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.
3,029 Comments on “Homemade Sourdough Bread, Step by Step”
Crazy question- I have made this recipe over and over and LOVE IT!! It turns out perfectly every time! One question, though. I’ve noticed (twice now) that if I use bread flour to feed my starter, the starter really doesn’t double. It’s happened twice when I ran out of AP flour to feed it. Any idea if that’s normal or just a coincidence? Thanks, Ali!
That’s really interesting. Not sure how to explain that, but I would switch back to whatever flour you were using before. What kind of bread flour out of curiosity? It isn’t bleached, is it?
Thanks for the reply! It’s actually Central Milling’s organic bread flour. I really like their products, but it is difficult to get them consistently where I live. I got some King Arthurs organic AP flour, and that starter is cranking again! Strange, huh?
It really is! I tend to use that KAF organic flour for my starter as well.
I have had great success with your recipe. I want to make walnut fig bread. When do I add the walnuts and figs. after the4 stretch and fold?? thank you.
I would add them after the second stretch and fold, and do at least 2 more sets of stretches and folds afterward.
Very easy to follow recipe. This was my first time making sourdough and it turned out way better than I anticipated!
Great to hear, Sadie!
Hi! Looking forward to making this recipe. When should this be made re starter? When my starter is doubled? After it has fallen? How many hours after I fed it should it be used?
Thanks!
You want to use fed starter, roughly 6 hours after you feed it or when it has doubled or tripled in volume.
5*s. I’ve been baking sourdough for 10yrs and I tried many methods starting out. This method is spot on and one that I would recommend. If you are a beginner reading this, please breathe and relax. Sourdough is very forgiving. I have two active starters. One is in the fridge that I typically ignore for months at a time (up to 6 so far with great results) and one that I keep on my counter (I live in MA) and feed every 3-5 days depending on when I remember or bake. Note: the fridge starter will separate and the water on the top will turn a bit dark. Do not fret, just stir it up and use it.
Great to hear, Michael. Thanks so much for writing and sharing all of this. So encouraging for others.
I forgot to do the bench rest. Will this be a major problem?
Nope!
Question from newbie:
1) To speed up fermentation or proofing, can I use proof setting (100°F)? If so, how does this change wait times typically?
I do not recommend using the proof setting — it can be too hot for temperamental sourdoughs and you risk your dough over fermenting.
Wonderful recipe and guidance! This is the best boule I’ve ever made!
Great to hear, Joan! Thanks so much for writing 🙂
Hi Ali,
I’m making my second sourdough bread today following your recipe.
On my first try: I should have followed your suggestion for a possible extra 5 mins baking time on the oven rack. I don’t have a double dutch oven and the regular dutch oven shielded the sides of the bread so it wasn’t very crusty. Secondly, the dough was rather wet and sticky the first time, so here are my changes today:
I reduced the water a tad (370 gm instead of 375) and also did an autolyse first to strengthen the dough. I’ve added olives today! It’s bulk fermenting now after several stretches and folds and it certainly seems to be holding together much better—fingers crossed! I will also bake on the rack for the final 5 mins this time around.
Question: Can I let the dough proof in the fridge for longer than 48 hours?
Thanks for all the guidance, especially the super videos on shaping! I’m going to batard today instead of boule. And I will follow your batard shaping video.
Great to read all of this, Dee! Thanks so much for writing and sharing your notes. So helpful for others.
I find the sweet spot to be 48 hours in the fridge, but I have left it as long as 72 hours with success.
How long would you bake if you split this into 2 smaller loaves?
I would suggest 20 minutes covered, 10-15 minutes uncovered.
Made my first loaf!!! I was so discouraged but found this recipe and it was so helpful!!! Easy step by step, felt like you held my hand and walked my through it!! Definitely saving this!
Great to hear, Ashley! Thanks so much for writing 🙂 🙂 🙂
Thanks so much for a terrific recipe! Would like to try adding in garlic and Parmesan. Any advice on how much and when to add would be appreciated!
I would add them after the second set of stretches and folds. For the parmesan, I’d do no more than 1/2 cup grated, and I’d use hand-grated parmesan as opposed to the pre-grated finely grated stuff. For garlic, I think you could start with 2 to 3 minced cloves.
Thank you for this great recipe.
Can you please tell us if the dough is supposed to rise while proofing overnight in the fridge?
The dough will not look visibly different after it spends a night or two in the fridge. But good things are happening beneath the surface 🙂
Hi! I have a jar of discard in the fridge and was planning on using half of it to make muffins and the other half to feed as a starter. My question is- how long can discard stay in the fridge before I half it and feed it as starter?
Hi! I think it depends. I keep starter in the fridge for months without feeding it, and then I discard most of it, and feed it/revive it for bread use. I would not use months-old starter for discard recipe, however, because it’s just too sour smelling and potentially tasting. For discard recipes, I would say use refrigerator starter that is no more than 2- to 3-weeks old.
I started my starter in April and it’s going strong. Your sour dough has all my neighbors coming to me for more. Love this simple easy recipe. How do I add honey and sunflower seeds?
I would add seeds during the third set of stretches and folds. I would add honey with the water: dissolve it into the water before proceeding.
I am new to sourdough and used this recipe to give a loaf a try with my week old starter. I had low expectations since my starter is so new but wanted to get a feel for all the steps. I was delighted with the results! It came out amazing and tasted great! I cant wait to make more bread and try other recipes!
Thank you for this recipe and thoroughly outlined process. I used to make sourdough all of the time, but I stopped many years ago. A friend brought me some starter on Saturday, and today I baked my first loaf after following your step-by-step directions, and it is AMAZING! I did the full 24-hour proof, and the crumb is perfection. I feel like it took me many tries before I made a loaf this good the last time I tried sourdough baking. So grateful to you for sharing your expertise!
So nice to read this, Jeanie 🙂 🙂 🙂 I’m excited for cooler weather and for more sourdough boules in the months ahead. I’ve been baking a lot more recently, and it is so nice to have really good bread on hand for toast. Thanks for writing!
Great recipe! Worked perfectly!
Great to hear, Kathryne 🙂
I’ve been making this recipe at least twice a week for the past few months and it is working very well for me. I am a new sourdough baker and all the hints and tips really helped me dial in what I need to do for my own starter and oven – thank you <3
Great to hear, Annette! Thanks for writing 🙂
New to sourdough, what kind of flour do you use for baking and to feed your starter? AP flour or Bread Flour?
I use organic all-purpose flour (King Arthur Flour) to feed my starter. I use KAF bread and ap flour for my bread recipes. I also like to incorporate some freshly milled flour (Cairnsprings is a favorite) into my breads.
What’s the difference between using the 50 G vs 100 G of starter?
Very little truthfully. I always use 100 grams of starter. It makes for a slightly higher hydration dough, which I like.
Thank you 🙂
I would love to make this. Do you have a sourdough starter recipe? Thanks in advance.
Diane, I don’t at the moment, but I am planning on posting one very soon! Stay tuned 🙂
In the meantime, I suggest buying one from King Arthur Flour or Breadtopia.
I feel like this question has been asked but can’t seem to find it: is it possible to freeze the dough at any point? What would that process look like? (LOVE this recipe, this blog, and your cooking philosophies in general.)
Thank you, Jess 🙂
I am not a huge fan of freezing sourdough dough — I freeze unbaked yeast-leavened dough, but I have not had the same results with sourdough. It just doesn’t hold up for long periods of time in the freezer in that it loses so much of its loft. I find two weeks max in the freezer is the limit but even then, the dough loses strength. It’s a bummer!
I am finding it increasingly difficult to find recipes in cups, Tbs. and tsp. measurements and it is most annoying for an old time seasoned baker as myself. Kindly put both measurements side by side so everyone can make with ease. Thank you.
Ronnie, hi! I’m confused… this recipe includes both. Did you make it down to the recipe box?
This turned out beautifully!
I used about 80g starter and left in fridge overnight after the initial folds and tucks because I ran out of time.. thank you SO much for spelling out how to break up the process and for including videos – these are very helpful!
I used corningware and baked at 425 due to the heat limit on the lid.
I’m very new to sourdough – this was my 3rd loaf and by far the best recipe & results!
Going to continue to use this recipe going forward!
Thank you!
Wonderful to hear this, Lori! Thanks so much for writing 🙂 🙂 🙂
The best recipe ever. I made my best sourdough bread this morning. I added about a quarter whole wheat flour and a third cup of vital wheat gluten to compensate. My starter was a little watery and the whole dough became slightly wetter than my previous ones. I followed everything else step by step and cold proofed it approx. 23 hours. I wish I could send you a picture. My 6 quart Dutch over was almost full. It is also nicely sour. Thank you!
Oh wow, thanks so much for writing and sharing your notes. Great to hear it turned out so well! I’m so excited oven season has returned 🙂 🙂 🙂
Love this recipe! But my oven doesn’t get hotter than 425 degrees. Will it still work? How long would you do it at?
It should! I think you’ll just have to add 5 to 10 more minutes to the baking time.
Amazing bread and video. Thanks heaps Alex. The advice about only rising 50% instead of 100% is very helpful
Great to hear, Elizabeth!
I was a very anxious first time sourdough maker (though a very regular baker), so I followed this recipe TO A TEE. I’m so glad I did, we had amazing sourdough toast with a fried egg and chilli sauce and it was absolute perfection! Thank you for sharing!
Great to hear, Sam! Thanks for writing 🙂 🙂 🙂
Hi, I’ve had great success with your recipes! I would like to make two loaves at a time, do I just double the recipe or do you have a recipe for two loaves?
Thanks so much 🙂
Yep, just double! Great to hear, Linda 🙂 🙂 🙂
Hi Ali, I’m feeding my starter and looking forward to to trying out this recipe. I’ve not had much succes in the past with sourdough as the bread usually turned out dense and gummy though I tried to hold back some water. My flour is 12.5% protein. As I find that my enamelled Dutch oven is too heavy for me to lift in and out of the oven, I’ve been using a lidded stainless steel pot which is not preheated. Do you see any disadvantage in that? Also, can I bake it from a cold oven? My oven only goes up to 240c. Thank you.
Hi Lyn! Have you had success using a non-preheated pot? And a cold oven? I know the cold-oven method has lots of fans, but I don’t find it to be as successful. If you have had success, I say go for it. If you haven’t had success, I would try the preheated-pot method in the preheated oven.