Can You Make Sourdough in a Bread Machine?

This is one of the most common questions I get, and I understand why. Bread machines are convenient. You dump in ingredients, press a button, and a few hours later you have a loaf of bread. The short answer is yes, with some caveats. The longer answer requires understanding what a bread machine does well and where it falls short when it comes to sourdough specifically.

What a Bread Machine Does Well

Mixing and kneading. Most bread machines do a solid job of mixing and kneading dough. The paddle works the dough in a consistent, rhythmic way that develops gluten effectively. For sourdough, which benefits from thorough gluten development, this is actually a plus, especially if you find hand-kneading tedious or have joint issues that make it painful.

Temperature control during proofing. Bread machines maintain a consistent, warm temperature during the rise cycle. This is helpful for sourdough because a stable, warm environment (around 78 to 82°F) keeps fermentation predictable.

Baking. The baking cycle produces a loaf with a fully baked interior and a crust. It is not going to give you the same crust as a Dutch oven, but the bread will be baked through and perfectly edible.

Where It Falls Short

Timing. This is the biggest issue. Bread machines are designed around commercial yeast, which is fast and predictable. The rise cycle on most machines is 60 to 90 minutes, plenty for commercial yeast, but often not enough for a sourdough starter. Sourdough needs 4 to 6 hours (sometimes longer) for bulk fermentation.

Crust quality. If you bake in the machine, you are going to get a soft, pale crust on the sides and bottom where the dough touches the pan, and a moderately browned top. You will not get the crackling, caramelized crust that makes sourdough bread special.

Shape. Bread machines make one shape: the shape of the pan. That is typically a tall, rectangular or square loaf with a hole in the bottom from the kneading paddle.

Scoring. You cannot score bread in a bread machine. The machine starts baking automatically, and there is no opportunity to slash the top of the dough before it goes into the heat.

Two Approaches That Work

Approach 1: Dough Cycle Only (Recommended)

Use the bread machine for mixing and initial kneading, then do everything else by hand. Start the dough cycle and let it mix and knead for 15 to 20 minutes. When the kneading is done, turn off the machine and remove the dough. From here, do your bulk fermentation, shaping, and baking the traditional way.

This approach gives you the best of both worlds. The machine handles the tedious mixing, and you handle the parts that actually matter for quality, fermentation timing, shaping, and baking in a proper oven with steam.

Approach 2: Full Machine Bake (With Workarounds)

If you want to bake entirely in the machine, here is how to make it work:

• Add a small amount of commercial yeast (about 1g, or a quarter teaspoon) along with your sourdough starter. The yeast provides the fast rise the machine expects, while the starter contributes flavor.
• Use a recipe designed for bread machines. Standard sourdough recipes will not work, the hydration, flour amounts, and timing are all wrong for the machine format.
• Use the longest cycle available. Some machines have a whole wheat or French bread cycle that runs longer. Use these to give the sourdough more time to ferment.

A Bread Machine Sourdough Recipe

This recipe is designed for the dough cycle approach:

• 350g bread flour
• 200g water (room temp)
• 80g active sourdough starter
• 8g salt
• 10g olive oil

Add water, starter, and oil to the bread machine pan first, then flour, then salt on top of the flour. Run the dough cycle. When kneading is complete, remove the dough and proceed with standard sourdough bulk fermentation (4 to 5 hours at room temperature), shaping, cold retard if desired, and baking in your oven at 450°F (230°C) in a Dutch oven.

For the full hands-on approach, check out my First Sourdough Loaf recipe. And if you are debating equipment purchases, read my guide to Best Dutch Ovens for Sourdough.