Soft Fresh-Milled Sourdough Sandwich Bread

Name: Soft Fresh-Milled Sourdough Sandwich Bread
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 615 min
Ingredients: 525 g fresh-milled hard white wheat flour; 320 g water (this is what I usually use, see notes!); 220 g active sourdough starter (100% hydration); 40 g honey; 30 g oil (or melted butter, I prefer olive oil); 10 g salt; 10 g sunflower lecithin (or 1 egg – see notes); 20 g vital wheat gluten

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If you've been trying to get a soft, sliceable loaf from fresh-milled flour, this soft fresh-milled sourdough sandwich bread is the one that finally fits that description. It's reasonably fluffy without being dry, sturdy enough for sandwiches, and has just a mild sourdough flavor without being overly ...sourdough. This is the kind of everyday bread your kids will eat (and you'll be happy about it!).

Freshly baked sourdough bread loaf with a slice cut, on a wooden board.

This is an everyday loaf. Because it's soft and neutral, it works just as well for school lunches as it does for weekend toast or grilled sandwiches.

If you like your fresh milled bread totally plain, try my 100% fresh milled sourdough loaf, and no matter which one you go for: you can turn them both into fresh milled pizza toast later!

You can also cool, slice and freeze this bread. I love having some of it ready to go in the freezer, same as my fresh milled tortillas!

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Prep Time: 30 minutes
Bulk Fermentation: 5 hours
Final Proof: 4 hours
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: About 6-10 hours
Servings: 1 loaf (about 10-12 slices)
Difficulty: Medium
Baking Method: Oven-baked (loaf pan)
Best For: Sandwiches, toast, everyday bread

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Summarize & Save This Recipe On:
Quick Look
Important Ingredients
Substitutions & Variations
How to Make Sourdough Sandwich Bread
Baking Schedule
💭Crucial Success Tips
Recipe FAQs
How To Store Sourdough Sandwich Bread
Other Delicious Recipes
Soft Fresh-Milled Sourdough Sandwich Bread
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Other Fresh-Milled Sourdough Recipes You'll Love

Important Ingredients

Fresh-milled hard white flour gives the bread better flavor and more nutrients.
Sourdough starter helps the bread rise naturally and adds a mild sour flavor.
Water hydrates the flour and helps develop the dough structure.
Honey adds a little sweetness and helps keep the bread soft, plus it gives the starter an extra lift.
Oil (or butter) makes the bread soft and tender, not crusty.
Salt balances the flavor and strengthens the dough.

See recipe card for quantities.

Substitutions & Variations

You can use hard red flour instead of hard white, but the flavor will be a bit more intense and a bit less like a soft sandwich loaf. Some people like to mix up to 30% kamut into their sandwich bread too, although I recommend looking at specific recipes for that
This bread can be made slightly sweeter or more neutral depending on your preference. Just adjust the honey by using a bit less or more

How to Make Sourdough Sandwich Bread

Mixing sourdough bread dough in a stainless steel bowl for baking.

Step 1: Add everything except the salt to your mixing bowl.

Using the paddle attachment, mix until everything is fully combined and you have a thick, sticky dough (Image 1). This usually takes about 2-3 minutes.

Sourdough bread dough covered with a cloth during stretch and fold process.

Step 2: Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for 15-20 minutes (Image 2).

This gives the fresh milled flour time to fully hydrate, which makes the dough easier to work with later.

Ball of soft, fresh-milled sourdough bread dough in a glass bowl.

Step 3: Add the salt, then switch to the dough hook.

Knead for about 8-10 minutes, until the dough becomes smooth, elastic, and starts pulling away from the sides of the bowl (Image 3).

You're looking for a dough that holds together well and stretches without tearing, but DON'T chase windowpane, meaning your dough doesn't need to be stretchy to the point of you beeing able to see through it. My controversial opinion is that sourdough takes case of making the crumb great, without the need for fancy mixers that will get you to very developed gluten in this mixing stage.

Close-up of freshly milled sourdough flour in a glass bowl.

Step 4: Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl and cover.

Let it rise until roughly ~60-80% rise, not a full double! Because this is an enriched dough (honey + oil), don't aim for a full double. If you let it go too far, shaping gets harder and the final loaf can collapse slightly.

This usually takes 3-5 hours, depending on your starter and room temperature (Image 4).

Freshly prepared sourdough bread dough for baking.

Step 5: Turn the dough out onto your work surface and gently flatten it into a rectangle (Image 5).

Roll it up tightly into a log, pressing out any large air pockets as you go.

Pinch the seam closed well, then place the dough seam-side down into a greased 9×4 or 9×5 loaf pan.

Place into a greased 9×4 or 9×5 loaf pan.

Proofed sourdough bread dough in a rectangular pan ready for baking.

Step 6: Let the dough rise until it domes just above the rim of the pan

This can take anywhere from 2-4 hours.

If needed, you can place the loaf in the fridge before it fully rises and bake the next day (Image 6).

Freshly baked sourdough bread loaf cooling on a wire rack.

Step 7: Bake at 180°C (350°F) for 35-45 minutes.

If the top browns too quickly, loosely cover with foil (Image 7).

The loaf is done when the internal temperature reaches 90-95°C (190-200°F).

Golden brown sourdough loaf cooling on a wire rack.

Step 8: Remove from the pan immediately and let it cool completely on a rack before slicing (Image 8).

Hint: don't stress with achieving a windowpane test. The point of mixing the dough is to incorporate all the ingredients really well and to jump start gluten formation. Your dough doesn't even need to come together in a ball (mine usually doesn't!). Mixing the ingredients together and getting an uniform dough is enough!

Baking Schedule

Morning: Mix dough and let it rest
Midday: Knead and start bulk fermentation (3-5 hours)
Afternoon: Shape and place in pan
Evening: Final proof (2-4 hours), then bake

Optional: After shaping, you can refrigerate the dough overnight and bake the next day.

💭Crucial Success Tips

The biggest mistake with this bread is over-proofing. Because this is an enriched dough (with honey and fat), it might ferment a bit slower than your plain fresh milled sourdough, but still keep a good eye on it. Don't wait for it to double, even 60% rise is enough.

Recipe FAQs

Why didn't my bread rise well?

Weak rise usually comes from an underactive starter or cold fermentation conditions. Temperature directly affects fermentation speed, so a warmer spot often fixes this.

Can I make this without a stand mixer?

Yes. You can mix by hand and knead it for about 10 minutes to jump start gluten formation. No need for a mixer, luckily, sourdough starter and time will take care of absolutely everything further on.

Should I use my all purpose starter or my fresh milled starter?

It doesn't matter, use either. But if you want 100% fresh milled bread, you might want to use fresh milled starter. The easiest way to make it is to use a bit of your all purpose starter and feed it with fresh milled flour and water in a separate jar the day before, and it'll be ready to use in the morming.

How To Store Sourdough Sandwich Bread

Store the bread in a bread bag or airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
For longer storage, keep it in the fridge for up to 1 week, but warm before serving for best texture.

This bread freezes well. Slice it first, then freeze for up to 2 months, with parchment paper in-between the slices 8my favorite way!).

Thaw at room temperature or toast directly from frozen. I prefer the second option.

Freshly baked sourdough bread with a crispy crust and soft interior.

Other Delicious Recipes

If you tried this soft fresh-milled sourdough sandwich bread or any other recipe on my blog please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below! Happy Baking!