Why Is My Sourdough Bread So Dense Beginner Mistakes Fixed

Sourdough bread should be a celebration of texture and flavor—crispy crust, open crumb, and a delicate tang. But if your loaf comes out like a brick, you're not alone. Many beginners struggle with dense sourdough, often unaware of the subtle missteps undermining their efforts. The good news? Most causes are simple to diagnose and correct. With the right adjustments, you can transform your heavy, compact loaves into light, airy masterpieces.

Understanding What Makes Sourdough Light or Dense

Density in sourdough occurs when the dough lacks sufficient gas retention or expansion during fermentation and baking. The ideal loaf has an open crumb structure, meaning visible air pockets formed by carbon dioxide produced by wild yeast and lactic acid bacteria in your starter. When these gases aren’t properly trapped and expanded, the result is a tight, gummy, or overly compact interior.

Several interrelated factors influence this process: hydration levels, gluten development, fermentation timing, oven spring, and shaping technique. Each plays a role in whether your bread rises gracefully or collapses into heaviness.

“Great sourdough isn’t about perfection—it’s about understanding cause and effect. One small change in hydration or proofing time can dramatically alter the final crumb.” — Daniel Leader, author of *Local Breads* and founder of Bread Alone Bakery

Common Beginner Mistakes Leading to Dense Sourdough

New bakers often make well-intentioned choices that inadvertently sabotage their results. Below are the most frequent errors—and how to fix them.

1. Underdeveloped Gluten Structure

Gluten is the protein network that gives dough its elasticity and strength. Without proper development, the dough can’t hold onto the gas bubbles created during fermentation. This leads to poor rise and a dense crumb.

Beginners often skip or shorten bulk fermentation folds, rely solely on mixing without stretch-and-folds, or use low-protein flour that doesn’t form strong gluten.

Tip: Perform 3–4 sets of stretch-and-folds during the first hour of bulk fermentation to build strength without overmixing.

2. Inactive or Weak Starter

Your starter is the engine of sourdough. If it's sluggish or underripe, it won’t produce enough gas to leaven the dough effectively. A common mistake is using a starter straight from the fridge without feeding it first or judging ripeness by time instead of visual cues.

A healthy starter should double in size within 4–8 hours after feeding, have a bubbly surface, and smell pleasantly tangy—not alcoholic or rotten.

3. Underproofing the Dough

Underproofing is one of the top reasons for dense bread. When dough hasn’t fermented long enough, yeast hasn’t produced sufficient gas, and the gluten hasn’t relaxed enough to expand in the oven.

Signs of underproofing include minimal jiggle when panned, a dough that springs back quickly when poked, and little volume gain. Conversely, properly proofed dough will feel airy, wobble slightly, and slowly rebound when gently pressed.

4. Overhandling During Shaping

Aggressive shaping can deflate the gas bubbles built up during bulk fermentation. Beginners sometimes treat the dough too roughly, degassing it completely instead of preserving those precious air pockets.

The goal is tension on the surface while maintaining internal airiness. Use gentle hands and minimal pressure when pre-shaping and final shaping.

5. Baking at Too Low a Temperature or Without Steam

Oven spring—the final burst of rising in the first 15 minutes of baking—requires high heat (typically 450°F/230°C or higher) and steam. Without these, the crust sets too early, trapping the loaf at its current size.

Baking in a cold Dutch oven or skipping steam prevents proper expansion, leading to flat, dense results.

Step-by-Step Guide to Fixing Dense Sourdough

Follow this structured approach to troubleshoot and improve your next bake.

1. Feed your starter 8–12 hours before baking. Use equal parts flour and water by weight (1:1 ratio). Let it sit at room temperature until fully active—doubled, bubbly, and passing the float test (a spoonful placed in water floats).
2. Use a high-protein bread flour (12–13% protein). All-purpose flour works, but bread flour develops stronger gluten.
3. Hydrate appropriately. Start with 70–75% hydration (e.g., 700g water per 1000g flour). Higher hydration increases openness but requires better handling skills.
4. Knead minimally, then fold. Mix ingredients until shaggy, rest 30 minutes (autolyse), then perform 3–4 stretch-and-folds spaced 30 minutes apart during bulk fermentation.
5. Monitor bulk fermentation closely. It typically takes 3–5 hours at 75°F (24°C). Look for increased volume, bubbles beneath the surface, and jiggly texture.
6. Shape gently. Pre-shape into a round, rest 20–30 minutes, then shape into a tight boule or batard with surface tension—but don’t squeeze out air.
7. Proof correctly. For room-temperature proof, aim for 2–4 hours. For cold retardation, refrigerate for 8–16 hours. Test readiness with the finger poke: indentation should hold slowly.
8. Preheat thoroughly. Heat your Dutch oven or baking stone for at least 45 minutes at 450°F (230°C).
9. Bake with steam. Cover the pot for the first 20–25 minutes to trap steam, then uncover to crisp the crust.
10. Cool completely. Wait at least 2 hours before slicing. Cutting too early releases trapped steam and collapses the crumb.

Do’s and Don’ts: Quick Reference Table

Do	Don’t
Feed your starter 8–12 hours before baking and confirm activity	Use a starter straight from the fridge without testing
Perform stretch-and-folds every 30 minutes for the first 2 hours	Mix or knead excessively, which can over-develop gluten early
Proof in a warm spot (75–78°F / 24–26°C)	Leave dough in a cold kitchen overnight without adjusting time
Use a Dutch oven with lid on for initial bake	Bake uncovered on a sheet pan without steam
Cool bread fully before slicing	Cut into hot bread—even if it smells irresistible

Real Example: How Sarah Fixed Her Dense Loaf

Sarah, a home baker in Portland, had been making sourdough weekly for two months. Despite following recipes closely, her loaves were consistently dense and gummy. She used all-purpose flour, mixed her dough for 10 minutes, and let it bulk ferment for exactly 4 hours—no more, no less.

After reviewing her process, she realized three issues: her starter wasn’t peaking when used, she skipped stretch-and-folds, and she baked in a cold Dutch oven. She adjusted her routine: feeding her starter in the morning, waiting until it doubled, performing four sets of folds, and preheating her pot for an hour. Her next loaf had a significantly more open crumb and rose nearly twice as high.

“I thought I was following the rules,” she said. “But sourdough isn’t about rigid timelines. It’s about watching the dough and responding.”

Essential Checklist for Lighter Sourdough

• ✅ Confirm starter is active and ripe (doubled, bubbly, passes float test)
• ✅ Use bread flour or a mix with high-gluten flour
• ✅ Perform 3–4 sets of stretch-and-folds during bulk fermentation
• ✅ Maintain dough temperature between 75–78°F (24–26°C)
• ✅ Proof until dough shows signs of readiness—not just time-based
• ✅ Preheat baking vessel for at least 45 minutes
• ✅ Bake covered for first 20–25 minutes to trap steam
• ✅ Cool bread completely (minimum 2 hours) before slicing

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use all-purpose flour for sourdough?

Yes, but expect a slightly denser crumb than with bread flour. All-purpose flour has lower protein (around 10–11%), so it forms weaker gluten. To compensate, increase fold frequency and reduce hydration slightly to 65–70%.

Why does my sourdough collapse after scoring?

This usually indicates overproofing. The dough has expanded as much as the gluten can support and begins to fail under its own weight. Try reducing proofing time by 30–60 minutes or lowering the temperature. Also, ensure you’re not slashing too deeply, which can rupture the surface tension.

How do I know if my dough is properly proofed?

Use the finger poke test: lightly press your fingertip about ½ inch into the dough. If the indentation holds and slowly fills back, it’s ready. If it springs back immediately, it’s underproofed. If it doesn’t rebound at all and feels fragile, it’s overproofed.

Conclusion: From Dense to Delicious

Dense sourdough isn’t a failure—it’s feedback. Every compact loaf tells you something about your starter, technique, or environment. By focusing on gluten development, starter vitality, proofing accuracy, and proper baking conditions, you’ll steadily improve. Sourdough rewards patience and observation more than precision alone.

💬 What’s one change that transformed your sourdough game? Share your breakthrough moment in the comments—your insight might help another baker finally crack the code to airy, open-crumbed bread.