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Homemade Sourdough English Muffins
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Soft Sourdough Sandwich Bread

This soft sourdough sandwich bread has a light, fluffy texture and a soft crust, making it perfect for sandwiches, avocado toast, French toast, and more. It’s an easy, no-fuss recipe that doesn’t require stretching or folding. Although the process takes about 24 hours, it only requires about 10 minutes of active effort, making it flexible enough to fit into any schedule.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Course: bread
Cuisine: American, Sourdough
Keyword: homemade sourdough, soft sourdough bread, sourdough loaf, sourdough sandwich bread
Servings: 4 loaves
Calories: 120kcal

Ingredients

For the Pre-ferment:

  • 2 cups active sourdough starter
  • 2 cups water milk, or buttermilk (warm if your house is cool)
  • 3 cups all-purpose or bread flour

For the Dough:

  • 1/4 cup fat butter, oil, melted coconut oil, or beef tallow; warm if the house is cool
  • 1/2 cup sweetener honey or sugar
  • 4 teaspoons salt
  • 3 cups milk or buttermilk warm if the house is cool
  • 9 –11 cups all-purpose or bread flour

Instructions

Feed Sourdough Starter

  • Feed your sourdough starter by combining no more than 1/2 cup of starter with 2 cups flour and about 1 1/3 cups warm water.
  • Let it sit at room temperature until active and bubbly.

Prepare the Pre-ferment

  • In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine 2 cups of milk or buttermilk, 2 cups active sourdough starter, and 3 cups flour.
  • Mix on low speed with the dough hook attachment for about 1 minute.
  • Cover and let ferment overnight at room temperature.

Mix the Dough

  • The next morning, add the fat, sweetener, salt, and remaining milk to the pre-ferment mixture. Mix on low speed until combined.
  • Add 5 cups of flour and mix on medium speed for 5–10 minutes to develop the gluten.
  • Gradually add 4–6 more cups of flour until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and is only slightly sticky.
  • Continue mixing for another 2–3 minutes.

First Rise

  • Transfer the dough to a large oiled mixing bowl. Cover with a towel or plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm spot for 2–3 hours, or until doubled in size.

Shape the Loaves

  • Once the dough has risen, punch it down and transfer it to a lightly floured surface.
  • Divide into 4 equal pieces. Flatten each into a rectangle, then fold the corners inward to form a triangle.
  • Roll the dough away from you to form a loaf, tucking the edges under.
  • Place the loaves in greased loaf pans.

Second Rise

  • Cover and let the loaves rise until just above the edges of the pans, about 2–3 hours.

Bake

  • Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Slash the tops of the loaves with a bread lame or razor blade.
  • Bake for 30 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 190°F (88°C).

Cool and Store

  • Remove loaves from pans and place on a cooling rack. Brush the tops with butter for a softer crust.
  • Let cool completely before slicing.
  • Store in a plastic bag at room temperature or in the fridge for up to 1 week.
  • Freeze for up to 3 months; for convenience, slice before freezing.

Notes

Flexible Timing: Feed your starter in the morning, make the pre-ferment in the evening, and bake the next day.
Temperature Adjustments: Use warm liquids and allow extra rise time in cool weather; monitor dough closely in warm weather to avoid over-proofing.