Potato Flake Sourdough Bread with Freshly Milled Flour

Potato flake sourdough bread with freshly milled flour is seriously taking your sourdough game to the next level.
I didn’t think there could be anything better than potato flake sourdough bread made from scratch, until I learned that you can mill your own flour at home!

This recipe brings together the sweet, mild flavor of a potato flake sourdough starter and the hearty nutrition of home-milled whole grains. It’s soft, flavorful, and makes two beautiful sandwich-style loaves that slice like a dream.

If you’ve never baked with freshly milled flour before, don’t worry—I’ll walk you through it step by step. I based this bread off my original potato flake sourdough loaf, but this version is made entirely with whole wheat flour that I mill fresh at home. It’s still soft and mild, but with the added texture and flavor you can only get from fresh grain.

Why Use a Potato Flake Starter?

I’ve grown to really love baking with my potato flake sourdough starter. It’s not your traditional wild yeast starter—it’s made from dehydrated potato flakes, sugar, and water, with wild yeast from the environment. It has a naturally sweet taste and almost no tang compared to a traditional sourdough loaf. That’s what gives this bread its soft, fluffy texture and helps it rise reliably even when using heavier whole grain flours.

If you’re new to potato flake starters, you can find all the details for a potato flake starter recipe right here. I keep mine on the counter when baking regularly and in the fridge when I want to take a break. 

You only need to feed it about once a week—super low maintenance, and I always have a cup of the starter ready to go for bread, muffins, cookies, cinnamon rolls, and more.

Why Freshly Milled Flour?

Freshly milled flour still has all the natural oils, wheat germ, and nutrients intact from the wheat berry. That means more flavor, better nutrition, and a fuller, richer loaf. 

Once you get used to the rhythm of milling your own, it’s hard to go back to white flour or pre-made blends!

For this potato flake sourdough bread with freshly milled flour recipe, I use a blend of:

2½ cups hard white wheat
2½ cups hard red wheat
1 cup soft white wheat

This combo gives the bread enough structure (thanks to the hard wheat) but still keeps it soft and tender from the soft wheat. It also results in a flavorful loaf with a soft crumb and beautiful texture.

Equipment You’ll Need

• Grain Mill (I have a mockmill but it’s on back order so I recommend this one if you want one soon)
• Stand mixer with dough hook attachment or large bowl and wooden spoon
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Dough scraper
• Plastic wrap or beeswax wrap
• 2 loaf pans (9×5)
• Kitchen scale (optional, but really helpful!)

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Ingredients

• 6 cups (845g) freshly milled flour (2½ cups hard white wheat, 2½ cups hard red wheat, 1 cup soft white wheat)
• 1 cup (252g) active potato flake sourdough starter
• ½ cup (96g) mild olive oil
• 4 tablespoons (37g) vital wheat gluten
• ½ cup (98g) raw organic sugar
• 2 cups (437g) warm water
• 1 tablespoon salt

How to Make a Potato Flake Sourdough Bread with Fresh Milled Flour: 

Mix the Dough

​Start by giving your potato flake starter a quick stir, then measure out 1 cup. Add it to the bowl of a stand mixer along with the two cups of warm water, oil, sugar, vital wheat gluten, and all of the freshly milled flour (but leave out the salt for now).

Mix everything together until there’s no dry flour left. You don’t need to knead at this point—just get everything incorporated.

Cover your bowl with plastic wrap or beeswax wrap and let the bread dough rest for 30 minutes. This rest time is called the autolyse, and it gives your flour time to hydrate and begin forming gluten naturally.

Add Salt and Knead

​After the dough rest, sprinkle in the tablespoon of salt. Knead the dough using the dough hook attachment on low to medium speed for about 5 minutes. The dough should come together into a soft, stretchy dough ball. It’ll be tacky but shouldn’t stick much to your hands.

Bulk Fermentation

Remove the dough with oiled hands and form it into a ball. Lightly oil your bowl, return the dough to the bowl, and cover again. Let it rise in a warm place until doubled in size, anywhere from 5 to 10 hours depending on the temperature of your kitchen and the strength of your active starter. This is known as the bulk fermentation or first rise.

Shape the Loaves

Once the dough has doubled, use your dough scraper to gently loosen it from the sides of the bowl and turn it out onto a clean surface.

Try to avoid adding too much extra flour unless it’s really sticky—any added flour at this point won’t have the benefit of fermentation and can change the final texture.

Divide the dough into 2 equal parts (mine weighed about 911g each). You can also make smaller loaves if you prefer. 

Now it’s time to shape:

Use the guide below to help with shaping:

• Gently press each piece into a rough rectangle.
• Fold the top third of the dough down toward the center, pressing lightly.
• Fold each side in toward the center, one at a time.
• Roll the dough up from the top edge down toward you, pressing gently as you go to seal each layer.
• Flip it seam-side down. Use the sides of your hands to rock or slightly pull the loaf toward you, creating surface tension and tightening the shape.

This technique helps create a strong outer structure so the loaf holds its shape during the final rise and bake. It also gets rid of any large air pockets and encourages even crumb throughout.

Avoid tearing the top of the dough—you want tension, not rips. If it starts to tear, rest it for a few minutes to relax the gluten.

Use a bench scraper if the dough is sticking to the work surface. It can help you shape without having to add extra flour.

Final Rise

Place each loaf into a greased or parchment-lined bread pan and cover lightly. Let it rise until it has domed at the top and nearly doubled again. You don’t want it to over-proof—if it rises too much, you’ll get big air pockets just under the crust.

Bake

After fermentation, preheat your oven to 350°F. Once the loaves are ready, remove the wrap and place them on the oven rack.

Bake for 35 minutes, covering loosely with foil for the last 10 minutes if the tops are browning too quickly.

If you’re using lidded pans bake for a full 40 minutes. Either method will give you great results.

The internal temperature should read 190–200°F when fully baked.

Cool Before Slicing

This part is so hard, but let your homemade bread cool completely before slicing. Cutting too soon can lead to a gummy or doughy texture inside—trust me, it’s worth the wait!

Tips for Success

• Vital Wheat Gluten: Don’t skip this! It helps add structure to the bread, especially when using 100% whole wheat sourdough or whole grain flour.
• Use oiled hands when shaping the dough—it makes everything easier and prevents sticking.
• Avoid over-proofing the second rise. If it goes too far, the top crust can separate or collapse after baking.
• Want a softer crust? You can brush the tops with butter while the bread is still warm.
• Storage: Store your bread in an airtight container or bread bag at room temperature for up to 3 days, or freeze for longer storage.
• Cooling: Allow the bread to cool for about 10-15 minutes in the pan, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling. This keeps the bread from getting too sweaty in the pan but allows it to finish cooking a few more minutes. 
• Don’t skip the autolyse step: This step is crucial because FMF (freshly milled flour) takes longer to hydrate and soaks up more water than flour from the store.   
  
  

Troubleshooting & FAQs: Potato Flake Sourdough Bread with Freshly Milled Flour

Why is my dough so sticky?

Remember, freshly milled flour tends to absorb water more slowly than store-bought flour. That means your dough might feel sticky during mixing and shaping. Don’t be tempted to add a lot of extra flour—give it time to rest during the autolyse, and oil your hands and work surface instead. The stickiness usually works itself out as the gluten develops.

My bread didn’t rise much—what went wrong?

​There are a few possibilities here. First, make sure your starter is active and bubbly before baking. A potato flake starter should double within 4–6 hours of feeding if it’s strong and ready to use. Also, whole grain flours rise more slowly and often not as dramatically as white flour doughs—that’s totally normal! Just keep an eye on how the dough feels and looks, not just the clock.

How can I tell when the bulk fermentation is done?

​With sourdough bread made from fresh milled whole grains, timing can vary a lot. The dough should be noticeably puffed and about doubled in size, with a smooth surface and airy texture when gently poked. If your kitchen is cooler, this may take up to 10 hours. Patience is key!

Can I add mix-ins like seeds or herbs?

​Definitely! Sunflower seeds, flax, sesame, or even dried herbs like rosemary pair beautifully with the mild flavor of this sourdough potato bread. Just add them in during the mixing step after the autolyse, before kneading.

Can I put my dough in the fridge?

Absolutely. If you need to allow either of the rises to go longer, the fridge is a great option. Maybe you started your dough late in the afternoon and let it rise a few hours, you can pop it in the fridge over night so it doesn’t over ferment while you’re asleep. Pull it back out the next day to finish the rise. Same idea work for after you’ve shaped them into loaves. the fridge just slows down the fermentation giving you better control over when you bake your bread. 

Pin for later and share with a friend:

This loaf of bread is one of my favorite ways to use both my home-milled flour and my potato flake starter. Potato flake sourdough bread with freshly milled flour is hearty but soft, nourishing but not too heavy, and perfect for everything from sandwiches to toast. Once you make it a few times, it becomes second nature.

Whether you’re experimenting with different recipes or making homemade sourdough bread for the first time, I hope you get good results and love the final product as much as I do.

If you give this freshly milled flour sourdough bread recipe a try, I would greatly appreciate if you came back and gave it a 5-star review! It helps me out so much!

I also love seeing all of the delicious creations you make! Share your beautiful loaves over on Instagram or Facebook and give me a tag @littletennesseehome

Potato Flake Sourdough Bread with Freshly Milled Flour

Magen Jones – littletennesseehome.com

Potato flake sourdough bread with freshly milled flour is seriously taking your sourdough game to the next level. I didn’t think there could be anything better than potato flake sourdough bread made from scratch, until I learned that you can mill your own flour at home!

4 from 1 vote

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 40 minutes mins

Cook Time 35 minutes mins

Fermentation 16 hours hrs

Total Time 17 hours hrs 15 minutes mins

Course Side Dish

Servings 2 9×5 loaves

Equipment

• Grain Mill
• Stand mixer with dough hook attachment or large bowl and wooden spoon
• measuring cups and spoons
• Dough scraper
• Plastic Wrap or Beeswax Wrap
• 2 loaf pans (9×5)
• Kitchen scale

Ingredients

  

• 6 cups freshly milled flour (2½ cups hard white wheat, 2½ cups hard red wheat, 1 cup soft white wheat) 845 grams total
• 1 cup active potato flake sourdough starter 252g
• ½ cup mild olive oil 96g
• 4 tablespoons vital wheat gluten 37g
• ½ cup raw organic sugar 98g
• 2 cups warm water 437g
• 1 tablespoon salt

Instructions

 

Mix the Dough

• ​Start by giving your potato flake starter a quick stir, then measure out 1 cup. Add it to the bowl of a stand mixer along with the 2 cups of warm water, oil, sugar, vital wheat gluten, and all of the freshly milled flour (but leave out the salt for now).
• Mix everything together until there’s no dry flour left. You don’t need to knead at this point—just get everything incorporated.
• Cover your bowl with plastic wrap or beeswax wrap and let the bread dough rest for 30 minutes. This rest time is called the autolyse, and it gives your flour time to hydrate and begin forming gluten naturally.

Add Salt and Knead

• ​After the dough rest, sprinkle in the tablespoon of salt. Knead the dough using the dough hook attachment on low to medium speed for about 5 minutes. The dough should come together into a soft, stretchy dough ball. It’ll be tacky but shouldn’t stick much to your hands.

Bulk Fermentation

• Remove the dough with oiled hands and form it into a ball. Lightly oil your bowl, return the dough to the bowl, and cover again. Let it rise in a warm place until doubled in size, anywhere from 5 to 10 hours depending on the temperature of your kitchen and the strength of your active starter. This is known as the bulk fermentation or first rise.

Shape the Loaves

• Once the dough has doubled, use your dough scraper to gently loosen it from the sides of the bowl and turn it out onto a clean surface.
• Try to avoid adding too much extra flour unless it’s really sticky—any added flour at this point won’t have the benefit of fermentation and can change the final texture.
• Divide the dough into 2 equal parts (mine weighed about 911g each). You can also make smaller loaves if you prefer.

Now it’s time to shape:

• Use the guide below to help with shaping:
• Gently press each piece into a rough rectangle.
• Fold the top third of the dough down toward the center, pressing lightly.
• Fold each side in toward the center, one at a time.
• Roll the dough up from the top edge down toward you, pressing gently as you go to seal each layer.
• Flip it seam-side down. Use the sides of your hands to rock or slightly pull the loaf toward you, creating surface tension and tightening the shape.
• This technique helps create a strong outer structure so the loaf holds its shape during the final rise and bake. It also gets rid of any large air pockets and encourages even crumb throughout.
• Avoid tearing the top of the dough—you want tension, not rips. If it starts to tear, rest it for a few minutes to relax the gluten.
• Use a bench scraper if the dough is sticking to the work surface. It can help you shape without having to add extra flour.

Final Rise

• Place each loaf into a greased or parchment-lined bread pan and cover lightly. Let it rise until it has domed at the top and nearly doubled again. You don’t want it to over-proof—if it rises too much, you’ll get big air pockets just under the crust.

Bake

• After fermentation, preheat your oven to 350°F. Once the loaves are ready, remove the wrap and place them on the oven rack.
• Bake for 35 minutes, covering loosely with foil for the last 10 minutes if the tops are browning too quickly.
• If you’re using lidded pans bake for a full 40 minutes. Either method will give you great results.
• The internal temperature should read 190–200°F when fully baked.

Cool Before Slicing

• This part is so hard, but let your homemade bread cool completely before slicing. Cutting too soon can lead to a gummy or doughy texture inside—trust me, it’s worth the wait!

Notes

Vital Wheat Gluten: Don’t skip this! It helps add structure to the bread, especially when using 100% whole wheat sourdough or whole grain flour.

Use oiled hands when shaping the dough—it makes everything easier and prevents sticking.

Avoid over-proofing the second rise. If it goes too far, the top crust can separate or collapse after baking.

Want a softer crust? You can brush the tops with butter while the bread is still warm.

Storage: Store your bread in an airtight container or bread bag at room temperature for up to 3 days, or freeze for longer storage.

Cooling: Allow the bread to cool for about 10-15 minutes in the pan, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling. This keeps the bread from getting too sweaty in the pan but allows it to finish cooking a few more minutes. 

Don’t skip the autolyse step: This step is crucial because FMF (freshly milled flour) takes longer to hydrate and soaks up more water than flour from the store.