Sliced sourdough sandwich bread on serving platter

Sourdough Sandwich Bread

Posted on by sourdoughbrandon

This post may contain affiliate links for products and ingredients I use and recommend. For more information, see my disclosures here.

Share this:
Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

Last Updated on August 7, 2023

This Sourdough Sandwich Bread recipe is so soft and easy to make! The loaf has a soft and buttery crust with a tender interior.

Whether it’s breakfast toast, lunch sandwiches, or grilled cheese sandwiches, this soft sourdough sandwich bread is versatile, easy to slice, and full of flavor.

Making homemade sandwich bread is also great for beginners venturing into making sourdough bread.

I often recommended this recipe as a first sourdough recipe for new sourdough bakers to make. That’s because there’s no complex shaping technique, you only need a basic bread loaf pan, it’s easy to mix, and it’s made with easy-to-find ingredients.

Let the sourdough yeasts do all the work and with minimal effort, you’ll have the best sourdough sandwich bread for you and your family!

👉 Check out my other popular bread loaf recipes, including my vegan Seeded Whole Wheat Sourdough Sandwich Bread, Sourdough Cinnamon Raisin Swirl Bread, Sourdough Brioche Bread, and Spiced Sourdough Banana Bread.

Sourdough sandwich bread Loaf with slices and glass of milk and lilac flowers

Why make homemade Sourdough Sandwich Bread?

Sliced bread is a hallmark of food convenience and innovation. There’s a reason why we say a new, useful product is “the best/greatest thing since sliced bread!”.

By only using sourdough as the leavening agent, homemade sourdough sandwich bread can stay fresh and last as long as store-bought sandwich bread. No preservatives or additives are needed to make your own sandwich bread loaf last just as long as store-bought bread and it’s only made with simple ingredients. 

Unlike how artisan-style sourdough breads can be somewhat intimidating or tedious for beginner bakers, making your own loaf of sandwich bread is simple.

Making homemade bread is a wonderful way to become more self-sufficient and more economical. Plus, it’s way more delicious than store-bought bread!

Slice of toasted sourdough sandwich bread on plate with knife and fig jam

Tips for Making soft Sourdough Sandwich Bread

For this sourdough bread recipe, the soft crust and texture of store-bought sandwich bread are recreated using whole milk and dried milk powder.

Whole milk tenderizes and softens bread because of the fat content in the milk. The lactose in milk (a sugar) gives the bread a slight sweetness and helps with additional browning. Milk will also help keep it from staling as fast as bread made solely with water.

The dried milk powder is optional but helps to add a more concentrated milk flavor to the bread.

With whole milk and the optional dried milk powder, this loaf stays soft for days and slices easily. I brush butter on the crust before baking to give it a buttery aroma that browns the crust slightly.

Additionally, be sure to follow the baking temperature and time instructions for this recipe.

Baking sandwich bread at a lower temperature than typical artisan sourdough bread (here at 375ºF or 190ºC) will make sure your bread crust does not harden too quickly. The result is a soft crust like store-bought bread.

The internal temperature of the completed bread should read 190º-200ºF (88-93ºC) when fully baked.

Sliced sourdough sandwich bread with milk

🛠 Tools Needed:

Click the toggles below for more information and my personal tool recommendations. I only recommend products I actually use.

Bread Loaf Pan

I use this 8.5″x4.5″ standard bread loaf pan for this recipe. The smaller loaf pan size helps keep the bread taller.

You can use a 9×5″ loaf pan as well, but note that your bread might be a little stumpier.

Sourdough recipes are most consistent when using a baking scale. I use my Escali baking scale every day and the batteries last for months. It’s affordable, accurate, and so easy to use!

I use this JK Adams French-style tapered rolling pin. It’s an affordable, simple dowel that is handmade in Vermont. Having a tapered pin gives more control when rolling out things like pastry or pie dough and this one comes with a lifetime guarantee. It’s very high-quality and elegant.

For this recipe, the dough gets rolled into a long oval. If you don’t have a rolling pin, a wine bottle also works!

I use my Kitchen Aid stand mixer to mix this bread dough together. It makes the process easier!

However, you can certainly mix and knead this dough by hand. It will only take a few more minutes.

The Brød and Taylor Folding Bread Proofer is the perfect bread proofer. It folds up when not in use, it can be set to a specific temperature (I keep mine at 78ºF for my starter and when proofing breads), and it even comes with a humidity tray.

Bread loaf pan, rolling pin, and proofed sourdough sandwich bread dough in bowl

🛒 Ingredients Needed:

Click the toggles below for more information, my personal ingredient recommendations, and possible substitutions. I only recommend ingredients I actually use.

Bread Flour

Any high-protein bread flour will work for this recipe. I use King Arthur Bread Flour at 12.7% protein content. The high protein and gluten content in bread flour will result in a taller and chewier bread.

I use this flour for making similar dough like my Sourdough Brioche Bread and Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls with Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting.

You can use all-purpose flour too, but it will likely result in a squatter loaf. It will still be delicious, though!

If you do not have a healthy and active sourdough starter, follow my How to Make a Sourdough Starter recipe and guide to learn how to make your own from home in a week.

There is no added baker’s yeast in this sandwich bread recipe. This is a 100% sourdough sandwich bread using only natural sourdough yeasts!

Do not use sourdough discard. It will not leaven the bread properly.

Whole milk helps keep the bread soft and gives it a light sweetness. Use whole milk for the best flavor in this recipe. You can use another dairy or non-dairy milk you have on hand as well.

You can also substitute whole milk with plant-based milk in this recipe. Use an unsweetened and unflavored option. A creamy choice like soy milk or oat milk will perform best.

Dried milk powder will help tenderize your bread, help keep the bread from staling, and adds a little more concentrated milk flavor to the bread.

  • Unsalted Butter (melted)
  • Kosher Salt
  • Granulated Sugar
    • You’re welcome to substitute with coconut sugar, raw sugar, agave, maple syrup, honey, or leave it out all together.
Ingredients needed for sourdough sandwich bread including flour, dried milk powder, levain, butter, salt, sugar, and milk
Ingredients needed for sourdough sandwich bread

🥪 How to Make Sourdough Sandwich Bread:

Follow the guide below to learn how to make this easy Sourdough Sandwich Bread recipe. As always with sourdough recipes, adjust times as necessary. This dough is forgiving and flexible.

1. Make Levain

Add 50g of active sourdough starter, 50g of water, and 50g of bread flour to a clean glass jar.

Mix and cover with a loose-fitting lid. The levain should be ready in about 5 hours or until the levain is active, doubled, and bubbly.

Ripe sourdough levain in mason jar

Note: If you’d like to skip making a levain, simply add about 125g sourdough starter (about ½ cup) in the next step. A levain is simply an offshoot of a sourdough starter that is completely added to a recipe. Learn more about the difference between a sourdough starter and a levain here.

2. Mix Ingredients

Add the following ingredients to the bowl of a stand mixer:

  • 400 grams of Bread Flour
  • 8 grams of Sea Salt
  • 12 grams of Granulated Sugar
  • 13 grams of dried milk powder (optional, 2 TBS).
  • 71 grams of melted unsalted butter (5 TBS).
  • 250 grams of room-temperature whole milk
  • All of the levain (or about 125g active sourdough starter)

Attach the dough hook and mix on medium speed until all of the ingredients come together into a shaggy dough.

If you’re mixing by hand, the dough will be quite sticky at first.

Hand pulling sticky sourdough sandwich bread dough in stand mixer bowl

Cover the bowlwith a towel and let rest for 10 minutes. This quick rest will allow the flour to fully hydrate and for the gluten to relax.

Continue mixing on medium speed until the dough is tacky (not sticky) and you can stretch a piece of the dough into a thin layer without it tearing (aka “the windowpane test”).

Mixing should take about 7-10 minutes.

If mixing by hand, follow the same indicators as above and knead the dough on a lightly floured countertop.

Smooth sourdough sandwich bread dough on dough hook
Smooth and tacky dough
Hand pulling up dough for windowpane test
Dough passes the windowpane test

3. Bulk Fermentation (First Rise)

Place the dough in a lightly oiled medium bowl and cover.

Let the sourdough sandwich dough proof for 4.5-5 hours in a warm location for its bulk rise.

I keep my dough and starter in my Brød and Taylor Folding Bread Proofer and it keeps it at a steady temperature that you can adjust along with a humidity tray. I keep my bread proofer set at a constant 78ºF.

At the end of bulk fermentation (first rise), the dough should at least double in size, dome, and feel full of air.

Sourdough sandwich bread dough in bowl at start of bulk fermentation
Start of bulk fermentation
Sourdough sandwich bread dough in bowl at end of bulk fermentation
Dough at end of bulk fermentation

4. Overnight Proof

Move the covered dough to a cold spot in the refrigerator and let it proof overnight or up to 48 hours.

A cold proof, or retard, allows your bread dough to ferment at a much slower rate and will give added flavor to your bread. The cold proof also gives you more flexibility to bake your bread at a later time.

5. Shape the Dough

The next day, or about five hours before you plan to bake your sourdough sandwich bread, remove the dough from the refrigerator and butter or oil a 8.5″x4.5″ bread loaf pan.

Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and very lightly flour the surface of the dough.

Press the dough into a square shape with your fingers. This will deflate the dough.

With a rolling pin, evenly roll the dough out into a long oval (mine is typically about 8.5″ wide and 17″ long).

Sourdough sandwich bread dough patted down into square on counter with rolling pin
Dough patted into square
Rolled out sourdough sandwich bread into long oval with rolling pin
Dough rolled out

Starting from the short end closest to you, use your hands to roll up the dough into a log. The dough should still be cold and easy to handle. If there is any sticking, lightly flour your hands.

Pick up the dough log and place it seam-side down into the bread loaf pan. The dough should fit snugly.

Hand rolling up sourdough sandwich bread dough on counter
Rolling up dough into log
Rolled up sourdough sandwich bread dough
Rolled up dough
Sourdough sandwich bread dough in bread loaf pan at start of final proof
Dough in bread loaf pan at start of final proof

6. Final Proof

Cover the bread loaf pan and place in a warm location to proof for 4.5 to 5 hours.

The final proof is complete when the dough has filled up the bread loaf pan and rises about 1 inch above the bread loaf pan.

At the end of proofing, the dough should look swollen and feel full of air if you lightly press on it with a floured finger.

You can use the “finger-poke test” to assess if the dough is finished proofing. To test, use a lightly floured finger to press about 1/2-inch into the dough. If it springs back immediately, then it needs longer to proof. And if the dough leaves a small indentation that slowly fills in, then it’s ready!

Sourdough sandwich bread dough in bread loaf pan at end of final proof

Note: At 78ºF in my Brød and Taylor Proofer, I find this sandwich bread dough typically proofs for 4.5 hours. If it’s colder in your proofing location, proofing will take longer.

7. Bake

Preheat the oven to 375ºF (190ºC).

Once preheated, brush the top of the sourdough sandwich bread dough with a tablespoon of melted butter.

Brushing the bread dough with melted butter helps give it softer crust and contributes more flavor and color to the crust.

Brushing melted butter onto proofed sourdough sandwich bread in pan

Bake at 375ºF (190ºC) for 35-40 minutes.

The bread is done when the top crust of the bread is evenly and lightly browned and the internal temperature reads between 190-200ºF (88-93ºC).

Place the loaf on a wire rack and let it cool for about 5 minutes in the pan. After 5 minutes, turn the still hot bread out of the pan (use gloves!) and let it cool completely on the wire rack.

Letting it cool completely out of the bread loaf pan will help ensure that your bread is not gummy.

Slice and enjoy!

Slicing sourdough sandwich bread with bread knife
Slicing sourdough sandwich bread
Slices of sourdough sandwich bread on platter with bread knife and towel
Sliced sourdough sandwich bread

Note: If you use an instant-read thermometer, the internal temperature of baked sandwich bread should read 190-200ºF (88-93ºC). Baking sandwich bread to an internal temperature over 200ºF will result in a drier, tougher sandwich bread. To keep sandwich bread soft, aim to bake it until the internal temperature is 190ºF.

How to Store Sourdough Sandwich Bread

It’s easy to store sourdough sandwich bread with a couple of options: at room temperature or frozen. The use of sourdough helps preserve the loaf longer than other yeasted breads.

At room temperature, keep the bread covered or wrapped in aluminum foil to keep it from staling. It will stay fresh for up to five days. If it does stale any, warm it up or toast it for a couple of minutes in a toaster oven.

You can also store sourdough sandwich bread wrapped in a tea towel and in a paper bag to stay fresh longer.

To freeze the sourdough sandwich bread, slice the bread and store the slices in a freezer-safe ziplock bag. Place in the freezer to store for at least two months.

What to Make with Sourdough Sandwich Bread

This recipe is so easy and flexible- it can be used for many things!

The texture and flavor of this bread are similar to grocery store white sandwich bread (although the flavor is much more complex!), so it’s interchangeable with any of the ways you would use store-bought sandwich bread.

Homemade sandwich bread can be used for sandwiches like grilled cheeses, PB&J’s, BLTs, and other lunch sandwiches.

Additionally, I enjoy it as morning toast with butter and jelly or dunked with tomato soup. You could even use it as the base for bread pudding, dried croutons, and the list goes on.

Turkey sandwich on plate using sourdough sandwich bread
Turkey Sandwich with Sourdough Sandwich Bread
Cut, gooey grilled cheese sandwich on plate using sourdough sandwich bread
Gooey Grilled Cheese with Fig Jam

Sourdough Sandwich Bread FAQs:

Yes! This sourdough sandwich bread recipe can easily be made vegan. Substitute the whole milk in the recipe with an equal amount of water or another plant-based milk.

Instead of using butter, use an equal amount of neutral oil like canola, avocado, or vegetable oil.

Yes. If you do not have a stand mixer, you can still make sourdough sandwich bread. When mixing dough ingredients, knead the dough with your hands following the same indicators on the recipe.

This is a stiff dough and might take about 15 minutes to knead by hand.

Make sure the loaf is completely cooled before slicing it. Slicing into hot or warm bread affects the crumb structure of a bread loaf because the crumb of your bread will not be fully set.

It’s also possible you underbaked the sandwich bread. The internal temperature of the bread should read 190ºF when fully baked.

Yes. You can make a whole wheat sourdough sandwich bread using the same recipe. Replace 50g of the bread flour with any whole wheat flour you have. This will result in a very flavorful but slightly denser sandwich bread.

Whole wheat bread requires higher hydrations, so you will likely need to increase the amount of milk/liquid used in the recipe. I highly recommend trying my Seeded Whole Wheat Sourdough Sandwich Bread for a hearty sandwich bread recipe!

Yes. Double all of the ingredients and follow the same instructions. When you remove the dough from the refrigerator, divide it in half before shaping so you will have two loaves.

This recipe will create a soft and tender sourdough sandwich bread with a soft crust. Be sure not to overbake your bread or bake it at a higher temperature as that will harden your crust and create a more dense bread.

Yes. The overnight, cold proof in this recipe gives the bread additional flavor and cold dough is easier to shape. However, if you’d like to skip the overnight proof, you can. Make sure you start the recipe early in the morning and you can bake it in the evening.

If your sourdough discard is fresh (within a day or two), you can use it to create your levain for this recipe. However, do not substitute all of the levain for sourdough discard. This will result in a very sour, acidic loaf that will likely not rise well in your bread pan.

Instead, use sourdough discard in other discard recipes like my Sourdough Discard Blueberry Scones or my Easy Sourdough Discard Granola Recipe!

Loaf of sourdough sandwich bread on counter with lilac flower and milk
Sourdough sandwich bread Loaf with slices and glass of milk and lilac flowers
Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Rate this Recipe

4.91 from 10 votes

Sourdough Sandwich Bread

By: Sourdough Brandon
Learn how to make homemade sourdough sandwich bread with this easy and delicious recipe. This sourdough sandwich bread is so soft, slices easily, and tastes better than store-bought bread!
Cook Time35 minutes
Resting Time17 hours
Total Time17 hours 35 minutes
Yield or Serving: 1 Loaf

Equipment

Ingredients

Levain

Sourdough Sandwich Bread Dough

  • 400 grams Bread Flour
  • 8 grams Kosher Salt
  • 12 grams Granulated Sugar
  • 13 grams Dried Milk Powder, (2 TBS, optional)
  • 71 grams Unsalted Butter, (5 TBS melted, plus 1 TBS for brushing)
  • 250 grams Whole Milk, (room temperature)
  • 125 grams Levain, (see above, or use active sourdough starter)

Instructions

  • Make Levain:
    Mix together 50g active sourdough starter, 50g water, and 50g bread flour to a jar. Cover and let ripen in a warm location for about 5 hours or until the levain is doubled, bubbly, and active.
    50 grams Sourdough Starter, 50 grams Water, 50 grams Bread Flour
    Ripe sourdough levain in mason jar
  • Mix Ingredients:
    Once the levain is ready, add all of the sourdough sandwich bread dough ingredients to the bowl of a stand mixer including all of the levain.
    Attach the dough hook and mix together on medium speed until all of the ingredients come together into a shaggy dough.*
    Cover with a towel and let rest 10 minutes for the dough to fully hydrate.
    Continue mixing on medium speed for about 7-10 more minutes until the dough is tacky, not sticky and you can stretch a piece of the dough into a thin layer without it tearing (the windowpane test).
    400 grams Bread Flour, 8 grams Kosher Salt, 12 grams Granulated Sugar, 13 grams Dried Milk Powder, 71 grams Unsalted Butter, 250 grams Whole Milk, 125 grams Levain
    Hand pulling up dough for windowpane test
  • Bulk Fermentation (First Rise):
    Place the dough in a lightly oiled medium-sized bowl and cover.
    In a warm location, the dough should bulk ferment for about 4.5-5 hours. At the end of bulk fermentation, the dough should be doubled, domed, and appear full of air.
    Sourdough sandwich bread dough in bowl at start of bulk fermentation
  • Overnight Proof:
    Place the bowl of dough into the refrigerator to proof overnight or up to 48 hours.
    Sourdough sandwich bread dough in bowl at end of bulk fermentation
  • Shape the Dough:
    The next day, remove the dough from the refrigerator and butter a 8.5"x4.5" bread loaf pan.
    Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and lightly press the dough into a square shape with your fingers.
    Using a rolling pin, evenly roll out the dough into a large oval (about 8.5" wide and 17" long).
    Starting at the short end closest to you, use your hands to roll up the dough into a log. Pick up the dough log and place it seam-side down into the bread loaf pan.
    Sourdough sandwich bread dough in bread loaf pan at start of final proof
  • Final Proof:
    Cover the bread loaf pan and place in a warm location to proof for 4.5-5 hours.
    Final proof is complete when the dough looks swollen, has filled up the bread loaf pan, and rises about 1 inch above the bread loaf pan.
    If you press the dough with a lightly floured finger, it should leave a slight indentation.
    Sourdough sandwich bread dough in bread loaf pan at end of final proof
  • Bake:
    Preheat the oven to 375ºF (190ºC).
    Brush the top of the bread dough with a tablespoon of melted butter.
    Bake the sourdough sandwich bread for 35-40 minutes. The sandwich bread is done when the top crust is evenly and lightly browned and the internal temperature reads between 190-200ºF (88-93ºC).
    Let cool on a wire rack for about 5 minutes. Turning the still hot bread out of the bread loaf pan to cool completely on a wire rack.
    Slice and enjoy!
    Slices of sourdough sandwich bread on counter

Notes

*If mixing by hand, follow the same instructions for mixing except mix the dough ingredients together with a spatula and knead the dough following the same indicators as above. You may need to knead the dough for 10 minutes for it to pass the windowpane test.
Sourdough sandwich bread can stay soft and be stored at room temperature for up to 5 days. Keep the bread as you would typically keep store-bought sandwich bread. Freeze slices in a freezer-safe ziplock bag.
Tried this recipe?Rate the recipe above, comment, and follow/mention @sourdoughbrandon on Instagram

Other Recipes You May Enjoy:

Sourdough pumpkin scones with a pumpkin glaze on a wire rack with a bowl of pumpkin glaze, linen towel, a pumpkin, and a vase of dahlias on the sides.

Sourdough Pumpkin Scones

2 Comments
These Sourdough Pumpkin Scones are so easy to make, tender, and flaky. With a pumpkin cinnamon glaze on top, they’re a perfect fall sourdough discard treat!
Read More
Sourdough pumpkin whoopie pies with salted maple buttercream stacked on top of each other with pumpkins in the background.

Sourdough Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

5 Comments
Make these easy Sourdough Pumpkin Whoopie Pies with Salted Maple Buttercream that bake in just 15 minutes! The cakes sandwich a luscious salted maple buttercream.
Read More
Jar of sourdough levain with text saying "What is a Sourdough Levain" and the Sourdough Brandon logo.

What is a Sourdough Levain?

2 Comments
What is a sourdough levain and how is it different from sourdough starter and sourdough discard? This guide covers all the benefits of using a sourdough levain.
Read More
Sourdough apple fritters with glaze and cinnamon sugar on a serving platter

Sourdough Apple Fritters

2 Comments
These old-fashioned Sourdough Apple Fritters are so easy to make and require no proofing! They come together in 30 minutes and contain lots of juicy apples.
Read More
Sliced Beginner's Einkorn Sourdough Bread on a cutting board

Beginner’s Einkorn Sourdough Bread

5 Comments
This step-by-step Beginner’s Einkorn Sourdough Bread recipe will help you incorporate ancient and nutritious einkorn flour into your diet with lots of photos!
Read More
Sourdough Lemon Poppyseed Bundt Cake on a cake stand with slices cut and a lemon glaze

Sourdough Lemon Poppy Seed Bundt Cake

No Comments
This Sourdough Lemon Poppy Seed Bundt Cake features a zesty burst of citrus and the delicate crunch of poppy seeds in a tender and easy sourdough discard cake.
Read More
Sourdough grilled cheese on a cutting board with a knife

Sourdough Grilled Cheese

No Comments
This is your ultimate guide to making the best Sourdough Grilled Cheese! The guide walks you through each step for making a perfect grilled cheese sandwich.
Read More
Sourdough Pop Tarts with blueberry and strawberry jam

Sourdough Pop Tarts

No Comments
These gourmet Sourdough Pop Tarts feature a flaky sourdough rough puff pastry with fruity jam centers and are adorned with a colorful glaze and rainbow sprinkles.
Read More
Share this:

14 thoughts on “Sourdough Sandwich Bread”

  1. Thank you for sharing this recipe. Bread came out wonderfully soft. But my loaf was a little sour. Is there a way we can tweak the recipe to make it a little less sour?

    Reply

    1. Thanks for making! Every starter is different, so they’ll impart slightly different flavors to breads. My loaves are always mild tasting, but I feed it every day at room temperature so it doesn’t get very acidic. If yours came out sour, you can shorten the fermentation period (so less bulk fermentation or overnight proof), you could add a little more sugar to the dough or to your starter, and can make sure your starter is fed and used at or just past peak. All of those things should help to make your bread less sour!

      Reply

  2. 5 stars
    This recipe was perfect at the first try! It is the first time for me to find in the web a recipe that came out perfectly. Thanks Brandon. You are so clear in the way you explain all the steps.
    I will try all the recipes
    Marta from Matera ❤️

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating