Bread Baking Mistakes? Here are Quick Solutions to Fix Them

One of the most common mistakes home bakers make when baking sourdough bread is preparing the dough .

In this article, we will take a step-by-step look at not only the 6 most common mistakes and how these specific mistakes arise, but also how to fix them:

1. Leavened dough
2. Dough strength
3. Translation errors
4. Weak leaven
5. Dough pre-shaping
6. Slightly preheated oven

So let's get started! ↓

The most common bread baking mistakes that lead to a flat loaf

Once you start panicking and changing flours, water temperatures, and other procedures, you have a lot of variables. If your bread is not going well, you need to be patient first and foremost. You also learned to ride a bike or drive a car for a while. Even baking bread has its own laws and can be frustrating at times. But, if you start asking the right questions, the answers will come soon and you will find out where the hidden treasure is. Let's take a look at the most common mistakes when baking bread:

1. Over-risen dough loses strength

One of the most common mistakes when baking bread. If the dough rises too long, it loses its elasticity and shape. The result is that it spreads in the oven instead of rising. Over-risen dough tends to be sticky and does not spring back when pressed.

How do I know when the dough is ready to bake?

When you gently press the surface with your fingertip, the dough springs back, holds its shape, and is elastic. If it is too soft, runny, or does not hold its shape well, it needs more time. Let it rise.

And what to do if the dough doesn't rise?

I cover this error in detail in an article here .

2. Weakly developed gluten = no fluffy yeast dough

Homemade bread needs a strong gluten network to hold its shape well. If the dough is not kneaded or folded enough, it will not have the necessary strength. It will lack the support that would allow it to rise.

We fold the dough to create a flexible structure – one that will retain a larger volume of air during rising and baking.

Also pay attention to what kind of flour you are baking with and what result you want to achieve.

3. Insufficient translation

When baking sourdough bread, proper folding is essential. Three to four folds during the first fermentation (every 30–45 minutes) help create a strong but flexible gluten network.

Think of it like building a fishing net – if the net is weak, the gases produced by fermentation will escape. But as you strengthen the net with each fold, the dough gains strength and elasticity. This allows it to rise beautifully during baking.

4. Unbalanced or weak sourdough = flat bread

Sourdough bread is a chapter in itself. And sourdough? It's the alpha and omega of all baking. Sourdough is not a tool. It's a companion. A small living organism that has its own moods, needs, and pace. Sometimes a small change in the environment is enough to make the bread fail.

Although it's nice to consult with your surroundings, not all advice will work in your home. Every sourdough is different, just like every household - some have warmer temperatures, some have higher humidity, water hardness, and flour. I like to compare it to children. Just because little František doesn't like cauliflower from the neighbor's house doesn't mean it won't work in your home. Every child is unique, and the same goes for sourdough.

So how do you balance your yeast? Try a regular feeding rhythm and watch how fast your yeast grows and when it peaks. It's also important to prepare your starter properly. If you need to know how to do it right, download my free e-book where I'll walk you through it step by step.

5. Insufficient pre-shaping of the dough or skipping the step altogether is a common mistake

If the dough is not well pre-shaped before the final rise, it has no internal support from which to rise during baking. This is a very common problem with beginners, as shaping is often underestimated or skipped altogether.

Forming a loaf is a small ceremony. Create tension in the dough by rolling and folding it in the center. The dough should feel taut to the touch, but not cracking. Once you have rolled it well, you can be sure that even without a mold, it will hold its shape during baking and the result will not be flat bread.

6. However, one of the most common mistakes when baking bread is using an oven or baking dish that is too hot.

Bread needs a lot of heat at the beginning of baking. Otherwise, it won't rise from the oven, but will remain flat and heavy. This phase is called oven spring , and it won't happen without a really hot oven. The dough may have risen nicely in the bowl, but it won't move anywhere in the oven. This is especially important for wheat dough – it needs a quick start.

Now let's talk about a really hot oven ↓

Preheat the oven to at least 250°C and let it preheat for at least 30 minutes.

If you bake in a cast iron or ceramic pot, it must also be hot - it will create the right microclimate in the oven, thanks to which the bread will rise beautifully and bake until crispy.

What if your oven only has a maximum of 230°C?

No problem – just give it a longer preheating time, maybe 45 minutes, and use a sealable pot that holds heat well. A properly ripened dough with sufficient tension and hydration can rise even at a lower temperature if the environment is humid and intensely hot.

Steam in the first few minutes is key

It prevents the crust from drying out prematurely. Without it, the dough will close on the surface and no longer have room to rise.

You can find more about baking with steam in my recipe for the fluffiest homemade Loupáčky .

How to avoid the most common mistakes when baking bread

Use a good quality flour that has enough gluten and strength to create an elastic structure. Watch the dough, not just the clock – each dough rises at a different rate, depending on temperature, humidity, type of flour and strength of the leaven. Build up the gluten network by folding it regularly and knead the dough with sensitivity .

Look at your dough, it's great to take pictures of the different stages, write them down in your diary. Don't worry - you'll only be doing this at the beginning, until you develop practice and a feel for it. Be patient and it will all pay off and only bake when the dough is ready, not when the recipe says so. You can't know what time of year someone created the recipe, what specific flour they used, what temperature the liquids were, etc.

I often see in courses that no two loaves of bread are ever the same from the same dough. And that's okay.

Frequently asked questions about bread baking mistakes

Should I use a mold or bake it loose ?

I recommend a pan for beginners because it will provide support for the dough. Once you are good at shaping and creating tension, baking without a pan (for example in a hot pot) will give the best results.

How long should sourdough bread rise ?

It depends on many factors: room temperature, strength of the leaven, type of flour. You can find the best tips in my free e-book , where I explain in detail how to leaven.

And what mistakes do you struggle with the most when baking bread?

Join the comments below the article and share your experiences. Mari will be happy to advise and it may become a new practical article.