Sourdough Oatmeal Bread

4.94 from 16 votes

A soft and fluffy bread, with hints of honey and nutty oatmeal flavors amid the classic sourdough tang. The perfect sandwich bread.

Prep Time30

Cook Time40

Additional Time14

Total Time15 10

Course: Breads, Sourdough

Cuisine: American

Keyword: sourdough whole wheat bread

Servings:

Feed your starter 4-12 hours before starting the dough to ensure an active, bubbly starter.
In a small bowl, stir together one cup of oats and 1/2 cup of hot water. Set aside for 10 minutes to soak and soften.
Add soaked, but cooled oats, softened butter, honey, salt, sourdough starter, flour, and water to a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer with a dough hook. Gradually add flour, kneading until the dough starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl. Knead for about 10 -20 minutes, until the dough is pliable and smooth.
Place dough in a large, greased bowl, cover tightly with a lid or plastic wrap, and begin the bulk fermentation for 10-12 hours in a warm place. Rise time will vary based on the maturity and activity of your starter, as well as the temperature of your home.
Prepare a loaf pan by greasing it with olive oil or lining it with parchment paper. Transfer the fermented dough to a lightly floured work surface and shape it by rolling out a rectangle and rolling that up into a loaf. Add tension to the loaf during this process by rolling it firmly against your countertop. Add the loaf seam side down to your prepared pan, cover with a tea towel, and begin the second rise for 2 to 4 hours or until doubled.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. If adding an egg wash, beat one egg yolk with one tablespoon of water and gently brush over the top of your loaf. Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely before slicing.

Steel-cut oats will not work in this recipe.
To rise the bread more quickly, place the dough in a warm, but not hot, location.
Overfermentation occurs when the dough is left to ferment for too long, which may result in sloppy, wet, unmanageable dough.
Create tension on the outside of your loaf while shaping to ensure a good rise.
If you do not have a stand mixer, you can use the stretch and fold method. See the "Tips" section for more information.
If you would like to continue fermenting the dough, do so after the first rise and shaping, placing the loaf pan in the fridge, covered.
Before baking, add a sprinkle of oats after applying an egg wash for a rustic look.