Sourdough starters definitely move slower in the winter than in the summer. When the temperature drops in your kitchen, the yeasts in the sourdough starter begin to slow down, prolonging the fermentation process and increasing the amount of time it takes your dough to rise. While this isn’t technically a problem (since slow rising times are known to give bread a more complex flavor), sometimes you still might be looking for ways to make your sourdough rise faster so it can fit better into your schedule. So, how do you make sourdough rise faster in the winter?
As a general rule, you can make sourdough rise faster in the winter by using your microwave or turned-off oven as a make-shift proofing box. The enclosed environment will keep the dough warmer and help it to rise. You can also use warm water in your dough (between 80° to 85°F) to speed up the rising process.
In my experience, sourdough bread dough tends to thrive at temperatures between 75°F and 80°F. At these temperatures that I often experience during the summer months, my dough will go through bulk fermentation in a matter of 4-5 hours. Then, when winter hits and my ambient kitchen temperature drops into the 65°F-70°F range, that’s when I start looking for ways to speed up my dough’s rising time. So, here are three tips for making your sourdough rise faster in the winter.
One note: In these three tips, I will be using the terms “rising time” and “bulk fermentation” interchangeably. Technically “rising” could refer to the dough’s initial rise (bulk fermentation) or the dough’s second rise (proofing). Since these terms often go by different names, I thought it would be helpful to clarify.
Tip #1: Use Your Microwave as a Sourdough”Fermentation Station”
In a lot of recipe books you might notice the author saying, “move your dough to a warm spot to rise.” What the author is suggesting is that you find a relatively warm spot in your house where your dough can rise without any drafts of cold air. For me one of the best spots for this is inside my microwave oven. While my kitchen counter is the usually my preferred spot to let my dough rise, the temperature on my counter can fluctuate drastically from summer to winter. The inside of my microwave, on the other hand, seems to stay consistently around 75dF.
So if you’re looking to have your sourdough rise faster in the winter, once you mix your dough and bulk fermentation has begun, move the dough into your microwave and close the door. You can even pop in a mug of steamy hot water next to the dough. The combination of steaming water and a tight enclosed space will make the perfect make-shift “fermentation station” for your dough. The internal temperature inside your microwave should stay between 75dF and 80dF and your dough will rise just like it’s the middle of summer. Just make sure that no one in your house decides to turn the microwave on and nuke your dough!
Some of My Favorite Baking Tools (Affiliate Links):
Baker of Seville Bread Lame
Oval Banneton Basket
Non-Stick Bread Pan
Non-Stick Focaccia Pan
Tip #2: Take Advantage of Your Oven
You can take this same “fermentation station” idea and apply it to your home oven. Once you’ve mixed your dough and bulk fermentation has begun, move it into the turned-off oven with the light bulb switched on. The temperature inside the oven should be consistent and draft-free, perfect for bulk fermenting your dough. You can take this tip a step further too. Boil a pot of water, and once it comes to a boil, move it into the oven next to your dough. The steam from the water will increase the temperature in the oven ever so slightly and keep your fermentation station at the optimal temperature. Again, just make sure no one starts preheating the oven while you’re out of the room.
Tip #3: Use Warm Water
Once you mix your dough, whatever temperature the dough happens to be, that’s pretty much where it is going to stay. Moving the dough into a warm spot like your microwave or your oven can help to gently coax the dough up to a slightly warmer temperature over time, but why not control the temperature of the dough from the beginning? That’s where water comes in.
Using warm water is all about controlling what you can control right from the beginning. If it’s the middle of winter, your flour might be cold and your sourdough starter might be a little bit chilly too, there’s not much you can do about that. But, water temperature is something you can definitely control! Just use warmer water at the beginning when you mix your dough and the dough will be off to a warm start.
Practically speaking, try using water that’s warm to the touch instead of room temperature. Or if you have a good food thermometer (affiliate link), get the water to the 80°F to 85°F degree range. This will get your dough off to a great start and help it to rise faster.
Below is the video I posted to YouTube on this topic. I hope you find these tips helpful in getting your sourdough to rise faster in the winter!
Thanks for reading! If you’re struggling to make your own sourdough starter from scratch, I’d love to help. Download my free Sourdough Starter Guide and learn step-by-step how to make a sourdough starter from scratch using just two ingredients, flour and water.