Create a delicious 100% fresh milled flour sourdough boule/batard loaf! This recipe is good for beginners or seasoned sourdough bakers that are having a hard time with fresh milled flour. This yields a nice soft inside with a nice crispy, crackly crust!

Please, please, please take the time to read through this entire post before the recipe, especially if you are new to sourdough. I am not a professional by any means, but the information I’m sharing is what I’ve put together over months of testing fresh milled flour sourdough. I will include multiple “Jump To Recipe” buttons along the way because I know it is a lot, but I promise it is ALL valuable information.
Ok, I have been testing and testing…..and testing sourdough bread with 100% fresh milled flour for months! I have had plenty of failures, but that has led me to understand the sourdough process A LOT more. Even the “failures” for the most part were edible. I would turn loaves that were flat into garlic bread or overproofed loaves into a delicious foccacia bread.
Fresh milled flour sourdough has been a whole different animal to work with. I have made it to this point, but hopefully overtime I can try and perfect it even more. I will update this post as/if I do.
I have tried only using hard white wheat, 50% hard red with 50% hard white wheat, hard white wheat with vital wheat gluten, 85% hydration, 70% hydration, and the list goes on.
So far what has yielded the best results is:
-A 50% hard red and 50% hard white wheat combination. The hard red seems to give it just the little bit of extra strength that the white is lacking.
-A loaf that’s made with 100% hard white wheat with added gluten flour.
As you can see below the loaf that used the hard white with the gluten flour yielded a better oven spring than the 50% hard red 50% hard white loaf with no gluten flour. *Excuse my hack job cutting on the left lol*

If you want to avoid adding gluten flour, I would direct you to the hard red/hard white combination. You could even try a 100% hard red and I’m sure it would work. If you want to stick with 100% hard white wheat without additives it is possible, you just might not get as much of an oven spring.
The crumb of your sourdough loaves is affected by the hydration of your dough. A higher hydration yields a more open crumb and a lower hydration yields a more tight crumb. You most likely will not get near the same open crumb as with store-bought flour sourdough, but in my own opinion I don’t mind having less big open holes for my butter to drip through.
For this recipe I have settled on a total hydration of 75% for my dough. I may need to perfect my technique because I’m not an expert on this at all, but when I try to go with a higher hydration I end up with way less oven spring and flatter loaves. If I learn how to go with a higher hydration and it has good results I will be sure to share that info, too! Once you’re comfortable with this recipe feel free to play around with hydration levels and make it your own!
What You’ll Need To Make Sourdough Bread Made With 100% Fresh Milled Flour
Fresh Milled Hard White and/or Hard Red Flour: I use my flour straight from the mill when it is warm.
Active Sourdough Starter
Water: I use room temperature water. For me this varies between 70-75F.
Salt
Rice Flour: For dusting your loaf and banneton. Rice flour also helps your scoring stand out.
Optional: Gluten Flour: Using this helps boost the oven spring and overall strength of your dough. If you don’t have it or need to avoid it your bread will still turn out. Just note your loaf may be a touch shorter without it.
*Please note that I intentionally use my flour warm from my mill (it’s about 100F) and room temperature water for my process. If your house is significantly cooler this can slow down fermentation. If your home is between 60-65F I’d recommend letting it bulk ferment an extra 30-60 minutes at room temperature before moving it to the fridge. If your bread is bursting in places that you didn’t score this is a sign that your dough was underproofed. This recipe is the process I have laid out that has repeatedly worked for my home’s temperature, but this I definitely recommend keeping notes or a journal while you are learning your dough since this process will vary for everyone due to temperature and humidity. So please keep that in mind.
How This Method Works
Fresh milled flour sourdough ferments quicker than sourdough made with store-bought flour. The method I have laid out uses a fermentolyse instead of an autolyse and this gives the dough a jumpstart on bulk fermentation since bulk fermentation starts when the starter is added to the flour and water.
The entire time that you’re doing your stretch and folds your dough is bulk fermenting. When I first started I was confused and thought it started after my stretch and folds so I was overproofing my dough and ending up with flat bread and/or hockey pucks. So it is bulk fermenting through the stretch and folds, pre-shape, and final shape. Then right after the final shape it goes into the fridge and it will still continue to bulk ferment as it’s cooling down to the fridge temperature. In my fridge that is set to 37F it took 6+ hours for my dough to even reach the low 40’s.
I know this seems to go against the most common sourdough methods, but it has worked repeatedly with consistent results for me. Most of the year our home is between 70-75F so this should work for that temperature range. It will start to vary if you keep your home cooler. If your home is between 60-65F I’d recommend letting it maybe set after your last stretch and fold for an additional hour or so (you’ll have to perfect this timeframe). If you don’t have air conditioning in the summer it will likely ferment more quickly so you might have to only do 3 stretch and folds and then pre-shape, shape, and refrigerate. This will be something that will vary in different climates and is a good reason to keep notes when baking, taking notes of the temperature of the dough, temperature of your home, outside temperature/humidity, and your overall outcome.
If your bread seems to crack or “blow out” aside from your scoring this is a sign that your dough is under proofed. If that is the case with your home being cooler then just let it set out a little extra like mentioned above before putting it in the fridge. Below is an example of this.

My Dough Seems Dry!
Don’t fret! This is part of the process. It will become more wet as the flour absorbs the liquid. Just remember the stretch and folds will not be as stretch and seem tighter than with sourdough made with store-bought flour. Below I will show you pictures of how the dough changes throughout the process.








What Is Hydration % In Sourdough And How To Calculate It?
Hydration refers to the ratio of water to flour in a sourdough recipe. This INCLUDES the amount of water and flour in your starter. If your starter is 100% hydration, meaning you feed it equal parts of flour and water then the percentage is then calculated by using the following equation:
(Weight of Water / Weight of Flour) x 100
For example: 489g water/651g flour = .75 x 100 = 75%
My sourdough recipe uses 438g water, 600g flour, and 102g starter. Since my starter is considered 100% hydration I divide the 102g/2 and this gives me 51g. The 51g water and 51g flour needs to be added to the original flour and water amounts my recipe calls for to calculate the dough hydration. So my total water = 489g (438g from recipe + 51g from starter) and my total flour = 651g (600g from recipe +51 grams starter).
It can get a little confusing when talking about the overall hydration in your dough or just the amount of water (aside from the water in your starter) in the recipe. So you have overall hydration and baker’s percentages.
How Do Baker’s Percentages Work?
Baker’s percentages list each ingredient as a percentage of the total flour weight, with the flour always being 100%.
Baker’s Percentage Formula: (Weight of ingredient / Weight of flour) x 100 = Baker’s Percentage
So this recipe’s baker’s percentages would look like the following:
Fresh Milled Hard White Wheat Flour 100%
438g Water 73%
102g Sourdough Starter 17%
Salt 2.6%
If using the optional gluten flour I upped the water to offset the additional flour to keep the total dough hydration near the 75% (with this combo the total hydration is actually 76%):
Fresh Milled Hard White Wheat Flour 100%
462g Water 77%
102g Sourdough Starter 17%
24g Gluten Flour 4%
Salt 2.6%
Knowing baker’s percentages in recipes is a great way to scale recipes up or down and getting the same results.

Sourdough Timeline Ideas
These are just some examples of different timelines I’ve used. Feel free to use them as a rough timeline and change the start time to get your baking done in a time frame that works with your schedule.




Common Sourdough Questions
Boule vs. Batard
A boule is just a term referring to a round loaf and batard is an oblong, oval shaped loaf of bread. I actually prefer baking the sourdough in the batard shape in the cast iron loaf pan that I have linked in the ‘Shop This Post’ section below due to the normal sandwich loaf shape it gives and I think the support from the sides give it a boost in oven spring.
Do I Really Need A Banneton?
Yes and no. It depends on your end goal. Just have edible sourdough bread, no. Achieving beautiful designs and a consistent shape, yes. So, for a while I was just using tea towels to line a pyrex bowl for my sourdough bread. This technically works, but the bannetons make your scoring better in my opinion. When using a banneton it helps your dough keep it’s shape and helps “wick” away just enough moisture to leave a “skin” for easier scoring. All in all I recommend getting a banneton if you’re going to be doing sourdough long-term. If you’re new or just experimenting don’t feel pressured to get one just to try making sourdough.
Do I Have To Have A Dutch Oven?
Technically, no. I have tried open baking and using a dutch oven and I definitely prefer using the dutch oven. The dutch oven traps the moisture and creates steam yielding a softer crust. When open baking you will have to add moisture by spritzing water directly in the oven or adding a pan of boiling water to the rack below your bread. I personally liked the crust better when my bread is baked in a dutch oven. The open baked crust was noticeably harder for me. I really like using the 2-in-1 dutch oven I have linked below in the ‘Shop This Post’ section. I use it upside down since the lid is the perfect shape for turning this dutch oven into a “dome” and you get the added perk of being able to see your loaf bake the rest of the time with the lid off without opening the oven!

What Is A Stretch & Fold?
Stretch and fold is a technique where you gently pull a portion of the dough from the side of a bowl, stretch it out, and then fold it back over itself, repeating this process around the bowl to strengthen the gluten network within the dough, improving its texture and rise during fermentation. Turn the bowl about a quarter turn and complete 4 turns total to complete 1 round of stretch and folds.
What Is A Coil Fold?
A coil fold is a gentle folding technique used during bulk fermentation to develop gluten in the dough by gently lifting and folding the dough over itself, creating a coiling motion, which helps strengthen the gluten network without aggressively stretching it.
Autolyse Vs. Fermentolyse
Autolyse, pronounced “aw-toe-lease” refers to the process of mixing only flour and water together and letting it rest for a period of time before adding the sourdough starter and salt. My recipe uses the fermentolyse method which combines the flour, water, and starter together at the beginning allowing fermentation to start immediately before adding salt giving the bulk fermentation a head start.
Do I Have To Score My Sourdough Bread?
Yes, you should. Scoring allows the trapped gas to escape in a controlled manner during baking. If you don’t score your bread you will burst open at it’s weakest point causing cracking and uneven expansion. The main score should be between 1/4-1/2″ deep and if you are doing decorative scoring it will be closer to 1/4″. Keep in mind you will get better with practice and it is also easier to score dough that is cold from the refrigerator.

How To Store Sourdough Bread
For now I have been storing mine in a gallon ziploc bag. I know it’s not totally recommended if you want to keep your crust nice and crackly instead of soft, but I’ve tried a bread bag and it dries out pretty quickly and gets hard fast. So, at this point I’m going to say in the ziploc bag on the counter for 3-5 days.
To freeze: wrap the bread in plastic wrap or foil and put it in the freezer for up to 3 months.
If you try this recipe and love it, I would love if you gave it 5 stars and leave a review below!
You can also Tag me on Instagram or Facebook @freshmilledmama and share a photo in my Facebook Group.

Sourdough Bread Made With 100% Fresh Milled Flour (Boule/Batard)
Equipment
- Banneton
- Dutch Oven
- Kitchen Scale
Ingredients
If using 100% Fresh Milled Hard White Wheat
- 600 grams fresh milled hard white wheat flour (I use mine warm from the mill)
- 438 grams water (room temperature ~70-75℉)
- 102 grams active sourdough starter
- 16 grams salt
- rice flour (for dusting)
Optional (yields a better oven spring) *If you use the gluten flour increase the water to 462 grams!!
- 24 grams gluten flour (also known as vital wheat gluten)
If using 50% Hard Red and 50% Hard White Fresh Milled Flour
- 300 grams fresh milled hard red wheat flour (I use mine warm from the mill)
- 300 grams fresh milled hard white wheat flour (I use mine warm from the mill)
- 438 grams water (room temperature ~70-75℉)
- 102 grams active sourdough starter
- 16 grams salt
- rice flour (for dusting)
Optional (yields a better oven spring) *If you use the gluten flour increase the water to 462 grams!!
- 24 grams gluten flour (also known as vital wheat gluten)
Instructions
- First mix the active sourdough starter with the water until it's dissolved in the water. Add the water mixture to the flour (and gluten flour if using) and using a danish dough whisk, dough scraper, or your hands combine it until there is no dry flour left.
- Cover and let that fermentolyse for 1 hour.
- After 1 hour add in the salt and hand knead for 3 minutes. Then rest for 15 minutes.
- Perform the 1st stretch and fold, cover, and let rest 30 minutes.
- Perform the 2nd stretch and fold, cover, and let rest 30 minutes.
- Perform the 3rd stretch and fold, cover, and let rest 30 minutes.
- Perform the 4th stretch and fold, cover, and let rest 15 minutes.
- Pre-Shape and rest 15 minutes.
- Final Shape, place in a floured Banneton, cover Banneton with a plastic wrap, shower cap or something similar and put in the fridge for a cold proof up to 24 hours. *See note 1
- When ready to bake preheat your oven with the dutch oven to 500℉. (Leave your dough in the fridge until the very last minute – placing a cold dough into a hot oven will give you a better "spring".)
- When oven is preheated take your dough out of the fridge and gently invert it onto parchment paper. *See not 2
- Score your dough with a lame, clean razor, or sharp knife. The main score should be between 1/4-1/2" deep and if you are doing decorative scoring it will be closer to 1/4". Keep in mind you will get better with practice.
- Using the parchment as a "handle" lift your scored dough and carefully place it in your preheated dutch oven. Using a spray bottle do a few spritzes of water before putting the lid on.Turn the oven temperature down to 450℉ and bake for 30 minutes. *Place a baking sheet on the lower rack to "shield" the dutch oven so your crust doesn't over-bake or burn.
- Remove the dutch oven lid, turn oven down to 400℉ and bake for another 25 minutes. For even browning turn the bread half way through the last 25 minutes. If checking the internal temperature it should be around 205-210°F.
- Remove from oven and place bread on a cooling rack. Cool COMPLETELY before slicing. *If you cut into it while it's warm it will be gummy.
If Baking Same Day
- Follow steps 1-8 and Final Shape, place in a floured Banneton, cover Banneton with a plastic wrap, shower cap or something similar and let bulk ferment on the counter at room temperature 4-6 hours until dough has risen by 70-80%. This time will vary based on the temperature of your home.
- You can check your dough with a poke test. *See note 3
- Bake as directed above in steps 10-15. Disregard any mention of the refrigerator in those steps.
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