High Altitude Sourdough Bread

This simple, tasty sourdough bread recipe has been adjusted to accommodate higher altitude conditions, helping you bake consistent sourdough at elevation.

Course: Bread
Cuisine: American
Keywords: Sourdough Bread, Sourdough Recipes
Prep Time: 4 hours
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Fermentation Time: 12 hours
Servings: 1 Loaf
Calories: 1851 kcal

Equipment

  • Mixing Bowl

  • Digital Scales

  • Banneton

  • Dutch Oven

Ingredients

  • 500 g Bread Flour

  • 400 g Water (start with 350 g and adjust as needed)

  • 25 g Sourdough Starter (fed and bubbly; adjust as needed — see notes)

  • 10 g Salt (adjust to taste)

Instructions

Autolyse – Premixing the Dough

  1. In a large bowl, mix 350g water and sourdough starter until combined.

  2. Add flour and salt, and mix into a shaggy dough using a dough scraper.

  3. Cover and let rest 30–60 minutes to allow hydration (autolyse phase).

High Elevation Tip: If the dough is too dry, gradually add up to 50g additional water.

Forming the Dough

  1. After autolyse, stretch the dough from the outside in until it forms a smooth ball (20–25 stretches).

  2. Cover again and rest for 30 minutes.

Stretch & Fold – Gluten Development

  1. Perform 6 sets of stretch and folds (4 folds per set), spaced 15 minutes apart over 2 hours.

Bulk Fermentation

  1. Cover and allow the dough to double in size. Watch closely — fermentation will be faster at altitude.

Shaping the Dough

  1. Gently remove dough onto a non-floured surface (use a damp scraper if needed).

  2. Flip it upside-down, pull edges to center, flip again, and tighten into a ball.

  3. Place dough seam side up into a well-floured banneton (or lined bowl).

  4. Cover with plastic wrap or a bag to prevent drying.

Cold Fermentation

  1. Refrigerate for 5–12 hours (shorter is better at high altitude to avoid overproofing).

Baking Preparation

  1. Preheat oven to 260°C / 500°F with Dutch oven inside for at least 1 hour.

  2. Remove dough from fridge at the last minute for maximum oven spring.

Bake Time

  1. Turn dough onto parchment paper and score with a razor or knife.

  2. Transfer into Dutch oven. Cover and bake:

  • 30 minutes with lid on at 260°C / 500°F

  • 10–15 minutes with lid off at 240°C / 464°F

  1. Bake longer if needed—altitude may require up to 15 extra minutes.

Cooling

  1. Remove loaf from Dutch oven immediately and cool on a wire rack.

Notes

  • Flour: Recipe uses strong bread flour for higher protein content. Results may vary with all-purpose flour.

  • Starter: Use an active starter. Reduced to 25g for altitude; you can increase to 50g if needed.

  • Stretch & Folds: Use damp hands or mist surface with water (not flour). Dough will become less sticky over time.

  • Hydration: Dough hydration may need adjustment depending on your exact altitude and climate.