What does adding honey to sourdough bread do?

Adding honey to sourdough bread speeds up fermentation since the wild yeast can immediately consume the simple sugars in honey. It creates a softer, more tender crumb while mellowing out the tangy sourdough flavor for a better sweet-sour balance. Honey also helps your bread stay fresh longer by retaining moisture and produces a deeper golden-brown crust thanks to enhanced caramelization during baking.

Can you replace sugar with honey in sourdough?

Yes, you can totally replace sugar with honey in sourdough recipes. Just remember that honey is a liquid, so you'll need to adjust your hydration—reduce the water by about the same amount of honey you're adding, or increase your flour slightly. Honey also speeds up fermentation compared to sugar, so keep a closer eye on your dough during bulk rise and proofing.

Honey Sourdough Bread: Try This Sweet Twist on Classic Sourdough!

Ingredients

Scale

500g bread flour (12-13% protein)
100g active sourdough starter
325g water
50g raw honey
10g salt

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Mix starter, water, and honey – Combine your active sourdough starter with water and honey until well blended. The honey dissolves easily into the water, creating a sweet base for your dough.
Add flour and salt – Mix in your bread flour and salt until you’ve got a shaggy, rough-looking dough. Don’t worry about perfection at this stage.
Autolyse – Cover and let the dough rest for 30-60 minutes. This period lets the flour fully hydrate and starts gluten development before you’ve even begun working it.
Perform stretch and folds – Over the next few hours, do 2-4 sets of stretch-and-folds spaced 30 minutes apart. This builds strength and structure in your dough without heavy kneading.
Bulk fermentation – Let the dough rise until roughly doubled in size, which might take 4-8 hours depending on kitchen temperature. Watch the dough, not the clock—with honey in the mix, fermentation can happen faster than expected. Look for a puffy, airy dough with visible bubbles.
Shape – Turn out your dough and shape it into a round or oval, then place it in a floured banneton or bowl.
Cold proof – Refrigerate for 12-15 hours for the best flavor development and easier scoring. The cold slows down the accelerated fermentation in the honey.
Bake – Preheat your Dutch oven to 500°F for an hour. Score your cold dough, then bake covered at 450-500°F for 20-25 minutes. Remove the lid and continue for 15-20 minutes until deeply golden and hollow-sounding when tapped.

Notes

Adjust hydration carefully – Honey is a liquid, which affects your dough’s hydration level. If you’re converting a regular sourdough recipe, remember that 50 grams of honey equals about 50 grams of liquid. Start conservative—you might need to reduce water slightly or increase flour to compensate.

Author: Natasha Krajnc