Easy Fresh Milled Sourdough Bread Machine Recipe
This Fresh Milled Sourdough Bread Machine Recipe couldn’t be easier! Simply put the ingredients in, press a button, and have a lofty, soft loaf in less than 8 hours!
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If you have a busy lifestyle but still crave homemade fresh milled sourdough bread, a bread machine is the most convenient and hands off way to keep fresh bread on the table!
I adapted this recipe from my SAME DAY SOURDOUGH SANDWICH BREAD RECIPE
Why make Whole Wheat Sourdough Sandwich Bread in a Bread Machine?
- Time saver – Making bread in a bread machine is mostly hands-off and saves a lot of time in prep work.
- Consistent loaf every time – Because of the controlled environment of a bread machine, your results are consistent. I was amazed at the fantastic results the bread machine yielded.
- Ideal for beginner bakers – Bread makers are perfect for the beginner baker. Just add ingredients, press a button, and enjoy delicious bread in a few hours!
- Easy way to keep sourdough bread on hand – If you think you don’t have time for sourdough bread, the bread machine is definitely going to change your mind.
Benefits of using Fresh Milled Flour
- Added Nutrition – Home-milled Flour has 40/44 essential nutrients plus fiber and enzymes. This makes it the most nutritious flour you can use in your baking! White flour and bread flour have been sifted of all of these nutrients.
- Flavorful – Whole grains have a nutty flavor that pairs perfectly with sourdough.
- Works great in a Bread Machine – Working with fresh milled flour and sourdough in a bread maker are quite easy and mostly hands off. You also get a more mild flavor since the fermentation happens at a warmer temperature.
New to fresh milled flour? CLICK HERE!
I use the NUTRIMILL HARVEST to mill my wheat berries.
Which wheat berries work best for this recipe?
I find that a combination of Hard Wheat and either Spelt or Kamut make the best bread in the bread maker.
Hard White Wheat – Light and neutral in flavor, hard white wheat pairs so well with a portion of ancient grains for a hearty, flavorful loaf. It also has a strong gluten structure for lofty loaves.
Hard Red Wheat – Similar to hard white wheat, hard red wheat builds strong gluten and structure. In contrast, it imparts a nuttier flavor to the bread and contains more fiber.
Kamut – This ancient grain is buttery and light. When a portion is used in conjunction with hard red or hard white wheat, the loaves are lighter and airier.
Spelt – One of my favorite grains, Spelt is also an ancient grain with a sharp nutty flavor that develops gluten quite well with a little longer kneading session. High in fiber and nutrition, I find Spelt, like Kamut works best if used as a portion of the flour in the bread machine. **Note: If using 100% Spelt or Kamut, I recommend doing a custom program. See FAQ’s below**
Want more fresh milled flour recipes? CLICK HERE!
Notes on using Sourdough Starter in a Bread Machine
The bread machine has a controlled environment for kneading, fermenting, and baking. This makes it ideal for sourdough! The constant temperature and timing helps have a consistent and reliable loaf every time. The natural yeast in sourdough behaves perfectly in the bread machine.
For best results, always use active, bubbly sourdough starter that has been fed within 24 hours for a starter kept on the counter and within a week for a starter kept in the fridge.
Ingredients for Fresh Milled Sourdough Sandwich Bread in the Bread Machine
- Water – I suggest using filtered water.
- Sourdough Starter – Use active, bubbly sourdough starter. Active starter will have a predictable rise.
- Olive Oil – May substitute with melted butter, melted coconut oil, or avocado oil.
- Honey – May omit honey, but it adds a nice flavor to the bread.
- Fresh Milled Flour – I used 2 cups Hard White Wheat and 1 cup Kamut flour. Although you can use whole wheat flour from the store, I recommend using up to a 1/4 cup less.
- Salt – I use a fine sea salt.
Full ingredient amounts can be found in the printable recipe card below
The bread machine I use is LINKED HERE. It has a ceramic pan while a lot of other machines bread pans are coated with Teflon.
Want to browse all of my bread recipes? CLICK HERE!
Step by Step Bread Machine Instructions
- Add the ingredients as listed in the recipe: Liquids first, Dry ingredients last.
- Choose program *see notes below*
- Check for dough consistency after 2-3 minutes of mixing. If the dough is too wet, add 1 tablespoon of flour at time until a dough ball forms that doesn’t stick to the sides of the bread pan but is still a bit tacky to touch.
- Expect the entire cycle from mixing to baking to be about 7 hours.
Best Settings for making this recipe in the Bread Machine
Programs – My particular machine has a natural sourdough program that take 6:44. There are several steps to this program.
If your machine has a sourdough cycle, use it for a more hands off approach.
If not, you can create a custom program by choosing to mix for 5 minutes, rest for 10 minutes, knead for 20 minutes, (you can also use the “dough cycle” for kneading if you have that on your machine), ferment for 1 hour, rest, ferment 1 hour and remove the dough to shape and remove the paddle, ferment for 2:30, bake for 1-1 1/2 hours on medium.
NOTE: THIS RECIPE IS FOR A 1 1/2 POUND LOAF
Try all of my SOURDOUGH RECIPES!
When to remove the kneading paddle
You have the option to remove the paddle prior to the last ferment stage. After the second ferment, the machine will stir or knock down the dough.
After that stirring, pause the machine and remove the bread pan.
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured or oiled work surface.
Remove the paddle and reshape the dough into a ball.
Spray the bread pan with oil.
Return the ball of dough to the bread pan and place the pan back into the machine.
Press the start button to resume the program.
Troubleshooting Fresh Milled Sourdough in a Bread Machine
Why didn’t my bread rise?
Make sure you use active, bubbly starter for best results. Also, before attempting to make sourdough in a bread machine, ensure that your sourdough starter is strong and mature.
Why is my bread dense?
This is typically due to adding too much flour to the recipe. Make sure the dough is tacky, but not too wet. You want a ball of dough that sticks together but also has a slight stickiness to it. If the dough ball is shaggy looking, it needs a bit more water. You can add 1 tbsp at a time until a more moist dough ball forms.
My loaf turned out gummy. What happened?
This can be caused by 2 factors: Not baking long enough or slicing too soon after baking. If you waited for the loaf to cool before slicing, consider adding 5-10 minutes to the bake cycle next time. Always wait for bread to cool completely before slicing. It continues to bake for a short time after removing from the machine.
My loaf sank on top. What caused this?
There are 2 reasons this will happen. 1. Too much liquid in the dough. 2. Opening the machine while it’s baking. Ensure the proper texture of the dough and take care to not open the machine too often during fermentation and not at all during baking.
How to store Fresh Milled Sourdough Sandwich Bread?
On the counter
Let the bread cool completely on a cooling rack before slicing. Store in an airtight container or a bread bag on the counter at room temperature for 3-4 days.
Freezing
For longer storage, place the cooled, sliced loaf in a freezer safe bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
For more tips on storing homemade bread, CLICK HERE!
Can this recipe be made without a bread machine?
Absolutely! Add the ingredients to a large mixing bowl or the bowl of stand mixer with a dough hook.
Mix well and knead for 8-10 minutes until stretchy and smooth.
Place in an oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise for 4-6 hours in a warm spot. You can also let this rise overnight on the counter.
Turn the dough on to a clean work surface and gently shape into a loaf.
Place in a greased loaf pan.
Cover and let rise for 1-2 hours in a warm place until the dough tops over the rim of the pan.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and bake the loaf for 35-40 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Sourdough adds flavor and helps with digestibility of the bread. The longer process of making sourdough bread also helps the nutrients in the fresh milled flour easier to digest. Instant yeast rises much more quickly but doesn’t have the flavor or nutritional benefits of sourdough.
Yes. You can mix and knead the dough and let it rise, covered, on the counter overnight before shaping and baking.
Yes! Just monitor the dough a little more closely to make sure the dough is at the right consistency before kneading.
Easy Fresh Milled Sourdough Bread Machine Recipe
Equipment
- Bread Machine
Ingredients
This recipe makes a 1 1/2 pound loaf in the bread machine
- 1 cup Water 221 grams
- 1/2 cup Active Sourdough Starter 127 grams
- 1/4 cup Olive Oil 48 grams
- 2 tbsp Honey 49 grams
- 3 cups Fresh Milled Flour (Hard Wheat) 390 grams
- 1 1/2 tsp Salt 11 grams
Instructions
- Mill your wheat berries on the fine setting of your grain mill.
- Take the loaf pan out of the bread machine.
- Add the ingredients in the exact order listed. Liquids first, then dry ingredients with salt on top.
- Place the loaf pan back in the bread machine securely.
- Close the lid and turn on the machine.
- Choose the Sourdough program.
- Choose loaf size 1 1/2 pound and either light, medium, or dark crust.
- After the second ferment the machine will stir to knock down the dough.
- At this point, you can pause the machine, remove the loaf pan and turn the dough onto your work surface.
- Remove the kneading paddle.
- Shape the dough into a ball.
- Spray the loaf pan with oil and return the ball of dough into the pan.
- Return the pan to the machine and press start to resume the last ferment and bake cycles.
- When the baking is complete, carefully remove the loaf pan and turn the loaf onto a cooling rack to cool completely before slicing.
Notes
Nutrition
Leave a comment down below if you make this recipe! Let me know if you have a bread machine and what your favorite recipe is to make in it!
Oh my! I have been waiting forever for this! I have the 1lb Zo and use similar amounts (240g fmf & 3/4C water) and other ingredients. How much Starter should I use and should I decrease flour/water to offset what’s in the starter?
Also, why the ferment, rest, ferment? Isn’t fermenting considered a rest? If not, how long is the Rest time?
Sorry for all the questions but I’m excited to give this a try …like tomorrow.. lol!!!
I would adjust the starter to 1/4 cup starter for a 1 pound loaf with those measurements of flour and water. The rest, ferment, rest is what my machine states is happening. If your machine has a sourdough button, I would just use it and let the machine do what it needs to do. Let me know how it turns out!