Name: Sourdough Maple Rye Bread
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 40 min
Ingredients: 400 grams bread flour; 100 grams stone ground dark rye flour; 50 grams sourdough starter (active and bubbly); 330 grams lukewarm water; 9 grams salt; 2 tablespoons maple syrup

Sourdough with maple syrup? Yes! This sourdough maple rye bread recipe has the perfect combination of flavors. Rye flour has a nutty, earthy taste and pairs wonderfully with the sugar in maple syrup. It is another fun way to change up your standard sourdough loaf and enjoy the end result. I like to eat this bread with a drizzle of maple syrup or jam as it really brings out the flavor. You can also make it more savory by adding butter or making a sandwich out of it. The texture is crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. The best part is, this is an overnight recipe so you can bake your bread by the morning 🙂 I love to start my day with the house smelling of bread!

Tips & Modifications

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. For instance, my home is cooler right now and the bulk rise was around 13 hours for me.
This recipe is specifically measured to meet the hydration needs of rye flour. If you plan to swap flours out please keep this in mind. Always start with less water until your reach the desired consistency.
Make sure your sourdough starter is active and bubbly.

How to make sourdough maple rye bread

Hands-on time: 30 minutes
Proofing time: 10-12 hours

Bake time: 40 minutes

Serves: 1 loaf

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

Equipment &Ingredients

Dutch oven or cast iron
Mixing bowl
Bench scraper
Scoring tool
Food scale
Parchment paper
400g of bread flour, I recommend King Arthur Organic Bread Flour
100g of stone ground dark rye flour, I recommend Bob’s Red Mill
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 your 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.

sourdough maple rye mixture — Dissolve the starter and maple syrup in water and then add the flour & salt

Step 2: Strengthen your 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.
Once complete, cover your bowl with plastic wrap and allow it to rest for 1 hour.
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.

Scoop and slap method

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

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.

All four quadrants have been stretched and folded

Step 4: Preshape your 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.
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.

proofed dough — Proofed sourdough maple rye dough after 13 hours

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

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 your 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 your dough

7:15 AM: Score your dough.
To do this, 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 your Sourdough Maple Rye Bread

Turn your 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. Cutting into the bread too soon will ruin its texture, as tempting as it is!
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 🙂

Sourdough Maple Rye Bread - before baking

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5 from 1 vote