Sourdough For Working Moms

Name: Sourdough for Working Moms
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 45 min
Ingredients: 420 g all-purpose flour; 290 g warm water (~85°F / 29°C); 160 g sourdough starter (active and bubbly); 8 g salt

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Author:

Tina Bevk

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If you’re balancing work, kids, and life but still want to bake fresh sourdough, this Fast Sourdough Bread Recipe is for you! No need to monitor the dough all day—just mix everything in the evening, let it ferment overnight in the fridge, and bake whenever it fits your schedule the next day.

Sourdough bread on a black cooling rack.

No dutch oven? No problem. You can easily bake this bread using the two pan method.

Just follow the instructions of this recipe up until the shaping, then place it into a parchment paper-lined loaf pan and begin following instructions for the two pan method

A hand holding a slice of sourdough bread with more slices in the background.

Ingredients

all-purpose flour – A great balance between structure and chewiness.
warm water (85°F / 29°C) – Helps fermentation move quickly.
salt – Enhances flavor and strengthens gluten.
active sourdough starter – Make sure it’s active and bubbly for best results.

See recipe card for quantities.

How to Make This Bread

Two hands mixing bread dough in a glass bowl.

Mix Everything: In a large bowl, combine flour, warm water, salt, and 160g sourdough starter. Mix until everything is fully incorporated and no dry flour remains. Cover and let it rest for 30 minutes.

Bulk Fermentation: Keep the dough in a warm place if possible (75–80°F / 24–27°C). Perform 3 sets of stretch & folds at 30-minute intervals. By 10:00 PM, the dough should be 50% bigger, slightly jiggly, and showing bubbles.

Two hands shaping bread dough on a wooden table.

Shape the Dough: Lightly flour a surface and shape the dough into a boule or batard. Place in a proofing basket (or a bowl with a towel) dusted with flour.

Bread dough in a tea towel lined banneton basket.

Cold Proof Overnight: Cover and place in the fridge overnight. The dough can stay refrigerated until the afternoon, giving you the flexibility to bake it anytime the next day.

A woman scoring a cross on a sourdough dough.

Preheat & Score: Preheat oven to 240°C (464°F) with a Dutch oven inside. Place dough on parchment paper, score the top, and load it into the hot Dutch oven.

Bake: Bake covered at 240°C (464°F) for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake at 230°C (446°F) for 10–15 minutes until golden brown. Let it cool for at least 1 hour before slicing.

Hint: If you’re REALLY short on time, make sure to bulk ferment the dough somewhere warm. One option is also to turn on the oven briefly to make it warm and begin proofing the bread inside it.

Baking Schedule

Option 1: Standard After-Work Bake:

Morning (before work): Feed your sourdough starter so it’s ready when you get home.
6:00 PM: Mix the dough.
6:30 PM: Let it rest (autolyse).
7:00 PM: Stretch & Fold #1.
7:30 PM: Stretch & Fold #2.
8:00 PM: Stretch & Fold #3 (optional but recommended).
8:00 – 10:00/11:00 PM: Bulk fermentation.
10:00/11:00 PM: Shape and refrigerate overnight.
Next Evening (after work, ~5–6 PM): Preheat oven, bake, and cool before dinner.

Option 2: Weekend or Morning Bake

8:00 PM: Mix the dough and do stretch & folds (same as above).
10:00 PM: Shape and refrigerate overnight.
7:00 AM: Take out of the fridge while preheating the oven.
8:00 AM: Bake and let it cool. Ready by mid-morning!

Substitutions & Variations

Flour Options: Swap 100g all-purpose flour for whole wheat for a heartier loaf. You can also use all bread flour, which will make the loaf a bit less soft, but better structured.
For a stronger sourdough taste: Extend the cold proof up to 24 hours for a deeper flavor. More than that and it will affect the oven spring too much and you’ll end up with a flatter loaf.
Add in inclusions: Just your seeds of choice are the easiest option, but you can also do herbs, nuts, dried fruit,..

Speaking of inclusions, I have a separate detailed post about how to add them to your bread, where you’ll find more instructions about that!

💭Crucial Success Tips

Slicing the bread too soon can ruin the crumb structure. Be patient, it’s wort it! If you do end up baking your bread late in the evening, simply let it cool on the counter overnight and enjoy it the next day. The crust will prevent the loaf to dry out even if it’s left on the counter.

FAQ

Can I mix the dough earlier in the day instead of in the evening?

Yes! If you come from work earlier, just adjust the timeline. And if you mix in the morning, let it bulk ferment during the day, and refrigerate midday, then bake anytime the next day.

How do I know if my dough is done with bulk fermenting?

This is almost impossible to answer since it’s tied to so many factors. I do have a very helpful post (+ video) about when to end the bulk fermentation here.