Homemade Sourdough Bread, Step by Step
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If you love fresh sourdough bread with a golden, crisp crust and a light, airy crumb, this recipe is for you. It’s one of the simplest homemade sourdough bread recipes, and one of the best, too. It requires only 25 minutes of hands-on work and no autolyse or preferment. Below you will find guidance for every step of the way. 🍞🍞🍞
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Review:
“Absolutely the best sourdough recipe EVER! I have been baking bread for years (sourdough included,) and things were many times hit or miss. Not with your recipe. You have nailed it. I thank you!” — Rosemary Patterson
This post will show you how to make the simplest of simple sourdough breads. There is no autolyse or preferment, which means the dough itself comes together in less than five minutes.
For those intimidated by sourdough bread baking, this recipe, as well as this sourdough focaccia recipe, are the recipes I suggest making first, both for their simplicity and flavor. Another great beginner’s bread recipe to try is this overnight, refrigerator focaccia or my mother’s simple peasant bread recipe, both of which require minimal effort but yield spectacular results.
This post is divided into 13 sections:
- What is Sourdough Bread?
- What is a Sourdough Starter?
- How to Feed a Sourdough Starter
- When is My Starter Ready to Be Used?
- Equipment
- How to Make Sourdough Bread: A 5-Step Overview
- How this Sourdough Bread Recipe Differs From Others
- Simple Sourdough Bread: A Step-by-Step Guide
- #1 Sourdough Bread Baking Tip
- Troubleshooting: Where Sourdough Goes Wrong
- Sourdough Baking Resources
- Other Sourdough Bread Recipes to Make
- Sourdough Bread Baking Schedule
What is Sourdough Bread?
Sourdough bread is bread that has been leavened naturally, meaning it has been leavened by a sourdough starter as opposed to by commercial yeast or a chemical leavening agent such as baking powder or baking soda.
What is a Sourdough Starter?
A sourdough starter is a fermented mix of flour and water containing wild yeast and bacteria (lactobacilli). Provided it is healthy and active, a sourdough starter is what will make your bread rise.
You can make a sourdough starter from scratch in just about a week. I only recommend doing so if it currently is summer (or a very warm fall) where you are. While it is immensely satisfying to build a starter from scratch and subsequently use it to make a beautiful loaf of bread, I am a huge proponent of purchasing one for a few reasons, namely: when you purchase a starter, you are guaranteed to have a strong, vigorous starter from the start. In other words, you can start baking with confidence right away.
Here are three online sources for reasonably priced sourdough starters:
How to Feed a Sourdough Starter
In order to keep your starter alive, you have to feed it — it’s not unlike having a pet, but know this: caring for a sourdough starter is akin to caring for a very low maintenance pet, one that requires feeding only once every two to three weeks to stay alive, but one that requires feeding much more regularly if you like to bake frequently.
When I am not baking regularly, I store my starter in the fridge in the above-pictured vessel with its lid on. As noted above it can hang out there for 2-3 weeks (if not longer) without being touched. To wake it up or activate it, I like to feed it twice before using it. Often I’ll remove it from the fridge after dinner and feed it: this involves discarding most of it and replenishing it with equal parts by weight flour and water. (Please read this post, which explains in detail how to activate, feed, and maintain a starter.)
I will repeat this process in the morning — discard most of it; then replenish it with equal parts by weight flour and water. By midday, or when my starter has doubled in volume, it is ready to be used.
To store your starter, you should feed it, let it rise till it nearly doubles; then cover it and stash it in the fridge for 2 to 3 weeks until you are ready to use it again.
How Do I Know if My Starter is Ready to be Used?
If your starter doubles (or triples!) in volume within 4 to 8 hours after a feeding, it is ready to go. And ideally, you want to use your starter 4 to 8 hours after you feed it or when it has doubled. Every time I feed my starter, I place a rubber band around the vessel it is in to mark its height. This helps me see when it has doubled in volume and is, therefore, ready to be used.
If your starter is not doubling within 4 to 8 hours of feeding it, you should spend a few days strengthening it. This will involve discarding most of it — truly, don’t be afraid to be aggressive with how much you are discarding — and replenishing it with equal parts by weight flour and water. If you do this twice a day for several days, your starter will be in great shape.
What Equipment Do I Need?
At a minimum, you’ll need:
- a sourdough starter (see above)
- flour, bread flour if possible, my preference is King Arthur Flour
- salt
- water
Ideally, you’ll also have:
- digital scale
- straight-sided vessel for monitoring the bulk fementation
- bench scraper
- flour sack towels
- parchment paper
- banneton, such as this one or this one
- razor blade
- heavy lidded vessel, such as this one or this one
How to Make Sourdough Bread: A 5-Step Overview
There are essentially 5 steps to making sourdough bread. Each of these steps is explained in more detail below.
- Mix the Dough: This is simply a matter of combining water, sourdough starter, salt and flour in bowl, and stirring to form a sticky dough ball.
- Bulk Fermentation: This is just a fancy name for the first rise. During the first two hours of the bulk fermentation, you’ll perform a series of stretches and folds, which will give the dough strength and elasticity.
- Shape + Bench Rest: This step ends the bulk fermentation. You’ll shape the dough, let it rest, then shape it once more.
- Proofing the Dough: In this recipe, you’ll cold proof the dough in the fridge, ideally for 24 to 48 hours, though you can get away with a shorter proof.
- Scoring + Baking the Dough: After the dough has proofed, you’ll turn it out onto a piece of parchment paper, score it; then transfer it to a preheated baking vessel.
How This Sourdough Bread Recipe Differs From Others
This recipe differs from others in three main ways:
- No Autolyse. Why? I’ve never found employing an autolyse makes a big difference in the final texture of the bread, and I find the process of doing an autoylse frankly to be kind of a pain. What is an autolyse? Autolyse is a technique that calls for mixing flour and water together and allowing them to sit for several hours before adding the salt and sourdough starter. This process allows gluten to develop in dough prior to mixing. It also makes the dough more extensible. This is due to the hydrating effects of soaking the flour, as well as — and this is getting a bit scientific — from the enzymatic activity of protease, which breaks down some of the gluten that forms as the dough hydrates. This process weakens the dough’s elasticity, in turn increasing its extensibility. If you are after a super open crumb, autolyse is something to consider.
- 50% (roughly) Increase in Volume. If you come from the yeast-leavened bread world, you are accustomed to letting your dough double in volume during the first rise. When I first got into sourdough, I was applying this same method, and while I had success, I realized I was often letting my dough overferment — I was pushing the bulk fermentation too far. As soon as I stopped the bulk fermentation when the dough increased by 50-75% in volume, I got a much better oven spring.
- Long Cold Proof. After the bulk fermentation, you’ll shape the dough, and store it in the fridge ideally for 24 hours but it can hang out there for 48 hours or even a bit longer. This long, cold proof will make for a much lighter, open, airy crumb. (Note: If you were to leave the dough in the fridge for 12 hours or less, which you can do, the crumb will be tighter and denser.) After you remove the dough from the fridge, you score it, and transfer it immediately to the oven — there is no need to do a room temperature proof first.
Simple Sourdough Bread: A Step-by-Step Guide
Mix the dough.
To start, pour 375 grams of water into a bowl:
Add 50 to 100 grams of sourdough starter.
Stir to combine; then add 11 grams of salt:
Finally, add 500 grams of bread flour:
Stir to combine:
Let it Rise. (Bulk Fermentation)
Transfer the dough to a straight-sided vessel. Cover it, and let it rest for 30 minutes.
Perform a set of stretches and folds:
If time permits, perform four total sets of stretches and folds every 30 minutes for the first 2 hours. You should notice the dough getting stronger and more elastic with every set of stretches and folds. This is the 4th set:
After the 4th set of stretches and folds, cover the vessel — I love these Dot and Army cloth bowl covers for this — and set it aside until it increases in volume by 50% or so.
How long should the bulk fermentation take?
The time will vary depending primarily on the strength of your starter and the temperature of your kitchen. Rather than rely on a time period, however, you should rely on visual cues.
This video shows the dough nearly doubling (increasing by 100%) in volume, but the more I bake sourdough, the more I realize I have better success when I stop the bulk fermentation when the dough increases by 50%. It may take some trial and error to know what works best for you. You may find a 75% increase in volume is best or you may find that to be too long. Sourdough is all about experimenting and adapting based on your experiences.
Shaping
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface:
Shape the dough gently into a round and let it rest for 20-40 minutes. This is called the bench rest.
Meanwhile, prepare a bowl or banneton with a flour sack towel and rice flour.
Proofing
Shape the round again; then place in prepared bowl for proofing. Transfer to fridge for 12 to 48 hours.
Bake It.
Remove bowl from fridge, and turn it out onto a sheet of parchment paper.
Score it.
Transfer to preheated Dutch oven. Bake covered at 450ºF for 30 minutes; uncover, lower the temperature to 400ºF, and bake for 15 minutes more:
Remove from oven and let cool one hour before slicing.
You’ll need a sharp knife (like this one or this one) when it’s time to slice:
#1 Sourdough Bread Baking Tip
The refrigerator is your friend. Use it.
The most common mistake I see people make when making sourdough bread is letting the bulk fermentation go too long. They mix the dough at night; then wake up to dough that has tripled in volume and is a sticky mess.
To prevent over fermenting your dough, use your refrigerator as needed. After you complete the 4 sets of stretches and folds, you can put your dough in the fridge at any time. If you are tired and need to go to bed, transfer the dough to the refrigerator; then pick up where you left off in the morning: remove the dough from the fridge and let it continue to rise until it increases in volume by roughly 50%.
To accurately gauge when your dough has risen to roughly 50% in volume, I highly recommend investing in a straight-sided vessel such as this 4-qt Cambro (or this one, which is BPA-free!). When dough rises in a bowl, judging when it has risen sufficiently is tricky. There’s no question with a straight-sided vessel.
Troubleshooting: Where Sourdough Goes Wrong?
If you have ever had trouble baking sourdough bread, your issues likely stem from one of four places:
- Using a weak starter or not using starter at its peak.
- Using too much water relative to the flour.
- Over fermentation: letting the bulk fermentation (first rise) go too long.
- Using too much whole wheat flour, rye flour, or freshly milled flour.
I address each of these issues in this post: Why is my sourdough so sticky? 4 Common Mistakes, so please give it a read if you’ve had trouble with sourdough bread baking.
Sourdough Resources
- Sourdough Troubleshooting: This post addresses 4 common mistakes people make when baking sourdough bread and answers many FAQ’s as well.
- The Nutritional Benefits of Sourdough Bread + 6 Healthy Toast Topping Ideas
- Feeding Your Sourdough Starter
- Essential Equipment For Sourdough Bread Baking
- A tip for getting a more open crumb? Shape a batard as opposed to a round:
Other Sourdough Bread Recipes to Make
- Simple Sourdough Focaccia
- Sourdough Bread, Whole Wheat-ish
- Simple Sourdough Pizza
- Sourdough Detroit-Style Pizza
- Simple Sourdough Sandwich (or Toasting) Bread
- Sourdough Ciabatta
- Two Sourdough Discard Recipes: Sourdough Flour Tortillas & Irish Soda Bread
Sourdough Bread Baking Schedule
If you are new to sourdough bread baking, the timing of it all may feel overwhelming — you may find yourself asking: How can I do this without baking at midnight?
It’s a very good question! As noted above, your biggest friend when it comes to sourdough bread baking is your refrigerator. If after you’ve performed your stretches and folds, you don’t have time to stay up for the dough to complete the bulk fermentation, stick the vessel in the fridge and pick up where you left off the next day or the day after that.
Here is a rough schedule I like to follow. Adapt it to work for you:
Wednesday Evening: Remove starter from fridge. Feed it by discarding most of it and replenishing it with equal parts by weight flour and water.
Thursday Morning: Feed starter by discarding most of it and replenishing it with equal parts by weight flour and water.
Thursday Afternoon: Mix dough, let it rise. On Thursday evening, when the dough has completed the bulk fermentation, I’ll shape it and stick it in the fridge to proof. (As noted: If the dough hasn’t completed the bulk fermentation, I’ll stick the vessel in the fridge, and pick up where I left off the following day.)
Friday Evening or Saturday Morning: Score and Bake it. There is no need to let the dough come to room temperature before baking it. Simply remove it from the fridge, turn it out, score it, and bake it!
Homemade Sourdough Bread, Step by Step
- Total Time: 18 hours 45 minutes
- Yield: 1 loaf
Description
Inspired by The Clever Carrot
If you are new to sourdough, watch the step-by-step video here: Simple Sourdough Bread or in the post above.
Troubleshooting: If you have issues with your dough being too sticky, please read this post: Why is my sourdough so sticky? The 4 common mistakes.
Notes:
- You need an active sourdough starter. I have had success activating starters from:
- As always, I highly recommend investing in a digital scale before beginning any bread baking adventure.
- This is the Dutch Oven I use for sourdough bread. I used this Dutch oven for years, and it’s a great one, too.
- Flour sack towels are a great investment because they ensure your dough will not stick while it is proofing.
- I love using rice flour for dusting (as opposed to ap or bread flour) because it doesn’t burn. When you use a flour sack towel, however, you don’t need to use any flour.
- Find all of my sourdough essentials here: Essential Equipment For Sourdough Bread Baking
- I love a high-hydration dough, and I have great success using 380 grams of water in this recipe, so feel free to play around and push the hydration here.
- Salt: I have had success using both kosher salt and fine sea salt here. When I use kosher salt, I use the Diamond Crystal brand. When I use sea salt, I use the Baleine Fine brand. Regardless of the brand, I use 12 grams.
- Shaping: If you’re looking to get a more open crumb, try shaping a batard (as opposed to a round). Watch this video for guidance. Also: The recipe below follows the traditional shape once, rest, then shape again method. I often skip the preshape now and simply shape the dough once. I still get a nice open crumb.
How much Sourdough Starter to Use?
- Because my kitchen is cold for much of the year, I like using 100 g (1/2 cup) of starter as opposed to 50 g (1/4 cup). When determining how much starter to use, consider a few things: If you live in a warm, humid environment, 50 g should suffice. If you plan on doing an overnight rise, 50 g also should suffice. If you want to speed things up or if you live in a cold environment, consider using 100 g starter. Note: If you use 100 g of starter, your dough may rise more quickly, so keep an eye on it. As always, rely on the visual cues (increasing in volume by 50%) when determining when the bulk fermentation is done.
- A straight-sided vessel makes monitoring the bulk fermentation especially easy because it allows you to see when your dough has truly doubled.
Ingredients
- 50 – 100 g (1⁄4 – 1/2 cup) bubbly, active starter — I always use 100 grams, see notes above
- 375 g (1 1/2 cups plus 1 tbsp) warm water, or more, see notes above
- 500 g (4 cups plus 2 tbsp) bread flour
- 9 to 12 g (1.5 – 2.5 teaspoons) fine sea salt, see notes above
Instructions
- Make the dough: Whisk the starter and water together in a large bowl with a fork or spatula. Add the flour and salt. Mix to combine, finishing by hand if necessary to form a rough dough. Cover with a damp towel and let rest for 30 minutes.
- Stretch and fold: After 30 minutes, grab a corner of the dough and pull it up and into the center. Repeat until you’ve performed this series of folds 4 to 5 times with the dough. Let dough rest for another 30 minutes and repeat the stretching and folding action. If you have the time: do this twice more for a total of 4 times in 2 hours. Note: Even if you can only perform one series of stretches and folds, your dough will benefit. So don’t worry if you have to run off shortly after you mix the dough.
- Bulk Fermentation (first rise): Cover the bowl with a towel and let rise at room temperature, about 8 to 10 hours at 70°F (21°C) or even less if you live in a warm environment. The dough is ready when it has increased by 50% in volume, has a few bubbles on the surface, and jiggles when you move the bowl from side to side. (UPDATE: In the past I have recommended letting the dough rise until it doubles in volume. If you’ve had success with this, continue to let the dough double. Recently, I have been stopping the bulk fermentation when the dough increases by 50% in volume, and I feel I am actually getting better oven spring in the end.) (Note regarding timing: If you are using 100 g of starter, the bulk fermentation may take less than 8 to 10 hours. If you live in a warm, humid environment, the bulk fermentation may take even less time. In the late spring/early summer, for example, my kitchen is 78ºF and the bulk fermentation takes 6 hours. It is best to rely on visual cues (increase in volume by roughly 50%) as opposed to time to determine when the bulk fermentation is done. A straight-sided vessel makes monitoring the bulk fermentation especially easy because it allows you to see when your dough has truly increased in volume by 50%.)
- Shape (See notes above): Coax the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Gently shape it into a round: fold the top down to the center, turn the dough, fold the top down to the center, turn the dough; repeat until you’ve come full circle. If you have a bench scraper, use it to push and pull the dough to create tension.
- Rest: Let the dough rest seam side up rest for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, line an 8-inch (20-cm) bowl or proofing basket with a towel (flour sack towels are ideal) and dust with flour (preferably rice flour, which doesn’t burn the way all-purpose flour does). Using a bench scraper or your hands, shape it again as described in step 4. Place the round into your lined bowl, seam side up.
- Proof (second rise): Cover the dough and refrigerate for 1 hour or for as long as 48 hours. (Note: I prefer to let this dough proof for at least 24 hours prior to baking. See video for the difference in the crumb of a loaf that has proofed for 6 hours vs one that has proofed for 24 hours. If you choose to proof the dough in the fridge for an extended period of time, you may want to tuck it into a loosely tied bag — produce bags from the grocery store are great for this purpose — to ensure the dough does not dry out. The original recipe calls for a 1-hour rise, and if you have had success doing that, by all means, keep doing it.)
- Place a Dutch oven in your oven, and preheat your oven to 550°F (290°C). Cut a piece of parchment to fit the size of your baking pot.
- Score: Place the parchment over the dough and invert the bowl to release. Using the tip of a small knife or a razor blade, score the dough however you wish — a simple “X” is nice. Use the parchment to carefully transfer the dough into the preheated baking pot.
- Bake: Lower the oven to temperature to 450ºF (230ºC). Carefully cover the pot. Bake the dough for 30 minutes, covered. Remove the lid, lower the temperature to 400ºF (200ºC) and continue to bake for 10 – 15 minutes more. If necessary, lift the loaf out of the pot, and bake directly on the oven rack for the last 5 to 10 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 1 hour before slicing.
- This loaf will stay fresh up to 3 days stored at room temperature in an airtight plastic bag or container. It freezes beautifully, too.
Notes
- This recipe has been adapted from Artisan Sourdough Made Simple. Changes I have made to the original recipe include:
- Using 11 g salt as opposed to 9 g.
- Performing 4 stretch and folds during the first 2 hours of the bulk fermentation, which build strength in the dough.
- Doing a cold proof for at least 24 hours before baking, which produces a lighter airier crumb. In the video, you can see the difference between the crumb of a loaf that has proofed for only 6 hours vs a loaf that has proofed for 24 hours.
- Finally, I like preheating my Dutch oven, which makes a crisper crust.
- Prep Time: 18 hours
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Bread
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
2,899 Comments on “Homemade Sourdough Bread, Step by Step”
Hi, I would like to add cranberries to this recipe…what stage do you suggest I add them?
The easiest recipe I’ve found! Can’t wait to try this weekend
Yay! Good luck, Samantha. Let me know if you have any questions along the way. Happy Baking!
Aw thank you for your reply and offer for help, that is so so sweet. I’m sorry I didn’t respond sooner! I have been making many successful loaves thanks to your recipe. I almost have it memorized 😆
So great to hear this 🙂 🙂 🙂
Hi there. If I wanted to double the recipe and bake a larger loaf, what oven times would you recommend for the covered and uncovered stages?
Hi! Great question: I would try maybe 35 minutes covered and at least 25 minutes uncovered … it may take longer, so just keep an eye on it. Do you have an instant read thermometer? That’s your best bet in terms of knowing your loaf is fully cooked through. It should register 207ºF or above.
Question: what size Dutch oven are you baking this loaf in?
Thank you, Ali! You made me love sourdough baking!
So nice to hear this, Mary! Happy Thanksgiving!
Hi! When you take it out of the fridge, do you bring the dough to room temperature before putting in the dutch oven or do you put it in cold?
No need to bring it to room temperature! Score it, and transfer it to the Dutch oven.
Hi there,
I wonder what size of casserole dish/Dutch oven I’d need for the bread. I don’t have any and would like to buy one that would be suitable for my sourdough bread.
Thank you!
Hi Zita, This is the pot I have and recommend: 5-Qt Lodge Double Dutch oven.
I made the recipe, following the directions. It was delicious! Thank you for sharing this recipe. Thanks u so much.
Great to hear, Dustin!
Thanks to your detailed explanation on how to make it. I have finally mastered making the sough dough bread. All of my family including kids don’t like eating any other bread!
Oh yay! So nice to hear this, Daria! Thanks for writing.
It took 15 days for my starter to float…so my first loaf was a labor of love! I used your recipe and I was so happy! It was perfect! My family loved it. I purchased all of your suggested tools arrived today, loaf number 2 coming up! Thanks for the assist.
Sharon
So great to hear all of this, Sharon! And nice work persisting with the starter … making one from scratch is a true test of patience. Thanks for writing!
I’m fairly new to sourdough, but this is my favorite recipe by far! It’s easy to follow and also taught me new things. I’ve used the recipe so many times I don’t need to follow it anymore, but I will always use your method. Thank you!
So great to hear this, Katie!
This is a really excellent recipe. I’ve been baking sourdough successfully for a few months now, but I had been shopping around for a new recipe and process because my loaves were never quite perfect enough. This recipe by far takes the cake. It resulted in a soft, airy loaf with a crackly crust that has kept moist for several days. I know I will return to this recipe (and others on your blog!) time and time again.
Great to hear this, Theresa! Thanks so much for writing 🙂 🙂 🙂
Hi there! I’m in the middle of the bulk fermentation on my first loaf. Super excited! Just curious if I can double recipe and make two loaves? Thank you for amazing recipe.
Yes, absolutely!
Absolutely explainable ingredients and recipes to understand.. thanks!
Wonderful to hear this, Susan!
This is lovely! So glad to have found this recipe. I can cook anything, so far but, this has been a goal and, I finally found a great Herman starter. My bread came out perfect and boy did it put a big smile on my Mom’s face. Thanks for the most clear, organized and concise directions. These daze most such sights are mostly babble and less instruction so yours is a welcomed joy. Looking forward to more fresh happiness to bake for my Mom.
So great to hear this, Julia! What a lucky mom you have 🙂 🙂 🙂
I used another recipe for my 1st sourdough loaf. It was essentially a hockey puck. Sensing it wasn’t ALL my fault – lol, I went looking for another approach.
Yours procedure it terrific! My 2nd loaf (after a 14 hr retard) was a beautifully open crumb, nearly perfect loaf!
Today I’m making loaf 3 after increasing the retard phase to 36 hrs. Excited to see what happens.
MANY Thanks!
So great to hear this, Chris! Can’t wait to hear if there is a difference between the 14-hour proof and the 36-hour proof… report back if you feel like it 🙂
This is my very favorite everyday sourdough recipe! I’ve been making it weekly for a few months now and it consistently turns out beautiful loaves. I also love the flexibility of the fridge proof. That seemed hard at first, because I did have to preplan for the extra 24-48 hours but once I got used to it, I loved that I could pull it out and bake it before a meal on either day. With two little kids at home, that kind of meal planning with flexibility is huge! And my daughters love it too!
I’ve started experimenting with adding different flours because I like the nutrition, flavor and color wheat, rye, spelt, etc… add. This last loaf, I was out of bread flour so I used 400 g of whole wheat and 100 g of rye. I let it proof the whole 48 h and it was excellent – not dry or dense.
A question – do you think adding honey, maple, or molasses would be okay and if so, how much? What about oats?
Thanks again for sharing your gift of excellent recipe writing! You are contributing to a lot of healthy bread baking and eating out here. 🙂
Hi Britt! So nice to hear all of this. And I’m with you: once you get the hang of sourdough and find your rhythm, it’s almost more flexible than yeast-leavened bread because you can have these boules in the fridge ready to bake at a moment’s notice. Anyway, thanks for writing!
Regarding honey, maple syrup, and molasses: yes, definitely OK. I would start small: no more than 1/4 cup, and then adjust based on your results. As for oats, I think you could add at least a cup. With both the sweeteners and the oats, I would weigh the amounts and take notes so you can reference the amounts with future batches. The oats don’t have gluten, though they will absorb some of the liquid … you may find you need to adjust the amount of water, but again, I would try it first without adjusting the water; then based on your results, adjust it the next time around.
This recipe has been foolproof for me! I’ve used it 6-7 times now and it hasn’t let me down.
One question: how long could i leave the dough in the fridge during the second rise? Can it last longer than 48 hours? I put it in the fridge on Sunday and would prefer to bake it on Wednesday (72hrs).
Thank you!!
Hi Caroline! It should be fine, but it’s so hard to know … I find the sweet spot to be about 48 hours. You may find that with 72 hours, your loaves lose a bit of their loft. Again, it may be fine. It won’t be ruined, so if you are up for experimenting, give it a go!
During the “Time of the Pandemic,” I’ve found my way to a sourdough starter that works beautifully for me, but hadn’t found a recipe for a truly great sourdough boule. This is it; thank you! It’s honestly the perfect boule, and as good as the great and wonderful Acme Bread!
So nice to hear this, Mark! Thanks so much for writing. Happy happy Baking!
Hi there! I’m a total beginner and this is the first recipe where I was successful in getting a BEAUTIFUL loaf! Question- why is there no autolyse step and why does this work even without one? Just curious!
Thanks for the great recipe.
Hi Ellen,
Autolysing is a step that I never do. I think this is because I know that you can make really good bread start to finish in just about 3 hours, so I can’t be bothered with something like an autolyse. If you find your doughs are very wet, autolyse is a step you may want to consider, because it will allow the flour to better hydrate, and also, if you find yourself wanting more of that open crumb, autolysing may be a step to consider as well, because it could potentially give the dough more strength.
Again, I never do it, because I get good results without taking that step, and there is only so much I am willing to do for a loaf of bread 🙂 🙂 🙂
Turned out beautiful and delicious and overall perfect!!… And, as a beginner to sourdough I want you to know I thought your instructions were the easiest to follow of all that I have seen so far!!
Thank you so very much!
Wonderful to hear this, Jan!! Thanks so much for writing.
I love this recipe! I’m at 5500 elevation and use 75g starter, 350g warm water, 500g flour and follow the directions from there and it turns out every time! I always turn the bread 4x in 2 hours like the directions state, go by what the dough looks like for the first rise, then keep it in the fridge for 24-48 hours for second proof. It is especially good with fresh rosemary or sharp cheddar and jalapenos! Thank you for the delicious recipe, I love it!!
Wonderful to hear all of this MaryJane! Thanks so much for sharing your high-elevation baking notes … so helpful for others!!
The bread tastes good. I loved the sour taste of it. It was a perfect amount not too sour and not bland at all. The saying good things come to those who wait is true with this recipe especially when waiting for the bread to cool off. This recipe is a keeper.
Great to hear this, JJ! Thanks for writing 🙂
This is my first and now go-to sourdough recipe and it has never failed me! Thank you so much for posting the helpful videos too!
Question: I’d like to try a longer second fermentation in the fridge (for 2-3 days). Should I cover it with something in particular or just continue to use the rice flour-dusted tea towel folded over it? Thank you!!
So nice to hear this, Kristina! I would tuck your bread (as in the whole package — the bowl, towel, bread) into a bag — a produce bag from the grocery store works well. Tie a knot or clip it closed. This will help prevent the dough from developing a crust.
Hi , just wondering if when I take it out of the fridge from proofing, does it go straight into the oven or does it need to come up to room temp first?
Hi Kevin! It goes straight into the oven. No need for it to come to room temp first. Score it when it is cold, transfer it to your heated Dutch oven.
I absolutely LOVE this recipe! I’ve made it many times and it comes out perfectly every time. Thank you for sharing it!
Wonderful to hear this, Sandi 🙂 🙂 🙂
Happy New Year all! This is an awesome recipe and tutorial for how to make a successful sourdough. While I do make bread, a good sourdough has always been a huge challenge. This recipe gives step by step directions, with timing for each step, and pictures. The closest thing to being taught in person. I use a big cast iron dutch oven. King Arthur flour and sourdough starter. And my timer to help me to recall the timing on each step. Not at all difficult- It just takes a quiet day where you can get up and make a few folds in the dough. Try it- It’s great!
So nice to hear this, Patti! Thanks so much for writing. I think your comment will be very encouraging to others who have yet to make the leap to sourdough bread baking.
Hi Do you have a timetable for this recipe? I think that would be really helpful.
To feed starter and let it mature you need 4-6 hours…
Then make the dough, rest 30 min, then 2 hours for stretch and folds, then bulk rise for another 8-10 hours?
Shape, let rest 30 min, shape again and THEN refrigerate overnight???
So if I feed my started at 8am, I’m probably getting it in the fridge by 2am?
Help! How do you manage all of this realistically?
Thanks
Hi Stephanie! I have a sample schedule on this post: Why is my sourdough so sticky? 4 Common Sourdough Mistakes + Answers to FAQ’s
Jump to the FAQ’s and you’ll find your answer under the header: What’s a Good Baking Schedule to Follow?
Hi. If I wanted to add some sort of fat to make the bread last longer, how much should I add? And will it change the crumb in any way? Thank you.
Hi A! I can’t say for sure, but I imagine 1/4 cup of olive oil or other fat would be just fine. The crumb may be a little finer as a result.
First time making sourdough and mine turned out great. I used 100g starter as recommended and it was great. I let my dough sit in the fridge for about 16 hours and ended up with an extremely airy bread with a nice crunch. I also ended up cooking mine on the rack directly for about 3 minute to get some extra color on it at the end. Great recipe and super helpful instructions. Well worth it!
Wonderful to hear this, Alyse! The time in the fridge makes all the difference in the world.
Hi. Can I add oil to the dough to make the bread softer for longer? Will this affect the crumb or hydration in any way? Thank you.
Yes, you can. I would say 1/4 cup of oil would be fine here. The finished crumb will likely be a little tighter, less open. The oil shouldn’t affect the hydration too much, so I wouldn’t make any adjustments to the amount of flour.
Thank you 😊
Hi,
I’m excited about trying your recipe soon. I have a question about the timing. Do you start early in the morning? I’ve been making sourdough bread and I feed my starter at night and make the dough in the morning but it’s not going well. Please share how you schedule it.
Thank you.
Hi Eva! Schedules are so tricky to layout because everyone’s environment is different. I often start my doughs after dinner, let them rise for a few hours; then transfer them to the fridge to prevent over-fermentation, and then I pick up where I left off in the morning. If you got to this post: Why is my sourdough so sticky? 4 Common Sourdough Mistakes + Answers to FAQ’s and jump to the FAQs, I address the baking schedule issue. Let me know if this helps and/or if you have any other questions.