Sourdough Bread in 10 Minutes (No Stretch and Folds)
The Easiest Same-Day Sourdough Bread for Busy Bakers
I came across this simple sourdough method on Ailine Liefeld’s page, and as someone with a constantly busy schedule, I knew I had to give it a try.
Like many of you, my days are packed with recipe testing, filming videos, editing content, writing blog posts, answering emails, and spending time with my family. As much as I love traditional sourdough baking, I don’t always have time to perform stretch and folds every 30 minutes.
That’s what immediately caught my attention about Ailine’s method. Everything is mixed at once, the dough is fully developed in the mixer, shaped immediately, and placed directly into the banneton to ferment. The hands-on time is only about 10 minutes, making this one of the easiest sourdough recipes I’ve ever made.
After testing it in my own kitchen, I made a few adjustments to better fit my baking style, including my preferred fermentation temperature, refrigeration, and baking schedule. The result is a loaf that is incredibly easy to fit into everyday life while still delivering a beautiful crust, excellent oven spring, and a soft, moist crumb.
If you mix the dough in the morning, it can be ready to bake roughly 7 hours later. Or, if life gets in the way—as it often does for me—you can refrigerate it overnight and bake fresh bread the following day.
A huge thank you to Ailine Liefeld for sharing this wonderfully simple idea and inspiring me to try a more relaxed approach to sourdough baking.
Why This Recipe Works
Unlike traditional sourdough recipes that rely on several rounds of stretch and folds, this dough develops its gluten almost entirely during mixing. A stand mixer creates enough strength to support fermentation, allowing the dough to hold its shape without additional handling.
The combination of bread flour, whole wheat, and rye flour creates a loaf with rich flavor, a tender crumb, and excellent moisture retention. Rye and whole wheat also help produce a wonderfully soft interior that’s perfect for a same-day bake.
Ingredients
- 300 g bread flour
- 70 g whole wheat flour
- 70 g whole rye flour
- 360 g water
- 130 g active sourdough starter
- 8 g baking salt
Hydration: approximately 81%
Instructions
Mix the Dough
Combine all of the ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer.
Mix until the dough becomes smooth, elastic, and reaches full gluten development. It should easily pass the windowpane test. Depending on your mixer, this usually takes about 6–10 minutes.
Why I Use the Halo Pro Spiral Mixer Instead of a Traditional Stand Mixer
After testing this recipe in both a traditional stand mixer and the Halo Pro Spiral Mixer, I can confidently say I won’t be going back to a home stand mixer for bread dough.
The biggest difference is how each mixer develops gluten. Traditional planetary mixers, such as a KitchenAid, tend to work the dough more aggressively. As mixing continues, the friction generated by the hook causes the dough temperature to rise quickly. Warmer dough can ferment faster than expected and may become more difficult to handle, especially in recipes that rely on strong gluten development.
A spiral mixer works differently. The dough rotates gently while the spiral hook stretches and folds it with every revolution, closely mimicking the motion of hand kneading used in professional bakeries. Because there is much less friction, the dough stays noticeably cooler throughout mixing, helping preserve the ideal dough temperature and giving you more control over fermentation.
For this particular recipe, full gluten development is essential because there are no stretch and folds later. The Halo Pro develops the gluten quickly and efficiently, creating a smooth, elastic dough that easily passes the windowpane test while maintaining a lower dough temperature.
If you already own a KitchenAid or another stand mixer, don’t worry—you can absolutely make this recipe successfully. You may simply need to mix a little longer while keeping an eye on the dough temperature. But after baking with the Halo Pro, I genuinely appreciate how effortlessly it develops strong gluten and how much easier it is to achieve consistent results.
For anyone who bakes bread regularly, a spiral mixer has been one of the biggest upgrades I’ve made in my home bakery.
Shape
Lightly shape the dough into a tight ball.
Generously dust your banneton with whole grain flour or fine corn flour to prevent sticking.
Place the dough seam-side up into the banneton. Gently stitch the seams to create surface tension.
Cover with a clean linen towel.
I prefer using linen towel rather than plastic because it allows gentle airflow while preventing the surface from becoming overly damp. Plastic traps moisture, which can make the dough stick to the banneton and release less cleanly before baking.
Warm Fermentation
Allow the dough to proof at 26°C (79°F).
During this warm fermentation, the dough should approximately double in size.
In my kitchen, this took about 5½ hours, although your timing may vary depending on the strength of your starter and the temperature of your home.
Rather than relying only on time, always check the dough. Gently press it with a floured finger. If the indentation remains visible or springs back very slowly, it is ready.
Cold Proof (Recommended)
Although this loaf can absolutely be baked the same day, I prefer placing it in the refrigerator after the warm proof.
A 2-hour chill firms up the dough, making scoring much easier and helping create a cleaner ear.
If your schedule is busy, you can also leave the loaf in the refrigerator overnight and bake it the next morning.
Bake
Preheat your oven with a baking steel or baking stone to 500°F (260°C)
Invert the dough onto parchment paper, score it, and transfer it to the hot baking surface. Cover with cold baking shell
Bake
- 15 minutes at 500°F (260°C) with baking shell on
- 20 minutes at 450°F (226°C) without baking shell
Allow the bread to cool completely before slicing.
Tips
- Use a mature, active sourdough starter that has reached its peak.
- Full gluten development during mixing is essential for this method.
- Dust the banneton with whole grain flour or corn flour for easy release.
- Cover the dough with linen instead of plastic whenever possible to reduce surface moisture.
- Don’t watch the clock—watch the dough. Fermentation times will vary depending on your starter and kitchen temperature.
- Refrigerating the dough for at least 2 hours before baking makes scoring much easier, but an overnight cold proof works beautifully as well.
Fresh sourdough doesn’t have to take over your day. This recipe proves that with a strong starter, proper mixing, and good fermentation, you can have an artisan-quality loaf with only a few minutes of hands-on work.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I bake this sourdough bread the same day?
Yes. After the warm fermentation at 26°C / 79°F, once the dough has doubled and passes the poke test, place it in the refrigerator for about 2 hours. This makes the dough easier to score, then you can bake it the same day.
Can I refrigerate the dough overnight?
Yes. After the warm fermentation, place the banneton in the refrigerator overnight. Bake the loaf directly from the fridge the next day.
Why is there no stretch and fold?
Because the dough is fully developed in the mixer. The mixer creates enough gluten strength, so the dough does not need extra folds during fermentation.
Why cover the dough with a cold baking shell?
The cold baking shell traps steam around the loaf during the first part of baking. This helps the crust stay flexible longer, improves oven spring, and helps create a beautiful ear.
How do I know the dough is ready?
The dough should approximately double during warm fermentation. You can also gently poke it with a floured finger. If the dent stays or springs back very slowly, it is ready.
Why use linen instead of plastic?
Linen allows gentle airflow and keeps the dough surface from getting too wet. Plastic traps moisture, which can make the dough stick to the banneton.
Can I mix this dough by hand?
Yes, but it will take more time and effort. For this method, the dough needs strong gluten development, so a mixer makes the process much easier.
Why dust the banneton with whole grain flour or corn flour?
Whole grain flour or corn flour helps prevent sticking much better than regular white flour, especially with higher hydration dough.
Sourdough Bread in 10 Minutes
Ingredients
- 300 g Bread flour
- 70 g Whole wheat flour
- 70 g Whole rye flour
- 360 g Water (Hydration: approximately 81%)
- 130 g Active sourdough starter (Mature and at its peak)
- 8 g Baking salt
- Whole grain flour or fine corn flour (For dusting the banneton)
Equipment
- Stand Mixer or Spiral Mixer (Like the Halo Pro Spiral Mixer, fitted with a dough hook)
- Proofing Basket (Banneton)
- Clean Linen Towel (Preferred over plastic to prevent sticking)
- Baking Steel or Baking Stone
- Cold Baking Shell
- Sharp Scoring Lame
Method
- Combine all of the ingredients (300g bread flour, 70g whole wheat flour, 70g whole rye flour, 360g water, 130g active starter, and 8g baking salt) in the bowl of a stand mixer until no dry flour remains.
- Cover and let the dough rest for 30 minutes. This hydration period allows gluten to begin developing naturally, making the dough smoother, stronger, and easier to knead.
- Mix the dough until it becomes smooth, elastic, and reaches full gluten development. It should easily pass the windowpane test. Depending on your mixer, this usually takes about 6–10 minutes. (Note: A spiral mixer keeps dough cooler, whereas traditional planetary mixers generate more friction heat—keep an eye on dough temperature if using a standard stand mixer).
- Lightly shape the mixed dough into a tight ball.
- Generously dust your banneton with whole grain flour or fine corn flour to prevent sticking.
- Place the dough seam-side up into the banneton. Gently stitch the seams together to create surface tension.
- Cover the basket with a clean linen towel. (Do not use plastic, as it traps moisture and can cause the dough to stick).
- Allow the dough to proof at a controlled temperature of 26°C (79°F).
- Let it ferment until it approximately doubles in size (this takes about 5½ hours in the author’s kitchen, but watch the dough rather than the clock). It is ready when a gentle poke with a floured finger leaves an indentation that remains visible or springs back very slowly.
- Place the banneton into the refrigerator for at least 2 hours to chill. This firms up the dough, making it much easier to score cleanly and form an ear. (Alternatively, you can leave it in the refrigerator overnight and bake the next morning).
- Preheat your oven with a baking steel or stone inside to 500°F (260°C).
- Invert the chilled dough onto parchment paper and score the top quickly with a sharp lame.
- Transfer the loaf onto the hot baking surface and immediately cover it with a cold baking shell to trap the steam.
- Bake for 15 minutes at 500°F (260°C) with the baking shell on.
- Carefully remove the baking shell, reduce the oven temperature to 450°F (226°C), and Bake for an additional 20 minutes uncovered.
- Transfer to a wire rack and allow the bread to cool completely before slicing.
Nutrition
Notes
- The Power of the Mixer: Because this recipe skips mid-fermentation stretch and folds entirely, achieving full gluten development and a successful windowpane test during the initial mix is non-negotiable.
- Linen vs. Plastic: Always cover your proofing basket with a linen towel instead of plastic wrapping. Linen allows gentle airflow and stops the dough surface from becoming overly damp, ensuring a clean release when inverted.
- Why the Cold Baking Shell Works: Covering the loaf with a cold baking shell mimics a professional steam injection oven. It traps the loaf’s natural moisture during the first 15 minutes, keeping the skin flexible so it can maximize its oven spring.
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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Thank you for this interesting recipe. I sometimes hand knead my bread, use a KitchenAid or knead it in my Zojurishi bread machine. Can this be kneaded in a Zo? I have never thought about how much heat is generated by friction during kneading and I would guess the bread machine creates less friction than the KitchenAid
Hi, thank you for all the recipes. I’m thinking of getting a halo pro. I’ve heard it does not do well with mixing a single loaf. How did you find it with this recipe, or did you make 2?
Thank you
Jane
Wondered if I could use King Arthur Golden Wheat Flour instead of just whole wheat. I prefer the flavor and texture. I have a small Globe Commercial Mixer, it does a fantastic job of bringing my loaves to a windowpane stage in about 5-6 minutes. The problem is that it is expensive, but it was given to me, so I can’t complain about the price.
Can I proof and bake it in a sandwich loaf tin?
And if I can, can I cold proof inside the tin and put straight into the oven or is it not advisable?
Hi! Can’t wait to try this, may I check what speed (on the Halo Pro) you mix at for 6-10min? I have a Halo Core and have been struggling to get my doughs to windowpane even after 10-15mins of mixing around speed 50%.
Thank you!