How To Bake Simple Sourdough Bread: A Beginner's Guide
This post may contain affiliate links.
This beginner's sourdough bread recipe is really easy to follow. I'm going to show you, step by step, how to use your sourdough starter to make a crusty loaf of sourdough bread with a beautiful open crumb. And the best thing is that this sourdough bread recipe is very hands-off! Perfect for making sourdough on a busy schedule.
The full, printable recipe is at the end of this guide, complete with videos and photos to help you along the way. You can also use this table of contents to jump to any point in the post you would like.
What is Sourdough Bread?
Sourdough bread is made with a wild yeast starter, giving it that signature tangy flavor and long, slow fermentation. The result is a loaf with a soft, airy crumb and a crispy, deep golden brown crust that’s hard to resist. Take a peek at what a true sourdough loaf should look like.
Why You'll Love This Recipe?
Forgiving for beginners – even if you’re new to sourdough, this recipe is approachable and easy to follow, with plenty of instructional photos and videos.
Perfect for Busy Schedules – With three kids and a hectic life, I bake sourdough in the middle of chaos. This recipe is my go-to for creating delicious bread with plenty of hands-off time, making it easy to fit into any schedule.
Consistently delicious results – soft, chewy crumb with that perfect golden crust every time. This recipe has been used by thousands of home bakers in my sourdough community to create consistently great sourdough bread.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ "better than the Sourdough bread in San Francisco"
“I made my first loaf of bread using your recipe and it was amazing! My family thought it was better than the Sourdough bread in San Francisco! Thank you for a wonderful recipe!”
- Rose Prince
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ "One of the prettiest loaves I have made this year"
I am a self-taught sourdough baker and have been enjoying a modicum amount of success with my bakes for the past ten years. One thing I have always struggled with however, is the bulk ferment. I stumbled across this blog when troubleshooting, and proceeded to click just about every link off this page. I have learned SO much, and am very grateful for people like this generous woman who so thoroughly shares their hard won knowledge. So thank you very much for that, and if you’ve made it this far- try this recipe! One of the prettiest loaves I have made this year, and I’m excited to try the longer cold ferment recipe as well. Cheers from Alaska!!
- Mimi from Alaska
What Do You Need?
These are the basics that you'll need on hand to have success with this recipe.
Ingredients
Sourdough Starter - The absolute most important thing when making this sourdough bread recipe is to have a super bubbly, active sourdough starter. New to sourdough? You can follow my step-by-step guide on how to make a sourdough starter. You can check if your sourdough starter is ready to bake with. If your sourdough starter isn't ready to bake this sourdough bread just yet, why not try this crusty sourdough discard loaf or this easy sourdough discard sandwich bread.
Bread Flour - High protein bread flour is essential for making sourdough bread. If you want to use whole wheat flour, I recommend this whole wheat sourdough bread recipe.
Salt - use a good quality, non iodised salt to add flavor to your dough and help to strengthen the gluten of the dough. You might like this post on the role of salt in sourdough bread.
Water - just like when you make sourdough starter, good quality, filtered water is best.
Rice Flour or Semolina Flour - You'll need rice flour or semolina flour to prevent your sourdough from sticking to the banneton.
Digital Scale - This is so important! Weighing your sourdough ingredients will ensure you're measuring accurately and give you a much better chance at sourdough success.
Equipment
Spatulas & Dough Scrapers - A long spatula or jar spatula is handy, not just for your sourdough starter, but also for mixing sourdough bread in the initial pre mix and autolyse stages. A dough scraper is handy to flip your dough out of the mixing bowl.
Banneton - I highly recommend using a banneton (proofing basket) to place your shaped dough into. If you don't have a banneton, a bowl or other banneton alternative is fine. I generally use a 9" or 10" banneton, but you can find the right one for you in this banneton sizing guide.
Parchment Paper - A piece of parchment paper is essential for lifting the shaped dough into your Dutch Oven.
Dutch Oven - A Dutch Oven or Cast Iron Baking Pan will give you the best results when you bake your sourdough loaf. If you don't have a Dutch Oven, you can check out these ideas for baking sourdough without a Dutch Oven.
If you want a more in depth look at the equipment I use in The Pantry Mama kitchen, check out this guide to sourdough baking equipment. You might also like this guide to the best Dutch Oven for sourdough bread.
What I do differently ... and why you should too
There are literally thousands of sourdough recipes out there. Why should you use this one? What do I differently that will make this recipe work for you in your kitchen?
- Amount of sourdough starter - I recommend 50g of sourdough starter when you first start out, but you can easily increase this to 100g if it's cooler. I've written a guide to changing the amount of sourdough starter in a recipe to help you do this when you need to.
- Overnight Bulk Ferment - I love using an overnight ferment, which many people try to avoid, particularly with a beginner's sourdough bread recipe. You can do the bulk ferment during the day, but once you're confident in how your dough looks when it's ready to shape, an overnight bulk ferment is a game changer in helping you fit sourdough into your busy schedule.
- Let the dough double - If you don't allow your dough to fully bulk ferment, you'll be short changing your yourself (and your bread). The dough needs to be puffy, like a giant marshmallow, while still maintaining some of it's energy so that it gives you the best oven spring when it hits the oven. Trust me on this, give your dough time to develop and bloom.
- Semolina Flour - I recommend using semolina flour to flour your banneton or proofing basket rather than rice flour. This is just personal preference, but if you haven't tried semolina, I urge you to give it a go. You might just love it as much as me. Plus, it's the best for stopping your sourdough discard pizza dough from sticking to pizza peels, so it's super handy to have around.
Kate's Recipe Tip
- When you're beginning to bake sourdough, the best way to learn is to watch your dough. There's nothing worse than over proofed dough that fails to provide good oven spring.
How to Make Simple Sourdough Bread
Making this easy sourdough bread recipe is really easy! There's no kneading and a lot of the time will actually be hands off. You're going to read a lot of terminology in this sourdough bread recipe. If you aren't sure of some of the words, you can use this sourdough glossary.
Here's an overview of what you need to do to make delicious sourdough bread in your own kitchen (you can find step-by-step instructions in the recipe card).
1. Mix the ingredients - this is where you'll do a quick autolyse or fermentolyse in this case).
2. Form Up the Dough - turn the clumpy dough with dry bits in it into a more cohesive dough ball by moving the dough around the bowl to start the gluten development.
3. Stretch & Fold - this is a technique used to move the dough around the bowl and develop the gluten network in your dough. It basically means to stretch the dough up and then fold it over itself. You move clockwise around the dough and perform a stretch and fold at 12, 3, 6 and 9 o'clock. You can see me doing this in the video inside the recipe card at the end of this post.
4. Bulk Fermentation - The bulk fermentation in any sourdough recipe refers to the "first rise" or the longest fermentation period. It's always done at room temperature. It's when the magic happens. You're looking for your dough to double. You'll know your dough is perfectly fermented and ready to shape when it has a smooth, domed top. It will be soft and pillowy - but not sticky (just slightly tacky). Use this guide to check whether bulk fermentation has finished.
5. Shaping - shape your dough into either a batard or a boule and place it seam-side up into your banneton basket Surface tension is really important here!
6. Cold Fermentation - Often referred to as the cold proof, this is the time when your dough will develop it's signature flavor. You can leave your dough in the refrigerator for up to 36 hours. You might like to read this information on proofing sourdough in the refrigerator.
7. Let's Bake - You'll need to preheat your oven, with your Dutch Oven inside. You need to place your cold fermented dough into the hot Dutch Oven using parchment paper.
Don't cut your sourdough loaf right out of the oven. Allow it to cool completely before slicing (usually around 4 - 6 hours). Of course you can cut into your loaf sooner, but there are so many benefits to waiting until the loaf has fully cooled. Check out the best bread knife for sourdough bread and my best tips for slicing sourdough bread.
Baking Timeline
One of the other keys to successful sourdough is create a sourdough baking timeline that works for you. Many of my sourdough failures (and indeed any cooking failure) occur because I start and then I get distracted by kids and I'm not able to come back and finish.
Or you have to go out right when you are supposed to be doing stretch and folds (you can see how I deal with this in my Sunday Sourdough baking timeline).
So while my sourdough baking process has a few different stages and some suggested timings, it's not absolutely critical that you follow them to the letter. If your starter is super active and you weigh your ingredients correctly then you will be off to a fantastic start.
Let the rest unfold. Listen to your instincts. Watch the dough, not the clock.
My timeline for this baking simple sourdough bread looks something like this - but it's all negotiable.
| TIME | PROCESS |
|---|---|
| 1pm | Day 1 - Feed my sourdough starter so it's ready to mix the dough later on in the day. |
| 5pm | Premix and Autolyse (while I cook dinner) |
| 6:30pm | Form into a smooth ball, allow the dough to rest for 30 minutes while I clean up dinner and do the dishes. |
| 7pm | Perform 4-6 sets of stretch and folds over the next 2 hours while the kids do their homework and chill out before bedtime. |
| 9pm | Cover the dough and leave on the counter overnight for bulk fermentation (ensuring it's not too warm in the kitchen). |
| 6am | Day 2 - Shape and lift the dough into a banneton. Pop it in the fridge for cold fermentation. (I could bake my sourdough bread from around 2pm today if I wanted to, I just prefer a longer cold ferment). |
| 2pm | Day 3 - Bake my sourdough loaf in a hot oven after a 32 hour cold ferment. |
| 7pm | Finally cut into m delicious loaf of sourdough bread, slathered with cultured butter! |
Troubleshooting Tips
I've baked thousands of loaves of sourdough bread using this very recipe. Everyday, I get asked for advice on what went wrong in other people's bakes. There are generally 5 areas that go wrong when baking sourdough bread:
- A weak starter - this is generally the root cause of "failed" sourdough. Remember, a young starter can still quite weak. If you're not sure whether your starter is mature, read about when sourdough starter is ready to bake with. You can also read my post on how to strengthen a sourdough starter.
- Under Fermentation - under fermentation will give you gummy bread that doesn't seem to bake through. Not sure how to fix under fermented sourdough? My guide to under fermented sourdough will walk you through the process.
- Using too much water - all flour absorbs water differently, but higher protein bread flour is always best. Too much water will cause sticky, unmanageable dough. Read more about how to fix sticky sourdough.
- Over Fermentation - while less common than under fermentation, over fermentation can occur during bulk fermentation, but also during cold fermentation. Read more about bulk fermentation vs cold fermentation.
For even more troubleshooting solutions, you can read these common sourdough bread troubleshooting tips.
One Last Thing ...
We all see photos of the lacy, holey sourdough bread - they really do look amazing and it is certainly an achievement. But don’t let these photos make you feel unhappy about your loaves. Some questions to ask yourself - is my bread edible? Does it have good flavour?
While there is always room for improvement, the perfect bread is bread you enjoy baking and eating. I don’t like my sourdough with too many holes - I can’t slather butter on it when there’s too many holes 😉
Embrace the imperfection and know that your sourdough is a completely unique result of the different flours, water, wild yeasts and bacteria in your town, home & country.
That's pretty special if you ask me!
What's Next On Your Sourdough Journey?
- Learn how to add inclusions into sourdough bread.
- Try a higher hydration sourdough bread recipe.
- Learn how to bake sourdough in a loaf pan.
- Want a smaller sourdough loaf? Try this small batch sourdough bread recipe.
- Make these sourdough baguettes.
- Learn how to make sourdough at higher altitude.
Simple Sourdough Bread Recipe
Video
Equipment
- Mixing Bowl (use a 3L glass Pyrex bowl)
- Digital Scales (this is essential)
- Banneton (proofing basket)
- Dutch Oven (you can see the Dutch Ovens I use here)
Ingredients
- 500 g Bread Flour
- 350 g Water
- 50 g Sourdough Starter
- 10 g Salt
Instructions
- Autolyse - Premixing The DoughWeigh out your sourdough starter and water into a large ceramic or glass bowl. Mix the water and starter together briefly. Then add your flour and salt and mix whole lot together to form a shaggy dough. You can use a dough scraper or long jar spatula to do this. I don't like using hands at this stage as it's way too messy!The dough will be fairly shaggy and only just brought together. You might wonder how this will turn into bread, but just wait, time is your friend and the dough will change in around an hour.
- Cover your bowl with a plastic bowl cover or damp dish towel and let it sit for around 1 hour. This process is called the "autolyse" and allows your flour to soak in all the water and become hydrated. You can see how the dough has changed in this photo.
- Forming Up The DoughAfter the dough has been through autolyse you need to bring it together into a ball. Work your way around the bowl, grabbing the dough from the outside, stretching it up and over itself, into the centre, until a smooth ball is formed. You shouldn't need more than about 20-30 stretches to form the ball. You'll notice that the dough is fully hydrated after soaking all the water up. It will be fairly sticky but as you bring it into a ball, it will become smoother and shinier.
- Once the dough has formed into a smoothish ball, pop the plastic bowl cover back on and allow it to rest for around 30 minutes.
- Stretch & Fold - Creating StructureOver the next few hours you need to create some structure for your dough by "stretching and folding". Aim to do around 4-6 sets of stretches and folds. For each set, stretch the dough up and over itself 4 times. Leave around 15 minutes in between each set. Again you do not have to be exact with time, but you need to do at least 4 sets over 2 hours.
- Bulk FermentOnce you've finished your stretch and folds, place the plastic bowl cover or damp tea towel back over your dough and let it rest and ferment (a plastic cover is a better option for this stage).See notes below for more info on this step.
- Shaping The DoughOnce your dough has finished it's first ferment, it's time to shape it into either a boule or a batard. I don't like using flour for shaping, however if you feel you need it, give your counter a really light dusting of rice flour or semolina flour.Use a silicone dough scraper to gently ease the dough out of the bowl. You want it to land upside down on your counter so that the smooth top of the dough is on the countertop and the sticky underside is facing up. This will make it easier to shape and allow you to use the dough to create it's own surface tension.I like to make batards, but you can also create a boule. You can see a video of me shaping the dough at the top of this recipe card.
- Placing Into A BannetonOnce the dough is shaped into a boule or batard with plenty of surface tension, place it into your banneton smooth side down, so your seam is on the top. Stitch the top of the dough together if you need to.Lift your dough around the edges to pop a little more flour if you feel it needs it. Just try to handle the dough as little as possible and be really gentle as you really want to preserve all the gases and air bubbles that have formed during your bulk ferment.
- Cold FermentNow the dough is in its proofing basket, cover it loosely with a plastic bowl cover or damp dish towel and place into the refrigerator.Try to leave it in the fridge for a minimum 5 hours up to a maximum of around 36 hours. The longer you leave it the better your bread will be! A longer cold ferment creates beautiful blisters on your crust and a deeper sourdough flavour.
- Preparing To BakeOnce you're ready to bake your sourdough, you'll need to preheat your oven to 230C/450F. Place your Dutch Oven into the oven when you turn it on so it gets HOT. Try to preheat for around 1 hour to ensure your oven is super hot - but you know your oven so just adjust this time if you need to.Leave your dough in the fridge until the very last minute - placing a cold dough into a hot oven will give you a great oven spring.
- Let's Bake Your Sourdough BreadWhen your oven is at temperature, take your sourdough out of the fridge. Gently place it onto a piece of parchment paper.Make sure that you make the baking paper big enough to use the edges as a handle to lower to dough into your Dutch Oven.Gently score your bread with a bread lame or clean razor blade. At minimum a large cross is sufficient, but you can get as artistic as you like. Check out this guide to scoring sourdough bread.Carefully take your Dutch oven out of the oven. Place the sourdough into the pot using the parchment paper as a handle. Put the lid on and place into the hot oven. BAKE TIME:30 Minutes with the lid on at 230C/450F plus10-15 Minutes with the lid off at 210C/410F
- Finishing The BakeWhen you remove your dough from the oven, carefully remove it from the dutch oven as soon as possible and place on a wire rack to cool.
Notes
- Notes on Flour: This recipe is written using strong Bread Flour. Bread flour has a higher protein content than All Purpose flour. If you choose to use All Purpose flour you may have a different result because of this. You might choose to use this sourdough bread recipe with all purpose flour. You can read more about the differences between All Purpose Flour and Bread Flour.
- Notes on Sourdough Starter: This recipe is based on you having an active starter that you have fed a few hours before starting your bake (check out the best time to use sourdough starter). You might also find these instructions for how to make a sourdough starter helpful.
- Notes on Stretch & Folds: If you are going to do the stretch & folds on your bench top, spray your surface with water mist rather than using flour. You can leave the dough in the bowl if you want to. Wet your hands to stop the dough sticking - although it shouldn't be too sticky. It will get less sticky as you do your stretches and folds. For more information on how to do stretch and folds, go here.
- Notes on Bulk Fermentation: If your home is warm then your dough will ferment a lot faster and could be done in as little as a few hours. If it's colder, it will take longer, possibly overnight.
I would recommend that you try to do your first few bulk ferments during daylight hours so that you can watch your dough closely.
Once you're more familiar with the process - and the temperature of your home - you will be able to do overnight ferments. You will know your dough is ready to move to the next stage when it has *just* doubled in size. It will be fairly wobbly and full of bubbles. You should be able to see large air bubbles under the surface of the dough.
You don't want to let it go any further than doubled as it will be over fermented.
If you want to do an overnight ferment, but your home is warm, consider using a little less starter (ie 25g).
Less starter means your dough will take longer to ferment and you will reduce the risk of over fermenting your dough. You'll find more information on these topics here:
When is my bulk ferment finished? What is the difference between cold ferment and bulk ferment? Why does the amount of starter matter?
- Notes on Baking: If you're worried about the base of your bread burning, place a baking sheet on shelf underneath your Dutch Oven - it works! If you're worried about your bread not being cooked all the way through, turn the oven off and place your dough straight onto the oven rack. Leave the door ajar and let your bread rest there for a few hours. Make sure you don't close the door or your sourdough will sweat and you'll get a wrinkly, soggy crust. Remember not to cut into your loaf too soon - you'll need to let it cool for at least a few hours (4-6 is best).
Nutrition
Is it possible to do the bulk ferment in the fridge also? Will that enhance the sourness of the final product?
Bulk fermentation should really be done at room temp to get a good ferment and bubble going. You can do your second ferment in the fridge as you want this to be much slower.
Can you do the bulk ferment in a proofing box at 85 degrees? I'm trying to find a way that fits my schedule. I love the idea of second ferment in the fridge which allows flexibility on when to bake.
Hi Kate. I'm new to your blog and have already made some sourdough bread looking at others' recipes. How does humidity afects the process, since my dough surely doesn't follow timings even though I live in a hot country, and how do I get a less sour flavour, since I'm doing this for the nutrition part, but don't really like sour or tangy flavours, more of a mild flavour lover?
Love this Recipe! I increased the hydration to 85%and typically use 60g of starter. My starter is very active! My question is is it best to use convection if its available, and if so does that change the baking time?
When doing a double batch for 2 loaves, when is it safe to cut it in half? After the bulk ferment? And then separate jnto banatons?
I want to thank you for your site and all the wisdom you've shared! I'm just taking my 5th loaf out of the oven and earlier made English muffins. These will be hostess gifts to some friends today. Everyone loves getting a beautiful yummy loaf of bread!!!
I have been dabbing in sourdough since the beginning of the pandemic -- following other "gurus" with mixed results. I came upon your recipe while searching for how to get the little blisters on my crust although my real problem has been too flat loaves. Following your simple and clear instructions, it was immediately obvious that I was quickly building more dough strength with less work and confusion. Same starter, same proportions, much taller loaf. My problem now is that the top of the loaf is so high that the top is close to burning before the sides have browned. Haha. First world problems. I don't expect perfection and will continue refining my techniques. Oh, and I got the tasty blisters, too. Thanks for setting me on a better path. Greetings from Medellín, Colombia.
Well, I followed your recipe and directions. This is my second attempt at baking a loaf. My starter is active and about 3 weeks old. I started with: 50G starter, 350g water, 500g flour, and 10g salt. Stretch and folds looked good, except the dough was a little wet. Did 4 stretch and folds. Bulk fermented 23c room for 6 hours. Did not rise. Some bubbles. Too sticky to handle even with rice flour. Could not go into a tight ball..just a sticky, flat mess. Floured and put in a banaton in the fridge. That's the point I'm at right now. I'll leave it in the fridge to cold ferment and see what happens. Not sure where I've gone wrong.
When you do the stretch and fold on the bench, do you transfer it to the bowl each time or leave it on the bench?
Always back in the bowl and covered.
What temperature should your baked bread reach when it's done? In ⁰F?
Just wondering, if you use the long banneton, how do you bake it ? As most Dutch oven would not fit the long bread loaf. Sorry if thats a silly question
I do my stretch and folds right in the bowl, it works great for me.
After 50 stretches to form the ball and before the 4 to 6 sets of stretch and fold, the dough is still very sticky and not smooth. What can I do?
I stretch and fold right in the bowl.
Please csn you tell me what you consider a cold home and what you consider a warm home? What temperatures differentiate them?
Can I use AP or bread flour instead of rice flour to dust the tea towel/banneton with??
How does any body have enough time in a day for al these hours long steps? Do you bake at midnight then slice it at 4:00 in the morning!? What time should I be starting to feed my starter so I have enough time for everything!!??🤦🏼♀️ I'm totally overwhelmed
Does Bakers Flour mean Bread Flour? Or All-purpose flour?
Baker's Flour is equivalent to bread flour.
I’m a total Pantry Mama fan, over 18 months with delicious bread every bake now. Except my recent attempts at the multigrain loaf which though delicious, is more solid than my other loaves, not having the holey texture or ovenspring I’d like. I use my mature bubbly starter, 70gms, Lauckes Bakers flour 11.5% protein, and have reduced the water to suit. Also I used much less water for soaking the seeds as it was still too sticky. It was beautifully stretchy, bulk fermented just right (I think), cold fermented 10 hours and baked in my camp oven. Does it need higher protein flour? Or something else? Thank you for being a great teacher.
I don't have a dutch oven, but I have a nice Calphalon stock pot. Would that work or would I need an actual dutch oven?
I highly recommend an actual Dutch Oven because they can cope with higher temps. However, as long as your stock pot can cope with high heat it's worth a try.
https://www.pantrymama.com/dutch-oven-sourdough/
After 50 stretches to form the ball and before the 4 to 6 sets of stretch and fold, the dough is still very sticky and not smooth. What can I do?
Can I have the measurements in cups please, I don't use scales.
I like using loaf pans for my sourdough, it's easier to cut, stores nicely in a plastic bag in the freezer and then pop into the toaster. For the cold ferment would you recommend keeping it in the loaf pan or cold ferment in a bowl and then into a load pan after forming. I have been at this a while and found out that most of my loaves have been over proofed with very spring rise in the oven.
I would advise shaping into a batard if you prefer an easier slicing sourdough. If you want to use a tin, try this loaf instead:
https://www.pantrymama.com/sourdough-sandwich-bread-super-simple-sandwich-bread-with-a-soft-crust/
Can this recipe use regular all purpose flour?
I love this recipe! My concern is that my dough stays kind of shaggy and sticky for most of the process. I Isiah have to throw some flour down during shaping to get it to be less sticky. I follow the recipe using a food scale. I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong.
I don't have a Dutch oven. Is it OK to bake on a cookie sheet with a stainless bowl overturned on it?
~ Kathleen
You certainly can - although I promise you'll get amazing results with a Dutch Oven! xx
I would like to understand more about proofing. When it is underproofed and when it is overproofed. How do you know?
You can find more info on this here:
https://www.pantrymama.com/bulk-fermentation-finished/
and here:
https://www.pantrymama.com/sourdough-troubleshooting/
Hello! I have a quick question about this recipe in your small batch sourdough recipe… Why are the starter measurements the same in both when everything else is cut in half for the smaller batch? Thank you!!
You can read about how the amount of starter affects sourdough here.
How long is the room temp bulk ferment after you have finished stretch and folds? Thanks!
My husband and I are about to start our first generation sourdough. It's our first time doing this.
The kitchen/ dining room is where our pellet stove is located. I am thinking of placing my sourdough starter, to gather wild yeast, in this area. My question then is, should I be concerned with the pellet stove nearby? I know sometimes it blows out a fine soot because on those days it needs to be cleaned.
Why does ur recipe call for 10% starter while everybody puts 20%
I use 10% to make the recipe more flexible - you can do an overnight ferment this way. You can change the amount of starter to suit your needs. You can read more about how to do this here:
https://www.pantrymama.com/sourdough-starter-amount-matters/
And this helps explain too:
https://www.pantrymama.com/baking-timelines-for-sourdough/
I don't have a dutch oven either. Could you please offer instructions for baking on a pizza stone?
I honestly think you get better results baking in a Dutch Oven - it's the only way I bake my sourdough 🙂 This is a great explanation as to why I use a Dutch Oven 🙂
https://www.pantrymama.com/dutch-oven-sourdough/
I used multigrain bakers flour and I found my dough really sticky, I added a little more flour but it definitely was too sticky to make a smooth ball. I followed your recipe to a T. It's baked and has a nice crust but didn't "spring" but I feel this is due to using multigrain flour? My starter is also rye flour
Marianne, I live in a country where cast iron pans aren't available. I have baked sourdough bread for almost 2 years on a parchment paper lined, insulated cookie sheet (double-layered cookie sheet) with a large, overturned stainless steel bowl as the lid. I spray the inside of the bowl generously when it all goes into the oven. I don't doubt Pantry Mama that bread would turn out better in a Dutch oven, but I get very acceptable loaves with a crispy crust. I'm very pleased with this procedure.
What temperature should the water be?
For the cold ferment do you have a preferred temperature for the fridge?
I used multigrain bakers flour and I found my dough really sticky, I added a little more flour but it definitely was too sticky to make a smooth ball. I followed your recipe to a T. It's baked and has a nice crust but didn't "spring" but I feel this is due to using multigrain flour? My starter is also rye flour
This turned out great, shaped as a batard, baked in an oval double dutch oven. The ear was awesome. (I could carry the loaf by the ear) . . . . It was crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside. After a 6 hour cooling, I put it in a large, plastic bread bag. Next day, crunchy, crispy crust is . . . . gone. How do you store your bread? BTW, taste was still great, but I had lost that crunch.
I store my bread for several days wrapped in a tea towel and it stays nice and crusty. I do put a small piece of plastic on the cut end so it doesn’t get stale.
Can I bulk ferment overnight in the wine chiller with temperature of 12 degree Celsius?
Hi,
I am very new to sourdough making and my starter is now 25 days old and it more than doubles in 8-9 hours of feeding it. I wanted to ask in this particular recipe, the starter that you are using, is it straight out of fridge when you are feeding it? also is that feeding called creating the levain?
I was confused about in which part did you create the levain for this bread. or is levain just other name for sourdough starter straight out of the jar?
Thank you for this lovely guide! I'm about to attempt your recipe but would like to substitute 100g of rye flour for 100g of the bread flour (but still keeping 500g of flour total). Should I keep all of the other ingredient amounts the same? Any general tips you can give for using wholemeal in a recipe?
Thanks again!
I started my sourdough journey in April after founding your website. I bake at least once a week. I love all your recipes and step by step guides. We no longer buy store bought bread, buns and tortillas. Thank you!
Love this recipe! My bread burns on the bottom every time. I have placed a baking sheet under my staub dutch oven, and still burning. Any suggestions?
I’ve just finished baking my first loaf of sourdough bread. If I use an instant read thermometer, is there a temp I should shoot for?
I started my process yesterday and got to the first fermentation part, I placed the plastic wrap and left it over night, (my house is cold) this morning it still hasn’t doubled in size. Can I do more s&f’s to see if it will double or should I just dump it and start over? Can it be saved? Than you
Not sure what I did wrong my stater was feed a few hours before and had more than doubled before I used it.
I’m so confused..
I got to this recipe by searching "why is my sourdough so sticky?" This guide was so helpful! I learned so much more than I have with other sourdough guides. My loaf turned out lofty and delicious. I don't plan on going back to my old basic sourdough recipe. Thank you so much!
It appears that the link to making bread with very little time is not working. Any help in this area?
I have a question on forming up the dough. My dough was still pretty wet and didn't form a ball at all after 25 plus stretches. It almost seemed like the more stretches I did the worst it got, didn't help it at all. What would you recommend? Keep going with the stretches until it forms into a ball? Thank you
If I want to make smaller loaf, how do I scale down the recipe? Probably about 80% of this recipe stated?
I haven't bought one but I can only afford buying 10" (26 cm); inner diameter approx 9.8" (25 cm) dutch oven and I believe your recipe calls for 11" (28 cm) dutch oven.
Thanks! Greeting from Indonesia 🇮🇩
I have been making sourdough for a while but it is often too wet after doing the slow ferment I decided to try your recipe and it was perfect when I started the slow ferment but in the morning it was too wet to handle any thoughts? I use an all purpose flour will bread flour make a difference?
Hey! Just wondering if the temps are for fan bake or not?
Only asking because the fan in my oven just went.
This may be a stupid question, but can I leave the Parchment paper under the dough inside the Dutch Oven while baking? Or does the Parchment paper need to be removed from under the dough and out of the Dutch Oven before baking? I usually cook and bake using parchment under everything to prevent sticking but I have never used a Dutch Oven before so I wasn't sure? Thank you 🙂
You can definitely leave the parchment paper underneath - that's how I do it 🙂
This is a fantastic recipe. I shortened a lot of things in it because I am impatient (I did a 45m autolyse, doubled the starter, 2hr bulk ferment, 12hr second proof). However it still turned out amazing. I even got the little sourdough ear!
My recommendations for anyone making this:
- Double the starter, especially if you think it is just past/before prime
- More stretching to create a ball. I did probably 100-150 of them before I was satisfied with the product
- More stretching/resting periods. Every 10 minutes for 2 hours will give you 12 stretches, even every 15 minutes will give you 8. This is really what made the shape and structure perfect.
- Use a loaf pan! Cover it with tinfoil to achieve the closed container effect
- If you use a loaf pan, then add a pan/sheet/container of water to the oven at the same time you put your loaf pan in.
- Spray the loaf pan heavily before putting your dough in. Then spray the top as well.
- You can do this recipe starting in the afternoon/evening and finish it the next morning. I started around 6pm and put it in the fridge at 11pm, woke up at 12pm and bread was out by 1pm.
This is wonderful bread! My first try with bulk fermentation. It was definitely worth the time. I’ll be making it again to perfect the technique but for a first try, the family was very impressed. My husband is the bread connoisseur being from Belgium and asked me to make it often. Thank you for your detailed instructions!
I have been using 200g starter (for two loaves) per the Tartine book/recipe. (Same water, flour and salt amounts as your recipe.)
I am wondering if I am using too much? How would I know?
Also, is the cold fermentation necessary, or recommended ?
Thanks in advance for your reply.
First time making my own sourdough starter and bread and instructions were perfect! Incredibly impressed I pulled it off! Thank you - truly a great taste and was pretty!
Is it possible to cut dough in half after proofing to make two smaller loaves? Or should the dough be separated sooner?
Hi Kate! I have referred to your blog for the past 9 months or so and have gotten a pretty good hand on making your basic sour dough! However, I got a little carried away in my confidence yesterday and I made this exact recipe with just whole wheat flour. I didn’t look at any recipes that used whole wheat at all before I made it. Needless to say, my dough is very different than I’m used to, it’s like a play dough consistency haha. I’ve just been following all of my normal steps and it’s cold proofing now, but I guess my question is- is there any hope for it?😂 it’s probably too late to be asking that haha but would you alter the bake time/temp at all? Thank you!
Can u go a little longer than 36 hours on cold ferment? I like my sleep and to have at least 30 minutes in the morning so I am fully awake lol. Made this once and was good I blew it on the shaping. I love the discard recipe I got that one down!
I really didn't think it would work because my dough was so wet and it didn't rise much, but it came out of the oven looking beautiful!
How do I tell when my bread is ready to come out of the oven? I baked it covered at 450F for 30 mins and then UNcovered at 410F for 15 mins in my DO. It is a beautiful light golden brown. Not much (if any) of an ear...but I think it was over-fermented. This is my first following your "bible" and I cannot wait to dive in!
What are the baking temperatures for the fan oven please? Or is it better to use conventional oven?. Thank you.
Silly question, but when making more than 1 loaf, can I make it all together in one bowl then divide it at the shaping stage?
This is the info you need:
How To Make Multiple Loaves of Sourdough At Once
The shaping graphic looks different than the shaping video. Do you do both or is one better than the other?
I love your instructions and recipes! I tried the "Simple Sourdough Bread" and it came out great on the first try - amazing. Can't wait to try more of your recipes. I have been using my large dutch oven for boules and I want to try a longer, oblong shape - like a batard (I think). What do you recommend for a pan/dutch oven? Thank you again for this wonderful site - I'm sure it's a lot of work!
When I feed my stater in morning and it doubles and I then use it in my recipe, do I refed my starter after using it at that time, (even though I fed that morning) then again wait to double before putting it in the fridge? Or do I just put it in the fridge and refed the net day?
It worked! After a million failed attempts with other sourdough recipes, this one has worked. Thank you!
Mine came out very sour, like more sour than my normal sourdough bread loaf does. Not sure if it is my starter itself or maybe with this recipe I just need to lower the amount of starter used. Besides the super sour taste I really enjoyed doing this recipe. It was my first attempt at sand which bread and this recipe had great instruction throughout. I was able to get it all done in one day but that did mean feeding my starter the night before and doing a late bake on the bread. The late bake worked out though because I was able to use it right away the next morning for breakfast. I have been having lots of fun and success with your recipes!
The bread looks great. I've always cooked my sourdough at 500 and then at 450. How does the reduced cooking temp of this recipe effect the bread? Will it still develop a crispy crust. thanks
Yes it will still develop a crispy crust at the end when you have the lid off x
My husband has eaten sourdough sandwich bread (bought) for over 40 years and now I’m trying to make it. With your loaf pan recipe, there’s only the one ferment to keep the crumb “not so open”. He also doesn’t like “soft and squishy”. If I did do the 2 ferments would that result in a more open crumb or would I just leave out the butter and sugar?
Oh buddy this was such a fun bake! My second loaf but the first time using this recipe and I was tickled pink, my loaf was baked this morning and it barely made it to dinner time between myself, my husband, and my two toddlers snacking on it all day. I used all purpose flour and an AP starter and cold fermented for 34 hours. So many beautiful blisters and the bread was so soft and tasty! I’m going to be making this with my whole wheat starter and I can’t wait to see how much of a difference in taste there might be.
So grateful for all the resources you provide for sourdough baking! You have become my go to tool! Curious if you have any advice for folding, stretching, and shaping on kitchen surfaces that aren't smooth. My kitchen counters are tile and there are deep grooves that can make handling my dough difficult. Any thoughts?
I made your recipe for sourdough bread and everything went well, until fermentation time. I put it in the basket and followed your advise for slow (refrigerated) fermentation and even waited the full 36 hours like you said would make for the best loaf. After the 36 hours, the dough didn't look like it doubled. Nor did it have any bubbles on it. I'm still going to bake it, but I'm feeling like a failure. It's about to go in the oven now. What could I have done wrong? My started looked great and passed the float test.
I made my first loaf of bread, using your recipe and it was amazing! My family thought it was better than the Sourdough bread in San Francisco! Thank you for a wonderful recipe!
Why does my dough always seems so wet? It’s so wet and sticky every time I make it and I’m following the recipe exactly and weighing all the ingredients.
I’m concerned that my dough might have over-proofed overnight as it had more than doubled a little and was a very wet/sticky dough. I went ahead and shaped it into a boule and it is in the process of cold-fermenting it in the fridge. I did have to sprinkle a little flour on it in order to be able to shape the dough. Would being a wetter dough indicate that it had over-fermented? It looked really happy with lots of bubbles throughout but it didn’t retain its shape well at first and took several sprinkles of flour on it as I worked with it to shape it. I measured everything carefully when initially mixing the dough and it looked shaggy but by the time I’d finished my stretches and folds it was still super sticky. Should I have added more flour into the dough then before overnight fermenting? It’s summer here and with our a/c our house stays constant at 75°-76° F. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that it will bake up okay in the morning when I’m done with my cold fermentation but I’m hoping you can give me some pointers so I have more success next time. Oh and there will be a next time!
Hi there. 2 questions:
1. What size banneton would best fit for a 4.5 quart Dutch oven? I'm looking to purchase a 10-inch oval and 9-inch round; would those work okay?
2. I know you shared the banneton sizing chart, however the formula requires a dough weight. What is the dough weight for this recipe?
Thanks for your guidance!
Absolutely the best! I tried several different recipes without success... too flat, too dense, too gummy, etc. I came across this recipe while searching for solutions to my sourdough issues. The information was so helpful and my first loaf was perfection!!
I'm so happy that you had success 🙂 That's awesome! Well done 🙂 xo
I love the recipe.
My dough however never doubles yet the bread is good.
Am I missing something?
Followed the recipe exactly.
Thanks so much for the incredible content on your site...I've learned so much from you. My question: how would I adjust this recipe for fresh milled hard white wheat?
I have been struggling to get the outcome I want with my sourdough loaves. I search higher hydrated loaves on Pinterest which led me to your article. And that taught me I might not want a higher hydrated loaf. From there I found this recipe… I am so happy! I failed to take a pic, but the outcome is beautiful and exactly what I’ve been hoping to accomplish! This will be my go to recipe for here on out! Thank you again!
In that 1st photo, the dough is all chopped. Can you explain why you did this?
Hello I have been trying your recipes but not able to get soft crust .It is hard to chew. I read somewhere to brush oil after baking and putting the bread in wet cloth so that steam remains inside.Please share your thoughts. I am in India.we have hot weather bulk fermentation takes less than 5 hours.I do overnight in the fridge and bake next day
Thank you!! I almost gave up hope making sourdough. This recipe/method worked out amazing.
How do you calculate what the nutrients would be for 1 slice of this vs the whole loaf?
Hello. I don’t have any rice flour. Is there an alternative I can use? Would an all purpose gluten free flour work instead?
I purchased your guide and can't say enough about it - having everything in one place is nice! Here's my question: Would it be okay to do all the kneading up front during bulk ferment to get to a good windowpane instead of spacing out the stretch and folds?
Love this recipe. My first loaf turned out amazing. If I wanted to add jalapeños and cheddar cheese, what step would I do this at? After bulk fermentation? Before I put it in the fridge? So lost! Thank you!
So glad you're loving the recipe. You could use this Jalapeno Cheddar sourdough recipe to add your inclusions 🙂
Whenever I make a loaf after autolyse and the 20 or so stretch and folds my dough never really smoothes out and is never terribly elastic. It always feels kind of dense and not very stretchy when doing my first 20 folds. Am I doing something wrong? I follow the recipe and use my food scale.
I misread the baking instructions and thought mistakenly that it was either/or to cook covered or uncovered, and then realized after taking the bread out of the over for a few hours (and the bread was pale) after only cooking covered that I was supposed to NEXT uncover it and cook 10-15 minutes. Can I put it back in the over to finish after it’s been resting a few hours on a cooling rack? Or have I ruined it?
When I put in bowl for the bulk fermentation, do I oil the bowl? Looking forward to implementing this recipe!
I think you should amend your method as there is an inaccuracy. When you autolyze, it's just flour and water. No yeast. The technique to properly autolyze: mix flour and water together, let it sit for sometime (30+min), then add in the yeast (starter) and salt. There is a noticable difference in the texture of the bread. Sometimes I do a proper autolyze, other times I just mix it all together because my starter is ready and I've forgotten to mix the flour and water together in advance. I've mixed my flour and water together the same time I start my starter and that's my preferred way. Best texture ever! Give it a try 🙂
Why is my dough always so sticky after the bulk rise (I notice your video says it should not be sticky). What am I doing wrong?
Are there any alterations that need to be made if I use all purpose flour?
This recipe gave me my best loaf yet. The steps were well explained and easy to follow. I loved the time line - a really good visual for how the process goes and how to fit it into your day. Thanks Kate.
I have two 10” bannetons- can I use the recipe and split it into two? And if so, does it change the baking time?
You can split it in two. The baking time will be the same. 🙂
Hello! Thank you so much for everything you do and share with us!
I have a question about the transition between stretch & folds to bulk fermentation. I did my last stretch and fold, covered, and let it rest. Then ready for bulk time so all I did was take the aliquot portion from it and let it go. Was I supposed to shape/stretch & fold or anything before that longer bulk fermentation time? It was the relaxed version post last stretch & fold. Thanks!!!
This was my first time ever making sourdough and this recipe did not disappoint! I was prepared to fail miserably my first couple times but my first loaf with this recipe turned out absolutely perfect! Followed the directions to a tee and we have the most gorgeous + delicious loaf of sourdough!
I followed this rxipre but reduced the water to 300g as it currently is about 100% humidity. Once I got to th stretch and fold the dough was super dense feeling, but not super tacky, and requires both hands just to stretch it. Is this a hydration issue or maybe a starter that's no super active? My started was fed about 5 hours before mixing. It was between 2-3 times it size. The starter is about 1 month old and the dough is like this every time it comes to stretch and fold.
Can I use a reusable (cloth) bag for the cold ferment over my bowl/banneton instead of a plastic bag?
Is it okay for dough to be sticky while stretching and folding?
I have tried to make sourdough two times; the first one failed and the second one turned alright but this!! My sourdough came out GREAT!!!! The directions were very clear and simple! Thank you so much!
Hi, I tried doing this after I had so much success in pan di casa. I use your stretch & fold esp where you wrap the dough on your hand! Amazing and able to do it but clumsy towards the end. Now my dough is on cold ferment (2) and will bake tomorrow! Exciting 🩷
Just put my first loaf into the fridge and am concerned because my dough was super sticky. It doubled beautiflly during the overnight ferment but I had to use more flour than you to get it shaped for the battard. I've got my fingers crossed!!
Just ate my first slice of bread using this recipe (slathered in butter of course). It was fantastic- I got a great rise, the crumb was open and even, and the crust perfectly crisp, bubbly and a little chewy. I’ve tried sourdough before but found recipes too complicated… so I put my starter in the fridge and forgot about it. After using the guide for reviving it, it was so nice to have a success first go! Perfect as a starting point for getting familiar with the process, and looking forward to getting more confident, intuitive and experimental! Thanks so much for this guidance.
Thank you SO very much for this recipe, all your very well written tips and information and all the other recipes on your site!!! I've made several of your discard recipes and loved every one. This week, despite it being the hottest week of the year so far, I decided to go for the gold and followed this recipe for my first ever 'artisinal' sourdough bread. Followed your instructions to the letter and my very first attempt came out beautifully! I think it is just about everything it is supposed to be, and delicious to boot! I shared with a friend and she gobbled up 3 slices while we were chatting about it. So, from a former 'never baked true sourdough loaf' person to one who has now made a successful loaf, thank you!!!
Anxious to try… Any changes if I use KA whole wheat flour? It’s what I have most of currently.
Thank you.
Any ideas why every time I use bread flour my dough becomes super wet during autolyse? Yet if I use AF it doesnt do that? Im using Bobs Red Mill Artisanal Bread flour. Totally racking my brain why this is happening.
If I want to make 4 loafs at the time do I have to adjust som ingredients?Or do I use the recipe 4 times?
Just made my first loaf today and I couldn't be happier, used this recipe and your how to make a sour dough starter and I couldn't be happier with how they turned out ! thank you!
I’ve tried this recipe two times.
The taste is good but the dough is so wet. It’s impossible to work with.
What can I do to improve?
I feed my starter 1:1:1 ratio.
Hi Anastasiia, There are many different reasons for wet dough. This post on Why is my Sourdough Wet & Sticky goes through a bunch of troubleshooting that should help.
As a beginner sourdough baker I have tried a 60% hydration recipe and a 74% hydration recipe with varying levels of success but this recipe has worked for me every time. Thank you - it’s great to feel confident I will put the effort in and get a great loaf.
When you say bulk ferment, how long are we talking (after the final fold). I know it needs to cold ferment overnight but the room temperature fermentation time is not written here
Hi, I'm going to be baking my first sourdough. Can I use the Fan Forced setting on my oven? The other option is Grill and Fan grill.
Thank you.
Yes fan forced setting is perfect 🙂
Hi, for some reason my dough always comes out super sticky in the autolyse stage and my dough doesn’t come out as a shaggy one but a super sticky put together one. So far I’ve just needed to add some more flour until it falls between a shaggy dough and a sticky one (about 15g). I use a scale and follow the recipe to a T, is there any change you could suggest I make so that the texture of the dough is shaggy to begin with?
The type of flour you use can have a bearing on this, as well as the hydration of your sourdough starter. Are you using a high protein bread flour?
i wish to make 6 loaves , whst is the fliur, water , starter , salt ratio to make 6 loaves
You would just need to multiply all amounts by 6 🙂
Hi Kate. thanks to your website, I am making sour dough bread (no knead). Wanted your advice regarding electric knives for slicing. I have read your article regarding mercer bread knife. Is an expensive electric knife (eg Breville) worth the investment?
My loaf cooked to my baking paper on the bottom! Please help!
We've found using a high quality parchment paper really helps. Cheaper parchment paper generally always sticks.
After a month of reviving my starter and trying recipes and failing miserably, I finally used this recipe and the bread is PERFECT!! I may or may not had shared a tear when I realized it worked, and it baked beautifully and it tastes so freaking good.
THANK YOU! Your recipe is simple and easy to follow, and the additional notes are so helpful for a beginner like myself. I’m beyond excited to keep baking ✨💛
I am a beginner and used this recipe to make my first loaf (and now I’ve made over a dozen), and it truly yields fantastic results every time. Thank you for the detailed instructions!
Is there a way the website is more user friendly, or I’m doing something wrong? It’s constantly going back to the start or an ad while trying to read directions. Hard to navigate with sticky hands
Hi Van, I'm so sorry about that. I'm testing it on mobile and desktop right now and not having that issue. We'll look into it though. Have you tried to click the button for "Cook Mode" that's just above the start of the instructions? That may help in the meantime.
I stumbled on your site a week back and tried to follow your recommendations but no success. I have been trying to bake a decent SD bread for ages but no matter what I do and what recipes I follow etc the result is always no rise heavy bread.
I follow the recipe closely and make the dough somewhat not too soft so that it can be shaped finally. But after the bulk fermentation the result is always a soft sticky mess which bakes as dense flat hard junk.
You explain things so clearly so what is the cause of my failure?
I'd say the problem is your sourdough starter ... you need to strengthen your sourdough starter and allow it to mature so that it can rise your dough 🙂
i was kind of convinced I wouldn't be able to make a nice loaf on my first try but it turned out so lovely! my family ate the whole thing within an hour 😅
THIS RECIPE IS GOLDEN !!! I have tried countless of recipes and I can't count how many times I have failed sourdough and wanted to give up (6 times) but this recipe... even though it is different from others ACTUALLY TURNED OUT!!! Small details like actually lining your bowl with a towel actually matters and understanding why the bulk fermentation is the tricker things of sourdough but feeling informed and empower to persists through (by looking at the bottom of the bowl to look for bubbles). Thank you so much for giving me the a beautiful sourdough recipe but the confidence to make sourdough great sourdough.
Thank you for sharing and for the ‘notes’.
After about four failed sourdough attempts, this recipe actually worked and I produced my first perfect loaf!!! I am so happy with how it turned out! Thank you for sharing this recipe (: even if I am about 5 years late to discovering it!
Yay! We're so happy to hear that, Lily! So glad The Pantry Mama can be part of your sourdough success. Thank you so much for letting us know. 🙂
This recipe and process has been the most successful for me thus far, after two months of sourdough attempts and just not getting great loaves, I am THRILLED at how this one finally came out. Thank you so much for this!!!! Absolutely incredible descriptions, photos, additional linkouts, amazing.
That is so great, Ali! Thank you so much for sharing. We love to hear to hear that. 🙂
I love this recipe! It works every time. I have a question. If I double the size of the loaf, what is the cooking time?
Thanks.
If you double this it will be MASSIVE! I don't recommend baking a double batch as one loaf 🙂
I am a self-taught sourdough baker and have been enjoying a modicum amount of success with my bakes for the past ten years. One thing I have always struggled with however, is the bulk ferment. I stumbled across this blog when troubleshooting, and proceeded to click just about every link off this page. I have learned SO much, and am very grateful for people like this generous woman who so thoroughly shares their hard won knowledge. So thank you very much for that, and if you’ve made it this far- try this recipe! One of the prettiest loaves I have made this year, and I’m excited to try the longer cold ferment recipe as well. Cheers from Alaska!!
I'm so glad you love the recipe and all the troubleshooting tips 🙂 I truly appreciate your comment and am so excited that you're getting pretty loaves 🙂 Keep going and good luck with the longer cold ferment 🙂 xox