Hearty 100% Whole - Wheat Sourdough Bread
I’ve always loved the simplicity of a good sourdough loaf, but diving into a 100% whole wheat version was a game changer for me. I have experimented with using 50% whole wheat flour before, but have been wanting to tackle a 100% whole wheat loaf for a while now. Since incorporating more whole wheat into my baking, I’ve been a little confused as to why is isn’t the norm for bread… The flavor really is far, far superior.
This loaf has everything I love about homemade sourdough—the chewy crust, the soft, hearty crumb, and that unmistakable tang—but with the added richness that only whole wheat can bring. The scent alone, as it bakes, is worth the effort: warm, earthy, and inviting.
The process may seem a bit intimidating if you’re new to sourdough, but trust me, it’s not as complicated as it looks. The stretch-and-fold technique is simple and helps give the dough its structure, while the long ferment in the fridge works magic on flavor. And there’s something undeniably satisfying about scoring your loaf before baking and making it your own.
With love,
Your Baker, Hannah
Convinced it’s time for some homemade sourdough bread? Here’s a grocery list of everything you’re gonna need!
Ingredients Needed to Bake 100% Whole Wheat Sourdough Loaf:
Active sourdough starter
Whole wheat flour
Salt
Water
(To make it even easier, you can hit the “Get Ingredients” button inside the recipe, and these items will be added straight to your shopping cart at the grocery store of your choice.)
Ingredient Substitutions:
Whole Wheat Flour: You can substitute up to 25% of the whole wheat flour with bread flour for a slightly lighter loaf.
Salt: Use fine sea salt or kosher salt as an alternative.
Water: Filtered water is ideal, but tap water works as long as it isn’t heavily chlorinated.
What Tools Do You Need to Bake 100% Whole Wheat Sourdough Loaf?
Click the links below to shop for any kitchen tools you may be missing from your collection!
(These links are affiliate links, and if you decide to make a purchase, I will be granted a small commission at no extra cost to you. I’ll always be thankful for your support!)
Step-by-Step Instructions for Baking 100% Whole Wheat Sourdough Loaf:
Start by mixing your sourdough starter with warm water until dissolved, then combine it with whole wheat flour and salt. This creates a shaggy dough, which rests covered for one hour. During this rest, the flour hydrates, making the dough easier to work with.
After the initial rest, the stretch and fold process begins. Over a few hours, you’ll perform five sets of gentle stretches and folds, which strengthen the dough and build structure. After the last fold, the dough rests overnight in the fridge to develop flavor.
The next morning, the dough is shaped into a loaf. A simple fold-and-roll technique forms surface tension, crucial for a good rise during baking. The dough then proofs in a floured towel-lined bowl for three hours while your Dutch oven preheats in the oven.
Baking starts with steam—achieved by adding ice cubes to the preheated Dutch oven. This helps the loaf expand beautifully. After 20 minutes, the lid is removed, allowing the crust to brown. Once baked, the loaf cools completely on a rack before slicing.
FAQs About Baking Homemade Sourdough Bread:
How to Make Sure Your Starter Is Active:
Your starter should be bubbly and doubled in size after feeding. If it’s sluggish, feed it twice a day for a few days to revive it. Use it when it’s at its peak rise for the best results.
How to Prevent Your Dough From Being Underproofed:
Look for visual cues like puffiness and a slight jiggle when you move the dough. The "poke test" works well: gently press a finger into the dough—if it springs back slowly, it’s ready.
How to Freeze or Store Your Bread:
To store, wrap the cooled loaf in a clean kitchen towel and keep it at room temperature for up to three days. For longer storage, slice the bread and freeze the slices in an airtight bag for up to one month. Toast slices straight from the freezer for a fresh taste.
Recipe for 100% Whole Wheat Sourdough Bread:
100% Whole Wheat Sourdough Loaf
Ingredients
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, mix your water and sourdough starter until the starter has dissolved. Then, add in your whole wheat flour and salt and stir well until a shaggy ball of dough forms.
- Once the dough has formed, cover it with plastic wrap or a damp towel, and set it aside to rest for 1 hour.
- After 1 hour has passed, remove the covering of your bowl, and perform 1 set of stretch and folds by grabbing a small section of the dough, pulling it upwards until you meet resistance, and folding it back over on itself. Repeat this until you have gone all the way around the dough.
- Replace the covering of your bowl, and set the dough aside for one more hour. Once the hour has passed, do one more set of stretch and folds, and then repeat this process 3 more times.
- Once you have finished all 5 sets of stretch and folds, cover your dough, and set it in the fridge to bulk ferment for 8-12 hours (or overnight).
- After your dough has bulk fermented, remove it from the fridge and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface.
- To shape your dough, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface, and shape it into a rough rectangle. Fold the dough lengthwise into thirds (fold one-third up to the middle, and one-third down to cover the first. Like folding a letter), and then roll the dough up like a scroll, creating a semi-loaf form.
- To finish shaping the dough, place it seam-side-down onto a lightly floured table, push it away from you, and then pull it back towards you, using the stickiness of the dough to create surface tension as you go. Keep working it until the seam has closed on the bottom, and it has a tight, round surface on top.
- Place face-side-down in a medium-sized bowl that has been lined with a well-floured linen or cotton towel. Allow the loaf to rest for 3 hours, or until it has warmed to room temp and risen and gotten puffy.
- While your dough is rising, preheat your oven to 425 degrees F. Place your empty Dutch oven into the oven and allow it to pre-heat for an hour before baking your bread.
- When your loaf is ready to bake, turn the loaf out onto a piece of parchment paper so it is face-side up. Using a very sharp knife or razor, score your dough with one, semi-deep score across the surface of the bread that will allow it to expand in the oven.
- Keeping the dough on the parchment paper, place the loaf into your pre-heated Dutch oven. Drop in 2 ice cubes between the parchment and the bottom of the Dutch oven, and close the lid. Place the Dutch oven inside your pre-heated oven, and allow to bake with the lid on for 20 minutes.
- After 20 minutes, remove the lid, and continue baking for 30 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the center temperature registers at 205 degrees F.
- Remove it from the oven (be careful, the Dutch oven will be very hot), and, grabbing the corners of the parchment, lift the bread out of the Dutch oven and onto a rack to cool.
- Once completely cool, slice into it, serve, and enjoy!
More Sourdough Recipes:
More Breakfast Bakes:
