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Same Day Sourdough Bread

How to Make Same Day Sourdough Bread by Dinnertime

This easy Same Day Sourdough recipe delivers a crusty, flavorful loaf in just one day — no overnight proofing required! With a bubbly starter, simple ingredients, and a few stretch-and-folds, you’ll have fresh homemade sourdough bread by dinnertime. Perfect for busy bakers or beginners looking for a faster sourdough method.
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Prep Time 9 hours 30 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 10 hours 15 minutes
Course Appetizer, Snack
Servings 12 Slices

Equipment

  • Measuring cups
  • Silicon spatula
  • Danish dough whisk This whisk is much easier to mix the dough if you are mixing by hand.
  • Stand Mixer If you're not mixing by hand.
  • Large bowls
  • Kitchen scale

Ingredients
  

To Feed Your Starter

  • 1/2 cup Bread flour
  • 1/2 cup Whole wheat flour
  • 1 - 1/2 cups Water

For The Dough

  • 450 g Bread flour
  • 10 g Salt
  • 100 g Active Sourdough Starter
  • 307 g Water

Instructions
 

Feed Your Starter (Before bed the night before)

  • Feed your starter 4 – 6 hours before making your same day sourdough bread by dinnertime. You want your starter to be bubbly and active before mixing. If you want to be super accurate while doing this, use a 1:1:1 ratio (equal parts starter, water, and flour by weight). We follow the measurements below and still get a bubbly starter in the same amount of time. I also feed my starter right before bed the night before and it’s always ready to go in the morning. This could work great for those of you that have a colder home.
    1/2 cup – bread flour
    1/2 cup – whole wheat flour
    1 cup – water

Mix the Dough (First thing in the Morning)

  • In a large bowl or stand mixer, Stir together 100g of fed starter and 307g water until it creates a frothy consistency.
  • Next add 450g bread flour and 10g of salt.
  • Mix until you see the dough come together.
  • Let the dough sit for 1 hour to allow the flour to hydrate and gluten to develop.

Strengthen with Stretch & Folds

  • Do 3 rounds of 4-5 stretch and folds (lift, stretch, fold) spaced 30 minutes apart.
  • This method creates beautiful structure and open crumb! This process should take about an hour and a half.

Bulk Fermentation (During the Work Day)

  • Cover your dough and let it rise at room temperature until its doubled in size. As mentioned earlier, please take your dough's temperature and refer to the bulk fermentation chart by The Sourdough Journey. This will show you how long your dough should bulk ferment for.
  • If your dough is chilly, place the bowl in a turned-off oven with the light on. This creates warmth and humidity that your dough will love and might encourage the fermentation process to speed up.

Shape the Dough

  • On a lightly floured surface, gently stretch your dough into a rectangle.
  • “Stitch” by folding sides toward the center like closing a letter.
  • Roll it up tightly from bottom to top, building tension.

Final Proof (Optional but Helpful)

  • If you can, let your dough rest for 30–60 minutes before baking. This relaxes the gluten and helps your loaf hold its shape.

Score and Bake (Evening)

  • Preheat your oven (and Dutch oven) to 420°F (216°C).
  • Score your dough with a sharp blade — get creative!
  • Bake for 25 minutes with the lid on. 25 minutes with the lid off.
  • Cool completely before slicing.

Notes

Storage: Once your loaf is completely cooled, slice and store in the freezer. You can store in the freezer for 1 - 3 months and about a week in the fridge.
Tips:
Finger poke test: Gently press your finger into the dough. If it springs back slowly but leaves a slight indent, it's ready!
Take your dough's temperature to see if you need to do the oven light hack!