The Fluffiest Sourdough Bread with a Hint of Whole Wheat!

Course: Appetizer, Breakfast, dinner, lunch, Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine: American

Keyword: 10% whole wheat, easy sourdough recipe, fluffy sourdough bread, how to bake fluffy sourdough, simple beginner sourdough recipe, whole wheat sourdough

Total Time: 1

Servings: Loaf

A simple sourdough loaf made with 10% whole wheat flour for extra rise, better texture, and a soft, airy crumb. Perfect for beautiful oven spring and clean scoring—this is my go-to recipe when I want to impress.

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Equipment

Ingredients

100 g active sourdough starter
375 g warm filtered water
450 g unbleached bread flour I like King Arthur (blue bag)
50 g whole wheat flour
10 g sea salt

For Decorative Scoring (optional)

1/2 tbsp Thai Rice Flour

Instructions

Mix the Dough: In a large bowl, stir together 100g active sourdough starter and 375g warm filtered water until the starter dissolves and the mixture looks milky. Add 450g unbleached bread flour, 50g whole wheat flour, and 10g sea salt.
Mix until no dry spots remain and you have a shaggy dough. Cover and let rest for 1 hour.
Stretch & Fold: After resting, complete 4 rounds of stretch and folds, 30 minutes apart: With wet hands, stretch one side of the dough up and fold it over itself. Rotate the bowl and repeat on all four sides. Cover and let rest between each round.
Bulk Fermentation: Let the dough rise, covered, until it’s about doubled, bubbly, and jiggly. This may take anywhere from 5 to 16 hours depending on dough temperature:
80°F (27°C) → 5–6 hours
75°F (24°C) → 7-8 hours
70°F (21°C) → 11–12 hours
65°F (18°C) → 15–16 hours
Don’t let it go too long—overproofed dough can become sticky and hard to shape.
Shape the Dough: Turn the dough onto a clean surface. With wet hands and a wet bench scraper, gently shape into a round or oval loaf depending on your proofing basket. Place it seam-side up in a floured banneton or towel-lined bowl.
Final Proof: You have two options:
Cold proof (recommended): Cover and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours (14–18 hours is ideal).
Room temp: Let sit at room temp for about 2 hours until puffy and ready to bake.
Bake: Preheat your oven to 450°F (232°C) with a Dutch oven inside for 30 minutes.
Remove the dough from the fridge and flip it onto parchment paper.
Score the top with a sharp knife or bread lame.
Carefully place the dough into the hot Dutch oven.
Bake 30 minutes covered, then 15 minutes uncovered, until the crust is deep golden.
Let cool on a wire rack for 1–2 hours before