Why Does My Sourdough Bread Never Rise Troubleshooting Guide

Sourdough bread is a rewarding craft, but few things are more frustrating than pulling a dense, flat loaf from the oven when you were expecting an airy, open crumb with a proud rise. If your sourdough consistently fails to rise—either during bulk fermentation, proofing, or in the oven—you're not alone. Many home bakers face this challenge, often due to subtle imbalances in ingredients, timing, temperature, or technique.

The good news: sourdough failure is rarely random. Most issues stem from identifiable causes that can be corrected with understanding and consistency. This comprehensive guide walks through the most common reasons your sourdough isn’t rising, backed by baking science and real-world adjustments you can make immediately.

Understanding the Sourdough Rise: What Should Happen

A successful sourdough rise depends on a delicate interplay between three key elements: active wild yeast, strong gluten structure, and proper gas retention. During fermentation, wild yeast consumes carbohydrates in the flour and produces carbon dioxide. The gluten network traps these gases, allowing the dough to expand. Without all three components functioning well, the dough collapses, spreads, or remains dense.

There are two critical phases of rise:

1. Bulk Fermentation: After mixing, the dough ferments as a single mass. This is where most flavor develops and volume increases by 30–50%. A properly fermented dough will be bubbly, domed, and jiggly when shaken.
2. Proofing (Final Rise): After shaping, the dough undergoes a second rise, either at room temperature or in the refrigerator. This determines final oven spring—the dramatic expansion when first exposed to heat.

If your dough doesn’t rise in either phase, the root cause likely lies in one of the following areas.

1. Your Starter Isn’t Active Enough

The foundation of every sourdough loaf is a healthy, vigorous starter. If your starter lacks strength, no amount of kneading or long fermentation will compensate. A weak starter won't produce enough gas to leaven the bread.

Signs of an inactive starter include:

• No visible bubbles after 4–6 hours post-feed
• Fails to double in size within 6–8 hours at room temperature
• Smells excessively alcoholic or rotten (beyond tangy)
• Stays dense and doesn’t pass the float test

Tip: Perform the float test: Drop a small spoonful of starter into a glass of water. If it floats, it’s ready to use. If it sinks, feed it again and wait.

To revive a sluggish starter:

• Feed it twice daily with equal parts unbleached all-purpose or whole wheat flour and water (1:1 ratio by weight).
• Maintain it at a warm spot (75–80°F / 24–27°C) to encourage microbial activity.
• Discard and feed consistently for 3–5 days before baking.
• Avoid chlorinated tap water; use filtered or bottled if necessary.

“Your starter should be predictably active—doubling reliably within 6–8 hours—before you trust it with a loaf.” — Ken Forkish, Artisan Baker & Author of *The Elements of Pizza*

2. Inadequate Gluten Development

Even with a strong starter, your dough needs a robust gluten matrix to trap gas. Weak gluten leads to dough that spreads instead of rising upward. This is especially common in high-hydration doughs or when using low-protein flours.

Gluten development happens through:

• Mixing and autolyse (resting flour and water before adding salt and starter)
• Kneading or stretch-and-folds during bulk fermentation
• Proper hydration balance

Underdeveloped gluten results in slack, sticky dough that tears easily and fails to hold shape. Overdeveloped gluten, while less common, can make dough stiff and prone to tearing.

How to Improve Gluten Structure

1. Autolyse for 30–60 minutes: Mix only flour and water and let rest before adding starter and salt. This jumpstarts gluten formation.
2. Perform 4–6 sets of stretch-and-folds spaced 15–30 minutes apart during the first half of bulk fermentation.
3. Use high-quality bread flour (12–13% protein) for better gluten strength. All-purpose flour works but may require shorter fermentation.
4. Don’t over-hydrate. Start with 70–75% hydration if you’re struggling. You can increase later as skills improve.

Tip: Perform the windowpane test: Stretch a small piece of dough thinly. If it forms a translucent membrane without tearing, gluten is well-developed.

3. Temperature Issues: Too Cold or Too Hot

Yeast and bacteria in sourdough are highly sensitive to temperature. If your kitchen is too cold, fermentation slows dramatically. If it’s too hot, the microbes die off or produce excess acid, weakening the dough.

Ideal fermentation temperatures:

• Starter maintenance: 75–80°F (24–27°C)
• Bulk fermentation: 76–78°F (24–26°C)
• Final proof: 74–78°F (23–26°C) for room temp, or 38–40°F (3–4°C) in the fridge

Cold environments (below 70°F / 21°C) can extend bulk fermentation to 8+ hours with little rise. Conversely, above 85°F (29°C), fermentation accelerates but risks overproofing and collapse.

Temperature Solutions

• Use a proofing box, oven with light on, or microwave with a cup of hot water to create a warm microclimate.
• Monitor dough temperature—not just ambient—with a digital thermometer. Dough should be ~78°F after mixing.
• Retard in the fridge overnight for better flavor and controlled rise.

Temperature Range	Effect on Fermentation	Recommended Action
Below 70°F (21°C)	Very slow rise, risk of under-proofing	Warm environment or extend time
74–78°F (23–26°C)	Ideal for steady, predictable rise	Standard room temp fermentation
Above 85°F (29°C)	Rapid fermentation, risk of overproofing	Reduce time or cool environment
38–40°F (3–4°C)	Slows fermentation for flavor development	Overnight cold proof

4. Overproofing or Underproofing: Finding the Balance

One of the most common reasons sourdough doesn’t rise in the oven is incorrect proofing. Both overproofed and underproofed dough lack the resilience needed for oven spring.

Underproofed Dough

Dense, tight crumb with minimal expansion. The dough hasn’t produced enough gas or developed sufficient structure. It may rise slightly in the oven but quickly stalls.

Overproofed Dough

Weak, collapsed structure. The gluten has degraded from prolonged fermentation. When scored and baked, it spreads out rather than rising up. Often smells overly sour.

How to Judge Proof Readiness

• Finger poke test: Gently press the dough. If it springs back slowly and leaves a slight indentation, it’s ready. If it fills back immediately, it’s underproofed. If it doesn’t spring back at all, it’s overproofed.
• Visual cues: Dough should look puffy, feel light, and show visible bubbles near the surface.
• Time is not reliable: Always rely on feel and appearance, not the clock. Room temperature, hydration, and starter strength vary daily.

Tip: When in doubt, underproof slightly. Dough with some fermentation reserve will have better oven spring than one already exhausted.

5. Scoring and Baking: Unlocking Oven Spring

Oven spring—the rapid rise during the first 15 minutes of baking—requires steam, heat, and proper scoring. Even a perfectly proofed loaf can fail here if conditions aren’t right.

Common mistakes:

• Not preheating the Dutch oven long enough
• Lack of steam (critical for crust flexibility)
• Poor scoring technique (too shallow, wrong angle, or delayed)
• Opening the oven too early, causing temperature drop

Step-by-Step: Maximizing Oven Spring

1. Preheat your Dutch oven for at least 45 minutes at 450°F (230°C).
2. Score the dough deeply (½ inch) at a 30-degree angle with a sharp blade (lame or razor).
3. Transfer dough carefully to the hot pot to avoid deflation.
4. Close the lid to trap steam and bake covered for 20 minutes.
5. Uncover and bake another 20–25 minutes until deep golden brown.
6. Let cool completely (2+ hours) before slicing to prevent gummy texture.

“The first five minutes in the oven determine whether your loaf rises or sags. Steam and heat retention are non-negotiable.” — Richard Bertinet, Master Baker & Author of *Dough*

Troubleshooting Checklist: Why Your Sourdough Isn’t Rising

Checklist: Run through this before your next bake:

• ✅ Is my starter active and doubling within 6–8 hours?
• ✅ Did I perform a float test before mixing the dough?
• ✅ Did I autolyse and perform stretch-and-folds for gluten development?
• ✅ Was the dough temperature between 76–78°F after mixing?
• ✅ Did I monitor bulk fermentation by feel, not time?
• ✅ Was the final proof judged with the finger poke test?
• ✅ Was the Dutch oven preheated for at least 45 minutes?
• ✅ Did I score deeply and transfer quickly to a hot vessel?

Real Example: From Flat Loaf to Perfect Rise

Sarah, a home baker in Portland, struggled for months with dense sourdough. Her starter looked bubbly but didn’t pass the float test. She was feeding it once daily and baking with it 12 hours after feeding—when it had already collapsed.

After switching to twice-daily feedings and only baking when the starter doubled and floated, her dough began rising properly during bulk fermentation. She also started doing four stretch-and-folds and reduced hydration from 80% to 72%. The result? A loaf with a 2-inch oven spring and an open, airy crumb.

Her breakthrough wasn’t one change but a system: consistent starter care, better gluten development, and proofing by observation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my sourdough rise in the oven but then collapse?

This usually indicates overproofing. The dough expands rapidly at first but lacks structural integrity to hold its shape. Reduce proofing time or switch to a colder final proof (fridge) to strengthen the gluten network.

Can I use all whole wheat flour and still get a good rise?

Pure whole wheat sourdough is denser due to bran cutting gluten strands. For better rise, mix 50–70% whole wheat with bread flour. Also increase water slightly and allow longer bulk fermentation.

My starter peaks quickly but falls within 4 hours. Is it strong enough?

If it doubles quickly but collapses soon after, it may be fermenting too fast due to warmth or excess hooch. Feed it more frequently or reduce the amount of starter retained during feeding (e.g., 1:2:2 ratio). Use it at peak, not after collapse.

Conclusion: Consistency Leads to Success

Every failed sourdough loaf teaches you something valuable. The path to consistent rise isn’t about perfection—it’s about understanding cause and effect. By focusing on starter health, gluten development, temperature control, and precise proofing, you’ll transform unpredictable results into repeatable success.

Don’t rush the process. Sourdough rewards patience, observation, and small, deliberate improvements. Bake your next loaf with attention to detail, and you’ll likely pull a beautifully risen, crackling-crusted masterpiece from the oven.

💬 Have a sourdough rise issue you’ve solved? Share your story in the comments—your insight could help someone finally achieve their dream loaf.