Sourdough Bread in a Loaf Pan (Two Pan Method)

Why Use The Two Pan Method?

Here's why so many bakers stick with this method once they try it:

• It makes practical bread:

Easy to store in most bread boxes, and the slices fit in any type of toaster. This loaf is also easier to slice than a traditional boule, and the slices are perfect for sandwiches or toast.

• It makes sourdough feel doable

No need for expensive bannetons, or heavy Dutch ovens. No awkward transfers into a screaming-hot pot, or guessing if your steam setup is "enough".

• Grace for the beginner sourdough baker

Even a slightly over-proofed loaf bakes tall and beautiful in a loaf pan, giving you all the benefits and extra flavor from the extended fermentation.

• Micro-bakery friendly

You can bake multiple pans at once, which makes this method scalable for gifting, sharing, or selling.

Ingredients For Sourdough Bread Using The Two Pan Method

This loaf is beautifully simple. You're working with the same three building blocks of sourdough bread: flour, water, and salt. And of course, your sourdough starter, which is just flour and water that's been fermented and turned into a living leavening agent.

Sourdough starter

Your starter is what naturally rises the dough and gives sourdough that signature flavor.

For best results, use your starter when it's strong, bubbly, and at peak. If your starter is a little sluggish, you can still make a really good loaf, but you might notice less rise or a loaf that doesn't open up as dramatically.

If you're thinking, wait… what even is a starter, and how do I make one? I've got a full post that walks you through it step by step. Visit How to make a sourdough starter from scratch.

And if you'd rather skip straight to baking, you can always grab some of mine:

Flour

I recommend a high quality bread flour, ideally organic, because the higher protein content helps the dough build structure. That means better chew, better shape, and a prettier rise in the oven.

But if all you have is a really good all-purpose flour (also ideally organic), you can absolutely still make this recipe. Just expect the dough to feel a bit softer and the crumb to come out slightly different.

Filtered water

I like using filtered water for sourdough so chlorine and other additives in tap water don't mess with the wild yeast and good bacteria living in your starter.

Also, use warm water, not hot. It helps keep the dough in a cozy temperature range while it ferments.

Sea salt

Fine sea salt with no additives is my go-to. It dissolves easily, seasons the dough evenly, and keeps the ingredient list clean and simple.

See the recipe card for exact quantities.

Equipment Needed To Make Sourdough Bread Using The Loaf Pan Method

You do not need a shrine of gadgets. You need a few basics, and a couple "nice-to-haves."

Must-haves

• large mixing bowl
• something to cover the bowl (damp towel, bowl cover, shower cap)
• kitchen scale (highly recommended for repeatable results)
• two identical loaf pans (same size and shape)
• lame or fresh razor for scoring
• cooling rack

Nice-to-haves (but genuinely useful)

• a bread mixer (a must-have if making several loaves at once)
• bench scraper (makes shaping cleaner and less sticky)
• banneton or a bowl lined with a towel (if you prefer proofing outside the pan first)
• parchment liners (makes removal and cleaning the pans easier)

Loaf pan note
If your loaf pans are different brands but truly the same dimensions, it can still work. The goal is a snug "lid" that traps steam. If the top pan is loose and wobbly, steam escapes and you lose the main benefit.

Key Steps To Make Sourdough Bread Using The Double Pan Method

One of my favorite things about sourdough is how flexible it is. Everyone has their own method, their own rhythm, and their own reasons for doing things a certain way, and honestly, that's part of the fun.

That said, when you zoom out and simplify it, most sourdough loaves follow the same basic path. Here are the 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 (in this case, using the Two Pan Method)
9. Cooling

Feed your starter (night before)

About 8-10 hours before you want to mix, feed a small portion at a 1:6:6 ratio so it peaks when you're ready. In a ~72°F (22°C) kitchen, that timing is usually perfect.

If your kitchen is warmer, it will peak faster. If it's colder, it'll take longer.

Mix the dough

Hold back a tiny splash of water (about 10 milliliters) for later.

Whisk the starter into the rest of the water, add flour and mix until no dry bits remain.

Continue mixing for about 6 minutes total. By the end, the dough should look smoother but still feel tacky.

Rest

Cover the bowl and let the dough rest 1 hour in a warm spot around 78°F (26°C).
This rest makes the dough easier to handle and sets you up for better gluten development during folds.

Add salt (and the reserved water)

Sprinkle salt over the dough and press it in with your fingertips. Add the reserved water and squeeze it through until the dough comes back together.

It may look like it's falling apart for a minute. That's normal. Keep working it until it turns cohesive again.

Then rest 30 minutes, covered, in that same warm spot.

Stretch and folds

Do 4 sets total, each followed by a 30-minute covered rest.

You can do stretch and folds early (great when dough is still slack) and switch to coil folds later (gentler once it's puffier).

Finish bulk fermentation (first rise)

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

Signs it's ready:

• smooth, not shaggy
• tacky, not overly sticky
• bubbles on the surface
• jiggles slightly when you move the bowl
• pulls away from the bowl instead of clinging

Pre-shape and rest

Turn the dough gently onto a clean counter. Gently round it into a tight ball and let it sit uncovered about 30 minutes.

Prepare your loaf pan by greasing it or using parchment paper liners.

Final shaping

You're aiming for a log (batard shape) that fits your pan lengthwise.

Flip the dough so the smooth side ends up on the outside. Gently tighten it into a log by folding, rolling, and sealing the seam

Place it seam-side down into a parchment-lined or lightly greased loaf pan.

Second rise (proof)

Cover and let it rise 2-4 hours, until it looks puffier and lighter.

Or cover and cold proof (my favorite for flavor + easier scoring) by refrigerating 12-36 hours at about 35-37°F (2-3°C).

For easiest scoring, you can chill the dough in the freezer 30 minutes while the oven heats.

Score

When you are ready to bake, preheat the oven to 450°F (232°C), or higher if you are baking multiple loaves at once.

Then score with one main expansion cut. Shallow, decorative cuts are optional.

Cover with second loaf pan and bake

Cover with the second loaf pan, inverted like a lid.

Bake covered for 30 minutes.

Remove top loaf pan and continue baking

Remove the top pan and bake uncovered 10-15 minutes, until deeply golden.

Remove from oven and parchment

Internal temp should be at least 205°F. It should sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.

Remove the loaf from the pan and the parchment paper fairly quickly so the sides don't steam and soften.

Cool before slicing

Cool on a rack 3-4 hours before slicing so the crumb sets.

If you cut too soon, you'll think it's gummy, when it's really just not finished cooling.

Tips For Success Making Sourdough Bread Using The Two Pan Method

• Measure Precisely: Use a digital scale for all ingredients to ensure accuracy and consistency.
• Reserve some water when mixing: Keep 10% of the water during the first mix and fermentolyse, This will give you more control over the stickiness of your dough. Add it slowly when mixing in the salt if needed or reserve it to wet your hands during the process of stretch and folds and shaping.
• Temperature Control: Dough temperature can greatly affect fermentation. If your dough is warmer than 78°F (26°C), it will ferment faster than what is indicated in the instructions, and if it is colder, it will ferment slower, so plan accordingly.
• Loaf-pan scoring tip: Score along the length of the loaf, slightly off-center, so it opens cleanly without tearing the sides.
• Oven temperature: Every oven is different, so play with different temperatures, specially when baking in bulk.
• Loaf pan type: The results will depend on the type of loaf pan you use to bake your dough. Here is an article where I discuss different kinds of loaf pans to bake sourdough bread in.
• Tips for keeping the top lid in place: I do not use stainless steel clips or silicone bands to keep the top lids in place because I find them more troublesome than helpful, but you can try using them if you struggle to keep the top pans in place when loading multiple loaves in the oven.
• Patience: Sourdough takes time. Respect the process and give your dough the time it needs to develop flavor and texture. Do not rush these steps or you will end up with underproofed bread that is dense and dry, but also do not forget your dough or you might end up with overproofed bread that cannot hold its shape, it is flat and sticky

Storage For Sourdough Bread Made In Loaf Pans

The biggest rule for storing sourdough is to keep it dry. Moisture speeds up mold growth in preservative-free bread, and we don't want that.

At the same time, you don't want it sitting out in open air, because air dries bread out and makes it go stale faster. And once you slice it, even more of the bread is exposed, so it stales quicker.

Here is how to store it properly:

• at room temp: 2-3 days, stored cut side down, in a bread box or cotton bread bag
• in the fridge: up to 2 weeks in a zipper bag that's kept dry.
• in the freezer: up to 4 months, sliced or whole

Substitutions

Flour swaps

• Bread flour to all-purpose: works, but expect a softer dough and slightly less height 1
• Adding whole wheat: start with 10-20% of total flour and expect it to ferment faster and feel tighter.

Water

• Filtered is ideal, but if you only have tap, let it sit uncovered a few hours to help chlorine dissipate (or use a filter).

Starter

• If your starter is sluggish, you can still bake, but plan for a longer fermentation and a loaf that may not rise as high.
• You can substitute the sourdough starter or supplement a sluggish one with commercial yeast.
  • Follow my recipe for homemade artisan bread which uses only 4 ingredients: water, flour, salt and yeast.
  • Or use my recipe for Easy Sourdough Discard Bread which uses both sourdough discard and yeast

Want inclusions?
This dough can handle add-ins beautifully, and loaf pans make it extra practical for "sandwich breads with personality." Keep it simple:

• seeds: add during shaping or lamination
• cheese: cube it and fold it in gently
• dried fruit/nuts: add after the dough has some strength, so you don't tear gluten early

Just remember: add-ins can slow down fermentation a bit and make shaping feel trickier, so keep expectations realistic on the first try.

Frequently Asked Questions About Classic Artisan Sourdough Bread Recipe

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