Einkorn sourdough bread has a wonderfully fluffy, chewy interior and a satisfying, crusty exterior. This ancient wheat bakes the most amazing loaf of sourdough bread, with an added bonus of easier digestion.

overhead photo of einkorn sourdough bread with a cross pattern scorned on top in a parchment paper lined ditched oven

Over the last six months or so, Iโ€™ve been working on converting the majority of our baked goods to einkorn flour. 

Anytime I canโ€™t ferment a baked good (like in chocolate chip coconut cookies), einkorn flour comes in handy. It is the worldโ€™s oldest heirloom wheat that hasnโ€™t been hybridized.

Not only is it healthier, because it has more bio-available nutrients like folate, but it is much easier to digest. Some gluten sensitive people find that they can tolerate einkorn, even though it contains gluten. 

I set out to create the perfect loaf of sourdough einkorn bread, and after a few tweaks, it comes out just right every time.

Truth be told, after I really perfected my no-knead sourdough bread recipe a few months back, I applied some of those techniques to this bread and couldn’t be happier with the results.

The bread rises so much more, and really blooms revealing the beautiful design.

If you are new to sourdough, you can find how to create a sourdough starter here. 

Pair it with some cheeseburger soup or roasted red pepper and tomato soup for a delicious and comforting meal.

einkorn sourdough bread on parchment paper with a white Dutch oven behind the loaf.

Tips:

  • To ensure your bread is 100% einkorn, start your sourdough starter with einkorn flour, or convert your current starter to einkorn flour. 
  • Working with einkorn flour is different from conventional wheat. It yields a much stickier dough and can be tricky to shape. You can make this in a loaf pan or a dutch oven. A loaf pan makes perfect einkorn sandwich bread, whereas the dutch oven will yield a crusty loaf.
  • When using a sourdough starter, it is recommended to use filtered water (this is my favorite way to filter water). Some water may contain too much chlorine, which can kill the beneficial bacteria and yeast.
  • To really make this bread rise and have the perfect texture, I incorporated a modified stretch and fold process like with my other sourdough loaf. 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.
  • I use both whole grain einkorn flour and all-purpose einkorn flour. I found this combination to be best for creating a delightful texture. You can substitute the whole grain einkorn for more all-purpose flour, if that is all you have on hand.
  • 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.

Watch The Tutorial

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FAQ

overhead photo of a round loaf of einkorn sourdough bread with a cross pattern scored. The loaf sits on a parchment with a white dutch oven right behind it.

I don’t have an einkorn sourdough starter, can I still make this?

Yes, you can use a regular wheat sourdough starter without issue. 

How do you convert your wheat sourdough starter to an einkorn starter?

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.

Close up picture of a loaf of einkorn bread with a large cross pattern scored in the loaf in a parchment lined dutch oven

How do you know your sourdough starter is ready?

To make a delicious loaf of bread, you need to use a nice, active starter. Feed your starter 4-12 hours before creating the dough. It 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.

How long does sourdough bread last?

Allow sourdough bread to cool completely before storing. Place in a bread box, an air-tight container, or a plastic zip-lock bag and store at room temperature. It will stay good for 4-5 days, if itโ€™s not all gone by then!  

You can also store bread in the freezer for a few months.

Can einkorn flour be used for sourdough?

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 flours.

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

Tools you may need:

Grain mill (optional) – I love my Mockmill

Stand Mixer (optional)

Banneton

Measuring cups

Dutch oven or loaf pan

Lame

Bench scraper

A loaf of sourdough einkorn bread with a cross shape scored on the top resting on parchment paper with a white dutch oven in the back

How To Make Einkorn Sourdough Bread

Feed your sourdough starter 4-12 hours before starting your dough.

Once your starter is nice and active (lots of bubbles), grind einkorn berries, if needed. Skip this step if you have pre-ground flour.

adding einkorn flour to a stoneware bowl

Add flour and salt to a large bowl. Mix together.

woman adding sourdough starter to a bowl of einkorn flour, water, and salt in her white kitchen

Add sourdough starter and water to a large bowl and mix with your hands until it comes together.

Let rest for 15 minutes.

woman stretching and folding einkorn sourdough bread dough on a white quartz countertop

Flatten out dough and then stretch and fold in the edges on all sides. Roll into a ball. Place in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap or beeswax wrap.

If the dough is sticky, dampen your hands before working with it. This allows you to easily work the dough without adding any extra flour.

woman wearing a baby is in her white kitchen shaping a loaf of einkorn sourdough bread

Allow to rest again for 20 minutes. Repeat flattening and folding process.

Allow to rest for 20 minutes again and then repeat process another time.

Shape and cover with plastic wrap.

einkorn sourdough bread dough that has risen in a stoneware bowl

Allow to rise until doubled in size, about 3-12 hours, depending on the temperature of your home.

woman placing a banneton basket with bread dough into a plastic grocery bag

Shape loaf with hands. Place it in a floured banneton basket. Cover with a plastic bag and place in the fridge overnight.

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.

I usually use a plastic grocery bag and tie it to help keep it more air-tight.

The Next Day:

Preheat the oven to 450.

Place dutch oven in the oven and preheat for 30 minutes to an hour.

woman wearing a baby taking einkorn sourdough bread dough out of a banneton basket and placing it on a sheet of parchment paper

Once the dutch oven has preheated, take the dough out of the fridge and place onto a sheet of parchment paper.

scoring a loaf of einkorn bread on a sheet of parchment paper on a white quartz countertop

Score the top of the dough and gently place the parchment paper and dough into the dutch oven, cover with lid, and place in the hot oven.

Bake for 30 minutes with the lid.  

Remove the lid and bake for another 15 minutes until golden brown.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool before slicing.

How To Store:

Wrap with beeswax wrap, in a bread box, or in an 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.

overhead photo of a loaf of sourdough einkorn bread on parchment paper on a white quartz countertop with a white dutch oven in the back left corner.

Baker’s Schedule:

The night before: feed sourdough starter.

The Next Morning:

8 AM: Start einkorn sourdough bread dough. Mix together ingredients. Allow to rest for 15 minutes.

8:20 AM: Flatten and fold dough. Shape into ball. Place into bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Rest for 20 minutes.

8:45 AM: Repeat the same process allowing the dough to rest, covered, for 20 minutes.

9:10 AM: Repeat that same process allowing the dough to rest, covered, for 20 minutes.

9:35 AM: Shape and cover with plastic wrap. Place in a warm spot. Allow to rise until doubled in size, about 3-12 hours, depending on the temperature of your home.

7 PM: (This time is dependent on when the dough doubles in size) Punch down dough and shape into a ball with hands. Place it in a floured banneton basket. Cover with a plastic bag and place in the fridge overnight.

The Next Day

8 AM: Preheat oven to 450 and allow dutch oven to preheat for 30 minutes to an hour.

9 AM: Take the dough out of the fridge and place onto parchment paper. Score. Place into dutch oven and bake.

How To Make Einkorn Sourdough Bread Loaf

Mix together the dough as previously stated.

Shape loaf with hands and put in a greased loaf pan; allow to rise until doubled in size. This will take around 3-12 hours.

Bake at 375 degrees for 35-40 minutes until the top is golden brown.

Find More Einkorn Recipes Straight From Our Farmhouse Kitchen

If you try this recipe and love it, I would appreciate if you could come back, comment on the post, and give it 5 stars! Thanks.

Einkorn Sourdough Bread

4.56 from 145 votes
Einkorn sourdough bread makes the most delicious bread. A wonderful fluffy, chewy interior and a satisfying, crusty exterior.
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 40 minutes
Total: 45 minutes
Servings: 12
overhead photo of einkorn sourdough bread on. parchment paper
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Ingredients 

  • 3 cups all-purpose einkorn flour
  • 1 cups whole grain einkorn flour
  • 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.
  • Once your starter is nice and active (lots of bubbles), grind einkorn berries, if needed. Skip this step if you have pre-ground flour.
  • Add flour, sourdough starter, salt, and water to a large bowl and mix with your hands until it comes together.
  • Let rest for 15 minutes.
  • Flatten out dough and then stretch and fold in the edges on all sides. Roll into a ball. Place in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap or beeswax wrap.
  • Allow to rest again for 20 minutes.
  • Repeat flattening and folding process. Allow to rest for 20 minutes again and then repeat process another time.
  • 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 loaf with hands. Place it in a floured banneton basket.
  • Cover with plastic bag and place in the fridge overnight.
  • Preheat the oven to 450.
  • Place dutch oven in the oven and preheat for 30 minutes to an hour.
  • Once the dutch oven has preheated, take the dough out of the fridge and place 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 lid, and place in the hot oven.
  • Bake for 30 minutes with the lid.
  • Remove the lid and bake for another 15 minutes until golden brown.
  • Allow to cool before serving.

Notes

  • If you want your bread to be 100% einkorn, start your sourdough starter with einkorn flour, or convert your current starter to einkorn flour.
  • Working with einkorn flour is different from conventional wheat. It yields a much stickier dough and can be tricky to shape.

Nutrition

Calories: 203kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Sodium: 293mg | Potassium: 94mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 0.2g | Vitamin A: 1IU | Calcium: 11mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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198 Comments

  1. Marti says:

    I made this recipe and unfortunately the bread did not get cooked all the way through. Maybe there should be a step to check temperature?

    1. Garth Wunsch says:

      The internal temperature should be about 208ยฐ F. You will need a metal probe thermometer.

      1. Lila says:

        Thank you, Garth. This is good info to know!!

  2. JUDY says:

    I WOULD LOVE THE MEASURMENTS FOR A SMALLER LOAF INSTEAD OF 5 CUPS OF FLOUR. CAN YOU HELP??

    1. Meg says:

      Divide all the ingredients in half. That should make you half a loaf.

    2. Meg says:

      Divide all the ingredients in half. That should make you half a loaf.

  3. Ania says:

    The Banneton that you have linked is unavailable. Are there are any others you reccomend?

  4. Izzy says:

    Hi So I have a gluten free starter, made with brown rice & buckwheat flour. Could I use that as the starter in this recipe?

  5. Pam Kimmet says:

    Hello Lisa! I so love your website. I wanted to know if you throw out each half of starter you are removing or do you use it? On Friday night, when you feed you starter it looks like you don’t take out half until the next morning and then use it for your pancakes, is that correct? So, when you feed it once a week are you removing half, and if so, do you use it or throw it away?
    Sorry, I am an old lady, and this is new to me. Thank you for your time. Pam

    1. Bethany says:

      Lisa does not discard any of her starter, she just uses it and feeds it and doesn’t measure. I do the same and it is much less hassle. I recommend watching her Two Weeks in the life of Sourdough Starter YouTube video. Good luck, sourdough is fun!

  6. April says:

    I made this today and it’s fabulous! My husband said it’s like the bread he used to eat in Europe. We’ll definitely be making this again!

  7. Heather says:

    When making just a loaf do you have to do the folds, Or can you just mix and put in a loaf pan.
    Thanks!

  8. Jennifer says:

    The recipe looks great! Can you please explain when you grind your own flour how do you grind the all purpose vs the whole grain einkorn? Thanks for explaining!

    1. Emily says:

      If you want all purpose flour shift your freshly ground up whole wheat flour. It separates the wheat germ and creates a whole wheat all purpose flour. Good luck and happy bread baking!!!

  9. Hannah Morley says:

    Do you have any tips for baking a loaf in a cast iron loaf pan?

    1. Jamie says:

      Iโ€™ve used a cast iron pan underneath the loafs placed on a baking sheet. It turned out too hard. I genuinely think that these need a Dutch oven! The balance of moisture and surrounded by heat is very sensitive

  10. Stephanie Mejia says:

    Iโ€™m on day 10 and my starter still wonโ€™t float. Lots of bubbles but thatโ€™s about it.

    1. Brianna Frame says:

      Don’t get discouraged! Mine took two weeks exactly to establish!