Simply White Sourdough Bread

Our foolproof daily loaf, perfect for beginners and experienced bakers alike.

At Yeast Coast Sourdough, we believe your everyday bread should be as simple and satisfying to bake as it is to eat. This is our go-to white sourdough recipe, perfected over the years. It's low-effort, reliable, endlessly versatile, and flexible to your life's schedule. The hydration is high enough for a great rise every time, and low enough to be shaped easily by beginners.  From grilled melt sandwiches to sliced with butter, this loaf delivers a soft interior, a crisp golden crust, and a touch of tang from wild fermentation.

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Before You Bake

Give your starter a large feed to create enough excess for the recipe. We like to feed the evening before we plan to bake.

  1. Start with 20g of starter.
  2. Add 60g room-temperature filtered water and 60g bread flour or unbleached all-purpose flour. Mix well.
  3. Cover loosely and rest overnight. 
  4. When the starter has reached its peak, you are ready to begin mixing your dough.

Ingredients

  • 120g active sourdough starter (fed and bubbly, at its peak)
  • 350g filtered water, at room temperature
  • 500g bread flour (or unbleached all-purpose flour)
  • 10g fine sea salt

Method

This recipe uses a long room-temperature fermentation, followed by a cold fermentation in the refrigerator to develop flavor and texture naturally.

1. Mix the Dough

In a large bowl, stir together 120g of active sourdough starter and 350g of room-temperature filtered water until the starter dissolves. Add 500g of flour and 10g of salt. Mix by hand until no dry flour remains and a shaggy dough forms.
Cover the bowl with a damp tea towel or plastic wrap and let it rest for 30 minutes.

2. Stretch and Fold

After resting, begin a series of stretch and folds to gently strengthen the dough:

  • With damp hands, grab one side of the dough, stretch it upward, then fold it over toward the center.
  • Rotate the bowl ninety degrees and repeat this on all four sides. That’s one set.
    Repeat this process every 30 minutes, for a total of four sets over two hours. Keep the dough covered between sets.

3. Bulk Fermentation

After the final stretch and fold, cover the bowl and let the dough ferment at room temperature (ideally 72–75°F) until it has visibly risen by 70–80%, appears slightly domed, and jiggles gently when moved.
This can take anywhere from 6 to 12 hours, depending on your kitchen temperature. Colder climates will require a longer fermentation time. 

4. Shape and Cold Ferment

Lightly flour your work surface. Turn out the dough and gently shape it into a boule (round) or batard (oval), depending on your preference and banneton shape.
Transfer the shaped dough into a floured banneton or bowl lined with a floured kitchen towel, seam-side up.
Cover and place in the refrigerator for a cold ferment of at least 6 hours and up to 48 hours. The longer rest deepens the flavor and makes for a crispier crust. This is where your flexibility comes in: you can refrigerate your loaf until you have time to bake it, up to two days.

5. Preheat and Score

When ready to bake, place your Dutch oven (with lid) on a low oven rack and preheat to 500°F (260°C) for at least 30 minutes. The actual time will vary depending on your oven; it may take up to an hour for your Dutch oven to come up to temperature. 
Just before baking, remove the dough from the fridge. Gently invert it onto a piece of parchment paper, so the seam is now down.
Lightly dust the top with rice flour and use a bread lame or sharp blade to score your loaf with one clean slash. This helps control how the loaf expands in the oven and prevent tearing.

6. Bake

Using the parchment paper, carefully lift the loaf into the hot Dutch oven. Add 2-3 ice cubes. Cover with the lid and reduce the oven temperature to 450°F (232°C). 
Bake 20 minutes covered to trap steam and encourage oven spring.
Then, remove the lid, reduce the temperature to 415°F (213°C), and bake an additional 20 minutes uncovered until the crust is golden brown and crisp.

7. Cool Completely

Transfer your finished loaf to a wire rack and let it cool completely before slicing. This allows the crumb to finish setting and keeps the interior light and airy.

Tips for Success

  • Don’t rush the rise: Letting your dough ferment fully is key to flavor and structure.
  • Use your fridge: Cold fermentation gives flexibility in timing and improves the crust. Your dough will hold its shape better and develop deeper flavor over time. Plus, it pauses the process so you can pull it out and bake whenever you have the time. 
  • Flour matters: Bread flour yields a chewier crumb and great structure, but unbleached all-purpose works beautifully too. Use rice flour to dust the top of your loaf before baking for a nice white finish.
  • Bake hot: A properly preheated Dutch oven gives you that bold rise and blistered crust. This will take longer than your oven's preheat cycle. 
  • Get your starter ready: your starter should be at peak before baking - bubbly, doubled in size, with a pleasant tangy smell.
  • Sticky is normal: handle your dough with damp hands to avoid sticking. Dust lightly with flour if needed. Dough should be sticky but manageable. 
  • Fermentation time varies: Colder homes (below 72F) may expect a 8-12 hour rise, while warmer kitchens may finish in as little as 4.
  • Work that dough: It's okay if you don't have time for a full four sets of stretch and folds, but try to get a few sets in for best structure.
  • No banneton? No problem: use a well-floured linen or cotton towel in a medium sized bowl. No terry; it will stick.

Final Thoughts

This is the foundation loaf for a reason. It’s the one we reach for on slow mornings, busy weeknights, and everything in between. Once you master it, you can explore variations: add-ins like seeds, herbs, cheeses, and more. But the heart of it stays the same: flour, water, salt, starter, and care.

Welcome to your daily bread.