Name: Whole Wheat Sourdough Sandwich Bread
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 45 min
Ingredients: 1 cup sourdough starter (200 grams); 3 cups water (690 grams); 6 1/2 cups whole wheat flour (845 grams); 1 tablespoon salt (20 grams); 2 tablespoons honey (40 grams); 4 tablespoons melted butter (56 grams)

This Whole Wheat Sourdough Sandwich Bread recipe offers a soft, no-knead bread that is easy to mix up and full of nutrition. By combining the benefits of both sourdough and whole wheat, this recipe makes the perfect bread for any meal. This is a great recipe for those just starting their sourdough journey or those seasoned sourdough makers that are looking for the perfect 100% whole wheat sandwich loaf to add to their rotation.

A loaf of whole wheat sourdough sandwich bread sliced on a cutting board.

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A close up picture of freshly made whole wheat sourdough sandwich bread.

The Perfect 100% Whole Wheat Bread

For years, I have been looking for the perfect whole wheat sandwich loaf to add to my recipe collection. I have tried some different recipes and found most of them to be a combination of whole wheat flour and white all-purpose and not 100% whole wheat.

My cousin, who has been baking delicious bread for years, gave me her delicious yeast bread recipe. I decided to play around with it and see if I could make it just as light and delicious but with sourdough starter instead of yeast.

After making various versions of this recipe for a long time, I feel like I’ve finally mastered the perfect whole wheat sandwich loaf!

A Word About Whole Wheat

Most everyone will agree that whole wheat is better for you than white flour. But one thing you might not know is that whole wheat starts to lose its nutritional value once it has been ground into flour. Because the grain contains the protective layer of the bran, it is shelf stable for a long time in its whole state.

Once it has been ground into flour, the nutritional contents of the grain quickly begin to deteriorate. Whole wheat is only considered shelf stable for 3 to 9 months once ground into flour. The moment the grain has been crushed it begins to lose nutritional value as well.

There is a lot of debate as to how much nutrition is lost and how quickly. I’m not here to debate that right now. But if there’s a way to preserve all the wonderful nutrients found in whole grains, I’m definitely all for it.

Freshly Milled Flour

The best way to avoid losing any of the wonderful nutrients found in whole wheat is to mill your own flour at home. This may sound complicated, but it is really very easy.

A nutramill grain mill grinding whole wheat berries into a bowl.

There are so many options for home grain mills now a days. Here are just a few of the varying styles and price points. I personally own the NutriMill Countertop Grain Mill and the Vitamix Grain Mill Attachment.

Although it might add a few minutes to the bread making process, freshly milling your own flour isn’t hard. The bread tastes so fresh and I love knowing that my family is receiving all the healthy vitamins (lots of B vitamins), minerals and healthy fats like vitamin E.

If I’m going to put in all the work to make fresh homemade bread, I really do want it to be nourishing for my family and not just empty carbs.

Although, I do love a white artisan loaf of sourdough, for the day to day this sandwich bread offers my family not just delicious flavor but wonderful nutrition as well.

Supplies for Whole Wheat Sourdough Sandwich Bread

Large Mixing Bowl
Measuring Cups and Spoons
Danish Whisk or Spatula
2 Bread Pans
Grain Mill (optional)
Whole Wheat Berries
Baking Scale (optional)
Bench Scraper (optional)
Bowl Scraper (optional)

Ingredients for recipe: honey, salt, melted butter, starter, whole wheat.

Ingredients for Whole Wheat Sourdough Sandwich Bread

1 cup sourdough starter – 200 grams
3 cups water – 690 grams
6 1/2 cups whole wheat flour – 845 grams
1 tablespoon salt – 20 grams
2 tablespoon honey – 40 grams
4 tablespoon melted butter – 56 grams

How to Make Whole Wheat Sourdough Sandwich Bread

Feed Starter

Feed your sourdough starter 4-12 hours before baking. Once starter is active and bubbly it is ready to use.

A large mixing bowl with dough and a danish whisk.

Prepare Dough

Mill the flour (optional): If you prefer freshly milled flour, mill 845g of wheat berries into flour.

Prepare the dough: In a large mixing bowl, add the sourdough starter and water. Mix until combined. To the mixture, add whole wheat flour, salt, honey, and melted butter. Stir until all ingredients are incorporated. The dough will be wet and sticky.

Rest the Dough: Cover the dough with a wet tea towel and let rest for 30-60 minutes. This allows time for the water to absorb before doing the stretch and folds.

A series of pictures showing how the dough changes with each stretch and fold.

Develop the Dough and Bulk Ferment

Stretch and fold: Every 30-60 minutes, perform stretch and folds. To do this, gently stretch one side of the dough upwards, fold it over toward the center. Rotate the bowl and repeat this on all four sides.

Repeat the stretch and fold process 3-4 times over the course of the next few hours. This gradually strengthens the dough.

Bulk Ferment: Cover the bowl with a wet tea towel or plastic wrap. Let the dough rise until it doubles in size. The rise time will vary based on the temperature and humidity. Colder, dryer weather takes longer; warmer, humid weather takes less time. Plan for anywhere from 8-12 hours.

The picture of the dough below is actually slightly over fermented (mom life). The bubbles in the dough have started to pop and it looks a little saggy. As you can see from the other pictures, the bread actually still turned out great. This recipe is very flexible.

A bowl of bulk fermented whole wheat sourdough.

A series of pictures showing how to shape dough into loaves.

Shape, Rise and Bake

Shape the loaves and rise: Grease loaf pans or line pans with parchment paper. Once dough has doubled, turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide it into two equal parts.

Use your hand or rolling pin to shape the dough into a rectangle. Roll the dough tightly into a log and pinch the seams together.

Before and after pictures of second rise of the dough.

Second Rise: Place the shaped dough seam side down into loaf pans. Allow the dough to rise until doubled, approximately 1-3 hours. This also depends on the temperature and humidity of your home. Make sure to allow the dough to double. This really creates a soft light loaf.

A women brushing the tops of the dough with egg wash.

Bake: Preheat your oven to 375. Brush the tops of the loaves with an egg wash or milk wash for a golden finish. Bake the loaves for 40-45 minutes. Tip: Use a thermometer to check the internal temperature of the bread, it should reach 190-200°F when done.

Two loaves of whole wheat sourdough sandwich bread cooling on a rack.

Cool: Remove the loaves from the oven and rub the tops of the loaves with butter. Then allow them to cool for 10 minutes in the pans. Remove the loaves from the pans and let them cool completely before slicing.

How to Store Whole Wheat Sourdough Sandwich Bread

To store homemade sourdough bread and keep it fresh:

Cool Completely: Let the bread cool on a wire rack for at least 1-2 hours after baking to avoid moisture buildup inside the loaf.
Short-Term Storage (1-3 days): Store the bread in a paper bag or a linen or cotton bread bag at room temperature. This allows the bread to breathe and helps maintain the crust’s crispiness.
Long-Term Storage (up to a week): If you won’t eat the bread within a few days, wrap it tightly in a sealed container, airtight bag or bread box to retain moisture.
Freezing: To preserve bread for longer periods (up to 3 months), slice the loaf and place the slices in an airtight plastic bag. This makes it easy to toast slices directly from the freezer.

Tip: Avoid storing sourdough in the refrigerator, as this can cause the bread to dry out faster.

Sample Baking Schedule

Day 1

8 AM-12PM – Feed your sourdough starter.
7 PM – Prepare the dough and let rest.
8 – 9:30 PM – Stretch and fold every 30 minutes.
Bulk ferment until doubled at room temperature overnight. The fermentation process can be slowed down by putting the dough in the refrigerator if needed.

Day 2

7 AM – Shape the loaves and add to bread pans. Cover and allow to rise for 1-3 hours until doubled.
8:30 AM – Preheat the oven.
9 AM – Once doubled add egg wash to loaves. Bake at 375°F for 40-45 minutes.
9:45 AM – Cool the bread.

Freshly made whole wheat sourdough sandwich bread loaves partially sliced on a cutting board.

More Sourdough Recipes

Easy Sourdough Waffles

Easy Sourdough Pancakes

Sourdough Crêpes

If you give this recipe a try and love it, I’d be thrilled if you could come back and leave a 5-star review! Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram @thishouseofdreams – I’d love to see your sourdough loaves!