What\u2019s the first thing you look for in a great loaf of sourdough bread? Maybe it\u2019s mix-ins like toasted walnuts or sesame seeds suspended in a loaf, or perhaps it\u2019s something more fundamental: the pure flavor of the grain itself, or the transformation fermentation enables, turning what would be inedible into something that can stop a conversation mid-sentence.<\/p>\n Flavor comes first\u2014always<\/em>.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/figure>\n Then again, maybe you\u2019re drawn to the visuals first. The dark, burnished crust that crackled when squeezed. A razor-sharp score that bloomed just right in the oven. Or, perhaps the gentle rounded edges that offer a whisper of carefully performed shaping, hands that knew exactly what to do<\/a> and when to do it.<\/p>\n Or, maybe you\u2019re like many looking for an open crumb, a loaf interior that draws you in with its seductive visual web.<\/p>\n I\u2019ll admit something from the get-go, though: of all the qualities that make sourdough bread memorable, that open crumb is probably the least important. But I\u2019d wager you already knew that.<\/p>\n In short, here are the things I find help you get bread with an open crumb:<\/strong><\/p>\n We\u2019ll look at each of these as we go through this open crumb sourdough bread guide.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Flavor comes first\u2014always<\/em>. And while an open crumb tends to obsess those new to the craft, it becomes less important as you continue to bake. But I will say that an open, light, and airy structure isn\u2019t only about looks; it is evidence of what happened beneath the surface: vigorous fermentation, proper dough development, and gentle handling at every turn. It\u2019s a light, even texture with well-distributed holes, free of large gaping caverns surrounded by dense spots.<\/p>\n When the flavor component is there, as it should always be<\/a>, this kind of texture makes for bread that\u2019s genuinely pleasurable to eat.<\/p>\n In this guide, I\u2019ll walk you through the decisions that lead to a more open crumb, from choosing your flour to finding the right proof. It is not to chase perfection or impress anyone, but to help you understand your dough well enough to create the bread you actually want to bake\u2014and eat.<\/p>\n When sliced, an open-crumb loaf of bread reveals an interior with many well-distributed holes created during fermentation. The gluten in wheat flour, when properly developed, forms an elastic network that traps carbon dioxide produced by yeast (primarily) and bacteria. This captured gas expands in the oven, creating those characteristic air pockets that give the bread its light, airy texture.<\/p>\n But let\u2019s be clear about what we\u2019re actually after here. When I talk about an open crumb, I\u2019m not referring to bread with gaping holes so large you could lose your sandwich fillings. An appropriately open crumb is about creating a light, even texture throughout the bread, with holes that are well-distributed, and an overall structure that feels tender and airy in your mouth.<\/p>\n At first glance, the following loaf might look like a successful open crumb sourdough bread, but let\u2019s take a closer look and see what\u2019s really going on. (Spoiler<\/em>: to me, it\u2019s underproofed.)<\/p>\n Often, a loaf with an \u201copen crumb\u201d is really underproofed bread<\/a> in disguise. Yes, it\u2019s open, but it\u2019s too<\/em> open, with large gaping holes and surrounding areas that might be denser and tighter. The loaf above is on the edge of this. It has fewer dense spots, but it still has too many large holes and too much upward rise and oven spring (the score broke open erratically on top).<\/p>\n We all underproof (and overproof!) bread from time to time. Judging the perfect proof point is part of the process that requires a build-up of baker\u2019s intuition (as I call it in\u00a0my cookbook<\/a>) to make the right call during bulk fermentation<\/span> and final proof.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s my criteria for spotting an underproofed loaf of sourdough bread masquerading as a loaf with an open crumb:<\/strong><\/p>\n In my Instagram post below, I run through a few more of my bakes that were even more clearly underproofed. Notice the denser areas with strange, almost lava flow-like holes moving throughout:<\/p>\n<\/div>\n The fix for underproofed dough like this? Give the dough more fermentation time. Let the dough ferment longer in bulk fermentation and\/or in its final proof to help even out the holes in the crumb, eliminate dense and gummy spots, and facilitate a more controlled oven spring.<\/p>\n Now let\u2019s look at the things that actually help us get closer to an open crumb. First up, and arguably the most important thing, is choosing the right flour.<\/p>\n I consider flour to be one of the most important factors when striving for an open crumb. You can mix to the right level of strength, have vigorous fermentation, and proof dough to exactly the right point, but if your flour can\u2019t support larger bubbles, there\u2019s not much you can do about it.<\/p>\n Choose white flour, rather than whole wheat, and try using one with a higher protein content for an open crumb.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/figure>\n Strong white flour\u2014what I often call high-protein flour white flour<\/a>\u2014has a higher protein content, which means more gluten-forming potential. When you mix and develop the dough, that extra protein creates a more robust elastic network that can expand with the gases created during fermentation without tearing. It\u2019s like the difference between a cheap balloon that pops easily and a quality one that can inflate large and stay intact. The stronger flour gives you more room for error and more capacity to create those open pockets.<\/p>\n But there\u2019s also a limit: if you use flour that\u2019s too strong (for me, anything above 13% protein),<\/span> you\u2019ll end up with bread that has an open crumb but is chewy and gummy.<\/p>\n I\u2019ve found the sweet spot in my baking to be somewhere between 11% and 13% protein for white flour. Using a high-extraction flour like Type 85 flour<\/a>, when properly hydrated (read: more water), can also work very well toward an open crumb while also providing excellent flavor.<\/p>\n What about whole wheat flour, though? It\u2019s high in protein.<\/p>\n Know that the more whole wheat flour you add, the more difficult it becomes to achieve an open crumb. But this isn\u2019t a loss because what whole wheat takes away in openness, it gives back in flavor and nutrition. I see it as a trade-off worth making. Just understand that a 50% whole wheat loaf<\/a> will never be as tall and airy as an all-white flour loaf, and that\u2019s perfectly fine. Adjust your expectations, not your standards.<\/p>\n In short:<\/em><\/strong> Choose white flour, rather than whole wheat, and try using one with a higher protein content for an open crumb.<\/p>\n Vigorous fermentation in any sourdough bread dough starts with a healthy sourdough starter<\/a>. Feed yours consistently\u2014I refresh mine twice daily, once in the morning and once at night, and keep it around 74\u00b0F to 78\u00b0F (23-25\u00b0C). You do not need to feed it as often as I do, but I do find that this cadence helps keep my starter strong enough for ample leavening.<\/p>\n For an open crumb, use sourdough starter when it just turns ripe, before it becomes too acidic.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/figure>\n In addition to keeping your starter healthy with regular, warm feedings, it\u2019s important to use your starter right as it turns ripe. Look for these signs of ripeness with a liquid starter:<\/p>\n Try to catch your starter when it\u2019s just ripe rather than waiting for it to continue fermenting. An over-fermented starter brings more active protease enzymes into your final dough, where they\u2019ll continue breaking down gluten throughout bulk fermentation. This is a good thing up to a point, but if left for too long, the result will be a weaker dough structure and a tighter crumb.<\/p>\n (Read on to the proofing section for how these are at play within the main dough, too. \ud83d\udc47\ud83c\udffc)<\/p>\n In short:<\/strong><\/em> For an open crumb, use sourdough starter when it just turns ripe, before it becomes too acidic.<\/p>\n A higher hydration generally makes it easier to achieve an open crumb. More water creates a more extensible dough that can stretch and expand without tearing, and it generates steam during baking that helps push the crumb open.<\/p>\n But\u2014and this is important\u2014having a higher hydration isn\u2019t a requirement, and it comes with trade-offs. Doughs with more water are harder to handle and require more skill to develop adequate strength (this is where a mechanical mixer really does help<\/a>). Push the hydration too high for your flour\u2019s capacity, and you\u2019ll end up with dough that\u2019s soupy and structurally weak, no matter how much you strengthen it.<\/p>\n A higher dough hydration can help achieve an open crumb, but it isn\u2019t mandatory.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/figure>\n For my mostly white flour doughs here in arid New Mexico, I typically work between 70% and 80% hydration. But that number is just a number; it\u2019s very relative to the flour I\u2019m using. A high-protein white flour might handle 85% beautifully, while a softer all-purpose flour could struggle at 75%.<\/p>\n The goal is finding the sweet spot: enough water to create a soft, extensible dough that can expand freely, but not so much that you\u2019re fighting to build structure. You\u2019ll know you\u2019ve found it when the dough feels alive in your hands; it\u2019ll be silky, supple, responsive, not overly slack or soupy.<\/p>\n Can you get an open crumb at 70% hydration? Absolutely. Will 80% make it easier? Probably, if you have experience in working with wetter doughs!<\/p>\n In short:<\/em><\/strong> A higher dough hydration can help achieve an open crumb, but it isn\u2019t mandatory.<\/p>\n I see dough development, strengthening, mixing, and handling all related to the strength of a dough and its ability to hold and retain its structure even when deformed during processing.<\/p>\n Sufficient gluten development is important when seeking an open crumb. When you mix dough, you\u2019re building a network that can trap gas, stretch outward, and form pockets we call the crumb. Under-strengthen the dough, and those pockets are weak and could collapse into a tight, dense crumb.<\/p>\n But there\u2019s a limit. Over-mix and you create dough that\u2019s so elastic it fights expansion. The gluten becomes too tight, resisting the very stretch you need for an open interior. You\u2019re back to a closed crumb, just from the opposite direction.<\/p>\n Most home bakers, especially those mixing by hand, tend to underdevelop their dough. I see this often. During mixing, the dough feels tighter and more elastic, but it\u2019s not quite smooth enough and doesn\u2019t hold its shape well.<\/p>\n Try this:<\/strong> Mix for a few minutes longer than feels comfortable. Really work the dough, whether by repeatedly folding it in the bowl, using\u00a0slap and folds<\/a>, or mixing it\u00a0<\/span>in a stand mixer on medium speed. You\u2019re looking for dough that\u2019s smooth, elastic, and holds its shape when you stretch it. <\/p>\n At the end of mixing, it will almost pass the windowpane test: a thin membrane you can stretch without tearing. If you\u2019re unsure, err on the side of more mixing.<\/p>\n In short:<\/em><\/strong> Strengthen the dough enough to develop the gluten, but not so much the dough is overly elastic and rubbery.<\/p>\n Generally, when working toward an open crumb, I like to be as gentle with the dough as possible. <\/p>\n Your dough contains thousands of gas pockets, each one surrounded by gluten walls you\u2019ve built through mixing and folding. When you handle dough roughly\u2014pressing too hard during shaping, slapping it against the counter\u2014you rupture these bubbles. They break into smaller versions of themselves, and your open crumb becomes tight and uniform.<\/p>\n This is why gentle handling matters, especially during preshaping and final shaping. The dough has spent hours building up a delicate structure. If you\u2019re too forceful, you\u2019re kind of undoing this.<\/p>\n In short:<\/em><\/strong> Be gentle with the dough to help preserve its structure.<\/p>\n In my experience, an oval batard consistently produces a more open interior than a round boule. I think two factors explain this.<\/p>\n First, batard shaping requires less force. When shaping a boule<\/a>, you\u2019re often tucking and creating tension all around the dough, which can compress those developing gas pockets. With a batard, you\u2019re rolling the dough into a cylinder in a more linear motion that\u2019s gentler and preserves the airy structure you\u2019ve built during bulk fermentation.<\/p>\n Second, the shape itself bakes differently. A batard\u2019s thinner, elongated profile allows oven heat to penetrate faster and more evenly. For an even more extreme example, think about a long, thin baguette compared to a large miche: the baguette, with its slim cross-section, develops that wild, irregular crumb with dramatic holes. The miche, thick and round, tends toward a tighter, more uniform interior. Potentially the same dough with different geometry and thus different results.<\/p>\n This isn\u2019t to say you can\u2019t get an open crumb with a boule\u2014you absolutely can. But if you\u2019re struggling with a tight interior and you\u2019ve been shaping rounds, try a batard next time. The shape might be working against you.<\/p>\n See my guide <\/a>on shaping an oval batard<\/a>\u00a0for instructions on performing<\/span> this shaping technique correctly.<\/p>\n The final proof is where everything comes together. Your dough has been strengthened, shaped, and now fermentation is transforming it from dense to light, building the structure that will become your crumb.<\/p>\n There\u2019s a narrow window you\u2019re aiming for: the point where your dough has risen 75% to 80% of its full height. You want to leave some reserve strength so the dough can finish expanding in the oven\u2019s heat. This final push (oven spring) is what opens up the crumb in those first crucial minutes of baking.<\/p>\n Push the proof too far, and the gluten network begins to break down. Protease enzymes that have been working throughout fermentation eventually weaken the dough\u2019s structure. The dough loses its ability to trap gas, and what should be a dramatic rise in the oven becomes a sluggish spread. You\u2019ll get flavor (I often say I actually prefer overproofed bread to under!), but the interior will be tighter and denser.<\/p>\n\n
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![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.theperfectloaf.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/theperfectloaf_open_crumb_sourdough_bread_guide.jpg\"\/)
![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.theperfectloaf.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/theperfectloaf_open_crumb_sourdough_bread_guide.jpg\")
<\/a>
\nWhat Is Open Crumb Sourdough Bread?<\/h2>\n
![\"Sourdough](\"https:\/\/www.theperfectloaf.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/theperfectloaf_open_crumb_sourdough_bread_guide-4.jpg\"\/)
![\"Sourdough](\"https:\/\/www.theperfectloaf.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/theperfectloaf_open_crumb_sourdough_bread_guide-4.jpg\")
<\/a>But Wait, Is Your Open Crumb Actually Underproofing?<\/h2>\n
![\"Underproofed](\"https:\/\/www.theperfectloaf.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/theperfectloaf_open_crumb_sourdough_bread_guide-2.jpg\"\/)
![\"Underproofed](\"https:\/\/www.theperfectloaf.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/theperfectloaf_open_crumb_sourdough_bread_guide-2.jpg\")
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Selecting The Right Flour for an Open Crumb<\/h2>\n
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![\"Loaf](\"https:\/\/www.theperfectloaf.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/theperfectloaf_open_crumb_sourdough_bread_guide-1.jpg\"\/)
![\"Loaf](\"https:\/\/www.theperfectloaf.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/theperfectloaf_open_crumb_sourdough_bread_guide-1.jpg\")
<\/a>![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.theperfectloaf.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/tpl_starter_jar_shadow_tall.jpg\"\/)
![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.theperfectloaf.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/tpl_starter_jar_shadow_tall.jpg\")
Sourdough Starter Fermentation and Its Effect<\/h2>\n
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Hydration Strategy For an Open Crumb<\/h2>\n
![\"Adding](\"https:\/\/www.theperfectloaf.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/theperfectloaf_mixing_bread_dough_kneading_mixing_by_hand.jpg\"\/)
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Finding The Sweet Spot: Strengthen The Dough Appropriately<\/h2>\n
![\"Mixing](\"https:\/\/www.theperfectloaf.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/theperfectloaf_mixing_bread_dough_kneading_folds.jpg\"\/)
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Gentle Preshaping and Shaping Helps Preserve Structure<\/h2>\n
Why An Oval Loaf (Batard) Usually Has a More Open Crumb<\/h2>\n
![\"Shaping](\"https:\/\/www.theperfectloaf.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/theperfectloaf_ultimate_guide_to_shaping_bread_dough.jpg\"\/)
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Proofing to Perfection<\/h2>\n