Honey Oat Sourdough Bread
This soft and hearty honey oat sourdough bread is lightly sweetened, full of toasty oats and warm cinnamon, and perfect for toast, sandwiches, or snacking.
This honey oat sourdough loaf is everything I love about baking at home – its comforting, hearty, and just the right mix of sweet and tangy. The soft crumb is packed with nutty toasted oats and a gentle touch of cinnamon, while the crust gets a gorgeous golden finish from the oats rolled on the outside. It’s cozy, versatile, and absolutely perfect for your weekly bake rotation.
Whether you’re toasting slices for breakfast, making sandwiches, or slathering it with butter and jam as a snack, this loaf is the kind that disappears quickly. And because it’s made with sourdough starter (plus a slow, cold fermentation), the flavor just gets better with time.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Sweet and nutty flavor: Honey and toasted oats give this bread a cozy, well-rounded taste that pairs beautifully with the tang of sourdough.
- Great texture: Toasted oats in the dough add chew, while rolled oats on the outside create a lovely crust.
- Perfect for all day long: It’s great for breakfast, sandwiches, or snacking with butter and jam.
- Beginner-friendly techniques: The steps are simple, with a good mix of structure (thanks, stretch and folds!) and flexibility.
If you love this honey oat sourdough, you might also enjoy exploring more cozy breads like my seeded sourdough bread which is packed with sunflower, sesame, and poppy seeds for a nutty, hearty loaf that’s perfect for sandwiches or toast. For something a little sweeter, the cinnamon swirl sourdough bread adds a fun twist with layers of warm spice and just the right amount of sweetness. And if you’re looking for a whole grain option, my whole wheat sourdough bread brings depth and earthiness with a soft interior and crisp crust. Each of these recipes builds on the same approachable sourdough techniques so you can bake with confidence and enjoy every slice.
How to make this recipe
Here is a super brief overview of how to make this recipe that you can peruse before you start baking. This will help you get an idea of what to expect before you step into the kitchen. For the full set of ingredients and directions, please scroll down to the recipe card below.
Step One: Mix the dough.
Toast the oats, butter, and cinnamon in a small skillet, for 3-4 minutes until fragrant. Set aside to cool completely.
In a large mixing owl mix the ingredients to make a shaggy dough and then let this mixture rest for 30 minutes to autolyse. The dough will be sticky.
Step Two: Stretch and folds
Cover the dough with plastic wrap and allow it to rest for 30 minutes.
Step Three: Bulk fermentation
Let the dough continue fermenting at room temperature for another 2-4 hours. depending on the temperature and humidity of your kitchen. The dough should increase in size by about 50% and feel jiffy.
Step Four: Shaping
Lightly flour your work surface and turn the dough out onto it. Gently stretch the dough into a rough rectangle. Fold the left and right sides of the dough toward the center. Then, starting from the edge closest to you, roll the dough up tightly (like you’re rolling a burrito) into a log shape. Let the dough rest for 20-30 minutes.
Lightly spray some water over the surface of the dough and roll it in a bowl filled with oats to coat the surface. Transfer the dough seam side up to a proofing basket.
Step Five: Final Proofing
Cover and refrigerate the bread overnight or up to 48 hours. This slow, cool rise develops the complex sourdough flavors. Alternatively, you can let the dough rise in a warm place for 2-4 hours or until it passes the poke test (gently poke the dough with your finger – if it springs back slowly and leaves a slight indentation, it’s ready. If it springs back quickly, it needs more time. If it doesn’t spring back at all, it may be over-proofed.
Step Six: Baking
Preheat: Place your Dutch oven with lid in the oven and preheat it to 450°F (230°C) for at least 30 minutes.
Score the Dough: Remove dough from the fridge. Turn the dough out of the proofing basket onto parchment paper. Using a sharp knife or razor blade, score the top of your loaf with one deep slash or your desired pattern.
Bake with Steam: Carefully remove the hot Dutch oven and lower the dough (on parchment) into the pot. Cover with the lid and bake it for 30 minutes. Remove the lid and continue baking for 20-25 minutes until the top turns golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 200-205°F (93-96°C).
Cool Completely: Transfer the loaf to a wire rack and let it cool completely before slicing (at least 2 hours). Letting it rest allows the crumb to set properly and prevents a gummy texture.
Baker’s Schedule
This timeline is designed for a flexible, overnight fermentation. You can adjust the timing to fit your schedule, but this gives a general idea of what to expect.
Day One
- Feeding your starter – 4 to 6 hours before mixing
- Toasting oats and cooling – 10 minutes
- Mixing the dough – 40 minutes (including autolyse)
- Stretch and folds – 2 hours (with folds every 30 minutes)
- Finishing bulk fermentation – 2 to 4 hours, depending on room temp
- Pre-shaping and bench rest – 40 minutes
- Final shaping and rolling in oats – 15 minutes
- Overnight cold proof – 8 to 48 hours
Day Two
- Preheating the oven and Dutch oven – 30 to 45 minutes
- Scoring and baking – 50 to 55 minutes
- Cooling time – At least 2 hours before slicing
Storage and Freezing
Room Temperature: Store the cooled bread in a paper bag or bread box for up to 3 days to maintain crust crispness.
Freezing: Let bread cool completely, slice if that’s what you prefer and store the slices in freezer bags for up to 3 months. I usually toast the slices directly from the freezer.
Longer Storage: Wrap the bread in plastic wrap for refrigerator storage, though the crust will soften.
Recipe tips
Temperature Matters: The temperature of your kitchen affects fermentation time. Warmer environments tend to speed up the process, while cooler ones slow it down.
Don’t rush the fermentation: Patience is important when it comes to sourdough baking. Letting the dough rise slowly develops better flavor and texture. A slow, cool rise overnight will give your bread complex flavors.
Sourdough is better when shared
If you try this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment and rating below.
Love and links are always appreciated! If you’d like to share this recipe, please link to the post directly for the recipe, please do not copy and paste or screenshot. Thank you so much for supporting me. XOXO – Jenni
Honey Oat Sourdough Bread
This soft and hearty honey oat sourdough bread is lightly sweetened, full of toasty oats and warm cinnamon, and perfect for toast, sandwiches, or snacking.
- Prep Time: 2 days
- Cook Time: 55 minutes
- Total Time: 48 hours 55 minutes
- Yield: 1 loaf 1x
- Category: Bread
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 100 grams active sourdough starter (bubbly and fed starter)
- 350 grams lukewarm water
- 525 grams all-purpose flour
- 50 grams old-fashioned rolled oats + more for topping
- 50 grams honey
- 10 grams salt (kosher or sea salt)
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Ensure your sourdough starter is bubbly and active. I usually feed mine 4-6 hours before mixing the bread dough.
- In a small skillet, add the oats, butter, and cinnamon and lightly toast them over medium heat for 3-4 minutes until fragrant. Set aside to cool completely.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the fed starter with lukewarm water (around room temperature).
- Add the honey, flour, salt, and cooled toasted rolled oats until you have a shaggy dough.
- Let this mixture rest for 30 minutes (autolyse). The dough will be sticky at first.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a damp tea towel.
- Every 30 minutes for the first 2 hours, perform a set of stretch and folds. With wet hands, grab one side of the dough, stretch it up, and fold it over to the opposite side. Give the bowl a quarter turn and repeat this until you’ve worked all sides of the bowl. This step helps the dough develop gluten structure without kneading.
- After the folds are complete, let the dough ferment at room temperature for another 2-4 hours, depending on the temperature of your kitchen. The dough should increase in size by about 50% and feel jiggly.
- Lightly flour your work surface and turn the dough out onto it.
- Gently stretch the dough into a rough rectangle.
- Fold the left and right sides of the dough toward the center.
- Then, starting from the edge closest to you, roll the dough up tightly (like you’re rolling a burrito) into a log shape.
- Let the dough rest for 20-30 minutes.
- Lightly spray some water over the surface of the dough and roll it in a bowl filled with oats to coat the surface.
- Transfer the dough seam side up to a proofing basket.
- Cover and refrigerate the bread overnight or up to 48 hours. This slow, cool rise develops the complex sourdough flavors. Alternatively, you can let the dough rise in a warm place for 2-4 hours or until it passes the poke test.
- Place your Dutch oven with lid in the oven and preheat it to 450°F (230°C) for at least 30 minutes.
- Remove dough from the fridge.
- Turn the dough out of the proofing basket onto parchment paper.
- Using a sharp knife or razor blade, score the top of your loaf with one deep slash or your desired pattern.
- Carefully remove the hot Dutch oven and lower the dough (on parchment) into the pot.
- Cover with the lid and bake it for 30 minutes.
- Remove the lid and continue baking for 20-25 minutes until the top turns golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 200-205°F (93-96°C).
- Transfer the loaf to a wire rack and let it cool completely before slicing (at least 2 hours). Letting it rest allows the crumb to set properly and prevents a gummy texture.