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.
This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. See my full disclosure here.
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.
Hi! I did this and allowed to rise overnight in machine. But the KBS bread machine will only bake for 10 minutes…. How long would I bake this in the oven. And what temperature would I put it at. Thank you so much. Love your channel!
I would bake at 375 for 45 minutes!
If I only want to make the dough in the bread maker and bake in the oven, what would my directions be?
I would follow my baking instructions for my sandwich loaf recipe!
This is a wonderful recipe, thank you so much!! It says “2 tablespoons granulated sugar” is that correct or should it be 2 teaspoons of sugar?
Hi! Just made my first loaf with your recipe which was super easy to follow! My bread machine doesn’t have a knead only cycle. It does have a pizza dough knead/rise 50 min function that I used twice last night before bed then let it rise overnight for 6 hrs. My bread did rise but after baking it came out very dense. Should I have only used this function once before letting it rest 6 hrs? Any suggestions you could have for me would be GREATLY appreciated!
I would say it may have been over kneaded, if the cycle is 50 minutes long. I would try half the time or maybe a bit less.
Hi! I would love to make whole wheat sourdough bread in the bread machine. Could I sub the bread flour for whole wheat here?
Sure!
Hi there
I’m so excited to try out this recipe in my bread maker. Could I have the measurements in grams please.
Here’s a link to my conversion chart!
Hey, I’m trying to bake sourdough bread for the health benefits for my family.
Your recipe says to only let it proof in the machine for 6 hours. But I heard that the good bacteria only starts growing at hour 8. If I wait for 8-12 hours, will it ruin the bread?
And if it goes through another kneading cycle when I turn on bake (even if I remove the paddle, as suggested) will that vibration ruin the rise of the bread?
The machine helps to speed up the process a bit, that’s why I say to let it proof in there for 6 hours.
It worked!!! My first loaf of sourdough without adding extra yeast. I mixed it up in my bread machine before I left for work, turned it off, and then let it work its magic while I was gone. I was so nervous when I got home, but I saw a beautiful, rounded, unbaked loaf all ready to go – I just turned on the bake setting on my bread machine and it was done. So, so, so easy and the flavor was awesome. I am no longer intimidated by baking sourdough bread, and the bread machine (my old friend) makes it easy. Thank you!
Yay! Glad you had success.
Thanks for the recipe. It would be good to have your measurements in grams, instead of cups, for accuracy please. I can’t wait to try it!
Here’s my conversion chart to help you.
My loaf ended up collapsing during the bake… I have a different machine, dough setting is 8 but baking is 12 and only lets me set a delay, not pick a crust or bake time. The manual says this is for if extra baking is needed on top of another setting. I ended up setting a 6 hr delay for the proof, so I’m not exactly sure when the rise collapsed. I will have to try again. It still made a loaf but it is very heavy… not light and airy like stretch and pull Dutch loaves.
Can I get your grams conversion chart too please.
Sure! Here’s the conversion chart.
Second time making these. My family loves them. Any way to cut down on the amount of butter? Was also going to use it as a pie crust.
I don’t have a great solution to cut down on the butter! You could swap the butter for coconut oil.
You could use any oil I have use olive oil and it worked well
Excited to try this recipe! I have question though. In your original sourdough sandwich bread recipe, it calls for AP flour. This one calls for bread flour. What would happen with this recipe if I used AP flour instead? Is there a special reason bread flour is needed in the bread machine versus traditional baking?
It has more protein in it which can give it more structure. You could use all purpose instead. You may need a tad more flour though.