Sourdough Wheat Bread
Wheat flour brings a deeper, slightly mineral character to sourdough that bread flour alone can't match. The longer fermentation — especially that cold overnight proof — lets the wheat flavors develop while the starter works slowly, building acidity and structure without requiring a lot of kneading.
Your starter needs to be ready.
Feed your sourdough starter 4-8 hours before you mix. It should be at peak — puffy, with a dome on top or just starting to recede — before you use it. A sluggish starter will slow fermentation; an overripe one will lack structure. If you're new to this, expect some trial and error to learn your starter's rhythm in your kitchen's temperature.
- Large bowl (at least 3-quart capacity)
- Dutch oven or covered baking vessel
- Kitchen scale (strongly recommended)
- Bench scraper or dough knife
- Banneton or bowl lined with a flour-dusted towel
- Lame or sharp knife for scoring
What goes in.
- 500 gbread flour
- 100 gwhole wheat flour
- 350 gwater (70% hydration)
- 100 gactive sourdough starter (fed 4-8 hours prior)
- 10 gsalt
Stretch and fold over 4-5 hours
Instead of kneading, you'll do 4-6 sets of stretch and folds at 30-minute intervals during bulk fermentation. Wet your hand, grab one side of the dough, stretch it up and fold it over itself. Rotate the bowl 90 degrees and repeat four times per set. This builds strength gradually and keeps the dough cool and extensible, so it can proof overnight without overproofing.
The method.
Mix the dough.
In a large bowl, combine 500g bread flour, 100g whole wheat flour, and 350g water. Stir until there's no dry flour — the dough will look shaggy and rough. Let it rest for 30 minutes (autolyse). This lets the flour fully hydrate and begins gluten development without manipulation.
Add starter and salt.
Add 100g of active starter and 10g of salt to the dough. Mix by hand or spoon until fully incorporated — the dough will tighten slightly. The salt reinforces gluten structure and slows fermentation, giving you a longer window.
Begin bulk fermentation with stretch and folds.
Over the next 4-5 hours, perform 4-6 sets of stretch and folds at 30-minute intervals. Wet your working hand, grab the dough from one side, pull it up and over itself. Rotate the bowl and repeat four times per set. Between sets, let the dough rest undisturbed. The dough will go from ragged to smooth and slightly domed.
Check for readiness and shape.
The dough is ready when it's increased by 50-75% in volume, feels airy when poked gently, and shows some surface bubbles. Turn it onto a lightly floured bench. Pre-shape it into a round, rest for 15-20 minutes, then do a final shape — pull the edges toward the center, flip seam-side down, and roll it gently toward you to create tension on the surface.
Cold proof overnight.
Place the shaped loaf seam-side up in a floured banneton or a bowl lined with a towel. Cover loosely and refrigerate for 12-16 hours. The cold slows the yeast dramatically while allowing flavor to develop. The dough is ready when a gentle poke springs back slowly — not immediately, but not leaving a crater either.
Preheat the oven aggressively.
About 45 minutes before baking, place your Dutch oven (with the lid on) in a 475°F oven. The vessel needs to be hot — this creates steam and oven-spring, critical for a good crust and open crumb.
Score and bake covered.
Remove the dough from the fridge. Score the top with a single, confident slash or a pattern — just 1/4 inch deep. Carefully transfer the dough to the hot Dutch oven (use parchment paper as a sling if needed). Score, cover with the lid, and bake for 20 minutes. The steam trapped inside gelatinizes the starch on the surface, allowing the crust to expand and color.
Finish baking uncovered.
Remove the lid and bake for another 25-30 minutes until the crust is deep golden-brown. The loaf is done when it sounds hollow if you tap the bottom, and an instant-read thermometer registers 205-210°F at the center.
Cool completely.
Place the loaf on a wire rack. Wait at least 1 hour before slicing — the crumb is still setting inside. Slice with a serrated knife using a gentle sawing motion.
Other turns to take.
Higher whole wheat ratio
Use 150g whole wheat flour and 450g bread flour. Whole wheat absorbs more water and ferments faster, so reduce bulk fermentation to 3-4 hours and watch the dough closely. The crumb will be denser and more rustic, with nuttier flavor.
Spelt or rye swapped in
Replace 50-75g of bread flour with spelt or rye. Both add distinctive flavor — spelt is earthy and sweet, rye is dark and slightly mineral. Both ferment faster than wheat, so shorten bulk fermentation and watch for over-proofing.
Longer cold proof
Proof in the fridge for 24-48 hours instead of 12-16. This deepens the sour flavor and develops complexity. The dough will be very slack when you bake it, so be gentle with your transfer.
When it doesn't go to plan.
A scale is worth the investment. Volumetric measuring leads to inconsistency, especially with whole wheat flour, which compacts differently than bread flour.
If your kitchen is cold (below 70°F), bulk fermentation will take longer — maybe 6-7 hours instead of 4-5. Trust your eyes and the feel of the dough, not the clock.
Wheat flour is thirsty. If your dough feels very stiff after the autolyse, add water 5g at a time. The finished dough should be tacky but not sticky.
The poke test is your best guide. When you poke the dough gently with a floured finger, it should spring back slowly over 2-3 seconds. Immediate spring-back means it needs more time; a crater that doesn't fill means it's overproofed.
Don't skip the cold proof. It's where the flavor comes from and where the dough gains structure to hold an open crumb. Overnight in the fridge is the standard move.
The ones that keep coming up.
My loaf came out dense. What went wrong?
Usually underbulking or underproofing. If the dough didn't increase much during bulk fermentation, your starter may not have been active enough, or your kitchen was too cold. Next time, feed your starter earlier and watch for a 50-75% volume increase. Or, extend the bulk fermentation time.
Can I bake this without a Dutch oven?
It's harder but possible. You need steam somehow — either a covered baking vessel, a pizza stone with a tent of foil, or by adding a pan of boiling water to the oven. The oven-spring and crust quality won't be quite as good without trapping steam directly around the loaf.
How do I know when my starter is ready to use?
Feed it 4-8 hours before mixing. It should be at its peak — puffy and domed on top, or just starting to recede. If you drop a spoonful into water and it floats, it's active enough. If it sinks, give it more time or feed it again.
What if I want to bake this the same day I shape it?
Room-temp proof instead of cold. Shape it and let it proof at room temperature for 3-4 hours until it passes the poke test. You'll get less sour flavor and less time for gluten to relax, so the crust may not expand as much, but it can work.
Can I freeze the shaped dough?
Yes. Shape it, wrap it well, and freeze for up to 2 weeks. When you're ready, thaw it overnight in the fridge (this counts as your proof), then bake. Freezing actually helps flavor — the long fermentation window is extended even further.