Heritage Farmhouse White Sourdough Bread

ByKatie
15 Comments

This farmhouse white sourdough sandwich loaf is the kind of bread that would make your grandmother proud. But don’t worry, I’ve simplified it for your modern kitchen. And it’ll save you money too. While it does need time to rise (like any sourdough recipe), the actual hands-on work is pretty simple.

Country Farmhouse White Sourdough

This bread recipe combines the simplicity of everyday ingredients with the rich flavor of a bubbly, active sourdough starter for a soft, high-rising loaf perfect for sandwiches or toast.
Print Recipe
Loaf of Sourdough Farmhouse White Sandwich Bread on a wooden cutting board with a slice cut.
Prep Time:30 minutes
Cook Time:50 minutes
Rise Time:4 hours 30 minutes
Total Time:5 hours 50 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2½ cups all-purpose flour
  • ¾ cup lukewarm water
  • 2 tablespoons butter softened
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1½ teaspoons salt
  • ¾ cup active sourdough starter
US Customary – Metric

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Instructions

  • Mix. Mix bread flour, water, sugar, and starter in a mixing bowl.
    Mixing bowl with initial dough mixture for Sourdough Farmhouse White Sandwich Bread, wooden spoon resting inside.
  • Rest. Cover with a clean tea towel and allow to rest for 30-60 minutes. (I like to measure out the salt and butter and put them on top of the towel so I don’t forget to add them later!)
    Butter and sugar measured out in a small bowl, resting on a blue and white checkered tea towel.
  • Knead. Add the salt and butter. Knead the dough by machine or hand for ten to fifteen minutes, until it is smooth, soft, and reaches the windowpane stage (meaning that when the dough is stretched, a translucent area appears). If using a stand mixer, allow the machine to rest every five minutes.
    “Dough being kneaded in a stand mixer with the dough hook attachment, showing a smooth consistency.
  • First rise. Shape the dough gently into a ball and place into a clean, lightly oiled bowl. Cover with a clean, damp tea towel and place into a warm place to rise. Let the dough rise 3-4.5 hours, until it is puffy and has doubled in size.
    Side-by-side comparison of dough before and after the first rise in a floral-patterned mixing bowl.
  • Shape. Gently stretch the dough into a rectangle, with the short side of the rectangle as long as the long side of the loaf pan you will be using for baking. Tuck in the corners and top of the dough, and roll into a long. Pinch the seams closed and place the loaf, seam side down, into a lightly oiled loaf pan.
    Step-by-step shaping of the dough into a rectangle, then folding and placing into a loaf pan.
  • Second rise. Cover with heavily greased plastic wrap and place in a warm place to rise again, until the dough rises to be one inch above the top of the loaf pan, about 2-3 hours. When it is ready, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Generously flour the top of the loaf with flour.
    Loaf of dough in a loaf pan before and after the second rise, ready to be baked.
  • Bake. Bake at 350 for 45-50 minutes, until the dough is 200-210 degrees internally and sounds hollow when tapped. Remove from loaf pan and allow to cool fully on wire rack. Bread stays fresh 2 days at room temperature, or 2 months frozen.
    Close-up of baked Sourdough Farmhouse White Sandwich Bread in a loaf pan, top dusted with flour.

Notes

You can pop the loaf in the fridge overnight after shaping, then bake in the morning.

Nutrition

Calories: 133kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 5mg | Sodium: 307mg | Potassium: 29mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 58IU | Calcium: 5mg | Iron: 1mg
Servings: 12 slices
Calories: 133kcal
Author: Katie
Whole loaf of Sourdough Farmhouse White Sandwich Bread in a metal loaf pan.

Sourdough Baking Tips

  • Use an Active Starter: Make sure your sourdough starter is bubbly and active. Feed it 4-6 hours before you start to so that it’s at its peak.
  • Room Temperature Matters: Dough rises best in a warm, draft-free place. If your kitchen is cool, try placing the bowl in a turned-off oven with the light on for warmth.
  • Hydration Tips: If your dough feels too dry or too wet, adjust with small amounts of water or flour. The dough should be soft and slightly sticky but manageable. If your starter is not 100% hydration or it’s very dry or humid in your house, you’ll need to adjust the liquid or flour a tad. This is nothing to worry about. Over time you’ll develop an instinct for exactly how the dough should look.
  • Cooling is Key: Let the bread cool completely on a wire rack before slicing. If you cut it while it’s warm, it can be gummy.

Key Ingredients and Tools

Sourdough Starter. An active and bubbly starter is a must! This will not work with unfed starter. (If you’d like to make a discard loaf, you’ll love this one.)

Bread Flour or All Purpose Flour. Bread flour gives you a chewier more “rustic bread” texture. All purpose will be softer. Either one is fine! But if you use bread flour you might need a bit more liquid.

Stand Mixer. Using a stand mixer makes kneading so much easier. If you don’t have one, kneading by hand works fine. It will take at least 15 minutes.

Instant-read Thermometer. With a thermometer, you never have to worry if your bread is fully baked. It should read 200-210 degrees Fahrenheit when done.

Loaf Pan. You need a standard sized loaf pan for this recipe. I like USA Gold brand, but that’s up to you.

Serving Ideas

I know you know how to use a loaf of white bread! But we love this as an everyday loaf for toast and sandwiches.

Troubleshooting and Help

Can I use whole wheat flour instead of all-purpose flour?

Yes, you can, but the texture and flavor will be different. Whole wheat flour will make the bread denser and give it a nuttier taste. You might also need to add a bit more water since whole wheat flour absorbs more liquid.

What if I don’t have a stand mixer?

No problem! You can knead the dough by hand. It might take a bit more effort, but it’s totally doable. Just make sure to knead until the dough is smooth and reaches the windowpane stage.

How do I know if my sourdough starter is active enough?

Your starter should be bubbly and have doubled in size a few hours after feeding.

My dough is really sticky. What should I do?

A little stickiness is fine. But if it’s too hard to handle and is sticking to your hands, you can add a bit more flour, a tablespoon at a time.

Can I let the dough rise overnight?

Yes, you can put the dough in the fridge overnight. Just bring it to room temperature before shaping and the second rise. If it’s winter and your kitchen is cool, you can leave it out on the counter overnight too.

Storing Homemade Bread

Room Temperature: Once it’s completely cool, store the loaf in an airtight container or a plastic bag at room temperature. It will stay fresh for about 3-4 days.

Freezing: I prefer to double this recipe and freeze one loaf. Wrap the cooled loaf tightly in plastic wrap, then place it in a freezer-safe bag or container. It will be fresh for up to 2 months in the freezer.

Slicing Before Freezing: Slice the bread before freezing. Then you can take out just the slices you need without thawing the whole loaf.

With simple ingredients and a classic method that even beginner sourdough bakers will be comfortable with, this loaf is one you’ll turn to over and over. I hope you love it and it becomes a part of your sourdough routine.

Loaf of freshly baked Sourdough Farmhouse White Sandwich Bread on a wooden board with a slice cut.
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By Katie Shaw

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Katie shares simple, reliable recipes from her home in Virginia, where she lives with her husband, three daughters, a chocolate lab, and over thirty chickens.

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15 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    I Really love this bread recipe! I’ve made it twice now and it comes out so good. I use all purpose flour and let it ferment longer then the recipe says and it comes out soft and has that great sourdough taste. Doubled it this time since we went thru it so fast.
    Thank you!

    Reply

    1. I’m so happy to hear that you made it and enjoyed it! Freshly baked sourdough is always such a treat. Thank you for trying the recipe and for your kind words!

      Reply

  3. your recipe calls for all purpose flour, but under key ingredients and tools suggests bread flour. Should I use the bread flour?

    Reply

    1. hmm I need to check as to why it says that, but all purpose is fine. I probably meant to write you CAN use bread flour if you want. 🙂

      Reply

    1. Hey Tonya, thank you so much! I’m happy to hear you love the recipe and that it turns out great for you every time. Happy baking, and thanks again for sharing your kind words!

      Reply

    1. I have never seen her recipe. but in sourdough most recipes are similar with small tweaks in the amounts, there are only so many ingredients a white sourdough sandwich bread can have 🙂

      Reply

  8. 4 stars
    I finally got around to making this bread and it was fantastic!
    I did find that I had to let my bread rise for a couple hours longer than the recipe stated. There could be a lot of reasons for that.
    Overall, the texture of this recipe is absolutely amazing and *perfect* for sandwiches!

    Reply

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