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:
Measuring cups and spoon or a kitchen scale
Parchment paper
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
Sourdough Buttermilk Bread
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup butter, softened (57 grams)
- 1 tablespoon honey, 21 grams
- 1/2 tablespoon salt, 8 grams
- 1/2 cup starter, active and bubbly (114 grams)
- 1 1/4 cups buttermilk, 305 grams
- 3 1/2 cups all purpose flour, 473 grams
Instructions
- 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).
- 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.
- 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.
Notes
- 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 straight from the fridge.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Just made this for the first time and I used our own kefir as we never have buttermilk and it was SO GOOD! This will definitely be a staple in our home!
I made this recipe yesterday. Baked it at night so it will cool overnight and we could have it for breakfast. We really like the result!!
I was wondering what if next time I didn’t use buttermilk but just whole milk. How much of a difference will it make?
It would probably be fine. You can also mix a bit of lemon juice with whole milk and make your own buttermilk, if you don’t have any on hand. I will do that sometimes!
I don’t usually have buttermilk on hand. Can I make this with buttermilk made this way? I use whole milk with either lemon juice or ACV added. I let it sit few minutes until it thickens then use per recipe.
Yes, you can!
Hi Lisa,
When waiting to bake this after shaping do you allow it to rise for 2-4 hours in the pan, then cover and refrigerate? Or do you shape and refrigerate right away? Does it rise for 12-15 hours in the refrigerator?
I believe Abigail has asked this question also and I am in the process of making a double batch and just took mine out of the refrigerator and my dough did not rise so do I let it sit out until it rises?
You’ll want to let it rise 2-4 hours in the pan before putting it in the refrigerator.
Hi Lisa,
When waiting to bake this after shaping do you allow it to rise for 2-4 hours in the pan, then cover and refrigerate? Or do you shape and refrigerate right away? Does it rise for 12-15 hours in the refrigerator?
I just made this using the bake straight from refrigerator option and the crust is quite dark compared to your photos and hard. I had to cook it an extra 10 mins to get the internal temp to 190. It is still cooling, but I am wo during if you have any tips to soften up the crust?
If it starts to get too dark you can cover it with tin foil or parchment. Every oven runs slightly different in temperature.
This is my favorite sandwich bread to make! Super easy and delicious. It also works really well doing 1/2 all purpose and 1/2 whole wheat flour. I only prefer to cook mine for 30 minutes or less and cover with foil at the 15 minute mark. I prefer to double this recipe whenever I make it. I think it rises better when using raw milk.
My wu question is can you freeze this dough after it dose its first raise and you roll it and make your loafs . Then take out of freezer snd place rolled doughy in pan let raise once more and bake
Is the butter in the recipe with or without salt? If without how to adjust the salt additions?
It is unsalted butter. Although I’m sure doing salted butter wouldn’t make much of a difference.
Love this recipe!! Has anyone tried this in a bread machine/maker?