How to Bake Sourdough Bread in a Dutch Oven (Step-by-Step Guide)

Dutch oven sourdough bread is the go-to recipe for baking sourdough in a Dutch oven. It results in a perfect loaf every time. If this is your first time making sourdough, this method is a must-try. Plus, grab my sample baking timeline to guide you through the process.

If you're in the process of choosing the best Dutch oven for sourdough bread, I've written an article that outlines how to select it, what to look for, and how to use it effectively.

New to sourdough? Start with my Beginner's Sourdough Guide to learn the basics.

Why use a Dutch oven for sourdough bread

Dutch oven baking is considered one of the best methods for baking sourdough bread for several reasons.

• Ideal steam creation: A Dutch oven traps moisture and creates a steamy environment. The steam allows the dough to expand fully before the crust sets, resulting in a better rise (oven spring) and a more open crumb.

• Even heat distribution: The thick walls of a Dutch oven ensure even heat distribution, which helps maintain a consistent baking temperature.

• Temperature control: A Dutch oven can reach high temperatures and retain heat effectively, creating a stable, high-heat environment.

Overall, Dutch oven baking provides a straightforward and reliable method for achieving professional-quality sourdough bread at home.

How to bake sourdough bread in a Dutch oven

• Place an empty Dutch oven, including its lid, into your oven. Preheat the oven to 500°F (260°C) for 30-60 minutes to make sure the Dutch oven is thoroughly heated.

• Take the fully proofed bread dough from the fridge (if cold-proofing) and flip it onto the parchment paper.

• Use a bread lame or a sharp knife to score the dough.

• Carefully remove the hot Dutch oven from the oven using oven mitts. Place the dough into the Dutch oven by lifting it with the help of parchment paper.

• Lower the oven temperature to 450°F (230°C). Cover the Dutch oven with its lid to trap steam and bake for 20 minutes.

• Remove the lid and bake for 17-20 minutes or until the crust reaches the desired color. Be careful of the steam released from the oven!

• Use a probe thermometer to check the bread's internal temperature. When fully baked, it should be 205-210°F (96-99°C).

• Carefully remove the bread from the Dutch oven and place it on a cooling rack. Let it cool for at least 2 hours before slicing.

Tips for baking sourdough in a Dutch oven

• Preheat thoroughly: Preheat the Dutch oven with the lid aside to ensure even heat distribution.

• Handle with care: To avoid burns, use oven mitts or heatproof gloves when handling the hot Dutch oven. The lid and pot retain high heat.

• Use parchment paper: Place the dough on parchment paper to make transferring it into the Dutch oven easier. This also prevents sticking and ensures smooth removal after baking.

• Add extra steam (optional): Lightly mist the scored dough with water or spray the inside of the lid with water just before closing the pot.

• Retain steam: Keep the lid on for the first 20 minutes of baking to lock in steam. Avoid opening the oven during this critical phase.

• Uncover for browning: After the initial steam phase, remove the lid to let the crust brown and crisp. Monitor closely to achieve your desired crust color.

• Use a cold Dutch Oven (optional): If preheating isn't an option, try the cold Dutch oven method: place the dough in the Dutch oven without preheating and start baking. While results may vary, it is a safe and convenient alternative.

• Cool before cleaning: Allow the Dutch oven to cool completely before washing to prevent thermal shock, which can cause cracks in enamel-coated Dutch ovens.

• Batch baking: When baking multiple loaves, use the same type of covered baker and avoid mixing different types of bakeware, such as Dutch ovens, Granite Ware roasters, or ceramic cloches. This maintains a steady oven temperature, as other materials may heat up differently and require different handling, such as preheating or not.

Ingredients

Make sure all ingredients are at room temperature before you start. Use a digital kitchen scale to measure the ingredients accurately.

• Flour: Use unbleached bread flour with a protein content of at least 12.5%. I prefer to use bread flour with a protein content of 12.7-13.5%. If you are comfortable working with whole wheat flour, substitute 5-10% of the flour with whole wheat.
• Water: Opt for unchlorinated tap water, filtered or spring water. To dechlorinate tap water, leave it in an open container on the counter overnight.
• Sourdough starter: Use 100% hydration wheat levain or active starter at peak.
• Salt: Use fine sea salt. Avoid iodized table salt.
• White rice flour is used for dusting the work surface and a proofing basket.

Here is the final bread formula:

Ingredient	Baker's Percentage	Weight
Bread flour	100%	500g
Water	70%	350g
Leavin/Active starter, 100% hydration	20%	100g
Fine sea salt	2%	10g

Step-by-step Dutch oven sourdough bread

Make a levain (an active starter):

Feed the starter in the morning at a 1:1:1 ratio (35g starter, 35g flour, and 35g water), and wait 4-6 hours for it to peak. Or, feed it right before bed, based on the feeding ratio and peak times of your starter.

Autolyse

Weigh the water and flour into a large mixing bowl. Mix with your hand or a dough whisk until a shaggy dough forms. Cover the bowl with a plastic film or a damp kitchen towel and let it sit for 30 minutes.

Mix the dough

Add the levain (an active starter) and sea salt to the bowl. Mix thoroughly by hand for 3-10 minutes, depending on your schedule and the desired level of gluten development. A more extended mix builds a stronger gluten network.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a damp towel and let the dough rest for 30 minutes. Bulk fermentation begins once the starter is added.

Fold the dough

Do two sets of stretch and folds, 30 minutes apart, followed by two sets of coil folds, also spaced 30 minutes apart. For each set, fold the dough in all four directions. After each fold, check the dough temperature and note it in your baking log.

Keep the bowl covered between folds and let the dough rest for 30 minutes after each set of folds.

Continue bulk fermentation

Let the dough continue to ferment, checking the dough temperature every 30 minutes.

End bulk fermentation when the dough has reached the target percentage, which depends on your dough temperature.

By the end of bulk fermentation, the dough should have visible bubbles on the surface and along the sides of the bowl (if it is glass). The edges should have a slight dome, and the dough should jiggle gently when you move the bowl.

Preshape the dough

Preshape the dough into a round, then let it rest uncovered for 15-20 minutes.

Shape the dough

Lightly flour your work surface with rice flour. Turn the dough out onto the table and shape it into a boule or batard.

Prepare a banneton or an alternative proofing basket, such as a small bowl lined with a cotton tea towel. Generously dust it with rice flour. Place the shaped dough into the banneton or bowl, seam side up.

Proof the dough

Cover (or not) the banneton or loaf tin with a clean towel or place it inside a plastic bag, then refrigerate. Refrigerate for a cold proof lasting 12-16 hours, or up to 48 hours. The longer the proof, the more pronounced the sourdough flavor will be.

Score the dough

Remove the dough from the fridge. Flip it out of the banneton onto a piece of parchment paper. Use a pastry brush to remove any excess flour.

Score the dough using a bread lame. If you are a beginner, opt for a single slash for a batard or a cross "X" for a boule. Once you are more confident, try creative scoring patterns.

Bake the bread

Place your Dutch oven into the oven and preheat to 500°F (260°C) for 30 minutes.

With the oven mitts on, transfer the dough to the Dutch oven, cover with the lid, and place it on the middle rack of the oven. Lower the temperature to 450°F (232°C) and bake for 20 minutes.

After 20 minutes, use the oven mitts to remove the lid and continue baking for an additional 17-20 minutes, or until the crust reaches your desired color.

For extra steam, spritz the dough with water or lightly spray the hot Dutch oven lid before covering.

Cool the bread

Let the bread cool on a wire rack for at least 2 hours before slicing.

Dutch oven baking variations

• Combine Dutch oven baking with finishing directly on the oven rack. After the initial steaming phase, carefully lift the loaf from the Dutch oven using the parchment paper ends and transfer it to the oven rack (without parchment) to complete baking.

• Replace the Dutch oven with a Granite Ware roaster. Don't preheat the roasting pan before loading the loaf.

• When baking multiple loaves in limited oven space, rotate bread between racks for different stages. Begin with loaves in Dutch ovens on the lower shelf. After 20 minutes of steaming, move them to the upper rack to finish baking and reload the Dutch ovens with scored dough. Adjust the temperature and timing to balance the steam and dry phases.

Sample sourdough baking timeline (73°F / 23°C kitchen)

Here is a sample baking timeline with building levain and mixing the dough on the same day, followed by baking the next day.

Notes:

• Room temperature: 73°F (23°C) and 40% humidity
• Bulk fermentation: 6 hours with a 75% increase in dough size
• Cold proof: 14 hours in the fridge
• Baking: 450°F (232°C) in a conventional oven - 20 minutes with the lid on, then 17-20 minutes uncovered.

Day 1: Mix and ferment the dough

• 8:00 AM - Feed your sourdough starter.
• Noon - Begin the autolyse: mix flour and water, cover, and let rest for 30 minutes.
• 12:30 PM - Add the levain and salt. Mix until combined. Cover and rest for 30 minutes.
• 1:00 PM - Do the first set of stretch and folds. Cover and rest for 30 minutes.
• 1:30 PM - Second stretch and fold. Cover and rest for 30 minutes.
• 2:00 PM - Perform the first coil fold. Cover and rest for 30 minutes.
• 2:30 PM - Second coil fold. Cover the bowl and let the dough rest on the counter.
• 5:30-6:00 PM - Shape the dough and place it into a banneton. Transfer to the fridge for an overnight cold proof.

Day 2: Bake the bread

• 8:00 AM - Bake straight from the fridge. Preheat the oven to 500°F (260°C) for 30 minutes. Bake in a Dutch oven at 450°F (232°C) 20 minutes with the lid on, 17-20 minutes uncovered, until deep golden brown.

FAQ

Q: Is a Dutch oven necessary for baking sourdough bread?

No, but it is highly recommended. A Dutch oven traps steam during the first part of baking, which helps the dough rise properly and develop a crispy crust. Without it, your loaf might not get the same oven spring, crust, and texture.

Q: How to transfer dough from banneton to Dutch oven?

Place a piece of parchment paper over your banneton, flip it upside down to release the dough, and score it. Then gently lower the parchment and dough into the preheated Dutch oven. The parchment makes it easy and safe to handle, even with a hot pot. Alternatively, you can use a high-quality silicone bread sling.

Q: Can I bake sourdough without a Dutch oven?

You can bake sourdough on a baking stone or sheet with a tray of hot water underneath to create steam. Alternatively, use the double loaf pan method by covering the dough with an inverted pan.

What's next?

Now, it's time to experiment with baking temperatures and methods. Find what works best to create the bread you love, and adjust to fit your oven.

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