Introduction

Honey Walnut Sourdough Bread is a delightful twist on classic sourdough, featuring the natural sweetness of honey and the crunch of toasted walnuts. This recipe creates a beautifully textured, flavorful loaf perfect for breakfast or snacking. With patience and care, you’ll achieve a crusty, aromatic bread at home.

A close-up of a cut loaf of bread placed on a wooden board, showing its dense texture with many air pockets and swirls of brownish color mixed throughout the light beige crumb. The crust is dark brown and looks crunchy with an irregular shape at the top. Around the bread are a few walnut pieces scattered on the wooden board. In the softly blurred background, there is a white ceramic jar with a wooden spoon and a white bowl with some light-colored contents, all set against a white marbled surface. photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Ingredients

100 grams sourdough starter (1/2 cup)
100 grams honey (scant 1/3 cup)
330 grams water (1 1/4 cups + 2 tablespoons), room temperature, filtered
500 grams bread flour (3 1/2 cups)
12 grams salt (2 teaspoons)
90 grams walnuts (3/4 cup)
4 grams cinnamon (2 teaspoons)

Instructions

Step 1: In a large mixing bowl, combine the active sourdough starter, honey, and filtered room temperature water. Mix using a dough whisk or your hand until the mixture looks like a golden, milky liquid.
Step 2: Add the bread flour and salt to the wet ingredients. Mix thoroughly until all the flour is incorporated. The dough will be wet and sticky rather than forming a solid ball.
Step 3: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a reusable shower cap and let the dough rest for at least 30 minutes.
Step 4: Perform a round of stretch and folds: with slightly wet fingers, take a section of dough, stretch it up, and fold it over the center. Rotate the bowl about 90 degrees and repeat until you complete a full circle (4 to 6 folds). The dough surface will become smoother.
Step 5: Cover the dough again and rest for another 30 minutes.
Step 6: Toast the walnuts in a small skillet over medium-low heat for about 5 minutes until fragrant, stirring frequently to avoid burning. Let them cool to room temperature, then roughly chop.
Step 7: Sprinkle the chopped walnuts and cinnamon over the dough. Perform the second round of stretch and folds to incorporate them, then cover and rest for 30 minutes.
Step 8: Repeat stretch and folds for a total of 4 rounds, resting 30 minutes between each. Cover the dough after each set.
Step 9: After the final stretch and fold, cover the dough and let it bulk ferment on your counter for about 7 to 9 hours at 70°F (21°C), or until it has increased in size by about 75%, is domed, light, bubbly, and passes the windowpane test.
Step 10: Gently release the dough from the bowl with wet fingers, preserving bubbles. Transfer it onto your work surface and shape it by doing another full round of stretch and folds.
Step 11: Flip the dough seam side down and cover it with a bowl. Let it rest for 30 minutes.
Step 12: Prepare your proofing basket by dusting it with flour (rice flour or all-purpose flour) to prevent sticking.
Step 13: After resting, fold the dough into a tighter shape: pull the bottom, sides, and top of the dough towards the center. Flip seam side down and gently tighten the shape by cupping your hands around the dough and turning it clockwise, pulling gently toward you without tearing.
Step 14: Place the shaped dough seam side up into the floured proofing basket and cover it with plastic wrap or a shower cap.
Step 15: Cold-proof the dough in the refrigerator for 8 to 72 hours to develop flavor. Avoid leaving it too long to prevent over-fermentation.
Step 16: Thirty minutes before baking, transfer the dough to the freezer to firm up for easier scoring. At the same time, preheat your oven to 500°F (260°C) with a Dutch oven inside for at least 30 minutes.
Step 17: Place a piece of parchment paper on your workspace and invert the proofing basket so the dough falls onto the paper with the seamed side down.
Step 18: Score the top of the dough with a crescent moon shape using a lame, razor blade, or sharp knife to allow expansion during baking.
Step 19: Using the parchment paper corners, carefully place the dough into the preheated Dutch oven and cover with the lid.
Step 20: Lower the oven temperature to 450°F (232°C). Bake covered for 30 minutes, then remove the lid and bake an additional 10 to 15 minutes at 425°F (218°C) until golden brown and the internal temperature reaches at least 205°F (96°C). If the crust browns too quickly, cover with foil.
Step 21: Remove the Dutch oven from the oven and lift the bread out using the parchment paper onto a wire rack to cool.
Step 22: Let the bread cool for at least 1 hour before slicing. This rest allows the crumb to fully set, preventing gumminess.
Step 23: Slice, serve with butter and a drizzle of honey, and enjoy your homemade honey walnut sourdough bread.

Tips & Variations

Use room temperature, filtered water to encourage proper fermentation and dough consistency.
Toast the walnuts carefully on medium-low heat, stirring often to avoid burning and enhance their flavor.
Add the walnuts and cinnamon during the second round of stretch and folds to evenly incorporate them without disrupting gluten development.
Experiment with different nuts such as pecans or hazelnuts for variation.
If you don’t have a banneton, use a small bowl lined with a well-floured tea towel to maintain the dough’s shape during proofing.
For a sweeter twist, increase the honey slightly or add dried fruit like raisins or cranberries.
Ensure your Dutch oven is fully preheated to create steam and achieve a crisp crust.

Storage

Store your honey walnut sourdough bread at room temperature wrapped in a clean kitchen towel or paper bag for up to 3 days to maintain crustiness. For longer storage, slice and freeze the bread in an airtight container for up to 3 months. To reheat, toast slices or warm the whole loaf in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 10 to 15 minutes.

How to Serve

A close-up view of a single thick slice of rustic bread sitting on a wooden board, showing a rough, crunchy dark brown crust on the top and a light beige inside with many irregular air holes and swirled patterns. Small pieces of walnuts are mixed inside the bread, adding texture and color variation with their light brown shade. Some walnut pieces are scattered on the wooden board in front of the bread. In the blurred background, there is a white ceramic container with a lid and a white bowl filled with light-colored chips or crackers, all placed on a white marbled surface. The lighting is soft and natural, highlighting the texture of the bread clearly. photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I use regular yeast instead of sourdough starter?

This recipe is designed for sourdough starter, which provides unique flavor and texture through natural fermentation. Using regular yeast will change the dough’s characteristics and timing significantly. If you prefer using yeast, look for a specific yeast bread recipe for better results.

How do I know when the dough is properly fermented?

Look for these signs: the dough should increase in size by about 75%, have a domed top, jiggle slightly when the bowl is shaken, pull away easily from the bowl, display visible bubbles, and pass the windowpane test without tearing.