Arthur Sourdough Recipe Copycat (Soft Crust Bread Guide)

I still remember the first time I pulled a King Arthur-style sourdough loaf out of my oven and watched my kids’ faces fall. The flavor was incredible—tangy, deep, the kind of bread that makes plain butter taste like a celebration—but the crust was so hard they asked me to “cut the crunchy part off.” That night I stood in my kitchen in my socks, staring at the cooling rack, and decided I was going to crack the soft-crust code without losing the soul of a real sourdough.

After dozens of loaves, sticky counters, and more than one “oops, I forgot the salt” disaster, I landed on this version. It’s my everyday Arthur sourdough copycat that gives you that signature mild tang and open-ish crumb, but with a crust soft enough that nobody begs you to remove it. This is the loaf I bake every Sunday now. It disappears by Wednesday.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• No kneading, no complicated folds—just mix, wait, and bake.

• Soft crust that stays tender for days (the secret is in the bake and the butter brush).

• Perfect sandwich bread that still tastes like real sourdough, not store-bought white.

• Uses a tiny amount of starter (even discard works), so you don’t have to plan three days ahead.

• Budget-friendly pantry ingredients that somehow taste fancy.

Ingredients List

For the dough (makes one 9×5-inch loaf)

• 500 g (about 4 cups + 2 Tbsp) bread flour – I reach for King Arthur Unbleached Bread Flour every time

• 120 g (1 cup) whole wheat flour or medium rye flour – or just more bread flour if you want pure white

• 1¾ tsp (10 g) fine sea salt

• 60 g (¼ cup) ripe or discard sourdough starter – room temperature is fine

• 430–450 g (1¾–scant 2 cups) lukewarm water – start with 430 g if your kitchen is humid

For the soft crust finish

• 1–2 Tbsp melted butter or neutral oil for brushing

Optional but lovely: a teaspoon of honey or a tablespoon of milk powder if you want an even softer crumb.

You can swap the whole wheat for all bread flour. If you only have all-purpose, use it—just expect a slightly less chewy interior. No starter? You can make this with ½ tsp instant yeast and a longer bulk, but the flavor won’t be the same.

Step-by-Step Instructions

• Mix the dough (5 minutes) In a large bowl, stir together the flours and salt with a dough whisk or your hand. Add the starter and most of the water. Mix until no dry flour remains. The dough will look shaggy and sticky—that’s exactly what you want. Cover with a plate or damp towel.

• Bulk ferment (12–16 hours) Leave the bowl on the counter at room temperature (68–72 °F is ideal). Overnight works perfectly for me. By morning the dough should have doubled, look bubbly on the surface, and smell pleasantly tangy. If your kitchen is cold, give it the full 16 hours. If it’s hot, check at 10–12.

• Shape into the pan (2 minutes) Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan well (I use butter). Wet your hands, scrape the dough into the pan, and gently press it into the corners. No fancy shaping needed. Cover loosely with a clean towel or plastic wrap.

• Final proof (3–5 hours) Let the dough rise until it crests just below the rim of the pan, about 1 inch from the top. This can take 3 hours in a warm kitchen or closer to 5 in a cooler one. Don’t rush it—under-proofed loaves give tighter crumb and tougher crust.

• Bake (45–55 minutes) Preheat the oven to 400 °F (not 425 °F—this is the soft-crust secret). Bake for 20 minutes, then drop the temperature to 375 °F and bake another 25–35 minutes until the top is golden and the internal temperature hits 200–205 °F. The lower heat keeps the crust from getting rock-hard.

• The soft-crust finish (1 minute) The second the loaf comes out, brush the top generously with melted butter. Let it sit in the pan for 5 minutes, then turn it out onto a rack. Brush the sides and bottom with the remaining butter while it’s still warm. This is the move that turns a good loaf into the one everyone asks for.

Cool completely before slicing—at least 90 minutes. I know it’s torture.

Pro Tips & Tricks

I learned most of these the hard way so you don’t have to.

• Weigh your flour. Scooping packs it down and you’ll end up with a dry, dense loaf. A cheap digital scale changed my baking forever.

• If the dough feels too stiff during mixing, add the remaining water a tablespoon at a time. Soft dough = softer crumb.

• For an even softer crust the next day, store the completely cooled loaf in a plastic bag or beeswax wrap. The slight steam keeps the crust tender.

• Make-ahead: Mix the dough in the evening, let it bulk overnight, then shape and proof in the morning while you drink coffee.

• Common mistake: baking too hot or too long. That 400 °F start followed by 375 °F is non-negotiable for soft crust.

• Starter too sleepy? Feed it the night before with equal parts flour and water and it will be ready by morning.

Variations & Substitutions

Once you have the base down, play with it.

• All-white soft loaf: Skip the whole wheat and use 620 g total bread flour. Milder flavor, cloud-soft crumb.

• Seeded version: After brushing with butter, sprinkle sesame, poppy, or everything bagel seasoning on top. Press gently so it sticks.

• Slightly richer: Replace 50 g of the water with whole milk and add 1 Tbsp soft butter to the dough. The crust gets almost brioche-like.

• Gluten-free attempt: I haven’t nailed a perfect GF version yet, but a 1:1 gluten-free bread flour blend plus 1 tsp xanthan gum gets you close if you accept a denser loaf.

Serving Suggestions

This bread was born for sandwiches. Turkey and avocado, grilled cheese with sharp cheddar, or just thick slices toasted and slathered with salted butter and jam. It’s also my favorite for French toast on lazy weekends—the soft crust soaks up the custard without falling apart.

I pack slices in my kids’ lunchboxes and they still ask for “the soft sourdough” by name. It also makes incredible croutons if you ever have leftovers (rare in this house).

FAQ’s

How do I store this soft-crust sourdough?

Room temperature in a plastic bag or bread box for 3–4 days. The soft crust stays softer longer than a classic artisan loaf. After that, slice and freeze.

Can I freeze the loaf?

Yes. Cool completely, slice, and freeze in a freezer bag. Toast straight from frozen or thaw on the counter for 30 minutes.

My crust still turned out too hard—what happened?

Most likely the oven was too hot or you didn’t brush with butter. Next time drop the temperature earlier and be generous with the butter while the loaf is hot.

Can I use active dry yeast instead of starter?

You can, but you’ll lose the real sourdough flavor. Use ½ tsp instant yeast and reduce the bulk ferment to 4–6 hours.

How do I know when the bulk ferment is done?

The dough should have roughly doubled, feel airy when you poke it, and show lots of bubbles under the surface. It should jiggle like a slow waterbed.

Can I make this in a Dutch oven for a round loaf?

You can, but the crust will be chewier. For true soft-crust sandwich bread, stick to the loaf pan.

Related Recipes

• Best Gluten Free Bread Recipe
• The Best 3-Ingredient Keto Pancakes
• Low Carb Breakfast Burrito Bowl
• Easy Keto Breakfast Burrito

Closing / Final Thoughts

This Arthur sourdough copycat has become the bread that lives on my counter more than any other. It’s the one I bake when friends are coming over and I want something that looks impressive but doesn’t require me to cancel my afternoon. Every time I slice into that soft golden crust and smell the gentle tang, I’m reminded why I fell in love with sourdough in the first place—real flavor, made with almost no fuss, in my own messy kitchen.

Give it a try this weekend. When you pull that first soft slice and the butter melts into the crumb, come back and tell me how it went. I can’t wait to hear about your loaf.

Happy baking, friend.