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This sourdough baguette recipe creates artisan-style bread that is crusty on the outside and chewy on the inside. Using a stand mixer and a few stretch and folds simplifies the process while creating beautiful, rustic bread. Enjoy as is or serve with Crock Pot lasagna, creamy gnocchi soup, or your other favorite dishes.
Overview: Sourdough Baguette Recipe
- Ready In: 15 hours (with optional overnight cold proof)
- Serves: 3 baguettes
- Calories: 476 kcal/baguette
- Main Ingredients: Bread flour, water, sourdough starter, salt
- Why You’ll Love It: These artisan sourdough baguettes are golden and crusty on the outside, with a light, chewy crumb. This recipe uses a hybrid approach, combining a stand mixer with a few quick stretch-and-folds to simplify the process. And they are made with just flour, water, and salt. That's it! You can enjoy them fresh from the oven, for French dip sandwiches, dipped in Crock Pot lasagna soup, and more!
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Like my classic no-knead sourdough, this sourdough baguette recipe creates naturally leavened bread and develops a delicious, tangy flavor through a long fermentation.
But this recipe uses a stand mixer and just a few quick stretch and folds, so you get artisan-style baguettes without spending all day tending the dough.
I often tear apart these baguettes and eat them as is, but they’re also delicious with butter or canned strawberry jam, made into garlic bread or sourdough toast, served with slow cooker lasagna, topped as bruschetta, or added to a charcuterie board.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Artisan: These sourdough baguettes are golden and crusty on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside. They rival any bakery baguette!
Overnight Option: You can make this sourdough baguette recipe in one day or split it up into two with an overnight cold ferment.
Versatile: Sourdough baguettes are delicious as is or for sourdough toast, garlic bread, bruschetta, slow-cooker French dips, and more.
Simple Ingredients: This recipe uses just flour, water, and salt. That’s it!
Key Ingredients
Sourdough Starter: You will need a mature sourdough starter. New to sourdough? Download my free sourdough starter eBook to learn how to make your own starter.
Flour: I used bread flour, but you can also use all-purpose.
Get the full list of ingredients and measurements on the printable recipe card below.
Variations
Fresh Herb: Mix chopped fresh rosemary, thyme, chives, or your favorite herbs into the dough. You can also use freeze-dried herbs.
Fresh-Milled Flour: Replace some or all of the bread flour with fresh-milled flour (I love half and half, similar to my half fresh-milled sourdough recipe). Be sure to adjust the hydration as needed.
Mini Baguettes: Divide the dough into smaller portions to make sandwich-sized baguettes or individual servings.
Toppings: Before baking, top your baguettes with sesame seeds, poppy seeds, Everything Bagel seasoning, or flaky sea salt.
How To Make Sourdough Baguettes
Step 1: In the bowl of a stand mixer, add all of the ingredients.
Step 2: Mix on medium-low speed for 2-4 minutes until the dough is combined but still has a rough surface.
The dough should not pass the windowpane test at this point.
The dough will be stickier than most sourdough recipes. It should be fully combined but still stick slightly to the bottom of the bowl.
Step 3: Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with a damp towel and let rest for 30 minutes.
Step 4: Complete 5 to 8 stretch and folds, or until you feel resistance in the dough.
Cover and let rest for 30 minutes, then repeat with a second set of stretch and folds.
Step 5: Cover with a damp towel and let the dough bulk ferment at room temperature for 5 to 6 hours, or until doubled and bubbles appear around the edges.
If your kitchen is below 73°F, place the dough in a warm spot or proofing box, as cooler temperatures will slow fermentation.
(See Notes for the overnight cold-proof option.)
Step 6: Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide it into 3 equal pieces.
Shape each piece into a loose ball by folding the edges toward the center.
Step 7: Working with one piece at a time, gently press the dough into an oval.
Fold the long edge over to the opposite side and press the seam to seal.
Flatten slightly and repeat folding and flattening until the baguette is about 16″ long (ending with a fold and pinching the seam).
As I flatten the dough, I gently press outward to encourage it to elongate.
Repeat with the remaining dough.
Step 8: Place the baguettes seam-side down in a lightly oiled and floured baguette pan or a floured, folded towel (see notes).
Cover and proof for 1 to 2 hours, or until puffy.
Step 9: Preheat the oven to 450° F.
Rub the tops of the baguettes with flour and score with 5-8 diagonal slashes.
Bake for 20 minutes, covered. Remove the lid and bake for 7 more minutes. (See notes for open bake instructions).
For a more golden crust, increase the oven to 500° F and bake until the exterior has browned.
The baguettes are done when the internal temperature reaches 200° F.
Step 10: Transfer the baguettes to a wire cooling rack and allow to cool to room temp.
Step 11: Enjoy as is, serve with home-canned strawberry jam or Instant Pot apple butter, or use them for sourdough toast. I also like to use them for slow cooker French dips.
Tips for Success
- If the dough feels too dry, add water 1 tablespoon at a time until it reaches the desired consistency. Or if it's too wet to combine, add flour 1 tablespoon at a time until it is the right consistency.
- Overnight Option: If you prefer an overnight option or want more sour flavor, stick the dough in the fridge after the bulk fermentation. When you are ready to make the baguettes, remove the dough and let it come to room temperature. Then, follow the recipe as usual.
- Shaping with a Towel: Line a clean kitchen towel with flour, then create folds in the towel to form channels that support each baguette and help it hold its shape. Place the baguettes seam side down in the channels, pull the towel up around the sides, cover loosely, and proof until puffy.
- Open Bake: Transfer the proofed baguettes to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Before preheating the oven, place a cast iron skillet or metal baking pan on the bottom rack and fill it with water to create steam while the baguettes bake.
Serving Suggestions
Garlic Bread: Slice the baguette and toast it with garlic butter or homemade herb butter.
Bruschetta: Top toasted slices with fresh tomatoes, basil, and mozzarella. I love this with fresh basil from my backyard herb garden.
French Toast: Use day-old sourdough baguettes for French toast or a French toast bake.
Charcuterie Boards: Serve sliced baguettes alongside cheeses, cured meats, fruit, jalapeño hot honey, and other small bites.
Soup: Pair with slow cooker lasagna soup, tomato and vegetable soup, butternut squash and leek soup, or Tuscan kale white bean soup.
Pasta: Serve with Instant Pot spaghetti or your other favorite pasta dish.
Sandwiches: Use for slow cooker French dips, sliders, paninis, or other sandwiches.
Storing
- Store on the counter in a paper bag or bread bag for 2-3 days.
- To freeze, you can pre-slice the baguettes or freeze them whole.
Sourdough Baguette Recipe FAQs
Gummy sourdough baguettes are usually caused by underfermented or underbaked dough. Slicing the bread before it has cooled completely can also result in a gummy texture.
No, but a baguette pan makes shaping and baking sourdough baguettes easier.
If you don’t have one, proof the dough on a floured kitchen towel, making folds between each loaf to support it as it rises.
Then, transfer the baguettes to a parchment-lined baking sheet and place a pan of water on the bottom oven rack before preheating to create steam.
A lack of steam, underbaking, or storing the bread before it has cooled can all lead to a soft crust.
I’ve found that I need to bump the oven temp to 500° F during the last few minutes of baking to get a perfectly golden crust.
Yes. Sourdough baguette dough is typically wetter and stickier than many other bread doughs, which helps create a soft crumb.
No, you can mix the dough by hand for 5 minutes, then do 6 sets of stretch-and-folds every 15-30 minutes.
More Sourdough Recipes
If you tried this Sourdough Baguette recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks, y’all!
Sourdough Baguette Recipe
Equipment
- Baguette Pan (or baking sheet)
Ingredients
- 265 g water
- 100 g sourdough starter, active and bubbly
- 370 g bread flour
- 12 g salt
Instructions
- Gather the Ingredients. In the bowl of a stand mixer, add all of the ingredients.
- Mix the Dough. Mix on medium-low speed for 2-4 minutes until the dough is combined but still has a rough surface. The dough should not pass the windowpane test at this point.The dough will be stickier than most sourdough recipes. It should be fully combined but still stick slightly to the bottom of the bowl.
- Rest the Dough. Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with a damp towel and let rest for 30 minutes.
- Stretch and Folds (2x). Complete 5 to 8 stretch and folds, or until you feel resistance in the dough. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes, then repeat with a second set of stretch and folds.
- Bulk Ferment. Cover with a damp towel and let the dough bulk ferment at room temperature for 5 to 6 hours, or until doubled and bubbles appear around the edges.If your kitchen is below 73°F, place the dough in a warm spot or proofing box, as cooler temperatures will slow fermentation. (See Notes for the overnight cold-proof option.)
- Divide the Dough. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide it into 3 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a loose ball by folding the edges toward the center.
- Shape the Dough. Working with one piece at a time, gently press the dough into an oval. Fold the long edge over to the opposite side and press the seam to seal. Flatten slightly and repeat folding and flattening until the baguette is about 16" long (ending with a fold and pinching the seam). As I flatten the dough, I gently press outward to encourage it to elongate.Repeat with the remaining dough.
- Proof. Place the baguettes seam-side down in a lightly oiled and floured baguette pan or a floured, folded towel (see notes). Cover and proof for 1 to 2 hours, or until puffy.
- Preheat. Preheat the oven to 450° F.
- Score. Rub the tops of each baguette with flour and make 5-8 diagonal slashes along the length of the baguette.
- Bake. Bake for 20 minutes covered (if you don't have a baguette pan, see notes about how to open bake). Then, bake uncovered for an additional 7 minutes. For a more golden crust, increase the oven to 500° F and bake until the exterior has browned. The baguettes are done when the internal temperature reaches 200° F
- Cool and Enjoy! Transfer the baguettes to a wire cooling rack and allow to cool to room temp. Enjoy as is, serve with home-canned strawberry jam or Instant Pot apple butter, or use them for sourdough toast. I also like to use them for slow cooker French dips.
Notes
- If the dough feels too dry, add water 1 tablespoon at a time until it reaches the desired consistency. Or if it’s too wet to combine, add flour 1 tablespoon at a time until it is the right consistency.
- Overnight Option: If you prefer an overnight option or want more sour flavor, stick the dough in the fridge after the bulk fermentation. When you are ready to make the baguettes, remove the dough and let it come to room temperature. Then, follow the recipe as usual.
- Shaping with a Towel: Line a clean kitchen towel with flour, then create folds in the towel to form channels that support each baguette and help it hold its shape. Place the baguettes seam side down in the channels, pull the towel up around the sides, cover loosely, and proof until puffy.
- Open Bake: Transfer the proofed baguettes to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Before preheating the oven, place a cast iron skillet or metal baking pan on the bottom rack and fill it with water to create steam while the baguettes bake.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is auto-calculated and may not reflect your final product. Please verify independently if needed.
I love these sourdough baguettes for French dips or sandwiches. But also, I like to slice them and add them to my daughter’s lunch box with meat and cheese for DIY Lunchables. 🙂