(72% Hydration – Fluffy Interior & Perfect Crispy Crust)

There is something incredibly special about baking your own sourdough bread. The smell that fills your kitchen. The golden crust that crackles as it cools. The soft, airy crumb with those beautiful open pockets inside. It’s rustic, nourishing, and deeply satisfying.

This Easy Sourdough Bread Recipe is the one you’ll come back to again and again. With a moderate hydration level of 72%, the dough is soft and pliable without being overly sticky or difficult to handle. It’s easy to mix, easy to shape, and forgiving enough for beginners—yet reliable and consistent enough for seasoned bakers.

It bakes up beautifully fluffy with the perfect balance of chew and crispiness. And one of the best parts? You have options. Bake it the same day for a mild, delicate flavor, or cold proof overnight for a deeper, more complex sourdough taste.

This truly is the everyday sourdough loaf you’ll fall in love with.

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What Makes This Sourdough Recipe So Easy?

Sourdough often has a reputation for being complicated. But once you understand the rhythm of the process, it becomes one of the most natural and rewarding ways to bake bread.

Here’s why this recipe is especially approachable:

• Mixed entirely by hand in one bowl
• No stand mixer required
• Most of the time is hands-off resting
• Made primarily with bread flour, so minimal dough development is needed
• 72% hydration makes the dough manageable and easy to shape
• Flexible flour combinations
• Flexible schedule — bake same day or refrigerate overnight
• Reliable results for beginners and experienced bakers alike

This recipe is structured to build confidence. You don’t need complicated techniques. You don’t need endless kneading. You simply need patience and an understanding of the process.

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If You Love Sourdough…

If you enjoy baking with sourdough, you’ll also love expanding into other recipes that use your starter in creative ways. Sourdough isn’t just for classic loaves — it can transform muffins, quick breads, stuffed rolls, and more.

Once you’re comfortable with this foundational loaf, you’ll find that sourdough baking becomes second nature — and incredibly versatile.

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Beginner Sourdough Bakers – Don’t Be Intimidated

If you’re new to sourdough baking, I completely understand how overwhelming it can feel. There is so much information out there — different methods, different hydration levels, different techniques — and often they contradict each other.

Years ago, before we had countless tutorials and videos readily available, learning sourdough meant a lot of trial and error. It took time to understand fermentation, timing, and dough development. But once those core concepts click, everything becomes much simpler.

Sourdough baking is truly one of the most simple, natural, and rewarding ways to make bread. It just requires understanding what’s happening in the dough and allowing time to do the work.

Now let’s start making our bread.

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Ingredients for Easy Sourdough Bread

Ripe Sourdough Starter

Use your starter at peak activity. This means:

• It has doubled in size
• It looks bubbly and airy
• It smells pleasantly tangy
• The surface is slightly domed

Using your starter at peak ensures strong fermentation and good oven spring.

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Water

Room temperature water (around 76°F / 24°C) works perfectly. Filtered water is recommended if your tap water contains chlorine, but it is not absolutely necessary.

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Flour Combination

This recipe recommends a blend of three flours:

• Whole wheat flour
• Medium protein bread flour
• High-protein (high-gluten) bread flour

However, you can absolutely simplify and use just one bread flour if preferred.

Why This Blend Works So Well

Whole wheat flour adds:

• Nutritional value
• Extra flavor
• Beautiful color

High-protein flour adds:

• Structure
• Strength
• Better oven spring

Medium-protein flour balances:

• Texture
• Softness of crumb
• Less chewy crust

Using only high-gluten flour can create a loaf that is overly chewy or slightly gummy. Blending it with lower protein flour produces a softer crumb and a crust that’s crisp but easier to bite through.

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Fine Sea Salt

Salt enhances flavor and strengthens gluten. A high-quality natural sea salt works beautifully in sourdough.

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Brown Rice Flour (For Dusting)

This gluten-free flour is ideal for proofing baskets because:

• It prevents sticking
• It does not become gummy
• It does not burn during baking

It’s a small detail that makes a noticeable difference.

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Flour Protein & Why It Matters

Flour protein content greatly affects the outcome of your loaf.

• Medium protein bread flour: 11%–12.4%
• High-protein bread flour: 12.5%–14%+

Protein directly impacts gluten development. Higher protein creates stronger gluten networks, which gives structure and height. But too much can lead to toughness.

Blending flours creates balance:

• Open crumb
• Tender interior
• Crisp but not tough crust
• More complex flavor

Always try to use unbleached flour. Fresh, locally sourced flour can also elevate your results.

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Baking Schedule Overview

Use this as a general timeline guide. Your exact timing will vary depending on room temperature and starter activity.

If using starter directly:

• Begin mixing when your starter peaks (often morning)

If using a levain:

• You can adjust the schedule to start later in the day

Flexibility is one of the strengths of this recipe.

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Step-by-Step Process

1. Mix 1 – Autolyse (45 Minutes)

Combine:

• Starter
• Most of the water (reserve a small amount)
• All flours

Mix until no dry flour remains. The dough will look rough and shaggy.

Cover and let rest for 45 minutes.

During this rest:

• Flour hydrates fully
• Gluten begins forming naturally
• Dough becomes smoother and more elastic

Autolyse improves extensibility and structure without kneading.

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2. Mix 2 – Add Salt

Sprinkle salt over the dough.
Drizzle in the reserved water (about 20g) to help dissolve it.

Pinch and fold the dough until salt is fully incorporated and no granules remain.

Cover and rest.

Bulk fermentation officially begins now.

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3. Bulk Fermentation & Stretch and Folds

During early bulk fermentation, develop strength through three sets of stretch and folds, spaced 40 minutes apart.

How to perform stretch and folds:

1. Grab one side of the dough
2. Stretch upward gently
3. Fold over onto the opposite side
4. Rotate bowl and repeat on all four sides

After three sets, the dough transforms dramatically:

• From loose and shaggy
• To smooth and structured
• To holding its shape beautifully

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4. Finish Bulk Fermentation

Allow the dough to continue fermenting in one mass.

This stage:

• Builds flavor
• Strengthens gluten
• Creates air pockets

Knowing when bulk fermentation is complete takes practice. Look for:

• Slight rise in volume
• Visible air bubbles
• Dough that feels light but strong

Take notes each time you bake to improve your timing.

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5. Pre-Shape

Divide the dough into two equal portions.

Using a bench scraper:

• Gently round each piece
• Create surface tension

Let rest uncovered for 20–30 minutes.

This rest allows gluten to relax before final shaping.

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6. Final Shape

Shape into:

• Boule (round), or
• Batard (oval)

Place into linen-lined proofing baskets dusted generously with brown rice flour.

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Baking in a Dutch Oven

Preheat oven with Dutch oven inside to 475°F (245°C).

1. Flip dough onto parchment
2. Score the surface
3. Transfer into hot Dutch oven
4. Cover and bake 14 minutes
5. Reduce temperature to 450°F (232°C)
6. Bake 14 more minutes
7. Remove lid and bake 10–15 minutes until golden brown

Internal temperature should reach at least 200°F (93°C).

Cool completely (at least 2 hours) before slicing.

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Same-Day Sourdough Option

For same-day baking:

• Proof at room temperature after shaping
• Time varies from 45 minutes to 2+ hours

Same-day loaves are:

• Less sour
• More mild in flavor
• Slightly tighter crumb
• More difficult to score

Use the Poke Test:

• Immediate spring back → needs more time
• No spring back → over-proofed
• Slow spring back → ready to bake

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Overnight Cold Proof (Recommended)

Place shaped loaves in refrigerator 8–16 hours (up to 48 hours).

Benefits:

• More pronounced sour flavor
• More complex depth
• Crispier crust
• Easier scoring

Cold fermentation adds flexibility and flavor.

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Using a Levain for Flexible Timing

A levain is a portion of starter fed separately for your recipe.

Benefits:

• Adjustable timing
• Custom flour blends
• Faster fermentation with lower feed ratios

Example:
To get 200g ripe starter:

• 70g active discard
• 70g water
• 70g flour

At a 1:1:1 ratio, it will peak in 3–5 hours.

Using a levain gives you control over your baking schedule.

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Final Thoughts

This approachable, easy sourdough bread recipe delivers:

• A spongy, open crumb
• A crisp yet tender crust
• Flexible timing
• Reliable, consistent results

Whether you bake it the same day or cold proof overnight, this recipe will quickly become your favorite everyday sourdough loaf.

There is truly nothing like slicing into a homemade loaf of sourdough you created from flour, water, salt, and time.

And once you understand the process, it becomes one of the most rewarding baking experiences you’ll ever have.