Buttermilk Sourdough Bread
I’ve found this buttermilk sourdough bread recipe to be my go-to for sandwiches. The buttermilk adds a slight richness, and the sourdough starter adds a tang that makes every bite a treat.
This recipe is a real winner for anyone like me who loves sourdough bread with a good tang, with just enough brown sugar to balance the sourness. Its soft texture makes it perfect for an everyday loaf. It’s one of those sourdough bread recipes that will become a kitchen staple.

Soft Buttermilk Sourdough Bread
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl
- Tea towel
- Plastic Wrap
- Wire cooling rack
Ingredients
For the Dough
- 2½ cups all purpose flour (11.5 ounces)
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- ¾ cup buttermilk (6 ounces)
- ½ cup active starter (5 ounces)
- 2 tablespoons melted butter (or vegetable oil)
- 1½ teaspoons salt
For Topping
- 1 tablespoon melted butter
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Instructions
- Mix the dough and autolyze. Combine the flour, brown sugar, buttermilk, melted butter (or oil), and sourdough starter in a large mixing bowl. Then, stir until a sticky dough forms. Cover the bowl with a clean tea towel and rest on the counter for 30 minutes. This rest period, autolyze, allows the flour to hydrate fully and helps improve the dough’s texture.
- Knead briefly and add salt. After the dough has rested, sprinkle the salt over it and knead by hand for 1-2 minutes directly in the bowl or on a lightly floured counter. The dough will still feel sticky, but it should begin to smooth out as you knead. Make sure the salt is fully incorporated and the dough no longer feels gritty.
- First rise. Cover the dough with a damp towel and allow it to rise warmly for 4 hours or until it has doubled in size. During this time, gently fold the dough back into a ball once or twice (about every hour or two) to help build the structure. If the towel dries out, re-dampen it to keep the dough from forming a skin.
- Shape the dough. Turn the dough onto a clean surface and gently stretch it into a rectangle, approximately 9 inches by 18 inches. Then, fold the corners inward and roll the dough tightly into a log. Next, tuck the ends under and pinch the seams along the side and bottom to seal the loaf. Transfer the dough to a greased loaf pan, seam side down. Cover the loaf with greased plastic wrap.
- Second rise. Let the dough rise again in a warm place for 3-4 hours or until it rises 1-2 inches above the edge of the loaf pan, forming a dome shape. Towards the end of this rising time, preheat your oven to 350°F with the rack in the center.
- Bake the bread. Once the loaf has risen, carefully remove the plastic wrap. Brush the top of the dough with 1 tablespoon of melted butter. Bake for 35-45 minutes until the bread is golden brown, and the internal temperature reaches 200°F in the center. If the top starts to brown too quickly, loosely cover it with foil.
- Cool and slice. Remove the bread from the loaf pan and allow it to cool on a wire rack. Wait until the bread has cooled completely for the neatest slices before slicing.
Video
Notes
There’s something magical about homemade bread, and this soft buttermilk sourdough loaf is no exception. It’s soft, a bit tangy, and great for almost anything – sandwiches, toast, or just with butter right out of the oven. The buttermilk tastes even better, mixing well with the sourdough’s slight tang. What’s great is that this recipe is simple and perfect for beginners in sourdough baking. You can even split the baking over two days if you’re busy!
If you love the flavor that buttermilk adds to bread but like a simpler, non-sourdough version, you might enjoy this classic Buttermilk Bread recipe. It’s just as soft and rich without the tang of sourdough.

I hope it becomes a favorite for you, too.
Key Ingredients and Tools
Here’s what you’ll need to make this recipe easier and make sure your bread comes out great:

- Active Sourdough Starter: This is key for making the bread rise and giving it a tangy taste. If you don’t have one yet, you can start one at home, though it’ll take about a week to be ready. However, using 1 teaspoon of instant yeast and skipping the long rise time is an option.
- Buttermilk: It makes the bread creamy and a bit tangy. No buttermilk? No problem. Just mix some regular milk with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar and wait 5 minutes for it to thicken. If you ever find extra buttermilk after baking, here are some great ideas for leftover buttermilk recipes you can try!
- Melted Butter: It brings moisture and richness to your bread. If you’re avoiding dairy, vegetable oil is a good substitute that won’t change the flavor too much for a dairy-free choice.
- All-Purpose Flour: The main ingredient for your bread, it gives it structure. If you want your bread a bit denser, you can replace some with whole wheat flour; just know it’ll make it heavier.
- Kitchen Scale: It’s better to weigh your ingredients than to measure them by volume, especially for flour. This will help you avoid making the bread too dense and keep your bake consistent.
- Loaf Pan: A 9×5-inch pan is just right for shaping your bread and ensuring it bakes evenly. Remember to grease it well to avoid sticking.
- Bench Scraper: Great for dealing with sticky dough and shaping it. Don’t have one? A spatula or a knife can work, too.
These tools and ingredients will smooth the baking process and help you get the best out of your buttermilk sourdough bread!
Norpro Melamine 1017 Grip-EZ Mixing Bowl, 4 quart, Yellow, 3.8 litersMaxjoy Danish Dough Whisk,Large Wooden Danish Whisk for Dough With Stainless Steel Ring,Original Dutch Style Dough Hook for Kitchen Bread Making Tools and Supplies,Dough Whisk 13 InchKINGSBULL HOME Bread Pan Loaf Pan Ceramic Bread Pans for Baking Porcelain Baking Pans Nonstick Meatloaf Pan
Troubleshooting and Help
Absolutely! If you don’t already have a homemade sourdough starter, you can buy one online or from some bakeries. Just make sure it’s active and bubbly before you start baking.
It’s normal for sourdough to be a bit sticky! Avoid adding more flour, as that can make the bread denser. Instead, lightly flour your hands and work surface to help manage the stickiness.
Not at all! Once you’ve added the salt, this dough needs a quick knead—about 1-2 minutes. It should still feel sticky but starts to smooth out as you go.
Sourdough naturally takes time to rise, but if you’re in a hurry, placing the dough in a slightly warmer spot, like inside your oven with the light on, can help speed things up a bit. Don’t rush it too much—sourdough needs that time to develop flavor and texture.
Yes, you can! If you need more flexibility, you can pop the dough in the fridge overnight after the first rise. It’ll rise slowly in the fridge, and in the morning, you can shape and continue with the second rise as usual.
If your dough isn’t rising, the most common culprit is an inactive starter. Make sure your starter is bubbly and fed before using it. Also, colder temperatures can slow the rise, so try placing the dough in a warmer spot near a window or in a turned-off oven with the light on.
Absolutely! You can get creative by adding ingredients like herbs, shredded cheese, or seeds to the dough for extra flavor. Just be mindful not to add too many heavy ingredients, as it could affect the rise and texture of the bread.
Definitely! This soft buttermilk sourdough bread is perfect for parties. You can serve it sliced with various toppings like cheeses, spreads, soups, and salads. It’s also great for making little sandwiches or as a side to a main dish.
I hope you enjoy making this soft buttermilk sourdough bread at home. It’s an easy and satisfying recipe for sandwiches, toast, or to enjoy warm from the oven with some butter. Whether you’re just starting with sourdough or you’ve been baking for a while, this bread is a good choice to add to your baking activities. Mixing buttermilk with sourdough gives it a wonderfully soft feel with a tangy taste. Give it a go, and feel free to share how it turns out!


By Katie Shaw
Katie lives in Virginia with her husband, three daughters, a chocolate lab, and over thirty chickens. She loves creating simple tutorials for sourdough, bread, and soap. Her recipes, articles, and YouTube videos reach millions of people per year.