A true 100% whole wheat sourdough bread recipe that is flavorful, soft and easy to make! 4 ingredients for the most delicious and healthy sourdough bread!   

sliced whole wheat sourdough on wooden board.

A soft, flavorful whole wheat sourdough bread recipe that you can make at home! If you are just starting your sourdough bread journey, first, welcome, and second, start with my how to make a sourdough starter post! If you are having trouble getting that perfect rise, check out this sourdough starter tips and troubleshooting guide.

This easy whole grain bread uses only natural wild yeasts! It has a soft, chewy interior and that characteristic crunchy, chewy sourdough crust just like this sourdough bread recipe for beginners! I bake it in a Dutch oven for the perfect texture, but I also give you instructions if you don’t have one. If you want bread right now, then try this whole wheat bread recipe while to wait for your sourdough to rise!

Table of contents

Why You Will Love this Whole Wheat Sourdough Bread

  • 100% whole wheat bread recipe. Use your favorite whole wheat flour for this delicious and soft sourdough bread. I used all-purpose to feed my sourdough starter, but you could also feed it with whole wheat flour.
  • Healthy, long fermenting bread. Not only does this bread recipe use all whole grain flour but it also ferments for 24-48 hours, which breaks down the gluten and makes it easier to digest!
  • Professional sourdough recipe you can trust. Not only was I an Executive Pastry Chef in NYC but I also went to school specially for commercial bread production! This recipe is the result of years of my professional experience and training!
baked whole wheat sourdough with ear.

Professional Tips for Making Whole Wheat Sourdough

  • Feed the starter with unbleached all-purpose flour. To make this recipe truly 100% whole wheat you would need to feed the sourdough starter whole wheat flour but that will ferment faster. I control the process by feeding my starter all-purpose flour for a predictable rise.
  • For the best, most consistent results, measure by weight. I include the measurements in grams in the recipe because that is the most accurate way to bake. All you need is an inexpensive kitchen scale!
  • Using several series of folds to develop gluten yields a more flavorful bread. If you develop all the gluten in the mixer like you do with potato bread or brioche loaf, for example, the friction from mixing creates heat which destroys the nutrients and delicate natural flavoring (flavonoids) of the flour. Folding the dough develops gluten without friction!
  • Baking in a Dutch oven yields the best bread. Baking inside a Dutch oven or cast iron pot with a lid replicates the effect of a steam-injected oven almost perfectly. The pot captures the steam released from the baking of the bread itself, which delays crust formation thus allowing the loaf to rise more. This is the same magic as my no knead Dutch oven bread recipe!

How is whole wheat sourdough different?

  • Crumb: You can expect a 100% whole wheat sourdough to have a tighter crumb structure with less large air pockets.
  • Texture: Depending on the whole wheat flour you choose, the texture could be closer to a basic sourdough bread if you use a refined wheat flour, or it could have a coarser texture. For all the added benefits of using whole wheat flour, choose one that has been minimally processed like Bob’s Red Mill stone ground whole wheat flour. Their process maintains the vitamins and other nutrients found in the wheat berry.
  • Taste: The taste of this whole wheat sourdough hinges almost completely on the flour you choose. Choosing one like Bob’s Red Mill not only preserves the nutrients but it brings a more complex and almost sweet taste to your bread. You can further impact the taste of the final bread by the mixing process. Mixing minimally (limiting the heat produced by friction) will retain more of those nutrients and will yield a more flavorful loaf!
two cut halves of sourdough loaf stacked.

Ingredients & Substitutions

ingredients for whole wheat sourdough.
  • Active & bubbly sourdough starter: You will need an active, mature sourdough starter for this recipe. If you don’t have one, use this sourdough starter recipe as a guide! If your starter has been in the refrigerator, you’ll want to feed him/her several times before baking. Make the absolute best sourdough waffles, sourdough pancakes and sourdough blueberry muffins with the discard. Sometimes I feed my starter just to make those waffles. True story.
  • All-Purpose Flour: Like I mentioned above, I feed my starter with all-purpose flour for a more predictable and slower rise. You can feed it with whole wheat flour for a truly 100% whole wheat bread.
  • Whole Wheat Flour: Choose a whole wheat flour that you enjoy. A stone ground whole wheat flour like Bob’s Red Mill whole wheat flour will provide the most nutrients and best flavor.  The stone milling process retains more of the bran and the germ, which improves the flavor, nutrition content and texture of the bread. 
  • Water: No special water is needed. Just plain tap water. Using cooler water will lower the final dough temperature, which will retain more nutrients and vitamins from the original flour.
  • Olive Oil: Extra virgin olive oil is optional but it adds a nice flavor and a little fat to the loaf.
  • Kosher Salt: Kosher salt enhances the flavor of bread. Without salt bread tastes flat and bland. It also contributes to the dough structure and is factored into the hydration needed for the dough.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

Possible Variations

  • Use a mix of whole wheat flour and all-purpose. Replacing some of the whole wheat flour with all-purpose will make a more open crumb and a more neutral flavor.
  • Mix in some dried fruit or nuts. Flavor this whole wheat sourdough with dried fruit like I did in this cinnamon raisin sourdough, or use fresh chopped herbs like this no knead rosemary bread. You can also use a combination of both like in this cherry pecan sourdough!
  • Use this recipe to make rolls instead! Divide the dough into 10 equal portions, shape and bake like these rosemary sourdough rolls!

How to Make 100% Whole Wheat Sourdough Bread

Use these instructions to make this simple whole wheat sourdough bread! Further details and measurements can be found in the recipe card below.

Feed the starter:

Step 1: 12-14 hours before you would like to mix your dough, feed the starter. In a clean container with no soap residue, add the water, flour and prior day starter. Mix with your hand or a silicone spatula. Cover but leave the top just slightly cracked, so gas can escape. You want the starter to double in volume before mixing the dough.

Mix the dough:

Step 2: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine whole wheat flour, salt, olive oil, water and the fed and bubbly levain. Mix on low with the paddle attachment until the ingredients are incorporated. Remove the paddle and replace with the hook attachment. You can do an autolyse at this stage, if desired. See the FAQ’s for details.

Step 3: With the hook attachment mix on low until a cohesive dough forms, approximately 1-2 minutes. Increase the speed to medium-high to develop. This will take about 10 minutes. It will pull away from the sides of the bowl, make a dough around the hook and not stick to the sides. The dough will look smoother than it did during before developing.

active sourdough starter.
ingredients for whole wheat sourdough in mixing bowl.
developed dough in mixer bowl.

Don’t stress too much about the development. If you find that the dough doesn’t have enough structure after the second set of folds, simply add another fold after 15 minutes. Your bread will taste better because you preserved the natural flavor of the flour.

Step 4: Lightly oil a bowl with vegetable or olive oil, spreading it around the bowl with your hands. Using a bowl scraper, scrape the dough into the oiled bowl and cover the top of the bowl with plastic wrap. Let it rest 30 minutes in a warm place.

Step 5: Series of Folds: A series of folds is actually 4 folds. Always fold the dough towards you, rotating the bowl between each fold rather than trying to contort your body. You will get a tighter fold and shape. Grab one side of the dough and pull it up slightly then fold it down over itself into the middle. Rotate the bowl 90 degrees and repeat 3 more times, rotating after each fold.

performing a series of folds first fold.
performing a series of folds third fold.
dough standing tall after a series of folds.

Step 6: Let the dough rest 30 minutes more and repeat the series of folds. The dough should stand tall and hold its shape in the bowl. [If your dough sinks immediately after this second set of folds, you should make a third set of folds after letting it sit 15 minutes.

Proofing & Shaping:

Step 7: Bulk Fermentation. Proof the dough in the bowl for 6-8 hours in a warm spot until doubled and light and airy. You should see visible bubbles in the dough.

Step 8: Before shaping prepare your banneton. Dust the inside of the bread basket with rice flour.

If you don’t have a bread basket, you can use a bowl that is lightly sprayed with cooking spray or oiled. You can also proof it on parchment paper but the resulting loaf will be flatter and not as tall.

Step 9: Shaping a boule. Lightly dust the countertop and the top of the dough with whole wheat or all-purpose flour. Turn the dough onto the floured countertop. Fold all 4 edges into the center (much like performing a series of folds), then flip it over so the seam-side is on the counter. Shape the dough into a tight round by pulling it towards you with both hands. Rotate the dough 90 degrees and then repeat until you have a nice tight round that stands up proud on the counter. You can also use a bench scraper to assist you with pulling and rotating.

bulk proofed whole wheat sourdough in glass bowl.
shaping a boule.
perfectly shaped boule.

If the surface cracks, you over shaped (tightened) the dough. Its ok, but you’re done!

Step 10: Flip it upside down (with the seam-side facing up) in the rice floured basket and then place a piece of plastic wrap on top, secured with a rubber band. The rubber band will keep the top of the dough from drying out in the fridge.

Step 11: Place it in the refrigerator to proof 14-18 hours. You can proof it in the refrigerator for up to 30 hours. The most important thing is that you bake the dough when it is ready! The dough will be cold but should still feel light and airy when gently pressed.

shaped boule seam side up in proofing basket
plastic wrap secured on proofing basket with rubberband.

Baking!

Step 12: Preheat oven to 450°F with the Dutch oven inside (with the lid). You can allow your dough to sit out or you can leave it in the refrigerator. It doesn’t matter as long as it was properly leavened.

Step 13: When the oven has preheated, cut a piece of parchment paper about the size of the basket and turn the dough onto the parchment. Use a bread lame, hold a straight edge razor blade, or a sharp knife.

Proper Scoring: Make a series of cuts to allow the dough to rise properly and in the way that you want! Hold the blade at about a 45 degree angle and confidently slice the dough. Confidence is key because you want to ensure it goes deep enough and makes a nice clean cut. Scoring tentatively will lead to raggedy edges and a shallow cut. Score with confidence! On round boules I like to do the square scoring so it rises evenly, but you can get as fancy as you’d like. Scoring cold dough makes this easier.

Step 14: As soon as you score, carefully remove the hot Dutch oven from the oven, remove the top, place the dough in the bottom, replace the top and place it back in the oven!

Step 15: Bake 450°F for 20 minutes and then reduce heat to 400°F. Continue baking until internal temperature is 205°F, approximately an additional 10-15 minutes. The outside should be a beautiful dark golden brown.

scored whole wheat sourdough unbaked in dutch oven.
baked whole wheat sourdough loaf in dutch oven.

Step 16: Cool completely before slicing. I know, I know. The struggle is real, but the bread needs to cool for the gluten structure to set. If you cut into a hot loaf it will appear underbaked and doughy even if it is perfection.  

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you store whole wheat sourdough?

The only way to keep that chewy, crusty crust is to store sourdough bread unwrapped at room temperature. Store a sliced loaf cut-side down on a wooden cutting board to preserve the integrity of the crust while keeping the inside moist. The moment you wrap it or refrigerate the loaf, the crust will soften. I store at room temperature for 24 hours and then refrigerate for up to 10 days or freeze.

Can you freeze sourdough bread?

You can freeze sliced or whole loaves of sourdough bread. Wrap well in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 2 months. Whole loaves can be refreshed in the oven or you can toast individual slices.

How do you reheat sourdough bread?

Preheat an oven to 400°F. Place the whole loaf of sourdough bread in the preheated oven and warm for about 15 minutes. This will warm the loaf and also re-crisp the crust. It will not be the same as freshly baked, but it will be very close! This process is also called “refreshing.”

When and why to do an autolyse for whole wheat sourdough?

An autolyse is when you mix the flour and water together and then let it sit for 15 or more minutes to develop gluten all on its own. The longer you autolyse the less time you will need to mix the dough in the mixer to develop the gluten network. This means the dough will remain cooler and more of the flavonoids and nutrients will be retained. You can absolutely autolyse this recipe. Since the starter contains a significant amount of the water for the recipe, I recommend not autolysing longer than 30 minutes.

Can you bake whole wheat sourdough bread from frozen?

You can do your final fermentation in the freezer rather than in the refrigerator, but it will take 3 days depending on your freezer temperature. Score and bake as directed once the loaf feels airy and lightened. You will get a little more volume if you let it sit out for 30 minutes prior to baking, perhaps while your oven preheats.

How to use whole wheat sourdough bread?

I love a thick slice of whole wheat sourdough toasted for breakfast. Slather it with some salted butter and easy strawberry jam, or serve it to soak up all the goodness from this sheet pan shakshuka.
This whole wheat sourdough makes excellent sandwiches like this turkey bacon bravo sandwich, or slice and serve with crockpot Swedish meatballs or white chicken chili.
Or use a mix of homemade sourdough bread, whole wheat sourdough and pumpkin cranberry flaxseed crisps for the best cheese plate! Add a little bowl of my walnut blue cheese spread and pear quince butter for all the Fall flavors!

half of whole wheat sourdough loaf balancing on top of the other half.

Sample Baker’s Schedule

You do not have to adhere to this schedule, but use it as a guide for planning!

  • Friday Evening: Feed your sourdough starter using the liquid levain build instructions and ingredients below. If you’ve had your starter in the fridge, take it out the night before and give her a feed on Thursday night.
  • Saturday Morning: Check your starter. If it has doubled, then you are ready to mix the bread! If it hasn’t yet (maybe the room is a bit cold), then keep waiting until it has doubled. Try moving it to a warmer spot.
  • Saturday Morning (or when starter has doubled): Mix the bread, perform the two series of folds and then bulk proof 6-8 hours.
  • Saturday Afternoon/Evening: Once the dough has doubled and looks bubbly, shape and place in prepared proof basket. Cover and refrigerate up to 30 hours or until lightened and airy feeling.
  • Sunday Morning: Check to see if the cold dough feels lightened and airy. Bake your loaf!

If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a star rating and let me know how it goes in the comments below! I love hearing from you and your comments make my day!

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sliced whole wheat sourdough on cutting board.

100% whole wheat sourdough bread

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  • Author: Lindsey Farr
  • Prep Time: 30 minutes
  • Proofing: 24 hours
  • Cook Time: 35 minutes
  • Total Time: 25 hours 5 minutes
  • Yield: 12 Slices 1x
  • Category: Bread
  • Method: Bake
  • Cuisine: French
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Description

A true 100% whole wheat sourdough bread recipe that is flavorful, soft and easy to make! 4 ingredients for the most delicious and healthy sourdough bread!

Ingredients

Units Scale

For the liquid levain build:

  • 100 g all-purpose flour (3/4 cup)
  • 125 g water (1/2 cup +2 tablespoons)
  • 10 g sourdough starter (1 tablespoon)

For the final dough:

  • 340 g whole wheat flour (2 1/3 cups)
  • 10 g kosher salt (2 1/2 teaspoons)
  • 20 g olive oil (2 tablespoons)
  • 226 g water (16 oz)
  • 160 g fed liquid levain from above (approximately 3/4 cup)

Instructions

Feed the starter:

12-14 hours before you would like to mix your dough, feed the starter and make a liquid levain. In a clean container with no soap residue, add the water, flour and prior day starter. Mix with your hand or a silicone spatula. Cover but leave the top just slightly cracked, so gas can escape. Set aside.

Mix the dough:

  • When your starter has doubled in volume (approximately 12-14 hours after mixing), mix your dough.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine whole wheat flour, salt, olive oil, water and the fed and bubbly levain. Mix on low with the paddle attachment until the ingredients are incorporated. Remove the paddle and replace with the hook attachment.
  • With the hook attachment mix on low until a cohesive dough forms, approximately 1-2 minutes. Increase the speed to medium-high to develop. This will take about 10 minutes. It will pull away from the sides of the bowl, make a dough around the hook and not stick to the sides. The dough will look smoother than it did during before developing.
  • Lightly oil a bowl with vegetable or olive oil, spreading it around the bowl with your hands. Using a bowl scraper, scrape the dough into the oiled bowl and cover the top of the bowl with plastic wrap. Let it rest 30 minutes in a warm place and perform a series of folds.
  • Series of Folds: A series of folds is actually 4 folds. Always fold the dough towards you, rotating the bowl between each fold rather than trying to contort your body. You will get a tighter fold and shape. Grab one side of the dough and pull it up slightly then fold it down over itself into the middle. Rotate the bowl 90 degrees and repeat 3 more times, rotating after each fold.
  • Let the dough rest 30 minutes more and repeat the series of folds. The dough should stand tall and hold its shape in the bowl.  If your dough sinks immediately after this second set of folds, you should make a third set of folds after letting it sit 15 minutes.

Proofing & Shaping:

  • Proof the dough in the bowl for 6-8 hours in a warm spot until doubled and light and airy. You should see visible bubbles in the dough.
  • Before shaping prepare your banneton. Dust the inside of the basket with rice flour. If you don’t have a bread basket, you can use a bowl that is lightly sprayed with cooking spray or oiled. You can also proof it on parchment paper but it will be flatter and not as tall a loaf.
  • Lightly dust the countertop and the top of the dough with whole wheat or all-purpose flour. Turn the dough onto the floured countertop. Fold all 4 edges into the center (much like performing a series of folds), then flip it over so the seam is on the counter. Shape the dough into a tight round by pulling it towards you with both hands. Rotate the dough 90 degrees and then repeat until you have a nice tight round that stands up proud on the counter. If the surface cracks, you over shaped (tightened) the dough. Its ok, but you’re done!
  • Flip it upside down (with the seam facing up) in the rice floured basket and then place a piece of plastic wrap on top, secured with a rubber band.
  • Place it in the refrigerator to proof 14-18 hours. You can proof it in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours. The most important thing is that you bake the dough when it is ready! The dough will be cold but should still feel light and airy when gently pressed.

Scoring & Baking:

  • Preheat oven to 450°F with the Dutch oven inside (with the lid). You can allow your dough to sit out or you can leave it in the refrigerator. It doesn’t matter as long as it was properly leavened. When the oven has preheated, cut a piece of parchment paper about the size of the basket and turn the dough onto the parchment. Use a bread lame or simply hold a straight edge razor blade.
  • Proper Scoring: Make a series of cuts to allow the dough to rise properly and in the way that you want! Hold the blade at about a 45 degree angle and confidently slice the dough. Confidence is key because you want to ensure it goes deep enough and makes a nice clean cut. Scoring tentatively will lead to raggedy edges and a shallow cut. Score with confidence! On round boules I like to do the square scoring so it rises evenly, but you can get as fancy as you’d like. Scoring cold dough makes this easier.
  • As soon as you score, carefully remove the hot Dutch oven from the oven, remove the top, place the dough in the bottom, replace the top and place it back in the oven!
  • Bake 450°F for 20 minutes and then reduce heat to 400°F. Continue baking until internal temperature is 205°F, approximately an additional 10-15 minutes. The outside should be a beautiful dark golden brown.
  • Cool completely before slicing. I know, I know. The struggle is real.

Notes

Yield – 1 loaf

Presentation – Score while the loaf is cold for the easiest and cleanest lines! This is also the easiest way to make those very decorative scoring patterns.

Technique – I have left this recipe predominantly in grams because volume measurements are inaccurate for starter. That doesn’t mean you can’t do it. Even if you accidentally don’t use enough starter, it will just take longer to proof.

Variations – Mix in chopped herbs, cheese or nuts or dried fruit.

Storage – The only way to keep that chewy, crusty crust is to store sourdough bread unwrapped at room temperature. Store a sliced loaf cut-side down on a wooden cutting board to preserve the integrity of the crust while keeping the inside moist. The moment you wrap it or refrigerate the loaf, the crust will soften. I store at room temperature for 24 hours and then refrigerate for up to 10 days or freeze.

Before You Go

I hope you enjoyed this professional chef created recipe. Check out our other delicious sourdough bread recipes or explore more yeast bread recipes. You will also love this Italian bread, which is one of our most popular recipes!