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One of my goals for 2024 was to master the art of making homemade sourdough bread. After browsing video after video on TikTok, I finally pulled the trigger and bought a dehydrated starter online and began experimenting with baking my own loaves. But I’ll be honest—the process felt intimidating at first. The unfamiliar terms, detailed directions, and techniques I’d never heard of left me feeling overwhelmed.

It took me a few months of trial and error to finally nail the perfect loaf. Is it time-consuming? Absolutely. Does it feel like you’ve adopted a child that constantly needs your care and attention? Without a doubt. But let me tell you—it’s also one of the most rewarding experiences you’ll ever have in the kitchen.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, don’t worry. You’re not alone, and I hope this guide will give you the clarity and confidence to start your sourdough journey. Let’s turn flour, water, and salt into something magical!

Why I Don’t Use a Kitchen Scale

While many bakers swear by digital scales for precision, the method I use doesn’t require one. Over time, I’ve learned that sourdough bread baking is as much about intuition and experience as it is about exact measurements.

Here’s why: There are countless variables that influence how your dough behaves—your starter, the temperature and humidity in your home, the time of day, and even the season. Getting to know how your starter reacts in your unique environment is far more important than chasing perfect measurements.

By skipping the scale, you’ll develop a feel for the dough and learn to adjust based on what it needs. This hands-on approach allows you to connect with the process and truly master the art of sourdough bread.

Tools needed to make sourdough bread

I have all these tools linked here on my amazon store-front!

Bench Scraper: This tool is great for handling sticky dough, dividing portions, and shaping your loaf with ease.

Measuring cups: I prefer to use measuring cups rather than a kitchen scale. This method simplifies the process and makes it less intimidating, especially for beginners. (more on this right above)

Dutch Oven or Cast-Iron Pot with Lid: For that perfect crust and even bake, a Dutch oven traps steam to create an ideal environment for your bread.

Proofing Basket (Banneton): While not essential, a proofing basket helps shape your dough and leaves a beautiful pattern. A floured bowl works just as well in a pinch.

Parchment Paper: Makes transferring dough into a hot Dutch oven safe and mess-free while preventing sticking.

Lame or Sharp Knife: A bread lame or sharp knife is used to score the dough, allowing it to expand properly during baking and giving your loaf a professional look.

Clean Kitchen Towel or Plastic Wrap: Use these to cover your dough during proofing to keep it from drying out.

Ingredients for Sourdough Bread

Sourdough Starter: You can make your own starter from scratch, or you can buy a dehydrated starter online and rehydrate it over the course of a week. That’s what I did and it was an easy and seamless process.

Warm Filtered Water: It’s important that you use filtered water for your sourdough, because tap water can kill your starter.

Unbleached All-purpose flour: You can really use any flour that you’d like, as long as it’s unbleached. I like to play around with bread flour, all purpose flour and whole-wheat flour for my loaves.

Salt: Use a high quality salt and try to avoid table salt.

How to feed your starter:

Many of you have asked how often you need to feed your sourdough starter to keep it alive, and the answer is pretty straightforward! If you’re leaving your starter out on the counter and plan to bake sourdough every single day, then you’ll need to feed it daily to keep it active.

However, if you’re like me and prefer to bake just once a week, you can store your starter in the fridge without feeding it regularly. When you’re ready to bake, simply take your starter out of the fridge and discard everything but 1/2 cup of starter. Feed it with 1 cup of flour and 2/3 cup of warm, filtered water, and mix well until you achieve a thick, pancake-batter-like consistency. Cover the jar with a lid, place a rubber band around the container to mark the starting level, and let it rest at room temperature until it becomes active and bubbly. Then, it’s ready to use!

What is discard?

Discard refers to the portion of sourdough starter that is removed before feeding it with fresh flour and water. This step is essential to maintain the health of your starter and prevent it from becoming too large or unmanageable over time.

Why Do You Discard?

1. Control Growth: Without discarding, the starter would double in size with every feeding, quickly becoming too much to handle.
2. Maintain Balance: Removing a portion ensures that the remaining starter gets enough fresh flour and water to feed the wild yeast and bacteria, keeping it active and healthy.
3. Improve Flavor: Regularly discarding helps avoid overly sour or off-flavors in your starter, especially if it’s been sitting unused for a while.

How to Use Discard

While discard is removed from the active starter, it doesn’t have to go to waste! Sourdough discard can be used in a variety of recipes like pancakes, waffles, crackers, muffins, or even pizza dough. Just remember that discard taken from an unfed starter won’t be strong enough to leaven bread but is perfect for adding flavor to other baked goods.

By discarding regularly, you’ll keep your starter happy and ensure your bread turns out consistently delicious!

Feeding Your Starter and Getting It Active

Feed your starter in the morning—I typically feed mine around 7 a.m. to stay on schedule. After feeding, it will take about 4-6 hours for the starter to rise and become “active,” but this can vary depending on your environment.

Factors That Affect Rising Time:

1. Temperature in Your Home:
   • A warmer environment helps the starter become active more quickly, while cooler temperatures can slow the process.
2. Seasonal Changes:
   • During the colder winter months, it may take longer than 6 hours for your starter to fully rise.

My Tip for Winter Months:

If it’s chilly in your home, try wrapping your glass container in a towel and placing it in a warmer part of the house. I like to keep mine in my office, where my space heater is running. (Make sure it’s not directly next to the heater, but in the same room to gently warm the air.) This trick usually helps my starter rise within the 4-hour span, even in colder weather.

Plan accordingly and adjust based on your schedule and environment to ensure your starter is active and ready when you need it!

How to Know When Your Starter Is Ready to Use

You’ll know your starter is ready to use when it has doubled in size and is full of bubbles, indicating it’s active and well-fermented. Here are a few tips to help you monitor your starter’s progress:

Use a Rubber Band as a Marker: After feeding your starter, place a rubber band around the glass container at the starting level. This makes it easy to see when it has doubled in size.

Look for Bubbles: An active starter will have lots of bubbles throughout, both on the surface and along the sides of the container. This is a clear sign of fermentation and readiness.

Check the Aroma: Your starter should have a slightly tangy, pleasant smell—like a combination of yeast and mild vinegar. If it smells off or overly sour, it might need some extra attention.

The Float Test (Optional): To be extra sure your starter is ready, scoop a small amount into a glass of water. If it floats, it’s good to go! If it sinks, give it more time to rise.

How to make Sourdough Bread From Scratch

As I mentioned earlier, everyone has their own unique method for making sourdough bread. That’s what makes it such a beautiful and creative process—but it’s also why it can feel overwhelming at first. The truth is, there’s no single “right” or “wrong” way to make sourdough bread; it’s all about experimenting and discovering what works best for you and your environment.

Personally, I don’t use a kitchen scale to make my sourdough. Instead, I rely on measuring cups and adjust as needed based on the feel of my dough. Over time, I’ve learned to trust my instincts, paying attention to texture, hydration, and how the dough responds. It’s a more intuitive approach, and while it might take a bit of practice, it’s a rewarding way to connect with the process.

Combine starter and water:

When your starter is active, bubbly, and ready to use, begin by adding 1/2 cup of active starter to a glass bowl along with 2 cups of warm, filtered water. Using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, mix the starter and water together until the mixture is smooth and free of clumps. This step ensures that the starter is evenly distributed and ready to begin forming your dough.

Mix in flour: I like to use a combination of bread flour (or unbleached all-purpose flour) and whole-wheat flour, but you can choose whichever type of flour works best for you. Gradually add the flour to the starter mixture, stirring with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until the dough begins to come together. You’re looking for what’s commonly called a “shaggy dough”—a thick but well-hydrated mixture. Once the ingredients are roughly combined, I like to switch to using my hands, kneading gently to ensure everything is fully incorporated. This hands-on approach helps create a cohesive dough while giving you a feel for its texture.

Cover and rest: Cover your glass bowl with a damp clean kitchen towel and let it rest for 45 minutes.

Add in salt: Once your dough has rested, it’s time to add the salt. I like to use 2 teaspoons of Maldon’s flakey sea salt, but any good-quality salt will work. To make it easier to mix, you can dissolve the salt in 1 tablespoon of filtered water before adding it to the dough. Use your hands to knead the dough gently, ensuring the salt is evenly incorporated.

Stretch and fold series:

First stretch and folds: After the salt is mixed in, begin your first series of “stretch and folds.” This technique strengthens the gluten structure of the dough and helps develop its texture. To perform a stretch and fold, grab one edge of the dough, stretch it upward, and fold it over itself. Rotate the bowl slightly and repeat this process for a total of 8 times. This marks the beginning of your dough’s transformation into a beautifully structured loaf. Cover with the damp towel and set it aside for 30 minutes.

Second stretch and fold: After the initial 30-minute rest, repeat the stretch-and-fold process a second time. Perform a total of 8 stretch-and-folds, working your way around the dough just as before. This helps to further strengthen the gluten structure and improve the dough’s elasticity. Once you’ve completed the folds, cover the bowl and let the dough rest for another 30 minutes. This resting period allows the dough to relax and continue developing.

Last series of stretch and folds: After the final 30-minute rest, repeat the stretch-and-fold process one last time. Once completed, cover the bowl and set it aside for the bulk fermentation stage, which can take anywhere from 1 to 5 hours, depending on the temperature of your home.

Bulk fermentation

In cooler months, bulk fermentation will take longer—typically around 3 to 5 hours—because the lower temperatures slow down the fermentation process. In warmer months, the dough may be ready in as little as 1 to 2 hours.

You’ll know the dough is done bulk fermenting when it has increased in size (about 50-75% larger, not quite doubled) and has a smooth, domed surface. The dough will feel light and airy, and you may notice bubbles forming on the surface or along the sides of the bowl. When you gently press a finger into the dough, it should spring back slightly but still leave an impression. These signs indicate that your dough is well-fermented and ready for the next step.

Shaping your sourdough

Shaping your dough: Lightly flour a clean working surface to prevent sticking. Gently remove the dough from the bowl by placing both hands on opposite sides of the dough. Slowly lift it upward, letting the dough stretch and pull itself out of the bowl naturally. Move gently and avoid forcing it out to maintain the air bubbles formed during fermentation.

Once the dough is on the floured surface, allow it to fold over itself as you place it down. Then, grab the opposite side of the dough with both hands and repeat the motion- lifting up and allowing it to fold over itself- grabbing the other side and repeating. Continue this process for a total of 8 folds, working your way around the dough. This step helps further develop the structure while preparing the dough for final shaping.

Laminating your dough: In sourdough baking, laminating refers to a technique used to stretch the dough into a thin, flat sheet before folding it back onto itself. This process helps improve gluten structure, build strength, and create a more open crumb (the airy holes in the bread).

Gently pull the dough outward on all sides to create a large rectangle on your floured surface. Be careful as you stretch—it should be thin, but not so much that it tears. Work slowly and evenly to avoid damaging the dough’s structure.

Once you have your rectangle, fold the two longer sides inward toward each other, like folding a hotdog bun. After that, roll the dough tightly from one short end to the other, creating a compact and smooth loaf shape. This tight rolling helps build surface tension, which is key for a well-formed loaf during baking.

Final shape: Using the push-and-pull technique, place your hands around the sides of the dough and push it slightly forward with your palms while gently rotating it. Then, pull the dough back toward yourself, allowing its bottom to catch slightly on the surface to create tension. Repeat this motion, rotating the dough slightly after each movement. As you work, the dough will develop a taut, smooth surface, which is key for maintaining its shape during the final rise and baking. Cover and let it rest on the counter for 20 minutes.

Envelope pinch: The envelope pinch/seal technique is a shaping method used to create a tight, cohesive loaf with strong surface tension. To begin, place your dough on a clean, lightly floured surface with the smooth side facing down and the seam side up.

Gently stretch one side of the dough outward and fold it toward the center, then repeat with the opposite side, slightly overlapping the first fold, much like folding a letter. Next, take the top edge of the dough and fold it down over the center, maintaining gentle tension. Finally, fold the bottom edge up over the center, overlapping the previous folds, and pinch the seam firmly to seal the edges. This technique helps create a taut surface across the top of the dough, ensuring it holds its shape, rises evenly during proofing, and develops a beautiful structure during baking.

Proofing:

Refrigerate: Place your shaped loaf, seam-side up, into a lightly floured banneton basket with the cloth liner inside. The cloth helps prevent sticking and supports the dough as it proofs. Cover the basket with a tea towel to keep the dough from drying out, then transfer it to the refrigerator. Let the dough rest in the fridge for a minimum of 12 hours and up to 72 hours. This cold-proofing stage slows fermentation, allowing the flavors to develop. The longer you refrigerate, the more pronounced the sour flavor of your loaf will be, giving you control over the bread’s tanginess.

Baking your sourdough loaf

YAY—you’ve made it to the most exciting part: baking your sourdough loaf and enjoying the fruits of your labor!

Preheat dutch oven: To begin, preheat your oven to 475°F and place your Dutch oven inside while it preheats. This step is crucial because a blazing-hot Dutch oven helps create the perfect environment for your bread to rise and develop a crisp, golden crust. Let the Dutch oven heat up for at least 45 minutes before placing your loaf inside. This ensures it’s evenly heated and ready to work its magic on your dough.

Score your bread: When you’re ready to bake, take your loaf out of the fridge and carefully turn it upside down onto a piece of parchment paper (I prefer using brown parchment paper for a rustic look). Lightly flour the top of your loaf and gently smooth it out with your hands to create an even surface. Next, score your loaf with a sharp knife or bread lame in whatever design you like. If this is your first loaf, keep it simple—an “X” will do the trick! Scoring allows the dough to expand while baking and gives your bread that signature artisanal look.

Bake sourdough loaf: Carefully remove the preheated Dutch oven from the oven using kitchen gloves—it will be extremely hot. Gently transfer the parchment paper with your scored bread into the Dutch oven. For extra steam, I like to add two ice cubes underneath the parchment paper, which helps create a beautifully crisp crust. Cover the Dutch oven with its lid and return it to the oven.

To prevent the bottom of the bread from getting overly crispy or burnt, I also place a baking sheet on the bottom shelf of the oven during baking. Bake your loaf at 475°F for 25 minutes with the lid on, allowing the steam to work its magic and helping the bread rise to its full potential.

Remove lid and continue baking: After the initial 25 minutes, reduce the oven temperature to 450°F and carefully remove the lid from the Dutch oven. This step allows the crust to fully develop and turn golden brown. Continue baking the loaf for an additional 15-20 minutes, depending on how dark and crisp you prefer your crust. Keep an eye on it during this stage to achieve your desired level of crispiness and color.

Let cool and enjoy: When your loaf is done baking, carefully lift it out of the Dutch oven using the parchment paper and place it on a cooling rack. Let it cool for one hour before slicing into it. I know it’s tempting to cut into that golden, crusty loaf right away, but allowing it to cool is essential. This resting time lets the interior finish cooking and the crumb set properly, ensuring the best texture and flavor. Patience is key—your perfect sourdough is worth the wait!

Storing your fresh sourdough bread

I’ve found that the best way to store fresh sourdough bread is in a brown paper bag. While I’ve tried using cotton or linen cloths, I noticed that the bread tends to dry out too quickly with those methods and only lasts about 2 days. Storing sourdough in a paper bag on the counter strikes the perfect balance, helping to maintain the crust’s texture while keeping the interior fresh. With this method, the bread can last 4-5 days, making it a simple and effective solution for enjoying your loaf a little longer.

Conclusion

Congratulations—you’ve made it to the end of this sourdough journey! I hope this guide has been helpful and has given you the confidence to start (or refine) your sourdough bread-making process. Sourdough is more than just baking; it’s a blend of science, art, and patience that turns simple ingredients into something truly magical.

When I first started, I was overwhelmed by all the steps and techniques, but I’ve learned that the beauty of sourdough lies in the imperfections and the unique methods we each create along the way. Whether you’re a beginner or have been baking for a while, I hope you find the process as rewarding and enjoyable as I do.

Thank you for following along, and I can’t wait to hear about your own sourdough adventures! If you have any questions or tips of your own, feel free to share them—I’d love to connect. Happy baking!

If you make sourdough bread, I would really appreciate a comment and rating down below the recipe card. Don’t forget to take a picture and tag me over on Instagram, TikTok, or Pinterest!