Homemade Sourdough Bread, Step by Step

By Alexandra Stafford — Last Updated: 07/30/2025

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

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

What is the Best Dutch Oven for Sourdough Bread?

I love my Lodge Pre-Seasoned Cast Iron Double Dutch Oven, which I’ve had for years! The Lodge is a great value at around $49, but if you like the idea of making batards, baguettes and other oblong-shaped loaves, I can’t recommend the Challenger Bread Pan enough, which costs $299. The placement of the handles makes for easy removal and closure of the lid, and it creates beautiful, crusty loaves every time.

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:

A bowl on a scale holding 375 grams water.

Add 50 to 100 grams of sourdough starter.

A bowl on a scale holding water and sourdough starter.

Stir to combine; then add 11 grams of salt:

A bowl on a scale holding, water, salt, and sourdough starter all mixed together.

Finally, add 500 grams of bread flour:

A bowl holding water, salt, flour, and sourdough starter.

Stir to combine:

A bowl holding just-mixed sourdough bread dough.

Let it Rise. (Bulk Fermentation)

Transfer the dough to a straight-sided vessel. Cover it, and let it rest for 30 minutes.

A straight sided vessel holding sourdough bread dough.

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, 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.

A container of sourdough that has risen by 50% in volume. — This is dough that has increased in volume by 50%. This is the increase I have the most success with.

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.

A baked loaf of sourdough bread on a cutting board.

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

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5 from 1807 reviews

Author: Alexandra Stafford
Total Time: 18 hours 45 minutes
Yield: 1 loaf 1x

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Description

Inspired by The Clever Carrot

If you are new to sourdough, watch the step-by-step video here: Simple Sourdo ugh 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:
- King Arthur Flour
- Breadtopia
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.
Adding Other Ingredients: If you’d like to add cheese, herbs, jalapeños, or other seasonings, do so before the third set of stretches and folds. Consider adding a fifth set of stretches and folds to ensure the ingredients are evenly incorporated into the dough.

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.

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5,724 Comments on “Homemade Sourdough Bread, Step by Step”

Lauren — May 10, 2024 @ 10:52 am Reply

I made this recipe exactly the way I was instructed. I just pulled this out of the oven and it looks EXACTLY like the picture! Thank you so much!!!! It looks amazing, cannot wait to cut it open!
100/10
- Alexandra Stafford — May 10, 2024 @ 12:32 pm Reply
  
  Great to hear, Lauren! Thanks for writing:)
Wade — May 10, 2024 @ 11:32 am Reply

This worked out tremendously! If I wanted to make 2 loaves, would you just double this recipe?
- Alexandra Stafford — May 11, 2024 @ 4:12 am Reply
  
  Great to hear, Wade! And yes 🙂
Papa Rick — May 10, 2024 @ 12:38 pm Reply

First time with making starter and first attempt with sourdough bread. I can’t believe how good it turned out! My wife said it looked professional and the sourdough flavor was excellent. I did the 48 hour cold proofing and the crust was a thin, hard, golden crust. We ate the half loaf at dinner!
- Alexandra Stafford — May 13, 2024 @ 12:17 pm Reply
  
  Fantastic! Love reading all of this so much. Thanks for writing 🙂
Ashley — May 12, 2024 @ 8:04 am Reply

Just made this and I gladly admit, out of ALL the recipes I had tried, THIS one tops all.
HIGHLY recommend making this. Solid 10 , thankyou <3
- Alexandra Stafford — May 13, 2024 @ 1:12 pm Reply
  
  Great to hear, Ashley! Thanks for writing 🙂
Tara Ferrin — May 14, 2024 @ 4:41 am Reply

After doing several fold and turns and letting rise, my dough is still super sticky and doesn’t hold a round form. What can I do?
- Alexandra Stafford — May 14, 2024 @ 5:07 am Reply
  
  Hi! Questions:
  
  did you use a scale to measure?
  what type of flour are you using?
  Are you using a wet hand to perform the stretches and folds?
  - Tara Ferrin — May 14, 2024 @ 10:55 am Reply
    
    Yes to scale, einkorn flour, slightly oiled hand.
    - Alexandra Stafford — May 14, 2024 @ 12:11 pm Reply
      
      OK, it’s definitely the einkorn flour that is causing the very sticky dough. It absorbs water differently — generally at a slower pace, so the dough will get stickier as the flour hydrates. Not sure where you are in the process, but you could just push on or you could add more flour and knead it gently until it is more manageable.
carol Payne — May 15, 2024 @ 7:15 am Reply

This is the best sourdough recipe I have found. Every loaf comes out perfect.
- Alexandra Stafford — May 16, 2024 @ 2:02 pm Reply
  
  Great to hear, Carol! Thanks so much for writing 🙂
Lori — May 17, 2024 @ 1:29 pm Reply

I love this recipe, have made it a few times (I am relatively new to SD and it’s been very forgiving of my novice skills).

Today, I inadvertently added the salt to the water first, before adding the starter. I am curious if I should expect this to have any negative impact? I realized afterwards I had not gone in order of your instructions specifically stating to add the starter to the water first, then the salt and flour.
- Alexandra Stafford — May 21, 2024 @ 4:53 am Reply
  
  It will be fine! I do this sometimes too… the order is not important here. Great to read all of this!
Ashley — May 18, 2024 @ 8:11 am Reply

I hopped on the sourdough train in 2020 and made a few loaves here and there, a few good a few bad. I haven’t baked in a while and decided to try a loaf with a different recipe the other day. The loaves were dense and heavy and awful. So I tried again a few days later and my dough felt sticky and wrong so I didn’t even bake it. I did some more research and found this recipe and baked a loaf yesterday. This is my best loaf yet!! A beautiful oven spring, light and airy crumb, tastes amazing and was super simple to follow. I was almost ready to throw in the towel and never bake again. Thank you for sharing your recipe and doing a video. It was so nice to follow along step by step as you were doing it so I could have something to compare mine to visually as well. Very helpful and much appreciated! I doubled the recipe today so I could make 2 more loaves since the first one is almost gone!! Thanks!
- Alexandra Stafford — May 22, 2024 @ 2:46 am Reply
  
  I’m so happy to read all of this Ashley! Thanks so much for taking the time to write and share this. So glad the video was helpful, and I’m so glad you stayed on the sourdough train!
Kay — May 18, 2024 @ 10:56 am Reply

This is THE BEST sourdough bread recipe and it’s foolproof as long as you follow the instructions!!
- Alexandra Stafford — May 22, 2024 @ 2:49 am Reply
  
  Great to hear, Kay! Thanks for writing 🙂
Jacqueline McFadden — May 18, 2024 @ 11:14 am Reply

Great recipe I have been mastering it. I wonder if it’s possible to bake two smaller loafs from this recipe. How do I adjust for time and temp?
- Alexandra Stafford — May 22, 2024 @ 2:49 am Reply
  
  Yes! Divide the dough after the bulk fermentation; reduce the cooking time by 5 minutes at each phase (covered and uncovered).
Asrael — May 18, 2024 @ 1:25 pm Reply

Thank you for this recipe.
I am making this for the first time and don’t have a dutch oven. I do have baking pans, and an aluminum bowl, as well as pyrex bowls (not sure if they go up to high heat). I am wondering the best way to bake it? And at what temperature.

Thank you so much.
- Alexandra Stafford — May 22, 2024 @ 2:50 am Reply
  
  Hi! I would try preheating one of your baking pans; carefully lower your shaped loaf onto the preheated pan using parchment paper; cover with the aluminum bowl. Same temp and baking time. Good luck!
  - Asrael — May 22, 2024 @ 9:33 am Reply
    
    Great! Thanks- That is what I did- only used a cast iron skillet for the baking pan.
    I also had some water in a pan on the lower oven rack to create some steam. It turned out great.
    
    The one thing I had a question about- was the texture of the bread- It rose wonderfully, tasted great- but was a little smushy – I have never just made bread with white bread flour before so was wondering if that was the normal texture- or if perhaps I needed to do the stretch and slap method or shaping of the loafs differently?
    
    I let it cold rest for about 18 hours.
    
    Over all really happy with it.
    - Alexandra Stafford — May 23, 2024 @ 11:50 am Reply
      
      Great to hear! Questions: are you using a scale to measure? And do you live in a humid environment?
      - Asrael — May 23, 2024 @ 12:42 pm
        
        Yes I used a scale. I think I used about 80 grams starter. And yes I live in a humid environment- with air and inside, but more humid than dry.
      - Alexandra Stafford — May 26, 2024 @ 5:47 am
        
        Ok, given your humid environment, I’d consider holding back some of the water. See if using 50 grams less water helps.
Lilly — May 20, 2024 @ 3:49 pm Reply

Tastes and smells great – but it was flat. I let it sit for 12 hours for the first proof, and over 30 hours for the cold proof. Any ideas on why it didn’t rise?
- Alexandra Stafford — May 22, 2024 @ 3:16 am Reply
  
  Hi! Questions for you:
  
  Are you using a scale to measure?
  What type of flour?
  What type of baking vessel?
  Are you new to sourdough?
  Are you confident in the strength of your starter?
  
  This post might help you pinpoint where things went wrong: Why is my sourdough so sticky? 4 Common Sourdough Mistakes + Answers to FAQ’s
  - Lilly — May 22, 2024 @ 7:43 am Reply
    
    Thank you for the response. I am new to Sourdough. I use a scale and measure, Dutch Oven, and used all purpose flour. I am confiewnt in my starter, It was about 2 weeks old with feeding every day. The rise on my starter was great with plenty of bubbles.
    - Alexandra Stafford — May 23, 2024 @ 11:47 am Reply
      
      Great to hear about the scale, Dutch oven, and strong starter.
      
      I would consider trying bread flour.
      
      Are you using a straight-sided vessel for the bulk fermentation?
      - Lillian — May 24, 2024 @ 9:11 am
        
        I did not use a straight sided vessel, I used a large bowl. I’ll try again with a straight sided vessel and bread flour
      - Alexandra Stafford — May 26, 2024 @ 5:57 am
        
        That will help — a straight-sided vessel will help you see how much your dough truly has grown and will therefore help you monitor that bulk fermentation, which is so important.
Kaylah — May 20, 2024 @ 4:49 pm Reply

My loaf turned out flat? 🙁
- Alexandra Stafford — May 22, 2024 @ 3:17 am Reply
  
  Hi! Questions for you:
  
  Are you using a scale to measure?
  What type of flour?
  What type of baking vessel?
  Are you new to sourdough?
  Are you confident in the strength of your starter?
  
  This post might help you pinpoint where things went wrong: Why is my sourdough so sticky? 4 Common Sourdough Mistakes + Answers to FAQ’s
M. J. Fox — May 21, 2024 @ 4:41 pm Reply

Hello Alexandria, your recipe and guidance has taken the frustration out of baking my most favorite bread in the world. Thanks.
- Alexandra Stafford — May 22, 2024 @ 3:26 am Reply
  
  So nice to hear this! Thanks so much for writing 🙂
Kathy Schwartz — May 21, 2024 @ 6:55 pm Reply

My go to recipe for sourdough
- Alexandra Stafford — May 22, 2024 @ 3:28 am Reply
  
  Great to hear, Kathy 🙂
Geraldine — May 22, 2024 @ 2:20 am Reply

Wonderful recipe – finally I can say I can make sourdough!!! I added a little wholewheat flour and the loaf tastes great. So handy to be able to just pull the dough out of the fridge and bake in the morning, ready for lunch.
- Alexandra Stafford — May 22, 2024 @ 3:28 am Reply
  
  Great to hear, Geraldine 🙂
Rose Canneto — May 22, 2024 @ 1:56 pm Reply

I followed your easy clear directions step by step. I have already failed with two other sour dough attempts. My bread did stick a little in the banneton basket but I wasn’t using the flour sack towels you suggested. My bread came out beautiful!!!!! Yay!!!!! And excellent open crumb, even my scoring was a good B-. Thank you Thank you!!!! I’m making this bread again today. I feel like my starter is stronger this time and I’m using the flour sack towels!!!!
- Alexandra Stafford — May 23, 2024 @ 11:52 am Reply
  
  Wonderful to read all of this, Rose! Thanks so much for writing and sharing these notes. Flour sack towels are the best!!
Carolyn Mc — May 23, 2024 @ 10:30 am Reply

Once again, your method is magic. First time making sourdough per your recipe and it turned out just perfect. I’m thrilled. Thank you for all your attention to detail. It was so much lighter in texture than the sourdoughs I’ve made before. Perfection.
- Alexandra Stafford — May 23, 2024 @ 11:59 am Reply
  
  Great to hear, Carolyn! Thanks for writing 🙂
Penny M — May 23, 2024 @ 3:38 pm Reply

My dough was pretty sticky. Attempted two loaves. I used all purpose King Arthur’s white flour, a scale, also very confident in my starter. I used 75g starter for first loaf, since the recipe called for 50-100g. It came out flat, but the taste was good. In the second dough, I used 95g starter, and it was stickier. I think I will cut the starter down to 50g. I am at about 5000ft elevation in Colorado. It was hard to bench scrape into form, too sticky and spread out. I only spent 6 hours on the bulk fermentation, roughly 50% of the volume. Any other suggestions to help with altitude?
- Alexandra Stafford — May 26, 2024 @ 5:54 am Reply
  
  Hi Penny! Thanks for writing and sharing these details.
  Generally at high elevation, a higher hydration dough is better and a long, slow rise is what works well: so a bulk fermentation followed by some time in the fridge.
  
  I would suggest using bread flour.
  
  Are you using a wet hand when you do the stretches and folds? When you do the stretches and folds are you noticing any transformation in the dough? As in, does it get more elastic and stronger?
  
  Did your shaped loaves spend any time in the fridge?
  
  Have you made any other sourdough breads with success or are you new to sourdough?
Lindy — May 25, 2024 @ 4:09 pm Reply

Hi,

Another question 🙂 🙂 🙂

Any advice if the bottom of my loaf is getting too brown? When I was doing a round in my enamel coated dutch oven per your recipe, I wasn’t having this issue, but I am now doing a more oblong loaf per one of your videos (love this shape a lot more – so, again, thank you for yet another amazing recipe/option). So, pre-heating my cast iron dutch oven (not enamel coated), for 1 hour at 475. Then putting the bread in at 450 for 30 minutes and then removing lid and cooking at 400 for 15 more (keeping loaf in the dutch oven). I’ve made sure to use middle oven rack and have switched out parchment paper for a heavier duty silicon mat, which has helped, but it’s still over browning directly on the bottom and creating too chewy/tough of a bottom crust. Should I try a lower oven temp? Or adjust the timing? I feel like I’m so close 🙂 thank you again!!
- Alexandra Stafford — May 26, 2024 @ 6:15 am Reply
  
  Hi! And yes, I think lowering the temperature should help. Try preheating it at 450ºF for 1 hour.
  
  Also lift up your loaf after 30 minutes and check the underside. If the dough is browning too much on the bottom, you know that it’s happening during these first 30 minutes, in which case, lowering the temperature from the start should help.
  
  If the crust is not browning too much, then you know the burning is happening during the last 15-20 minutes of baking, in which case you could remove the loaf from the pot after 30 minutes and bake it on a sheet pan.
  
  Another option: place your Dutch oven on two sheet pans. I do this with challah to prevent the bottom from burning. The extra layer of sheet pans will prevent the bottom of your sourdough from burning, too.
  - Lindy — May 27, 2024 @ 10:47 am Reply
    
    Thank you!! I will definitely give these options a try 🙂 I really appreciate you and your wisdom, including your willingness to share it!!
    - Alexandra Stafford — May 29, 2024 @ 3:21 am Reply
      
      My pleasure!
Katy — May 26, 2024 @ 6:21 am Reply

The best sourdough I’ve ever made. So easy to follow along and amazing final product!
- Alexandra Stafford — May 27, 2024 @ 4:32 am Reply
  
  Great to hear, Katy! Thanks for writing 🙂
Jeryl — May 26, 2024 @ 6:37 am Reply

After taking the dough out of the refrigerator and shaping and scoring it, do you allow it to return to room temperature before baking it? TY! Jeryl
- Alexandra Stafford — May 27, 2024 @ 4:32 am Reply
  
  No need!
Hilary — May 27, 2024 @ 8:30 am Reply

This is the second time I’ve followed this recipe and the first turned out great for my first ever sourdough. This second attempt has left me with a question—I just finished the cold second proof, and it was very light and airy coming out of the fridge, however there was no way to get it out of the bowl without deflating it. Should I have put it in a different container or on some parchment for the cold proof so I wouldn’t have had issues with sticking, and the goal would have been to just go straight to baking here?
- Alexandra Stafford — May 29, 2024 @ 3:25 am Reply
  
  Hmmm, interesting… did you do anything differently with the first and second attempts? Are you lining your bannetons with flour sack towels?
  
  On your second attempt, after you shaped your loaf, did you get into the banneton and into the fridge immediately? Or did it rise at room temperature for some time?
  
  I’m just trying to figure out why it rose more the second time around vs the first time.
Kimberly Cross — May 27, 2024 @ 11:39 am Reply

My baked bread awful! It is heavy, doughy like it is under cooked and flat! I use AP flour but did everything else excatly the way you did it. I’m going to try aging, but what did I do wrong. It raw.
- Alexandra Stafford — May 28, 2024 @ 3:29 pm Reply
  
  Are you using a scale to measure?
  Have you made other sourdough recipes successfully? Or is this your first attempt?
  Are you confident in the strength of your starter?
Samantha Bennett — May 27, 2024 @ 7:41 pm Reply

BEST sourdough ever!!!
- Alexandra Stafford — May 28, 2024 @ 3:09 pm Reply
  
  Great to hear, Samantha!
Carolyn — May 29, 2024 @ 11:35 am Reply

Hello Ali. I used your recipe to make my first ever sourdough bread. It came out fantastic. I used a starter that my son recently cultivated. I followed your directions with two changes. I used 60 grams of starter and proofed in the refrigerator for 10 hours instead of 24. By then the dough was more than doubled. Took it out of the refrigerator for an hour and then placed it in the oven. I have a beautiful, round, golden loaf. I’m excited to try again. I wish I could post a picture. – Carolyn
- Alexandra Stafford — May 30, 2024 @ 4:49 am Reply
  
  Wonderful to hear, Carolyn! Thanks so much for writing and sharing these notes 🙂 🙂 🙂
Gina — May 29, 2024 @ 7:39 pm Reply

First time bread maker and with these instructions- Nailed It! 😜
- Alexandra Stafford — May 30, 2024 @ 4:48 am Reply
  
  Great to hear, Gina! Thanks so much for writing 🙂
Jessica — June 1, 2024 @ 4:35 am Reply

After a failed first attempt at a sandwich loaf with my starter (not a recipe from your site), I tried to make my first boule last weekend with your recipe. It turned out near perfect. Great crumb and spring and above all, DELICIOUS. Mine did not get golden on top, so I may have the lid off a bit longer next time. I appreciate the many steps, pictures, videos, etc as a beginner who was pretty lost.
- Alexandra Stafford — June 3, 2024 @ 11:46 am Reply
  
  Great to hear, Jessica! Thanks so much for writing and sharing this. And yes: the lid off for a few more minutes will definitely help with browning.
Melissa — June 1, 2024 @ 7:31 am Reply

I love your recipe! I’ve tried others and none compare. I’m curious to know if you ever use add ins like cheddar and jalapeño or olives and if so, at what stage you would add them. Thank you!
- Alexandra Stafford — June 3, 2024 @ 11:51 am Reply
  
  Hi and great to hear! I really need to do a post on this because I get asked all the time: yes, add them before the third set of stretches and folds. Condsider adding a fifth set of stretches and folds (if time permits) to ensure the add-ins are incorporated.
Concetta — June 1, 2024 @ 11:07 am Reply

Rats! I thought I was using bread flour and instead it is all purpose 🤦‍♀️ it rose well, in the oven now.. oh well, will see in a few. Rats!