Soft, buttery sourdough bread made in a bread machine is the next best thing since, well, sliced bread. Super easy to make, you just dump the ingredients in and allow the bread machine to do all the work.

loaf of sourdough bread from a bread machine cut on a white quartz countertop

Recently, Iโ€™ve had some requests for a sourdough bread recipe in a bread machine. SoI bit the bullet and made one that is so delicious.

This bread is a take on my sourdough sandwich bread, but made to fit in the bread machine. It is super light, fluffy, buttery, and everything wonderful you want in a sourdough bread, but totally hands off. 

The bread machine does all the work. After you dump in the ingredients, you push some buttons and it goes to work.

It really couldnโ€™t be easier, and if you are wanting fresh baked bread for dinner or lunches (a great way to stretch the grocery budget if you ask me), then you have to try this recipe.

sourdough bread right out of the bread machine on a white countertop with the bread machine and baking pan in the background

Why You Will Love This Recipe:

Hands off: This is a dump and go recipe. Add the ingredients and push the knead button. Kneading and baking all happens in the bread machine. So if you want fresh bread without yeast, but maybe donโ€™t have the time or ability to make bread by hand, this recipe is a must.

Super simple: Goes along with the whole hands off thing. This recipe couldnโ€™t be simpler.

Delicious: This recipe is one of my absolute favorites. It is so fluffy and buttery with a hint of sweetness. Any sandwich would be happy to have this as its main component.

hands slicing a loaf of sourdough sandwich bread on a white quartz countertop with a bread machine pan to the right

Tips For Making Bread Machine Sourdough Bread:

  • Although you can make this bread from start to finish without ever touching the dough, you have the option to remove the dough from the bread machine after kneading and remove the paddle. This will keep you from having to pull the kneading paddle out of the finished product.
  • Though you could get away with just one knead cycle, I actually like to do it one more time. This ensures proper gluten formation for soft bread.
  • Spritz the top of dough with water a few times to make sure the dough doesnโ€™t dry out on top during rising. This is an optional step, but also helps the crust to turn golden in the baking step. 

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FAQ:

loaf of sourdough bread on a quartz countertop with half the loaf sliced. A bread machine and bread machine baking pan sit right behind the sliced loaf

Do all bread makers make sourdough?

Yes! Thought this will depend on the type of sourdough you are trying to make. It will make soft sourdough bread, but not that crusty, no-knead sourdough from start to finish. To get that crusty type boule, it will need to be baked in a dutch oven.

Can you use machine to knead sourdough?

Yes. You can definitely just use the bread machine to knead the dough, and then bake in the oven, if desired.

Is it cheaper to make your own sourdough?

Yes! Making sourdough bread is very inexpensive (about $.75-$1 a loaf by rough estimation using the cheapest organic flour I’ve seen at Costco). Buying a similar loaf at a bakery can cost you easily $7-8 or more.

sourdough bread in a stand machine baking pan on the countertop with a bread machine in the background

Ingredients:

  • Water – Preferably filtered.
  • Unsalted butter – Using unsalted butter allows you to be able to control the salt in recipes.
  • Bread flour – Bread flour yields a softer, fluffier bread. All-purpose can be substituted. Bread flour has a higher protein content, which allows more gluten strands to be produced giving you a fluffier bread.
  • Granulated sugar – This helps feed the sourdough starter and gives it a slightly sweet flavor.
  • Salt – Bread without salt is blah. I promise.
  • Active sourdough starter – This is sourdough starter that has been fed within 4-12 hours and is super bubbly and active.

Tools you may need:

Bread machine

Measuring cups and spoons

loaf of sourdough bread fresh out of the bread machine with the bread machine in the background

How To Make Sourdough Bread In A Bread Machine

Add the water and melted butter to the bread machine.

On top of that, add the bread flour, sugar and salt.

ingredients in a bread machine being kneaded together

Lastly, add the sourdough starter. 

finger pushing the menu button on a bread machine to reveal kneading setting at 25 minutes.

Use the kneading function on the bread machine (for my machine this is function 8). Mine is set to knead for 25 minutes. Though you could get away with just one knead cycle, I actually like to do it one more time.

After the first knead cycle finishes, I press the button again and let it knead the dough one more time, for an additional 25 minute cycle. 

Next (optional), remove the dough from the dough machine and take out the paddles. That way you donโ€™t have to pull them out later after baking.

Allow the dough to sit in the bread machine for about 6 hours, or until the dough nearly rises to the top of the bread pan.

I like to spritz the top with water a few times to make sure the dough doesnโ€™t dry out. This is an optional step, but also helps the crust to turn golden in the baking step. 

hand pressing the menu button on a white bread machine

After the dough has risen for several hours, I go to the baking function (function 13 on my bread maker) and select the option for dark crust. This makes the bake time one hour. 

Allow the bread to cool, then remove from the pan.

overhead photo of sourdough bread baked in a bread machine

Storage:

Unsliced bread can be stored in a paper or linen bag. Once cut, store cut side down on a cutting board lightly covered or in a storage bag.

sliced loaf of sourdough sandwich bread on a white quartz countertop

Baker’s Schedule:

9 PM: Feed sourdough starter so it will be nice and active the next morning.

8 AM the next day: Add ingredients to the bread machine and allow it to work its magic. Do two rounds of kneading.

9 AMish: Allow the dough to rise for about 6 hours.

3-5 PM: Bake for 1 hour. Usually it will take 6-8 hours for your bread to double to be ready to bake.

6 PM: Slice and serve.

Find More Sourdough Recipes:

If you try this recipe and love it, I would love if you could come back and give it 5 stars! 

Sourdough Bread In A Bread Machine

4.53 from 326 votes
Soft, buttery sourdough bread made in a bread machine is the next best thing since, well, sliced bread. Super easy to make, you just dump the ingredients in and allow the bread machine to do all the work.
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 7 hours
Additional Time: 7 hours
Total: 14 hours 10 minutes
Servings: 12
loaf of sourdough bread from a bread machine cut on a white quartz countertop
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Equipment

Ingredients 

  • 1 1/4 cups water
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
  • 4 cups bread flour
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1/2 tablespoon salt
  • 1/2 cup sourdough starter, bubbly and active

Instructions 

  • Add the water and melted butter to the bread machine.
  • On top of that add the bread flour, sugar and salt.
  • Lastly, add the sourdough starter.
  • Use the kneading function on the bread machine. (For my machine this is function 8) Mine is set to knead for 25 minutes.
  • Optional: After the first knead cycle finishes, I press the button again and let it knead the dough one more time, for an additional 25 minute cycle.
  • Next, I just allow the dough to sit in the bread machine for about 6 hours, or until the dough nearly rises to the top of the bread pan. I like to spritz the top with water a few times to make sure the dough doesn't dry out on top. (Optional , but also helps the crust to turn golden in the baking step.)
  • After the dough has risen for several hours, I go to the baking function (function 13 on my bread maker) and select the option for dark crust. This makes the bake time 1 hour.
  • Pull the bread out of the bread maker and allow to cool.

Notes

  • Although you can make this bread from start to finish without ever touching the dough, you have the option to take out the dough from the bread machine after kneading and remove the paddle. This will keep you from having to pull the kneading paddle out of the finished product.
  • Though you could get away with just one knead cycle, I actually like to do it one more time. This ensures proper gluten formation for soft bread.
  • Spritz the top of dough with water a few times to make sure the dough doesnโ€™t dry out on top during rising. This is an optional step, but also helps the crust to turn golden in the baking step.

Nutrition

Calories: 203kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 11mg | Sodium: 383mg | Potassium: 47mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 120IU | Calcium: 9mg | Iron: 0.4mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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4.53 from 326 votes (266 ratings without comment)

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Recipe Rating




412 Comments

  1. Karin says:

    5 stars
    Just fabulous! I substituted 1 cup fresh ground wheat flour and it was perfect. I then made another loaf (Hubby and 3 boys gobbled down the first) using 2 cups of wheat with a tsp of yeast and it was even better. This recipe is going to be my go to quick bread. Thank you ๐Ÿ™‚

  2. Anonymous says:

    Can we put bananas in this to give it a flavor?

    1. Lisa Bass says:

      Yes.

  3. Jennifer says:

    5 stars
    Love this recipe! Iโ€™ve made it a couple times now and itโ€™s turning out great.
    My bread machine can hold a bit more than the 4 cups of flour listed in the recipe so Iโ€™m trying it with 5 cups today.

  4. Diana Thorneycroft says:

    5 stars
    Softest sour dough sandwich bread ever!