Family Rhythms, Cozy Meals, Simple Home
Naptime Village Recipe
A simple homemade bread recipe that uses sourdough discard, milk kefir, and yeast to create a soft sandwich loaf or boule without a traditional sourdough schedule.
Prep
20 minutes
Cook
35-45 minutes
Total
3-4 hours
Serves
1 loaf
Difficulty
Easy
Sheet pan meals
Harvest meals
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If you have some sourdough discard in the fridge but don't want to spend all day making traditional sourdough, this recipe is a great way to use it up. The yeast does the heavy lifting while the discard adds flavor and the milk kefir helps create a soft, tender loaf.
Uses up extra sourdough discard
No complicated sourdough schedule
Soft enough for sandwiches and toast
Can be baked on the grill during hot summer weather
Simple "dump and mix" method
Great for beginners
Preheat oven to375°F (190°C).
Bake in a greased loaf pan for 35–40 minutes. I like to add a strip of parchment paper to create a “sling” for easy removal and to help prevent as much browning (or burning)
Bake on a baking sheet for 35–45 minutes.
The bread is done when:
The crust is golden brown
The internal temperature reaches 190–200°F (88–93°C)
Allow the bread to cool before slicing.
# Grill Method
One of my favorite ways to bake bread during the summer is on the grill. It keeps the heat outside and frees up the kitchen.
Place a pizza stone in the center of the grill.
Turn all burners on and preheat the grill to approximately400–450°F. This allows the pizza stone to fully heat through.
Once the grill and stone are hot, place the bread on the grill.
Turn off the middle burners and leave only the outer burners running.
Close the lid and bake using indirect heat.
The pizza stone acts as a heat buffer, helping create a more oven-like baking environment.
Place the loaf pan directly on the pizza stone.
Bake for 35–45 minutes.
Place the shaped loaf on a lightly greased 9x13-inch metal baking pan.
Set the pan directly on the pizza stone and close the lid.
Bake for 35–45 minutes.
Rotate the pan halfway through baking if your grill has hot spots.
The bread is finished when:
The crust is golden brown
The internal temperature reaches 190–200°F (88–93°C)
I don't use a steam pan when baking this bread on the grill. The kefir, honey, butter, and sourdough discard help keep the loaf soft, while the pizza stone and indirect heat create a surprisingly oven-like environment.
Yes. Replace it with:
1/4 cups (60g) additional liquid
1/2 cups (60g) additional flour
Absolutely. Milk, buttermilk, or water will work.
No. The kefir, honey, butter, and discard help create a softer loaf that doesn't require additional steam.
Store in an airtight container or bread bag at room temperature for 2–3 days. For longer storage, slice and freeze. If you need a quick way to use up your bread, make croutons!
Yes. Mix everything in a large bowl and knead by hand for about 8–10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
I usually add everything to my KitchenAid mixer at once, knead for about 8 minutes, and move on with my day. Homemade bread doesn't have to be complicated to be delicious.
This bread also pairs extremely well with sheet pan and harvest meals!
Stand mixer
Mixing bowl
Loaf pan or baking sheet
Grill
Instant-read thermometer
Author: Sharon Nissley
Prep time
20 minutes
Cook time
35-45 minutes
Total time
3-4 hours
Yield
1 loaf
Mix the Dough
Add all ingredients directly to the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix on low speed until the flour is incorporated. Increase to Speed 2 and knead for 6–8 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic. The dough should be soft and slightly tacky. If needed, add a little more flour, one tablespoon at a time.
First Rise
Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl. Cover and allow to rise for about 1 hour, or until noticeably puffy.
Optional Flavor Boost
If you have time, place the covered bowl in the refrigerator for 3–4 hours after the first rise. This develops a little more flavor without turning the recipe into an overnight project.
Shape
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Shape into either: A sandwich loaf for a loaf pan A round boule for baking on a sheet pan or 9x13-inch baking pan
Final Rise
Cover and allow the dough to rise until puffy. For a loaf pan, the dough should rise about 1 inch above the rim. For a boule, the dough should be roughly 50–75% larger than when shaped. Expect this to take about 60–90 minutes.