This honey oat sourdough bread has a soft, tender crumb, subtle honey sweetness, and a beautiful oat-coated crust. A small amount of whole wheat flour adds a little earthy flavor without overpowering the loaf.

This is a slightly more advanced sourdough recipe because the hydrated oats and honey make the dough softer and stickier than a basic sourdough loaf. The shaped loaf is refrigerated overnight before baking the next day, so you’ll need to plan ahead.

If you’re new to sourdough, I recommend getting comfortable with a traditional sourdough loaf like this traditional overnight sourdough bread before trying this one.

The hydrated oats keep the bread tender while adding a pleasant oat flavor and texture. The finished loaf is especially good toasted with butter and honey, but it also works well with savory toppings. And if you’re just looking to use up some sourdough starter, these sourdough cinnamon muffins are a great choice.

Ingredients

Please scroll down for the full recipe. Here are a few notes about the ingredients that matter most for this loaf.

Oats – use old-fashioned rolled oats rather than quick oats or steel-cut oats. They’re hydrated with hot water before being added to the dough.
Sourdough starter – use an active 100% hydration starter that is at or near its peak when you mix the dough. A weak or overripe starter can make fermentation take considerably longer.
Bread flour or all-purpose flour with a higher protein content – bread flour or a all-purpose flour with approximately 11.5-12.5% protein works well. The dough is soft and sticky, so a stronger flour helps it develop enough strength to hold its shape. I used Costco Organic All-Purpose Flour, which has 11.5% protein. While it is labeled as all-purpose flour, its protein content is relatively high for all-purpose flour and is suitable for this bread. I live in Germany but developed and tested this recipe using US flour, so I haven’t tested it with German flour. If you’re baking outside the US, look for a flour with a similar protein content rather than relying on the name of the flour, since flour classifications and strength can vary considerably between countries.
Whole wheat flour – a small amount adds earthy flavor and extra depth. You can replace it with more bread flour or all-purpose flour if you prefer an all-white loaf, or use rye flour for a slightly earthier flavor.
Honey – honey provides mild sweetness and contributes to the soft texture of the bread. You can replace it with an equal weight of maple syrup.
Additional rolled oats – these are used to coat the outside of the loaf. Applying them before the dough goes into the banneton helps them adhere securely.

Why hydrate the oats?

The oats are hydrated separately before they are added to the dough. This allows them to absorb water ahead of time so they stay tender in the finished bread rather than pulling moisture from the surrounding crumb. It also makes them easier to incorporate without prolonged mixing.

Let the oats cool completely before adding them to the dough. Warm oats can raise the dough temperature and affect fermentation.

How to make honey oat sourdough

This dough is softer and stickier than a basic sourdough loaf because of the hydrated oats and honey, so the process is a little different from a traditional sourdough.

As a reminder, you’ll want to have your starter at or near peak when the starter is added to the other ingredients.

Hydrate the oats. Pour hot water over the rolled oats and let them soften. Cool completely before adding them to the dough.

Mix the dough. Combine the starter, water, honey, and flours. After a short rest, add the salt and gradually add the reserved water as needed. Continue mixing until the dough develops enough strength to pass the windowpane test.

Add the oats and strengthen the dough. Mix in the cooled hydrated oats, then transfer the dough to a bowl or dough container. After a short rest, perform two coil folds about 30 minutes apart. If the dough still feels particularly slack, you can give it one additional gentle fold.

Finish bulk fermentation. Let the dough continue fermenting undisturbed until it has risen by about 30-50%, looks puffy and aerated, and jiggles gently when the container is moved.

Shape and coat with oats. Pre-shape the dough and let it rest for 15-20 minutes. Shape it into a tight round or batard, then lightly mist the outside with water and roll it in additional oats. Place it seam-side up in a lightly floured banneton. The oat coating is optional, so you can leave the loaf plain if you prefer.

Cold proof. Cover and refrigerate for 12-16 hours.

Bake. Place a baking sheet on the rack below your Dutch oven or bread oven to help protect the bottom of the loaf from excessive direct heat. Preheat your oven and baking vessel thoroughly. Turn the cold dough onto parchment, score it with one long cut, and bake covered at 475°F (245°C). Reduce the temperature and finish uncovered until the crust is deeply golden and the center reaches approximately 205-210°F (96-99°C). The covered baking time gives the large loaf time to cook through while protecting the oat topping from becoming too dark. Removing the lid allows the crust to brown and the oats to toast.

Let the bread cool completely on a wire rack before slicing. The crumb continues to set as it cools, so cutting into it while it is still warm can make it seem gummy.

Example timeline

Sourdough fermentation varies with starter strength, dough temperature, flour, and room temperature, so use this as a framework rather than a strict schedule. The timing of bulk fermentation is the biggest variable in this schedule. Do not shape the dough simply because the clock says it is time. If it reaches the proper volume and shows the other signs of readiness earlier or later, adjust the rest of the schedule accordingly.

Example schedule for bread ready to slice around 2-3 PM

This example assumes your starter typically reaches its peak about 4 hours after feeding. Adjust the feeding time according to your starter’s normal activity.

Time	What to do
8:00 AM	Feed your sourdough starter
11:30 AM	Hydrate the oats with hot water
12:00 PM	Mix the starter, 280g water, honey, and flours
12:00-12:30 PM	Let the dough rest
12:30 PM	Add the salt and reserved water; mix until the dough passes the windowpane test, approximately 8-10 minutes
About 12:40 PM	Add the cooled hydrated oats and mix until evenly distributed
About 12:45 PM	Transfer the dough to a bowl or dough container and gently fold it over itself 2-3 times
1:15 PM	First coil fold
1:45 PM	Second coil fold
2:15 PM	Optional third coil fold, if needed
After the final fold	Continue bulk fermentation until the dough has increased by about 30-50%, looks puffy and aerated, has visible bubbles, and jiggles gently when moved
About 5:30 PM*	Pre-shape the dough
5:30-5:50 PM	Bench rest
5:50 PM	Final shape and coat the loaf with oats
About 6:00 PM	Place the loaf in the banneton and refrigerate for 14-16 hours
8:30 AM the next day	Begin preheating the oven to 475°F (245°C)
9:00 AM	Once the oven reaches 475°F (245°C), place the Dutch oven or bread oven inside and preheat the baking vessel for another 25-30 minutes
About 9:50 AM	Turn out and score the cold dough
10:00 AM	Bake
10:25-10:30 AM	Remove the lid, reduce the oven temperature to 425°F (220°C), and continue baking uncovered
10:30-10:40 AM	Finish baking and transfer the bread to a cooling rack
About 1:30-2:30 PM	The bread should be cool enough to slice

* The end of bulk fermentation is the least predictable part of the schedule. The 5:30 PM time is only an example based on a moderate fermentation. If the dough reaches the proper volume and shows the other signs of readiness earlier or later, shape it when it is ready and adjust the remaining schedule accordingly.

Tips for Success

Let the hydrated oats cool completely before adding them to the dough.
Use the windowpane test to judge gluten development rather than relying on a specific mixer time.
Add the reserved water gradually. Depending on your flour, you may not need all of it.
Use damp hands and a bench scraper when handling the sticky dough.
Watch the dough during bulk fermentation rather than relying entirely on the clock. Look for a 30-50% increase in volume, a puffy appearance, bubbles, and a gentle jiggle.
Apply the oat coating before placing the loaf in the banneton. This gives you a more even coating and helps the oats stay attached.
Keep the loaf covered for most of the bake, then watch the oat topping closely during the uncovered portion so it becomes golden and toasted without getting too dark.

Can I make this without a stand mixer?

Yes. A stand mixer makes the dough easier to develop, but you can mix it by hand.

Combine the starter, water, honey, and flours, then let the dough rest before adding the salt. Work the dough with wet hands using folding and gentle kneading until it develops enough strength to pass the windowpane test. Add the cooled hydrated oats and gently work them into the dough.

A dough scraper and wet hands make this sticky dough much easier to handle.

Can I make the cold proof longer?

I recommend staying within the 12-16 hour range while you’re learning the recipe. Longer fermentation may work depending on your starter and refrigerator, but this dough has a soft structure and can become more difficult to handle as fermentation continues.

Storage

Allow the bread to cool completely before storing.

Store it at room temperature in a bread bag, paper bag, or loosely wrapped in a clean kitchen towel. For the best texture, enjoy it within 2-3 days.

Avoid refrigerating the finished bread unless necessary, as refrigeration can cause sourdough bread to become stale more quickly.

Freezing

This bread freezes very well. For everyday use, allow the loaf to cool completely, slice it and freeze the slices in a freezer-safe bag or container. Place parchment between the slices if desired.

Individual slices can be removed from the freezer and toasted directly from frozen.

For longer storage, you can also wrap the whole loaf well and freeze it. Let it thaw at room temperature before serving, then refresh it briefly in the oven if desired.

❤️ Have you tried this honey oat sourdough bread? ❤️

Please leave a ✍️ review and ⭐ rating to let me know how it turned out. I appreciate it so much! 💛

Honey Oat Sourdough