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 1806 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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5,723 Comments on “Homemade Sourdough Bread, Step by Step”

Kat — July 15, 2024 @ 12:48 pm Reply

I have the dough chilling in the fridge overnight. Can’t wait to go home and bake it! I do have to say it made a really nice dough. It was pretty wet and I was worried but also very nice to work with. This will be my go-to from now on- I know it will be nice. For reference I do live in a warm, humid environment and it’s July. Bulk fermentation, 4 hours.
- Alexandra Stafford — July 16, 2024 @ 4:57 am Reply
  
  Great to hear! Hope it baked well, too. Thanks for sharing your notes, Kat 🙂
- Nicole — July 31, 2024 @ 2:42 pm Reply
  
  I was SO intimidated to get into sourdough, but this recipe made it super easy (especially with the cup measurements since I don’t have a kitchen scale yet)! The first time I made it I felt like my dough was a bit off, but I baked it anyway and it still turned out incredibly well!! Can’t wait to try it again and improve 🙂
  - Alexandra Stafford — August 1, 2024 @ 6:01 am Reply
    
    Great to hear, Nicole! Thanks for writing 🙂
Alecia — July 15, 2024 @ 5:13 pm Reply

Thank you – been working on the timing of the steps and want to try 2 things. If I am wanting to make 2 loaves at which point would you recommend dividing the dough? Also I would like to add in some roasted garlic and rosemary, do you have tips of when is the best time to do this?
- Alexandra Stafford — July 16, 2024 @ 4:53 am Reply
  
  Divide the dough after the bulk fermentation.
  
  For add-ins: Add them just before the third set of stretches and folds. Consider adding a 5th set of stretches and folds to ensure the ingredients are evenly incorporated.
  
  Good luck!
Krissy — July 16, 2024 @ 7:18 am Reply

I’m so glad that I found your website! I’ve been making sourdough bread for about a year but never managed to get the dough right. This was a game changer!
I have cookbook dyslexia so this step-by-step guide with pictures and videos was immensely helpful.
I was too impatient to keep the dough in the fridge for longer than 10 hours but my bread came out with those large lovely bubbles that I never managed before.
- Alexandra Stafford — July 16, 2024 @ 6:30 pm Reply
  
  Wonderful! So great to hear this, Krissy. Thank you for writing 🙂
Dan Shores — July 16, 2024 @ 11:37 am Reply

When making this bread do I use the starter fresh out of fridge, or let it come to room temp? After I take out what I need, do I then feed and put right back in fridge? Sorry to be naive, just have a desire to make sourdough and the steps from fringe to dough is really confusing to me and I can’t make sense of it. Thanks
- Alexandra Stafford — July 16, 2024 @ 6:33 pm Reply
  
  Hi Dan!
  
  You should be using room temperature starter, one that is bubbling and active. This post might help you: How to Feed, Maintain, and Store a Sourdough Starter
  
  This is my process: remove starter from fridge, discard most of it, then feed what remains with equal parts by weight flour and water (75 grams or so each). Let it rise until it doubles, then repeat: discard most of it, then feed what remains with equal parts by weight flour and water (75 grams or so each). Let it rise again until it doubles. Then I use it.
  
  When storing: feed your starter as directed above, let it rise until it doubles, then store it in the fridge. You want to store it when it is at its peak.
Jess — July 17, 2024 @ 12:17 pm Reply

I put mine in fridge over night and it looked perfect in the AM, but when I took it out of the bowl it flattened and was super sticky, yet the outside wasnt! What am I doing wrong? I followed this recipe precisely😩
- Alexandra Stafford — July 18, 2024 @ 4:11 am Reply
  
  Hi Jess! Can you clarify: did you place a shaped boule into the bowl and into the fridge or was the dough still in the bulk fermentation vessel when you placed it in the fridge? And when you say the dough was super sticky but the outside wasn’t, what does this mean? Was there a crust on the dough?
- Becca Pritchett — July 23, 2024 @ 3:08 pm Reply
  
  Mine did the same thing, but I realized I accidentally skipped the first rise of 50% at room temperature 😬 I hope I didn’t ruin it! I’m letting it sit at room temp now hoping it’ll still rise after it being in the fridge for 24 hours!
Joanne smith — July 17, 2024 @ 6:43 pm Reply

Hi, I love this recipe have made bread twice with success. My question is, do i measure double in volume after the 4 sets of stretches or double in volume from when i first mix ingredients.
Joanne.
- Alexandra Stafford — July 18, 2024 @ 4:15 am Reply
  
  Hi! I’d say double in volume from when you first mix, but that should be roughly the same as after the stretches and folds. Are you using a straight-sided vessel for the bulk fermentation?
Melisa Dumas — July 18, 2024 @ 8:55 am Reply

have you tried this with freshly milled flour yet?
- Alexandra Stafford — July 21, 2024 @ 4:07 am Reply
  
  Not 100% freshly milled flour — I use 25% freshly milled flour with great success. The loaf isn’t quite as lofty, but it’s very tasty — great color, flavor and aroma thanks to the freshly milled flour.
Alexa Park — July 18, 2024 @ 11:24 am Reply

Thank you so much for the recipe. It was my first time making sourdough. It was easy to follow and came out great!
- Alexandra Stafford — July 21, 2024 @ 4:07 am Reply
  
  Great to hear, Alexa! Thanks for writing 🙂
Amanda — July 18, 2024 @ 7:26 pm Reply

I was going to make this tomorrow, but I just realized your recipe calls for bread flour. I purchased King Arthur all purpose. Should I even attempt it? I am not exactly sure what the difference is. Should I adjust the recipe in some way? I checked the comments for this answer, but after much scrolling, I didn’t see anyone ask this. Sorry if I missed it!
- Alexandra Stafford — July 21, 2024 @ 4:12 am Reply
  
  Sorry just seeing this! AP flour will be fine… dough will be a little stickier, but it will still be great. Go for it!
Carol Blotner — July 20, 2024 @ 6:12 am Reply

I have tried many sour dough recipes. So far, this is THE VERY BEST! Your directions are clear, and your tips are extremely helpful! Thank you!
- Alexandra Stafford — July 21, 2024 @ 5:03 am Reply
  
  Great to hear, Carol! Thanks so much for writing 🙂
- M Stephens — July 31, 2024 @ 4:21 pm Reply
  
  I’m obsessed with this recipe! I use have AP flour and half bread flour. This leaves me with a bouncier softer loaf I think I may try add ins today!!! I have made this about 20 times now & I’ll never try another recipe. So easy and so delicious!!!
Abra — July 20, 2024 @ 9:11 am Reply

Hi Ali!
What are some reasons the dough would “fall/deflate” after the final proof? I followed the instructions, but I didn’t realize you could put it straight into the oven so my oven wasn’t preheated. It was in the fridge for about 8 hours then on my counter for about 3. When turned it out on the parchment, I notice it kind of deflate. Not much but enough to bother me. Then I started to score and it completely went down and started to spread.
I noticed in another comment that something similar happened a couple of days ago. I have say that while shaping after bulk fermentation, when the dough was being pulled tight across the top, sometimes it would “break” and the inside would sticky to the touch. I don’t have the scraper so I worked it with my hands. I noticed that when I was tucking the dough under as the scraper would do, the bottom where the seam would be was “breaking” and the inside dough would stick to my hands. So I quit trying to shape it perfectly rounded and smooth on top because it would “break”. I don’t know how else to describe it other than break… sorry for the book, but I’ve only been playing around with sourdough for a month or two and was trying different methods. Thanks in advance for helping! (Btw, I’ve been making your mom’s no-knead peasant bread for years now! Love it!! I make them as gifts for Christmas! ☺️)
- Alexandra Stafford — July 21, 2024 @ 5:10 am Reply
  
  Hi Abra! I think your dough likely overproofed — it’s hard to say, but had you not let it proof at room temp for 3 hours, it might have been fine. That said, it sounds as though the dough was a little fragile to begin with.
  
  Questions:
  
  Are you using a scale to measure?
  What type of flour are you using?
  Are you using a straight-sided vessel for the bulk fermentation?
Denise — July 20, 2024 @ 12:35 pm Reply

Can I bake my loaves on parchment paper. I don’t have a Dutch oven. Any hints
- Alexandra Stafford — July 21, 2024 @ 8:57 am Reply
  
  Do you a pizza stone or a Baking Steel? You could preheat one of those and use a bowl turned over the loaf to create a steamy environment.
Lindsey — July 21, 2024 @ 1:39 pm Reply

I’ve tried this recipe twice and both times it has come out incredibly dense. I made sure the starter was ready to use and followed the steps to a T. Any ideas? The flavor is fantastic, it’s just dense.
- Alexandra Stafford — July 22, 2024 @ 3:11 am Reply
  
  Hi!
  
  Are you using a scale to measure?
  What type of flour are you using?
  Did you use a straight-sided vessel for the bulk fermentation?
  Are you new to sourdough?
  - Lindsey — July 22, 2024 @ 4:06 am Reply
    
    I am new to sourdough, but not baking or baking by weight. I’m using bread flour and I have 4qt cambros, so I used those for the bulk fermentation. I tried a different method with a much shorter bulk fermentation and the texture came out beautifully but the flavor could best be described as “sourdough for people who don’t like sourdough”. The flavor for your method was much better, I just really want to get the texture right too!
    
    I appreciate any help or advice you have.
    - Alexandra Stafford — July 23, 2024 @ 4:20 am Reply
      
      You seem committed so the first thing I would suggest is investing in a digital scale — it’s the only way to ensure you are measuring accurately, and in turn, it is the only way to ensure you are making meaningful adjustments. It’s possible you are using too much flour. If you measure by weight you will ensure you are using the right amount of both flour and water.
      
      Great to hear about the Cambro. Roughly how long are you letting the bulk fermentation go? How much does the dough grow in volume?
      - Lindsey — July 23, 2024 @ 9:27 am
        
        I use a digital scale already.
        
        Typically the bulk ferment goes between 8-10 hours and my house is around 72-74.
      - Alexandra Stafford — July 25, 2024 @ 10:36 am
        
        Hi! I see… I thought by your original comment you meant that you were not baking by weight, but I get it now. It’s possible you need to work on strengthening your starter. Is it homemade? How are you feeding it?
        
        This troubleshooting post might be a good place to start.
Lauren — July 22, 2024 @ 11:22 am Reply

I made my first ever sourdough loaf using this recipe and it turned out perfect! The video was super helpful. I’ll be returning to this recipe time and time again!
- Alexandra Stafford — July 23, 2024 @ 4:16 am Reply
  
  Great to hear, Lauren! Thanks for writing 🙂
Irene — July 22, 2024 @ 11:29 pm Reply

My dough hasn’t risen on the first proof. What do I do with it? I live in the UK and timing starters bubbling and doughs proofing means being up in the middle of the night to check the dough so I might have missed its peak!
- Alexandra Stafford — July 23, 2024 @ 4:06 am Reply
  
  Hi! If the dough hasn’t risen at all during the bulk fermentation, it’s possible you need to work on strengthening your starter. This troubleshooting post might help pinpoint where things are going wrong for you.
  
  Are you using a scale to measure?
  What type of flour are you using?
  Straight-sided vessel for the bulk fermentation?
  Are you new to sourdough?
sarah — July 23, 2024 @ 10:25 am Reply

no trouble shooting necessary. it was perfect! this will be my new go to recipe!
- Alexandra Stafford — July 25, 2024 @ 5:05 am Reply
  
  Great to hear, Sarah! Thanks for writing 🙂
Katherine — July 23, 2024 @ 2:44 pm Reply

Hi Alexandra.

Do you have a recipe for SOURDOUGH STARTER?

Thank you
- Alexandra Stafford — July 25, 2024 @ 5:04 am Reply
  
  Yes!
  
  How to Build a Sourdough Starter from Scratch
Mark S — July 23, 2024 @ 4:06 pm Reply

If I wanted to double this recipe, do I just x2 all the ingredients? Rest times, proofing remains the same? I just want to get 2 loafs at the end! Thank you so much, your recipe is the reason I had a successful loaf and didnt give up!
- Alexandra Stafford — July 25, 2024 @ 5:02 am Reply
  
  Yes! Double ingredients; keep resting/proofing times the same. Great to hear! Thanks for writing 🙂
Scootster — July 23, 2024 @ 4:27 pm Reply

Wonderful recipe, clear directions, good video. The crust is golden and crispy, the crumb is open and tender. I use a small bit of Diastatic Malt to keep the sourdough happy.
- Alexandra Stafford — July 25, 2024 @ 5:02 am Reply
  
  Wonderful! Thanks for writing, Scootster 🙂
Rita — July 24, 2024 @ 4:41 pm Reply

Hi, I left my Dough in the proofing basket with clothes over it for 10 hrs, but it came out of the fridge crusty and dry all around. Am I not supposed to put it in the proofing basket? I haven’t baked it yet but I am worry my load will be so dry.
- Alexandra Stafford — July 25, 2024 @ 4:44 am Reply
  
  Hi! It sounds as though the clothes didn’t provide a tight enough seal. I do recommend tucking the dough into a bag — a produce bag from the grocery store works great — before placing the dough in the fridge so that a crust doesn’t form. The crust on the dough will prevent the dough from rising as high as possible in the oven. It will still be tasty, but the height of the loaf and texture will suffer slightly.
Maribet — July 24, 2024 @ 6:42 pm Reply

My first ever loaf was from this recipe and I didn’t even follow it to a T. I got an impressive oven spring and crumb. I’m not intimidated to make sourdough anymore! Thank you!!!
- Alexandra Stafford — July 25, 2024 @ 3:51 am Reply
  
  Great to hear, Maribet! Thanks so much for writing 🙂 🙂 🙂
Milly — July 26, 2024 @ 6:37 am Reply

I’ve never had a bad loaf with this recipe! I had a track record of making a good loaf once and then managing to mess it up the next time I try to repeat the recipe. This one has been the absolute best and gives mr the most beautiful loaves. I’ve had several people ask for the recipe and I happily pass along the link. I also use the aliquot method of adding 40g of the dough to a 2oz condiment cup and tightly covering it- when the dough reaches the top it’s ready for shaping and it takes so much of the guesswork out of proofing! Making bread is so much more exciting now knowing an amazing loaf is coming out of the oven every. Single. Time.
- Alexandra Stafford — July 28, 2024 @ 4:48 am Reply
  
  I love this tip so much, Milly! Thanks so much for writing. Do you have a link to the 2-oz condiment cup you use? I’d love to experiment and add this tip to the post and to other posts. So smart.
  - Milly — July 29, 2024 @ 3:36 pm Reply
    
    I just use reusable metal ones with cling wrap for a lid! The exact shape/style isn’t important as long as the proportions are the same: 40g of dough, to a 2oz cup. Some people add the dough to the cup before stretch and folds, some do it after. I usually do it after stretch and folds so I can add that dough back in when shaping and know it had the same treatment as the rest of the dough. It’s such a nice visual cue!
    - Alexandra Stafford — July 30, 2024 @ 5:42 am Reply
      
      OK! Great to know Milly. Thanks so much again for sharing this tip and your notes 🙂
Mariam — July 26, 2024 @ 9:25 am Reply

Hi, I’m very glad to find your website, it’s very useful.Before this I used your sourdough discard recipe and it worked great.Today I’ll bake sourdough bread, I have question about Dutch oven, which i don’t have, I usually use pizza stone to bake bread. so the question is, for your recipe is it okay to use it?
- Alexandra Stafford — July 28, 2024 @ 4:45 am Reply
  
  Yes! Do you have a bowl you could turn over the bread to create a steamy environment?
Laura — July 27, 2024 @ 6:55 am Reply

These instructions helped a lot! I messed up my first loaf and I think you helped me get on track with my second loaf. But I want you to know that all the ads on your page might it a nightmare to read your content. My screen keeps jumping around :/
- Kanchan — July 30, 2024 @ 7:47 am Reply
  
  So the loaf comes out of the fridge and goes straight into the oven or do I let it sit out for a while?
  - Alexandra Stafford — July 30, 2024 @ 8:52 am Reply
    
    Straight into the oven!
Serene Ng — July 28, 2024 @ 10:32 pm Reply

Hi Alexandra,

In your note, is it correct 50% bulk rise (means 800ML to 1200ML rise)?
But in your video, u showed to wait 100% rise, if 100% transfer to fridge, will the dough proof even more?
What will better in summer here?
Thanks
- Alexandra Stafford — July 30, 2024 @ 5:40 am Reply
  
  I never have a problem with the dough doubling in volume, but having troubleshooted with many people over the years, shortening the bulk fermentation to 50-75% has helped a lot of people. If it is very hot and humid where you are, consider a shorter bulk fermentation.
  - Serene — July 30, 2024 @ 10:21 pm Reply
    
    I tried bulk rise 75% then cold proof 12 hours bake, bread taste good.
    And I tried another dough with bulkrise 40% then cold proof 30hours, the sourdough look better than the 1st bread.
    - Serene — July 30, 2024 @ 10:22 pm Reply
      
      Many thanks for your recipe.
    - Alexandra Stafford — July 31, 2024 @ 2:43 am Reply
      
      Amazing! Love this. Thanks for sharing your notes 🙂
Jan — July 29, 2024 @ 8:52 am Reply

Easy to follow instructions and fantastic bread. Thank you.
- Alexandra Stafford — July 30, 2024 @ 5:37 am Reply
  
  Great to hear, Jan!
Tina K — July 29, 2024 @ 5:32 pm Reply

I made a loaf of sourdough using your recipe and it turned out fantastic! I wish I could share a pic here.
- Alexandra Stafford — July 30, 2024 @ 5:07 am Reply
  
  Great to hear, Tina! Thanks for writing 🙂
Irina — July 30, 2024 @ 5:24 pm Reply

So glad I found this recipe! Having built a strong starter, this is how I went:
Made 100 g of active starter (30 g cold starter + 50g water + 50 g flour). It doubled in size in 4 hours.
Followed the recipe, did 2 stretch and folds, put in the fridge over night (it got late!)
Took the dough out of the fridge in the morning, waited till 50% increase (about 8 hours), shaped the bread as per recipe and put it into the fridge for 24 hours. I didn’t have a proofing basket but I used a pasta collander lined with a bread linen bag, and followed the recipe otherwise.
It turned out amazing! I was so nervous, but in first 30 minutes the whole house smelled like a bakery. The bread rose beautifully and has very large holes. My boyfriend could not wait for bread to cool completely and already made some sandwiches with it.
A side note: a couple of days prior we bought a $12 sourdough loaf and honestly I think mine is not worse!
- Alexandra Stafford — July 31, 2024 @ 2:56 am Reply
  
  I’m sure it’s not only not worse, but also BETTER!! 🤣🤣🤣 Thanks so much for writing and sharing these notes. The fridge is a sourdough bakers best friend. So glad you had such great success!
Charles — July 31, 2024 @ 5:31 am Reply

Is it ok to cold proof the dough longer than 48 hours? e.g., 72 hours? What happens if you leave it in the fridge that long, or longer? (i.e., how does it affect how the bread comes out?)
- Alexandra Stafford — August 1, 2024 @ 6:03 am Reply
  
  It may be fine at 72 hours, but you’re definitely pushing it — what could happen is that the dough overferments, and then it won’t spring as high (or at all) once you bake it.
Lindsay — August 1, 2024 @ 8:04 pm Reply

Hi! I just baked my first loaf this morning and it looked beautiful but when I cut into it, the inside was very doughy. I baked for another 10 but no difference. Is the problem my baking time or do you think I made a mistake in the recipe?
- Alexandra Stafford — August 3, 2024 @ 5:42 am Reply
  
  Hi! Questions
  
  Did you use a scale to measure?
  What type of flour did you use?
  How long did you let it cool before cutting into?
  What vessel did you use to bake it?