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.
Recently, I’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 couldn’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.
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 don’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 couldn’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.
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 doesn’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:
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.
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:
Measuring cups and spoons
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.
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. 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 don’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 doesn’t dry out. This is an optional step, 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 one hour.
Allow the bread to cool, then remove from the pan.
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.
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:
- Spelt Sourdough Bread
- Sourdough Oatmeal Cookies
- Best Sourdough Banana Muffins
- Sourdough Pizza Dough
- Sourdough Pumpkin Bread
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
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 doesn’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
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Hey Lisa love your channel ❤️ I have tried this recipe multiple times and my dough will not rise.I am using the sourdough starter that I also got from your vlog any suggestions please help.
So sorry to hear that! Is your starter active and bubbly? It could be a difference in bread machines as well.
My niece gifted me the sourdough starter. I’m so excited to try it. I don’t have a cast iron skillet to bake in do you have any suggestions as to what I can use? Will aluminum loave pan’s work?
Loaf pans will work. I would recommend following the baking instructions for sandwich bread, as opposed to dutch oven baking instructions. https://www.farmhouseonboone.com/sourdough-sandwich-bread
My mom is on a low sodium, low carb diet would it affect the bread if I left out the salt and sugar
I have never tried this, but I would think you would end up with a fairly bland bread. Sugar also helps the bread have a better texture. If you try it, let us know how it turns out!
Hi, I have a Zo bread machine. If I use the “homemade” course to create a program for this recipe for this bread machine sourdough recipe, it wants to punch down the dough after the first rise. Is punching down the dough ok for this recipe? Thanks for your help!
Yes. In order to shape the loaves after the first rise you can punch it down.
I need your help. I’ve been working for months trying to make just an edible loaf of 100% whole wheat (fresh-ground) sourdough. I’ve tried all your recipes… the closest I came to edible was the loaf that I overproofed after getting up in the middle of the night for multiple stretch & folds. 😭 I do not have the time to work on bread from sun-up to sundown.
I finally ordered a bread machine with a sourdough function, hoping it could do some of the work for me and I could do the final rise in my banneton then bake the final product in my Dutch oven. All the recipes (besides this one) call for bread flour AND added yeast. Do you have any suggestions?
This one works great with no added yeast, but I also bake it right in the bread machine. If you want to use the bread machine to just knead your dough and then proceed in bannetons, I recommend using this recipe: https://www.farmhouseonboone.com/easy-artisan-sourdough-bread
Great info. How much rest time between 2 knead cycles?
I press the button again right after the first cycle.
This is exactly what I was looking for and it did not disappoint. Worked like a charm and tastes amazing. Thank you.
Yay! That is great to hear!
Thank you…thank you…thank you! This recipe is phenomenal! I am feeling like ☺️ right now.
My bread machine is ancient and I don’t have a “knead” setting. I do have a “dough” setting though. When I use that, it says 1 hour. Do you think that would work? I heard it kneading and then it stopped. I’m guessing it’s proofing after that. Maybe if I restart the machine after I hear it stop kneading, I can get second kneading from it or do you think the dough setting isn’t the same? I called the manufacturer but they weren’t much help. I appreciate any input.
Hmmm. I am honestly not sure. Did your bread turn out okay? I choose to do two kneading cycles, but you don’t have to. So, if it is only kneading for 30 minutes or so on that function, it may work just fine.
Thanks for the well written article. My bread machine is set by the manufacturer to warm during the rise cycle. Should the recommended 6 hours be reduced any or leave it the same?
If it has a warming function it may take the whole 6 hours or more. Usually, sourdough takes longer to rise than conventional yeast.
I use bread maker in the summer because it doesn’t heat up the house like an oven does abd I still ge5 to have bread every day. Sour dough is awesome thank you for teaching me hpw to do my sour dough. It is cheaper not to mention much mucj tastirr than with yeast. Waiting fpr spurdough to gtow is npt a ptoblem it helps me be more pacient.. a skill I lack.