sourdough loaf

Try making our easy sourdough loaf and fill your home with a gorgeous aroma as it bakes. You need to have a sourdough starter which you can make yourself

Wholemeal sourdough loaf

strong white flour

strong wholemeal flour

wholemeal flour

fine salt

sourdough starter (see above)

To make a sourdough starter: whisk 50g of the strong white flour and 50g of the strong wholemeal flour with 100ml slightly warm water until smooth. Transfer to a large jar or plastic container. Leave the lid ajar for 1 hr or so in a warm place, then seal and set aside for 24 hours. For the next six days, you will need to ‘feed’ it. Each day, tip away half the original starter, add an extra 25g of each flour and 50ml slightly warm water, and stir well. After a few days you should start to see bubbles on the surface, and it will smell yeasty. On day seven, the starter should be bubbly and smell much sweeter. It is now ready to be used.

To make the sourdough bread: tip both the flours, 325ml warm water, the salt and the starter into a bowl, or a <a href="https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/content/top-five-food-mixers">mixer</a> fitted with a dough hook. Stir with a wooden spoon, or on a slow setting in the mixer until combined – add extra flour if it’s too sticky or a little warm water if it’s dry. Tip onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 mins until soft and elastic – you should be able to stretch it without it tearing. If you‘re using a mixer, turn up the speed a little and mix for 5 mins.

Place the dough in a floured bowl and cover with cling film. Leave in a warm place to rise for 3 hrs. You may not see much movement, as sourdough takes much longer to rise.

Line a medium bowl with a clean tea towel and flour it really well or flour a proving basket. Tip the dough back onto your work surface and knead briefly to knock out any air bubbles. Shape the dough into a smooth ball and dust it with flour.

Place the dough, seam-side up, in the bowl or proving basket, and leave at room temperature for 3 hrs, or in the fridge overnight, until risen by about a quarter.

Place a large baking tray in the oven and heat to 230C/210C fan/gas 8. Fill a small roasting tin with water and place in the bottom of the oven to create steam. Remove the tray from the oven, sprinkle with flour, then tip the dough onto it.

Slash the top a few times with a sharp knife to make a pattern, then bake for 35-40 mins until golden brown. It should sound hollow when tapped on the bottom. Leave to cool on a wire rack before slicing.

This pumpkin sourdough bread is soft, buttery, and has a tender crumb. These delicious pumpkin pull apart rolls are made with mashed pumpkin, butter, active sourdough starter! 

Soft Pumpkin Sourdough Bread

pumpkin

eggs (about 3 large eggs)

water

active starter

unsalted butter (softened)

bread flour

sugar

sea salt

active dry yeast

Add dough to mixing bowl

Mix: Leaving out the butter, add the rest of the ingredients into the mixing bowl attached to a stand mixer. Make sure the yeast and salt don&#039;t touch. Using a dough hook attachment, mix on low speed until all the dry flour is incorporated.

Add the butter

Add butter and beat: Next add all the butter and increase the speed to high until a smooth  ball forms. The sides of the bowl should be clean and the dough should no longer be sticky.

Check gluten development

Windowpane test: Check the dough for proper gluten development using by stretching it between your fingers using the &#039;windowpane test&#039;. You should be able to stretch it thin enough for the dough to be translucent without tearing.

Bulk Fermentation

Bulk Fermentation: Take out the dough, form it into a loose ball, and put it into a large bowl. Proof in a warm, humid place until it doubles in volume (it took me about an hour). See Notes below on how to proof at home.

Divide, shape, bench rest

Divide and shape, then bench rest: Divide the dough into 6 equal parts and roll them into even balls, making sure the surface is smooth. Dust the board and surface of dough balls with flour. Lightly cover so they don&#039;t dry out and let it rest for 15 minutes - called step is called bench rest.

Final shaping

Final shaping: Dust your board with flour. Flip over the pre-shaped dough balls so the smooth surface is facing down. Roll each ball into a long oval shape then fold the bottom ⅓ up and the top ⅓ down to make a letter fold. Then roll up the dough and pinch the seam closed. See step by step photos in post for more details.

Final proof

Final proof: Line your pan with parchment paper. Add three rolled up dough balls into each loaf pan. Press down firmly to spread dough to corners. Proof until volume increases by 50%. About 30 to 45 minutes. Preheat your oven at this time to 338°F or 170°C.

Bake

Bake:  Bake at 338°F or 170°C for 25 minutes or until the tops are golden brown.

This no-fuss, easy sourdough bread has a lacey crumb, the perfect amount of tang, and a crispy crust. Enjoy step-by-step instructions for beginners &amp; experts alike.

Easy Sourdough Bread

warm water (about 90°F)

sourdough starter

bread flour (Note 1)

salt

brown rice flour (for dusting)

Feed the starter 8-12 hours prior to making the bread dough. You need a nice and ripe starter. Test the starter by dropping a small amount into a water. If it floats, it’s ripe and ready to use!

Before you start:

In a large mixing bowl, combine warm water and ripe starter. Mix until most of the starter is broken up and mixed into the water.

Add flour and salt.

Use a silicone spatula, or your hand, or the dough hook attachment, knead the dough until all the flour is incorporated, about 2 minutes. Let it rest for 5 minutes.

Then knead it again for 5 minutes, if using a stand mixer, or about 8 minutes, if kneading by hand. (Note: Don’t be alarmed by soft and sticky dough. It’s exactly as it should be, and it’ll get easier to handle.) Cover the dough with plastic wrap (or shower cap) and rest for 30 minutes.

To mix the dough:

Turn the dough out onto a clean counter, lightly sprayed with water. Gently stretch the dough out as far as it can go. Then lift the bottom end and fold it over the center of the dough. Then do the same with the top side of the dough. Now, lift the sides of the dough and fold it over onto the center as well. Then tuck the corners to form a nice smooth ball. Using a bench scraper, turn the dough into tight ball to create a surface tension. Please watch my video demonstration for better understanding. (TIP: Lightly dampen your hands with water. It minimizes the dough sticking to your hands.)

Put the dough back into the bowl, cover and bulk ferment for 5-6 hours at room temperature (around 70°F). (Note: If you have time, I also encourage you to do additional 1-2 lamination about 1 hour apart. It helps to strengthen the gluten structure and promotes nice open crumb.)

To laminate &amp; bulk ferment the dough:

Turn the dough out onto a clean counter, lightly sprayed with water. With lightly dampened hands, stretch and fold the dough again as described in step 6. Form the dough into a tight ball and let it rest for 10 minutes, covered. Resting allows the dough to relax and it’ll be easier to shape it.

Flip the dough smooth side down and stretch the top portion slightly and fold it over the center. Do the same thing with the bottom portion. You should now have a log shaped dough. Then from the short end, roll the dough as if you’re rolling a burrito. Tightly pinch the seams.

Generously dust the banneton basket with brown rice flour and put the bread dough into it, seam-side up.

To pre-shape:

Cover the banneton with plastic wrap, or the same shower cap. And let it proof for 1 hour at room temperature, then place it in the fridge for overnight, 8-10 hours, for cold proofing. OR proof the dough for 2 hours at room temperature and bake right away. (Note: Slow cold proofing helps to develop more flavor. But in my experience, it didn’t affect the oven spring.)

To proof the dough:

Preheat the oven with bread cloche to 425°F (218°C) for at least 1 hour. (If using Dutch oven, you may or may not preheat it. I’ve tried either way and didn’t see significant difference.)

Poke test: Poke the dough in the banneton with your finger about half an inch deep. If the dough springs right back, then it’s under-proofed. If the dough doesn’t spring back at all, it’s over-proofed. You want your dough spring back slowly and leave a small indentation.

Carefully invert the proofed bread dough onto the hot cloche. Spritz the top of the bread with water and score it to your desired pattern. Cover and bake for 45 minutes. (TIP: Spraying water helps to create more steam and encourages a good oven spring. The bread crust also gets nice blisters from water sprays.)

Then remove the cover and bake the bread for another 15 minutes.

Carefully transfer the bread onto a wire rack and cool completely for at least 3 hours before slicing into it. (TIP: If sliced too soon, the bread will be unpleasantly gummy.)

To bake the bread:

This simple sourdough bread recipe only requires a few basic ingredients. The result is a loaf of bread with a chewy interior and a golden brown, crusty exterior.

Sourdough Bread Recipe

(227 g) filtered water

(100 g) sourdough starter (active)

(240 g) all-purpose flour

(60 g) bread flour

Rice Flour (for dusting bowl)

In a large bowl, whisk together the bubbly, active sourdough starter and the filtered water. Add the all-purpose flour and bread flour. Use a sturdy spoon or spatula to combine. The mixture will be wet and sticky. Sprinkle it with salt, and gently pinch it with your fingers. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 1 hour.

After 1 hour, leave the dough in the bowl, and complete 4 sets of &quot;stretch and folds.&quot; These will be completed in 30 minute intervals.

Stretch and Folds:Wet your hands with water, and grab a piece of dough near the top of the bowl. Pull it straight up to stretch making sure not to tear the dough. Fold it over to the center of the dough and press down lightly. Repeat this on each side of the bowl and the bottom. You&#39;ll do this 4 times (think of the bowl in fourths or quarters). After completing a stretch and fold in each quarter of the bowl, that is a &quot;set.&quot; Complete 3 more sets of stretch and folds at 30 minute intervals over the next hour and a half, and cover with plastic wrap between each.

After completing all 4 sets of stretch and folds, cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 8 hours or up to overnight. When you're ready to work with the dough again, remove it from the refrigerator, and allow it to come to room temperature, about 1 to 2 hours.

When the dough has warmed a bit, pour it from the bowl onto an unfloured work surface. Lightly flour the dough, and wet your hands. Place your hands on opposite sides of the dough and gently turn to tighten the dough and form a ball. The dough should stick to work surface and provide traction. Let it sit for 20 minutes to rest. It will spread some, but if it flattens out, repeat the process to tighten it into a ball. Let it rest for an additional 20 minutes. While the dough rests, prepare a cloth lined banneton or glass bowl lined with a lightweight kitchen towel. Dust the banneton or bowl lightly with rice flour then set aside.

After the dough rests, wet a bench scraper and gently wedge it under the dough. Transfer the dough to the prepared bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and transfer to the refrigerator to double in size. This usually takes about 2 to 4 hours depending on how lively the yeast is.

When the double has doubled in size, adjust an oven rack to the bottom third of the oven. Place a large Dutch oven with lid on the rack, and preheat the oven to 450°. Cut a large piece of parchment paper and remove the dough from the refrigerator. Remove the plastic wrap from the bowl and lay the parchment paper over the top of the bowl. Carefully flip the bowl upside down, so the dough is now on the parchment paper. Use a bread lame or sharp knife to score the dough if desired.

Very carefully place the parchment paper and dough into the hot Dutch oven. Cover with the lid and bake for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, remove the lid and bake for an additional 15 minutes. Remove the bread from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing, about 1 hour.

Store any leftovers in a plastic zip bag. The leftovers stay fresh for about 2 days.

This sourdough bread recipe is perfect for beginners and bread experts. Low-maintenance and foolproof, it creates a beautifully golden crust with an airy, soft interior that’s perfectly chewy. It&#39;s time to make the most gorgeous sourdough bread from home!

Perfect Sourdough Bread Loaf | Golden, Crispy, Flavorful

190 G 190 g Active Starter

780 G Purified Room Temperature Water

1060 G Organic Bread Flour

Teaspoons Fine Artisan Sea Salt

5:30 amFeed Starter 1/4 cup of starter, 1/4 cup of purified room temperature water, and 1/4 cup of all-purpose flour (not bread flour!) Add a piece of tape near your starter line so you can track the growth. Set the starter in a warmer area of the house.

Feed The Starter

12:00 to 1:00 pmAdd the weighed activated starter and water to a large bowl and mix well. Mix in the weighed organic bread flour. You may have to use your hands to combine the ingredients. Add the salt (make sure to add it last, so it does not interfere with the starter.) At this point, the mixture will be very sticky and hard to form. Cover with a wet towel, and set it aside for one hour. After one hour, perform the first stretch and fold.

Make Sourdough Dough

1:15 pmAfter making your sourdough, feed your starter jar, and place it back in the refrigerator if you do not plan to bake for a few days. If you plan to bake bread the next day, you can leave it out on the counter.

Refeed Starter Jar

2:00 pmStretch and fold your dough until it forms a large ball. You can do this without bringing your dough onto the countertop. I usually do this step with the dough in the bowl the entire time. (refer to the video for help) Once the dough is formed into a ball, cover it back up with a damp cloth and set it aside for three to five hours. It should double in size at this point. Keep your dough in a warm house (67 to 73.) I often place the bread in the oven with the door open and light on to rise, especially in the winter.

Stretch and Fold | First Rise

6:00 pm Remove the dough from the bowl. Divide the dough into two equal parts. I use a scale to ensure the separated dough weighs the same; otherwise, baking times will change for each loaf. It’s ok if they are a few grams off. Add a little flour to your surface, stretch and fold, and then shape each sourdough into a tight ball. Add flour to the banneton, and place the dough smooth side down into the banneton(proofing basket.) Cover and place in the refrigerator overnight. The longer it proofs in the refrigerator, the bolder the flavor will become. If you want to add fillers like cheese, cinnamon, raisins, etc., do this during the last stretch and fold. You can leave the proofing sourdough in the refrigerator for up to 36 hours, so if you want to bake the bread when you get home the next day instead of the morning, that will work too!

Stretch, Fold, Shape &amp; Cool Proof

5:30 am (next day) Preheat oven to 475 degrees.Remove the proofed sourdough from the refrigerator. Transfer the dough to a sheet of parchment paper (smooth side up.) Dust with flour, and use your fingers to smooth the surface. Use scissors, a knife, or a scoring tool to add fun designs. Slice the dough about 1/2 inch thick on the top before placing it into the oven. This will form a stunning “ear” on the sourdough bread.

Scoring

6:00 amBake your sourdough bread.Place the bread (still on top of parchment paper) into a dutch oven with a lid. Bake for 50 minutes. Remove the lid, and bake for an additional 10 minutes. Remember that all ovens cook differently, pay attention to the bread once you remove the lid. You do not want to go through all of that work, and then burn your bread!

Baking Bread

7:00 am Allow the bread to cool on a rack for two hours before slicing.

9:00 amEnjoy your bread!

Cooling Process

I have tried to make sourdough bread for months and this is the first recipe that worked for me!

Taralynn, I had a sourdough started I have been feeding for over a year. My first sourdough last year did not come out so well. But this time perfection. I followed your steps with the exception of adding rice at the bottom of the Dutch oven. I placed a pizza bowl on the bottom rack just below the Dutch oven (saw it on a YouTube video) and it came out perfectly browned. No burned bottom. Cannot wait to make another and try you other recipes. Especially the pizza recipe! Thank you :)

I made it and it came out wonderful it was my second attempt on baking with sourdough and the bread was as perfect as those you see on social media. My family loved it, they couldn’t stop eating it, yI made two loves this morning and they are both gone now. Thank you

15 years ago I use to make sourdough bread and then I took a long break. I have started up again about a month ago and have been using one recipe which I haven't been able to get a consistent loaf and crumb.

I looked around and found this recipe and I tried it yesterday. All I can say is this is AMAZING, great rise and crumb and not to crunchy which is what I was looking for. I did wrap loaves in damp cloth to ensure a thinner and softer crunch and its just perfect.

Tastes great, doesn't have a strong sour tang to it which is fine.

This is a great recipe, easy to follow and really is fail proof, I highly recommend this and I look forward to trying some of the other recipes on this site,

Thanks for the recipe!!!

Joann

Hi, I have been doing sourdough recipes for maybe 3 or 4 months now, I have been looking for a decent bread recipe that isn't so dense and heavy you need a crane to lift it. I have tried a lot of recipes that really looked promising but turned-out bread that was fit for the garbage can and really nothing else.  I must say I was very much pleasantly surprised with this recipe. I have made a single loaf 2 times now. I even screwed up the first one by not forming the ball prior to refrigeration and it still turned out great. My only suggestion is that I also halved to salt down two grams for the first loaf, and it definitely need more. I upped it for the second loaf, and I haven't cut into it yet, but it looks fantastic and I'm sure it will be. I also dialed my oven down for the second loaf to 425 (as you say oven temps can vary) and it is a great looking loaf of bread. I couldn't be happier with this recipe, Thank You So Much!

love this recipe! I've been too intimidated to make an actual loaf...  I've had a starter for about a year and just make discard recipes, I saw your post and decided to give it a try. first loaf came out ok, I think it's on my part and didn't stretch and fold correctly or rolled the dough too tight I'm not sure, but it tasted great, today I am trying again and giving it a second stretch and fold... can you make a loaf from start to finish in one day? like if I feed my starter late at night and it's ready in the morning?

I added leeks , Calabrian peppers and parmezan. Delish😋

The absolutely HANDS DOWN best sourdough I’ve ever eaten!

Great recipe!   I’ve made this many times.   The key is always a good active starter. I cut the recipe in half a lot to make only one loaf.  I have a loaf in the oven now.  Thank you!

Excellent. I’m going to reduce bake time to 30 min with lid and 15 to 20 off. Reduce bake temp to 425 with lid off.

A great recipe. I had not made bread from my starter for a couple of years, but this recipe got me started again. (excuse the pun) Easy to follow, timing is forgiving, and the finished product is terrific.

There’s something incredibly satisfying about a sourdough loaf that turns out just right—especially when it happens a little unexpectedly. This was one of those magical bakes. I had an old, unfed starter sitting in the fridge for over a week, and I wasn’t sure if it would still perform well. On a whim, I decided to use it without feeding, combine it with a cold bake, and pop it into my Romertopf clay baker. I also added a touch of avocado oil, just to see what would happen.

Cold Bake Sourdough with Unfed Starter – A Surprising Success

King Arthur Bread Flour flour

unfed sourdough starter – straight from the fridge, about 10 days old

avocado oil

fine sea salt –

Start by combining the warm water, cold starter, and avocado oil in a mixing bowl. Stir until the mixture is fairly smooth and creamy. Add the bread flour, sprinkle the salt over the top, and mix thoroughly until no dry patches remain.

Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for 45 to 60 minutes. This rest period, called the autolyse, allows the flour to absorb the water fully, which helps gluten develop naturally before any kneading or folds begin.

Once the dough has rested, begin the stretch-and-fold process. This replaces kneading and strengthens the dough gently. Wet your hands, grab one edge of the dough, stretch it up, and fold it over to the opposite side. Repeat from all four corners.

Perform 3 full rounds of stretch-and-folds, each about 45 minutes apart. Cover the bowl after each round. You&#8217;ll notice the dough becoming smoother and more elastic as it gains strength.

Transfer your dough into a straight-sided container like a Cambro or clear glass bowl. Mark the level so you can track the rise. Let it ferment at room temperature (ideally 73–75°F) until it has risen by about 50%. This typically takes a few hours, depending on your environment.

Once the dough has bulked, turn it gently onto a clean, unfloured surface. If it feels too slack, pre-shape it into a tight round using a bench scraper. Let it rest for 45 minutes, covered with a damp tea towel.

To shape: stretch the dough into a rectangle, fold the long edges inward, then roll it up like a jelly roll. Use your scraper to gently rotate and tighten the dough into a taut ball. Let rest again for 30–45 minutes to relax the gluten.

Generously dust a banneton or proofing basket with rice flour. Place the dough seam-side up, and if needed, stitch the dough to build extra surface tension.

Let it sit at room temperature for up to 45 minutes, then loosely cover with plastic wrap or a shower cap. Place in the fridge for a long, cold proof—anywhere from 12 to 14 hours at 36°F or colder.

Soak your Romertopf clay baker in water for 15 minutes. If using a Dutch oven instead, no soaking is needed. Place your proofed dough in the freezer for 10–15 minutes to firm up while the oven preheats to 450°F.

Flip the dough onto parchment paper, score it with a sharp blade, and mist lightly with water. Place it into your baker or Dutch oven, trimming parchment edges as needed. If using a Dutch oven, place an ice cube underneath the parchment for added steam.

Bake for 55 minutes total. Remove the lid around the 36-minute mark when your oven has fully preheated. Check internal temp with a thermometer—it should be around 204°F. Bake uncovered for an extra 2–3 minutes to reach 207°F for a light, golden crust.

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