Many sourdough bakers ask, “How long can sourdough dough stay in the fridge?” The good news is that it can chill (literally) for a few days. I’m sharing everything you need to know about keeping your sourdough dough in the fridge.

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One of the reasons that I love making sourdough over commercial yeast bread is that it offers flexibility.

Sure, from start to finish, it takes a day or so to make most sourdough bread. However, the process can be tailored to fit your schedule, needs, and preferences.

Between running errands, preschool dropoff and pickup, and working in our backyard garden, I’ve definitely (more than once) had a hard time squeezing in baking. I’ve had the dough ready to go, but I end up too tired or without enough time to bake.

Luckily, just about any sourdough dough can stay in the fridge for a long time. So I just pop it in the refrigerator and get to it when I have time for baking.

However, how long you keep your sourdough dough in the fridge will alter your bread’s flavor and overall quality. So, there are a few things to consider when stashing your dough in the refrigerator.

How Long Can Sourdough Dough Stay in the Fridge?

Let’s get right into the nitty gritty. Once shaped, sourdough dough can stay in the fridge (aka cold proof) for up to 3 days.

In some cases, especially with enriched doughs like sourdough buns or sourdough donuts, the amount of time it can stay in the fridge is longer because enriched doughs take longer to ferment.

After three days, I recommend checking on your dough. If it is losing its shape or seems soupy, it has over-fermented.

Bread dough in baking sheet and plastic and woman putting bag over dough in a baking stone. Text: "how long can sourdough stay in the fridge?"

Tips for Keeping Sourdough Dough in the Fridge

As your dough chills out in the fridge, it will develop more sour flavor. So if you don’t like a very sour sourdough, I wouldn’t recommend keeping it in the fridge more than 12-15 hours.

If you want to make sourdough less sour, you can skip or reduce the amount of time the dough hangs out in the fridge.

Also, after three days, the general structure of the dough will change. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing. However, the dough’s quality has a shelf life, so keep an eye on it and use it within three days or so.

This can be a little confusing because storing sourdough starter in the fridge or fr eezing sourdough starter is a way to preserve your starter for an extended period (up to a few months to a year). Starter is an ingredient that can be reactivated once its fermentation activity is depleted. So it is less consequential and has a longer shelf life.

If you don’t have one and you want to make your own sourdough starter, check out my sourdough starter tutorial and starter Q&A on YouTube!

Sourdough dough in a loaf pan and plastic bag in the fridge

What Is Cold Proofing?

Cold proofing, often called “the final rise” or “cold retard” is the process of letting your dough rest in the fridge for several hours or up to a few days.

There are a few reasons why bakers cold proof their sourdough. The main benefit is that cold temperatures slow down fermentation. As such, sticking your sourdough dough in the fridge reduces the metabolic activity so that your dough doesn’t overproof.

Additionally, through cold proofing, the yeast and bacteria pre-digest the wheat. This can make the grains more digestible for people who are gluten-sensitive or intolerant.

The longer it undergoes a cold final proof, the more digested the grains will be. So sourdough cold proofing is also a method used for some people to enjoy wheat-based recipes.

Starter pouring into flour mixture in glass bowl

Benefits of Keeping Sourdough Dough in the Fridge

Flexibility – Because cold proofing slows down the metabolic process, keeping your dough in the fridge is the best way to delay baking. Make the dough now, and enjoy fresh bread later!
Flavor – The longer sourdough cold proofs, the more sour it tastes. So for a more complex flavor, keep it in the fridge for a little bit longer. Or reduce the cold proof for less sour flavor.
Prevents overproofing – If you have to put baking on hold, keeping the dough cold will prevent it from overfermenting. However, it will overproof eventually, so try to bake it within a few days.
Better oven spring – The steam from baking cold dough creates a coveted oven spring or rise. This is most effective when baking in a cast iron Dutch oven.
Easier scoring – Cold dough is easier to score, which allows you to control the bread’s expansion and create beautiful, aesthetic bread.
Darker, crunchier crust – Baking cold dough creates a darker, crunchier crust, often the coveted “blister crust.”

What Types of Dough Can Stay in the Fridge?

Just about any type of sourdough dough can stay in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Bread dough – Any sourdough bread dough can cold proof in the fridge. So if you run out of time or you want to prep a few days ahead, just stick in the fridge. If you need more than 3 days, you can also freeze sourdough bread dough!
Pizza dough – Pizza dough is one of my favorite doughs to prep in advance. I’ll either stick a few dough balls in the fridge for a few days or freeze it.
Discard recipe dough – Most sourdough discard recipes don’t require cold proofing, but you can stick them in the fridge for added flavor or to encourage more pre-digestion of the grains. See the discard recipe section below for instructions.
Cookie dough – Many sourdough cookie recipes recommend cold proofing for a few days for added flavor.

Woman turning out dough from a bowl onto a counter

When Should You Cold Proof Sourdough Dough?

For most recipes, your dough can hibernate in the fridge after the bulk fermentation. Whether or not it needs to be shaped first depends on the recipe.

Shaped Dough

No-knead sourdough, for example, can go in the fridge once it is shaped and placed in a banneton basket or towel-lined bowl. Sourdough sandwich bread is easiest to cold proof once it is shaped and placed in a prepared loaf pan.

Rolled Dough

Dough that needs to be rolled out, like sourdough cinnamon rolls or donuts, doesn’t need to be shaped. And it’s easiest to roll the dough when cold. So rather than shaping it, just cover the bulk fermentation bowl and slide it in the fridge.

Dough That Doesn’t Need Pre-Shaping

Some doughs, like burger buns, don’t require pre-shaping. For these doughs, you can skip the shaping and cover the bowl with a lid or plastic. Then, stick it in the fridge.

Woman holding shaped dough in banneton basket

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the dough need to be covered?

Yes, before placing your dough in the refrigerator, cover it with plastic to prevent drying out. I usually use a plastic shopping bag. Plastic wrap will also work, but I often feel like it compresses my dough.

Are fermentation and proofing the same thing?

Yes and no. Both refer to resting and rising the dough. But how and when they are done are different.

The fermenting process refers to when the dough rests and rises in bulk. Proofing, on the other hand, occurs after shaping and placed into its final container, banneton basket, or baking dish.

Why is my refrigerated dough soupy?

If you open the fridge to find a bowl or banneton basket full of sloppy, soupy dough, your dough has over-fermented.

Though the yeast and bacteria’s metabolic processes slow down in the fridge, they don’t stop. So, after three days or so, your dough may be over-proofed.

Rebecca covering sourdough in banneton basket with a plastic bag to place in the fridge

Do I need a banneton basket to keep my dough in the fridge?

No, any shaping container will do the job. If you don’t have a banneton basket, you can use flour in a towel-lined bowl. Ideally, the container will have sides high enough to support the dough.

Will my dough double in size when in the fridge?

Probably not. However, there is a period when the dough is still cooling down. During that time, your dough may continue to rise. Usually, when I cold proof my dough, I don’t notice any change in size.

But once in a while, I have a batch that does continue to expand. In fact, once, while in the fridge, my dough expanded so much that it popped the lid off the container.

With that in mind, make sure you leave enough headspace for your dough to expand…just in case.

When should I take my dough out of the fridge for baking?

If you are baking no-knead sourdough bread, immediately remove the dough from the fridge before baking. Baking when the dough is cold is the best way to create oven spring and a crunchy crust.

If you have to roll the dough, take it out of the fridge just before rolling. It’s easier to roll dough when it is cold.

Some recipes suggest doubling the dough before baking. If that’s the case, remove it from the fridge a few hours before you need to bake.

Sourdough shaped in a loaf pan, inside of a plastic bag. Rebecca is tying the bag closed.

Can I proof dough at room temperature?

Yes, but because warmer temperatures increase the rate of fermentation, the dough will proof in a few hours. If you are in a hurry, that’s a good thing! But if you need to delay baking, storing your dough in the fridge is a better option.

Also, proofing your dough at room temperature will yield less sour flavor. Again, that’s not a bad thing. It just boils down to preference.

Do sourdough discard recipes need to cold proof?

Generally, most sourdough discard recipes, like sourdough Cinnamon Toast Crunch or peach cobbler, are no-wait recipes. In other words, they don’t require bulk fermentation or a cold retard.

However, if you are gluten-sensitive or intolerant, most discard recipes can undergo a cold fermentation to help pre-digest the grains. This can help some folks tolerate gluten better (check with your healthcare professional to see if this is appropriate for you).

To cold proof a discard recipe, I recommend following the recipe as is, excluding any added leaveners or salt. Once you are ready to bake, mix in salt and leaveners and proceed with the recipe instructions.

How To Store Sourdough Dough in the Fridge

Of course, sourdough recipes vary. So, for the best results, follow the recipe instructions through the bulk fermentation. Then, use these general instructions as a guide for cold proofing your sourdough dough.

For Shaped Dough

These instructions are for doughs that need to be shaped and placed in a banneton basket or baking pan for cold proofing.

Follow the recipe instructions for mixing and bulk fermenting the dough.

Once your dough is finished with the bulk fermentation process, turn it out onto a clean counter or work surface.

Shape according to the recipe instructions.

Place the dough in a banneton basket, towel-lined bowl, or baking pan (the container will depend on the type of bread. Check your recipe for the container recommendations).

Cover the dough with plastic wrap or a plastic bag.

Let the dough proof in the fridge for a few hours or up to 3 days.

Follow the recipe instructions for baking.

For Rolled Dough

This is for dough recipes that require rolling, such as cinnamon rolls or donuts.

Follow the recipe instructions through bulk fermenting the dough.

Cover the bowl with a lid, plastic wrap, or plastic bag.

Place the dough in the refrigerator for a few hours or up to 3 days.

Remove the dough from the fridge immediately before rolling. Follow the remainder of the recipe instructions.

Rebecca rolling sourdough dough on counter top

For Dough That Doesn’t Require Pre-Shaping

This is for dough recipes that don’t require pre-shaping, such as burger buns.

Follow the recipe instructions through bulk fermenting the dough.

Cover the bowl with a lid, plastic wrap, or plastic bag.

Place the dough in the refrigerator for a few hours or up to 3 days.

Remove the dough from the fridge and shape.

Allow to rest for a second rise until doubled in size.

Follow the remainder of the recipe instructions.

Learn More Sourdough Recipes and Skills

If you tried refrigerating your sourdough dough, let us know how it went. Leave a comment or review below!

How To Cold Proof Sourdough Dough (Printable Instructions)

Yield: 1 recipe

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Active Time: 3 days

Total Time: 3 days 5 minutes

Difficulty: Beginner

Many sourdough bakers ask, "How long can sourdough dough stay in the fridge?" The good news is that it can chill (literally) for a few days. I'm sharing everything you need to know about keeping your sourdough dough in the fridge.

Materials

Bulk-fermented sourdough dough
Bowl or banneton basket
Lid, plastic wrap, or plastic bag

Instructions

For Shaped Dough

These instructions are for doughs that need to be shaped and placed in a banneton basket or baking pan for cold proofing.

Follow the recipe instructions for mixing and bulk fermenting the dough.
Once your dough is finished with the bulk fermentation process, turn it out onto a clean counter or work surface.
Shape according to the recipe instructions.
Place the dough in a banneton basket, towel-lined bowl, or baking pan (the container will depend on the type of bread. Check your recipe for the container recommendations).
Cover the dough with plastic wrap or a plastic bag.
Let the dough proof in the fridge for a few hours or up to 3 days.
Follow the recipe instructions for baking.

For Rolled Dough

This is for dough recipes that require rolling, such as cinnamon rolls or donuts.

Follow the recipe instructions through bulk fermenting the dough.
Cover the bowl with a lid, plastic wrap, or plastic bag.
Place the dough in the refrigerator for a few hours or up to 3 days.
Remove the dough from the fridge immediately before rolling. Follow the remainder of the recipe instructions.

For Dough That Doesn't Require Pre-Shaping

This is for dough recipes that don't require pre-shaping, such as burger buns.

Follow the recipe instructions through bulk fermenting the dough.
Cover the bowl with a lid, plastic wrap, or plastic bag.
Place the dough in the refrigerator for a few hours or up to 3 days.
Remove the dough from the fridge and shape.
Allow to rest for a second rise until doubled in size.
Follow the remainder of the recipe instructions.

Notes

Sourdough recipes vary. So, for the best results, follow the recipe instructions through the bulk fermentation. Then, use these general instructions as a guide for cold proofing your sourdough dough.