How to Fix Dense Sourdough Bread

If you’ve been wondering how to fix your dense sourdough bread loaves, I’m here to help! It’s a simple fix that gives you soft, fluffy bread and baked goods.

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If you’re new to sourdough baking and feel hesitant, or you have questions, I’ve got something for you! I broke down the basics of what you need to know about sourdough baking in my free sourdough baking guide for beginners. I highly recommend grabbing a copy!

What Causes Dense Sourdough Bread

Dense sourdough bread can be caused by a few things:

Not allowing the dough to double during the bulk ferment and proofing stages.
Using an unfed starter.
Using a weak starter that isn’t active and bubbly.
Not using unbleached flour in your starter.
Not using filtered water for your starter.

How To Fix the Problem

There are two simple solutions to help fix dense sourdough bread. The first one is simply bulk fermenting the dough in a warm place. The second is strengthening your starter with a specific feeding. Both are super easy to do!

Solution #1 – Bulk Fermenting and Proofing in a Warm Place

If your dough doesn’t look like it’s doing anything halfway through the rises, you need to place it in a slightly warmer area.

This can be in a turned-off oven with the light on and oven door open, or you can slightly warm the oven to about 75-80 degrees Fahrenheit, then turn it off and place your dough inside with the door shut.

Never leave the oven on, even on the keep warm setting, with fermenting dough inside. Your dough, for both rises, needs to double.

Solution #2 – Strengthening a Weak Starter

If your dough doesn’t double even in the warmer area, there is a problem with your starter. It is too weak to ferment the dough even in a warm environment.

To fix this, you will want to leave your starter out on the counter for 2 days and feed it every 12 hours at a 2:1 ratio of unbleached flour to filtered water.

For example, 1 cup unbleached flour + 1/2 cup filtered (or bottled) water.

Make sure you’re using unbleached flour and filtered or bottled water to do this. If you don’t, it will affect your starter strength. Reverse osmosis water (or any water that uses salt in the filter) can make the starter weak.

This will strengthen the cultures in your starter to give you fluffy baked bread and treats. After the 2 days, you can go back to feeding it like usual (once a week if stored in the fridge or once a day if stored on the counter). Be sure to use the 2:1 ratio feeding from here on out.

Tips to Prevent Dense Sourdough Bread in the Future

Make sure your starter is active! Before you start a recipe that calls for a fed starter, you need to feed it 4-12 hours prior to using it. Your starter needs to be active, bubbly, and have a thicker consistency to begin the recipe.
Let the dough bulk ferment for 12 hours. It is important to let your dough bulk ferment for the full 12 hours. It should double in size and have air bubbles in it.
Place the dough in a warm spot to rise. For both the bulk ferment and the second rise after shaping, your dough needs to be at room temperature in a non-drafty place.
If the dough doesn’t double, keep fermenting. After 12 hours of bulk fermenting, if your dough still hasn’t doubled, do a stretch and fold, then place it in the warmed oven like we talked about above. Let it ferment until it doubles.
Use unbleached flour. The bleaching done in regular flour can weaken your starter cultures giving you dense bread. Be sure to use an unbleached all-purpose flour.
Use filtered or bottled water. Tap water, well water, and even reverse osmosis water can affect your starter strength.

How to Properly Feed Your Starter Before Using

BEFORE YOU GET STARTED WITH A RECIPE: Feed your starter 4-12 hours before starting this recipe. I recommend feeding it a 2:1 ratio of unbleached flour to filtered water to get the same results as I do when you make this recipe.

Example: Feed 1 cup flour + 1/2 cup water and let the starter sit on the counter at room temperature until it’s bubbly and has grow in the jar. Your starter needs to be active, bubbly, and a thicker consistency to begin this recipe.