Sweet Sourdough Bread
This sweet sourdough bread is a beautifully balanced loaf that marries the deep, tangy complexity of a naturally leavened sourdough with the warm, floral sweetness of raw honey and the richness of real butter. The result is a golden, crackly-crusted loaf with a soft, tender crumb that works just as well for breakfast toast as it does alongside a hearty soup. Long overnight fermentation develops incredible flavor while you sleep, so the active effort is surprisingly minimal for a bread that looks and tastes this impressive.
Equipment
- Dutch oven At least 5-quart capacity with a lid
- Digital kitchen scale Highly recommended for accuracy
- Large mixing bowl
- Banneton proofing basket Or a bowl lined with a floured cloth
- Bench scraper Or dough scraper
- Bread lame Or sharp razor blade for scoring
- Parchment paper
- Plastic wrap Or a damp kitchen towel
- Wire cooling rack
- Instant-read thermometer (optional) for checking internal bread temperature
Ingredients
- 3 3/4 cups bread flour 450g; plus extra for shaping
- 1 1/4 cups lukewarm water 300g; about 80°F / 27°C
- 1/2 cup active sourdough starter 100g; fed and bubbly, peaked 4–8 hours before use
- 2 1/2 tbsp raw honey 50g
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter 30g; softened at room temperature
- 1 3/4 tsp fine sea salt 10g
- 1 tbsp whole milk powder optional; adds extra softness and mild sweetness
Instructions
- Feed your sourdough starter 4–8 hours before mixing by combining equal parts starter, flour, and water by weight. Leave it at room temperature until bubbly, risen to peak, and passing the float test (a small spoonful should float in water).
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the bread flour and lukewarm water and mix until no dry flour remains. Cover and rest for 30–60 minutes to allow the flour to fully hydrate and begin developing gluten.
- Add the active starter, raw honey, and whole milk powder (if using) to the dough and squeeze everything together with your fingers until fully incorporated with no streaks remaining. Cover and rest for 30 minutes.
- Sprinkle the sea salt over the dough and work it in thoroughly, then add the softened butter a little at a time, folding and pressing until it is completely absorbed and the dough looks smooth and pulls away from the bowl. This takes about 5–8 minutes.
- Over the next 2–3 hours, perform 4 sets of stretch and folds spaced 30 minutes apart: grab one side of the dough, stretch it up, fold it over, rotate the bowl 90°, and repeat four times per set. After the final set, cover and let the dough rest until it has grown 50–75%, looks puffy, and feels airy.
- Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and fold the edges toward the center, rotating to build surface tension into a smooth round ball. Let it rest uncovered for 20–30 minutes.
- Flip the dough smooth-side down, fold the sides to the center again, then roll it toward you to create a tight round or cylinder shape. Pinch the seam closed at the bottom.
- Place the shaped dough seam-side up into a floured banneton, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 8–16 hours (overnight is ideal). Bake directly from the refrigerator — do not let it come to room temperature first.
- Place the Dutch oven with its lid inside the oven and preheat to 500°F (260°C) for at least 45–60 minutes. The Dutch oven must be fully preheated before the bread goes in.
- Flip the cold dough onto parchment paper, score the top with a bread lame at a 30–45° angle, then carefully lower it into the screaming-hot Dutch oven. Bake covered at 500°F for 20 minutes, then remove the lid, reduce heat to 450°F (230°C), and bake for another 20–25 minutes until deep golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 205–210°F (96–99°C).
- Transfer the baked loaf immediately to a wire cooling rack and wait at least 1 hour before slicing — the interior continues to set as it cools, and cutting too early results in a gummy crumb.
Notes
- Starter readiness is everything: Always do the float test before mixing. An inactive starter is the most common reason sourdough doesn't rise properly.
- Weigh your ingredients: Volume measurements for flour are unreliable. A digital kitchen scale ensures consistent results every single time.
- Don't skip the autolyse: This 30–60 minute rest dramatically improves gluten development and makes the butter-enriched dough much easier to handle.
- Dough temperature matters: Aim for a dough temperature of 75–78°F (24–26°C) during bulk fermentation. Too cold and it won't rise; too warm and it over-ferments quickly.
- Honey substitution: Raw honey can be replaced 1:1 with pure maple syrup. Reduce the water by about 10g to account for maple syrup's higher water content.
- All-purpose flour works: You can substitute all-purpose flour for bread flour, but expect a slightly softer, flatter loaf with a less chewy crumb.
- Score with confidence: Hold the lame at a 30–45° angle and make one swift, decisive cut. Hesitation causes dragging and deflation.
- Storage — room temperature: Store cut-side down on a cutting board or wrapped in a kitchen towel for up to 3 days. Avoid plastic bags, which soften the crust.
- Freezing: Slice the entire loaf, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and freeze in a zip bag for up to 3 months. Toast individual slices directly from frozen.
- Reviving day-old bread: Briefly run the cut side under cold water, then bake at 400°F (200°C) for 8–10 minutes to restore a crispy, fresh-from-the-oven crust.
Nutrition
Serving: 1SliceCalories: 185kcalCarbohydrates: 34gProtein: 6gFat: 3gSaturated Fat: 1.5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.3gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.8gCholesterol: 6mgSodium: 195mgPotassium: 65mgFiber: 1.2gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 2IUCalcium: 1mgIron: 10mg
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