything comes together into a rough, shaggy dough. Cover the bowl with an oiled piece of plastic wrap and let the dough rest at room temperature for approximately 45 minutes.

Mixing the Dough

After resting, gently pinch one side of the dough, stretch it upwards and then fold it onto the center of the bowl. Repeat this process for approximately 1 minute, working around the perimeter of the  bowl. Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for another 30 minutes.

Repeat this process of stretching, folding and resting a total of 4 times.

Stretch and Fold

Once the final stretch and fold is completed, let the dough rest either at room temperature or in the refrigerator to complete the first fermentation. It will take approximately 4 hours at room temperature or 12 hours in refrigeration to proof.  See Note #1 below.

Bulk Fermentation (First Fermentation)

Note: When fermenting the dough in the refrigerator, be sure to remove it and let it come to room temperature before shaping. This step ensures easier handling of the dough and ultimately leads to superior results.

Grease two loaf pans and set aside.

Turn the proofed dough onto a lightly floured flat surface.

Gently pinch the edge of the dough, then pull and fold it into the center a few times to firm up the dough before evenly dividing it in half.

Carefully flatten the first half into a rectangle shape. Starting with the edge closest to you, roll the dough tightly away from you, creating a cylinder.

Place the prepared dough into a greased loaf pan with the seam side down. Repeat with the second half of the dough. Cover with oiled plastic wrap and let proof (second fermentation) at room temperature for approximately 1-4 hours. See Note #2 below.

Shaping the Dough

Within the last half hour of the second and final rise, preheat the oven to 375℉.  See Note #3 below.

Once the loaves have fully risen, remove the plastic wrap and score the tops by making a slash along the length of the loaves with a sharp knife or lame. See Note #4 below.

Bake the loaves in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes, or until they are golden brown and sound hollow when tapped on the top.

Remove the loaves from the oven and let them cool in the pans for 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Note: Do not store until the loaves are completely cool.

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Soft Sourdough Sandwich Bread

Soft Sourdough Sandwich Bread

Soft Sourdough Bread

Top 3 soft sourdough bread recipes from across the web

The most viewed soft sourdough bread recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Soft Sourdough Sandwich Bread

Soft Sourdough Sandwich Bread

Soft Sourdough Bread

The most viewed soft sourdough bread recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine