This easy sourdough bread recipe makes it simple to enjoy delicious homemade sourdough bread anytime! Perfect for beginners, this recipe yields a tangy, crusty loaf that’s sure to impress. By using a sourdough starter, you can create this delightful bread repeatedly, ensuring fresh, flavorful sourdough is always within reach.
If you have never made sourdough bread, it is delicious!
The process of making the sourdough bread can seem a little daunting at first, but it gets much easier with practice.
First, you make a sourdough starter that you will use to make sourdough bread again and again. This sourdough starter includes yeast that grows on its own, so you can make many batches of sourdough without needing any new yeast in the starter.
Because the starter includes active yeast, you don’t have to add additional yeast to any of the bread you make using the starter.
The first time you make the sourdough starter, it will take a little longer. Once you have the starter, it is easy to keep feeding it so it stays active. Then you don’t have to re-make it the next time. Making the bread is easier and takes less time the next time because after the first time you begin the recipe with some of the existing starter.
Sourdough starter is also great because you can save money by not buying yeast every time you make bread. If yeast is in short supply, you only need to buy yeast once for many loaves of bread.
Easy Sourdough Bread Recipe
This easy sourdough bread recipe makes it simple to have delicious sourdough bread anytime! This recipe is perfect for beginners and yields a deliciously tangy and crusty loaf. Use the sourdough starter again and again to make it easy to enjoy delicious sourdough bread anytime!
- Yield: Makes 3 Loaves
Ingredients
Sourdough Starter Ingredients
3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. or 1 pkg. yeast
2 cups warm water (110°)
Sourdough Bread Ingredients
3/4 cup milk
3 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. butter or margarine
1/4 cup warm water (110°)
1 Tbsp. or 1 pkg. yeast
1 1/2 cups sourdough starter
5–6 cups all purpose flour
Instructions
To Make The Sourdough Starter:
- In large bowl, combine everything, gradually adding warm water to the dry ingredients. Beat until smooth.
- Cover with plastic wrap and let stand for 2 days in a warm place.
- Stir before using.
To Use the sourdough starter: Use the amount called for in the recipe.
To Replenish the starter:
- Add 1½ cups flour and 1 cup warm water to the starter. Beat until smooth.
- Store in a warm place for 2 days.
- If you don’t use for in 1 week, discard 1½ cups starter, and follow replenishing instructions. If you like, use discarded starter in:
- pancakes
- waffes
- biscuits
How To Make The Sourdough Bread
- Heat milk, sugar, salt and butter to lukewarm.
- Pour warm water into a large bowl.
- Sprinkle with yeast, stirring to dissolve.
- Add milk mixture, sourdough starter, and 2½ cups flour. Beat until smooth.
- Stir in enough additional four to make a stiff dough.
- Turn onto a lightly floured board and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8-10 minutes.
- Place in a greased bowl, turning to grease the top.
- Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
- Punch down, divide into 3 loaves and form each into a smooth round ball.
- Place on a greased baking sheet.
- Cut crisscross section on tops of the round loaves.
- Cover and let rise again until doubled, about 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 400°.
- Bake about 25 minutes or until done. Remove from baking sheets and cool on a wire rack.
Notes
Sourdough Variations:
Sourdough is not just for making bread. You can easily use this sourdough bread recipe to make sourdough cinnamon rolls, cinnamon bread, cheese bread and even pizza crust! Here are some of the easy variations you can make with this sourdough:
For Cinnamon Bread:
- Roll out dough.
- Spread butter over it and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar
- Roll up.
- Let rise until doubled in a pan and bake.
For Cinnamon Rolls:
- Roll out dough.
- Spread butter over it and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar.
- Roll up and cut into slices (your desired thickness).
- Let rise until doubled in pan and bake.
For Cheese Bread:
- Knead 2 cups shredded cheese into the dough.
- Let rise until doubled in a pan and bake.
For Pizza Crust: Roll out as you would for pizza. Makes 2 pizza crusts.
This easy sourdough bread recipe is from our Dining On A Dime Cookbook, Volume 2.
Click here to get our Dining On A Dime Cookbooks 25% Off NOW! They’re filled with tasty recipes and tips to make your life easier!
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