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Sourdough Buttermilk Bread Recipe: Tangy Artisan Loaf Guide

Sourdough Buttermilk Bread is a soft, enriched loaf that balances a gentle sweetness with a pleasant tang. Made with buttermilk and an active sourdough starter, it can be completed in one day or placed in the refrigerator for a cold ferment to deepen the flavor.

The crumb of a sourdough buttermilk sandwich bread, slices of bread and a bread knife.

This loaf is excellent for sourdough French toast, sandwiches, or simply toasted with butter and jam. Its tender crumb and mild tang make it versatile for both sweet and savory uses.

Ingredients

Ingredients of this recipe in glass bowls: salt, honey, melted butter, sourdough starter, buttermilk and flour.

Buttermilk: Keeps the crumb tender and adds a subtle tang. Use store-bought or homemade buttermilk. Milk can be used as a substitute for a milder flavor.

Sourdough starter: Use an active starter. Feed it 4–8 hours before you begin, or refresh it overnight so it’s bubbly and strong.

Honey: Adds a touch of sweetness and helps with browning. You can substitute maple syrup or another liquid sweetener if preferred.

Butter: Melted salted or unsalted butter enriches the dough and yields a soft, tender crumb.

How to Make It

This is a soft sourdough that benefits from kneading. A stand mixer with a dough hook speeds the process; otherwise, knead by hand until the dough forms a good windowpane (about 10–15 minutes).

Wet dough ingredients in a metal bowl with dough mixer.

Step 01. In a large bowl or the mixer bowl, combine buttermilk, sourdough starter, honey, and melted butter. Stir until blended.

Shaggy dough in a metal bowl.

Step 02. Add flour and salt, mixing until a shaggy dough forms. Knead with a hook for about 8 minutes (or by hand until smooth). The dough should be slightly tacky, with a good windowpane.

Formed dough in a glass bowl covered with plastic wrap.

Step 03. Transfer the dough to a clean glass or transparent bowl. Cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap and allow it to bulk ferment at room temperature.

Dough in a transparent bowl with bubbles on the sides, covered with plastic wrap.

Step 04. Bulk fermentation is complete when the dough shows bubbles along the bowl’s sides and has roughly doubled. This typically takes 5–8 hours, depending on room temperature.

Tip: If needed, use your oven’s proof setting to maintain a warm environment—keep it under 86°F (30°C).

Dough on a counter opened into a rectangle.

Step 05. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and gently press or stretch it into a rectangle.

Rolled dough shaped as a log.

Step 06. Roll the rectangle tightly into a log, sealing the seam and pinching the ends so the loaf holds its shape.

Dough in a lined loaf pan.

Step 07. Place the log into a lined 9×5-inch loaf pan (an 8½x4½ inch pan will also work). Cover and let it rise until light and puffy, about 1½–3 hours.

Baked bread in a loaf pan.

Step 08. Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F (177°C) for 50–55 minutes. The crust should be golden and the internal temperature reach about 210°F (99°C). Cool before slicing for best texture.

Three bread slices on top of parchment paper.

Expert Tips

  • After bulk fermentation, you may cold ferment the shaped dough in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours. This develops deeper flavor and can fit a busy schedule.
  • Use a 9×5-inch loaf pan for best results, though a slightly smaller 8½x4½-inch pan is acceptable.
Sourdough buttermilk bread, sliced, inside a loaf pan with parchment paper.

More Sandwich Bread Recipes

  • Same Day Sourdough Sandwich Bread
  • No-Knead Sourdough Brioche Bread
  • Eggless Brioche (Vegan Brioche)
  • Dairy Free Bread (Easy and Fluffy Recipe)

Have you tried this Sourdough Buttermilk Bread? Please leave a star rating in the recipe card and share how it turned out.

📖 Recipe

Sourdough buttermilk bread, sliced, with a bread knife.

Sourdough Buttermilk Bread

Tatiana Kamakura

Sourdough buttermilk bread is a soft, enriched bread with a balanced sweetness and tang. Using buttermilk and an active starter, you can make it in one day or cold ferment for more flavor.
5 from 5 votes
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Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 55 mins
Bulk Rise + Second Rise 10 hrs
Total Time 11 hrs 5 mins

Equipment

  • 1 Loaf Pan 9×5

Ingredients

  • 1 ¼ cup buttermilk
  • ¼ cup butter melted, salted or unsalted
  • 3 tablespoon honey
  • 1 ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup sourdough starter
  • 4 cups all purpose flour

Instructions

Making the Dough

  • In a large bowl or mixer bowl, add buttermilk, sourdough starter, honey, and melted butter. Stir to combine.
  • Add flour and salt, mixing until a shaggy dough forms. Knead with a hook for about 8 minutes or by hand until the dough is smooth and elastic.

Bulk Rise

  • Place the dough in a clean glass bowl, cover, and let it rise on the counter.
  • When bulk fermentation is complete the dough will show bubbles and will have doubled or nearly doubled, about 5–8 hours depending on temperature.

Shaping the Dough

  • On a clean surface, open the dough into a rectangle.
  • Roll the dough into a log and pinch the seam closed.

Second Rise

  • Place the log into a lined loaf pan, cover, and let it rise until light and puffy, about 1½–3 hours.

Baking

  • Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F (177°C) for 50–55 minutes. The loaf should be golden on top and reach an internal temperature of about 210°F (99°C). Cool before slicing.

Notes

(1) Use your oven’s proof setting during cold weather, keeping temperatures under 86°F (30°C).

(2) Cold ferments of up to 48 hours after bulk fermentation develop more complex flavor and can help with timing.

(3) If the dough is difficult to handle, wet your hands slightly or lightly flour the work surface.

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice
Calories: 236kcal
Carbohydrates: 41g
Protein: 6g
Fat: 5g
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