Freshly baked sourdough loaf on a wooden table

Can I bake sourdough on a cookie sheet?

by

Introduction

Baking sourdough on a cookie sheet is a simple and effective method, especially if you don’t have a Dutch oven. While many recipes recommend specialized equipment for the perfect loaf, you can still achieve a crispy crust and chewy crumb with a standard cookie sheet. With the right techniques and a few adjustments, you can enjoy homemade sourdough that rivals professional results. In this guide, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know about baking sourdough on a cookie sheet, from preparation to troubleshooting.

Basics of Sourdough Baking

What is a Sourdough Starter?

At the heart of every sourdough loaf is a sourdough starter. This is a living mixture of flour and water that ferments naturally, developing wild yeast and beneficial bacteria. Unlike commercial yeast, a starter helps the dough rise while imparting the distinctive tangy flavor that sourdough is known for.

To keep your starter healthy and active, you need to feed it regularly with equal parts flour and water. A well-maintained starter will produce bubbles and smell pleasantly tangy, like yogurt or mild vinegar.

Key Points to Remember:

  • Hydration Level: Most starters are kept at 100% hydration (equal weight of flour and water).
  • Feeding Frequency: Feed your starter daily if kept at room temperature or weekly if stored in the fridge.
  • Signs of Activity: Look for bubbles, a tangy smell, and a doubling in size within 4-6 hours of feeding.

Essential Tools for Baking Sourdough

Even if you’re using a cookie sheet, having the right tools will make the process smoother and improve your results. Here are some essentials:

  1. Mixing Bowl: For mixing and proofing your dough.
  2. Bench Scraper: Helps with shaping and handling sticky dough.
  3. Parchment Paper: Prevents the dough from sticking to your cookie sheet.
  4. Lame or Sharp Knife: For scoring the dough to control how it expands during baking.
  5. Measuring Scale: Ensures precise measurements for consistent results.
  6. Cookie Sheet: A sturdy, rimmed sheet for baking your loaf.

While these tools are helpful, you don’t need expensive equipment to bake great sourdough. With a little creativity and patience, a cookie sheet can deliver an impressive loaf!

Most sourdough recipes call for a Dutch oven because it creates a steamy environment that helps the bread develop a crispy crust. The Dutch oven traps moisture released by the dough during baking, mimicking the professional steam-injection ovens used in bakeries.

When baking on a cookie sheet, you don’t have this built-in steam trap. However, you can still achieve excellent results by manually introducing steam and adjusting your technique slightly. This guide will show you how to bake sourdough on a cookie sheet while overcoming the challenges of steam loss and heat retention.

Many home bakers wonder whether they can bake sourdough without a Dutch oven. While a Dutch oven provides a controlled environment that helps achieve a crispy crust, a cookie sheet can work just as well with the right approach. Let’s break down the advantages, challenges, and strategies for successfully using a cookie sheet.

  1. Accessibility: Almost everyone has a cookie sheet in their kitchen, making it an easy option for those new to sourdough baking.
  2. Flexibility: You can bake multiple loaves or different shapes (like baguettes) at once, which isn’t always possible with a Dutch oven.
  3. Less Heat Retention: Unlike heavy cast-iron Dutch ovens, cookie sheets heat up and cool down quickly, making them easier to handle.
  4. Ease of Use: No need to worry about preheating a heavy pot or dealing with high-temperature lids.

Challenges and Limitations

While cookie sheets are convenient, they come with a few challenges that need to be addressed:

  1. Lack of Steam: A Dutch oven traps steam, which is essential for creating that signature sourdough crust. On a cookie sheet, you’ll need to manually add steam to the oven.
  2. Heat Retention: Dutch ovens maintain a consistent, high temperature. Cookie sheets don’t provide the same heat retention, which can affect oven spring.
  3. Crust Development: Without the controlled steam environment of a Dutch oven, achieving a crispy, golden crust can be more challenging.

How to Overcome These Challenges

Here are some simple methods to compensate for the lack of steam and heat retention when using a cookie sheet:

  1. Create Steam Manually:
    • Place a heat-safe pan (like a metal or cast-iron skillet) on the bottom rack of your oven during preheating.
    • When you place your dough in the oven, pour about 1 cup of boiling water into the pan. This creates steam, which helps the dough expand and form a crisp crust.
    • Pro Tip: You can also mist the inside of your oven with a spray bottle filled with water just before closing the door.
  2. Use a Baking Stone or Steel:
    • Placing your cookie sheet on a preheated baking stone or steel can provide better heat retention and more even baking.
    • Preheat the stone or steel for at least 30 minutes to ensure it’s thoroughly hot.
  3. Double Up Your Cookie Sheets:
    • To prevent the bottom of the bread from burning, stack two cookie sheets together. This creates a layer of insulation and helps distribute heat more evenly.
  4. Cover with an Inverted Pan or Bowl:
    • For the first 20 minutes of baking, cover your dough with a large, oven-safe mixing bowl or aluminum roasting pan. This traps steam around the bread, similar to a Dutch oven.

Preparing Your Dough for Baking

Shaped sourdough dough on parchment paper

Shaping the Dough

Shaping is an essential step in sourdough baking because it helps the dough maintain its structure and rise properly during baking. Here’s a step-by-step guide to shaping your dough:

  1. Turn Out the Dough:
    • After the final proofing, gently turn the dough out onto a floured surface. Be careful not to deflate it.
  2. Pre-Shape:
    • Use a bench scraper to gently shape the dough into a rough ball or oval. Let it rest for 15-20 minutes.
  3. Final Shape:
    • For a round loaf (boule), pull the edges of the dough towards the center, creating surface tension.
    • For an oval loaf (batard), fold the sides inward and roll the dough tightly.
  4. Transfer to Parchment Paper:
    • Place the shaped dough onto a piece of parchment paper to make transferring it to the cookie sheet easier.

Proofing Techniques

Proofing (final rise) is crucial for developing flavor and ensuring your bread rises properly in the oven. Here are some tips for successful proofing:

  1. Room Temperature Proofing:
    • Allow the dough to proof at room temperature (70-75°F or 21-24°C) for 1-2 hours, depending on the recipe.
  2. Check for Readiness:
    • Perform the poke test: Gently press your finger into the dough. If it springs back slowly and leaves a slight indentation, the dough is ready to bake.
  3. Cold Proofing:
    • For enhanced flavor, you can proof the dough in the refrigerator overnight (8-12 hours). Cold proofing also makes the dough easier to score before baking.
Sourdough being placed into an oven on a cookie sheet

Now that your sourdough is shaped and proofed, it’s time to bake! While baking on a cookie sheet differs from using a Dutch oven, following these steps will ensure you achieve a loaf with a beautifully golden crust and excellent rise. Here’s a detailed guide to walk you through the process.

Preheat Your Oven

  1. Temperature: Preheat your oven to 450°F to 475°F (230°C to 245°C). This high temperature is essential for good oven spring (rise) and crust formation.
  2. Add a Steam Tray: To introduce steam into your oven, place a heat-safe pan (such as a metal baking dish) on the bottom rack while preheating.
  3. Preheat Time: Allow the oven to preheat for at least 30 minutes to ensure it reaches the desired temperature.

Prepare Your Dough for Baking

  1. Transfer to Parchment Paper: If your dough isn’t already on parchment paper, carefully transfer it. This will make it easier to move the dough onto the cookie sheet.
  2. Score the Dough:
    • Use a sharp knife or a lame (a razor blade on a handle) to make 1-3 cuts on the surface of the dough.
    • Scoring helps control how the bread expands in the oven and prevents it from bursting unevenly.
    • Pro Tip: Hold the blade at a 30-degree angle and make confident, swift cuts about ¼ inch (0.5 cm) deep.

Create Steam for a Crispy Crust

Since a cookie sheet does not trap steam like a Dutch oven, you need to manually create steam in the oven. Steam helps the bread expand properly and contributes to a crisp, golden crust.

  1. Add Boiling Water: Right before you put the dough in the oven, carefully pour about 1 cup of boiling water into the heat-safe pan on the bottom rack.
  2. Mist the Oven: For additional steam, quickly mist the sides of the oven with a spray bottle filled with water before closing the door.
  3. Close the Door Quickly: To trap as much steam as possible, close the oven door immediately after adding the water and misting.

Bake the Dough

  1. Place the Cookie Sheet in the Oven:
    • Slide the parchment paper with the dough onto the cookie sheet.
    • Place the cookie sheet on the middle rack of the oven.
  2. Initial Bake with Steam:
    • Bake for the first 20 minutes with steam in the oven. Do not open the door during this time, as you want to keep the steam inside.
  3. Remove Steam Source:
    • After 20 minutes, carefully remove the pan with water using oven mitts.
    • This allows the crust to finish baking and become crispy.
  4. Bake for 15-20 More Minutes:
    • Continue baking for another 15-20 minutes until the loaf is golden brown.
    • The bread should sound hollow when tapped on the bottom, a sign that it’s fully baked.
  5. Optional Browning:
    • If you want a darker crust, you can leave the bread in the oven for an additional 5 minutes.

Cooling the Bread

  1. Transfer to a Wire Rack:
    • Carefully remove the bread from the cookie sheet and place it on a wire cooling rack.
  2. Let it Cool Completely:
    • Allow the bread to cool for at least 1 hour before slicing. This ensures the interior finishes setting and prevents a gummy texture.
  3. Why Cooling is Important:
    • The bread continues to bake internally as it cools. Cutting too early can lead to a squished or sticky crumb.

Many home bakers have questions about baking sourdough on a cookie sheet. Here are answers to some of the most common concerns to help you achieve the best possible results with your homemade sourdough.

Can You Achieve a Good Rise Without a Dutch Oven?

Yes! While a Dutch oven helps trap steam for optimal oven spring, you can still get a good rise when using a cookie sheet. The key is to create steam manually by:

  1. Placing a heat-safe pan filled with boiling water on the bottom rack of your oven.
  2. Misting the inside of the oven with water before baking.
  3. Preheating the oven thoroughly to ensure high heat from the start.

These techniques keep the crust soft during the initial phase of baking, allowing the dough to expand properly.

How Do I Get More Steam into My Oven?

Creating steam is essential for developing a crispy crust. Here are some effective ways to add steam when using a cookie sheet:

  1. Water Pan Method:
    • Place a metal or cast-iron pan on the bottom rack of your oven.
    • Just before placing the dough in the oven, pour 1 cup of boiling water into the pan and close the door quickly.
  2. Spray Bottle Method:
    • Use a spray bottle filled with water to mist the inside of the oven walls immediately after putting in the bread.
  3. Towel Method:
    • Soak a rolled-up towel in boiling water and place it in a heat-safe dish on the bottom rack. The towel will release steam as it heats up.

Tip: Avoid opening the oven door frequently during the first 20 minutes to keep the steam trapped.

Absolutely! A cookie sheet is versatile and can be used for baking various types of bread, including:

  1. Baguettes: Long, thin loaves bake well on a cookie sheet due to their shape.
  2. Focaccia: This flatbread bakes evenly on a sheet and benefits from the crisp bottom.
  3. Ciabatta: The high-hydration dough can be baked on a cookie sheet with great results.
  4. Dinner Rolls: Bake multiple rolls on a single sheet for convenience.

The key is adjusting the baking time and temperature based on the type of bread.

How Long Should I Cool My Sourdough Before Slicing?

It’s crucial to let your sourdough bread cool properly to avoid a gummy interior. Here’s why and how long to wait:

  1. Cooling Time: Let the bread cool for at least 1 hour on a wire rack. For larger loaves, 2 hours may be ideal.
  2. Why It Matters:
    • The bread continues to cook internally as it cools. Cutting too soon releases steam prematurely and results in a sticky, dense crumb.
    • Cooling allows the crumb structure to set fully, improving texture and flavor.

Patience is key, and the reward is a perfectly textured loaf!

Can I Bake Sourdough Without Preheating the Oven?

Preheating the oven is essential for baking sourdough successfully. Here’s why:

  1. Oven Spring: The initial blast of high heat helps the dough rise quickly in the oven, leading to a light, airy crumb.
  2. Crust Formation: A hot oven ensures the crust develops properly and becomes crispy.
  3. Even Baking: Preheating ensures the entire oven is at the correct temperature, preventing uneven baking.

For the best results, preheat your oven for at least 30 minutes to ensure it’s fully heated.

Conclusion

Baking sourdough on a cookie sheet may seem unconventional, especially when many recipes emphasize the benefits of using a Dutch oven. However, with the right techniques, tools, and a bit of patience, you can achieve a beautifully risen loaf with a crispy crust and a deliciously chewy crumb — all without specialized equipment.

By understanding how to create steam manually, managing oven temperatures effectively, and making simple adjustments like doubling up your cookie sheets or using a baking stone, you can bake impressive sourdough bread at home. Whether you’re new to sourdough or an experienced baker looking for alternative methods, this guide proves that a lack of fancy equipment doesn’t have to limit your baking success.

Embrace the simplicity and versatility of a cookie sheet, and don’t be afraid to experiment with different shapes, flavors, and techniques. Sourdough baking is as much about the process as it is about the final product. Enjoy the journey, and happy baking!