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”

Kate — December 23, 2025 @ 7:35 am Reply

I have used this recipe a few times now, and I am still working on making the bread a bit more airy as it is still a little too dense. Otherwise the taste is there with my current starter and I enjoy it more than other recipes I have found! So thank you!

However, if I double the recipe, is it better to split the dough before or after the stretch and folds, or after the bulk fermentation?
- Alexandra Stafford — December 23, 2025 @ 11:17 am Reply
  
  You’ll get there! How long are you cold proofing it for?
  
  If you double the recipe, split the dough after the bulk fermentation.
dorothy — December 23, 2025 @ 3:50 pm Reply

between the stretch and folds are you still supposed to cover with a damp towel? or just cover with plastic?
thank you!
- Alexandra Stafford — December 24, 2025 @ 6:35 am Reply
  
  You can cover the bowl with anything in between the stretches and folds — I use a cloth bowl cover… the cloth doesn’t have to be damp — just lay a cloth over the top of the bowl to protect it from drying out.
Carianne Kowalski — December 23, 2025 @ 11:34 pm Reply

This sourdough recipe never disappoints
- Alexandra Stafford — December 24, 2025 @ 6:07 am Reply
  
  Great to hear, Carianne! Thanks for writing 🙂
Zoe — December 24, 2025 @ 4:52 pm Reply

I’ve made the perfect loaf from your recipe at my MILs. My ovens max temp is 480f, will this be suitable or do you have other tips to help make a perfect loaf with a lower preheat temp?

Thanks so much,
Zoe
- Alexandra Stafford — December 27, 2025 @ 7:20 pm Reply
  
  That temperature will be fine! Great to read this, Zoe 🙂
Sam Readman — December 24, 2025 @ 6:27 pm Reply

This was fantastic. I actually made 1.5 times the quantity the first time so I could make something small for my neighbour and a larger boule for me. We both loved it and today I made the exact recipe with a quarter of the total weight of flour wholemeal. Fantastic and quite possibly the best sourdough I’ve ever tasted. Cheers! And a very merry Christmas to you from London, UK!
- Alexandra Stafford — December 27, 2025 @ 7:24 pm Reply
  
  Awww, so nice to read this, Sam! Thanks so much for taking the time to write and share your notes. Love that you incorporated a nice percentage of wholemeal flour into the mix. Happy Christmas to you in London! Wish I were there watching soccer 🙂
Kari — December 25, 2025 @ 1:58 pm Reply

Holave you made this recipe with fresh milled flour?
- Alexandra Stafford — December 27, 2025 @ 7:44 pm Reply
  
  I have not.
Megan Burton — December 27, 2025 @ 9:37 am Reply

I love this recipe! Im contemplating getting a stand mixer. Would you recommend that?
- Alexandra Stafford — December 27, 2025 @ 6:01 pm Reply
  
  Honestly, I rarely use my stand mixer… I much prefer no-knead breads or breads like this one that call for some gentle stretching and folding. But that is just my preference! I’m sure there are benefits to stand mixers I am not fully appreciating.
Mona — December 27, 2025 @ 11:27 am Reply

Great recipes. My first time making sourdough bread. My friend gave me some sourdough starter. I used it straight out of the fridge (I did not know to keep it on counter). Bread still turned out perfectly.
- Alexandra Stafford — December 27, 2025 @ 5:54 pm Reply
  
  Great to hear, Mona! And if you mean you baked the loaf straight from the fridge, that is correct 🙂 Glad it worked out well for you.
Katie — December 28, 2025 @ 3:59 pm Reply

Hi! Still not sure if I’m on the right track or not… I can’t tell if I’m getting a good rise (I’m using a bowl but I have ordered a straight-sided container to better determine). I’ve been feeding my starter a mix of whole wheat and bread flour and it seems healthy and bubbly and is doubling daily after feeding. Would the whole wheat impact the rise? I used 100g starter.

I mixed my dough and did my stretch and folds yesterday, let it bulk ferment for a couple hours, put it in the fridge while I slept, took it out this morning and it’s been bulk fermenting again for the last five hours. Not a hugely noticeable rise. I’ve been trying to keep it warm 75-80F but it’s 3 degrees outside in AK and it’s hard to maintain even near a wood stove. Thoughts? I’m scared of over-fermenting but my last loaf, with a different recipe, came out an absolutely hockey puck (it was okay, I made it into croutons!) and I had only let that bulk ferment for about six hours at room temp before shaping. Gosh, I just don’t know how to improve my outcome but I’m really wanting to be successful.

Anyways, thanks for the recipe and any advice!
- Alexandra Stafford — December 29, 2025 @ 12:14 pm Reply
  
  Hi Katie! I think the straight-sided vessel will be your new best friend 🙂 It’s so hard to accurately gauge a rise in a bowl. I would suggest not making any more bread until that arrives. In the meantime, just work on strengthening your starter: you know that it’s strong if it doubles in volume within 6-8 hours of feeding it. And to feed it, discard most of it, leaving just a few tablespoons behind, then feed it with 75 grams each flour and water. If you do that twice a day for 2 to 3 days, you should see it really strengthen up.
  
  The whole wheat flour is fine, but if you are new to sourdough, I’d consider using 100% bread flour. Did you build the starter from scratch?
Katie — December 29, 2025 @ 1:00 pm Reply

Hey! Thanks so much. I actually think I’m getting closer! So, a couple things. 1) I didn’t start it from scratch, I started it from a starter from a local Alaska company (“Frontiersman”). 2) I’m transitioning it to feeding with AP. First transition feed was 50/50, today’s was 75/25. It’s happily doubling within 4-6 hours of a feed. It’s almost a month old so still super baby starter.

I did realize that at the current environment temp and 100g of starter, the WW blend dough is going FAST and peaking basically while still stretching and folding, but I’ve been ignoring it because it seems too early and I’m using a bowl instead of a straight-sided container (rookie error). Then I’m leaving it hoping for a rise but it’s just falling. Ah.

My last loaf was way better but still overproofed, dense, and gummy. I’m closer, though! And I now have a bit more hope!

I love that you respond to comments. Thank you for doing that. I really, really appreciate it. More sourdough success in the new year!
- Alexandra Stafford — January 2, 2026 @ 10:00 am Reply
  
  For sure! With every loaf you bake, you will learn something and get more attuned to the visual cues. I think the straight-sided vessel and using all ap or bread flour will help tremendously. Once you get the hang of it, you an incorporate ww flour into the dough, swapping it in for some of the ap/bread flour.
Susan R — December 29, 2025 @ 2:24 pm Reply

I do not have a Dutch oven. Do I have other options for baking
- Alexandra Stafford — January 2, 2026 @ 10:06 am Reply
  
  Do you have a Baking Steel or pizza stone? And a pot or a bowl you could turn over onto it?
Abby — December 30, 2025 @ 1:02 pm Reply

Hi! I have a question about types of flour to use at each step of the process. I followed your instructions for creating my starter from scratch and successfully created a starter using freshly milled, stone-milled flour (local). This flour is labeled “standard all purpose” with the ingredients being “organic hard red wheat flour” and “organic soft red heat flour.”

So far I have been using this same flour to feed my starter and as the flour to bake my loaves. The few loaves I have made have turned out nicely, but the dough is slow to rise during the bulk fermentation process and I have run into some other issues like doughy bread, sticky dough, etc. as I’m dialing in my process.

I came here to read Q&As and noticed that you suggest using bread flour to bake the actual loaves (and possibly also to feed an already active starter?).

Basically my question is can I continue to use the all purpose flour I mentioned above, or should I switch to “bread flour” for each of the following steps: (1) feeding my starter and (2) the baking process/bulk fermentation?

Thank you!!!
- Alexandra Stafford — January 2, 2026 @ 10:58 am Reply
  
  Hi Abby! I love using freshly milled/stone-milled flour for building a starter and for feeding a starter due to the plethora of micronutrients which are great for building a vibrant/healthy starter. Once my starter is built and strong, I often use a mix of bread flour and the freshly milled flour to feed my starter, mostly to conserve the freshly milled flour, which tends to be pricier.
  
  Because the gluten structure of these freshly milled flours can be on the weaker side, I prefer to use mostly bread flour for my loaves. If you want to use some of your freshly milled flour, start with 20% freshly milled flour and 80% bread flour. Depending on how the loaf turns out, you could up the percentage of freshly milled flour next time around.
Abi — December 31, 2025 @ 2:12 am Reply

Hi! My starter is quick high hydration and my dough was very sticky, what should I do?
- Alexandra Stafford — January 2, 2026 @ 11:13 am Reply
  
  Hi! Next time, could you make an offshoot of your starter and feed it with equal parts flour and water? You could do something like: 50 grams of your starter and 100 grams each flour and water. That will get you pretty close to a 100% hydration starter, which is what I use for this bread.
  
  At this point, there’s not much you can do apart from being generous with the flour while shaping.
Joslyn — January 1, 2026 @ 7:13 pm Reply

I absolutely love this recipe! How would I adjust this recipe when adding inclusions? For example a simple herb bread I assume I would prepare it the same way but just add the seasonings when mixing together the dough. Correct me if I am wrong please! However, with more moist inclusions like jalapeño cheddar or cinnamon sugar, I wonder if I need to do something different? I would love to hear your thoughts since I don’t have any experience.
- Alexandra Stafford — January 2, 2026 @ 11:48 am Reply
  
  Hi Joslyn! For herbs, you can add them directly into the flour. For other inclusions, I would follow the process I outline in this recipe: Rosemary-Olive Sourdough Bread (+ A Better Way to Add Inclusions to Your Sourdough Bread)
Liz — January 2, 2026 @ 8:04 am Reply

I enjoy this recipe! I use recipe as is and tweak accordingly. I think what I have found that I like the most is I can leave it in the fridge for 5 days and then when I go to bake, I make rolls and a little loaf. It’s what we like. It’s a little sticky, I don’t add more flour. I pop it in the oven and a pot of hot water for steam. Time varies as I bake to internal temp of about 205° – 210°F. Sometimes its 25 min. They are pillowy soft and packed with flavor. Lastly it is better digestion for me (gluten sensitive) L.
- Alexandra Stafford — January 2, 2026 @ 11:55 am Reply
  
  So nice to read all of this, Liz! Thanks so much for writing and sharing your notes. Love that you use this recipe to make rolls. When you leave the dough in the fridge, is it in its whole state? And then after 5 (or fewer) days, you shape the dough into rolls? And do you bake them squished together in a 9×13-inch pan or are they spaced apart on a sheet pan? Thank you! People ask about making rolls with this recipe all the time, so I’d love to be able to give them a quick guide.
Brenda McGowan — January 2, 2026 @ 2:33 pm Reply

Thank you for the video! I was intimidated by the process, but the video helped tremendously. When first starting out I played it numerous times and paused it between steps. Now I have it down and have shared it with so many people. I am now interested in milling the grains. Not sure if you have a recipe for this, but I am very interested in providing a more nutritious bread for my family.
- Alexandra Stafford — January 3, 2026 @ 6:56 pm Reply
  
  Great to hear, Brenda! If you want to incorporate some freshly milled flour, I would start with no more than 20% freshly milled 80% bread flour. Based on your results you can increase the percentage the next time around. Freshly milled flours lend so much by way of aroma, flavor, and texture.
Helene N — January 2, 2026 @ 3:28 pm Reply

My first attempt at sourdough bread and this recipe with the videos and instructions helped me every step of the way! And my bread came out great !
- Alexandra Stafford — January 3, 2026 @ 6:57 pm Reply
  
  Great to hear, Helene! Thanks so much for writing and sharing this 🙂
Ulrica Hammond — January 3, 2026 @ 8:50 am Reply

After keeping it in the fridge before baking it, do I have to let it rest in room temp before baking it or can I go straight from fridge to baking? First time baking a sourdough with my own starter, I’m excited!
- Alexandra Stafford — January 4, 2026 @ 6:02 am Reply
  
  It goes directly to the oven from the fridge (after scoring it of course).
  
  Good luck! How exciting 🙂
Angella — January 3, 2026 @ 6:34 pm Reply

I am trying this today. Looks easy nd simple.
Ulrica Hammond — January 4, 2026 @ 8:10 am Reply

Ok I have one more question, my 1st loaf came out good, had plenty of air pockets in it but it felt a bit dense and heavy. What would be the reason for that? I am thinking maybe the first bulk fermentation was too cold and then it was not long enough? Plus I don’t have a straight sided vessel yet so maybe it didn’t double in size ?

Would there be any other reason for it to be too dense. Thanks again for this website. Very useful!
- Alexandra Stafford — January 6, 2026 @ 6:55 am Reply
  
  I do think using a straight-sided vessel will help you better gauge how much the dough has risen and therefore will better signal when it’s time to move on. You are using a scale to measure, right? And what type of flour are you using? It’s possible your starter needs to get a little stronger, too.
Doughlores — January 4, 2026 @ 10:17 pm Reply

I used this for my very first loaf and it turned out perfectly. I hope to replicate the results!
- Alexandra Stafford — January 6, 2026 @ 7:07 am Reply
  
  Great to hear! Thanks so much for writing 🙂
Mary Ann — January 5, 2026 @ 9:13 am Reply

Just curious – if I were to make this in a stand mixer, would the end texture after kneading look like it does after mixing with the spoon (fairly wet and shaggy) and requiring stretches and folds OR should it look like after the stretches and folds when done by hand? I don’t know when to stop kneading with the mixer.
- Alexandra Stafford — January 6, 2026 @ 7:17 am Reply
  
  Hi Mary Ann! I wish I knew. I’ve never made this recipe using a stand mixer. My guess is that it will look more like the dough after the 4 sets of stretches and folds — in other words, it should be smooth and elastic. I don’t think it will feel as buoyant as the dough, but that’s because after the 4 sets of stretches and folds the dough has also been rising (slowly) for 2 hours.
Anastasia — January 5, 2026 @ 9:17 am Reply

Hi! I love this recipe!! If I split it in half into 2 mini loaves – how would I adjust the baking time?
- Alexandra Stafford — January 6, 2026 @ 7:18 am Reply
  
  Great to hear, Anastasia! Reduce the baking time by 5 minutes at each phase (covered and uncovered) but ultimately bake the loaf uncovered until it is browned to your liking.
Diana — January 5, 2026 @ 11:44 am Reply

This was the first time I made sourdough–even went out and bought a Dutch oven expressly for this loaf–and it turned out fantastic!! Thank you for your detailed instructions and reasoning behind various choices. I ended up using 50 gr starter, rose 9 hours, cold-proofed in fridge 9 hours, and it rose beautifully, has great texture, and tastes great. However, it tastes like regular bread–delicious, but no sourdough tang. I’ve had my starter for several months and feed it regularly, using it for pancakes and waffles about weekly. Have you ever had a loaf turn out that wasn’t tangy?
- Alexandra Stafford — January 6, 2026 @ 7:21 am Reply
  
  Great to hear, Diana! Thanks so much for writing and sharing your experience. I think if you are looking for a little more tang, try cold proofing for 24-48 hours. That should help add some tang.
Anne — January 5, 2026 @ 11:57 am Reply

Hi! It’s the middle of winter for me and it’s a cold one! My apartment doesn’t retain heat well in my kitchen so I usually bring my dough into my bedroom since it’s smaller and closer to the heat. I saw you said to increase the amount of starter if you want your dough to rise more. I like this idea, but wanted to double check: Do you modify the amount of flour, salt, and water you add to make the dough when you use 100g instead of 50g of starter?
- Alexandra Stafford — January 6, 2026 @ 7:22 am Reply
  
  Hi Anne! No, don’t modify the other ingredients… just use 100 grams starter instead of 50 grams.
Lana Corley — January 5, 2026 @ 3:50 pm Reply

Solved my rise issue. Let dough rise 50% and great bake rise, perfect spring, awesome crumb, flavor spectacular. Thanks for this recipe and your spot on tips. I had an old starter in fridge that I knew would work. Im a believer in the 50% bulk rise for ever.
- Alexandra Stafford — January 6, 2026 @ 7:37 am Reply
  
  Great to hear, Lana! Thanks so much for writing and sharing your notes/experience. So helpful for others 🙂
Mike — January 6, 2026 @ 11:07 am Reply

When do I add the other ingredients ( feta, kalamata olives, sun-dried tomato?
- Alexandra Stafford — January 8, 2026 @ 6:28 am Reply
  
  Hi Mike,
  
  I have a guide in this post: Rosemary-Olive Sourdough Bread (+ A Better Way to Add Inclusions to Your Sourdough Bread)
Rhea Santos — January 6, 2026 @ 2:22 pm Reply

This made the most perfect loaf for me. Followed everything exactly. My only problem, nice one to have, is that the crumb is so fluffy that it’s hard to slice. It squishes down, but the slice and remaining loaf does puff up on its own after. No gumminess at all.
- Alexandra Stafford — January 8, 2026 @ 6:32 am Reply
  
  Great to read all of this, Rhea! I think you will find the loaf easier to slice on day 2 and 3 (if it lasts that long). You could try lowering the hydration slightly if you want a sturdier slicing loaf: hold back 25 grams of water and see if that helps.
Linda — January 6, 2026 @ 3:01 pm Reply

The crust on this bread is absolutely amazing! The instructions and videos were incredibly helpful to a new sourdough baker. This is the fourth recipe I have tried and is by far my favorite. Thank you!!!
- Alexandra Stafford — January 8, 2026 @ 6:34 am Reply
  
  Great to hear, Linda! Thanks so much for writing and sharing this 🙂
Kate — January 6, 2026 @ 7:27 pm Reply

First, this is my all time favorite recipe for sourdough bread. It comes out phenomenal every time!! Once question though, for the 30 minute “bench” rest do you mean seam side down? I have been doing it seam side up and I always find it hard to shape after and get the edges to stick on the seam once flipping again into banneton.
- Alexandra Stafford — January 8, 2026 @ 6:38 am Reply
  
  Great to hear, Kate! I do mean seam side up, but I am a firm believer in there not being a “right” way to do it. Experiment with seam side down, and see how you like it. I have no doubt it will come out great 🙂