Same Day Sourdough Bread (Quick, Easy Recipe)
Sourdough recipes are all about timing. Depending on when you want your loaf ready or what your day looks like, there’s a recipe for every schedule.
Traditional Tartine-style recipes usually take 2-3 days, while others can be done overnight, which works nicely with my 9-to-5 working mom schedule.
But, same-day sourdough bread is also an option! This recipe is perfect when you want fresh bread on the table today.
It takes 12 hours or less depending on when you fed your starter and how warm you can keep your dough. I’ll take you through it.
Why You’ll Love This Same-Day Sourdough Bread Recipe
- It’s fast: Sourdough loaves usually take me 2-3 days from feeding my starter to pulling the bread out of the oven, so to have this all done in one day is pretty convenient.
- Easy to handle: The dough has a total hydration of 66%, making it easy to work with.
- No cold-proof needed: You can skip the overnight proofing and still get great results, which is a huge time-saver.
- Delicious and kid-approved: The loaf turned out light and airy with a perfectly crisp crust. My kids love this bread!
Another same-day recipe you’ll love: Same-Day Sourdough Focaccia (Tested by 627 Bakers!)
Same-Day Sourdough Bread Timeline
You have two options for same-day sourdough.
You can either feed your starter the night before to get a head start, or you can feed your starter the morning of.
Timeline Option 1
This is the exact timeline I used for the bread photos in this post:
| 7:30 AM | Feed your starter a 1:1:1 feeding ratio. |
| 1:00 PM | Mix all ingredients together, cover, and let rest in a warm place. |
| 1:30 PM | Stretch & fold |
| 2:00 PM | Stretch & fold |
| 2:30 PM | Stretch & fold |
| 3:00 PM | Stretch & fold |
| 3:00-5:00 PM | Let dough finish bulk fermentation |
| 5:00 PM | Pre-shape dough |
| 5:30 PM | Clasp dough and place in banneton. Let rest in a warm place for the second rise. |
| 6:30 PM | Bake |
Timeline Option 2
If you want your bread fully cooled before dinnertime, this timeline may work a little better for you. Feed your starter before bed so it’s peaked by the morning.
This way, you can mix your dough first thing in the morning without waiting for your starter to be ready. This is the timeline I used for the bread seen in this video.
| 9:00 PM (the night before) | Feed your starter a 1:5:5 feeding ratio. |
| 8:00 AM | Mix all ingredients together, cover, and let rest in a warm place. |
| 8:30 AM | Stretch & fold |
| 9:00 AM | Stretch & fold |
| 9:30 AM | Stretch & fold |
| 10:00 AM | Stretch & fold |
| 10:00-12:00 PM | Let dough finish bulk fermentation |
| 12:00 PM | Pre-shape dough |
| 12:30 PM | Clasp dough and place in banneton. Let rest in a warm place for the second rise. |
| 1:30 PM | Bake |
Ingredients in Same-Day Sourdough Bread
- Unbleached bread flour: I use King Arthur’s unbleached bread flour (12.7% protein). Another good option for this is Sunrise Flour Mills bread flour (affiliate link); it’s a little higher quality and has a better flavor profile, which really shines through in a same-day loaf.
- Active starter: Make sure your sourdough starter is bubbly and ideally tripled in size before you start mixing your dough. It should smell yeasty and maybe even a little sweet – not acidic or like vinegar. (More tips on how to know when your starter is ready to bake with here.)
- Water: I just use tap water (we live in the country and have a well), but those with city water generally prefer spring water for their dough.
- Sea salt: Any kind of salt is fine. Just try to avoid salt with anti-caking ingredients inside.
Step-by-Step Instructions Same-Day Sourdough Bread
Step 1: Feed Your Starter
Feed your starter a 1:1:1 ratio first thing in the morning. If you feed it around 7:30 AM, it should be peaked and ready to mix into your dough within 4-6 hours. Mine was perfectly peaked at 1:00 PM.
Note: if you want to bake your bread a little earlier in the evening, feed your starter a 1:5:5 feeding ratio before bed. That way, you can mix your dough first thing in the morning.
Step 2: Mix the Dough
Start by mixing the sourdough starter and warm water. Then, add your bread flour and salt. Mix well, switching from a utensil to your hands, until all the flour is absorbed.
Cover and place in a warm spot, ideally 78-82°F (25.5-27.7°C).
I’ve been loving the Brod & Taylor proofing box for its accuracy and easy setup. The Cooluli is also great, but it’s not quite as precise and requires a few check-ins to ensure the temperature stays stable.
If you don’t have any special warming devices, put the bowl of dough in your oven with the light on. If your light doesn’t provide much heat, set a cup of boiling water in there.
It should create a toasty environment that keeps your dough warm.
Step 3: Stretch and Folds
Over the next few hours, do a stretch and fold about every 30-45 minutes to help develop the gluten and give the dough its structure and strength.
Start by gently stretching one edge of the dough up until it resists, and fold it over to the center. Turn your bowl 90 degrees and repeat—stretching and folding until all four sides have been folded.
I generally stretch and fold the dough 8-10 times per “round,” or until the dough resists me and doesn’t want to be stretched anymore.
After the 2nd or 3rd round of stretch and folds, you can switch to coil folds if you like. This is a gentler technique where you lift the dough from underneath and allow it to fold over itself.
Step 4: Bulk Fermentation
If you can keep your dough around 78°F (25.5°C), the bulk fermentation should take about 4-5 hours.
If you’re keeping track, remember to start timing bulk fermentation as soon as you mix in the starter—not when you finish your stretch and folds.
Look for the dough to increase in size and become jiggly like jello. We want to see bubbles all over the sides of the bowl. I find the best visual tell is shaking the bowl.
If the dough literally looks like jello when you shake the bowl, it’s ready.
Step 5: Pre-shape the Dough
Lightly spray your counter with a bit of water (I find water works better than flour here to prevent sticking) and dump your dough out onto the surface.
Using your bench scraper, gently pre-shape the dough into a smooth ball by pulling it toward you so you get a bit of tension on top.
Let the dough rest, uncovered, for about 30 minutes. This will give the dough a little time to relax before the final shaping.
Watch me do the pre-shaping here:
Step 6: Final Shape
For the final shaping, I shaped my loaf into a batard using the caddy clasp method.
Simply clasp the sides of the dough together like you’re closing a book. Pinch the center seam together to seal it tightly.
I stitch the dough to increase surface tension. Then, place your dough in an oval banneton to rise for its final proof.
Step 7: Proof
Normally, at this point, you’d pop the dough into the fridge for an overnight cold proof, but since this is a same-day sourdough bread recipe, we’re doing a room-temperature second proof.
In a warm place, let the dough rest and rise in the banneton for 1-2 hours.
To check if it’s ready, do the poke test: gently press your finger into the dough. If it bounces back slowly and leaves a slight indentation, it’s time to bake!
Step 8: Bake – Score – Bake Again
Once your dough is fully proofed, preheat your oven to 450°F with your Dutch oven or bread dome inside to get it nice and hot.
Room-temperature dough is notoriously difficult to score (the blade drags and the loaf is more prone to spreading).
So, I tried something a little different by doing a delayed score, and it turned out great:
- Place the dough in the oven and bake for 7 minutes, covered, at 450°F.
- Take the loaf out, score the top, and put it back in the oven for another 20 minutes, covered.
- Remove the lid and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes, until the exterior is golden brown.
Here’s a video showing the full scoring and baking process in one clip:
Step 9: Let Sit and Enjoy
If you have the time, let the loaf cool for at least an hour, ideally two.
When you take the loaf out of the oven, the interior is still steaming. If you cut too early, that steam escapes, and you may be left with a gummy texture.
Two other recipes you might like to try:
Same-Day Sourdough Bread Recipe
Equipment
- Oval banneton (5% off with code TSG5) | Size I'm Using: Oval – Spiral MD
- Dutch oven ($15 off with code REBEKAH15)
Ingredients
Make the Starter
- 100 g sourdough starter (active or discard)
- 100 g warm water
- 100 g bread flour (King Arthur, unbleached)
Main Dough
- 290 g warm water
- 250 g active starter
- 500 g bread flour (King Arthur, unbleached)
- 10 g sea salt
Instructions
Feed Your Starter
- First thing in the morning, combine 100 g sourdough starter, 100 g warm water, and 100 g bread flour in a jar. This is called a 1:1:1 feeding ratio. Your starter should be ready (bubbly and hopefully tripled in size) in 4-6 hours.
Mix the Dough
- When your starter has peaked, mix together 290 g warm water** and 250 g active starter. Then, add 500 g bread flour and 10 g sea salt. Stir with a Danish dough whisk or use your hands, squeezing and kneading until everything is well combined. This takes 3–5 minutes. Cover and let it rest for 30 minutes.**If you're in a drier, colder environment and your dough feels stiffer than mine after mixing, increase the water by 25-35g or until the texture matches what you see in my tutorial video.Note: To stay on track with the same-day timeline, we need to keep your dough warm; ideally, around 78°F (25.5°C). I use the Brod & Taylor proofing box, but you can use a warming mat, put the bowl in your oven with the light on, or even put a cup of boiling water in the oven (in a corner) to create a warm, steamy environment.
Stretch and Fold
- After 30 minutes, do your first set of stretch and folds. Grab one side of the dough, stretch it up, and fold it over. Turn the bowl a quarter turn and repeat 8-10 more times, or until the dough resists being stretched.Cover and let the dough rest for 30 minutes. Repeat this 3 more times, resting 30 minutes between each set.
Bulk Fermentation
- After the last stretch and fold, let the dough ferment in a warm place until it looks very bubbly and jiggles like Jello when you shake the bowl. If you can keep the dough around 78°F (25.5°C), this should take 4-5 hours. (The timing begins when you first mix the dough.)
Pre-Shape the Dough
- Lightly mist your counter with water (so the dough doesn’t stick). Gently turn the dough out of the bowl. Using a bench scraper (or your hands), shape it into a round ball and let it rest for 30 minutes.
Final Shaping & Proofing
- Shape the dough into a batard (log shape) using the caddy clasp method. Place it in a banneton (or other proofing basket). Stitch the seams closed to create surface tension. Cover and let it proof in a warm place. This takes about 1-2 hours at 78°F (25.5°C).
- To know when the dough is ready to bake, do the poke test. Gently press a floured finger into the dough about half an inch. If the dough bounces back slowly and leaves a slight indentation, it’s ready!
Bake the Bread
- Preheat your oven to 450°F (230°C). Put a Dutch oven or bread dome inside while it heats up. Place your dough inside, cover it, and bake for 7 minutes. Take it out, score the top, then cover again and bake for 20 more minutes. Remove the lid and bake for another 10 minutes, until golden brown. The internal temperature of your bread should be between 205-210°F (96-99°C).
- Let the bread cool for at least 1 hour before slicing (if you can wait!).
Video
Conclusion
Fresh, homemade sourdough in just one day—simple, satisfying, and perfect for when your cravings can’t wait.
If you try this recipe, let me know how it went in the comments below. I also LOVE when you tag me in your Stories on Instagram. It makes my day!
Happy baking, friends!
Another fun recipe to try: Easy, Soft Sourdough Sandwich Bread Recipe (1 Day)
Love your content soooo much!!! I made this recipe today (haven’t cut into it yet) and I used the Dutch oven as in the recipe. I had stopped using my Dutch oven for a while due to my bottoms becoming too done (I have a thick soup type one) and though I’m suuuper happy with how my loaf turned out, it is indeed a bit overdone on the bottom, do you have a suggestion on how to avoid this? Thank you so much!!!!
I actually just made a Facebook post about burnt bottoms with a bunch of suggestions! You can check it out here: https://www.facebook.com/thatsourdoughgal/posts/pfbid02NC3B8XwUhhTvQ6ehXA2QDttGCgGpTwySHGrz8mPgofunqnNRxD7z2J3LgBthLRAl
Can I make this in a loaf pan?
Yes
I have nade this recipe twice now and it is ny new favourite! Thank you so much!
Aw yay so glad to hear it!!
I did this in my Ooni. It was my first time using it. It wouldnt come together. Is it this recipe or did I do something wrong? Can you make a video of how you use Ooni for a load start to finish?
Wouldn’t come together? I haven’t experienced that so I’m not sure how to advise.
I think it was using warm water so I am going to try again. I would LOVE if you did one of your recipes or made a video of how you use the Ooni like specifics on what power/percentage and what to look for and how long? Most recipes say “low speed” “medium speed” but I have no idea what that means especially in an Ooni with percentages. I know they have one article on the website but you are so detailed and helpful so this would be an amazing video or article in the future if possible. Thank you so much for all you teach us!
For the Ooni, low speed to me is like 25%. Medium is 50%. But yes I have on my to-do list to make some tutorials using the mixer. You aren’t the only one asking!
This has been a favorite of those that like breads with sourdough culture , but not the sourness of the overnight cold fermented dough . Freezes beautifully and the flavor is superb.
Thanks for sharing!
HI there, going to try your same day bread recipe and I see if i feed starter the night before, it;s a 1:5:5 feed which is alot of flour but if I feed the morning of, its 1:1:1. I’m confused about the difference. I also notice you use alot of starter. To get 250 g of starter, and still have some leftover to feed, what do you recommend to grow more. Meaning, I probably have about 125 g in jar right now. What do I feed to get that starter up to more than 250 g?
Hey – for 1:5:5, the 1 is the starter, the 5 is the water, and the last 5 is the flour. We are basically mixing in a jar 1 part starter, 5 parts water, and 5 parts flour. That could be 1g, 5g, 5g or 5g, 25g, 25g, or even 50g, 250g, 250g. With ratios, you can scale up or down depending on how much you need. In the same token, a 1:1:1 ratio is equal parts starter, water, and flour. So we might have 5g, 5g, 5g. Or 25g, 25g, 25g. Or 250g, 250g, 250g.
The more starter you have in your jar in relation to the water and flour, the faster it will peak. So unless you want to be feeding your starter 2-3 times per day, I would not choose a 1:1:1 feeding ratio for maintenance.
If you need 250g of starter exactly for a recipe, I’d make enough for 275g so you have 25g extra to feed for next time.
If you did a 1:5:5 feeding ratio, that’d be 25g starter, 125g water, and 125g flour. That’s ideal for mixing the night before and putting that dough together in the morning.
If you did a 1:1:1 feeding ratio, that’d be 92g starter, 92g water, and 92g flour. That’s ideal for mixing in the morning and putting your dough together mid-day (or whenever it peaks).
I hope that helps.
Feeling lil nervous to make this but I’m in love with your recipies 🤍🥹 All are amazing
Instagram – riyamxy05
You got this!!
Can I make this as a boule instead of a sandwich loaf?
I think you probably could.
I’m about to make this recipe. I never know what kind of sea salt to use. Fine or regular? Kosher sea salt? Thanks!
I like to use Redmond’s fine sea salt! Any kind of salt is fine. Just try to avoid salt with anti-caking ingredients inside.
Rebekah, Thank you for sharing this recipes, it game out perfect!
So glad to hear it!
I would be grateful if you could provide directions on how to make this Same Day Sourdough in a loaf pan. I saw That Sourdough Mom make it in the loaf pan in her stories at one time, so I know it can be done, but I am a newbie and would appreciate a step-by-step. Thank you!
Here you go: https://thatsourdoughgal.com/easy-loaf-pan-sourdough-bread-recipe/
The past few days with getting ready for the “Icemaggeddon” that we are getting in North Georgia I’ve been baking up a storm. I have made 3 loaves of this bread and each was as beautiful as the next. This recipe is SO easy and truly does come together in one day. Yesterday I had some really ripe starter in my refrigerator because it rose by the time I went to bed so I popped it in the fridge to bake in the morning. I mixed this up first thing and just now took it out to bake. It’s gorgeous. It rises beautifully and just makes an absolutely perfect loaf of bread. This is now my goto recipe.
Looks beautiful! Thanks for sharing!!
Love this and actually like the less sour taste!
My husband bought me a Brod & Taylor baking steel with rectangular dome for Christmas and I’m trying to like it…..but my loaves haven’t had a good ear since I started using them 🙁… Tried both same day and artisan sourdough with same results a few times.
On another note, I ordered the bread slicer and it’s GREAT.
This recipe has given me me sourdough confidence back! After so many duds (and three days of my life wasted each time) I have finally nailed it with this recipe!! I am in New Zealand, so I find that I need to leave the starter to double overnight rather than a few hours, but I am so so happy to be making this successfully. I use local stoneware to bake this in and it comes out with a perfectly even crust every time…so nice not having to saw through the base! Thank you so much!! I would love to know, have you ever tried this with Wholemeal flour? I’m assuming you’d just need to add a little more water? Also, could I put it in the fridge overnight at the banneton stage and bake it first thing in the morning? It’s so hard after the days effort to wait until the next day to eat it! Ha!
Love to hear it!! If you use whole wheat flour, or any whole grain, everything will be different. The fermentation will be much faster, the dough will need more water, and the dough will look and feel different. And yes you can always opt to do the cold retard and bake the next day!
I am new to the sourdough world and this was my 5th loaf using a 31 day old starter. This made my best loaf yet. Great rise, perfect crumb. And I loved being able to make it same day. Thank you so much for a new favorite recipe
Looks great!!
I made this today! From start to finish in 12 hours for me. It just came out of the oven so I can’t speak to the taste/crumb, etc. but your instructions were perfectly clear. My loaf looks stunning for my first one ever!! Thanks so much, we are drooling over here lol
Looks amazing!! Great job!!
I made this twice already and it turned out great both times. Thank you for developing a ‘fast track’ recipe. I have a clay bread baker that I use for the boule and it turns out great. No burned bottoms.
Looks amazing! Thanks for leaving a review!!
Okay, I’ve been making sourdough for a couple years but today I decided to change things up and use this recipe. I think this was the most beautiful loaf I’ve ever baked. Thank you!
Wow what a belly!!
Me encanta, desde chile! 🇨🇱Gracias por compartir….apenas haga uno te mostraré!!!
This was my first time making this. I’m a huge fan of your Foolproof loaf, but found myself in need of a one day recipe. It baked up beautifully and was delicious.
I also want to mention how much I appreciate your baker’s timelines. At a glance I can see how a recipe can fit into my day, and you even provide alternatives that make it even easier for us all to be successful.
Thank you Rebekah!
Yay so glad all of those notes are helpful!
The same day is the best recipe for me!
Looks great, so glad you are loving it!
We are still trying this recipe. No idea what is going wrong right now. Everything looks good until the final proof. After that 5 hours or so the dough just falls flat and can’t be formed. I didn’t even cook our last attempt because it was just like a ball of goo. When it rolled it out of the container to cook it, it just spread out like a pancake. My starter looks so amazing and smells good, but something we are doing isn’t right. Starter is about 2 weeks old now.
OK this is either a starter health issue (over-acidity can cause this) and/or overfermentation-related (overproofed dough gets overly acidic, which leads to this issue). A starter that’s only two weeks old (if you made it from scratch) may not be strong enough yet to do its thing, so I just wanted to point that out as something to consider. Also, never toss it!!!! The ball of goo is amazing focaccia. Next time, oil a 9×13 pan and dump that goo in it. You can dimple it, sprinkly flaky sea salt on top, let it rise a little more, and bake it at 475F for about 15 minutes. Overproofed dough can be salvaged!