Whole Wheat Sourdough Sandwich Bread (Fresh Milled Flour Recipe)
This whole wheat sourdough sandwich bread is everything people wished whole wheat bread tasted like. It's soft, slightly sweet, and wonderfully tender without being dense. Fresh-milled flour gives the loaf amazing flavor, and baking it in a Pullman pan creates perfectly square slices that are ideal for sandwiches. Leave the lid off, and the loaf will rise into a classic domed top. Both versions are delicious!
Whole wheat bread often gets a bad rap for being dry or crumbly, but this one stays soft thanks to a combination of lemon juice, milk, and a touch of butter. The acidity helps to soften the bran in whole wheat flour, the milk adds richness, and the honey keeps the crumb moist and the flavor sweet.
If you want a dependable whole wheat sourdough sandwich bread that's wholesome and kid-approved, this is it.
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Why This Recipe Works
This whole wheat sourdough bread fits right into every day life, think: school lunch sandwiches, toast with breakfast, grilled cheese on cold days, or stacked turkey sandwiches during hunting season. It's sturdy enough for slicing yet soft enough for even the pickiest kiddo. Go ahead and smear it with peanut butter, the tight crumb can handle it!
This recipe is a companion for my viral Sourdough Sandwich Pain de Mie, made with all-purpose flour. It's one of the most well-loved recipes here on Ninnescah Made!
It also pairs beautifully with:
- A generous slather of homemade butter
- Creamy soups like tomato soup, broccoli and cheddar, or creamy meatball
- Fresh jams and jellies. We love a post-thanksgiving dinner turkey and cranberry sauce sandwich.
- A hearty kitchen salad like strawberry salad with chicken.
What is Pain de Mie?
A Pain de mie simply refers to sandwich loaves baked in a pullman pan.
Most sandwich loaves, whether they are sourdough or not, come in a standard sandwich loaf shape: long and thin. To achieve this at home, we have to use something other than a standard loaf pan. Say hello to 13" Pullman pans. This pan has tall sides, crisp edges and a lid that can be used to create a soft sourdough sandwich bread with a square sandwich slice shape.
Helpful Equipment
- 13" Pullman Pan
- Stand Mixer (or large mixing bowl)
- Kitchen Scale
- Measuring Cups/Spoons
- Grain mill - I have a Mockmill Lino 200. I also recommend a Nutrimill Harvest or Nutrimill Impact. You can read my post about How to Choose the Right Grain Mill if you are beginning your search or shop Nutrimill here and save with my discount MEGANAUSTIN (affiliate).
Ingredients
- Active Sourdough Starter - Active starter is your natural leavening. It should be fed, bubbly, and able to pass the float test. The stronger your bubbly starter, the better the rise and flavor. If you are making the added yeast variation of this recipe for a faster loaf, you can use sourdough discard. You can learn all about How to Make a Starter in this post.
- Whole Wheat Flour - You can use store-bought flour, but I love and strongly recommend using fresh flour. Fresh-milled whole grains bring unbeatable taste and nutrition. It's naturally 'thirstier,' meaning it absorbs liquid differently than store-bought flour. My preferred blend is 70% hard white wheat, 15% khorasan, and 15% soft white wheat. You can see the grains in the image below.
- Warm Water & Milk - Warm liquid helps activate the starter and hydrates the flour. Milk adds richness and softness.
- Lemon Juice - Lemon juice lightly acidifies the dough, softening the bran for a tender crumb.
- Unsalted Butter - Butter adds moisture and improves texture. Make sure it's room temperature so that it incorporates evenly.
- Honey - A touch of sweetness plus added moisture. Maple syrup works in a pinch.
- Salt - Strengthens the gluten and brings out flavor.
- Instant Yeast - Omit the commercial yeast for a true sourdough loaf. This is the "sourdough booster" that helps the dough rise more predictably, especially in cold kitchens. I usually do the long fermentation option, without the optional yeast, but when I'm in a hurry it's very convenient to have bread on the table in just a few hours!
How to Make Whole Wheat Sourdough Sandwich Bread
Prepare Your Starter
Feed and activate your starter so it's bubbly and lively. It should rise well and pass the float test.
Mill Your Flour
Use a fine setting on your grain mill:
- Mockmill: 0 setting
- Wondermill: Bread setting
- Nutrimill: 12 0'clock position
Make the Sponge
Start by warming up the mixing bowl of a stand mixer by adding hot water and letting it sit for a few minutes and then pour it out. Combine the warm milk, warm water (each should be about 100-110°F), lemon juice, and half of the fresh milled flour into the warmed bowl.
Stir, cover and let rest for 15 minutes. This softens the bran and allows the fresh flour to soak up the liquids better than just skipping ahead to the kneading. Your soft dough will thank you for not skipping this step!
Finish the Dough
Add the remaining flour, butter, honey, and instant yeast (if using the quick version of this recipe). Begin kneading. After 5 minutes, add the salt.
Knead until the dough is smooth, stretchy, and still a little tacky and passes the windowpane test. Don’t add more flour at this stage. Fresh-milled flour drinks up liquid fast, and once the dough is kneaded, the moisture has already been absorbed. If you toss in extra flour now, it won’t hydrate properly. Instead, it leaves dry streaks and little chalky pockets in your bread. A slightly sticky dough is normal with fresh flour, and it bakes up softer anyway.
Approximate kneading times:
- KitchenAid: 15-20 minutes with dough hook attachment
- Ankarsrum: 8-10 minutes. You can choose between dough roller or dough hook. The dough knife which scrapes the inside of the bowl is always used.
- Bosch: 6-8 minutes using Speed 2
- Bread Machine: 22 minutes
- By Hand: 30+ minutes
Rising, Shaping & Baking
First Rise
Transfer the dough to a greased bowl or square sided container. Cover and let rise Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled. The rising, shaping & proofing times will vary depending on whether you are making a traditional sourdough loaf or if you are making the quick version and using added yeast. I've included both versions in these instructions.
- No added yeast (true sourdough): Let the dough rise on the counter for 4-6 hours at room temperature. You will see it rise, but it won't fully double during bulk fermentation.
- Added yeast (fast version): In a warm kitchen, the dough will double within 1-2 hours.
Shape the Loaf
Lightly drizzle olive oil on your counter. Turn the whole wheat dough out and gently shape it into a rectangle slightly shorter than your pan.
Roll tightly, sealing as you go, and tuck the ends under. Place seam-side down into your greased loaf pan.
- Lid on → perfectly rectangular loaf with square-shaped slices.
- Lid off → domed, classic bread shape.
Second Rise (1-2 hours)
Let the dough rise again. Avoid opening the pullman lid, as this can cause the dough to fall. When I need to peek, I slide the top of the pan back slightly rather than removing it fully. I use the light from my phone to shine into the pan and check the rise. It's ready when it's close to the lid, but not quite touching it. If the dough is touching the lid before baking, I recommend setting the pan on a baking sheet in the oven, just in case it overflows as it bakes.
- No added yeast (true sourdough): Refrigerate the dough in the Pullman pan for about 12 hours. Before baking, let it sit at room temperature while your oven preheats. Bake as directed.
- Added yeast (fast version): In a warm kitchen, the dough will be fully doubled within 1-2 hours. In my kitchen, the loaf is usually ready to be baked in about 75 minutes.
Bake the Bread
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Bake for 45-50 minutes. The whole wheat sandwich bread is ready when it's golden brown, firm on the sides, and reaches an internal temperature of 195°F.
Turn onto a cooling rack and let cool completely before slicing.
Tips & Troubleshooting
- Dough too sticky? Give it 10 minutes. Fresh flour keeps absorbing liquid. Avoid adding too much flour.
- Dough too dry? Add warm water 1 tablespoon at a time. It will not want to incorporate well if the dough has already been kneading for several minutes.
- Slow rise? It's likely due to one of these: starter wasn't active enough, room temperature was below 70°F, or dough was under-kneaded.
- Loaf sinks or wrinkles on top? Usually caused by over-proofing or lifting the Pullman lid too early.
- Crust too dark when baking with the lid off? Tent with foil the last 10 minutes.
- Is your loaf a brick? Read through the steps again and make sure you didn't miss anything, such as warming the liquids to 110°F or kneading until the dough passes the windowpane test. Little things can make a big difference!
Frequently Asked Questions
When in doubt, check the temperature. The loaf should reach 195°F in the center.
Cool kitchens, inactive starter, or not enough kneading are the usual suspects.
No, Divide the dough into two standard loaf pans and decrease the baking time.
Yes! The flavor is slightly milder, but the recipe will work the same.
Hard white wheat is the most popular choice for breads. Try substituting a portion of the flour with khorasan, einkorn, soft white, or red fife. I've found that 70% hard white and 30% other flour types make a delicious loaf.
If you’ve been looking for a whole wheat sourdough sandwich bread that’s soft, sliceable, and genuinely easy to fit into real life, this one delivers. Fresh-milled flour brings the flavor, the milk and honey keep the crumb soft, and the sourdough starter ties it all together.
When you bake a loaf, tag me or send me a message — I love seeing these pop up in your kitchens. And if you enjoy recipes like this, make sure you’re signed up for my newsletter so you never miss a fresh-milled favorite.
Happy baking!
Meg
Recipe
Whole Wheat Sourdough Sandwich Bread (Fresh Milled Flour Recipe)
Equipment
- large mixing bowl
- kitchen aide stand mixer
Ingredients
- 300 grams active sourdough starter
- 600 grams Whole Wheat Flour freshly milled or store-bought
- 170 grams warm water
- 170 grams warm milk
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 57 grams unsalted butter room temperature (*see note)
- 50 grams honey
- 15 grams salt
- 6 grams instant yeast (**see note)
Instructions
- Prior to baking this bread, you will need to prepare your sourdough starter. I recommend feeding and discarding at least once before baking so that it is at peak activity. The starter should be freshly risen with large air bubbles and pass the water float test.
- Mill grain on fine setting (Mockmill - set to '0,' Wondermill - set to 'Bread,' Nutrimill - adjust to 12:00 position). I like to use 70% hard white wheat, 15% khorasan and 15% soft white wheat.You can also make this recipe with store-bought whole wheat flour.
- This step is called making the sponge. Pour hot water into the mixing bowl and let it sit for several minutes to warm the bowl before pouring the water out. In the warmed bowl of a stand mixer, combine warm milk and water (about 100-110℉), lemon juice, and half of the fresh flour. Stir until combined and then cover and let soak for 15 minutes.
- Choose whether you are going to make a quicker sandwich bread (ready in under 3 hours), or a fully fermented loaf. This is where the instructions split off and you must choose!
Quicker Version with Added Yeast
- Add the remaining flour, sourdough starter, butter, honey, and instant yeast. Knead for 5 minutes and then add the salt. Knead together all of the dough ingredients to make a smooth, supple, and slightly sticky dough that passes the windowpane test. It will take about 15-20 minutes with a KitchenAid mixer, 8-10 minutes with an Ankarsrum mixer, 22 minutes with a bread machine, or 30+ minutes if kneading by hand.
- Place the kneaded dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover the bowl, and let the dough rise for 1 to 2 hours, until doubled in size. I like to use a square sided plastic container with lid. Prepare the pullman pan by greasing both the pan and the lid (if using).
- Once the dough has doubled, it is ready to be shaped! Lightly grease the counter with olive oil and turn the dough onto the surface. Gently pat the dough into a rectangle that is a few inches shorter than your bread pan. Roll it up tightly, pressing lightly to seal as you go. Tuck the ends under and place it seam-side down in your greased bread pan. Putting the lid on the pullman pan will create a square loaf. Leaving the lid off will create dome top.
- Let the shaped loaf rest another 1-2 hours. Resist the urge to remove the lid and check the height, this will damage the top of the loaf and cause it to wrinkle or fall. If you need to peek, just slightly move the lid so that you can check the height of the dough.
- Towards the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Bake the bread for 45 to 50 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and the sides of the loaf feel firm. The internal temperature of the loaf should be about 195°F. Remove the loaf from the oven, and turn it out of the pan onto a rack to cool. Let it cool completely before slicing.
For True Sourdough (Fully Fermented)
- Add the remaining flour, butter, sourdough starter and honey. Knead for 5 minutes and then add the salt. Knead together all of the dough ingredients to make a smooth, supple, and slightly sticky dough that passes the windowpane test. It will take about 15-20 minutes with a KitchenAid mixer, 8-10 minutes with an Ankarsrum mixer, 22 minutes with a bread machine, or 30+ minutes if kneading by hand.
- Place the kneaded dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover the bowl, and let the dough rise for 4 to 6 hours, until doubled in size. I like to use a square sided plastic container with lid.
- Once the dough has doubled, it is ready to be shaped! Lightly grease the counter with olive oil and turn the dough onto the surface. Gently pat the dough into a rectangle that is a few inches shorter than your bread pan. Roll it up tightly, pressing lightly to seal as you go. Tuck the ends under and place it seam-side down in your greased bread pan. Putting the lid on the pullman pan will create a square loaf. Leaving the lid off will create dome top.
- Cover the shaped loaf and let it rest on the counter. The exact time will vary between 1-2 hours, but we are looking for the dough to rise enough that it touches the edges of the pan and is a bit taller. Doubling isn't the goal.
- Place the covered loaf in the refrigerator for a minimum of 12 hours to ferment.
- Pull the bread out of the fridge an hour before baking. Preheat the oven to 375℉.
- Bake the bread for 45 to 50 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and the sides of the loaf feel firm. The internal temperature of the loaf should be about 195°F. Remove the loaf from the oven, and turn it out of the pan onto a rack to cool. Let it cool completely before slicing.
Notes
- Store half the loaf sliced in a glass container or bread bag
- Freeze the other half immediately
- Bread freezes beautifully for up to 3 months. Always slice before freezing for easy toast and sandwiches.
- To thaw: Let the slices sit at room temperature or toast them directly from frozen.
Nutrition
Related Posts
This was inspired by my Sourdough Sandwich Pain de Mie and Sandwich Bread in a Pullman Pan, and pairs well with this Simple Caprese with Strawberry & Avocado. I like to toast the bread and then add the caprese like an avocado toast topping, only fancier!
Sourdough French Toast will knock your socks off! You've got to try using this sourdough sandwich bread in a pullman pan!
If you are brand new to sourdough or need to learn how to make a sourdough starter, refer to my Simple Sourdough blog post for all of the details. I break down the steps from growing a starter, feeding and maintaining a starter, baking bread and trouble shooting any common issues that can arise.
Made this tonight. Easy to follow recipe, and heating the bowl before adding the ingredients really made a difference. Soft and fluffy! I’ll definitely make it again.