Inspired by the iconic Outback Steakhouse® loaf — reimagined with the flavor depth of Civilized Coffee.

A Homemade Twist on the Famous Outback Bread

There’s nothing quite like the warm, sweet-molasses aroma of the brown bread served at your favorite steakhouse. Soft inside, slightly chewy outside, it’s that Honey Wheat Bushman Bread everyone asks for seconds of.

At Civilized Coffee, Gail Patterson — our CEO’s wife and an experienced sourdough baker — recreated this classic loaf using her own starter and Civilized Coffee Espresso Powder for deeper color and complexity. The result? A sourdough brown bread that’s both rustic and restaurant-worthy — and 100% made for sharing.

Why Espresso Powder Belongs in Bread

Espresso powder doesn’t make bread taste like coffee — it amplifies the chocolate, molasses, and wheat flavors and that’s exactly why we use it in this honey wheat style sourdough.
Civilized Coffee’s Instant Espresso Powder, named Best Espresso Powder by America’s Test Kitchen, gives this loaf its signature richness and aroma — no overnight brewing required.

Perfect For

Serving with steakhouse-style dinners at home

A sweet, hearty appetizer with butter or honey

Toasting for a next-level PB & J

Pairing with soups or salads

 

Sourdough Brown Bread Recipe

Yields: 2 loaves  Cook Time: 35 minutes  Rise Time: 10 hours

Sweet and hearty — a delicious appetizer or stand-alone snack.

Ingredients

• 236 g coffee water (dissolve 7 g of Espresso Powder in water)

• 120 g active sourdough starter

• 60 g honey

• 60 g molasses

• 42 g melted butter (cooled < 110 °F)

• 220 g bread flour

• 200 g whole wheat flour

• 60 g rye flour

• 24 g brown sugar

• 15 g cocoa powder

• 3 g Civilized Coffee Instant Espresso Powder

• 9 g salt

• (Optional) rolled oats for topping

Directions

1. Mix flours and coffee water in a medium bowl until a rough dough forms. Cover and rest 45 minutes.
2. Combine the sourdough starter, honey, molasses, and melted butter in a separate bowl. (Make sure the butter has cooled to below 110°F — hotter butter can damage the starter.)
3. Add sugar, cocoa, espresso powder, and salt to the dough. Gradually mix in wet ingredients until smooth (it will be sticky).
4. First rise: Transfer dough to a lightly oiled bowl; cover and let rise 8–10 hours until doubled.
5. Shape loaves: Divide, roll in oats if desired, place in loaf pans, and cover 2 hours. (Optional: refrigerate overnight for slow fermentation.)
6. Bake: Preheat oven to 350 °F. Bake 30–35 minutes or until internal temp 195–200 °F.
7. Cool and enjoy with butter, honey, or your favorite spread.

The Art of Instant™ Meets the Craft of Sourdough

At Civilized Coffee, instant doesn’t mean compromise — it means freedom to create.
Freedom to blend the craft of sourdough with the simplicity of instant. Gail’s Honey Wheat Bushman-style Sourdough Brown Bread proves that a touch of espresso powder can elevate even the most familiar flavors.

Bake it once, and your kitchen will smell just like your favorite Outback Steakhouse®.