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

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 1806 reviews

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

Print Recipe

Save Recipe

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.

Bread Recipes Fall Winter Spring Favorites Summer Sourdough Bread Recipes

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

Zorana Dicic — November 21, 2024 @ 8:13 pm Reply

Thanks for the recipe. I just made the dough, but totally forgot this is one measure (I usually make double for 2 loaves), so I split my dough into 2 balls. Now that I realized it, I am thinking whether it’s OK to mix back together or just bake 2 smaller breads. I don’t want to ruin the dough, it looks good. But all my dutch ovens are pretty big. Maybe put them side by side? Any idea what is the best option? Thank you.
- Meghan Brinson — November 22, 2024 @ 6:33 am Reply
  
  I am kind of wondering the same thing. I split my dough in two because I am giving it away. I am about to start baking it. So I was wondering if anyone has baking times for the halves?
  - Alexandra Stafford — November 23, 2024 @ 12:39 pm Reply
    
    Hi! apologies for the delay here… what did you end up doing?
    
    I suggest reducing the baking time by 5 minutes at each phase (covered and uncovered) but always, in the end, relying on the visual cues, so bake it uncovered until it is browned to your liking.
- Alexandra Stafford — November 23, 2024 @ 12:34 pm Reply
  
  Hi! I would push on as opposed to mixing the two loaves back together. You can definitely bake the two smaller loaves side by side in your large Dutch oven. Or you can bake them one at a time: reduce the baking time by 5 minutes at each phase (covered and uncovered) if you do this.
  
  I realize I’m a few days late here… what did you end up doing?
Jen — November 22, 2024 @ 4:41 am Reply

I have made this bread about 20 times and will continue to use it as my staple recipe for sourdough. I regularly add herbs/garlic/any other flavor to step 1 “Make the dough” and this has been very successful. Don’t be shy with the herbs- I add 2T of rosemary or italian seasoning and it comes out very flavorful! If you want a garlic loaf, use fresh garlic, 2-3 cloves, lightly chopped and lightly roasted. Delicious! I hope everyone enjoys this recipe as much as my family does. Thank you for sharing!
- Alexandra Stafford — November 23, 2024 @ 12:37 pm Reply
  
  Great to read all of this, Jen! Thanks so much for writing and sharing your notes here… people ask about this all the time so this is very helpful 🙂
Ann — November 24, 2024 @ 1:06 pm Reply

I used your guide to make my first ever sourdough boule and it came out beautifully! Thank you for your detailed instructions and distraction-free videos!
- Alexandra Stafford — November 25, 2024 @ 5:43 am Reply
  
  Great to hear, Ann! Thanks so much for writing.
David Tristan — November 24, 2024 @ 5:18 pm Reply

Great recipe
- Alexandra Stafford — November 25, 2024 @ 5:48 am Reply
  
  Great to hear, David!
Marci — November 24, 2024 @ 6:04 pm Reply

I have literally tried so many times to make a loaf of sourdough, and these step-by-step directions with the pictures and videos finally did it for me! I made the perfect loaf! And it wasn’t just a fluke – I’ve made 3 now, and my family loves it!
- Alexandra Stafford — November 25, 2024 @ 5:49 am Reply
  
  Hooray! So nice to hear this, Marci 🙂 🙂 🙂 Thanks so much for writing and sharing this.
Mathilde — November 24, 2024 @ 8:03 pm Reply

Hi, it was so flat the dough after cold proofing for 24 hours , is that normal?
- Alexandra Stafford — November 25, 2024 @ 5:51 am Reply
  
  It shouldn’t be really flat… a little deflation is fine, but it sounds as though yours may have over-proofed. When you shaped the loaf after the bulk fermentation, did it have good strength and elasticity.
  - Mathilde Lugherini — November 25, 2024 @ 6:39 am Reply
    
    Mmm Not really, perhaps the bulk fermentation was actually not done?
    
    Thank you for responding!
    
    I just did another one with less cold proofing (18hours) and same thing , so probably it’s the bulk fermentation not ready, I’ve been bulk fermenting about 5 or 6 hours in a relatively warm kitchen , I’ll invest in a quart transparent container so I can monitor better…
    - Alexandra Stafford — November 25, 2024 @ 10:32 am Reply
      
      Yes! A straight-sided clear container will be so helpful. It’s best to rely on the visual cues when ending the bulk fermentation. Good luck with your next batch 🙂
Ziba — November 24, 2024 @ 8:06 pm Reply

Hello,

Could I make this recipe with King Arthur’s golden wheat? I’d like to make a sourdough bread that is whole wheat.

Thanks!
- Alexandra Stafford — November 25, 2024 @ 5:52 am Reply
  
  Hi! I’m not familiar with their golden wheat, but it sounds nice. Are you new to sourdough or experienced? If you are new, I’d suggest starting with no more than 25% whole wheat.
  - Ziba — November 25, 2024 @ 3:40 pm Reply
    
    I’m new to sourdough but experienced with baking. I wanted to make a whole wheat sourdough boule. Thank you!
    - Alexandra Stafford — November 25, 2024 @ 7:15 pm Reply
      
      Great! Yeah, I’d start with 25% whole wheat flour, then depending on the result, you can up that percentage next time around.
      - Ziba Burrow — November 25, 2024 @ 7:46 pm
        
        Thanks! Trying it tonight.
Jenny — November 25, 2024 @ 9:21 am Reply

My first successful sourdough bake! Thank you!
- Alexandra Stafford — November 25, 2024 @ 10:29 am Reply
  
  Great to hear, Jenny!
Emma — November 26, 2024 @ 10:18 am Reply

What if I want to triple the amount of loafs that I make? Would I just triple each ingredient?
- Alexandra Stafford — November 26, 2024 @ 8:03 pm Reply
  
  Yes! Are you using a scale to measure?
  - Emma — November 29, 2024 @ 9:26 pm Reply
    
    Yes! I’m having issues with the dough being too sticky. It’s too sticky even after I do the stretch and folds… any suggestions? Thanks!!
    - Alexandra Stafford — November 30, 2024 @ 4:51 am Reply
      
      Great to hear you’re using a scale. I’d continue using a wet hand to do the stretches and folds, and try to be aggressive when doing them — that will build strength and reduce the stickiness. Did you mix the triple batch by hand? As in with a spatula? I’m just wondering if maybe all of the flour hasn’t been incorporated. You could definitely sprinkle in a little more flour if the dough isn’t forming a rough ball.
    - Maureen — December 7, 2024 @ 6:10 pm Reply
      
      I had the same problem! Added in more flour but just a sticky mess. I am frustrated because I REALLY want to conquer this. Ugh
      - Alexandra Stafford — December 8, 2024 @ 6:46 am
        
        Are you using a scale to measure? Are you in the US or abroad? Do you live in a humid environment? What kind of flour are you using?
      - Maureen — December 8, 2024 @ 7:30 am
        
        I am in US. Yes, new digital scale. My house is definitely cool, not humid. I left the bowl on counter all night and this morning it had more than doubled. Still loose. I did shape and get in basket. I am winging it at this point. It’s in the oven now. Could be a flat fail, but this is how I learn.
Payton Creamer — November 26, 2024 @ 4:24 pm Reply

Hi Ali! Love this recipe, I’ve used it a few times now and my sourdoughs are definitely improving! Question, I just noticed on your schedule recommendation, you say to feed the starter twice (wednesday evening, thursday morning) before starting to make dough in the afternoon. Why feed the starter twice before using it? Is this typical with sourdough? Thank you for the guidance!
- Alexandra Stafford — November 26, 2024 @ 7:48 pm Reply
  
  Great to hear! It just makes sure your starter is very lively and happy. It’s not necessary, but I always find that when I feed my starter twice, my dough rises in a more timely manner 🙂
Mark — November 30, 2024 @ 7:58 am Reply

What a great recipe! Have had excellent luck baking as directed. Any advice for how to adjust if I want to substitute rye or whole wheat for some of the bread flour?
- Alexandra Stafford — December 3, 2024 @ 9:28 am Reply
  
  Great to hear, Mark! I would suggest starting small: try no more than 25% rye or whole wheat. Rye will typically make for a wetter/less strong loaf, but it will add tremendous flavor. Depending on your results, you could use more or less rye/ww next time around.
Amanda Christy — December 1, 2024 @ 7:37 am Reply

Hi! I have some questions. I fed my sourdough starter last week and stick it in the fridge immediately. It wasn’t quite doubled in size but it was bubbly still. I used 100g and followed your recipe to a T. The dough was initially sticky but it got stronger during the folds. I had it on the counter for ~5 hours for bulk fermentation but not much was happening. Then I stuck it in the proofing drawer for another 3 hours and again, nothing was happening. There were maybe 1 or 2 big bubbles but it didn’t even close to double in size. I stuck it in the fridge overnight hoping it would continue to ferment overnight. Again this morning, I pulled it out and it had maybe 1-2 larger bubbles but has not increased in size. I was planning on leaving it at room temp and seeing if it gets any bigger. I’m assuming my starter wasn’t as vigorous as it should be. Any ideas on how to save this loaf?
- Cheryl Vath — December 3, 2024 @ 8:46 am Reply
  
  Hi Amanda….I just pulled my loaf out of the oven – it actually took 16+ hours to do anything….my house is 63 degrees; so temp does make a big difference – but when I finally shaped my dough yesterday morning? It was beautiful!
  
  Went in the frig for almost 24 hours – and baked in my Lodge Combo….wow! So pretty – great oven spring!
  - Alexandra Stafford — December 3, 2024 @ 10:57 am Reply
    
    Great to hear this, Cheryl! Thanks so much for writing and sharing all of this … so encouraging for others 💕
- Alexandra Stafford — December 3, 2024 @ 9:44 am Reply
  
  Hi A few notes below:
  
  I fed my sourdough starter last week and stick it in the fridge immediately. Next time, feed your starter (by discarding most of it and feeding it with equal parts by weight flour and water, 75 grams each or so) then let it rise at room temperature until it doubles. Then use it immediately or place it in the fridge to store. You want to store your starter at its peak.
  
  I used 100g and followed your recipe to a T. The dough was initially sticky but it got stronger during the folds. I had it on the counter for ~5 hours for bulk fermentation but not much was happening. Then I stuck it in the proofing drawer for another 3 hours and again, nothing was happening. There were maybe 1 or 2 big bubbles but it didn’t even close to double in size. It sounds as though your starter wasn’t strong enough.
  
  I stuck it in the fridge overnight hoping it would continue to ferment overnight. Again this morning, I pulled it out and it had maybe 1-2 larger bubbles but has not increased in size. I was planning on leaving it at room temp and seeing if it gets any bigger. I’m assuming my starter wasn’t as vigorous as it should be. Yes, agreed, your starter wasn’t strong enough. Next time, follow the feeding/using instructions I suggest above. And I suggest using a straight-sided vessel for the bulk fermentation so you can really monitor the growth accurately.
  
  Any ideas on how to save this loaf? There’s not much you can do apart from activating some yeast over lukewarm water and incorporating it into the dough using a stand mixer. I’m likely too late here… apologies!
Emily — December 2, 2024 @ 4:06 pm Reply

I just started my sourdough journey and had previously tried another recipe twice. I decided to switch things up and went with this one. It was definitely the best one I’ve made and everyone said it was so delicious!! It’s an 11/10 for me. Thank you!
- Alexandra Stafford — December 3, 2024 @ 10:54 am Reply
  
  Great to hear, Emily! Thanks so much for writing and sharing this 🙂
abida — December 3, 2024 @ 8:22 am Reply

Hello,

My oven has a proof option. Do you recommend I proof in there while its not in the fridge? My house is quite drafty :(.
- Alexandra Stafford — December 3, 2024 @ 10:56 am Reply
  
  Yes, but keep a close watch! Sometimes proofing settings are too hot. I generally advise not doing this and trying to find a warm-ish spot in your house, but if that’s all that’s available, go for it 🙂
Destiny — December 3, 2024 @ 2:38 pm Reply

Thank you so much for this! I tried doing sourdough a couple times before in the past and never could get it. Well…. This is amazing!!! I actually made a loaf of sourdough my first try with this!!!
- Alexandra Stafford — December 4, 2024 @ 10:21 am Reply
  
  Great to hear, Destiny! Thank you for writing 🙂
Margie — December 4, 2024 @ 10:16 am Reply

Love this recipe and detailed directions! I’ve made some delicious loaves. Wondering if you’ve ever used it with Einkorn Flour and if so have you adjusted the water or other ingredient amounts? I’ve worked with einkorn making regular yeast bread and find it to be much stickier, but really want to try with sourdough. Thanks!
- Alexandra Stafford — December 18, 2024 @ 7:33 am Reply
  
  Hi Margie! Apologies for the delay here. I have not used einkorn flour, but I think einkorn flour would do well here. The finished loaf might be a little denser, but as long as you don’t mind about this slight textural difference, I think it will work well and I think the flavor will be great, too. Let me know if you give it a go!
Robin B — December 4, 2024 @ 2:36 pm Reply

I’ve made this recipe a few times now. I don’t have a narrow, straight-sided mixing bowl like you, so it’s hard to tell how much the volume increases. Last time I put it in the fridge a bit too soon and the loaf was a bit flat.

I’ve made it with a rye flour starter too, which meant that the loaf was about 10% rye, and I added pitted kalamata olives cut in half crosswise as well because I love olive bread. It turned out perfectly.

I’m amazed every time at the way you can do the stretch-and-folds without flour or water or anything else to stop the dough sticking to your hand, especially with such a high-hydration dough. But it really doesn’t stick on my hands either, or not very much, and less with each stretch-and-fold.

It’s a great recipe and I love your videos with the background noises.
- Alexandra Stafford — December 8, 2024 @ 6:10 am Reply
  
  So nice to read all of this, Robin! Thanks so much for writing and sharing your notes/experience. The rye-kalamata loaf sounds delicious. I love olive bread as well. Thank you for your kind words re video, too 🙂
Cathy Buchanan — December 4, 2024 @ 10:12 pm Reply

This is the recipe that I found to be the easiest and tasted fantastic. The only thing that I found that I didn’t really understand was why the bottom crust was so thick and hard. Did a 12 hour refrigerator proof then baked it.
- Alexandra Stafford — December 8, 2024 @ 6:13 am Reply
  
  Great to hear, Cathy!
  
  Questions for you: are you using a scale to measure? What type of flour? What type of baking vessel?
  
  I should note: the crust definitely is thicker than other breads (like the peasant bread) and the bottom crust definitely is thicker than the top crust.
  - Cathy Buchanan — December 8, 2024 @ 9:13 am Reply
    
    Alexandra, I weighed everything on a scale, using unbleached white flour, and an enamel coated cast iron Dutch oven. Don’t get me wrong, the bread was fantastic . It rose nicely, with a beautiful ear, crunchy top. The bottom was just thicker and harder than expected. Still the easiest recipe I’ve found, and I looked at ALOT!
Laura M — December 5, 2024 @ 7:19 pm Reply

Just made my second loaf using this recipe. Stellar results both times! The first batch was a 36 hr second rise and the latest one was about 44 hr.
I will be attempting your sourdough focaccia next! Thanks so much (the videos were super helpful, especially in alleviating the initial intimidation factor).
- Alexandra Stafford — December 8, 2024 @ 6:23 am Reply
  
  Great to hear, Laura! Thanks so much for writing. So nice to read all of this 🙂
Jan — December 7, 2024 @ 10:43 am Reply

Love this recipe! Love all your recipes and videos, you are my go to!
Thank you for encouraging me to experiment and making bread baking fun. Best Jan
- Alexandra Stafford — December 8, 2024 @ 6:35 am Reply
  
  Great to hear, Jan! Thanks so much for writing and for your kind words… means a lot 🙂
Stacy — December 7, 2024 @ 6:09 pm Reply

I’ve been using all purpose organic unbleached flour for my starter. Is it okay to use bread flour for making the actual bread now? Can your recipe be used with AP flour without any changed?
- Alexandra Stafford — December 8, 2024 @ 6:45 am Reply
  
  Yes, use bread flour for making the bread! And yes, you can use AP flour without making any changes… the dough will be slightly wetter but not unmanageable.
Christine — December 8, 2024 @ 1:03 pm Reply

I’m new to sourdough and your recipe looks amazing! Can you explain step 4 shaping-Not sure what you mean by folding the top down?
- Alexandra Stafford — December 11, 2024 @ 5:19 am Reply
  
  Hi Christine! I think your best is to look at the video starting at 2:35. That will show the whole shaping process 🙂
Andrea — December 8, 2024 @ 5:07 pm Reply

Thank you so much for this recipe. I’ve had a starter named Betty since 2021 but have never had real success at a delicious sourdough until trying this recipe. The first was a little flat because my starter wasn’t strong enough but I could tell the recipe was a winner and the troubleshooting bullet points really helped. I made a second one a few days later and it was amazing!
- Alexandra Stafford — December 11, 2024 @ 6:32 pm Reply
  
  Great to hear, Andrea! So glad you were able to make some adjustments to get the recipe to work for you. Thanks for sharing!
Kitty — December 8, 2024 @ 6:45 pm Reply

I reduced the water to 350g and it turned out perfect.
Jessica — December 10, 2024 @ 12:17 pm Reply

Tried this recipe yesterday for me first attempt at sourdough. My starter is strong and doing great, however after letting my dough sit covered all night on my counter, the dough was very loose, sticky and not really dough consistency. It didn’t rise at all. Any idea what I did wrong? I used a food scale to weight everything.
- Alexandra Stafford — December 11, 2024 @ 6:44 pm Reply
  
  It sounds as though it over-fermented. Are you using a straight-sided vessel for the bulk fermentation? Did you notice any rise before you went to bed? Roughly how many hours did it rise?
Allyson — December 10, 2024 @ 1:51 pm Reply

Thank you so much for the videos and step by step process. This is my go to for a beautiful loaf every single time. I’ve tried other recipes for flavored breads, but I think I’ll stick to using this one as the base and add in the flavors in step one like another baker mentioned. Thank you!
- Alexandra Stafford — December 11, 2024 @ 6:45 pm Reply
  
  Great to hear, Allyson 🙂 Thanks so much for writing. Add-ins are fun… I add them before the third set of stretches and folds. I have a post on this coming soon. Stay tuned!
Melanie — December 10, 2024 @ 2:22 pm Reply

Amazing! However, both times I’ve noticed that my scale is reaching 500g with about 3 cups of flour (scale was zeroed out). I ended up doing a 4th cup and it was fine. But just wondering why the discrepancy.?
- Alexandra Stafford — December 18, 2024 @ 7:35 am Reply
  
  Hi! This is the reason for using the scale… measuring cups are terribly inaccurate and we all measure differently. 500 grams is 500 grams whereas 1 cup of flour could weigh anywhere from 120 to 150 grams or more or less… there’s no standard.
TheJoe — December 12, 2024 @ 3:30 pm Reply

This is hands down the best recipe with the most sure-fire results — my wife has me making these every week now. Also bought your pizza-making book which is great too.

There’s one thing I can’t seem to figure out — my loaves are the perfect texture and taste great, but I can never get that iconic sour flavor. As per usual the internet has infinite potential solutions but I figured I’d see if you have any tips.

I’ve tried adding wheat flour to my starter, experimenting with using a levain before bulk, tried longer cold ferments — if anything the more things I try the *worse* my loaves get.

Any ideas?
- Alexandra Stafford — December 18, 2024 @ 7:45 am Reply
  
  Hi Joe! Apologies for the delay here. First: thank you re pizza book… means a lot 🙂
  
  I have two thoughts regarding achieving a more sour flavor:
  
  1. Try using a little rye flour in the dough. You could try using 60 grams rye flour, which will add a nice flavor but won’t affect the texture of the dough too much — in other words it won’t make it too dense.
  
  2. Try using less starter: if you’ve been using 100 grams of starter, try 50 grams. It’s counterintuitive, but using less starter will cause your bulk fermentation to be longer, which means your starter will go through its food source at a slower rate and therefore produce more acetic acid along the way, in turn making it taste more sour ultimately.
  
  Good luck! Glad your wife approves of the bread, too 🙂
Mark Ferguson — December 12, 2024 @ 3:32 pm Reply

If I wanted to use these recipes to make sandwich rolls, could I divide and shape the loaf after the second proof in the refrigerator, or would it be best to do that prior to the 2nd proof?
- Alexandra Stafford — December 18, 2024 @ 7:38 am Reply
  
  Hi! Apologies for the delay here. I would divide after the bulk fermentation. You’ll want to store the shaped rolls in an airtight vessel in the fridge. You can use a DoughMate or you can use a 9×13-inch pan (lightly floured) that you’ll want to cover tightly with plastic wrap or tuck into an airtight bag.
Alicia Zimmerman — December 13, 2024 @ 6:17 am Reply

I have tried this recipe three times and my loaf never rises as much and never gets those big holes inside. Wish I knew what I was doing wrong. Not totally foolproof. ☹️
- Alexandra Stafford — December 18, 2024 @ 7:37 am Reply
  
  Hi! What type of flour are you using? Are you using a scale to measure? What type of baking vessel? Are you confident in the strength of your starter?