Sourdough Bread Recipe

Important notes:

Sourdough isn’t a “follow-the-recipe-and-it’s-perfect” kind of thing. Two people can use the same recipe and get totally different results because of variables like:

• Your kitchen temperature
• Humidity
• Your starter strength (how active it is)
• Flour brand/type
• Water temp
• Time of year (winter vs summer)

So use this recipe as a starting point, but the real secret is: watch the dough, not the clock. The times are guidelines and the dough will tell you when it’s ready.

I prefer using a kitchen scale for any recipe that uses active starter. I included cup measurements for anyone without a scale, but weighing gives you consistent results and saves money/ingredients long-term.

Ingredients

• 60g (¼ cup) active sourdough starter
• 350g (1⅔ cups) warm filtered water
• 1 tbsp honey
• 500g (4¼ cups) bread flour
• 9g (2 tsp) sea salt

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Directions

1) Mix

In a large bowl, add warm water, honey and starter and stir until dissolved. Add flour and salt. Mix until a shaggy dough forms. Cover and let rest 30 minutes.

*During the winter I often rest closer to 1 hour because fermentation moves slower.

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2) Stretch and folds

Do a set of stretch and folds. Cover and let rest.

Timing between sets:

• Spring/Summer (warmer kitchen): rest 30 minutes between stretch + folds
• Fall/Winter (cooler kitchen): rest 1 hour between stretch + folds

Repeat every rest period for a total of 1–4 sets.

Important note: You don’t need to do 3–4 sets for this loaf to turn out. One solid set is totally fine, and skipping extra rounds won’t ruin your bread. 

Signs your dough is ready for the next stretch and fold

You’re looking for the dough to go from “sticky mess” to “a little stronger and smoother” each round.

• It has relaxed and spread slightly in the bowl (not tight like right after mixing)
• The surface looks smoother than it did 30–60 minutes ago
• It feels more elastic when you lift an edge (it stretches more easily)
• It’s less shaggy and starting to hold together as one dough mass
• You may see a few small bubbles forming (especially in warmer kitchens)

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3) Bulk ferment

Let the dough rise until it’s finished bulk fermenting. Overnight often works great, but the exact time depends on your house.

Signs your dough is DONE bulk fermenting

You’re looking for a dough that’s alive and airy, not just “bigger.”

• Noticeable rise (often ~50–75% rise; it may or may not fully double)
• Bubbles on top and/or around the sides of the bowl
• Dough looks puffy/jiggly when you gently shake the bowl
• It feels lighter and more elastic than when you mixed it
• If you wet your fingers and pull up the dough, it stretches nicely and doesn’t feel dense

Signs it needs more time: stilll tight and dense, no bubbles, not jiggly

Signs it went too far (over-fermented): very slack/soupy, hard to shape, big bubbles everywhere, smells sharply sour, deflates easily

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Optional timing hack 

If your dough isn’t ready when you are (or you don’t want to bake first thing in the morning), you can put it in the fridge to slow things down. The fridge is like a pause button and you can pull it out later to let it finish fermenting at room temp

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4) Shape + proof

After bulk ferment, pre shape your dough then rest 10 minutes. Shape your dough.

Line a medium bowl with a tea towel (or use a banneton), place dough inside seam-side up, cover, and let proof 30–60 minutes (sometimes longer in winter).

Signs your dough is DONE proofing

• You want it puffy and relaxed, but still holding shape.
• Dough looks slightly risen and smooth
• It feels soft and airy, not dense
• Poke test: lightly press with a floured finger
• If it springs back slowly and leaves a small dent its ready
• If it springs back fast it needs more proof time
• If it doesn’t spring back and feels fragile/deflates it may be over-proofed

Winter note: Proofing can take longer when your house is cold. That’s normal.

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Bake

Preheat oven and Dutch oven to 425°F.

Turn dough onto parchment paper or a bread sling. Score the top. Carefully lower into a Dutch oven and cover with the lid.

• Bake 25 minutes with the lid ON
• Remove lid and bake 20 minutes with the lid OFF

Cool at least 1 hour before slicing and enjoy

Video tutorial here