There’s something truly special about a miniature loaf of bread, isn’t there? It’s all the rustic charm and tangy flavor of a classic sourdough, but in a perfectly personal, giftable package.
These little loaves bake faster, too, which makes them a wonderfully approachable project for any baker.
Why Mini Loaves Are a Must-Try
Honestly, they are just pure joy to bake. You get that fantastic crackly crust and soft, airy crumb we all chase, but the small size feels less intimidating.
Plus, you can easily turn one batch of dough into a “sourdough flight” with different flavors. Think of it: one loaf with herbs, another with cheddar, maybe a third with dried fruit.
Ingredients Needed for the Recipe
Gathering your ingredients is the first quiet step in the journey. Here’s what you’ll need to create three delightful mini loaves.
- Bread Flour: This is the backbone, giving the loaves their wonderful chewy structure and height.
- Whole Wheat Flour: Just a bit adds a subtle nutty flavor and helps feed the fermentation.
- Water: Its temperature is your secret tool for guiding the dough’s rise.
- Salt: It tightens the gluten and, of course, makes all the flavors sing.
- Sourdough Starter (for Levain): Your live, active culture. We’ll build a “levain” from it, which is like giving your starter a powerful pre-game boost.
A Simple Sourdough Schedule
Sourdough isn’t hard, it just requires a bit of planning. Here’s a friendly, flexible timeline to keep in your back pocket.
Start your levain the evening before you want to mix dough. The next day, mix, fold, and shape your loaves over about 4-5 hours.
Then, let them rest in the fridge overnight. You’ll bake them off on the third morning, filling your kitchen with the best smell.
How to Make Mini Sourdough Loaves (Step-by-Step)?
The process is a dance of rest and gentle action. Follow these steps, and you’ll be holding warm, glorious mini loaves before you know it.
Step 1- Mix the Levain
Combine a small spoonful of your active starter with flour and water in a small jar. Cover it loosely, and let it sit overnight in a warm spot.
By morning, it should be bubbly, nearly doubled, and smell sweetly fermented. This levain is your baking superpower.
Step 2- Combine Flour and Water
In a large bowl, mix the ripe levain with most of the water. Stir in the bread and whole wheat flours until you have a shaggy, rough dough.
Just let it rest, covered, for about 30 minutes. This rest, called a fermentolyse, lets the flour fully hydrate and starts building gluten quietly.
Step 3- Add Salt and Mix
Sprinkle the salt and the reserved water over the rested dough. Now, get your hands in there. Pinch and squeeze the dough to fully incorporate everything.
Then, pick up the dough and slap it against the side of the bowl, folding it over itself. Do this for a few minutes until it feels smoother and more cohesive.
Step 4- Stretch and Fold
Over the next couple of hours, you’ll perform a series of “stretch and folds.” Wet your hand, reach under the dough, pull a section up, and fold it over the top.
Turn the bowl a quarter turn and repeat three more times. Do this every 30 minutes, about 3-4 times total. You’ll feel the dough strengthen beautifully.
Step 5- Divide and Pre-shape
When the dough is puffy and alive, gently turn it out onto a clean counter. Use a bench scraper to divide it into three equal pieces.
Gently tuck each piece into a loose ball. Let them rest for 30 minutes, uncovered. They’ll relax and spread a bit, and that’s perfectly fine.
Step 6- Shape the Loaves
Now, create the final shape. For round boules, gently fold the edges of each piece toward the center, building tension on the surface.
Place them seam-side up in floured bowls or baskets. For mini loaf pans, shape them into ovals and place them seam-side down in greased pans.
Step 7- Cold Rest (Overnight)
Cover your shaped loaves and place them in the refrigerator. Let them sleep there for at least 12, or up to 24, hours.
This slow, cold fermentation develops incredible flavor and makes the dough easier to score right before baking.
Step 8- Bake to Perfection
Preheat your oven to 500°F with a Dutch oven inside if using. Take a loaf from the fridge, turn it onto parchment, and score the top with a sharp blade.
Carefully transfer it into the hot Dutch oven, cover, and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover, reduce heat to 450°F, and bake for 10-15 more minutes until deeply golden.
Serving and Gifting Your Creation
Let the loaves cool completely on a wire rack. The wait is tough, but it’s crucial for the crumb to set.
Then, slice into one, slather it with good butter, and savor. To gift, a simple paper bag tied with twine makes it feel wonderfully artisanal.
Tips
- Use warm water in winter and cooler water in summer to help control the dough’s temperature during rises.
- Don’t skip the folds. They build essential strength without over-handling the delicate dough.
- Bake until the loaves are a rich, deep brown color for the best flavor and crispest crust.
- If your starter is very active, you can sometimes skip the levain step and use the starter directly.
- For different flavors in each loaf, add mix-ins like cheese or nuts during the shaping step, not earlier.
Storing Your Mini Masterpieces
Keep leftover bread at room temperature in a paper or plastic bag for a day or two. For longer storage, freezing is your best friend.
Slice the loaf first, if you like, and freeze the slices or whole loaf tightly wrapped. You can pop slices straight into the toaster.
Mini Sourdough Loaves Recipe
Description
If you love a rustic, artisan loaf of Classic Sourdough Bread, you’re going to love these Mini Sourdough Loaves. They have that same crisp crust, soft crumb, and classic sourdough flavor, just in a smaller, giftable size. Perfect for weeknight baking or gifting, these loaves bake in 30–35 minutes and can be customized with cheese, herbs, dried fruit, or chocolate chips.
Ingredients
Levain (1:10:10, overnight 10–12 hours at 78°F)
Sourdough Bread Dough
Instructions
Day 1: Evening – Mix Levain
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Mix Levain
Mix together ripe sourdough starter, bread flour, and water. Set aside to ripen for 10–12 hours at 78°F until bubbly, doubled, and milky-sweet smelling.Ripe, bubbly, active sourdough starter can be substituted for levain if desired.
Day 2: Mix Dough, Bulk Fermentation, Shape, Cold Fermentation
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Fermentolyse
Once the levain is active, mix 100g levain with 325g water in a large bowl. Add 450g bread flour and 50g whole wheat flour. Mix until a shaggy dough forms. Cover and rest for 30 minutes.If you don't have whole wheat flour, substitute with bread flour and allow slightly longer rise time. -
Mixing
Add reserved 10g salt and 25g water. Mix by hand: squeeze, pinch, and slap the dough against the bowl for 3–5 minutes until cohesive. Cover and rest 30 minutes. -
Bulk Fermentation
Perform 3–4 sets of stretch and folds every 30 minutes over 1.5–2 hours. Wet your hand, stretch dough from the bottom, and fold over. Turn bowl ¼ each time.Add mix-ins during second set of folds if making uniform loaves; otherwise add during shaping for flavor variety. -
Finish Bulk Fermentation
Let dough rest 1.5–2 hours at 78°F until risen 30–40%, domed, and bubbly at edges. -
Divide
Gently dump dough onto counter. Divide into 3 equal pieces (~300–320g each).Use lamination method now if adding different inclusions to each loaf. -
Pre-Shape
Using a bench knife and damp hands, tuck dough into tight rounds. Rest 30 minutes uncovered. -
Prepare & Shape
For boules: shape into rounds and place seam-side up in floured mini bannetons or bowls lined with cloth. For loaf pans: shape into ovals, seam-down, in buttered mini loaf pans. -
Cold Fermentation
Cover with plastic or shower cap. Refrigerate overnight (12–24 hours).Alternatively, proof 2–3 more hours at room temp to bake same day.
Day 3: Bake
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Dutch Oven Method
Preheat oven to 500°F (260°C) with Dutch oven inside for 30 minutes. Remove dough from fridge, flip onto parchment, score deeply (¼" decorative, 1" main cuts). Lower into Dutch oven. Bake covered 20 min at 450°F (232°C), then uncovered 10–15 min until golden and internal temp reaches 205–210°F. -
Mini Loaf Pan Method
Preheat oven to 450°F (232°C). Remove dough from fridge, score top. Place upside-down mini loaf pan on top or add steam tray. Bake 20 min with steam/lid, then 10–15 min uncovered until golden and 205–210°F internally. -
Cool
Cool completely on wire rack before slicing or gifting.
Nutrition Facts
Servings 3
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 190kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 0.5g1%
- Sodium 780mg33%
- Potassium 70mg2%
- Total Carbohydrate 39g13%
- Dietary Fiber 2g8%
- Protein 6g12%
- Calcium 10 mg
- Iron 1.5 mg
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Note
- Flavor Variations: Add cheese, herbs, nuts, dried fruit, or chocolate chips using the lamination method before final shaping.
- Gifting Tip: Package cooled loaves in paper bread bags with custom labels and ribbon.
- Make Ahead: Dough can cold ferment up to 24 hours for deeper flavor and flexible baking schedule.
- Double or Triple: Recipe scales easily—ideal for holiday gifting or large batches.
