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.

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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.          

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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.
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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

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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)

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260 Comments

  1. Henny says:

    A perfect sandwich bread!!
    Thanks for your awesome recipe!
    My bread looks exactly the same with your bread pic above.
    I replaced maple syrup with organic raw honey.

    Reply
    1. Traci says:

      Hi Henny! SO happy to hear you’re enjoying the sourdough. Thank you for your note and sharing your tip about subbing maple with honey – delish!

      Reply
  2. Abby says:

    I have been in search of the perfect sourdough sandwich bread recipe and I believe I have found the one with this! It turned out amazingly!!!

    Reply
    1. Traci says:

      Hi Abby! Hooray! SO happy to hear and I truly appreciate your note. The oats offer such a nice flavor!

      Reply
  3. Leslie says:

    I have made your gluten free sourdough starter. Can I use gluten free starter for this bread?

    Reply
    1. Traci says:

      Hi Leslie! Thank you for your note. While I’ve not tried a GF stater in this recipe, I don’t see why it wouldn’t work. Keep in mind the regular starter is 100% hydration whereas the GF starter is 130% hydration, so you may need a bit less water in the recipe. I hope this helps. Please keep us posted!

      Reply
  4. Steph says:

    5 stars
    So glad I found this recipe!! I doubled it and made 2 loaves, and they turned out brilliantly! Soft, with a beautiful crumb, and fantastic flavor.

    Reply
    1. Traci says:

      Hi Steph! Thank you for your note and giving the recipe a try. SO happy to hear you’re enjoying the sourdough. Aren’t the loaves so soft?!

      Reply
  5. Margaret says:

    5 stars
    Hi, had to leave a comment. I have made this recipe 3 times now. The first time it was a little wet because I was using all purpose flour…I know, but I shop at costco and get the huge bags, and I am stubborn. My husband (who mostly
    prefers pure white bread) loved the first loaf though, and so did I! I ended up troubleshooting and and found that it helped, if using all purpose, like myself to decrease the water content by 30g, give or take a bit. The 3rd loaf was so beautiful. I am going to keep making this one for a while.

    Reply
    1. Traci says:

      Hi Margaret! Hooray for a delicious loaf and with AP! Thank you for coming back and leaving a note, sharing your tip and sticking with the recipe (so smart) until you made it work! I know those huge bags of AP you’re talking about :D It’s a win-win that your husband loves it too!

      Reply
  6. Ashley Joiner says:

    5 stars
    This recipe is so amazing! I’ve had a sourdough starter for well over a year now (her name is Lola!) but I had never made bread before. Sourdough pizza dough, naan, English muffins, even pasta — but bread intimidated me for some reason. Anyway, I made this recipe for my first go at real bread, and it turned out perfect! It was easy to make, it turned out so soft and fluffy, and it tastes SO good. It’s perfect for toast or sandwiches. My husband also loves it! I’ve already made a second loaf and it turned out perfect as well. This is going to be a regular thing, for sure!

    Reply
    1. Traci says:

      Hi Ashley! You did it! Can you hear me clapping? I’m so excited you took the leap… and now, you are making sourdough bread too! Thank you for your note :D

      Reply
  7. Sheri says:

    Hi Traci!

    I baked this today, and it is a wonderful bread! I split it into two smaller loaves and it makes the perfect little sandwiches! I love the scent of maple and the tender crust. Thanks for the recipe!

    Reply
    1. Traci says:

      Hi Sheri! Thank you for your note and tip about mini loaves! SO happy to hear!

      Reply
  8. Kitty says:

    Beautiful loaf that came out gorgeously in one try. I used whole wheat bread flour from Azure Standard and the crumb has phenomenal texture. I’ve made it twice in the last week, and the most recent loaf I accidentally over proofed it (underestimated TN humidity) and it still didn’t collapse despite being a good 3 inches over the pan. Great recipe, thank you for sharing your talents.

    Reply
    1. Traci says:

      Hi Kitty! SO happy to hear you’re enjoying the sourdough. I’m amazing that the dough didn’t collapse (shew!). Thank you for coming back and leaving a note!

      Reply
  9. Teresa says:

    5 stars
    Delicious bread. Seemed complicated but turned out easier than I thought.

    Reply
    1. Traci says:

      SO happy to hear Teresa! Thank you for your note :D

      Reply
  10. Debbie says:

    5 stars
    Beautiful Bread! It was so fun to make, tastes great, and let us not forget… it is filled with oat-ty goodness! Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe.

    Reply
    1. Traci says:

      Hi Debbie! Hooray! So happy to hear you’re enjoying the sourdough. I’m with you on the oaty goodness… it’s just has wonderful flavor! Thank you for your note.

      Reply