beginners14 April 2026

Baking Sourdough Bread - From Starter to Loaf (Step by Step)

📖 8 min read

Baking Sourdough Bread: From Starter to Loaf (Step by Step)

There are few things as satisfying as pulling a homemade sourdough loaf out of the oven. That crackly crust, the faintly sour smell, the crumb full of holes: you instantly feel a little bit like a baker. And the best part? You only need four ingredients.

Sourdough bread is bread the way it has been made for thousands of years: without commercial yeast, but with a living starter that makes the dough rise. That might sound complicated, but it really isn't. If you have a little patience, anyone can learn this.

This recipe is inspired by the recipe from Dagmar (@dagmardailygoodness), who has been showing for years how to make the tastiest sourdough bread at home. We have combined her approach with our own experience to turn it into a complete step-by-step guide, whether you bake in the oven or use another method.

What You Need

Ingredients

For 1 loaf:

Amount	Ingredient
500 g	wheat flour (preferably 13-14% protein)
320 g	lukewarm water (~35°C)
100 g	active sourdough starter
10 g	salt
50 g	sunflower seeds (optional)

About the flour: choose flour with a high protein content (13-14%). This creates a firmer gluten network, and therefore an airier loaf with nice holes. In the Netherlands you'll find this at the better supermarkets as "strong wheat flour" or "bread flour". Organic stores often have good options.

Equipment

Large mixing bowl
Dough scraper
Proofing basket (banneton) or a bowl with a clean tea towel
Baking sheet or Dutch oven (cast iron pot with a lid)
Kitchen scale
Oven thermometer (recommended)

Step 1: Making a Sourdough Starter

If you don't have a starter yet, you'll first need to grow one. This takes about 5 to 7 days, but after that you'll enjoy it for years.

Day 1: Mix 50 g wheat flour with 50 g lukewarm water in a glass jar. Stir well and cover with a tea towel or loosely with a lid. Set aside at room temperature. Day 2-7: Every day, add 50 g flour and 50 g water. Stir well. After a few days you'll see bubbles appear and the mixture will start to smell faintly sour. That is exactly what you want: the wild yeasts and bacteria are coming to life.

Your starter is ready when it doubles in volume within 4-6 hours of feeding. A handy test: put a teaspoon of starter in a glass of water. Does it float? Then it's active enough to bake with.

Tip: Already have a dried or frozen starter? Activate it by feeding it flour and water for 2-3 days until it bubbles and rises again.

Step 2: Making the Dough

Make sure your starter is active and right at its peak, so just doubled in volume after feeding.

Mixing: Put 320 g lukewarm water in a large bowl. Add the 100 g active starter and stir until you have a milky mixture.
Adding flour: Add the 500 g wheat flour and mix everything with your hand or a dough scraper until there are no dry spots left. The dough feels sticky, and that's normal.
Salt: Add 10 g salt and knead it into the dough for 2-3 minutes.
Seeds: Want sunflower seeds? Fold them in now.

Now let the dough rest for 30 minutes (autolyse). The flour absorbs the water and the gluten begins to form, without you having to do anything.

Stretch & Fold

After the autolyse you'll "stretch and fold" the dough instead of kneading it traditionally. This builds structure without needing a mixer.

Grab one side of the dough, stretch it upward and fold it over the rest. Turn the bowl a quarter turn and repeat. Do this 4 times (one round). Repeat this every 30 minutes, 3 to 4 times in total.

You'll feel the dough become smoother and firmer each time. That is the gluten network developing.

Step 3: Proofing

First proof (bulk fermentation)

After the final stretch & fold, let the dough rise for 4 to 6 hours at room temperature (20-22°C). The dough should increase in volume by about 50-75%. Not double, as that is too much.

Note: the exact time depends on the temperature in your kitchen. In summer it goes faster, in winter slower.

Shaping

Gently turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Fold the dough toward the center to make a tight ball. The tension in the dough later creates a lovely "oven spring", that beautiful rise in the oven.

Second proof

Place the shaped dough seam-side up in a floured proofing basket. Cover it and leave it for 1 hour at room temperature, or, and this is the trick many bakers use, 8 to 12 hours in the fridge. That cold proof (retarding) gives extra depth of flavor and makes the dough easier to score.

Step 4: Baking

Preparation

Preheat your oven to 240°C with the Dutch oven (cast iron pot with a lid) inside. Yes, the pot needs to preheat too, for at least 30 minutes. That heat creates an explosive oven spring.

No Dutch oven? No problem. Use a baking sheet and place an oven dish with water on the bottom of the oven for steam. Steam keeps the crust supple during the first few minutes, so the bread can rise to the maximum.

Baking

Take the dough out of the proofing basket and place it on baking paper.
Score the top with a sharp knife or razor blade, a cut about 1 cm deep. This directs the oven spring.
Place the bread (on the baking paper) into the hot Dutch oven. Lid on.
Bake for 25 minutes with the lid on.
Remove the lid and bake for another 20-25 minutes until the bread is deep golden brown.
Tap on the bottom. Does it sound hollow? Then your bread is done.

Let the bread cool on a rack for at least 30 minutes (preferably an hour) before you cut into it. I know, that's hard. But the crumb needs that time to "set".

Tip: With a Bread Maker

Don't feel like keeping an eye on the oven, or just looking for an easier approach? You can make sourdough bread perfectly well in a bread maker too. Dagmar does it this way herself.

Use the same recipe: put water and starter in the baking pan, add flour and salt (in that order), and the sunflower seeds if you like. Choose program 3 (Sourdough Bread), set the weight to 1000 g and choose a medium crust color. The machine kneads, proofs and bakes everything for you. Total time: 6 hours and 49 minutes.

The result is different from the oven (more of a classic loaf shape, less open crumb), but the flavor is fantastic and it needs hardly any attention.

Common Mistakes

1. Baking with an inactive starter

This is the number-one mistake. If your starter doesn't actively bubble and rise after feeding, your bread is doomed to stay flat. Always do the float test before you begin.

2. Using water that's too warm

Water above 45°C kills the wild yeasts in your starter. Lukewarm is enough. If you hold your finger in it and it feels pleasant, you're good.

3. Impatience during proofing

Sourdough works slower than commercial yeast. Give it time. A few extra hours of proofing can make the difference between a brick and an airy loaf.

4. Cutting it too soon

We get it. It smells amazing. But if you cut into the bread while it's still warm, all the steam escapes and the crumb turns gummy. Wait at least 30 minutes.

5. The wrong flour

Ordinary all-purpose flour has too little protein for good sourdough bread. Choose flour with 13-14% protein, which is usually stated on the packaging.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I store my sourdough starter?

In the fridge. If you don't bake daily, keep the starter in a sealed jar in the fridge and feed it once a week. Take it out of the fridge the evening before baking, feed it, and wait until it has doubled.

Can I use wholegrain flour?

Yes, but don't replace all the flour. Start with 20-30% wholegrain flour and the rest wheat flour. Wholegrain absorbs more water, so add 10-20 g extra water if needed. The bread becomes denser but tastes nuttier.

My bread isn't rising well. What am I doing wrong?

Usually it's the starter. Is it really active? Beyond that: check the temperature of your kitchen (below 18°C it goes very slowly) and whether you let the dough proof long enough. Sourdough requires patience.

How long does sourdough bread stay fresh?

Longer than ordinary bread, which is the beauty of it. In a cotton bread bag or tea towel it stays good for 3-4 days. Freezing it in slices works perfectly too, straight from the freezer to the toaster.

Also Read

At Fornello we believe everyone can bake good bread. Whether you're an experienced home baker or making your very first starter today, we'll help you on your way. Have questions? Send us a message.

Ready to get started? Take a look at the Fornello Active sourdough starter.

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