Bakers Percent

Sourdough guide

Sourdough Sandwich Bread: Five Recipes Compared, From Lean to Enriched

By Bakers Percent editorial11 min readLast updated Researched guide, AI-assisted (how we make these)

On this page
  1. The five formulas side by side
  2. How much dough does each loaf pan take?
  3. Timelines and rise cues
  4. Shaping for a pan
  5. Baking, and why doneness temperatures differ
  6. Soft crust, and storage
  7. Troubleshooting
  8. FAQ

How this guide was made: it is a researched guide compiled from the published recipes and baking references listed at the end of this page. We converted each recipe to baker's percentages on the same basis and did the pan arithmetic; we don't claim to have baked these loaves. Every number is attributed so you can check it.

"Sourdough sandwich bread" covers two quite different loaves. One is a lean pan loaf: flour, water, salt and starter, maybe a spoon of sugar or oil. The other is an enriched loaf with milk, butter and sugar, closer to a soft supermarket loaf. Five popular recipes span that whole range. Comparing them shows what each ingredient choice does, how much dough each pan really takes, how to tell when the loaf is ready to bake, and why one recipe says it's done at 190°F while another waits for 210°F.

Quick answers

  • Lean or enriched? Lean loaves (Alexandra's Kitchen, Let's Make Sourdough) are simpler and chewier [3][4]. Enriched loaves use butter, milk and sugar for a softer crumb and crust (Breadtopia, Baking Sense, King Arthur) [2][5][1].
  • Hydration: 60% to 85% once the starter is counted [1][2][3][4][5]. Lower is easier to shape; higher is softer and stickier.
  • Dough per pan: about 700 g for an 8½ × 4½ inch pan in King Arthur's recipe [1]; about 900 g in Breadtopia's and Let's Make Sourdough's [2][4]; about 1,050 g for Alexandra's 10 × 5 inch pan [3].
  • Ready to bake when the dough has crowned about 1 inch over the rim of a smaller pan [1][4], or reached the rim of a larger one [3][4].
  • Oven: 350–425°F [1][2][3][4][5]. Done at 190°F or more for soft white or enriched loaves [6][7]; recipes for lean loaves go to 200–210°F [3][5].

The five formulas side by side

These are baker's percentages: each ingredient as a percentage of total flour, counting the flour and water inside the starter. We treat each starter as 100% hydration (equal weights of flour and water). That's stated or built in by four recipes; Let's Make Sourdough doesn't say, so its figures assume it. Our percentages can differ slightly from a recipe's own. Breadtopia, for example, lists its percentages against the 430 g of flour in the final dough [2]. You can redo any of this with our hydration calculator, and baker's percentages, explained covers the method.

Recipe Style Total flour Liquid (% of flour) Salt Fat Sugar Flour in starter/levain (% of total) Leavening Pan Dough weight
Alexandra's Kitchen [3] lean 562 g 85% water 1.8% none in dough (oil on the surface, butter in the pan) none 9% starter only 10 × 5 in (or 9 × 5) ~1,052 g
Let's Make Sourdough [4] lean, lightly enriched 535 g 60% water 2.4% 2.2% oil 3.0% 7% starter only 8 × 4 in ~896 g
Breadtopia [2] enriched 480 g 69% (water + milk) 1.7% 11.7% butter 5.2% 10% starter only 8½ × 4½ or 9 × 5 in ~899 g
Baking Sense [5] enriched 468 g 73% (all milk, plus starter water) 1½ tsp (no weight given) 6.0% butter 3.0% 24% starter only 9 × 5 in ~850 g + salt
King Arthur Baking [1] enriched hybrid 780 g 63% water 1.9% 7.3% butter (+ 5.4% dry milk) 6.4% 19% levain plus 2 tsp instant yeast two 8½ × 4½ in ~1,433 g (about 700 g per loaf)

All figures are our arithmetic from the published weights; the script is research/pillars3/formulas.py. Baking Sense gives ounces, which we converted at 28.35 g per ounce: 8 oz milk = 227 g, 8 oz starter = 227 g, 12½ oz flour = 354 g. As a cross-check, Breadtopia's own percentages are 65% liquid, 23% starter, 13% butter, 6% sugar and 1.9% salt on its 430 g of final-dough flour [2], which match ours when worked out on that basis.

What the differences do, according to the sources:

  • Water level sets the handling. Alexandra's 85% dough is sticky. She suggests starting at 400–420 g of water in a humid kitchen or with flour other than bread flour [3]. Let's Make Sourdough calls its 285 g of water "relatively low hydration" and easy to work with. Because it's firmer, one set of stretch and folds is enough [4].
  • Fat and milk soften the loaf but slow the rise. Breadtopia explains that enriched dough usually rises more slowly than lean dough because fat and protein slow fermentation a little. Sugar slows it too once it's above 10% of the flour; that recipe uses only 5% [2]. Baking Sense says milk, butter and a little sugar soften the crumb and tone down the tang. It scalds the milk first, because that denatures proteins that can interfere with gluten [5].
  • Sugar helps more than sweetness. Let's Make Sourdough credits its small amount of sugar with a softer texture and bread that stays fresh longer [4]. Baking Sense adds that it helps browning [5].
  • Yeast changes the clock. King Arthur adds instant yeast to an overnight levain. Its rises are then 1–2 hours each [1], where the starter-only recipes take many hours (see the timeline table). If you want a pure sourdough loaf, choose one of the other four.

How much dough does each loaf pan take?

Pan sizes vary more than the recipes admit, and the same dough behaves differently in each:

Pan (top inside dimensions) Base area Dough used in published recipes
8 × 4 in 32 sq in ~896 g, baked once it's 1 in above the rim [4]
8½ × 4½ in 38 sq in ~700 g per loaf, risen about 1 in over the rim [1]; ~899 g, which may crest over the rim [2]
9 × 5 in 45 sq in ~850 g [5]; ~899 g, finishing just under the rim [2]; Let's Make Sourdough's 896 g, baked when it reaches the rim [4]
10 × 5 in 50 sq in ~1,052 g, risen to the rim [3]

Two authors comment on moving between pans:

  • Alexandra Stafford says her 10 × 5 dough also fits a 9 × 5 pan. The loaf comes out loftier, but in her experience it bakes less evenly, with denser areas near the edges if underbaked [3].
  • Let's Make Sourdough says its 8 × 4 dough needs no changes for a 9 × 5 pan. The loaf will just be wider and shorter; bake it once it reaches the rim rather than an inch above [4].

To scale for a pan of the same depth, multiply the dough by the ratio of base areas (our arithmetic):

Moving from To Multiply the recipe by
8½ × 4½ in 9 × 5 in 1.18 (King Arthur's 700 g becomes about 820 g)
8 × 4 in 9 × 5 in 1.41 (about 1,260 g, for the same height as the original)
9 × 5 in 10 × 5 in 1.11

Pans of different depths, such as Pullman pans, don't scale by area alone. Measure the volume with water if you need to.

Timelines and rise cues

Starter-only sandwich doughs vary a lot in speed. That depends on the starter amount, the kitchen temperature and how enriched the dough is. Our bulk fermentation guide explains the temperature side.

Recipe Bulk (first rise) Shape, then final rise Ready to bake when…
Alexandra's Kitchen [3] 4 sets of stretch and folds in the first 2 h, then 4–18 h at about 70°F, ending at about +50% volume (her updated cue) 4–6 h dough reaches the rim of the pan
Let's Make Sourdough [4] one set of stretch and folds, then until doubled; the author reports 8–14 h, up to about 18 h in a cold winter kitchen 2–6 h dome is 1 in above the rim (8 × 4 pan)
Breadtopia [2] until almost doubled; about 5 h with dough in the low 80s°F several hours, or partly in the fridge doubled and close to the top of the pan
Baking Sense [5] folds at 60, 120 and 180 minutes, plus 1–2 h more if sluggish about 2–3 h nearly fills the pan; a gentle press springs back slowly
King Arthur Baking [1] levain about 12 h; dough rises 1–2 h until doubled (with yeast) 1–2 h crowned about 1 in over the rim

Using the fridge: - Baking Sense refrigerates the dough overnight after the bulk rise, then shapes it in the morning [5]. - Alexandra's Kitchen lets you refrigerate the shaped loaf in its pan until the next day [3]. - Breadtopia refrigerates during the final proof, but before the dough has doubled, since it keeps expanding in the cold. If it hasn't doubled by morning, finish the rise on the counter [2]. - Let's Make Sourdough's author suggests chilling right after shaping and baking within about 48 hours [4].

If you're planning a whole weekend of baking, our overnight vs same-day guide compares fridge strategies.

Shaping for a pan

All five recipes use a simple log:

  1. Pat or press the dough into a rectangle, without kneading out the air [5].
  2. Roll it up tightly from a short edge into a log about the length of the pan [2][5].
  3. Place it seam side down in a greased pan [2][4][5].

Breadtopia also describes a four-piece "lobed" shape (four rolled tubes placed side by side) for a more even rise [2]. Alexandra's wetter dough is folded envelope-style and squared off with a bench scraper rather than rolled [3].

Baking Sense blames uneven rise in the pan on loose shaping, an insecure seam, or not scoring deeply enough. It slashes the loaf about ½ inch deep before baking [5]. Let's Make Sourdough leaves its loaf unscored, but suggests a few diagonal cuts if the loaf keeps tearing open on one side [4].

Baking, and why doneness temperatures differ

Recipe Oven Time Doneness given
Baking Sense [5] 350°F, egg wash 30–35 min internal 200°F
King Arthur Baking [1] 375°F 30–35 min (about 700 g loaves) golden crust, firm sides
Let's Make Sourdough [4] 375°F 45–50 min (896 g) browned, baked through; the author gives 200°F in her comment replies
Breadtopia [2] 375°F, milk-brushed 55 min; out of the pan for the last 5–10 min to firm the sides at least 190°F
Alexandra's Kitchen [3] 425°F for 20 min, then 375°F 20–25 min more golden all around; about 206–210°F

Why 190°F in one recipe and 210°F in another? The references explain it.

  • King Arthur Baking:
  • Bread made with white all-purpose flour is generally fully baked at a minimum of 190°F. King Arthur sometimes goes to about 194°F to be sure it's set. Dense, heavy loaves (hearty whole grain, or packed with fruit and nuts) should reach 200–205°F [7].
  • Its thermometer tests found 190°F a good benchmark for pan breads and soft rolls [6].
  • America's Test Kitchen gives typical targets of 190°F for enriched breads and 205°F for lean breads. It found a wider safe window inside the loaf than on the crust, so it recommends trusting color first and using the thermometer for reassurance [8].

In practice, enriched loaves (butter, milk, sugar) are done around 190°F. Lean, wetter loaves like Alexandra's are pushed to around 205–210°F [3][8]. In both cases, look for a rich golden-brown top and firm crust, and tip the loaf out to check that the sides and bottom are golden too [9]. King Arthur adds two more checks [9]: - A finished loaf should feel noticeably lighter than the dough; expect at least 15% weight loss. - Let it cool completely before slicing, or the inside can be gummy.

At high altitude, King Arthur suggests aiming about 5°F lower, because water boils at a lower temperature there [6].

Soft crust, and storage

For a soft crust: - Brush the warm crust with butter or oil [2]. - Or brush the top with water before baking, butter it after, and cover the cooling loaf with a towel [4].

Cooling and storage: - Cool about 2 hours [2], or at least 30 minutes [3], before slicing. - Baking Sense keeps its loaf 2–3 days at room temperature and freezes it, whole or sliced, for up to a month [5]. - Breadtopia stores it in a bag or bread box [2]. - Let's Make Sourdough's author reports about 5 days in a plastic bread bag, and freezes it sliced [4].

Troubleshooting

Problem What the sources suggest
Dense, heavy loaf Usually under-fermentation: a starter that wasn't fully active (see is it ready to bake with?), a bulk that was too short, or an under-proofed loaf. Judge by rise and feel, not the clock [5]. Use starter at or just after its peak [4].
Big holes, or the side tears open Most likely under-proofed. Give the final rise longer, and score the top if it keeps blowing out [4].
Uneven rise in the pan Tighter shaping, a secure seam on the bottom, and a deep enough score [5].
Gummy crumb Sliced too soon, under-proofed or underbaked. Cool completely and bake to about 200°F [5][9].
Too sour Long, cool fermentation and a stiff starter increase acidity. Shorten the ferment or keep the dough slightly warmer [5].
Dough too wet to shape Cut the water. Start at 400–420 g in a humid kitchen or with non-bread flour [3].
Dry, hard top after a long rise Cover the dough airtight with a lid or plastic wrap, not a towel, during long rises [4].
Pale, soft sides Bake longer, and take the loaf out of the pan for the last 5–10 minutes [2][9].

FAQ

What makes sourdough sandwich bread soft? Fat, milk and sugar. Butter and milk tenderize the crumb [2][5], and a little sugar softens it and helps it stay fresh [4]. Brushing the warm crust with butter keeps it soft [2][4].

Can I make sourdough sandwich bread without commercial yeast? Yes. Four of the five recipes here use only starter [2][3][4][5]. King Arthur's adds instant yeast for a faster rise [1].

How much dough goes in a 9 × 5 loaf pan? The published recipes put about 850–900 g in a 9 × 5 pan [2][4][5]. Alexandra's 1,052 g dough also fits, making a loftier loaf [3].

What internal temperature is sourdough sandwich bread done at? About 190°F for soft enriched loaves [6][7][8]. Lean, wetter loaves are often taken to 200–210°F [3][5][8]. Check the crust color too [8][9].

Should the dough rise above the pan before baking? In a snug pan, yes: about 1 inch over the rim [1][4]. In a roomier pan, bake when it reaches the rim [3][4].

Can I use all-purpose flour? Yes. Breadtopia and Baking Sense are written for all-purpose flour [2][5]. Let's Make Sourdough says either works [4]. With a wet lean dough you may need less water [3].

How long does sourdough sandwich bread keep? About 2–3 days at room temperature in Baking Sense's guidance [5]. It freezes well, sliced, for up to a month [5].

Sources (checked 2026-10-17)

  1. King Arthur Baking (Amber Eisler), "Sourdough Sandwich Bread" recipe (updated 2026-09-17): https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/recipes/sourdough-sandwich-bread-recipe
  2. Breadtopia (Melissa Johnson), "Basic All Purpose Sourdough Sandwich Bread" (2024-02-17): https://breadtopia.com/basic-all-purpose-sourdough-sandwich-bread/
  3. Alexandra's Kitchen (Alexandra Stafford), "Easy Sourdough Sandwich Bread" (updated 2026-03-04), including the author's replies in the comments: https://alexandracooks.com/2019/04/17/easy-sourdough-sandwich-or-toasting-bread/
  4. Let's Make Sourdough (Mandy Jackson), "The Softest Sourdough Sandwich Bread" (modified 2024-04-13), including the author's replies in the comments: https://letsmakesourdough.com/695/the-softest-sourdough-sandwich-bread/
  5. Baking Sense (Eileen Gray), "Sourdough Sandwich Bread" (updated 2026-02-17): https://www.baking-sense.com/2019/10/03/sourdough-sandwich-bread/
  6. King Arthur Baking (PJ Hamel), "Using a thermometer with yeast bread" (2017-04-07): https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/blog/2017/04/07/using-a-thermometer-with-yeast-bread
  7. King Arthur Baking, "5 tips for homemade sandwich bread" (2015-01-13): https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/blog/2015/01/13/homemade-sandwich-bread
  8. America's Test Kitchen, "Visual Guide to Judging Bread Doneness": https://www.americastestkitchen.com/how_tos/11685-visual-guide-to-judging-bread-doneness
  9. King Arthur Baking, "How to tell if bread is done baking" (2023-05-31): https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/blog/2023/05/31/how-to-tell-if-bread-is-done

Keep reading