Easy Buttermilk Sourdough Bread

The fluffiest sourdough buttermilk bread is a great way to use up extra buttermilk. A delicious sandwich loaf with the most fluffy interior and golden brown crust to make the perfect and versatile loaf.

We are in full milking season currently. And our cow June is producing tons of creamy milk. So much so we are basically drowning in it. It’s a constant struggle to deal with it daily, rotate the old stuff out and put the new stuff in, and try to figure out how to use it all.

I’ve been making a lot of butter, which also means a lot of buttermilk. It is a super simple thing to make. Just pour the cream into the blender and turn it on. It just works its magic as I do other things around the kitchen. After a few minutes it is done and ready to strain and use. It’s fantastic.

As a naturally frugal person, I hate letting things go to waste and the thought of just pouring the buttermilk down the drain isn’t appealing so I’ve been trying to figure out other ways to use it.

So I started adding it to homemade bread, and it is so good. It makes it so fluffy and smooth.

It’s perfect for sandwiches, toast with some peanut butter, french toast, and more.  

​Tips:

• This recipe used the wild yeast from the sourdough starter to give it rise rather than commercial yeast. I’m sure there would be a way to use active dry yeast and sourdough discard, but I haven’t tried that yet.
• If you are new to the sourdough world, make sure to check out how to make your own starter and all my sourdough recipes here.
• While this recipe does include buttermilk, if you find yourself out, regular milk will do just fine.
• Making your own buttermilk is super simple. Just use the milk leftover from making butter, or you can make it by adding a tiny bit of vinegar to regular milk.
• If after shaping you run out of time to bake, you can stick this recipe covered with plastic in the refrigerator for 12-15 hours. Then bake.

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Ingredients:

Butter (softened): A little butter gives it such a good texture. Such a fluffy and soft bread rather than tougher like a loaf made in the dutch oven.

Honey: Could also substitute with maple syrup.

Salt 

Active sourdough starter: In order to make a loaf of sourdough, you need a really active starter. If the starter isn’t mature enough, you will probably end up with a flat, not so desirable loaf. 

Buttermilk – If you don’t have buttermilk you can just substitute with whole milk.

All purpose flour

Tools you may need:

Stand mixer

Loaf pan

Measuring cups and spoon or a kitchen scale

Dough scraper

Parchment paper

Large bowl

How To Make Buttermilk Sourdough Bread

To a stand mixer bowl with a dough hook attachment, add all of the ingredients. I like to add the flour last, so I can add a bit less or more depending on my starter’s hydration.

Knead on low until dough is stretchy and smooth. You want it to pull away from the sides of the mixing bowl and be smooth and elastic – about 10 minutes. It should pass the windowpane test. You can also do this by hand kneading.

Place in a lightly greased bowl with a lid, damp towel, or cover bowl with plastic wrap.

Allow to bulk rise for 10-12 hours in a warm place like on top of a stove or refrigerator (not in the refrigerator).

Shape the dough:

Place the dough on a clean work surface that has been lightly floured.

Roll the dough flat into a rectangle and roll it up tightly. This adds tension to the dough which helps give it that oven spring.

Add to parchment lined or buttered loaf pans. Cover with a dish towel.

Rise

Allow the dough to rise again for about 2-4 hours at room temperature, or until doubled.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Add an optional egg wash for more browning.

Bake for 45 minutes, or until golden brown. The internal temperature should be about 190 degrees when it is baked through.

Allow to cool completely before slicing.

Storage:

Store in an air-tight container for up to five days for best results. 

You can also freeze loaves in freezer safe plastic bags for 3-6 months.

Baker’s Schedule:

10 AM: Feed sourdough starter. This will depend on how active your sourdough starter is. It will be at its peak within 4-12 hours. 

8 PM: Create the dough and allow it to rise for 10-12 hours.

​8 AM the next day: Shape the dough and allow it to rise for 2-4 hours. 

10 AM: Bake the bread.

FAQ:

What does buttermilk do to sourdough?

It adds a delicious tangy flavor and also helps break down the gluten strands making the bread really soft.

What do you eat with buttermilk sourdough bread:

Use it the same way you would eat regular sandwich bread:

• Toast
• French toast
• Sandwiches
• ​With just butter or butter and honey.

Find More Delicious Sourdough Recipes:

• Easy Whole Wheat Sourdough Sandwich Bread
• Same Day Sourdough Bread Recipe
• Sourdough Beer Bread Recipe
• Delicious Sourdough Breadsticks
• Jalapeño Cheddar Sourdough Bread