Ok, first of all, don’t give up! I had quite the adventure figuring out how to make this recipe work for me. Einkorn is a little different. I get it. It’s SO worth it! There’s a learning curve. Second, time and measurments are more about consistency than exactness. The truth is, I can’t tell you exactly how long this bread takes. It could be six hours; it could be twelve. It depends on a lot of variables.If you feel like your dough is taking a lifetime to rise, you’re probably not alone. So before you swear off natural leavening forever, please watch for my follow up post with tips about natural leavening. Although I can’t tell you exactly how to make it turn out perfectly the first time, I can give you some tips that may help minimize failures. So, let me tell you some of the things I learned on my fabulous adventure through the land of naturally leavened einkorn bread.Be sure to print the full sourdough recipe here.
The Perfect “Start”, Ready to Add to Bread Dough
Start – It’s all about that start! If the start isn’t right, you’re going to have trouble with the whole thing. For the perfect einkorn sourdough start, go here. It should look like this:
Water – This recipe may call for less water than you would think. Remember that einkorn is a very moist grain. Too much water will ruin it. So resist your instinct to overide the recipe in this one thing. Also, make sure the water is as hot as tap water can get. That way it will melt the coconut oil. Plus, adding all the other things will cool it down, and it still needs to be slightly warm for fermentation purposes.
Rising – You might be thinking, “I’m sorry, how many times does one batch of bread need to rise?” I know, I know. But, I found that this is the best way. We noticed that the start alone didn’t quite have the strength to raise the entire batch. So, we add half the flour and let it culture for a while (until it looks like a rootbeer float). Then add the remainder of the flour one cup at a time while mixing and it will have the power to rise like it should (double its size).
Dough In Bowl, Before Rising Risen Dough, Doubled in Size
Dough – The flour measurement is approximate. Add enough flour so that the dough pulls away from the sides and is soft but not sticky. It’s more important than ever to get the consistency right as soon as possible and STOP. Overkneading einkorn dough is bad news. It will be extremely difficult to get out of the mixing bowl. Also, when the dough has been placed in the bowl to rise, don’t forget to punch it down. That’s more important for fluffy bread than you’d think.
Close Up On “Spongy” Dough After Removing From Bowl
Salt – It’s better to add the salt with the second half of flour. Salt kills yeast. It’s ok when the dough is stiff, but it could be a slight hindrance in dough with only half the flour.
Loaves – This recipe makes about five loaves. You need to shape them, make three slitd in the top of each, and place in greased loaf pans.They look pretty, but the slits aren’t just for aesthetics. If you fail to make the slit, the bread will make its own and the top crust will separate from the bottom – not as pretty.
Golden Brown, Baking CompleteTime To Eat! So, there you are! Experiment, follow these steps, and expect success! It will be so rewarding when you master this. Happy dances are allowed. Deliciousness, digestion-friendly grain and leavening, better nutrient absorption. Is there a downside to this? There isn’t actually.
Ingredients
SCALE
4cupHot Tap Water
18cupEinkorn FlourApproximate
1/3cupCoconut OilOr butter
1/2cupHoney
3tablespoonReal Salt
2cupSourdough StartApproximate
Instructions
1. Mix water, oil, honey, and 1/2 the flour in a bowl.The Perfect "Start", Ready to Add to Bread Dough2. Add start (You should have previously fed the start with 2 cups of flour and 1 cup of water)3. Let rest until it begins to get bubbly (May take a couple hours, should resemble a rootbeer float...but probably not taste like one)4. Add salt and the remaining flour until it doesn't stick to your fingers and pulls away from the sides of the bowl (DO NOT over-knead it. It becomes extremely difficult to work with). You may not add all of the remaining flour or you may add more. It's all about the consistency.5. Transfer it to a bowl (Preferably glass or stainless steel), punch down, cover and leave to rise in a warm place (I recommend a slightly warm oven or my personal favorite, a wonder oven). Leave it until it doubles in size (several hours).Dough In Bowl, Before RisingRisen Dough, Doubled in SizeClose Up On "Spongy" Dough After Removing From Bowl6. Shape into 5 loaves about as long as a large orange juice can. Make three slits in the top of each loaf. Place into greased bread pans.7. Let loaves rise in oven until they double in size.Shaped Loaves, Ready to RiseRisen Loaves, Ready to Bake
8. When they have risen, leave them in oven and preheat it to 350° (with the loaves still in the oven). Preheating plus baking time should equal about 38 minutes depending on your oven.9. When they are golden brown, remove and brush coconut oil (or butter) on top.10. Enjoy!Golden Brown, Baking CompleteTime To Eat!
For a more detailed explanation go here.To see all the other things you can do with this awesome recipe, go here.
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Reviews
65 thoughts on “Naturally Leavened (Sourdough) Einkorn Bread”
Christine
I have made yeast, white flour bread for ~30 years. I am now ready to begin making naturally leavened bread with newly ground einkorn kernals (which I have, and a mill). However, I have not made bread with a starter before. Where do I get the 1-2 TBS to begin with, to which I add my flour and water? Thank you for your assistance.
Christine, we got ours from a friend. However, you can make your own, but it does take a few days. Read this article to learn how to create your own start.
Another question..
when you say einkorn flour…I’m assuming you mean flour from our own home ground einkorn and not the white einkorn flour you can buy from Jovial Foods, correct?
How much starter do you actually use in this recipe? Is it 1 cup, 2 cups? I’ve never used a sourdough recipe that didn’t tell me how much to use. I use my sourdough all the time and feed it regularly. I never have my starter down to less than 2 cups or so.
Coralee, I didn’t put the amount because I usually just pour all of it in and use what’s sticking to the sides of the bowl for a new start. It ends up being about 2 cups though.
Hi Marley, cooking does have an impact on some of the attributes such as antioxidants but it’s interesting that the following article explains how a study shows that antioxidants in einkorn are better preserved during baking, compared with other types of wheat: http://www.einkorn.com/antioxidants-in-einkorn-better-preserved-in-baking-process/
Dehulling simply removes the outer husk, which is not edible. Most grains do not have this outer husk. The husk actually preserves the seed really well until it is removed and ready to eat.
Three more questions…
1- How much start are you using before you feed it with 2 cups of flour and 1 cup of water? And…Do you put in the entire load of just fed starter into the recipe?
2- What size are your bread pans?
3- How much does each newly shaped loaf of dough weigh before you put it in the pan to rise?
One more thing. I have learned that letting the dough/bread rise in a cooler place produces much sweeter bread if you don’t want such a sour flavor. My bread rises sometimes for 24 hours and it is delicious!
Michelle, thank you for your questions.
– Yes, it is 18 cups of flour to 4 cups of water. Einkorn is different from regular wheat. It is naturally much wetter. However, even when baking bread with regular wheat, I normally use 6 1/2 cups of water to 18 cups of flour. There are a lot of factors to be considered, one of them being climate. So, it really all depends on the consistency.
– Prior to feeding the start there is no more than a tablespoon of previous start in the bowl because I just use what is sticking to the sides of the bowl after I use the start.
– Yes, I use the entire start in the bread recipe (And leave what’s sticking to the side to be fed for a new start).
– The bread pans are 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 2. I am not sure about the exact weight. It’s just about look and feel. It should make five even loaves. I hope this helps.
Hi, I have at least a couple cups of stater. So I should just scoop out 1 TB and then feed it 2 cups of flour and 1 cup of water? And it should sit until its bubbly again and use the whole thing in the recipe. So you always just save a TB from each starter? So if you had your starter in the fridge already with the 2 cups of flour and starter and the water and want to use it a couple days later what do you feed it to get it going to bake with for that day? Do you discard all but a TB? What would you feed your starter with once a week? How long do you leave it out of the fridge while its eating, until you put it back in the fridge if your not useing it? What do you like to cover your bowls with while proofing so it doesn’t get a skin? Sorry for all the Questions. Hope to hear back from you! Thanks Sarah
Hi Sarah, Yes you want to keep about a tablespoon of starter to culture the next batch. It needs to sit until bubbly again before it is ready to use. If you want to store it in the fridge between uses, I would only store a small amount (Maybe 3/4 cup of flour and a little water with the tablespoon of starter). Then the night before you want to use it, take it out and feed it with the flour and water and leave it overnight to be used the next day. We cover ours with a cloth or plate while it’s culturing. It just needs to be loosely covered. In the fridge, you can just keep it in a mason jar. I hope that helps.
Please tell me…does the recipe really have 18 cups of flour to 4 cups of water? I’ve been making naturally leavened bread now for 2 years and I only use 9 cups of flour to 4 cups of water. Did you mean 8 cups? Let me know before I try this at home. 🙂
These loaves look great! I have baked regular bread for 25 plus years, but einkorn is eating my lunch!! I cannot seem to master the sourdough starter. PLEASE what started did you use? I so far refuse to buy one, as it is SO basic, it should be doable. What size of pan are you using, these seem smallish to me.
Thanks or a prompt reply.
Katie Pierce
Katie, there is definitely a learning curve with Einkorn. The start we use was given to us by a friend. It was just a regular wheat start. We recently mastered the proportions feeding it with Einkorn instead of regular wheat flour. Where the start comes from is not as important as the consistency (see pictures). Watch for the upcoming article about sourdough starts for more information about how to begin and take care of one. The pans are 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 2.
Hi Dora,
We don’t have sourdough start available to ship. We do, however, have instructions for how to start one yourself (http://www.einkorn.com/how-to-create-your-sourdough-start-using-einkorn/). You can also ask around and see if anyone in your area has some available. Hope this helps!
Dough In Bowl, Before Rising 
Close Up On “Spongy” Dough After Removing From Bowl
Golden Brown, Baking Complete 
Time To Eat!
![IMG_1212[1]](https://www.einkorn.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/IMG_12121-608x456.jpg)
65 thoughts on “Naturally Leavened (Sourdough) Einkorn Bread”
I have made yeast, white flour bread for ~30 years. I am now ready to begin making naturally leavened bread with newly ground einkorn kernals (which I have, and a mill). However, I have not made bread with a starter before. Where do I get the 1-2 TBS to begin with, to which I add my flour and water? Thank you for your assistance.
Christine, we got ours from a friend. However, you can make your own, but it does take a few days. Read this article to learn how to create your own start.
Another question..
when you say einkorn flour…I’m assuming you mean flour from our own home ground einkorn and not the white einkorn flour you can buy from Jovial Foods, correct?
Michelle, yes, the flour is whole einkorn flour from our home flour mill.
How much starter do you actually use in this recipe? Is it 1 cup, 2 cups? I’ve never used a sourdough recipe that didn’t tell me how much to use. I use my sourdough all the time and feed it regularly. I never have my starter down to less than 2 cups or so.
Coralee, I didn’t put the amount because I usually just pour all of it in and use what’s sticking to the sides of the bowl for a new start. It ends up being about 2 cups though.
If it is cooked does and dehulled does it take the nutrition out of it
Hi Marley, cooking does have an impact on some of the attributes such as antioxidants but it’s interesting that the following article explains how a study shows that antioxidants in einkorn are better preserved during baking, compared with other types of wheat:
http://www.einkorn.com/antioxidants-in-einkorn-better-preserved-in-baking-process/
Dehulling simply removes the outer husk, which is not edible. Most grains do not have this outer husk. The husk actually preserves the seed really well until it is removed and ready to eat.
Three more questions…
1- How much start are you using before you feed it with 2 cups of flour and 1 cup of water? And…Do you put in the entire load of just fed starter into the recipe?
2- What size are your bread pans?
3- How much does each newly shaped loaf of dough weigh before you put it in the pan to rise?
One more thing. I have learned that letting the dough/bread rise in a cooler place produces much sweeter bread if you don’t want such a sour flavor. My bread rises sometimes for 24 hours and it is delicious!
Thanks so much. I love making bread!
Michelle, thank you for your questions.
– Yes, it is 18 cups of flour to 4 cups of water. Einkorn is different from regular wheat. It is naturally much wetter. However, even when baking bread with regular wheat, I normally use 6 1/2 cups of water to 18 cups of flour. There are a lot of factors to be considered, one of them being climate. So, it really all depends on the consistency.
– Prior to feeding the start there is no more than a tablespoon of previous start in the bowl because I just use what is sticking to the sides of the bowl after I use the start.
– Yes, I use the entire start in the bread recipe (And leave what’s sticking to the side to be fed for a new start).
– The bread pans are 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 2. I am not sure about the exact weight. It’s just about look and feel. It should make five even loaves. I hope this helps.
Hi, I have at least a couple cups of stater. So I should just scoop out 1 TB and then feed it 2 cups of flour and 1 cup of water? And it should sit until its bubbly again and use the whole thing in the recipe. So you always just save a TB from each starter? So if you had your starter in the fridge already with the 2 cups of flour and starter and the water and want to use it a couple days later what do you feed it to get it going to bake with for that day? Do you discard all but a TB? What would you feed your starter with once a week? How long do you leave it out of the fridge while its eating, until you put it back in the fridge if your not useing it? What do you like to cover your bowls with while proofing so it doesn’t get a skin? Sorry for all the Questions. Hope to hear back from you! Thanks Sarah
Hi Sarah, Yes you want to keep about a tablespoon of starter to culture the next batch. It needs to sit until bubbly again before it is ready to use. If you want to store it in the fridge between uses, I would only store a small amount (Maybe 3/4 cup of flour and a little water with the tablespoon of starter). Then the night before you want to use it, take it out and feed it with the flour and water and leave it overnight to be used the next day. We cover ours with a cloth or plate while it’s culturing. It just needs to be loosely covered. In the fridge, you can just keep it in a mason jar. I hope that helps.
Please tell me…does the recipe really have 18 cups of flour to 4 cups of water? I’ve been making naturally leavened bread now for 2 years and I only use 9 cups of flour to 4 cups of water. Did you mean 8 cups? Let me know before I try this at home. 🙂
These loaves look great! I have baked regular bread for 25 plus years, but einkorn is eating my lunch!! I cannot seem to master the sourdough starter. PLEASE what started did you use? I so far refuse to buy one, as it is SO basic, it should be doable. What size of pan are you using, these seem smallish to me.
Thanks or a prompt reply.
Katie Pierce
I meant to say, “starter” and “Thanks FOR a a prompt reply”…geesh,
Katie, there is definitely a learning curve with Einkorn. The start we use was given to us by a friend. It was just a regular wheat start. We recently mastered the proportions feeding it with Einkorn instead of regular wheat flour. Where the start comes from is not as important as the consistency (see pictures). Watch for the upcoming article about sourdough starts for more information about how to begin and take care of one. The pans are 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 2.
What kind of baking pans do you use? I’ve never found bright shiny stainless looking ones any where either non stick coated or glass.
Hi Susan, these were purchased from Azure Standard. You can take a look here.
Where do I get sourdough start from?
Hi Phyllis, We’re working some instructions for this. We’ll be in touch soon 🙂
Here’s an explanation for how to create your own start: http://www.einkorn.com/how-to-create-your-sourdough-start-using-einkorn/
Hi There,
I need some Einkorn sourdough starter. Do you have any available for purchase??
Hi Dora,
We don’t have sourdough start available to ship. We do, however, have instructions for how to start one yourself (http://www.einkorn.com/how-to-create-your-sourdough-start-using-einkorn/). You can also ask around and see if anyone in your area has some available. Hope this helps!