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Honey Walnut Sourdough Bread Recipe

★★★★★

5 from 148 reviews
  • Author: Lana
  • Total Time: 9 hours 40 minutes
  • Yield: 1 loaf (approximately 1.5 to 2 lbs) 1x

Description

This Honey Walnut Sourdough Bread is a flavorful, homemade artisan loaf infused with toasted walnuts and warm cinnamon. Using a natural sourdough starter, honey for subtle sweetness, and a long fermentation process, this bread develops a beautifully complex flavor and a tender crumb. Perfect for breakfast or snacking, it pairs wonderfully with butter and a drizzle of honey.

Ingredients

Scale

Main Dough Ingredients

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

Mix-ins

  • 90 grams walnuts (3/4 cup, toasted and roughly chopped)
  • 4 grams cinnamon (2 teaspoons, ground)

Instructions

  1. Make the Dough: In a large mixing bowl, combine the active sourdough starter, honey, and room temperature filtered water. Mix well with a dough whisk or your hand until the mixture resembles a golden, milky liquid. Add the bread flour and salt to the wet ingredients and mix until fully incorporated, resulting in a wet and sticky dough rather than a firm ball. Cover with plastic wrap or a reusable shower cap and let rest for at least 30 minutes.
  2. First Round of Stretch and Folds: Using slightly wet fingers, pull a section of the dough from the bowl and stretch it up then fold it over the dough. Rotate the bowl a quarter turn and repeat the stretch and fold until you have completed a full circle (4-6 times). Cover and rest the dough for another 30 minutes.
  3. Prepare Walnuts and Add Mix-ins: Heat a small skillet over medium-low heat and toast the walnuts for about 5 minutes, stirring often until fragrant. Remove and let cool to room temperature, then roughly chop. Sprinkle the walnuts and ground cinnamon over the dough and perform a second round of stretch and folds incorporating the mix-ins. Cover and rest for 30 minutes.
  4. Repeat Stretch and Folds: Perform a total of 4 rounds of stretch and folds with at least 30 minutes of rest in between each. Cover the dough after each round.
  5. Bulk Fermentation: After the final stretch and fold, cover the dough and allow it to ferment at around 70°F for 7-9 hours or until it has increased in size by at least 75%, is domed on top, jiggles when the bowl is shaken, pulls away easily from the bowl, has visible bubbles, and passes the windowpane test without tearing.
  6. Pre-shape: Using slightly wet fingers, gently release the dough from the bowl without deflating the bubbles. Let it fall onto the counter, then perform another round of stretch and folds around the dough to pre-shape. Flip it seam side down on the counter and cover with a bowl. Let rest for 30 minutes.
  7. Prepare Proofing Basket: Dust a banneton or lined small mixing bowl with flour (rice or all-purpose) to prevent sticking and keep the shape during proofing.
  8. Final Shape: Flip the dough seam side up. Gently fold the bottom, right, left, and top edges towards the center. Flip the dough seam side down and tighten the shape by rotating and gently pulling the dough towards you in a quarter turn until tight but not torn. Place dough seam side up in the floured proofing basket and cover with plastic wrap or shower cap.
  9. Cold Proof: Refrigerate the dough in the basket for 8 to 72 hours to slow fermentation and deepen flavor. Do not overproof to avoid poor oven rise.
  10. Score Preparation: Thirty minutes before baking, place the dough into the freezer to firm it for scoring. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 500°F with a Dutch oven inside for at least 30 minutes.
  11. Score and Bake: Transfer the dough gently from the proofing basket onto parchment paper with the oat side facing up. Score a crescent moon shape on top with a lame or sharp knife to allow expansion during baking. Using the parchment paper, place the dough into the preheated Dutch oven and cover with its lid.
  12. Bake Covered and Uncovered: Reduce oven temperature to 450°F and bake the bread covered for 30 minutes. Remove the lid and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes at 425°F uncovered until the crust is golden brown and the internal temperature reaches at least 205°F. Cover with foil if the crust browns too quickly.
  13. Cool: Remove the bread using the parchment paper and place it on a wire rack to cool for at least 1 hour before slicing to prevent a gummy texture.
  14. Serve: Slice and enjoy your honey walnut sourdough bread with butter and a drizzle of honey.

Notes

  • Temperature affects fermentation time: warmer environments ferment faster, cooler environments slower.
  • Walnuts burn easily, toast carefully on medium-low heat while stirring frequently.
  • Use wet fingers for handling dough to prevent sticking and tearing.
  • Cold proofing can be from 8 to 72 hours but avoid over-proofing to ensure good oven spring.
  • Allow bread to cool completely before slicing to maintain crumb texture.
  • Adding mix-ins during the 2nd round of stretch and folds helps incorporate them evenly without tearing the dough.
  • Use parchment paper to easily transfer dough in and out of the Dutch oven.
  • Prep Time: 1 hour
  • Cook Time: 45 minutes
  • Category: Bread
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American Artisan

Keywords: sourdough bread, honey walnut bread, artisan bread, homemade bread, sourdough recipe, toasted walnuts, cinnamon bread

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Find it online: https://mealsbylana.com/honey-walnut-sourdough-bread-recipe/