If you’ve been wanting to make sourdough bread but the schedules, ratios, terminology, and three-day timelines have kept you from actually doing it (totally relatable), this easy same-day sourdough bread is for you.

I was late to the sourdough party myself, mostly because I thought it seemed like a lot of work. And honestly, at first it was. Not because making the bread is actually that complicated, but because there is so much information about sourdough and I had no idea what I was doing.

After making 9 loaves and learning something new from pretty much every single one (correct, I am not a sourdough expert), I’ve figured out that a good (and easy) sourdough loaf doesn’t have to be nearly as complicated as I thought.

This is the simple same-day recipe I use at home every single week (sometimes more). I mix the dough first thing in the morning, let it rise during the day, and bake a fresh loaf that afternoon.

No overnight cold proof. No strict schedule. And the best part is, you don’t have to catch your starter at the exact second it reaches peak (in fact, I even baked a loaf using cold, unfed, but still active starter and it was gorgeous).

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Why You’ll Love This Same-Day Sourdough Bread

This is a straightforward sourdough recipe that’s perfect if you’re just getting started or if you’re just a lazy-ish bread baker like moi. It uses four basic ingredients, requires very little hands-on time, and you can mix and bake the bread all in the same day. The dough is also kept at a beginner-friendly hydration so it’s easier to handle, shape, and score for all of us.

Ingredient Notes

• Active sourdough starter. You’ll need 100 grams of active starter. It should be bubbly and have risen after feeding, but it does not need to be at its exact peak. I’ve successfully made bread with starter that’s already peaked and started to fall, so don’t overthink the timing.
• Water. I use 350 grams of water for this recipe. I personally often make my bread with 360 grams, but the slightly lower amount makes the dough less sticky and easier to work with, especially for beginners.
• Bread flour. You’ll need 500 grams of bread flour. Bread flour has a higher protein content than all-purpose flour and helps give the dough the strength and structure we want.
• Salt. I use 11 grams of fine sea salt or pink Himalayan salt.

Step-By-Step Instructions

1. Mix the Dough. I usually start my dough around 6:00 in the morning.
   • Add 100 grams of active sourdough starter and 350 grams of water to a large bowl and stir to combine.
   • Add 500 grams of bread flour and 11 grams of salt. Mix until all of the flour is incorporated and there are no dry pockets remaining. The dough will look rough and shaggy.
   • Using your hand, knead the dough right in the bowl for about 5 minutes. The dough will be sticky at first, but as you continue kneading, you’ll feel it begin to strengthen and become smoother and less sticky.
   • Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for 30 minutes, then begin your first set of stretch and folds.
2. Stretch and fold the dough. After the dough has rested for 30 minutes, it’s time for the first set of stretch and folds. With slightly damp hands, grab one side of the dough, gently stretch it upward, and fold it over the center. Turn the bowl a quarter turn and repeat. Continue until you’ve stretched and folded all four sides of the dough. Cover the bowl and let it rest for another 30 minutes. Repeat this process for a total of four sets of stretch and folds, 30 minutes apart. You’ll notice the dough becoming smoother, stronger, and easier to stretch with each set.
   • If you started mixing your dough at 6:00 AM, your schedule will look something like this:
     • 6:00 AM, mix the dough
     • 6:30 AM, first stretch and fold
     • 7:00 AM, second stretch and fold
     • 7:30 AM, third stretch and fold
     • 8:00 AM, fourth stretch and fold
3. Bulk fermentation. After the final set of stretch and folds, cover the bowl and leave the dough undisturbed to rise. In my kitchen, this generally takes another 4–5 hours. But this is probably the most important thing I’ve learned about sourdough, watch your dough, not the clock. The temperature of your kitchen, the strength of your starter, and even the temperature of your water can change how quickly your dough ferments. When it’s ready, the dough should have noticeably increased in volume and look airy and slightly domed. You may see bubbles along the sides or surface, and if you gently move the bowl, the dough should have a little jiggle to it. It should look and feel much more alive than it did when you first mixed it. My kitchen tends to run cold, so I often put my covered bowl in the oven with only the oven light turned on to give it a slightly warmer place to rise. If your kitchen is already warm, you probably won’t need to do this.
4. Pre-shape the dough. Turn the dough out onto a clean, lightly floured counter. Gently shape it into a loose round, being careful not to press all of the air out of it. Let the dough rest uncovered on the counter for 30 minutes. This is called a bench rest and gives the dough a chance to relax before its final shaping.

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5. Final shaping and chill. After the 30-minute rest, shape the dough into a tight round or oval, depending on the shape of your banneton and baking pan. The goal is to create some tension across the outside of the dough without tearing it. Place the shaped dough seam-side up into a well-floured banneton, cover, and place it in the freezer for 20–30 minutes. This short chill firms up the outside of the dough and makes it much easier to turn out and score, especially if you’re new to sourdough. While the dough chills, preheat the oven to 450°F with your Dutch oven or covered roasting pan inside.
6. Score the loaf. Remove the banneton from the freezer. Place a sheet of parchment paper over the banneton and carefully turn the dough out onto it. Using a bread lame or very sharp razor blade, make one confident score across the top of the loaf. The chilled dough should hold its shape nicely and be much easier to score. Don’t worry about making fancy decorative designs, especially when you’re just starting out. The main score gives the bread a controlled place to expand as it bakes.
7. Bake the sourdough. Carefully remove the preheated Dutch oven or roasting pan from the oven. Using the parchment paper as a sling, lower the dough into the hot pan. Add 2 ice cubes between the parchment paper and the side of the pan, then immediately cover it with the lid. Bake at 450°F for 25 minutes covered. Remove the lid and continue baking for another 15–20 minutes, or until the crust is deeply golden brown.
8. Cool and cut. Transfer the bread to a wire rack and let it cool for at least 1 hour before slicing. I know. You’ve spent all day making bread and now I’m telling you not to eat it. But cutting sourdough while it’s still hot can leave the inside gummy because the crumb is still setting as the loaf cools. It’s worth the wait.

A Simple Same-Day Sourdough Schedule

6:00 AM: Mix the dough
6:30 AM: First stretch and fold
7:00 AM: Second stretch and fold
7:30 AM: Third stretch and fold
8:00 AM: Fourth stretch and fold
8:00 AM–12:00/1:00 PM: Bulk fermentation
12:00/1:00 PM: Pre-shape
30 minutes later: Final shape and into the freezer
20–30 minutes later: Score and bake
At least 1 hour later: Slice and eat

Remember my friends, these times are estimates. Your dough may move faster or slower depending on the temperature of your kitchen and how active your starter is. The dough always gets the final say, haha.

Recipe Tips & Notes

• Your starter doesn’t have to be exactly at peak. It should be active, bubbly, and showing signs of fermentation, but don’t panic if it peaked before you’re ready to mix your dough. I’ve made some of my best loaves with starter that was already on its way back down.
• Don’t add a bunch of flour because the dough feels sticky. Sourdough dough is sticky. Slightly damp hands make stretch and folds much easier without changing the hydration of the dough.
• Use the dough as your timer. Four to five hours is a guideline for bulk fermentation, not a rule. A warm kitchen may move much faster, while a cool kitchen can take considerably longer.
• Try the oven-light trick in a cold kitchen. Put the covered bowl in an oven that’s turned OFF and turn on only the oven light. Just make sure nobody comes along and preheats the oven with your sourdough inside. That would be a very different recipe.
• The freezer step is there for a reason. Twenty to thirty minutes isn’t long enough to freeze your loaf, but it firms up the outside considerably. This makes the dough easier to handle and score, which is especially helpful when you’re learning.
• Don’t skip preheating the baking pan. A thoroughly heated Dutch oven or roasting pan gives the loaf an immediate blast of heat and helps with oven spring.
• The ice cubes are important for creating extra steam. Steam keeps the crust flexible during the beginning of the bake so the loaf has time to expand before the crust sets.
• Let it cool. Seriously. Give it the hour. Cutting sourdough while it’s still hot can leave the inside gummy because the crumb is still setting as the loaf cools.
• If you’re new to sourdough baking, I put all of my favorite sourdough supplies in one place for you, so you can see exactly what I actually use.

Storage & Freezing Recommendations

Once the bread is completely cool, store it cut-side down on a cutting board for short-term storage. I usually store mine in a bread bag in the refrigerator for 5-7 days (refrigeration makes bread stale faster, even though it delays mold, so keep that in mind). You can also loosely cover it on the counter or keep it in a bread box or cloche at room temperature for 2-3 days. For the best texture, I’d recommend 2–3 days at room temperature, then freeze anything you won’t eat right away.

For longer storage, sourdough freezes really well. You can freeze the loaf whole or slice it first. For a whole loaf, wrap the completely cooled bread tightly in plastic wrap and then place it in a freezer-safe bag.

You can also slice the loaf before freezing and store the slices in a freezer bag. Then you can pull out exactly what you need, and individual slices can go straight from the freezer into the toaster.

Easy Same-Day Sourdough Bread

By: Kristine Underwood

This easy same-day sourdough bread is a simple beginner-friendly loaf made with active starter, bread flour, water, and salt. Mix it in the morning and bake fresh sourdough bread the same afternoon.

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Rest & Rise Time 6 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

Total Time 7 hours hrs 35 minutes mins

Course Bread & Muffins

Cuisine American

Servings 14 slices

Calories 135 kcal

Equipment

• 6 quart Dutch oven
• Or 13" loaf pan
• Food scale

Ingredients

• 100 g sourdough starter (active, but not necessarily at peak)
• 350 g water (room temperature, not cold)
• 500 g bread flour
• 11 g fine sea salt or pink Himalayan salt (may reduce to taste)

Instructions

• Stir the sourdough starter and water together in a large bowl. Add the bread flour and salt and mix until no dry flour remains. The dough will be rough and shaggy.
  100 g sourdough starter, 350 g water, 500 g bread flour, 11 g fine sea salt or pink Himalayan salt
• Using your hand, knead the dough right in the bowl for about 5 minutes. It will start out sticky but should gradually become smoother, stronger, and less sticky. Cover and rest for 30 minutes.
• With damp hands, stretch one side of the dough up and fold it over the center. Turn the bowl and repeat on all four sides. Cover and rest for 30 minutes. Repeat for a total of 4 sets of stretch and folds, 30 minutes apart.
• After the final stretch and fold, cover the dough and let it rise for about 4–5 hours, or until it has noticeably increased in volume, looks airy and slightly domed, has visible bubbles, and jiggles when the bowl is gently moved.
• Turn the dough onto a lightly floured counter and gently shape it into a loose round. Let it rest uncovered for 30 minutes.
• Final shape. Shape the dough into a tight round or oval and place it seam-side up in a well-floured banneton. Cover and place in the freezer for 20–30 minutes.
• While the dough chills, preheat the oven to 450°F with a Dutch oven or covered roasting pan inside.
• Turn the chilled dough onto a sheet of parchment paper and score the top with a bread lame or sharp razor blade.
• Carefully lower the dough and parchment into the hot pan. Add 2 ice cubes between the parchment and the side of the pan and cover. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove the lid and bake uncovered for another 15–20 minutes, until deeply golden brown.
• Transfer to a wire rack and cool for at least 1 hour before slicing.

Notes

• The rest and rise time accounts for the 30 minute initial rest, 1 1/2 hours between stretch-and-fold sets, roughly 4–5 hours of bulk fermentation, 30 minute bench rest, and 20–30 minute freezer rest.
• Your starter should be active, bubbly, and have risen after feeding, but it does not have to be exactly at peak.
• I use 350 g for a beginner-friendly dough that’s easier to handle. Once you’re comfortable with sourdough, you can increase the water to 360 g for a slightly higher-hydration loaf.
• Use the 4–5 hours as a guideline, not a rule. A warm kitchen will ferment faster and a cold kitchen may take longer. Watch the dough, not the clock.
• If your kitchen is cool, place the covered dough in your turned-off oven with just the oven light on during bulk fermentation.
• The 20–30 minute freezer rest firms up the dough and makes it much easier to score. It should be chilled, not frozen solid.
• Don’t slice the loaf while it’s hot. Give it at least an hour for the crumb to finish setting.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 sliceCalories: 135kcalCarbohydrates: 27gProtein: 4gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0.1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.3gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.05gSodium: 307mgPotassium: 36mgFiber: 1gSugar: 0.1gVitamin A: 1IUCalcium: 6mgIron: 0.3mg