Sourdough with maple syrup? Absolutely! This sourdough maple rye bread recipe offers a delightful blend of flavors. The nutty, earthy taste of rye flour pairs beautifully with the subtle sweetness of maple syrup, creating a unique twist on the classic sourdough loaf. It’s a fun way to elevate your baking routine, and the end result is simply delicious.

I love enjoying this bread with a drizzle of maple syrup or a spread of jam, which enhances its rich flavors. For a savory option, try it with a bit of butter or as the base for a hearty sandwich. The bread’s texture is a perfect contrast—crispy on the outside and soft, and airy on the inside.

Tips & Modifications

Bulk fermentation: This recipe calls for 1 bulk rise between 10-12 hours. The temperature of your home will affect this. If it is warmer you will need less time. If it is cooler you may need more than 12 hours of proofing time.

Swapping flours: Bread flour or whole wheat flour can be substituted for rye flour.

Sourdough starter: Make sure your sourdough starter is active and bubbly before mixing the dough.

How to make sourdough maple rye bread

Baker’s schedule: Mix the dough in the evening to bake for the following day.

Alternatively, the dough can be mixed during the day and placed in the refrigerator overnight to bake for the following day.

Equipment

Ingredients

400g of bread flour
100g of stone ground dark rye flour
50g of a fed sourdough starter
330g of lukewarm water
9g of salt
2 tablespoons of maple syrup (I recommend checking ingredients and ensuring its only ingredient is 100% natural maple syrup)

Step 1: Mix the dough

In your mixing bowl dissolve your starter and maple syrup in 330g of lukewarm water. Mix using a fork.

Then add your bread flour, rye flour, and salt. Mix with the fork until it becomes too difficult, then use your hands. Make sure the flour absorbs all the water.

Cover with plastic wrap and allow the dough to rest for 30 minutes.

NOTE: Your Sourdough Maple Rye Bread dough will be stickier than normal. The rye flour will soak up the water and become less sticky.

Step 2: Strengthen the Dough

After the Sourdough Maple Rye Bread dough has rested, strengthen your dough.

In this step, we will be using the scoop-and-slap method to create structure. You scoop under your dough with your hand and slap it against the bowl repetitively for 5 minutes. See the video below.

Scoop and slap method

Once complete, cover your bowl with plastic wrap and allow it to rest for 1 hour.

Sourdough Maple Rye Bread - Strengthened dough mixture — Strengthened dough mixture

NOTE: It will be sticky, but as you continue to scoop and slap, the dough will get stronger and less sticky as it starts to come together.

Step 3: Stretch and Folds

After the dough has rested for 1 hour, it is time to stretch and fold your dough.

To do this, you will use your hand to scoop under a portion of the dough, stretch it up a few inches (be careful not to rip it), and stretch it to the opposing side. See the pictures below.

You will stretch and fold approximately 4 sections or quadrants of the dough.

Stretch and folds help create gluten and structure in your dough. I recommend not skipping this step.

Cover your dough and let it rest for 1 more hour.

Perform 1 more stretch and fold, cover the dough, and let it rest overnight for the remaining time.

stretch and folds — Scoop underneath a section of the dough, stretch up, and fold to the opposing side

All four quadrants have been stretched and folded

Step 4: Preshape the Sourdough Maple Rye Bread dough

The next morning: Check your Sourdough Maple Rye Bread dough to make sure it has doubled in size.

If it is ready, carefully remove the dough from the bowl using a lightly floured hand or silicone scraper on an unfloured surface.

Sprinkle a small amount of flour on the dough and start working the dough to create a circle shape.

To do this: use your bench scraper and hand, moving the dough in a continuous circular motion until it is rounded.

Then, flip it over using the envelope-style shaping method. See the pictures below.

You will fold the top portion of the dough to the center, the left side to the center, the right side over the left side, and the bottom to the center.

folded sourdough maple rye dough — Fold the top and left side

Then flip the dough back over, seam side down, smooth side up. And gently push the dough towards yourself tightening the seams. Move in a circular motion using your hands to tighten the round shape.

Line a bowl with linen or a towel and lightly flour it. Place the dough in the bowl smooth side up and cover with a towel for 30 minutes.

Placed in linen-lined bowl smooth side up

Step 5: Final Shaping

You will perform one more shaping in this step using the same method as step 4. This is to ensure the bread holds its shape while baking.

Remove the dough from the bowl seam side up.

Fold the dough from the top to the center, left side to the center, right side over the left, and bottom of the dough to the center. Flip over and tighten the shape.

Place the Sourdough Maple Rye Bread dough back in your lightly floured bowl, this time seam side up.

Cover it with a towel and let it rest for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F with your baking pan inside during these 30 minutes of resting time. With the pan being scalding hot, this will help with a better oven spring.

Step 6: Score the dough

Cut a small, square piece of parchment paper and invert the bowl on the parchment paper so the dough is on the paper facing smooth side up.

Using your scoring tool, make a line (approximately 4 inches) at 12 o’clock, 3 o’clock, 6 o’clock, and 9 o’clock. Totaling 4 lines.

inverted bowl on parchment paper — Score at 12 o’clock, 3 o’clock, 6 o’clock, and 9 o’clock

scoring sourdough — Score at 12 o’clock, 3 o’clock, 6 o’clock, and 9 o’clock

Step 7: Bake the Sourdough Maple Rye Bread

Turn the oven to 450 degrees F. Carefully transfer your dough into the pan using the parchment paper. Place the lid on the pan.

Bake for 20 minutes covered. Then reduce heat to 425 degrees F and bake for another 20 minutes uncovered.

Upon removing the bread from the oven, place it on a cooling rack for a minimum of 2 hours.

Sourdough Maple Rye Bread - before baking

This bread can be stored in your choice of a bread bag for up to 3 days on your countertop.

Drizzle some maple syrup on a slice and enjoy 🙂

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