Classic Artisan Sourdough Bread

This is the recipe for classic sourdough bread that I bake for my family and for  customers of my home bakery. It is simple, rustic, and still one of the most beautiful and satisfying things you can pull out of your oven.

Bread like this classic loaf of artisan sourdough bread has been around for thousands of years. The flours, ovens, and tools have changed, but the idea is the same: mix flour, water, and salt, give it time, and let natural fermentation do its work. 

I bake it as an artisan boule or with my viral Two Pan Method, and I love that it consistently delivers a beautiful crust and soft, even crumb.

"I tried out Maria's basic sourdough recipe and OMG!! it's the best bread I've made yet! Light, fluffy, so tasty. My husband ate a whole loaf the first day, raving about it and asking me when I'm going to make more. Couldn't recommend it more!" Em Morona

"Learned to bake sourdough with your guide and the two pan method. Opening up an honesty box at the end of October thanks to your amazing recipe" - Cheryl W @therisebakes

"Fresh, soft, delicious bread." - Staci M.

"Loved the sourdough bread. It was so fresh. Awesome flavor." - Krishna M.

"Of all the sourdough bread I've eaten, Maria's is the BEST!" Nancy G.

"Bread was amazing and tasted extremely fresh, have bought twice and both times have been great!" - Joseph C.

Jump to:

• What I Love About This Artisan Sourdough Bread Recipe
• Ingredients Needed To Make Classic Artisan Sourdough Bread
• Equipment Needed To Make Classic Sourdough Bread
• Key Steps To Make Artisan Sourdough Bread
• Shaping
• Second Rise
• Scoring
• Baking
• Cooling
• Make Classic Artisan Sourdough Bread In Bulk For Gifting or For Sale
• Classic Artisan Sourdough Bread
• Related Recipes
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Ingredients Needed To Make Classic Artisan Sourdough Bread

We only need three ingredients to make the best sourdough bread recipe: flour, water, and salt. Plus, of course, your sourdough starter which is just flour and water that has been fermented.

Sourdough starter:

A sourdough starter is what we use to naturally leaven this loaf and give it so much flavor.

Ideally your sourdough starter is very healthy, vigorous, and at peak when you use it. If it is not, you can still make pretty good sourdough bread, it just might not rise as high or open up as beautifully as it could with a stronger starter. 

If you are wondering what is a sourdough starter? No worries, I have a full post that walks you step by step through how to make a sourdough starter. 

Flour:

I recommend using high quality bread flour, preferably organic, for best results because the higher protein content gives you better structure, chew, and oven spring. 

But if all you have on hand is a really good all purpose flour, preferably organic, you can absolutely still make this recipe. Just know that the dough may feel a little softer and the crumb slightly different.

Filtered water:

I like to use filtered water when I work with sourdough so that any chlorine or additives in tap water do not interfere with the little colony of wild yeast and good bacteria in my sourdough starter. 

Warm, not hot, water also helps you keep the dough in a comfortable temperature range while it ferments.

Sea salt:

I use fine sea salt without any additives so it dissolves easily into the dough and seasons it evenly without any extra ingredients I do not need.

See recipe card for quantities.

Equipment Needed To Make Classic Sourdough Bread

For the most part you will need a large bowl and something to cover it with, like a clean kitchen towel, so the dough does not dry out. 

A kitchen scale is my number one, because it keeps your measurements accurate and repeatable, but you can absolutely use a cups and spoons set if that is what you have right now.

There are a few sourdough-related tools I highly recommend: 

This sourdough kit is affordable and brings everything I like to recommend:

• A dough whisk makes mixing much easier, especially with sticky doughs, though a large fork can stand in if needed. 
• A bread scoring lame is ideal, but a very sharp knife can also work if you take your time.
• A banneton helps the dough keep its shape during the second rise, but any bowl around 9" (22 cm) in diameter, lined with a kitchen towel would work.
• A reusable dough sling makes it much easier and safer to lower your dough into a hot Dutch oven without relying on parchment paper.
• A bench scraper is super helpful for moving and shaping the dough on the counter. 

When it comes to baking the bread, you have options:

• You can bake it using my viral Two Pan Method by using two identical loaf pans stacked together. 
• You can use a Dutch oven or a bread oven. 
• You can also bake it on a baking sheet covered with a large stainless steel bowl. 
• There is also the option to "open bake," or bake it uncovered while introducing steam into the oven, but that method deserves its own full post, so I am not covering it here. 

In this post we are going to focus on the Dutch oven / bread oven method.

Key Steps To Make Artisan Sourdough Bread

The beauty of sourdough is that it is incredibly flexible. Everyone has different methods and their own reasons for doing things a certain way, and that is part of what makes it fun. 

Still, when you strip it down, I think most of us can agree there are 9 key steps in a classic sourdough bread recipe: 

1. Feeding your starter
2. Mixing
3. Folding
4. First rise
5. Shaping
6. Second rise
7. Scoring
8. Baking
9. Cooling.

All right! let's get started!

Feeding Your Sourdough Starter

Around 10 hours before you start mixing, feed your sourdough starter using a 1:6:16 ratio as explained in the recipe card.

Using this ratio allow me to feed my sourdough starter at night and use it, at peak, in the morning.

In my kitchen, at around 72°F (22°C), it takes between 8 to 10 hours for my sourdough starter to peak whenever I feed it using a 1:6:6 ratio. If your kitchen is warmer, it might take less time for it to peak, but if your kitchen is colder, it might take longer for it to peak, so plan accordingly.

You could also use a different ratio to feed your sourdough starter if you need it ready sooner (use a ratio of 1:2:2 or 1:4:4) or later (use a ratio of 1:8:8 or 1:10:10).

Mixing

You can totally do this part with a stand mixer if you prefer, by mixing water, starter and flour for about 6 minutes.

In this post though, we are going to be mixing the dough manually. This allows you to get to know the dough, what it needs to thrive and what it should look and feel like at every stage.

• Start by adding the water to a large bowl, keeping back a small splash (about 10 milliliters) for later. I like the water slightly warm, not hot, so that once everything is mixed the dough temperature lands around 78°F (26°C).
• Add your active sourdough starter (at peak) and whisk until it looks milky and bubbly.

• Add the flour and mix for a total of 6 minutes as instructed below:
  • First with a dough whisk or a large fork until there are no dry bits of flour left, about 2 to 3 minutes. The dough should look a little shaggy.

• Switch to your hands and do my little trick to ensure everything is well incorporated: press the dough against the sides of the bowl as you mix for another 2 minutes or so.

• Then, for the next 2 minutes use another trick of mine: pretend your hand is the "dough hook" of a stand mixer and follow that motion for about 2 more minutes: Slide your hands under the dough, lift it up slightly, and let it fall back down into the bowl dramatically. Now do this over and over kind of fast as you turn the bowl around. This motion, similar to the Rubaud method, helps develop the gluten without needing a mixer. 

• By the end, you should have a smooth, but still a little sticky, ball of dough.

• Cover the bowl with a clean, damp kitchen towel or a bowl cover. This is important because it keeps the surface of the dough from drying out and forming sort of a skin.
• Let the dough rest for 1 hour in a warm spot around 78°F (26°C), such as the oven turned off with the light on, or on the counter near a warm lamp. This is also important, so that you can use the same times I suggest in this recipe.

• After 1 hour, sprinkle the salt over the top and press it in with your fingertips, dimpling it into the dough until it is mostly absorbed. 
• Add the remaining 10 ml of water you had held back and mix it in by squeezing the dough with your hand and returning to that "dough hook" motion as needed. 

• The dough may look like it is breaking apart at first, which is completely normal. Keep working it and it will come back together into a smooth, cohesive dough again.

• Cover the bowl again with the damp towel or bowl cover, and let it rest for another 30 minutes in that same warm spot around 78°F (26°C).

Folding

Folding the dough periodically, followed by periods of rest, allows the gluten network to build in layers. This helps it trap the gas released by the sourdough starter during fermentation more efficiently, so the dough can rise higher and better hold its shape.

• After a 30 minute rest, perform one set of stretch and folds, then cover the dough with the damp kitchen towel and let it rest again for 30 minutes in a warm place around 78°F (26°C).
  • Here is how to perform stretch and folds: with a damp hand, gently grab one edge of the dough, stretch it upwards until you feel resistance, and then fold it down over the dough. Turn the bowl a quarter turn and repeat the same motion on the next side of the dough, working your way all around the dough. After three or four folds the dough will feel tighter and more organized, and you can stop, cover and let it rest.

• Repeat this process 3 more times, for a total of 4 sets of folds, each followed by a 30 minute covered rest. You can continue with stretch and folds the whole time or switch to coil folds once the dough gains some strength, keeping the total amount of sets to 4.
  • Here is how to perform coil folds: lightly wet your hands and slide them underneath the middle of the dough so you are lifting it from the center. Let the ends hang down, then gently lower the dough so the hanging ends tuck underneath, almost like folding a blanket under itself. Turn the bowl and repeat from the other direction. Coil folds are very gentle and are helpful once the dough is puffier and you want to build strength without tearing it.

Brief pause to admire your beautiful dough baby 🙂

First Rise

The first rise, also known in America as bulk fermentation, technically started the moment you mixed the sourdough starter with the water and flour. That's why by now the dough is starting to feel airy. Now we let it rest for a little while.

• After your last round of folds, cover the bowl with a damp kitchen towel and let the dough rest for the remainder of bulk fermentation in a warm spot around 78°F (26°C).
  • For this recipe, bulk fermentation usually finishes about 4 hours after the initial mix, which ends up being roughly 1 hour after your last coil fold.
  • If you kept the dough colder than 78°F (26°C), then the entire first rise will take longer. Read the dough for signs of readiness.
  • If you kept the dough warmer than 78°F (26°C), then the entire first rise will take less time. Keep a close eye on your dough and look for signs of readiness.
• You will know the dough is ready to move on to the next phase when:
  • it no longer feels shaggy, but smooth and consistent.
  • it feels airy, and slightly jiggly when you move the bowl.
  • it's just a bit tacky rather than sticky.
  • You will see bubbles on the surface.
  • The dough will be pulling away from the sides instead of clinging to the walls of the bowl.

Shaping

Once bulk fermentation is complete, gently turn the dough out onto a clean counter or a lightly floured surface, trying not to degas it. 

• Pre Shaping:

Using your hands or with the help of a bench scrapper, softly push the dough slightly up, then slightly to the side, and then slightly down. Continue these motions rounding the dough into a smooth, tight ball. 

Leave this ball of dough uncovered on the counter at room temperature for about 30 minutes so it can relax. Leaving it uncovered helps it develop a skin that makes shaping easier.

While the dough is resting, prepare your proofing vessel. You can use a banneton, or any bowl that is around 8-9" in diameter, lined with a clean, dry and lightly floured kitchen towel. 

• Shaping:

After the 30 minute rest, it's time to give the dough it's final shape. I like to use the caddy clasp method of shaping (Shoutout to Wayne Caddy for coming up with this and other methods for us bakers!)

Gently lift the dough off the counter and flip it onto your open hands so the smooth side is resting against your palms. 

Bring your hands together and clasp the dough with your fingers, then rotate the dough a quarter turn and repeat that clasping motion to tighten it further.

Transfer the dough with the seam side up into the prepared banneton or lined container.

Second Rise

After shaping, cover the dough with a damp kitchen towel and let it proof on the counter at room temperature for 2 to 4 hours, just until it looks slightly puffed and lighter. 

If you want deeper flavor and easier scoring, you can switch to a cold proof instead. Cover the dough with a clean and dry kitchen towel, a plastic cap or place the whole banneton or bowl inside a gallon zipper bag, then refrigerate for 12 to 36 hours at 35-37°F (2-3°C).

Scoring

When you are ready to bake, preheat your oven to 450°F (232°C).

While the oven heats, transfer the shaped dough (still in its banneton or bowl) to the freezer for 30 minutes to 1 hour. This quick chill helps the dough hold its shape during scoring and the first minutes of baking, which can make a big difference for a taller loaf depending on the type of banneton or proofing vessel you used.

Once the oven is fully preheated, take the dough out of the freezer. Place a dough sling or sheet of parchment over the banneton or bowl, then flip it upside down so the dough releases onto the parchment. 

Optionally, you can dust a little rice flour on top and spread it with your hand if you want the design to pop up a little more.

Use a sharp lame, fresh razor blade, or very sharp knife to make your decorative shallow cuts first. Don't make them too deep or they will open up ugly while baking.

Then add your main expansion score by making one or more deeper cuts, about ¼ inch deep, along the surface of the dough so it has room to open up in the oven.

Baking

Using the parchment or the dough sling, lift the dough and lower it gently into the Dutch oven. 

Cover with the lid, transfer the Dutch oven to the preheated oven and bake, covered, for 25 minutes. 

After 25 minutes, remove the lid and continue baking for another 10 to 15 minutes, until the crust is a rich golden brown. 

The loaf is done when it sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom and the internal temperature reaches at least 205°F.

Cooling

Take the Dutch oven out of the oven and lift the bread out right away. Remove and discard the parchment, then place the loaf on a wire rack to cool completely. 

Let it cool for 3 to 4 hours before slicing so the crumb can set and you do not end up with a gummy texture. If you sneak a slice while it is still warm, I completely understand! To be honest, I would be surprised if you didn't!