Nutrient-dense and simple to make, this einkorn sourdough bread offers a fluffy, chewy interior, a golden, rustic crust, and plenty of robust flavors from the grain and the fermentation.
Einkorn is the world’s oldest heirloom wheat that hasn’t been hybridized. While not gluten-free, this ancient grain is higher in protein and lower in gluten than modern wheat, making it more easily tolerated by those with gluten sensitivities.
When long-fermented, the gluten is minimized further, and the phytic acid is broken down, making nutrients like folate, iron, zinc, and vitamin B more bio-available.
While this recipe is made with sourdough and utilizes fermentation time, there are times that I don’t ferment my baked goods. When I don’t ferment, I like to use einkorn for its many health benefits.
These einkorn chocolate chip cookies are a great example of that. They are delicious, quick to make, and more nutritious when made with einkorn.
We have also loved einkorn cinnamon rolls, einkorn pie crust, einkorn pancakes, einkorn tortillas, einkorn flatbread, and many other recipes!
My no-knead sourdough bread recipe was such a success that I applied some of those techniques to this einkorn bread recipe and have been thrilled with the results.
This einkorn loaf is everything you want in homemade bread – excellent texture inside and out, mouthwatering flavor, and a lovely, rustic appearance.
Pair this crusty loaf with our favorite easy cheeseburger soup, a hearty zuppa toscana, or roasted red pepper and tomato soup for a delicious and comforting meal.
It’s also an amazing addition to breakfast, toasted and spread with fresh butter and strawberry jam, or for lunch, layered with homemade ricotta cheese and garden-fresh sliced tomato.
If you are new to sourdough, check out my post on how to make a sourdough starter from scratch.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Delicious flavor and texture – Einkorn wheat gives this loaf an earthy, nutty flavor. Coupled with the sourdough tanginess, it’s a deeply flavorful loaf with a moist, airy, tender crumb.
Easier digestion – Einkorn has a lower gluten content and a simpler gluten structure than modern wheat, making this ancient wheat easier on the digestive system and more accommodating for those with gluten sensitivities.
Nutritious – Einkorn offers higher values of minerals, protein, and fiber, and is often free from modern fertilizers and sprays.
Ingredients
Einkorn whole wheat flour – You can also substitute for einkorn all-purpose flour.
Einkorn all-purpose flour – Adding all-purpose produces a lighter texture than a fully whole wheat loaf.
Tools You May Need
Grain mill (optional) – This is if you plan on grinding your own einkorn berries. I have a Mockmill that I love.
How to Make Einkorn Sourdough Bread
Step 1: Feed your sourdough starter 4-12 hours before starting your dough. You want a bubbly and active starter for this recipe. Grind einkorn berries, if needed. Skip this step if you have pre-ground flour. Add flour, salt, water, and sourdough starter to a large mixing bowl.
Step 2: Combine with your hands until it comes together. Let the dough rest for 15 minutes.
Step 3: Flatten out the dough, then stretch out each edge and fold them back in on all sides. Roll into a ball. Place dough in a greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap or beeswax wrap. If the dough is sticky, dampen your hands before working with it rather than adding more flour. Allow to rest again for 20 minutes.
Step 4: Repeat the flattening and folding process. Allow to rest again for 20 minutes.
Step 5: Repeat the process another time, then shape and cover with plastic wrap or a tea towel. Allow to rise until doubled in size, about 3-12 hours, depending on the temperature of your home.
Step 8: After doubling, shape the loaf with your hands. Place it in a floured banneton basket. Cover with plastic and place in the fridge overnight. I usually place the proofing basket into a plastic grocery bag and tie it shut to help keep it more air-tight.
The Next Day
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 450 degrees, allowing the Dutch oven to preheat for 30 minutes to an hour. Once the Dutch oven has preheated, take the dough out of the fridge and place it onto a sheet of parchment paper.
Step 2: Score the top of the dough and gently place the parchment paper and dough into the Dutch oven, cover with a lid, and place in the hot oven.
Step 3: Bake for 30 minutes with the lid, then remove the lid and bake for another 15 minutes until golden brown. Place on a wire rack and cool completely before slicing.
Tips
- If you want to ensure your bread is 100% einkorn, start your sourdough starter with einkorn flour, or convert your current starter to einkorn flour. More information is in the FAQs below.
- Einkorn dough tends to be much stickier than regular bread dough. I like to use dampened hands and a bench scraper to combat this without having to add extra flour.
- When using a sourdough starter, it is recommended to use filtered water. Some water may contain too much chlorine, which can kill the beneficial bacteria and yeast in your starter.
- For the best rise and the perfect texture, I incorporated a modified stretch and fold process like with my other no-knead sourdough bread recipe. Since einkorn doesn’t have the same type of gluten structure, the process looks a little different but still yields a wonderful result that is light and airy.
- If you do not have a banneton basket, you could use a piece of parchment paper. Place the dough on the parchment paper, place in a bowl, and cover to rise.
- Set the dough in a warm place to facilitate a speedier rise.
- I like to use both whole-grain einkorn flour and all-purpose einkorn flour. I found this combination to be best for a soft and structured crumb. You can substitute the whole grain einkorn for more all-purpose flour if that is what you have on hand.
Recipe FAQs
Wrap with beeswax wrap or place in a bread box or airtight container for 3-4 days. You can also place in a Ziplock bag (sliced or whole) and freeze for an extended period of time.
Yes, you can use a regular wheat sourdough starter without issue.
If you want to make this bread 100% einkorn, convert your starter to an einkorn starter by feeding it with einkorn flour for a few days. By the fifth feeding, your starter will be around 96% einkorn flour.
For this recipe, you need to use a nice, active starter. Feed your starter 4-12 hours before creating the dough. The starter is usually ready when it has doubled or tripled in size. Take a spoonful of your active starter and drop it into a cup of water. If it floats, then it is ready to use for bread.
Yes. While you cannot just use your favorite sourdough bread recipe (or any other sourdough recipe) and convert it to an einkorn version one-for-one, you can easily use einkorn flour for sourdough with a few tweaks. This is because einkorn flour requires less liquid than other flour.
Baker’s Timeline
The night before – Feed sourdough starter.
NEXT DAY
8:00 AM: Mix flour, salt, active starter, and water. Allow to rest for 15 minutes.
8:20 AM: Flatten and fold dough. Shape into a ball. Place into a bowl, cover, and let rest for 20 minutes.
8:45 AM: Repeat the same folding process, then allow the dough to rest, covered, for 20 minutes.
9:10 AM: Repeat that same process a third time, then allow the dough to rest, covered, for 20 minutes.
9:35 AM: Shape and cover with plastic wrap. Allow to rise until doubled in size, about 3-12 hours, depending on the temperature of your home.
7:00 PM: (This time is dependent on when the dough doubles in size.) Punch down the dough and shape into a ball. Place in a floured banneton basket. Cover with plastic wrap or place in a plastic bag, then refrigerate overnight.
NEXT DAY
8:00 AM: Preheat oven to 450 degrees, allowing Dutch oven to preheat for 30 minutes to an hour.
9:00 AM: Remove the dough from the fridge and place onto parchment paper. Score. Place into Dutch oven and bake.
More Sourdough Recipes from the Farmhouse
- Sourdough Oatmeal Bread
- Sourdough Garlic Knots
- Easy Kamut Bread
- Sourdough Irish Soda Bread
- Homemade Sourdough Calzone Recipe
- Sourdough Buttermilk Pancakes
If you try this recipe and love it, I would love it if you could come back and give it 5 stars! Tag me on Instagram @farmhouseonboone.
Einkorn Sourdough Bread
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose einkorn flour
- 1 cups whole grain einkorn flour, or more all-purpose einkorn
- 1 1/4 cups water
- 1 cup sourdough starter
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
Instructions
- Feed your sourdough starter 4-12 hours before starting your dough. You want your starter bubbly and active for this recipe.
- Grind einkorn berries, if needed. Skip this step if you have pre-ground flour.
- Add flour and salt to a large bowl and mix.
- Add sourdough starter and water to the flour mixture and combine with your hands until it comes together. Let rest for 15 minutes.
- Flatten out the dough, then stretch out each edge and fold them back in on all sides. Roll into a ball. Place in a greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap or beeswax wrap. If the dough is sticky, dampen your hands before working with it rather than adding more flour. Allow to rest again for 20 minutes.
- Repeat the flattening and folding process. Allow to rest again for 20 minutes.
- Repeat the process another time, then shape and cover with plastic wrap. Allow to rise until doubled in size, about 3-12 hours, depending on the temperature of your home.
- Shape the loaf with your hands. Place it in a floured banneton basket. Cover with plastic and place in the fridge overnight. I usually use a plastic grocery bag and tie it shut to help keep it more air-tight.
The Next Day
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees, allowing the Dutch oven to preheat for 30 minutes to an hour.
- Once the Dutch oven has preheated, take the dough out of the fridge and place it onto a sheet of parchment paper.
- Score the top of the dough and gently place the parchment paper and dough into the Dutch oven, cover with a lid, and place in the hot oven.
- Bake for 30 minutes with the lid, then remove the lid and bake for another 15 minutes until golden brown. Allow to cool before slicing.
Notes
- If you want to ensure your bread is 100% einkorn, start your sourdough starter with einkorn flour, or convert your current starter to einkorn flour. More information is in the FAQs in the blog post.
- Einkorn dough tends to be much stickier than regular bread dough. I like to use dampened hands and a bench scraper to combat this without having to add extra flour.
- When using a sourdough starter, it is recommended to use filtered water. Some water may contain too much chlorine, which can kill the beneficial bacteria and yeast in your starter.
- For the best rise and the perfect texture, I incorporated a modified stretch and fold process like with my other no-knead sourdough bread recipe. Since einkorn doesn’t have the same type of gluten structure, the process looks a little different but still yields a wonderful result that is light and airy.
- If you do not have a banneton basket, you could use a piece of parchment paper. Place the dough on the parchment paper, place in a bowl, and cover to rise.
- Set the dough in a warm place to facilitate a speedier rise.
- I like to use both whole-grain einkorn flour and all-purpose einkorn flour. I found this combination to be best for a soft and structured crumb. You can substitute the whole grain einkorn for more all-purpose flour if that is what you have on hand.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Pin It For Later
Can bread be baked in loaf pans? I don’t own a Dutch oven
You could, but it won’t get that yummy crusty exterior. I would add a small pan of water in the oven to help create steam with can give the bread that crust.
Hi Lisa
If I want to mill my own Einkorn for this recipe what are the two types to purchase (Azure Standard preferably)?
Or are they just two difference levels of milling of the same standard Einkorn grain?
Thanks so much!
I just mill the einkorn grain. I don’t know of two different types.
Hi lisa! Do you find using ap flour discard recipes with einkorn flour to require altering? I only want to use einkorn but want to use all the cool recipes for starter discard, too. Not your recipes specifically, just all of them!
Not usually. I’ve used a einkorn starter for regular ap flour sourdough recipes, and a ap starter with einkorn recipes. The starter doesn’t usually change things much.
So I followed the recipe (halved it), but when it came time to shape the loaf before the refrigeration, the dough was essentially the texture of starter! There was no way I could actually shape it into a loaf. It was extremely bubbly and runny. Do you have any idea where I went wrong? Thank you!
It is hard to know exactly, but how long was it fermenting? My guess is that it was over fermented. But it’s hard to determine without knowing all the steps taken.
Hello I have seen several people on YouTube’s making Einkorn bread and most of them say that having a bowl of water next to you while pulling and folding is the way to go , by wetting gently your hands while dealing with the Einkorn dough.. it won’t stick as much to your hands fir sure… if you put flour you take the risk if making it too dry and crumbly when you bake it . They say as a rule that when you have a very wet dough pulling and folding develops the gluten very well and it permits also the Einkorn flour to absorb the water a lot better . The bread afterwards is more fluffy. When propke decides to let it in the fridge overnight covered of course, with tea towel and plastic bag for two or 3 reasons . There is the fact that the good levain bacteria’s works better growing slowly during his rest in the fridge ( but it doesn’t mean that you « have « to do it over night in the fridge either) and helps the digestion, and develop all what the levain can give . The levain bread keeps longer very good doesn’t dry like others ..
and also could be very practical, like she does it also to fit her timeline. At the end putting the dough in the fridge helps in all ways .
I have started using fresh milled einkorn flour from whole berries and my sourdough loaf is very, very dense. I read somewhere that adding a couple of spoon of lemon juice in place of a couple of spoons of water might help air it out and lift it up.
Also, how do you make bread flour or AP flour from whole berries ground with MockMill.
One more question. What number should I grind the grain.
I have personally never tried making all purpose flour. I would like to learn though. I have also never tried the lemon juice trick! Using all whole wheat will also yield a denser result than all purpose. I don’t think there is any way to get around that. I usually only put a small amount of whole wheat in my recipes, so it adds nutritional benefits but I can still have light bread. I have my mockmill set to 4!
Hi, this is a helpful tutorial. Einkorn is sooo tricky! I’m trying to make an Einkorn sourdough enriched loaf. Have you had success creating that?
I have not personally tried that yet!
Hey Lisa,
I tried the recipe yesterday and it didn’t really work that well because the bread didn’t rise that good and there were no “big bubbles” in the baked bread, in fact it was very dense and I think it also tasted more like sourdough than my sourdough breads usually do.
Do you have an idea what my mistakes could have been?
It was my first time with einkorn, I used a rye starter (that’s been fed and also is quite “old” – I think 3-4 years), i substituted spelt whole grain for the einkorn whole grain. But other than that I was stiking to your recipe.
I love the taste of einkorn so I really want to try again. Any ideas what I might have done wrong?
Thanks for your great recipes though!
Anna from Austria 🙂
Sounds like you have a good active starter, because that would be my first thought. The other is the gluten may have needed a bit more developing.
Hi I can’t get all purpose einkorn flour in UK, only whole meal. What can I substitute for all purpose einkorn? I wondered if white spelt flour would substitute….
Thanks
It’s tricky to convert from einkorn. I do have a sourdough bread recipe using spelt flour, though, that you can check out here: https://www.farmhouseonboone.com/spelt-sourdough-bread hope that helps!
Melanie, you can sift the bran out of your regular einkorn flour to create an AP einkorn flour. Use a fine sieve.
I made my own starter with einkorn using your instructions (love your details and instructions – very easy to follow). I baked my first loaf last week and it was delicious!
My family really enjoyed it and it is now a house favorite.
That’s wonderful! So glad you enjoyed this recipe and that your starter is doing well!