How to Make Sourdough Baguettes

Sourdough baguettes are one of the most satisfying bakes there is — a shatteringly crisp crust, an open airy crumb, and that dramatic split down the top. They’re also the most technique-driven bread in the sourdough repertoire. The ingredients are simple; the shaping and the steam are what separate a great baguette from a flat one.

The dough

Baguette dough sits in a deliberately moderate hydration window — wet enough for an open crumb, dry enough to shape into long thin loaves.

70–75% hydration

~2% salt (baker's %)

3–4 sets stretch-and-folds

Use a strong bread flour for structure. Build gluten with a few sets of stretch-and-folds during bulk rather than heavy kneading, and bulk ferment until the dough is puffy and jiggly with a 30–50% rise. The stronger and better-developed the dough, the easier the shaping.

Do the math automatically Sourdough Hydration Calculator

Hit the baguette hydration window exactly — flour, water, starter and salt for your batch.

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Shaping in stages

This is the heart of it. You can’t shape a long, even baguette in one move — you build the length gradually so the gluten relaxes between steps.

1
Divide and pre-shape Divide the dough into equal pieces and gently pre-shape each into a loose cylinder. Don't degas aggressively — you want to keep the gas that becomes the open crumb.
2
Bench rest Cover and rest 20–30 minutes. This relaxes the gluten so the dough will stretch without fighting back or tearing.
3
Final shape Fold the cylinder over itself, sealing the seam each time to build a taut skin, then roll from the centre outward to elongate to your couche or oven length.
4
Taper the ends Press a little harder as your hands reach the ends to form the classic pointed tips.

The couche and final proof

A shaped baguette is soft and wants to spread. The couche holds it.

Pleat the couche Flour a heavy linen couche well and pull up a pleat of cloth between each baguette so the sides are supported and the loaves can't merge.

Proof seam-up Rest the baguettes seam-side up in the couche so the smooth top is protected for scoring after you flip them.

Proof short Thin loaves over-proof fast. Aim slightly under, or cold-retard overnight for easier handling and better flavour.

Scoring the grigne

The signature baguette pattern is a series of long, overlapping cuts — the grigne. Hold the lame at a shallow, almost horizontal angle so the blade lifts a flap of dough that bursts open into a raised ear. The cuts should run nearly parallel to the length of the loaf, each one overlapping the last by about a third. Make them decisive and quick; cold dough scores far more cleanly than warm.

Steam and the bake

Baguettes are too long for a Dutch oven, so you steam the whole oven and bake hot on a steel or stone.

1
Preheat with a steel or stone Preheat to 240–250°C (465–480°F) with a baking steel or stone, plus a cast-iron pan or lava rocks on a lower rack to make steam.
2
Load and steam Flip the baguettes onto a floured flip board, then onto the hot surface. Pour boiling water into the hot pan (or cover with an inverted roasting pan) to flood the oven with steam.
3
Vent after 10–15 minutes Remove the steam source (or the cover) so the crust can dry and crisp.
4
Bake to deep gold Total bake is about 20–25 minutes. Pull them a deep golden-brown for maximum crackle; a pale baguette is a soft baguette.

Troubleshooting

×Flat, spread loaves → under-developed dough, over-proofed, or no couche support
×No ears → lame angle too steep, weak steam, or over-proofed dough
×Dense crumb → under-fermented, or the gas was knocked out during shaping
×Pale, soft crust → not enough steam, or the oven ran too cool
×Uneven thickness → elongate from the centre outward with even pressure

Frequently asked questions

What hydration should sourdough baguettes be?+

Around 70–75% for most home bakers. That's high enough for an open, airy crumb but still manageable to shape into long, thin loaves. Very high hydration (80%+) makes classic baguette shaping extremely difficult, so start in the 70–72% range and push higher only once your shaping is confident.

Do I need a couche to make baguettes?+

It's strongly recommended. A couche — a heavy floured linen cloth — supports the sides of the thin, soft dough during the final proof so the baguettes hold their shape instead of spreading flat. In a pinch you can improvise with a floured tea towel pleated between the loaves, but a proper couche makes a real difference.

How do I get steam in a home oven for baguettes?+

Because baguettes are too long for a Dutch oven, you steam the whole oven. Common methods: preheat a cast-iron pan or lava rocks on the bottom rack and pour boiling water in as you load; cover the loaves with a large inverted roasting pan or metal bowl for the first 10–15 minutes; or spray the oven walls with water. Steam only helps for the first 10–15 minutes, then let it vent so the crust can crisp.

Why are my baguettes flat with no ears?+

Usually under-developed shaping tension, over-proofing, or weak scoring. Build surface tension when you shape, don't over-proof (baguettes proof fast because they're thin), and score with a shallow-angle lame so the cuts open into raised ears. Insufficient steam also stops the cuts from opening.

Can I make sourdough baguettes without a baguette pan?+

Yes. A couche plus a flat baking steel or stone is the traditional setup and gives the best crust. A perforated baguette pan is convenient and helps beginners keep the shape round, but it isn't required. You transfer proofed baguettes from the couche to the hot surface with a flip board or thin peel.

Should I cold-retard baguette dough?+

You can, and many bakers do. A cold overnight retard after shaping deepens flavour and firms the dough, which makes scoring cleaner. Bake straight from the fridge. If you prefer same-day baguettes, a shorter room-temperature final proof works too — just watch closely, as thin loaves over-proof quickly.