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100% Whole Wheat Sourdough Bread

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Learn how to make Whole Wheat Sourdough Bread with my favorite recipe. Sourdough starter, raw honey, coconut oil, sea salt, and freshly ground wheat make up this simple and wholesome loaf.

woman wearing a blue dress and wearing a red apron holding a whole wheat sourdough bread boule. Standing in a white kitchen

*Update: This has been my go-to recipe for a long time. For many years, I made it into a sourdough whole wheat sandwich bread of sorts, and now I’m updating it to include how to make a beautiful boule, as well. Same recipe, two different processes, and baked two different ways. 

Both delicious.

A No-Flop Whole Wheat Sourdough Bread Recipe

I have been on the hunt for a good whole wheat sourdough bread recipe for a long time. When I first made my sourdough starter over seven years ago, I tried my hand at a few recipes I found online and they always seemed to flop.

Maybe I just didn’t have enough experience with bread baking, or maybe I expected it to be as fluffy as white, store-bought bread. 

Either way, I gave up on sourdough bread for several years.

I still made my beloved English muffins, pancakes, pizza crusts, sourdough skillets, and tortillas.

But sourdough whole wheat bread just seemed like too much of a hassle and overly complicated.

After getting a few years of sourdough experience under my belt, it seemed a good time to try again.

I had a favorite whole wheat bread recipe from my pre-sourdough days, and it included honey. None of the other whole wheat sourdough bread recipes that I could find online called for honey.

whole grain sourdough bread wild fermented long fermentation sourdough bread

After playing around with it for awhile, I feel like I finally have something that makes a consistently delicious loaf of whole grain sourdough bread every single time. 

In fact, since I started making my bread from this recipe, I haven’t had any flops.

If you have been trying to make sourdough bread for a while, you may be all too familiar with the “flops” I’m talking about. 

Traditional sourdough bread baking can be a lot trickier than modern day baking with yeast packets.

a full loaf of sourdough whole wheat bread half of it is sliced on a wood cutting board

Sourdough Bread Baking

Instead of using a trusty little packet of active yeast that you can just grab at the local grocery store, wild-fermented sourdough bread baking relies solely on the wild, native yeasts to make your bread rise.

This is why results can be inconsistent. You have to have a mature starter  that is full of beneficial bacteria and yeasts. If the balance is off, the bread may not rise, resulting in a loaf that more closely resembles a brick than bread.

This recipe for whole wheat sourdough bread produces the least brick-like loaf I have ever had.

Actually, it is ridiculously delicious.

sourdough bread being sliced -wild fermentation wild yeast whole grain

We had a loaf, fresh out of the oven, with dinner tonight, and my husband and I were talking about the wonders of fermented foods. 

They just have a depth of flavor that you can’t find in something made quickly. The taste that develops over days, and sometimes weeks, has so much dimension.

I don’t even know how to describe it. My words elude me. You just have to trust me and try it!

This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. See my full disclosure here.

whole wheat sourdough bread boule with a cross pattern on parchment paper with a white dutch oven in the background

Tips For Making Whole Wheat Sourdough Bread

  • Use a sharp serrated knife to cut the bread, or use an electric knife.
  • I like to use freshly milled whole wheat using my Mockmill, but you could also use a different kind of whole-wheat flour.
  • Don’t expect this to produce super fluffy bread like you would get at the store. This is due to the whole grains. If you want a fluffier loaf, try my no-knead sourdough bread.
  • Make sure you feed your sourdough starter eight hours before making this bread.

Watch The Tutorial:

Tools you may need:

women holding whole wheat sourdough bread

100% Whole Wheat Sourdough Bread Ingredients

Whole wheat flour – I like to use freshly milled, white wheat berries.

Sourdough starter – Fed about 4-12 hours beforehand. It should be active and bubbly.

Coconut oil – Could also substitute with avocado oil or olive oil.

Salt

Honey

Water – Preferably filtered water. We use a Berkey water filter.

homemade sourdough bread recipe whole grain wild yeast long fermentation sourdough bread

How To Make Whole Wheat Sourdough Sandwich Bread

adding flour to a Bosch mixer on a white countertop

The night before you want to make your bread, combine the flour, starter, oil, salt, honey, and water in a large bowl. 

hands holding and stretching sourdough bread dough with a mixer in the background

Knead the dough until it is stretchy (about 15 minutes) and until it passes the windowpane test.  I use a stand mixer with a dough hook for this. You can knead it by hand, but if you plan to make bread regularly, a stand mixer is a great investment for the time it saves. 

Add just enough flour so that it pulls away from the sides of the mixer, or is not sticking to your hands. It will vary between 6 and 7 cups, depending on the hydration of the starter and the type of wheat you use.

Add a little more water if it is too dry, or more flour if it is too wet. 

hands shaping dough in a glass dish on a white countertop

Place the dough in a glass bowl that is greased with coconut oil. Roll the dough around a bit so that the entire ball is lightly coated with coconut oil. 

Cover the dough with a tea towel and let it rise overnight, or up to 24 hours. 

splitting whole wheat sourdough bread dough into two loaves with stainless loaf pans right behind the dough

The next day, divide the dough into two even balls and place each one into a greased loaf pan.

whole wheat sourdough bread dough in a stainless loaf pan with the dough that has doubled in size

Allow them to double in size in a warm place, covered with a tea towel. This should take anywhere from 4-12 hours, depending on how warm their location is.

whole wheat sourdough bread recipe sliced on a cutting board. One slice of bread on a white plate with butter.

Bake the bread for 30-35 minutes in a preheated oven at 400 degrees.

sourdough whole wheat bread with a large slash and a wheat pattern sitting on parchment paper

How To Make A Whole Wheat Sourdough Boule

Feed a sourdough starter 4-12 hours before starting the bread, ensuring it is active and bubbly.

woman wearing a black shirt and gray sweater adding sourdough starter to a large stoneware bowl

To a large bowl, add water, coconut oil, honey, fed sourdough starter, and half of the flour. I like to start with 3 cups of flour.

woman standing in her white kitchen adding freshly ground flour into a stone wheat bowl

Mix it up and add salt, then add another 3 cups of flour.

Combine the dough with your hands for about 5 minutes to bring the dough together. Add more flour if the dough is too wet and sticky. This is where you will have to play around with the dough and get a feel for it. The hydration of your starter, the weather outside, and the type of flour you use… all will come into play to determine how much flour you will need.

You are looking for a dough that is not too sticky, but also not too dense when you are doing the stretch and folds later.

woman placing plastic wrap over whole wheat sourdough bread dough in a stoneware bowl in a white kitchen

Cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap and set aside for 20 minutes. This is a process called autolyse, where the flour becomes fully hydrated.

Stretch And Fold

hands pulling dough on our a bowl to do a stretch and fold method of kneading dough

Instead of kneading, I like to do the stretch and fold method. This is where you take dough on one side and pull it up about 6 inches, then fold it over the rest of the dough. Turn the bowl about 1/4 around and repeat the process. Do this a total of 3-4 times. Cover.

First 3 stretch and folds – every 15 minutes.

Last 3 stretch and folds – every 30 minutes.

Cover with plastic wrap and allow the dough to bulk ferment until doubled in a warm place. This usually takes my dough about 8 hours.

whole wheat sourdough bread dough in a ironstone bowl

Shape And Refrigerate Overnight

woman in a gray sweatshirt cutting sourdough bread dough in half with a bench scraper on a white countertop

Split the dough in half down the middle with a dough scraper. Be really careful not to break any of those precious bubbles.

woman shaping sourdough bread with hands on a white countertop

Shape into a ball by gently spinning it toward you against the countertop, giving it tension.

Set out 15-20 minutes uncovered. This helps it develop a little bit of a skin, which helps prevent it from sticking to the lined basket.

Turn over and shape.

Transfer to a lightly floured banneton basket or bowl with tea towel. 

woman using a Aldi grocery bag to cover two baskets of sourdough bread dough

Cover with plastic and proof 12-14 hours in the refrigerator. I will put the basket in a grocery bag and tie it.

Bake

Place a Dutch oven into the oven and preheat to 400 degrees.

Whenever the oven is done preheating, remove dough from the fridge, place on parchment paper, and score with a lame or razor. Find my favorite scoring patterns here.

Dust with flour on top to make the scoring pattern stand out more (optional).

Gently place the parchment paper and dough into the Dutch oven.

Bake for 20 minutes with the lid on and another 20 minutes with the lid off.

FAQ

side view of a loaf of whole wheat sourdough bread boule on parchment paper with a white bowl in the background

How long will whole wheat sourdough bread keep?

Wrap the bread with beeswax wraps, or in a plastic ziplock bag, and store up to two weeks at room temperature.

Fermented whole grain bread keeps longer than unfermented whole grain bread at room temperature. This is because the fermentation process makes the bread less susceptible to mold and fungus. 

The same scientific principles that make sauerkraut and lacto fermented salsa keep for several months are at work in the sourdough bread.

For longer storage, you can also keep it in the fridge or freezer.

Is whole wheat good for sourdough?

Yes, it will give you a heartier, more dense loaf, with a whole grain flavor. It isn’t going to be as light and fluffy as other sourdough breads made with bread flour or all-purpose, but it is very delicious.

Does whole wheat sourdough take longer to rise?

It takes longer than the usual yeast packet, as you are waiting for the natural yeasts and bacteria in the air to create the rise.

overhead photo of a boule of whole wheat sourdough bread on parchment paper on a white countertop next to a white dutch oven lid

Can I use whole wheat in sourdough starter?

Yes. For this recipe, and most recipes, you can easily use a whole wheat sourdough starter. 

I tend to feed my sourdough starter a variety of flours and don’t stick to a particular one. Sometimes I use einkorn, sometimes all purpose, and sometimes freshly milled whole wheat.

Is sourdough a whole grain bread?

Not all sourdough is going to be whole grain. This will be determined by the type of flour used in a recipe. Some people like to make their bread with 100% whole grains, while others like to mix the flours for a lighter crumb.

Find More Sourdough Recipes:

If you make this recipe and love it, I would love if you gave it 5 stars! Tag me on Instagram @farmhouseonboone with your delicious creation.

whole wheat sourdough bread boule with a cross pattern on parchment paper with a white dutch oven in the background

Whole Wheat Sourdough Bread

Yield: 2 loaves
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 36 minutes
Additional Time: 16 hours
Total Time: 16 hours 51 minutes

Learn how to make whole wheat sourdough bread with my favorite recipe. Sourdough starter, raw honey, coconut oil, sea salt, and freshly ground wheat create this simple and wholesome loaf.

Ingredients

  • 6-7 cups freshly ground flour
  • 1 cup sourdough starter
  • ½  cup melted coconut oil
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 1/2  cup  honey
  • 1½ cups filtered water

Instructions

  1. Feed a sourdough starter 4-12 hours before starting the bread, ensuring it is active and bubbly.
  2. To a large bowl, add water, coconut oil, honey, fed sourdough starter, and half of the flour. I like to start with 3 cups of flour.
  3. Mix it up and add salt, then add another 3 cups of flour.
  4. Combine the dough with your hands for about 5 minutes to bring the dough together. Add more flour if the dough is too wet and sticky.
  5. Cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap and set aside for 20 minutes. This is a process called autolyse, where the flour becomes fully hydrated.

Stretch and Fold

  1. Instead of kneading, I like to do the stretch and fold method. This is where you take dough on one side and pull it up about 6 inches, then fold it over the rest of the dough. Turn the bowl about 1/4 around and repeat the process. Do this a total of 3-4 times. Cover.
  2. First 3 stretch and folds – every 15 minutes.
  3. Last 3 stretch and folds – every 30 minutes.
  4. Cover with plastic wrap and allow the dough to bulk ferment until doubled in a warm place. This usually takes my dough about 8 hours.

Shape and Refrigerate Overnight

  1. Split the dough in half down the middle with a dough scraper. Be really careful not to break any of those precious bubbles.
  2. Shape into a ball by gently spinning it toward you against the countertop, giving it tension.
  3. Set out 15-20 minutes uncovered.
  4. Turn over and shape.
  5. Transfer to a lightly floured banneton basket or bowl with tea towel.
  6. Cover with plastic and proof 12-14 hours in refrigerator. I will put the basket in a grocery bag and tie it.

Bake

  1. Place a dutch oven into the oven and preheat to 400 degrees.
  2. Whenever the oven is done preheating, remove dough from the fridge and score with a lame or razor. Find my favorite scoring patterns here.
  3. Dust with flour on top to make the scoring pattern stand out more (optional).
  4. Bake for 20 minutes with the lid on and another 20 minutes with the lid off.

Notes

If you are looking for more of a loaf bread, check the post for instructions on how to create a sandwhich loaf.

I like to use freshly milled whole wheat using my Mockmill, but you could also use a different kind of whole-wheat flour.

Don’t expect this to produce super fluffy bread like you would get at the store. This is due to the whole grains. If you want a fluffier loaf, try my no-knead sourdough bread.

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 20 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 1051Total Fat: 8gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 324mgCarbohydrates: 212gFiber: 8gSugar: 8gProtein: 28g
© Lisa
Cuisine: American / Category: Sourdough

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Comments

  1. Heather says

    Tried sourdough a few years ago and thought it was too much of a faff. Maybe I should try again. I make spelt bread, great for toasting. I am lucky that i have a breadmill nearby where I get my flour. Also I have an Aga and the cupboards around the Aga are great for proving bread. Does become an addiction ?

    Reply

      • Beth says

        I NEVER leave comments but felt compelled to do so to say that this is absolutely the best sourdough loaf recipe I have tried. I have made it 6 times (the 6th just now!) and it never fails to produce a perfect loaf.
        My husband fancies himself a bread connoisseur and will tend to only eat from the local bakery but he loves this recipe!
        Thank you for sharing the sourdough knowledge 👌🏻

        Reply

  2. Sherry says

    I have been waiting for this recipe ☺ and you made it so easy thank you. I do have two questions. Can I freeze extra loaf and how would sprouted spelt flour work in this recipe replacing all of the wheat flour? Thank you Lisa.

    Reply

  3. Sherry Allen says

    I have been waiting for this recipe ☺ and you made it so easy. I do have two questions. Can I freeze extra loaf and can I replace all the wheat flour with sprouted spelt flour. Thank you Lisa.

    Reply

  4. Elaine says

    When I was “at home” I made all our bread, mostly yeast breads, but I loved making sourdough. Do you make your own starter? I’d love to know how in a more authentic way (wild caught yeasts) instead of the old potato flakes method I used…

    Reply

  5. Amber says

    Hi Lisa,
    Thanks so much for this!! All your videos and tutorials have really changed the way I think about feeding my family–love it! Question for you: any thoughts on adapting this to be gluten free? would I need more/less of certain ingredients, or just follow the recipe using, say, sprouted brown rice flour instead of wheat? Appreciate your help!

    Reply

    • Lisa says

      I honestly have no idea about gluten free bread baking. I know there would need to be some adjustments, since the gluten is what makes it so stretchy.

      Reply

  7. Kaila says

    I made this yesterday and it turned out great! Family loves it. ? I was wondering more about your grain mill….why did you decide to go with a Nutrimill? What are the pros and cons of that brand? Can you freeze flour so it won’t go rancid or do you always grind fresh whenever you make anything? Thanks!

    Reply

    • Lisa says

      I usually just grind it fresh because the mill sits out my counter all the time. I haven’t researched grain mills in a while, since I bought mine several years ago. They’re may be other options now, but I do still love my Nutrimill!

      Reply

      • KaLinda says

        Does a grain mill grind finer than a food processor or a Ninja? Maybe a silly question. We haven’t invested in a grain mill yet, but have a bunch of wheat berries. I tried using them in some recipes and it’s too coarse to enjoy lol

        Reply

  8. Chris says

    My dough is rising as of now. 🙂 I’ve made pancakes, waffles, and tortillas with your recipe. So yummy! I just wanted you to be aware that #2 and #3 on the printable recipe are the same. At first I thought I had to let it rise 3 times. I assume that’s a mistake?

    Reply

  9. Constance says

    Just pulled four loaves out of the oven and WOW! Most beautiful loaves I’ve made, ever. Even when I was still using store-bought yeast. This recipe is quite similar to mine, except the method is simpler, so I went for it and can’t wait to slather on the butter! Thanks for posting. Your website is lovely.

    Reply

  10. Stephanie says

    I have been wanting to try making our own bread for a while now and this finally seems like a method I could handle! Would this work with store bought Einkhorn flour instead of the fresh whole wheat flour?
    Thanks for all the wonderful recipes!

    Reply

  11. michell says

    Hey Lisa. I tried to make your sour dough started a few weeks ago and I used filtered water out of my fridge and it was an epic fail. I think it still had too much chlorine, however this time I bought bottled water at the store and tried again. This morning the starter looked great and mature so I tried your pancakes. OMG!!!!! The best pancakes ever!. My family always thinks I’m crazy because I am always trying healthier recipes and they think they taste awful, until this morning and they loved the pancakes. Thanks for sharing your recipies I have a whole chicken in the fridge so that is next.

    Reply

  12. Cathy says

    Can you use the same recipe for your sourdough bread using Einkorn. How long would you use the Bosch or would you use it at all? Thanks

    Reply

  15. Isabel García says

    You tempted me to try and make some bread, it going great so far but I have a question if you don’t mind… I placed my dough to ferment inside the oven with the light on, because my kitchen stays pretty cold, it has already doubled in size and ot has only been 6 hours! Should I just wait the full 24 hours or should I just go to the next step?

    Reply

    • Lisa says

      If it is the first ferment, it is totally ok to let it keep going. If you are on the second one, when it is in the shape of a loaf, you would want to bake it at that point so the loaf doesn’t deflate. Enjoy!

      Reply

  16. Mary says

    This dough is currently in my oven, with the light on, proofing. It is very dense and hasn’t risen much. I bulk fermented last night for about 12 hours and have been proofing for about 7.5 hours. I make sourdough regularly and have a mature starter that is pretty strong. Does this take more time to proof because of the honey? Does it make it heavier? Any ideas of why it’s so dense after so much time? Thank you!

    Reply

    • Emily says

      Do you remember if you used raw honey? I’m currently having this same problem. My normal sourdough loaves raise predictably and my starter is very mature. I used raw honey (which is known to be anti microbial?) in this recipe and it hasn’t raised a bit. I wonder if the raw honey killed the starter. I had this same problem about a year ago when I made a different sourdough recipe that had honey in it.

      Reply

  18. Sam says

    Hi Lisa, I love your sourdough recipes, thank you so much for sharing them! I was wondering if you can still make this bread with regular whole wheat flour or does it have to be freshly ground?

    Reply

  19. Tracy says

    I have made this recipe twice and LOVE the flavor, I just seem to have an issue getting it to rise the second time around. Any tips or suggestions?

    Reply

  20. fran says

    I tried several times to make a starter. I used your method. Don’t know why but it never worked. So, I bought a starter from Azure Standard. Their starter is different as it is kept in the fridge after it is fed. Am I understanding you right…feed the starter and leave the whole thing out of the fridge for about 8 hrs and then use the 1 cup in the recipe? It is confusing, trying to decide which directions to use. I love using your recipes. I have been watching Wardee and trying to make her bread loaf recipe but it didn’t work. The chickens loved it. lol.
    Sorry this is so long but I have a couple friends who are depending on me to help them with their starters.
    I guess i’m really just wanting to know if you know anything about the starter from Azure. If it can be used like you use yours. I have been feedng it and It is active.
    thank you so much for all your videos. You’re doing a great job!

    Reply

  21. Anita says

    I just made my starter last week! And it turned out great 😊Was a little worried cause I couldn’t remember what kind of flour I bought. Can’t wait to try this recipe! Was wondering if I could use my starter to make the bread since I just made it?

    Reply

  24. Christine says

    So I just made your starter last week and I it has been in the fridge for a few days. When would I take it out to make this bread? If I wanted to make it Tuesday evening should I take it out tomorrow morning so I can do the first steps tomorrow night? Or should I take it out tonight? Thank you!

    Reply

  25. Lauren says

    I have always been intimidated to make my own bread and I decided to try it last weekend. Well, it came out perfectly! I am so happy I have this recipe now!

    Reply

  28. Tabitha says

    This loaf is delicious! It’s especially great for the picky eaters in the family that don’t like the sour taste of sourdough bread. I was wondering if it’s possible to omit the honey to give a deeper sour flavor? And to add rosemary? My husband and I would love the taste of rosemary sour dough bread. But the other recipes out there are so much more complicated.

    Reply

  30. melissa says

    OH My Yummy! I totally messed this recipe up the first try. But even the dense under proofed bread woke my taste buds up. I actually do not like cold bread but I could not resist it even cold. I am trying again after watching the video. So helpful by the way! The combination of flavors is spectacular… if you knew how picky I am about taste you would totally understand my enthusiasm. Oh my!

    Reply

  31. Viktoriya Veremiy says

    My dough is barely rising. I let it sit for like 36 hours and it rose just slightly so than i shaped them into loafs and let it sit for another 9 hours and its just barely rising. What could be the problem? My starter? Or something else? I made the starter exactly how ur recipe calls.

    Reply

  32. Lindy Sorenson says

    i have tried many whole wheat sourdough recipes and been unsuccessful, but yours looks exactly like what I’m looking for and very promising. I’m going to try it today!
    I have a couple questions:
    Do you think I could use glass bread pans?
    Would I be able to reduce the amount of honey?
    If I use spelt or einkorn do I just substitute for the whole wheat or do I need to make some adjustments to the recipe?

    Reply

  33. Nancy Crider says

    Hi Lisa, I would like your white or non-wheat sourdough recipe. I have recently found your sourdough starter on Pinterest. I just started the starter and would like your recipe. Your website and books are great.
    Thank you, Nancy Crider

    Reply

  34. Alissa says

    I made this bread from my starter on Sunday – I was nervous to dive in and make bread, as I haven’t before. With all the preparation and work that went with the starter, and stories of bread failures I had been reading about I figured mine wouldn’t work — IT DID! It was delicious, I’m so thankful for the guidance 🙂
    Now I’m excited to try more recipes and hone my new kitchen skills!

    Reply

  35. Crystal Whitt says

    My starter is only 6 days old, but healthy. Is it ok to use to make this recipe? Or should I let it mature longer?

    Reply

  37. Hannah says

    This bread blew me away! I was NOT sure how it would turn out, as it was my first attempt at anything sourdough, but it is AMAZING. I’m definitely writing this one down!

    Reply

  38. Margaret says

    I am curious, can you bake this bread in a Dutch oven rather than the loaf pans? I have a 4 qt. Dutch oven I would like to use – if I bake the bread in that, should I still split the bread into to loaves or just bake it as a single loaf?

    Can’t wait to try this recipe!

    Reply

  39. Janet Emery says

    I thought I saw this bread baked in a enameled cast iron. Can I do that since I do not have stainless Steel? It may change the baking temperature or time?

    Reply

  41. Christine says

    Can you make this bread without the honey? It tasted great the way I made it following your recipe – better than most bakery breads! My boys won’t go back to me buying bread anymore! But my husband is sensitive to sugars (honey and maple syrup included).

    Reply

  42. Arun says

    I made the whole grain Einkorn bread per your recipe; it turned out very nice and soft and could not believe it.
    I am trying out the whole wheat sourdough bread but wanted to reduce the amount of honey content to bring down the Carbs.
    Is that something that can work?
    Thanks

    Reply

  45. Krystal says

    I love your recipes, Lisa! The first time I made this recipe it came out great! I’m trying it a second time and after about 30 minutes of kneading in the stand mixer, still not passing the window-pane test. Any tips on why that would be?

    Thank you!

    Reply

  46. Cherie says

    Hi there!

    My bread turned out really well! I just wondered what other oils I can sub for the coconut? I don’t like the flavour of the strong coconut oil in bread…

    Thanks so much!

    Reply

  47. Julie Sperfslage says

    Hi Lisa! Is it possible to purchase a cup or two of your sour dough starter to get ours going? I love sourdough bread and you are who inspired me to begin. 🙂 Thought we would ask who we trust first.

    Reply

  48. Heily Saada says

    Such a beautiful bread, I made it with freshly milled hard white wheat berries and it had such a beautiful taste and smell! I’ve never been disappointed in a recipe from here, thank you!

    Reply

  49. Hannah says

    Hi! Can I use olive or avocado oil instead of coconut or is that an important piece of the recipe? Thanks!

    Reply

  51. Christy says

    Thanks for the great recipe! I enjoying following along with you as I experiment with sourdough. I would love to know how you keep the bottoms of your bread from burning? Always a problem for me!

    Reply

  53. Veta says

    I have a question. I made this by milling whole red wheat berries, I think a little bit of rye too. But all fresh milled grains. I’m new to bread making though and want to know how to troubleshoot my dough. It wasn’t sticky but was way too dense and not stretchy to stretch and fold. I didn’t use the stand mixer, just my hands. It’s rising nicely and holding shape nicely.
    I’m loving your recipes!! Thank you for this blog!

    Reply

  54. Cheri S. says

    Hi Lisa, You’ve certainly put a lot of time and detail into this recipe.
    I’ve been baking sourdough for about a year and really enjoy it. This was the first 100% whole wheat I’ve made and I have to admit that even tho I put it in the fridge overnight and before doing the room temp bulk rise (I got started too late in the day), it still turned out pretty good altho it had a sort of cake-y texture (is it supposed to?)
    If I made it with half the oil and honey would it still turn out? It’s a bit on the sweet side for me.

    Reply

  55. Jay N says

    I used Bobs red mill stone ground wheat flour and sourdough starter. It came out so sour Its hard to eat and it did really rise, I aged them 6 days in fridge just like I always do. Im not sure why because I used Mondako flour with your recipe and it baked and rose higher and was very very good. I’m thinking maybe whole wheat just bakes and taste different.

    Any clues?

    Reply

  56. Hélène says

    How much fresh ground wheat to use? I can’t tell what texture as it’s supposed to be sticky as compared to yeast bread that is smooth when kneaded and “full”.

    Reply

  57. Marina Zats says

    Is that possible to keep the prepared formed dough ( last step before baking) in the fridge for a few days or freeze it? If not, what is the maximum time it can be stored in the fridge?

    Reply

  58. Angie says

    Had this recipe saved to try for a long time and finally got the courage up to try making a wheat sourdough bread.

    I gotta say.. I was terrified the entire time because it’s just so different working with wheat flours but the end result wasn’t only beautiful it tasted incredible! Even my husband who doesn’t like wheat bread approved! Definitely will be making this again! Thank you!

    Reply

  61. Annie says

    I’ve seen a lot of questions about reducing/omitting the honey and I’m wondering the same thing. Would one have to adjust the amount of water if doing so? Also wondering if you use 100% hydration starter, I’m trying to convert the recipe to grams for more consistency. Looks like a great recipe! A lot less drama than most I’ve read 🙂

    Reply

  62. Joyce Strite says

    Have just discovered your blog and I have a question- would raw butter work in this recipe in place of the coconut oil? We have our own raw milk dairy and I have access to lots of butter and/or ghee? Would either of these substitutions cause a problem?

    Reply

  64. Marianne says

    I made the sourdough wheat sandwich bread without changing anything in the recipe. I used homeground Turkey Red wheat. I’ve made this a few times now and it comes out perfect every time!!

    I also tried the wheat boule. It was a challenge to follow all the steps as written because of the timing so I did not follow exactly and it ended up sitting on the counter and in the fridge for a couple days. When I baked it, it didn’t rise well but the taste was very good. I’ll try this again when I have more time to stay on top of the recipe. Thank you, Lisa!

    Reply

  65. Bonita says

    I’ve been making sourdough bread the last couple years and sharing with friends. One friend is gluten sensitive but if I let the dough cold rise for 2-4 days she can eat it. I’m interested in making it with whole wheat and wondered if your recipe can cold rise that long. Any suggestions?

    Reply

  67. Brenda Maas says

    Your recipe says the following regarding stretch and folds: Do this a total of 3-4 times.

    Then it says this: First 3 stretch and folds – every 15 minutes.
    Last 3 stretch and folds – every 30 minutes.

    So which one is it? As I am new at this.

    Reply

  70. Rachel says

    I don’t know why but I have tried this recipe 3 times, and each time it has totally failed. I’ve tried different starters and different flours. I think where it goes wrong is the proofing in the fridge… I guess I will have to try a different recipe.

    Reply

  71. Aisling says

    Can you use this recipe as a sandwhich bread? We love your other sourdough sandwhich bread recipe, and have had a lot of sucess with it! But I’d love to branch out a bit more, experiment, and try a sandwhich bread with whole wheat flour instead of white. Thanks to you, we haven’t purchased any bread from stores for over a month, and I bake sourdough loaves at home weekly for my family of 9! I’m new to caring for a sourdough starter, but it’s been such a fun learning experience.

    Reply

    • Lisa says

      Yes! If you check within the post there are instructions on how to make it into a sandwich loaf. The main difference is how you knead the dough. For sandwich bread, you want to knead in the stand mixer for 15 minutes or so until the windowpane test has been reached. Enjoy your baking!

      Reply

  72. Jeanne says

    Lisa, this is my my first attempt with your recipe (I used fresh ground hard white wheat). It came out of the 14 hour refrigeration in the banneton quite dense and compacted. Maybe I overworked it in the strwtch and folds (4 times around the bowl so each side got stretched 4 times, for 6 stretch and fold sessions.) It did seem as though the dough got less supple during that process. Anyway I tried to reactivate the dough by warming for several hours in a 100° oven. It was still pretty flat when I turned it out of the banneton Now I’m baking per instructions in the preheated Dutch oven. We’ll see….any feedback would be appreciated!

    Reply

    • Lisa says

      A lot of oven spring happens in the oven if you preheat and create steam (such as with a cast iron dutch oven) so I hope you got a lot more lift after baking! I’m always surprised at how much higher my loaves get during the baking process.

      Reply

  73. Molly says

    I started the recipe and my dough became a crumbled mess after mixing all ingredients together. To my knowledge, everything was accurately measured and I didn’t miss any ingredients, so I’m not sure what has gone wrong. Even after waiting the 20 minute autolyzing period, the dough is too crumbling to do the stretch and folds.

    Reply

    • Lisa says

      This could be because of many reasons. The type of flour you used, the hydration status of your starter, the weather outside, elevation, etc. I would add a little bit of water (about a tablespoon at a time) until workable.

      Reply

    • Lisa says

      You mayyyy be able to leave out the oil (I haven’t tried it), it won’t be as stretchy and may be very dry though.

      Reply

  76. Luba M. says

    I have tried making this bread last week and it came out beautiful and even had a crunch. Until the next morning when I went to cut into, and it wasn’t baked all the way. There was a good part that was just raw. I have a gas stove and an internal thermometer to make sure the temp is accurate. I was wondering if you came across that and how can I save the loaf?

    Reply

    • Lisa says

      That is so strange. I’ve never had that happen. If it did happen I would probably turn the bread into croutons, or strata (both recipes can be found on the blog).

      Reply

  77. Adalyn says

    Hi! I love this recipe, love the taste. But I struggle getting my loaves cooked all the way through. Any advice? Maybe I’m not allowing the bread to ferment long enough but I am also trying to avoid over-fermentation!

    Reply

    • Adalyn says

      Is the bulk fermentation in the fridge extremely necessary? I’m searching your blog for tips to know when the bread has risen just the right amount. Maybe that is the specific advice I’m looking for?

      Reply

      • Lisa says

        No it is not. You can ferment on the counter for the second rise for about 4-6 hours (depending on how warn your house is). Until it has about doubled.

        Reply

    • Lisa says

      That could be. Has it cooked long enough? It’s hard to tell exactly since I can’t see the loaves, but another thing to try would be to reduce the temperature a bit and bake longer.

      Reply

  79. Kristy says

    Can I do the stretch and fold method to make the whole wheat sourdough loaf as well…or does the loaf only work if you knead it?

    Reply

  80. Mataya says

    Struggled with this one. It ended up barely rising during bulk ferment then no 2nd rise. When baked it was so doughy and dense. Is there a trick with whole wheat sandwich bread? I kneaded and kneaded to try and get it to pass the windowpane test, but it was pretty shaggy. Struggling with whole wheat!! I want to make it so bad though!! Whole wheat is my favorite.

    Reply

    • Lisa says

      It really does take an extra long time to get the gluten developed.You have to keep going until it is smooth, well past the shaggy stage.

      Reply

  81. Carina says

    Thank you so much for this amazing recipe. I was feeling so down after multiple failed attempts using other recipes. I just couldn’t figure out how to make a good sourdough with freshly milled whole wheat. This recipe rescued me. Even after proofing too long because I wasn’t up for baking (48 hours instead of 12-14, whoops) the bread was still amazing. So soft and full of flavor with a little sweetness and perfect crust. I also baked it in a loaf pan instead of a boule in the dutch oven and still awesome. This recipe is a keeper for sure.

    Reply

  82. Zach says

    Hello! I’m excited to make this fully whole wheat recipe. I’m new to baking… Do you have the weights of ingredients you use? I find it much easier to measure accurately by weight than by volume.

    Reply

  83. Beverly says

    I’m really excited about trying this recipe but I’m really put off by the use of cup measurements. I wish you’d republish this recipe using gram measurements.
    I guess I’ll have to assume a cup of starter is stirred down starter. Do you see the problem?

    Reply

    • Lisa says

      Hi Beverly. I am working on updating blog posts to include the weight measurements as well. It will just take some time. Coming soon, though!

      Reply

  84. Sallie says

    I absolutely love this bread! I have made it 3 times in the last two weeks! I was wondering what your thoughts are on adding flax seeds to this. How much would you add?

    Reply

  85. Sabrina says

    Hey, two questions for you! Are stainless steel bread pans necessary vs a regular bread pan?
    And also, do you by chance have a printable version of this recipe for loaves? I read it about but would love to print it. Thanks so much! You helped me get started with sourdough 🙂

    Reply

    • Lisa says

      I do not have a printable version of the loaves – sorry about that! As far as bread pans, I normally use stainless steel, but I would think others would work. You may need to adjust bake time, pending the type of pan, though.

      Reply

  86. Sophie says

    This was a lovely bread. Soft, dense, sweet but complex with the starter. With my oven a lower temp and little longer cook time created a fabulous crust. Really enjoying this loaf!

    Reply

  87. Katie says

    Hello! I have been so excited to use this recipe. Just about to bake my loaf soon. I couldn’t help but notice that my dough is VERY dense and a little hard to roll, it breaks fairly easily even though it feels plenty hydrated to the touch. I Followed the recipe to a T and am wondering if this is normal? Or whatI might try differently. Anyways, getting ready to bake now and hoping it turns out as delicious as the reviews say!

    Reply

  88. Janae says

    The Sandwhich loaf worked well the way you had your recipe. But every time I’ve baked a sour dough loaf on a lower heat like your recipe says, 400, it’s always undercooked. I preheated my Dutch oven for an hour. I’ve done this in my tiny old oven and today in my brand new 2023 oven… If I bake it at 450 for 30 minutes lid on and 20 without it works.

    Reply

  89. Hannah says

    Hi Lisa 🙂 I’ve recently gotten into milling my own grains and since have been looking for a 100% whole wheat boule sourdough recipe. I was excited yesterday during the bulk rise but last night in the fridge they didn’t rise at all. My loaves are small dense balls. Would not adding enough water be the cause of that? My starter was very active and bubbly so I don’t think that’s it. The dough did feel dense and hard to pull as I did the stretch and pulls. Thank you!!

    Reply

    • Lisa says

      When they are in the fridge I find that they don’t look like they rise much at all. Did you try baking them? Where they dense after baking?

      Reply

  90. Esther k says

    Hi, what are the weight measurements for this recipe? It is really difficult to measure starter accurately by volume. Thanks!

    Reply

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About Lisa

I’m so glad you’re here! Join me and my family as we find beauty in our everyday life in the farmhouse: food from scratch, natural living and a handmade home.

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