This is a totally appropriate recipe for beginners, and sourdough has many benefits. It’s much better for digestion and digestive health, can help to reduce inflammation, has a better flavour, and it’s ideal for people with some gluten sensitivity.
This spelt version is even better if you’re mildly sensitive to wheat gluten, like I am, because it’s an older grain variety and the long fermentation time makes it much easier on your system. Of course you can use regular wheat flour if you prefer (see the substitutions below). Either way sourdough is a good choice!
I typically rotate between this honey and oat sourdough, sourdough rye bread, and my dark rye bread. The recipe has been updated to use a loaf tin, as spelt bread is much harder to shape due to the lower gluten content and this is a fairly high hydration bread. For a boule, see my basic spelt sourdough, and for a yeast version, make this honey oat bread.
In any case, this recipe is very simple, with excellent results. The crumb is good, the flavour is phenomenal, and it needs virtually no active time.
Ingredients
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Sourdough starter: rye, wheat, spelt, it doesn’t matter, as long as it’s active and 100% hydration (made with equal parts flour and water).
- Honey: liquid and creamed are both fine as it’s being whisked with the water before mixing. To make this loaf fully vegan, use maple syrup in place of the honey.
- Spelt flour: whole grain or white (light), or a mix of the two. I usually do 100% whole grain but recommend starting with 50/50 if it’s your first time making spelt sourdough. The easiest and most applicable substitution for this recipe is to use bread or white flour in place of spelt. If you live in Europe you may also be able to get spelt bread flour (type 812, or 1050 in a pinch), which I recommend if you can find it.
- Rolled oats: rolled are best, both for texture and flavour. Quick-cook oats can be used in a pinch. Oat groats are not appropriate here.
Step by Step
Step 1: mix the starter, honey, and water in a large bowl.
Step 2: add the dry ingredients and mix into a shaggy dough.
Step 3: do three rounds of stretches and folds.
Step 4: after folding, cover the dough and set aside.
Step 5: let the dough rise overnight, until doubled in size.
Step 6: turn it out and form a rough rectangle.
Step 7: roll the dough into a spiral.
Step 8: transfer into a lined bread tin, seam-side down.
Step 9: cover and set aside to rise again.
Step 10: bake until golden brown and cool before slicing.
Sourdough Versus Yeast
Originally, this recipe called for a rye starter because it’s what I typically use. It’s been altered now to reflect that any gluten-containing starter will work – all-purpose, rye, spelt, whatever you usually make it from. It should be 100% hydration.
Alternatively, you can use yeast as outlined in the recipe. It still benefits from the long fermentation time and you only need a little bit. The flavour will be slightly different with yeast, rather less sour, so keep that in mind.
There are instructions on how to make a rye starter in my book.
Hydration
Again, this is a beginner friendly recipe, and we’re not going to talk about hydration percentages. It seems like the amounts are off but they’re not – the oats aren’t soaked before adding, so they absorb a significant amount of water during the bulk fermentation.
Please note that whole grain spelt will absorb more than white (light) spelt will, and you may need to use more or less flour during shaping depending on the ratio used.
Newsletter
Stretching and Shaping
It seems that now many more people are making sourdough and I’ve received a number of questions about this recipe differing from typical bread-flour loaves lately. Please note that this is a recipe for people who aren’t necessarily familiar with sourdough, and one that uses a low gluten flour, and has been developed specifically for that.
If you are completely unfamiliar with these terms, please consider reading our posts on stretching and folding, shaping sourdough boules, and troubleshooting sourdough over on Baked.
The recipe benefits from three rounds of stretches and folds, one every half hour, before the bulk fermentation. The recipe is outlined for a loaf tin, which is easier in terms of shaping and more accessible. Originally the recipe didn’t call for any folding, like my dark rye bread, but now that sourdough baking is much more common it seems safe to assume that most people will know what it means and how to do it.
If you want to shape it into a boule, feel free to do so, and treat it like any other loaf (note that the dough is harder to work with). You can, of course, do a longer second fermentation in the refrigerator if you prefer.
Since this is a low-gluten loaf, you won’t develop the gluten in the same way that you would with one that uses bread flour or even all-purpose. It is possible to shape quite easily, though, if you have some experience doing so.
Baking Sourdough in a Loaf Tin
To make a sandwich bread, line a standard loaf tin with parchment paper and place the (shaped) dough into it following bulk fermentation. If you find shaping is too tricky at this point, don’t worry – even if you just scoop the dough into the tin, it’ll still rise well.
Using this method will result in a softer and lighter outer crust – not comparable to sandwich bread, but definitely not a crusty country style loaf. This is also a bit easier and safer if you’re hesitant about turning the bread out into such a hot container before baking, or if you don’t have a Dutch oven or other appropriate baking dish.
More Spelt Bread Recipes
Overnight Spelt Rye Bread
No Knead Overnight Buns
Simple Spelt Bread
Vegan Cinnamon Rolls
If you make this Oatmeal Sourdough Bread or any other ancient grain bread recipes on Occasionally Eggs, please take a moment to rate the recipe and leave a comment below. It’s such a help to others who want to try the recipe. For more OE, follow along on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest, purchase the Occasionally Eggs cookbook, or subscribe for new posts via email.
Easy No-Knead Honey and Oat Sourdough
Ingredients
- 350 grams water
- 100 grams active sourdough starter 100% hydration
- 50 grams honey
- 450 grams spelt flour
- 120 grams rolled oats
- 9 grams sea salt
Instructions
Day One:
- Add the water, starter, and honey to a large mixing bowl. Stir until fully combined.350 grams water, 100 grams active sourdough starter, 50 grams honey
- Add the flour, oats, and salt to the bowl. Stir until fully combined and you have a shaggy dough. Cover with a damp tea towel or plate.450 grams spelt flour, 120 grams rolled oats, 9 grams sea salt
- Do three rounds of stretches and folds*, once every 20 minutes, over the course of an hour.
- Once the folds are completed, cover the dough again and set aside to rest overnight, about 12 hours, until doubled in size.
Day Two:
- Line a loaf tin with parchment paper and set aside.
- Tip the dough out onto a floured working surface. Gently press into a rough rectangle (the short edge should be about the same as the length of your baking tin).
- Roll the dough into a log from the short end. Place the rolled up loaf into your prepared loaf tin, seam side down.
- Cover with a tea towel and set aside to proof again at room temperature until risen almost to the edge of the tin, 2-3 hours (it may be less if your home is very warm).
- Once the loaf has risen, preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F).
- Bake the bread for 45-50 minutes, or until a dark golden colour and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped.
- Cool the bread in the tin for about ten minutes before removing and cooling fully on a rack. It should be fully cooled before slicing to prevent any gumminess – cool overnight for best results.
- This bread keeps very well for a week on the counter, but avoid wrapping it in plastic as that ruins the crust. I wrap it in a tea towel and store in the oven, but beeswax wrap works well too.
Notes
* For American cup measurements, please click the pink link text above the ingredient list that says ‘American’.
Nutrition
Nutrition is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate. If this information is important to you, please have it verified independently.
This post was originally published in January 2018. It has been updated most recently with improvements to the text and recipe as of August 2021.
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Daniela says
Hi 🙂
Can I replace the coconut oil with something else?
Dairy free butter? Olive oil?
Thank you!!
Alexandra | Occasionally Eggs says
Definitely! I’d recommend a high-heat oil like avocado, but dairy free butter would be good and probably give a nice flavour.
Heather says
Hi there. Just wondering if I do the stretch and folds. How long do I ferment after that? ?
Alexandra | Occasionally Eggs says
That’s a good question, Heather, and one that I should address in the post. You still do the same length of time for the bulk proof, about 12 hours or until doubled in size.
Frank says
you dont mention shaping this in your recipe at all , do you shape after long rise ?
Alexandra | Occasionally Eggs says
This is a very beginner sourdough and it’s not shaped before baking, rather just goes straight into the hot baking dish. If you prefer then you can shape before baking.
Megan Gunter says
No folding of the dough necessary?
Alexandra | Occasionally Eggs says
Hi Megan – this was developed specifically as a very simple, approachable loaf with no special steps that are usually taken in sourdough. If you’re a more experienced baker, I recommend three rounds of stretches and folds over the course of an hour before the bulk proof.
Meghan says
Hi! Do you think this will work with one of the “cup for cup” or “measure for measure” gluten free flour mixes? I’m making a GF starter right now and will be ready to bake in a couple of days. Thanks in advance!
Alexandra | Occasionally Eggs says
Hi Meghan, I’m sorry, I don’t think this would work with a GF mix – you’d have to add some extra binding agent. I recommend checking out Aran Goyoaga’s most recent book or reaching out to her on social media (Cannelle et Vanille), as she probably has a GF honey oat bread or can point you in the right direction!
Hermione says
Thank you so much for this perfect no-fuss recipe. I’ve made it not only with spelt, but also with rye, with wheat, and even with a starter straight from the fridge and not actually active.
This is brilliant!
Thank you so much, from the heart of a sourdough-novice.
Melina Chan says
Can I use oat flour instead of oats ? (I don’t have oats but have oat flour OR oat bran?
Alexandra says
Hi Melina, I’m not really sure what do recommend as this is an oat bread. You can simply leave them out if you prefer.
Heather says
Made it yesterday – IT IS FANTASTIC! Thank you sooooooooo much!
Heather says
Hi! Thank you so much for this recipe. I’m trying to figure what sized Dutch oven I should use? Do you know what size your Pyrex dish is? Thanks!
Alexandra | Occasionally Eggs says
I prefer a smaller Dutch oven for this recipe to keep the dough from spreading much – the one I used is about 9 inches, but you can go a little bigger or smaller : )
Heather says
Great! Thanks – I have that size. Can’t wait to make it!
Mary says
Can I omit the honey? I prefer bread without added sugar
Alexandra says
I haven’t tried, but it should be fine!
Melanie says
Hello! Do I really need to use a rye starter? Could I also use a wheat or a spelt one?
Also, what % hydration does the starter have to be?
Thank you!
Alexandra | Occasionally Eggs says
Hi Melanie! Any starter should work well, I just only ever use rye. Mine is 100% hydration. It’s a bit of a loose recipe as far as sourdough goes!
Georgia Thompson says
HI! I’m so excited to make my own bread! I’ve never done it before. If I chose to do a loaf for sandwich bread, do you still add the starter?
Alexandra | Occasionally Eggs says
That’s great! Yes, you still add the starter – it’s the leavening agent in this recipe, and without it your bread won’t rise at all. You can also take a peek at this recipe, which is similar but uses a little yeast instead of starter.
Georgia Thompson says
Thank you so very much!! Your blog is beautiful! : ) : )
Alexandra | Occasionally Eggs says
Thank you! I hope you love the recipe : )
Olivia says
Thanks for the great recipe! Can I use regular unbleached white flour instead of spelt flour? Or could I use oat flour instead of spelt flour?
Alexandra | Occasionally Eggs says
Hi Olivia! You can definitely use white flour here and it’ll work very well. I don’t recommend switching the spelt out for oat in this recipe because it doesn’t have gluten. Hope that helps!
Olivia says
Thanks Alexandra!! I can’t wait to try this in a few weeks!
Sybil G. says
I made your recipe this weekend, using my spelt starter and freshly ground organic spelt berries. It fermented at RT for 19 hours. I shaped it and placed it in a banneton for 40 minutes, then baked it as instructed.
I was very happy with the result, a tasty loaf, so easy to make.
I used half organic full fat yogurt and half water.
I intend to try your other 2 loaves and shared your recipe in our FB group, Whole Grain Sourdough Baker, so hopefully more will try it.
Thank you for the lovely recipe.
Matt says
I’m excited to use this recipe for my first sourdough, I’m going to use 3 cups of Spelt and 1 cup of Rye along with my rye starter, I’m curious if the same recipe will all work without the rolled oats.
Alexandra | Occasionally Eggs says
Hi Matt, I hope it worked out! It sounds much like my overnight spelt rye bread and that’s a great everyday recipe : )
Grace says
I finally bought a bunch of spelt flour and I want to make this loaf. I think I’ll use more starter because I don’t have a rye starter (or any rye flour and I have too many different flours to buy yet another kind).
If I make it in a loaf tin, would I need to divide the dough into 2 tins? The amount of flour seems to be more than normally called for in a loaf recipe. How does it turn out when you make it in a loaf tin?
Alexandra | Occasionally Eggs says
Hi Grace! Depending on the size of your loaf tin, you probably don’t have to split it into two. A standard bread tin will be fine, but if you find that your dough is a bit much, then it’s no problem to split it into two. It doesn’t turn out as crusty as it does in a dutch oven, but it makes a very good sandwich bread when baked in a tin. You can see my overnight dark rye as an example (though the honey oat bread tends to have a bit more oven spring).
Amy says
I only have whole wheat flour and oats at the moment, will this bread work if i just sub wheat for the spelt?
Alexandra | Occasionally Eggs says
That’ll be totally fine, go for it!
Linda says
Can I just use my regular 100% hydration white starter? I already have two staters in my fridge (100% hydration and a drier 67% hydration) and being a single senior, bread lasts a long time. I keep a variety in my freezer, but it does mean feeding and discarding a lot of starter.
Alexandra | Occasionally Eggs says
Yes, I’m sure that’ll be fine. I’m going to update the recipe to reflect that any starter can be used – I just always use a full rye starter as I find it easiest, but it won’t matter.
Courtney says
Hi there! So I’m very interested in making this loaf…however, I have never made a sourdough before so I am very unfamiliar with starters. Is there a particular recipe you used for this one that you could walk us through? It would be super helpful!
Alexandra | Occasionally Eggs says
Hi Courtney! Happy to hear that you’d like to make this bread 🙂 I recommend following this tutorial if you’re completely unfamiliar, it should set you in the right direction!
Emma says
Just curious if you’ve used a shorter proof time… I’ve just made it but realized I only have 13 proof window before I wanted to use it… I’ve also used 150g of starter.
Alexandra | Occasionally Eggs says
Hi Emma! I have, just added a little extra starter and kept the dough in a warm-ish spot. I’m sure it’ll be fine with 13 hours proofing.
Rebecca says
I don’t have spelt- but I have rye, amaranth, coconut, almond and whole wheat flours. Thoughts?! Can I sub all rye?
Alexandra says
Hi Rebecca! I would suggest doing a mix of rye and whole wheat in this case – a bit more like my overnight rye bread, but keep everything else the same.
Alexandra Daum says
Hi Carole! It's a normal sourdough starter, what's needed to bake a true sourdough. I make it myself, just adding 2 tbsp each water and rye flour to a jar and mixing, adding every day, until it's bubbling. Nataša from mydailysourdoughbread.com has a great step-by-step tutorial for it. It's really easy to make yourself! I think you can buy starters online but I'm not sure – it'll be about a week from starting that yours will be ready to go if you make it yourself 🙂
Carole Coward says
I’m unfamiliar with rye starter… do I need to special order something like this?