Easy Same-Day Sourdough Sandwich Bread Recipe

This easy same-day sourdough sandwich bread recipe makes a soft, fluffy loaf with a tender crumb that slices cleanly for sandwiches, toast, and grilled cheese. It uses active sourdough starter, milk, honey, and butter for a softer loaf than crusty artisan sourdough, and it can be mixed, risen, shaped, and baked in one day.

What makes this sourdough sandwich bread recipe different is the balance of simple ingredients and timing. The milk, butter, and honey give it that soft, tender crumb, while the sourdough starter adds just enough flavor without making it overly tangy. It’s straightforward to mix, and bakes up into a loaf that slices clean and holds up for sandwiches without falling apart, unlike my artisan sourdough loaf with its open crumb and crusty exterior, which is perfect in its own way but not made for the same everyday use.

I usually double or triple this recipe so we have extra loaves on hand. It freezes really well and is perfect to pull out on nights when we’re having something like my chicken wild rice soup and just need a soft, homemade bread to go with it. This one is in my rotation as regularly as my sourdough chocolate chip cookies, it is a staple in our home.

Key Ingredients

Active Sourdough Starter:

Use a bubbly, active starter that’s at its peak. This is what gives the bread a good rise and balanced flavor.

Milk, Butter, and Honey:

These are what make the bread soft and tender. They create that classic sandwich texture, very different from a crusty artisan loaf.

Flour:

All-purpose flour works great here and keeps the crumb light and fluffy. You do want it to be unbleached because it hasn’t been chemically treated, which means the proteins (gluten) are more intact. That gives your dough better structure, which is especially important for sourdough since it relies on natural fermentation instead of commercial yeast.

Get the full list of ingredients and measurements on the printable recipe card below.

How to make Same-day Sourdough Sandwich Bread

Step 1: Add the active sourdough starter, water, milk, honey, softened butter, flour, and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer.

Step 2: Mix with the dough hook until the ingredients come together into a shaggy dough.

Step 3: Knead on medium-low speed for 6 to 8 minutes, until the dough looks smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky.

Step 4: Cover the bowl and let the dough rise in a warm spot until puffy and almost doubled, about 4 to 8 hours.

Step 5: Turn the risen dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently press or roll it into a rectangle.

Step 6: Roll the dough up tightly from one short end to the other, keeping the loaf snug as you shape it.

Step 7: Pinch the seam closed underneath the loaf so it holds together during the second rise.

Step 8: Place the shaped dough seam-side down in a greased 8x4-inch loaf pan.

Step 9: Cover and let the dough rise again until it reaches about an inch above the rim of the pan, this takes about 2 hours.

Step 10: Bake at 375°F for 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown and the center reaches 195°F.

Step 11: Remove the bread from the pan and let it cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.

Bakers Schedule for Sourdough Bread Recipe

• The night before: Feed your sourdough starter so it’s bubbly, active, and ready to use early in the morning.
• 6:00 am: In the bowl of a stand mixer, mix the starter, water, milk, honey, softened butter, flour, and salt until a shaggy dough forms. Knead until smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky.
• 6:15 am: Cover and let rise in a warm place until puffy and almost doubled. This will take most of the day.
• 3:30 pm: Turn the dough out, shape it into a loaf, and place it seam-side down in a greased 8x4-inch loaf pan. Cover and begin the second rise.
• 5:30 pm: Preheat the oven to 375°F once the dough has risen just above the edge of the pan.
• 6:00 pm: Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown and the center reaches 195°F. Let the loaf cool completely before slicing.

Same-day Sourdough Sandwich Bread FAQs

More Sourdough Recipes

Looking for other yummy ways to use up starter? Try these:

If you tried this Sourdough Sandwich Bread Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. I love hearing from you!