Classic Sourdough Bread Recipe

Sourdough is the world’s most delicious science project: you feed a jar of flour and water, it bubbles back, and
eventually you get bread with a crackly crust, a tender crumb, and just enough tang to make plain butter feel fancy.
If you’ve ever stared at your dough and wondered, “Is it rising… or just vibing?” this recipe is for you.

This is a classic, reliable method for an artisan-style sourdough boule (round loaf) baked in a Dutch oven. It’s
beginner-friendly, but not baby-talkbecause your starter can sense fear. You’ll learn what to look for at each step,
how to adjust for your kitchen, and how to get that bakery-style lift without moving to a monastery in the Alps.

What “Classic” Sourdough Means (and Why It Works)

A classic sourdough loaf is naturally leavenedmeaning your sourdough starter provides the yeast and bacteria that
ferment the dough. Fermentation creates flavor, strengthens structure, and traps gas so your bread rises without
commercial yeast. The “classic” part also means: minimal ingredients, patient timing, and a crust-and-crumb combo
that makes you want to text everyone you know: “I baked a loaf. I am now a person with opinions about flour.”

Ingredients

Use a digital scale if you can. Sourdough is forgiving, but measuring by weight makes it dramatically less
emotionally complicated.

For 1 large loaf

• 500g bread flour (or 450g bread flour + 50g whole wheat for extra flavor)
• 350g water (room temp; hold back 25g if you’re new to wetter doughs)
• 100g active sourdough starter (fed and bubbly; ideally near peak)
• 10g fine sea salt
• Rice flour or extra bread flour (for dusting the basket/towel)

Why these ingredients matter

• Bread flour has higher protein, which helps build glutenyour dough’s internal “support beams.”
• Water controls hydration. Higher hydration can mean a more open crumb, but also a stickier,
  more mischievous dough.
• Active starter is your engine. If it’s sluggish, your loaf will be toolike a cat asked to do taxes.
• Salt boosts flavor and tightens gluten. It also slows fermentation slightly, keeping things civilized.

Equipment You’ll Actually Use

• Digital scale (highly recommended)
• Large mixing bowl
• Bench scraper (helpful, not mandatory)
• Dutch oven (4–6 qt) with lid
• Parchment paper
• Banneton (proofing basket) or a bowl/colander lined with a towel
• Lame or sharp knife for scoring

Schedule at a Glance (So You Can Have a Life)

Sourdough is mostly waiting, with short bursts of hands-on work. An easy rhythm is a same-day mix + overnight cold
proof, then bake the next day.

• Morning/early afternoon: Mix + bulk fermentation (3–6 hours, depending on temperature)
• Late afternoon/evening: Shape + refrigerate (8–16 hours)
• Next day: Bake (about 45 minutes) + cool (2 hours)

Classic Sourdough Bread Recipe: Step-by-Step

1) Make sure your starter is ready

Feed your starter 4–12 hours before mixing (timing depends on your starter and room temperature). You’re looking for
visible activity: it should rise, look aerated, and smell pleasantly tangynot like nail polish remover.

Tip: The “float test” (dropping a spoonful in water) can be fun, but it’s not a guaranteed truth serum. Trust the
rise, bubbles, and aroma more than a tiny dough boat.

2) Mix and rest (autolyse-lite, without the drama)

In a large bowl, combine 500g flour and 325g water (hold back 25g for later). Mix until no dry flour remains.
Cover and rest for 20–45 minutes. This rest helps the flour hydrate and gluten begin forming, making
the dough easier to handle later.

3) Add starter and salt

Add 100g active starter to the dough and mix by pinching and folding until incorporated. Sprinkle in
10g salt and add a splash of the reserved water as needed to help it dissolve. Mix until the dough
looks cohesive. It will still be shaggy. That’s normal. Sourdough is a journey.

4) Bulk fermentation (the main rise)

Cover the bowl and let the dough rise at warm room temperature. A good target is 74–78°F if possible.
Bulk fermentation typically takes 3–6 hours depending on dough temperature, starter strength, and your
kitchen.

Stretch-and-fold sets (build strength without kneading)

During the first 2 hours of bulk fermentation, do 3–4 sets of stretch-and-folds, spaced about
30 minutes apart:

1. Wet your hand lightly.
2. Lift one side of the dough, stretch it up, fold it over the center.
3. Rotate the bowl and repeat 3 more times (north, south, east, west).

After your last fold set, let the dough rest undisturbed for the remainder of bulk fermentation.

How to tell bulk fermentation is done

• The dough looks puffier and smoother.
• You see bubbles along the sides/top.
• It jiggles slightly when you shake the bowl.
• It has risen roughly 20–50% (not necessarily doubled).

If your kitchen is cool, bulk takes longer. If it’s warm, it can move fast. Watch the doughnot the clock.

5) Pre-shape and bench rest

Lightly flour your counter. Turn out the dough and gently form it into a round by tucking edges toward the center.
Let it rest, uncovered, for 15–25 minutes. This relaxes the gluten so shaping is easier.

6) Final shape

Shape into a tight boule: flip the dough seam-side up, fold edges inward, then roll/drag it gently on the counter to
create surface tension (think: “tuck and tighten,” not “wrestle and panic”).

Place seam-side up into a well-floured banneton (rice flour helps prevent sticking). If using a towel-lined bowl,
flour the towel generously like you’re preparing it for a snowstorm.

7) Cold proof (overnight flavor boost)

Cover and refrigerate for 8–16 hours. This slow fermentation deepens flavor, makes the dough easier
to score, and lets you bake on your schedule instead of the dough’s.

8) Bake in a Dutch oven (crispy crust mode)

Place your Dutch oven (with lid) in the oven and preheat to 500°F for at least 30–45 minutes.
High heat + a covered pot = trapped steam, which helps the loaf spring and the crust blister.

1. Cut a piece of parchment paper slightly larger than your loaf.
2. Remove the dough from the fridge. Invert it onto the parchment (seam-side down).
3. Score the top with one confident slash (about 1/4 to 1/2 inch deep). Confidence matters here. The dough can smell hesitation.
4. Carefully lower the parchment and dough into the hot Dutch oven. Lid on.
5. Bake 20 minutes covered.
6. Reduce heat to 450°F, remove the lid, and bake 15–25 minutes more until deeply browned.

How to know it’s done

• Crust is a deep golden brown to mahogany (don’t be afraid of colorpale bread is shy bread).
• Loaf feels lighter and sounds hollow when tapped.
• Optional: internal temp often lands around 205–210°F for a fully baked loaf.

9) Cool completely (yes, really)

Cool on a rack for at least 2 hours. Cutting too early can compress the crumb and make it gummy.
Think of cooling as the bread finishing its paperwork.

Common Problems (and How to Fix Them)

My loaf is dense

• Starter wasn’t strong enough: Feed consistently for a few days, and mix when it’s active and risen.
• Under-fermented bulk: Give it more time; look for bubbles and a noticeable rise.
• Dough was too dry: Add a bit more water next time (even +15–25g helps).

My bread is gummy inside

• Cut too soon: Let it cool fully.
• Underbaked: Bake longer uncovered for a darker crust.
• Over-proofed: If the dough collapses or spreads dramatically, shorten the final proof or reduce bulk time.

My loaf exploded on the side

• Not enough scoring or score too shallow.
• Under-proofed dough can burst where it wantslike a toddler with glitter.

My dough is super sticky

• Use wet hands for folds.
• Try lowering hydration by holding back 25g water until you’re comfortable.
• Strength comes from folds and fermentationgive it time.

Flavor and Texture Tweaks (Without Breaking the “Classic” Vibe)

• More tang: Extend the cold proof closer to 16 hours, or use a bit more whole grain flour.
• Softer crumb: Keep the crust slightly lighter (shorten uncovered bake by a few minutes) and store cut-side down on a board.
• More open crumb: Increase water slightly (+10–20g) and handle gently during shaping so you don’t pop all the bubbles.
• More structure: Add one extra fold set early in bulk fermentation.

FAQ

Do I need a Dutch oven?

It’s the easiest way to trap steam. If you don’t have one, bake on a preheated stone or sheet pan and add steam by
placing a sturdy metal pan in the oven and carefully pouring in hot water right after loading the loaf. Keep the
oven hot and don’t open the door too oftenyour bread is not a zoo exhibit.

Can I use all-purpose flour?

Yes, though bread flour tends to give better lift. If using all-purpose, consider lowering water slightly (hold back
15–25g) because some AP flours absorb less.

How sour should sourdough be?

“Classic” sourdough is pleasantly tangy, not mouth-puckering. If yours is too mild, extend the cold proof. If it’s
too sour, shorten the cold proof and bake sooner.

Conclusion

A classic sourdough loaf is simple on paper and delightfully alive in practice. Once you learn to read the dough
(bubbles, rise, jiggle, feel), you’ll stop chasing “perfect timing” and start baking bread that fits your kitchen,
your schedule, and your taste. And yesyour first truly great loaf will make you walk around the house like you just
won a small, crusty award. You did.

Real-Life Sourdough Experience (The Extra You Asked For)

The first time I tried a “classic sourdough bread recipe,” I treated the timeline like a sacred scroll. Autolyse at
exactly 30 minutes. Fold at exactly 30 minutes. Shape at exactly 30 minutes. By hour six, I realized the dough did
not care. It was doing its own thingslowlylike it had union protections. That’s when sourdough finally clicked:
you can’t bully fermentation. You negotiate with it.

My next batch taught me the second law of sourdough: your kitchen temperature is basically a hidden difficulty
setting. In winter, bulk fermentation felt like watching paint dry, except the paint was expensive flour and my
patience was running out. I tried every “warm spot” trick: oven light, microwave with a mug of hot water, even
placing the bowl near my laptop like the dough wanted to watch me answer emails. When I finally kept the dough a
little warmer, it transformedbigger bubbles, smoother surface, and a rise that didn’t require a motivational speech.

Then came the “sticky dough era,” where every shaping attempt looked like I was wrestling an octopus made of glue.
The fix wasn’t more flour (that just turned the crust dusty). The fix was technique: wet hands for folds, a bench
scraper for sanity, and learning to build tension on the surface without squeezing the life out of the dough. The
moment I stopped manhandling it, my loaves stopped spreading like sad pancakes.

Scoring was its own comedy show. My early slashes were timidlittle paper cuts that did nothing. The loaf would then
choose violence and burst out the side, like it was escaping a tiny bread prison. Once I committed to a single,
confident scoreclean blade, quick motionthe loaf expanded right where I told it to. It turns out bread likes
boundaries. Who knew?

The biggest lesson, though, was cooling. Fresh sourdough smells like victory, and slicing it too soon feels like a
reasonable life choice. It is not. I cut into a warm loaf once and got a gummy, compressed interior that tasted fine
but looked like it had been edited by a pessimistic sponge. Now I treat cooling as part of baking, not an optional
epilogue. Two hours on a rack gives you a crumb that’s set, sliceable, and actually shows off the fermentation work.

Over time, you stop chasing “Instagram holes” and start chasing “sandwich reliability.” You learn what your starter
does at peak, what your dough looks like when bulk is truly done, and how an overnight cold proof can make your
morning feel like a bakery runwithout pants, if you’re lucky. Classic sourdough becomes less of a performance and
more of a rhythm: mix, fold, wait, shape, chill, bake. And every loafwhether it’s a stunner or a little lopsided
still tastes like you made something real with your hands. That’s the point. The crust is just a bonus.