You've been feeding your starter, watching it bubble and rise, and now you're ready for the moment you've been waiting for: baking your very first sourdough loaf. I still remember the nervous excitement of my first bake—the uncertainty, the questions, the hope that it would somehow turn into actual bread. Spoiler alert: it did, and yours will too.
This recipe is designed specifically for beginners. It's forgiving, straightforward, and uses simple techniques that will give you a beautiful, delicious loaf without requiring advanced skills or fancy equipment. Let's get baking!
What You'll Need
Before we dive in, let's make sure you have everything ready. Don't worry—you probably already have most of this in your kitchen.
Ingredients:
- 500g bread flour (all-purpose works too)
- 350g water at room temperature (70% hydration)
- 100g active sourdough starter (fed and at peak)
- 10g salt
Equipment:
- Large mixing bowl
- Kitchen scale (essential for sourdough!)
- Dough scraper or spatula
- Tea towel or plastic wrap
- Dutch oven or heavy pot with lid
- Parchment paper (optional but helpful)
If you're wondering how to tell if your starter is ready, I've covered that in detail in my post on How to Tell When Your Sourdough Starter Is Ready to Bake With. Your starter should have doubled in size, be bubbly throughout, and pass the float test.
The Timeline: What to Expect
One of the biggest adjustments for new sourdough bakers is the timeline. This isn't a quick bread—it's a slow, patient process that works around the natural fermentation. Here's what to expect:
- Morning (8-9 AM): Mix your dough
- Throughout the day: Perform stretch and folds every 30-45 minutes (4-5 times)
- Evening (6-8 PM): Shape and start cold fermentation
- Next morning: Bake!
This schedule is flexible. You can adjust the timing to fit your life, which is one of the beautiful things about sourdough.
Step 1: Mixing the Dough (Autolyse)
In a large bowl, combine your flour and water. Mix with your hands or a spoon until no dry flour remains. It will look shaggy and rough—that's perfect. Cover and let it rest for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
This resting period is called autolyse, and it's your secret weapon. During this time, the flour fully hydrates and gluten begins developing on its own, without any work from you. This means easier handling and better bread structure.
Step 2: Adding Starter and Salt
After the autolyse, add your active starter on top of the dough. Squish it in with your hands, squeezing and folding the dough through your fingers. It will feel messy—embrace it! Once the starter is mostly incorporated, sprinkle the salt over the dough and repeat the squishing and folding process.
Mix for about 5 minutes total until everything feels relatively uniform. Don't worry about perfection here. Cover the bowl and let it rest for 30 minutes.
Step 3: Bulk Fermentation and Stretch-and-Folds
Now begins bulk fermentation—the first rise. Your dough will spend the next 4-6 hours developing flavor and structure. The exact time depends on your room temperature. At 21-24°C (70-75°F), expect about 4-5 hours. Cooler homes will take longer; warmer homes will be faster.
During bulk fermentation, you'll perform a series of stretch-and-folds to build strength in the dough:
1. Wet your hand to prevent sticking
2. Grab one side of the dough, stretch it up, and fold it over itself
3. Rotate the bowl 90 degrees and repeat
4. Do this for all four sides of the dough
Perform this stretch-and-fold sequence every 30-45 minutes for a total of 4-5 sets. You'll notice the dough becoming smoother, stronger, and more elastic with each set. After the last set, let the dough rest undisturbed for the remaining bulk fermentation time.
How do you know when bulk fermentation is done? Look for these signs:
- Dough has increased in volume by 50-75% (not quite doubled)
- Surface is smooth and domed
- You can see some bubbles on the surface and sides
- When you gently shake the bowl, the dough jiggles
If you're working with a 70% hydration dough like this one (and you can learn more about hydration in my post What Is Sourdough Hydration?), these visual cues are your best friends.
Step 4: Shaping
Lightly flour your work surface and gently turn out your dough. This is the moment to be gentle—you want to preserve those beautiful air pockets you've worked so hard to create.
For a round loaf (boule), follow these steps:
1. Gently pat the dough into a rough circle
2. Fold the top third down to the center
3. Fold the bottom third up to the center
4. Fold the left side to the center
5. Fold the right side to the center
6. Flip the dough over so the seam side is down
7. Using your hands or a bench scraper, gently drag the dough in circles to create surface tension
Let the shaped dough rest for 15-20 minutes (this is called the bench rest). This relaxes the gluten and makes the final shaping easier.
For the final shape, repeat the dragging motion, creating a tight, smooth surface. The bottom seam should be well-sealed.
Step 5: Cold Fermentation (Overnight Proof)
Line a bowl with a well-floured tea towel, or use a banneton basket if you have one. Place your shaped dough seam-side up in the bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap or place the whole bowl in a plastic bag.
Refrigerate for 8-16 hours. This cold, slow fermentation develops incredible flavor and makes the dough easier to score. I usually shape my loaves around 7-8 PM and bake them first thing in the morning.
Don't skip this step! While you technically can bake after a shorter room temperature proof, the cold fermentation gives you much better results and more flexibility with timing.
Step 6: Scoring and Baking
About 45 minutes before you're ready to bake, place your Dutch oven (with the lid on) in your oven and preheat to 245°C (475°F). A properly preheated Dutch oven creates that professional steam environment that gives you a gorgeous crispy crust and good oven spring.
When the oven is ready, carefully remove your dough from the fridge. Turn it out onto a piece of parchment paper (seam side is now down). Using a sharp knife, razor blade, or bread lame, score the top of your loaf. A simple slash down the middle at a 45-degree angle works beautifully for your first loaf.
Scoring tips:
- Use a swift, confident motion
- Angle your blade about 45 degrees to the surface
- Cut about 1/2 inch (1 cm) deep
- Don't overthink it—this loaf will be beautiful no matter what
Carefully remove the hot Dutch oven from your oven. Lift the parchment paper with your dough and lower it into the pot. Put the lid on, return it to the oven, and set your timer.
Baking schedule:
- 20 minutes with the lid on at 245°C (475°F)
- Remove the lid, reduce heat to 230°C (450°F)
- Bake for another 25-30 minutes until deep golden brown
The lid-on phase creates steam that allows the bread to expand fully. The lid-off phase develops that gorgeous caramelized crust we're after.
Step 7: Cooling (The Hardest Part!)
When your bread is deeply golden and sounds hollow when you tap the bottom, it's done. An instant-read thermometer should read about 93-96°C (200-205°F) in the center.
Transfer your loaf to a cooling rack. Now comes the truly difficult part: you must let it cool completely before slicing. I know, I know—the temptation is almost unbearable. But the interior is still cooking and setting as it cools. Cutting too early will give you a gummy texture.
Wait at least 1-2 hours. Pour yourself a cup of tea, take a photo, text it to everyone you know, and admire your accomplishment. You've earned it.
Troubleshooting Your First Loaf
Your first loaf might not be Instagram-perfect, and that's absolutely okay. Here are some common first-timer issues:
Dense or gummy interior: Likely underfermented. Next time, give it more time during bulk fermentation, or make sure your starter was active enough (check out How to Tell When Your Sourdough Starter Is Ready to Bake With).
Flat loaf with no rise: Could be overfermented or weak starter. If your starter has been inconsistent, revisit Why Your Sourdough Starter Needs a Feeding Schedule.
No ear or oven spring: Your Dutch oven might not have been hot enough, or your dough needed colder before scoring. Make sure to preheat for the full 45 minutes.
Too sour: Long cold fermentation increases sourness. If you prefer milder flavor, shorten the cold proof to 8-10 hours.
Remember: every loaf teaches you something. Even my "failed" loaves have been delicious toast or croutons. Sourdough is forgiving and wonderfully edible at every stage of your learning journey.
You Did It!
There's something magical about pulling your first sourdough loaf from the oven. The crackling crust, the aroma filling your kitchen, the sense of accomplishment—it's worth every moment of the process.
This bread is just the beginning. As you bake more loaves, you'll develop intuition for how the dough should feel, what your starter is telling you, and how to adjust for your specific kitchen conditions. You'll experiment with different flours, hydrations, and shapes.
But for now, slice into that beautiful loaf, slather it with good butter, and celebrate. You're officially a sourdough baker.
Happy baking!