Maple Oat Sourdough Bread
My maple oat sourdough bread has become a favorite in the bakery (and in our home) this year, and I have to say, it’s such a comfort loaf for this time of year. The warmth and subtle sweetness of the maple paired with the hearty oatmeal incorporated into the crumb make it such a cozy bite of sourdough. If you’re looking for a nourishing and comforting sourdough recipe that you’ll keep coming back to, this is it.
Why You’ll Love Using Maple and Oats in Sourdough
At first glance maple and oats in sourdough might seem a little weird, but trust me, it’s amazing. This isn’t an overly sweet loaf of sourdough, but the maple adds a subtle sweetness and warmth, and the inclusion of the oat porridge makes the crumb so soft. It’s an incredibly cozy bread everyone will love, especially as we get into the colder months.
Ingredients
Here’s what you should have ready to make maple oat sourdough bread:
(Makes approx. one 800g loaf)
For the Oatmeal Mixture:
35g organic rolled oats
80g filtered water
For the Main Dough:
50g active sourdough starter
215g filtered water
40g organic pure maple syrup
360g flour (Sunrise Flour Mill organic heritage flour is always my go to)
10g Himalayan/pure sea salt
Instructions
Prepare the oat porridge mixture. Combine oats and water in a small pot/saucepan on medium heat. Bring to a boil, and then turn heat to low. Stir occasionally for about 5 minutes until oats are soft. Remove from heat and let cool.
Once the oatmeal has cooled down (comfortable enough to touch), mix your dough. Combine flour, water, maple syrup, starter, salt, and oatmeal mixture until evenly incorporated. Let sit for about 30 minutes (fermentolyse).
Begin stretch and folds/coil folds. Do one set (4 turns of your bowl) every 30 minutes for 2 hours (4 sets of stretch and folds total).
After stretch and folds are done, move to bulk fermentation. Never go off of the clock (I preach this in my teaching), but at the proper stage of bulk fermentation your dough should have risen about 50-70%, have lots of bubbles under the surface of the dough, and start to pull away from the sides of the bowl on top. This time will vary depending on the temperature of your dough and room.
Remove from bowl and shape. If desired, add more oats into a bowl or on the countertop, and roll the top of the shaped loaf in it (the oats should naturally stick to the dough). Place seam-side up in banneton, and put in the fridge to cold proof.
The length of your cold proof is up to you, but my preferred time is about 24-36 hours.
When you’re ready to bake, preheat your oven to 475°F with your Dutch oven inside. When it’s up to temperature, remove your loaf from the fridge, flip out of the banneton and onto parchment paper, score, and place in your hot Dutch oven.
Put the lid back on, and quickly put in the oven. Set a timer for 20 minutes.
After the first 20 minutes, remove the Dutch oven lid and bake for an additional 18-20 minutes (keep an eye on it, every oven runs differently!).
When it’s a nice dark golden brown color, pull it from the oven and give it time to cool for an hour or two.
Once it’s cooled, cut and enjoy!
Maple oat sourdough taken through the Camp Snap camera
What to Serve With Maple Oat Sourdough
Of course sourdough goes with everything, but the flavor of this loaf makes it so versatile! It’s great served:
fresh with butter
with a warm drink
toasted with butter and cinnamon on top
as french toast
seasonal sandwiches
with a cozy soup (you could even make it a bread bowl for a fun twist!)
How to Store
To keep sourdough bread fresh the longest, this is my preferred way to store it:
At room temp: cut side down, place in a covered cake stand, bread bag, or bread box. Avoid storing in plastic or putting it in the fridge, as it will go bad faster.
Freezing and refreshing: Sourdough bread freezes and refreshes amazingly! If freezing a fresh loaf for later, let it cool completely, then wrap tightly in a plastic bag, and freeze. When you’re ready to refresh the loaf, remove from the freezer, let it come back to room temp, and then put it into the oven at 400F for about 15 minutes. It will taste totally fresh!
If you give these a try, tag me on Instagram @sourdoughmamatn — I love seeing your creations!
Want to take your sourdough skills further?
Check out my full Sourdough Basics guide, or sign up for updates on upcoming sourdough workshops right here.