Baking in the Winter Months

Baking fresh sourdough from scratch is blissfully rewarding, but every baker knows the process can be unpredictable—especially in winter. So why does your dough seem to react differently in the cold? Understanding the challenges is the first step to baking success, no matter the season.

Cold Weather Challenges 

• Slower Fermentation: When temperatures drop, wild yeast and lactic acid bacteria—the little guys that bring your sourdough to life—start taking longer to do their work, stretching fermentation times. Your starter takes longer to peak, and your dough won’t develop gas and structure as quickly. The result? More waiting, less predictability, and a dough that requires extra patience.
• Slower Proofing: With fermentation moving at a crawl, proofing takes much longer. If the dough stays too cold for too long, the yeast won’t produce enough gas to create a proper rise. The result? A dense, underproofed loaf that never quite reaches its full potential.
• Weaker Gluten Development: Cold dough isn’t just harder to work with—low temperatures slow gluten development, making it more difficult to achieve the light, open texture you’re after. The result? Stiff, tight dough that’s tough to shape, limited oven spring, and ultimately, a loaf with a denser crumb.