Einkorn Sourdough Bread

On Apr 04, 2019, • Updated Jul 27, 2025

4.54 from 162 votes

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This einkorn sourdough bread is made with 100% all-purpose einkorn flour, which gives you a light-colored loaf with a soft, tender crumb and rich, buttery flavor. It’s naturally fermented for a mild tang and doesn’t require any kneading, just gentle folds and time to rest. No special flour blends, no extra steps. Just the simple beauty of einkorn at its best.

Two airy, golden-crusted bread slices stacked on a white plate. — Einkorn sourdough bread

New to sourdough? You might want to start with my Dutch oven sourdough bread made with regular all-purpose flour.

Here’s Why This Einkorn Sourdough Bread Recipe Works

No kneading needed: Einkorn’s delicate gluten doesn’t strengthen with kneading, so a few folds and some rest time are all it takes.

Flexible timing: A long, slow ferment in the fridge gives you scheduling wiggle room and a deeper sourdough tang.

Straightforward ingredients: Just four basics; starter, water, all-purpose einkorn flour, and salt. No blends or fillers, so nothing masks einkorn’s naturally rich flavor.

Rich, complex flavor: Einkorn brings a naturally buttery, nutty taste that stands out in every slice.

Golden-brown crusty loaf in red Dutch oven on white background.

Recipe Tips

Use a mature starter: Your sourdough starter should be at its peak; bubbly, active, and recently fed, for the best rise and flavor.

Wet your hands: Einkorn dough is naturally sticky. A little water on your hands makes folding and shaping much easier.

Skip the countertop flour: Adding extra flour can weigh the dough down. Use wet hands and a damp surface instead to keep the texture light.

Proof by look, not the clock: Einkorn ferments faster than modern wheat. Watch for signs of rise instead of relying solely on time.

Flour your basket: A 50/50 blend of rice flour and einkorn flour helps prevent sticking. Rice flour doesn’t absorb as much moisture, so it creates a better barrier between the dough and the basket.

Choose your hydration level: This recipe gives you a range of water amounts so you can adjust based on your comfort with shaping sticky dough. Less water makes the dough easier to handle; more water gives you a softer, airier crumb. If you’re feeling confident, you can even add an extra tablespoon or two for an even lighter texture, just expect a looser dough that’s a bit more challenging to shape.

Storage: This bread keeps well at room temperature for 2 to 3 days. For longer storage, slice and freeze.

Einkorn Sourdough Questions, Answered

What if I don’t have an einkorn sourdough starter?

No problem. You can still make this bread even if your sourdough starter is made with regular flour. You have two options:

Option 1 (Quick and easy): Use your regular starter as-is. Feed it with your usual wheat flour, then use it in the recipe. Your loaf will be made with 100% einkorn flour except for the bit of wheat flour from the starter. It still works beautifully.

Option 2 (Gradual switch): Transition your sourdough starter to einkorn flour by feeding it several times with einkorn. Each feeding increases the percentage of einkorn in the starter:
1st feeding: 50% einkorn
2nd feeding: 75% einkorn
3rd feeding: 87.5% einkorn
4th feeding: 93.7% einkorn
5th feeding: 96.8% einkorn

This works because each feeding removes half the starter and replaces it with fresh einkorn flour and water. After four or five feedings, your starter is nearly all einkorn.
In the end, either method will give you a great loaf. It just depends on how “pure” you want your einkorn to be.

Can I bake this in a loaf pan instead of shaping it free-form?

Yes! You can absolutely use a loaf pan if you’d prefer a more classic sandwich-style shape. In fact, using a pan makes the dough a bit easier to manage—especially since einkorn is naturally soft and sticky.

With a free-form or “hearth-style” loaf, the dough needs enough structure to hold its shape on its own. But in a pan, the sides offer support, so you don’t have to worry as much about the dough spreading out or flattening during the final proof or bake.

It’s a great option if you’re new to working with einkorn or just want a tidy loaf for slicing.

Want to try another ancient grain? Check out my spelt sourdough bread.

Two slices of rustic bread on plate with butter knife and bread board.

Sourdough Bread with Einkorn Flour

Einkorn sourdough dough can be a little tricky to handle. It is soft, sticky, and not always easy to shape. But the effort pays off. Using 100% all-purpose einkorn flour will give you a golden, crusty loaf with a tender crumb and deep, rich flavor. Once you get the feel for it, this is the kind of bread that earns a regular spot in your baking routine.

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Rustic round loaf in red Dutch oven, partially covered by striped towel.

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 45

Additional Time: 12

Total Time: 12 55

4.54 from 162 votes

Sourdough Einkorn Bread

By Dahn Boquist

A delicious rustic sourdough einkorn bread recipe that uses a natural sourdough starter. The ancient grain einkorn creates an amazing depth of flavor. This is real bread with real flavor.

If you make this recipe, please leave a star rating and comment.

Servings: loaf

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Ingredients

▢ ¾ cup active sourdough starter, 180 grams, see notes
▢ 1 ⅔ to 1 ¾ cups warm water, 392 to 413 grams
▢ 5 cups all-purpose einkorn flour, 600 grams
▢ 2 teaspoons salt, 12 grams

Instructions

Mix the dough: In a large bowl, stir the starter into the warm water until fully dissolved. Add the flour and salt, and stir until it forms a rough, shaggy dough.
Stretch and fold: After mixing, let the dough rest for 10 to 15 minutes. Then, with wet hands, grab one side of the dough, stretch it up, and fold it over to the opposite side.
Rotate the bowl and repeat this motion 3 to 4 times, folding from a different side each time.Let the dough rest another 10 to 15 minutes, then repeat the stretch and fold process once more.
Expect a sticky dough: The dough will be wet and sticky at this stage, that’s normal. Don’t add extra flour; it will make the bread dense. Wet your hands to keep the dough from sticking as you work with it.
First rise (bulk fermentation): Let the dough rise at room temperature for 3 to 6 hours, until it increases by about 50% to 75%. This is your bulk fermentation stage.
After the bulk rise, you’ll shape the dough and then do an optional cold proof (see below) to fit your schedule and boost flavor.
Shape the dough: Turn the dough out onto a work surface and gently shape it into a round. If you're using a loaf pan, shape the dough into a log instead.
Final proof: Place the shaped dough into a well-floured proofing basket or loaf pan. Cover and let it sit at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours to start the final proof, then transfer it to the fridge overnight or up to 15 hours.
Einkorn sourdough should rise by about 50% to 75% before baking. Don’t let it double. If it hasn’t reached that after the cold proof, let it finish rising at room temperature. Keep an eye on it and move it to the oven once it hits that 50–75% mark to avoid over-proofing.
Bake: Preheat your oven to 450°F. When it’s hot, gently tip the loaf into a Dutch oven or onto a baking sheet. Score the top with a sharp knife.
If using a Dutch oven: cover for the first 30 minutes. Then remove the lid and bake for another 15–20 minutes, until the crust is golden and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped.

Notes

Rising times will vary depending on the temperature and humidity in your kitchen. You can slow the rise by placing the dough in the fridge, or speed it up by proofing in a warm room or dehydrator. A slower ferment develops more complex flavor.

If your fridge runs cold, the dough may not rise much during the final proof. That’s fine—just let it sit at room temperature after the cold proof until it rises by about 50–75% before baking. Or bake it straight from the fridge if it’s ready.

For best results, weigh your ingredients with a kitchen scale. Measuring by volume can throw off the dough’s hydration and lead to inconsistent results.

Avoid adding flour to your countertop when kneading or shaping. Einkorn flour is delicate, and extra flour can make the bread dense. Wet your hands instead to prevent sticking.

Dust your proofing basket well. A 50/50 blend of rice flour and einkorn flour works best to prevent sticking. Regular flour absorbs moisture and may cause the dough to stick. If you don’t have a brotform, a bowl or colander works too.

A Dutch oven gives that classic crunchy crust, but if you don’t have one, you can bake the loaf directly on a baking sheet or hot pizza stone instead. You can even bake this bread in a loaf pan.