Winter Sourdough Baking Tips: How to Bake Perfect Loaves in Cold Weather

If you've noticed your sourdough starter looking sluggish or your dough taking forever to rise lately, you're not imagining things - winter is genuinely one of the trickiest seasons for sourdough baking. The good news? With a few simple adjustments, you can bake beautiful, bakery-style loaves all the way through the cold months.

Here are my top tips for sourdough winter baking here in New Zealand.

1. Understand Why Cold Weather Affects Sourdough

Sourdough fermentation is driven by wild yeast and bacteria, and both are temperature-sensitive. In summer, your dough might be ready to bake in 4–6 hours. In winter, that same dough could take 10–14 hours — or more. This isn't a problem, it's just physics. The key is learning to work with the cold rather than against it.

2. Find the Warmest Spot in Your Kitchen

Your starter and dough need warmth to ferment properly. In winter, scout out the warmest spots in your home:

• On top of the fridge (often 2–4°C warmer than the rest of the kitchen)
• Inside your oven with just the oven light on (this can create a cosy ~25°C environment)
• Near a heat pump or sunny window during the day
• In a proofing box or a chilly bin with a jar of warm water

Aim for a dough temperature of 24–26°C for reliable fermentation.

My go-to winter gear:

Honestly, once I started using the Brød & Taylor Folding Proofer & Slow Cooker, I stopped hunting for warm corners of the kitchen altogether. You set it to the exact temperature you want (that 24–26°C sweet spot) and it just holds it, no matter how cold the kitchen gets. For starter maintenance, my Sourdough Home does the same job on a smaller scale, keeping my starter at a steady, active temperature so it stays bubbly and predictable even in the depths of a NZ winter. I love them both because they take the guesswork out of proofing - no more math on how much warmer the top of the fridge is, no more oven-light workarounds. If winter fermentation is genuinely stressing you out, these two are worth the investment.

3. Use Warmer Water When Mixing

One of the easiest ways to compensate for a cold kitchen is to use slightly warmer water when mixing your dough. Instead of room temperature water (which in a NZ winter kitchen might be 16–18°C), try water at 30–35°C. This gives your dough a head start and helps it reach that ideal fermentation temperature faster.

4. Feed Your Starter More Frequently

A cold starter is a slow starter. If your kitchen is sitting below 18°C, your starter may need more frequent feeds to stay active and bubbly. Try feeding it twice a day, or bring it somewhere warmer for a few hours before you plan to bake. You'll know it's ready to use when it's doubled in size and has a domed top — not when it's peaked and starting to fall.

If you're just getting started with sourdough or want to nail the basics of starter care, grab my free Sourdough Starter Made Simple guide — it covers everything from creating your starter from scratch to keeping it healthy year-round.

5. Extend Your Bulk Fermentation Time

Don't rush bulk fermentation in winter. Rather than going by the clock, go by feel and look. Your dough is ready when it has grown by 50–75%, feels airy and jiggly, and has bubbles visible on the sides of the bowl. In a cold kitchen, this could take significantly longer than the recipe suggests — and that's completely normal.

6. Try a Cold Proof Overnight

Winter is actually a great time to embrace the cold retard (overnight proof in the fridge). Shape your dough in the evening, pop it in the fridge, and bake it straight from cold the next morning. The slow, cold fermentation develops incredible flavour and makes your schedule much more flexible. Plus, cold dough is easier to score!

7. Preheat Your Dutch Oven Properly

In winter, your oven may take longer to fully heat through — including your Dutch oven or baking vessel. Give it at least 45–60 minutes to preheat at 230–250°C before you bake. A properly preheated Dutch oven is what gives you that gorgeous oven spring and crackling crust.

8. Don't Be Discouraged by Slower Results

Winter sourdough baking teaches patience, and that patience pays off in flavour. Slower fermentation = more complex, tangy, deeply flavoured bread. Some of my favourite loaves have come out of cold, slow winter bakes.

Ready to Level Up Your Sourdough?

If you want to go deeper — understanding hydration, shaping, scoring, and troubleshooting — my Sourdough Made Simple eBook walks you through everything step by step. It's designed for home bakers who want real, bakery-style results without the guesswork. Whether you're a complete beginner or you've been baking for a while and want to refine your technique, it's packed with practical guidance you can use right away.

Happy winter baking — I hope your kitchen smells amazing! 🍞

— Anna