Baking Sourdough in a Loaf Pan: Step-by-Step Guide for Perfect Crust

I love a good sourdough artisan loaf made the traditional way or prepared in a stand mixer—shaped by hand, proofed in a bowl, turned out and baked in a dutch oven. But sometimes a dutch oven isn’t available, we want an easier-to-slice sandwich-style loaf, or we simply want to try something different. Enter: sourdough baked in a loaf pan.

How to Bake Sourdough Bread in a Loaf Pan

Start with your favorite sourdough recipe

Use a recipe you know and trust. Lower-hydration beginner loaves or higher-hydration artisan loaves both translate well to a loaf pan. Mix your dough and follow your usual series of gentle folds and bulk fermentation until the dough is ready to shape.

The loaves shown here come from the same base recipe; one was baked in a dutch oven and the other in a loaf pan to illustrate the difference in shape and crumb.

Shape the bread

When your dough is ready to shape, prepare a loaf pan. Lightly butter the corners or line with quality parchment to prevent sticking. Shape the dough as you would for an oval loaf so it nests nicely in the pan.

To shape: Lightly dust the dough with flour if desired. Using a bench scraper, lift the dough and flip it onto the countertop so the floured side is down. This keeps most of the flour on the exterior. Starting with the side nearest you, pull the dough toward you and fold it to the center. Repeat with the right and left sides, stretching gently and folding to the center. Fold the far side toward you and tuck it like a package, then roll the dough into an oval. Place the shaped dough seam-side down into the prepared pan.

Proofing options for sourdough in a loaf pan

Once the dough is in the pan you can either bake the same day or cold-ferment for deeper flavor.

Same-day bake: Let the dough rise in the loaf pan at room temperature until it puffs up and becomes jiggly. Timing depends on starter strength and ambient temperature, but expect a couple of hours in many cases.

Cold fermentation: Cover the pan and refrigerate overnight for a slower, more complex flavor. Bring the dough closer to room temperature before baking if desired.

Baking sourdough in a loaf pan

The key to a great loaf is encouraging steam during the first part of the bake so the crust can expand before it crisps. Home ovens vent steam, so you’ll need a few simple techniques to retain moisture early on.

1. Bake with a pan of hot water underneath the loaf

• Preheat the oven to 450°F. Place a shallow pan of hot water on the bottom rack to generate steam. Bake the loaf on the middle rack for about 25 minutes, then remove the water pan and continue baking 15–20 minutes until the top is deeply browned and crisp.

2. Use a second loaf pan as a lid to create a Dutch oven effect

• Set a second loaf pan upside down over the filled pan to trap steam, creating a mini dutch oven. Bake at 450°F with the “lid” on for 25–30 minutes, then remove the top pan and bake another 15–20 minutes to brown the crust. No water pan is needed for this method.

3. Let the dough rise until nearly doubled and bake at a moderate temperature

• If you prefer the dough to proof fully in the pan, allow it to rise until light, jiggly and nearly doubled. Bake at 400–425°F for 40–45 minutes. You can add a pan of water below for extra steam, but it’s optional with this method.

If you liked this, you’ll also like…

• How to Bake Sourdough Bread on the Grill
• How to Bake Sourdough Bread
• Sourdough Bread Recipe
• Beginner Sourdough Recipe

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