Sprouted Grains in Sourdough: What They Are and How to Bake With Them

Sprouted grains are whole grains — wheat, spelt, rye, oats and others — that have been soaked and left just long enough to start germinating, then used whole or dried and milled into flour. In a sourdough loaf they bring a gentle sweetness, a nutty, malty depth and a lovely moist crumb.

They also change how a dough behaves, sometimes quite a lot. Here is what sprouting does, how to use sprouted flour and whole sprouted berries, how to sprout grains at home, and a recipe to start with.

What happens when a grain sprouts?

A grain is a seed. Give it water and warmth and it wakes up: enzymes switch on and start breaking the grain's stored starch down into simpler sugars to feed the tiny shoot. A sprouted grain is caught right at that moment — usually when the root tail is no more than a couple of millimetres long.

For a baker, those active enzymes and extra sugars are what make sprouted grains different. They are why sprouted grains taste sweeter, why loaves brown more readily, and why a dough made with them can ferment faster and feel softer and stickier than you expect.

Sprouted flour vs whole sprouted grains

• Sprouted flour is made from grains that have been sprouted, dried and then milled. You can buy it, or make your own if you have a grain mill. It is used like any other flour, usually alongside ordinary flour.
• Whole sprouted grains (often called sprouted berries) are used fresh and wet, straight from sprouting. They are folded into the dough like seeds or a soaker, giving little soft, chewy, sweet pockets through the crumb. This is the easiest way to start, and you can do it in a jam jar.

How sprouted grains change your sourdough

• Flavour: sweeter, nuttier and more malty, with a rounder, less sharp tang.
• Fermentation: the extra sugars give your starter more to feed on, so the dough can rise noticeably faster. Watch the dough rather than the clock.
• Dough strength: the active enzymes soften gluten, so doughs with a lot of sprouted flour feel slacker and stickier. Use it as 20–30% of the flour to begin with.
• Water: sprouted flour usually absorbs a little less water than ordinary wholemeal. Hold back about 5% of the water and add it only if the dough feels stiff.
• Colour and crust: more sugar means faster browning. If the crust is darkening too quickly, lower the oven by 10°C for the final part of the bake.

How to sprout wheat berries at home

You need whole wheat berries (also sold as wheat grain — spelt and rye berries work the same way), a wide jar and a square of muslin or a sieve.

1. Soak. Rinse 100 g of berries, cover with plenty of cool water and leave for 8–12 hours.
2. Drain. Tip into a sieve, rinse and drain well. Return to the jar, cover with muslin and lay the jar on its side out of direct sunlight.
3. Rinse and wait. Rinse and drain twice a day. After 1–2 days, most grains will show a tiny white root tail.
4. Stop at 1–2 mm. That is the sweet spot for baking. Longer sprouts make the grains grassy and the dough harder to manage.
5. Use or chill. Use straight away, or keep covered in the fridge for up to 2 days.

Keep everything clean, rinse well, and throw away any batch that smells musty or sour rather than fresh and grassy.

Recipe: sprouted wheat berry sourdough

A crusty loaf with a moist crumb dotted with soft, sweet sprouted wheat. Makes 1 large loaf; about 24 hours, roughly 45 minutes hands-on (plus 1–2 days to sprout the grains).

Ingredients

• 100 g wheat berries, sprouted (about 150 g once sprouted)
• 400 g strong white bread flour
• 100 g stoneground wholemeal flour
• 100 g active sourdough starter, at its peak
• 340 g water at about 26°C
• 10 g fine sea salt

Contains: wheat (gluten).

Method

1. Mix. Whisk the starter into the water. Add both flours and mix until no dry flour remains. Cover and rest for 30 minutes.
2. Salt. Add the salt with a splash of water and squeeze it through the dough.
3. Add the sprouted grains. After 30 minutes, spread the sprouted berries over the dough, then squeeze and fold until they are evenly distributed.
4. Fold. Give three more sets of stretch and folds, 30 minutes apart.
5. Bulk ferment. Leave covered at 24–26°C until risen by 50–75% and bubbly — often 4–6 hours from mixing, a little quicker than a plain loaf.
6. Shape. Pre-shape, rest 20 minutes, then shape a tight boule and place seam-up in a floured banneton.
7. Cold prove. Cover and refrigerate for 12–16 hours.
8. Bake. Heat the oven with a lidded pot inside to 250°C. Score and bake covered for 20 minutes, then uncovered at 230°C for 20–25 minutes until deep brown and 96°C inside. Lower to 220°C for the last 10 minutes if the crust colours too fast.
9. Cool. Cool for at least 2 hours before slicing.

FAQ

Can I use sprouted flour in place of all the flour in a recipe?

You can, but the dough will be softer, stickier and ferment faster. Start with 20–30% sprouted flour and increase it as you get used to how it behaves.

Why did my sprouted grain loaf come out gummy?

Usually it was over-fermented or underbaked. Sprouted grains speed up fermentation, so check the dough earlier, and make sure the loaf reaches 96°C inside before it comes out of the oven.

Which grains can I sprout?

Wheat, spelt, rye, einkorn and oat groats all sprout well. Use whole, unprocessed grains — pearled or flaked grains will not sprout.

Can I feed my starter with sprouted flour?

Yes, though it will rise and peak faster, so keep an eye on it. Many bakers prefer to feed with ordinary flour and keep sprouted flour for the dough.

Keep exploring

See our grain guide and our article on baking sourdough with different grains. For a lively culture to bake with, our San Francisco sourdough starter is held dormant rather than dehydrated and is ready to bake with in about two hours.