Lightly sweetened, my overnight maple oat sourdough sandwich bread features whole rolled oats and whole wheat flour. It has a soft tender crumb and earthy flavor, ideal for sammies and toast! Use a fluffy, doubled in size Sourdough Bread Starter for the best crumb.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Recipe Review: “Found this recipe a couple of months ago and it turns out perfect every time! It’s my new go to for sandwich bread.” ~ Kris

Maple Oat Sourdough Sandwich Bread on a board.

Sourdough Love

There are many sourdough variations, and while I adore a crusty classic or multigrain sourdough, I can never pass up a softer loaf for toast, sandwiches, and French toast. 

So I set out to create a softer loaf with earthy flavors in the shape of traditional sandwich bread. This loaf, my Soft Multigrain Sourdough Sandwich Bread and Fresh Sourdough Sandwich Bread are among my favorites. They all stand up to the sandwich test and taste delicious!  

This Recipe Is

  • made overnight with a short morning proof
  • earthy, and lightly sweetened
  • tender and so soft

If you make homemade sourdough bread recipes, you’ll love this reader favorite sandwich bread. 

Need a sourdough starter? Follow my step by step guide to make Homemade Sourdough Bread Starter.

__________________________

How to Make Maple Oat Sourdough Sandwich Bread
step by step

Mixing wet sourdough ingredients.
1. mix the wet ingredients with sourdough starter.
Adding flour to the wet sourdough ingredients.
2. add all the dry ingredients.
Mixing the sourdough with a fork.
4. mix.
Cover the sourdough and let it rest for 30 minutes.
5. cover & rest for 30 mintues.

The rolled oats are a nice surprise in this dough. They soften as the dough ferments, so they’re barely noticeable in the crumb yet add a soft, earthy flavor to this loaf.

Oat soaker in the bowl with the sourdough.
5. add the oat soaker (oats + water).
Kneading the soaker oats into the sourdough.
6. mix again, cover & rest 30 minutes.
Sourdough resting in a bowl.
7. fold the dough. cover & bulk ferment….
Doubled in size sourdough in a bowl.
8. …overnight until doubled in size.

Bulk fermentation (first rise) is complete when the dough no longer looks or feels dense, is tacky, not sticky, is jiggly when the bowl is shaken, and has about doubled in size. You may also see a few large bubbles on the surface of the dough.          

_____________________

How to Shape the Dough

Dimpling the sourdough on a board.
1. dimple the dough to a rough rectangle.
Shaping sourdough sandwich bread.
2. fold & crease letter style 1/3 of the way over.
Pinching sourdough sandwich bread into shape.
3. bring the other side over the crease & pinch the seam.
Shaping sourdough bread.
4. fold the ends, about 1 inch in, pinch to close.
Shaping sourdough sandwich bread.
5. flip the dough over & pull it towards you to tighten.
Shaped sourdough setting next to a loaf pan.
6. it’s ready for the pan.

Fitting Sourdough into Your Schedule

When it comes to sourdough, fitting it into your schedule can be achieved through a little strategic planning and, if needed, using a technique I keep in my back pocket for when something comes up and I need to extend the time between mixing and proofing…

…because things come up, right?

Retarding the dough is optional but is a tool for bread bakers to manage the speed at which the dough rises. Retardation is simply the process of placing the dough in the refrigerator to slow down fermentation so the rise takes longer. This is handy for flavor development but also, as a time management tool.

When to Retard the Dough

I do this when I mix in the morning. I just pop it in the fridge for the day, then pull it to room temperature before I go to bed. It’s doubled in size by morning!

During Bulk: for this loaf, retard during bulk to slow down the rise allowing flexibility for when the dough will be shaped, proofed and baked. The dough still needs to double in size during bulk fermentation (first rise), so after refrigeration I pull it to room temperature, and let it finish rising, until it doubles in size. I’ve not tested the limits of this, but up to about 10 hours in the refrigerator generally fits my schedule.

GIF of sourdough bread in loaf pan rising.

When is the Second Rise (proof) Done?

When the dough has risen in the loaf pan to about 3/4″ – 1″ (2cm – 2.54cm) above the lip of the pan at the center. Have a ruler ready for this part! The amount of time it takes to proof will vary depending on ambient temperature. At 70F (21C) proofing takes about an hour. It can take up to twoish hours in a chilly kitchen (raises hand!). 

If you’d like to speed this process along, you can put the loaf in a turned off oven with the light on. Just be sure to remove the loaf before preheating your oven for baking! 

Baked maple oat sourdough sandwich bread in a loaf pan
Hand with a knife slicing the sourdough.
Sliced Maple Oat Sourdough Sandwich Bread on a board.

 

Traci’s Tips

  • Whole Wheat Bread Flour: this maple oat sourdough sandwich bread calls for whole wheat bread flour, which can sometimes be hard to find. If unavailable, use regular whole wheat flour. The difference is subtle, but whole wheat bread flour yields a little bit stretchier dough and is easier to work with. 
  • Kitchen Tools: I recommend a digital oven thermometer for monitoring accurate oven temperature and weighing your ingredients using a digital kitchen scale for best outcome (affiliate link).
A sourdough sandwich bread loaf setting on a cutting board.
Pin Print

Overnight Maple Oat Sourdough Sandwich Bread

4.98 stars (from 120 ratings)
By Traci York
Cook: 50 minutes
Servings: 1 loaf
**Advanced Prep Required – you'll need a sourdough starter**
Lightly sweetened, maple oat sourdough sandwich bread features whole rolled oats and whole wheat flour. It has a soft tender crumb and earthy flavor, ideal for sammies and toast! This recipe is vegetarian and vegan friendly.
A Note on HYDRATION – Flours vary in their moisture content from brand to brand. Additionally, local humidity conditions will impact how your dough feels from one batch to another. If the dough feels a bit too dry, try adding a teaspoon of water (more if needed). Too wet? Add more flour, a little at a time (only after the soaker is added). Even if you weigh your ingredients (which I highly recommend), this is not uncommon. As you gain experience in making sourdough, you'll gain a better understanding of how your dough should look and feel.
Time above does not include the amount of time for fermentation, shaping and proofing which takes between 8-14 hours, depending on ambient temperature. Use the time as a guide, not as a determining factor.
_______________________
Example Bakers Schedule:
Friday-Saturday: feed starter.
Saturday night: mix dough and ferment overnight.
Sunday morning: shape dough, allow to rise (proof), bake. 
________________________
Serving size depends on how thick or thin the loaf is sliced. I can get about 12 thick slices or 15-16 thinner slices out of this loaf.
Save this recipe!
Enter your email & we’ll send the recipe link straight to your inbox. Plus you’ll get delicious recipes from us every week!
You will receive recipes and kitchen tips, along with information about our partners and offerings. For more details, review the Vanilla And Bean privacy policy.

Ingredients

For the Soaker:

  • 1 C (100g) Whole Rolled Oats, plus 2 Tbs for the top
  • 1/2 C (105g) Water, room temperature

For the Dough:

  • 3/4 C (150g) Sourdough Starter, 100% hydration, previously feed and bubbly
  • 1 C (230g) Milk, (nut milk or whole dairy milk) I use 1/2 diluted unsweetened cashew milk – 80F (26C)
  • 1/4 C (80g) Maple Syrup
  • 1 Tbs (14g) Olive Oil, + more for oiling the pan
  • 1/2 C + 1 Tbs (100g) Whole Wheat Bread Flour , (see note**) or whole wheat flour
  • 2 C + 3 1/2 Tbs (300g) Bread Flour
  • 1 1/2 tsp (10g) Fine Sea Salt

Instructions 

For the Soaker:

  • Add the oats to a small bowl and pour the water over them. The water wont fully cover the oats – that's okay. Set aside.

For the Dough:

  • Mix the Dough: In the evening, whisk the starter, milk, maple syrup and oil together in a large bowl with a fork. Add the flours and salt. First, mix with a fork, the dough will be shaggy. Then mix by hand, mixing, folding and pushing the dough until the flour is fully incorporated and no dry bits are present. It will seem dry at first, but the more you work the dough, the more hydrated it will become.  The dough will feel stiff and it will stick to your fingers as you go.  Do this for about 3-4 minutes. Use the fork to scrape off the dough on your fingers as much as you can.
    Cover bowl with a damp tea towel. Set a timer for for 30 minutes and allow the dough to rest for 30 minutes. Now is a good time to feed/refresh your starter. 
  • Incorporate the Soaker: After the dough has rested, mix in the soaker. To do this, dump the soaker on top of the dough and begin kneading and folding the dough over and on top of itself, incorporating the ingredients of the soaker. Do this for about 2-3 minutes or until the soaker is evenly distributed in the dough. It will seem like a lot of added bits, but as you work the dough and as the dough develops through fermentation, the soaker will incorporate. The dough will be stiff, wet and sticky. 
    Cover bowl with a damp tea towel, set a timer for 30 minutes and allow the dough to rest for 30 minutes.
  • Fold the Dough: After the dough has rested, fold the dough. To do this, grab a portion of the dough while it remains in the bowl, stretch it up and fold it over, pressing your fingertips into the center of the dough. You'll notice the dough is a little less stiff and more workable at this point. Repeat, until you've worked your way around the dough. If the dough feels *too* stiff, you can always let it rest another 15 minutes.
    This is the first fold, and you can stop here and begin bulk fermentation, but If time permits, and optimally, you'll want to repeat this fold two more times as it improves the final dough's structure and crumb. Allow for about 30 minutes between the second and third fold. 
  • Bulk Fermentation (first rise): After the last fold, cover the bowl with a damp towel and allow to rise overnight at room temperature (see note* on optionally retarding the dough). This will take about 8-10 hours at 70F (21C), but in a cooler kitchen the dough can take up to 12-14 hours to rise – this is the norm in my chilly kitchen 66F (18C). Use the time as a guide and not a determining factor.
    The dough is ready when it no longer looks dense, is jiggly when the bowl is shaken, and has about doubled in size.
  • Shape the Dough: In the morning, and with damp fingertips, coax the dough into a floured work-surface.  
    With moist fingers, take a portion of the dough, gently stretch it towards you and fold it over towards the center, pressing it down gently. Repeat this process until you work the dough all the way around the dough. Using a bench scraper flip the dough over, cover with a tea towel rest the dough for 15-20 minutes. 
    While the dough rests, throughly coat the inside of a 9×5" (23cm X 12cm) loaf pan with olive or coconut oil. Set aside.
    Flour the work surface and using a bench scraper flip the dough back over. Use the photos in the blog post to help guide shaping. Gently shape the dough into a rough rectangle (sort of a football/oblong shape if you can) by dimpling the dough (think focaccia), to roughly 6" wide and 8-10" long. Fold the dough lengthwise 2/3 over onto itself and crease it firmly using the pinky side of your hand. Fold the 1/3 piece left towards the crease and pinch the seam closed. Fold in the ends, coming in about an 3/4" – 1" and pinch the seam closed. Flip the bread over and rock it back and fourth a bit and gently fluff the ends in. Cover with a tea towel and allow the dough to rest for about 5-10 minutes.
    Scrape your work surface area of any excess flour and very lightly spritz it with water. Place the dough on the spritz of water (seam side down) and using lightly floured hands, cup the back of the dough and gently pull it towards you until the surface is taught. Gently "fluff" the ends in again if needed to fit into the loaf pan.
    Once the surface is taut and with one swift move, use the bench scraper to scoop the dough up and, place the dough into the prepared loaf pan.
    If there's any misshapen edges that need tucking in, use a moist rubber spatula to gently finesse and shape the edges of the dough down into the pan.
  • Proof the Dough (second rise): Cover the pan with a damp tea towel and allow the dough to rise until the dough rises to about 3/4" – 1" (2cm – 2.54cm) above the lip of the pan at the center of the dough. The amount of time will vary depending on ambient temperature. At 70F (21C) proofing takes about an hour. In my chilly kitchen, about two hours.
    Set an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat your oven to 450F (232C).
  • Bake the Dough: Lightly spritz the top of your loaf with water and sprinkle 1-2 Tbs of Rolled oats over the top.
    Place the loaf into the oven and then, reduce the oven temperature to 400F (204C). Bake for 45-55 minutes, rotating and tenting the loaf at about 25-30 minutes so it doesn't get too dark.
    The bread is ready when the internal temperature of the loaf is between 190F – 205F (87C – 96C). When done, transfer to a wire rack. Cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then transfer to a cooling rack. Cool 1 hour before slicing.
  • Storage Notes: Sourdough is best consumed on the same day it's baked, but it lasts for 3-4 days stored at room temperature.  Store at room temperature cut side down.
    This bread freezes beautifully. Store baked bread in a freezer bag either whole or sliced for up to two weeks. Thaw at room temperature. This bread can go straight from freezer to toaster to make the most delicious toast!

Notes

*Retarding during bulk fermentation: after mixing the dough, incorporating the soaker and performing the folds, place the dough in the refrigerator, in the same bowl, covered with a damp tea towel and another dry tea towel on top (this helps keep the dough moist).  Bulk ferment overnight (about 8 -10 hours) in the refrigerator. Pull the dough from the refrigerator and continue bulk ferment at room temperature until the dough has doubled in size. 
**If whole wheat bread flour is unavailable this recipe will also work using whole wheat flour with similar results. Whole wheat bread flour renders the dough a bit easier to work with (more stretchy). 

Nutrition

Serving: 1loaf | | Calories: 2303kcal | Carbohydrates: 441g | Protein: 66g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Sodium: 4061mg | Potassium: 1205mg | Fiber: 29g | Sugar: 50g | Calcium: 218mg | Iron: 11mg

Nutrition is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate. If this information is important to you, please have it verified independently.

Made it? Leave a comment below!

The most helpful comment may include recipe rating, feedback, any modifications or helping other commentors.

Traci sprinkling flour over a disk of pastry.

Filed under:

Sourdough Featured Freezer Friendly Popular Dairy Free Egg Free Naturally Sweetened Vegan Vegetarian

Recipe Key

DFDairy FreeEFEgg FreeVVeganVGVegetarianNSNaturally Sweetened

You May Also Like

Traci in front of a barn.

well hello!

I’m Traci. So glad you're here!

I cook vibrant vegetarian food, bake sourdough and create from scratch baked recipes, sharing them here since 2014. Inspired by the seasons, my southern roots and global flavors, let's cook something delicious together!

Read more about traci
4.98 from 120 votes (38 ratings without comment)

Leave a Comment & Rate this Recipe

If you love this recipe, please consider leaving a star rating when commenting below. Star ratings play an important role in helping others in the online community discover and enjoy my recipes. I appreciate your support!

signature

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

260 Comments

  1. Gaiñ says:

    My bread is delicious, but chewy. Should it be or did I do something wrong?

    Reply
    1. Traci says:

      Hi Gain! Thank you for your note. So happy to hear you’re enjoying the sourdough. But this loaf should be soft, with a somewhat chewy crust. Was it the interior or exterior that was chewy… or both?

      Reply
  2. Mel says:

    This loaf is so delicious! I’ve made it twice and both times it bakes a little lopsided. I think it has to do with my shaping. Any tips how to make it a bit more even?

    Reply
    1. Traci says:

      Hi Mel! So happy to hear! Indeed, it’s the shaping. Here’s something different to try. Instead of folding in 1/3 then again, then folding the ends, try shaping into a rectangle the length of the pan and rolling the dough into a log (like cinnamon rolls). Pinch the bottom seem and transfer it to the pan. I hope this helps and the loaf comes out even next time!

      Reply
  3. Maddie says:

    5 stars
    This is DELICIOUS. Pretty sure I did something wrong because my loaf turned out gigantic haha but the bread tastes great. I will make this again! Thank you for sharing!

    Reply
    1. Traci says:

      Hi Maddie! It sounds like you had some amazing oven spring (!!). Thank you for your note. So happy to hear!

      Reply
  4. Brenda Berndt says:

    5 stars
    I’m always on the lookout for super sandwich bread, as I bake 45 loaves a week to sell at a Farmers Market. This sounded super and is cooling on the counter now. Because I bake in such volume, I use a mixer and it worked fantastic and I didn’t have to stretch and fold. I also divided the dough into quarters and used the Japanese Milk Bread technique on it. It’s looks mighty good! Would love to show you a pic, but don’t know how on this site.

    Reply
    1. Traci says:

      Hi Brenda! Thank you for your note and giving the recipe a go! Would love to try the Milk Bread technique on this loaf – how wonderful! I don’t have photo sharing capability here, but if you’re on IG or FB, you can share there or email me traci@vanillaandbean.com ! I’d love to see!

      Reply
  5. Jenny says:

    Hello! If my starter is maintained at 80% hydration, how would you recommend tweaking your recipe? Can’t wait to try!

    Reply
    1. Traci says:

      Hi Jenny! At 80% hydration, I’m thinking you’d need to increase the water in the recipe only slightly. But by how much, I’m not exactly sure. I’m sorry I can’t be of more help.

      Reply
  6. Sherice Potter says:

    I’m so excited to try this bread. I put it in the fridge overnight and have it proofing in my warm spot now! I love reading through comments.. next time I’m using honey and adding some seeds!! we love seed bread in our house but it’s so spendy!!

    However…. I do not have one large loaf pan but 2 smaller loaf pans so we shall see how that plays out!! I’ll get a larger one when I can.
    Cheers!!

    Reply
    1. Traci says:

      Hi Sherice! Thank you for your note and giving the recipe a go. Honey and seeds sound lovely! How’d the smaller loaf pans work out?

      Reply
  7. Aniko says:

    Hi Traci,

    looks amazing, and would like to try it .
    is is ok to change maple sirup to honey, and what is the conversation rate is it 1:1?

    thank you

    Reply
    1. Traci says:

      Hi Aniko! Honey will work just fine – same amount, but it may darken the crust a little faster. You may need to tent the bread to protect the crust. Other makers have used it (see comments below) with success. I hope this helps and you enjoy the sourdough!

      Reply
  8. Candace says:

    5 stars
    My absolute favorite bread. Everyone who tries it falls in love!

    Reply
    1. Traci says:

      Awh, thank you for your note and giving the recipe a go Candace! I’m so happy to hear you and those that you’re sharing it with aare enjoying the sourdough. I think it’s the oats that really make this bread so flavorful!

      Reply
  9. DeeHagen says:

    5 stars
    This was my first attempt at traditional loaf of sourdough bread. It was easy to make and turned out great. Mine doesn’t have much air in the crumb but that’s okay for a sandwich loaf. I did think the directions were a little more detailed than necessary but I’ve been baking sourdough for a while now. I’ll definitely make this again.

    Reply
    1. Traci says:

      Hi Dee! Thank you for your note and giving the recipe a go. So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe!

      Reply
  10. Kelly Nahas says:

    5 stars
    This is one of my favorite loaves! I used steel cut oats and am so glad I did- it made the bread chewy and hearty. Next time I’ll cut back on the maple syrup. I also added maple extract. Maybe that’s cheating, but it’s very good. I also used almond milk. I fed my starter around 9am, mixed my dough around 5. All of my tests and stretches and folds were done around 7 so I let it bulk rise on the counter all night. Formed into a loaf pan around 6am and by 8, my bread was in the oven baking. My kids love it! Thanks for the recipe. It’s a keeper!

    Reply
    1. Traci says:

      Hooray! Thank you for sharing your notes and success, Kelly! Did you cook the SCO before you added them to the dough? Maple extract sounds amazing!

      Reply
      1. Kelly Nahas says:

        I didn’t cook them! I boiled the water and let them soak for probably 30 minutes as I did the first steps of the recipe. They get a little soft before you incorporate them, but once the load is baked, the oats add a little soft crunch and texture that is perfect.

        Reply
        1. Traci says:

          Ohhh Thank you for your tip Kelly! Sounds amazing!

          Reply
          1. dana johnson says:

            5 stars
            Hi Traci. Thanks for this super delicious sourdough recipe. I’m new to the bread baking and sourdough world so am definitely on a learning curve. I have made this recipe several times (have a loaf fermenting on the counter now!) and it is my favorite of all the recipes I have tried so far, and there have been many. I use honey in place of maple since I’m not a big fan of maple flavor. My only issue has been that the loaves have been a bit dense at the bottom, but I’m sure this is not a recipe issue, rather me not having developed a good bakers instinct yet and not hitting the fermentation or proof timing right. Dense on the bottom has been consistent in most of my bakes. Any insight would be appreciated!

          2. Traci says:

            Hi Dana! Thank you for your note and enjoying the sourdough. SO happy to hear! With regards to the dense bottom, I’ve not experienced this. However, it seems to be a proofing issue from my quick search online. I’ve read a dense bottom can result when the dough is overproofed. Have you tried the poke test to make sure your dough is properly proofed prior to baking? Wet your finger and gently poke the dough with your fingertip. If it instantly springs back, it’s underproofed. If it doesn’t spring back at all, or only slightly, it’s overproofed. If the dough springs back in slow motion most of the way (but still leaves a slight indent), it’s ready to bake. It’s better to poke early than late. Too, be sure to keep a sharp eye on how high the dough has risen above the rim. Use a ruler and get down low so you can see the actual height next to the rim of the pan. I hope this helps Dana! Please keep us posted!