Easy Air Fryer Sourdough Bread Recipe
This easy air fryer sourdough bread recipe is the perfect solution for when you want the taste of traditional homemade sourdough fast—without preheating your large oven or heating up the whole house. Using the air fryer shortens the bake time significantly while still delivering a crisp crust and that signature chewy interior.
I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not usually one for kitchen gadgets, but the air fryer truly won me over with its efficiency. I’ve developed this homemade sourdough bread recipe specifically for the air fryer so you can have a beautiful loaf ready in about half the time of a standard bake.
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What Readers Are Saying:
Great recipe! It was my first attempt in an air fryer, I didn’t have high expectations, but it turned out delicious, fluffy and with a great crunchy crust. Thank you! Larissa
Why You Will Love This Sourdough Air Fryer Method
- Fast and Reliable: This loaf bakes in about 30 minutes, nearly half the time of a traditional oven bake.
- Energy Efficient: You can bake delicious bread without creating excess heat in your kitchen- you can even take the air fryer outside!
- Super Simple Technique: In line with my Super Simple Sourdough philosophy, this method is flexible and beginner-friendly.
- Exceptional Results: You still get that authentic, traditional sourdough spring and flavor without the complexity of a Dutch oven.
The Secrets to Traditional Results in an Air Fryer
The biggest mistake people make is using standard oven temperatures, which leads to a burnt crust. Because air fryers circulate hot air aggressively, you must adjust your settings.
Sourdough Baking Temperature Conversion
| Baking Method | Temperature | Why It Works |
|---|---|---|
| Standard Oven | 450°F (230°C) | Traditional high heat for strong oven spring |
| Air Fryer | 375°F ( 190°C) | ~15% lower temperature prevents over-browning |
👉 Note: We start slightly hotter (400°F/200˚C) for the first few minutes to encourage “oven spring,” then lower it to prevent burning.
If you’re a visual learner like me, you can watch my full process in the video below before we dive into the details!
Simple Ingredients
- Active Sourdough Starter: If you don’t have one, use my Super Simple Sourdough method to make your own.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Adds a lovely richness to the crumb.
- Flour: A mix of all-purpose and whole wheat for that heritage flavor.
- Sea Salt: My favorite for traditional baking.
- Warm Water: Helps speed up the fermentation process.
Tools for Your Homemade Loaf
- Air Fryer: I use the Cosori Turbo Blaze 6 qt. 👉 Tip: Make sure your air fryer has enough clearance for your bread on the inside between the basket and the heating elements!
- 8-inch Springform Pan: Helps maintain a nice round shape and makes removal easy.
- Digital Thermometer: Essential for checking doneness.
How to Store Your Bread
We always love our sourdough bread best when it’s fresh. However, bread with sourdough will last longer than yeast breads and often keeps for up to a week, if properly stored, such as in a bread bag. There are different ways you can even use your leftover bread in various recipes.
How to make the Air Fryer Bread
⭐️ This is a summary of the steps involved. For the complete instructions, please scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
1. Activate and Mix
Begin with an active starter! Combine water and starter, then mix in your remaining ingredients.
2. The Simplified Stretch and Fold
Let the dough rest. Perform 4 rounds of stretch-and-folds to build the strength of your homemade dough without intense kneading.
3. Bulk Ferment and Shape
Let the dough rise. Then, shape it into a rectangle and fold it into thirds, and finally roll it into a ball.
4. Cold Proof (The Flavor Stage)
Place the dough in a proofing basket and refrigerate overnight. This develops those traditional complex flavors.
5. Bake the Bread
Transfer the dough into the pan and score the top. Place the bread in the preheated air fryer and add some water to the bottom. Lower the heat from 400˚F(200˚C ) to 385˚F (195˚C) after 14 minutes. Remove the bread from the pan, flip it, and bake it on the other side until done. The internal temperature should be 200˚F (93˚C).
Air Fryer Sourdough Bread
Equipment
- Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 125 g active sourdough starter
- 40 g olive oil
- 300 g warm water
- 200 g AP flour
- 240 g whole grain flour
- 10 g sea salt
Instructions
Activate sourdough starter:
- Be sure to activate your sourdough starter at least 4 hours before starting this recipe.
Make the dough:
- In a large bowl, combine warm water with sourdough starter. Mix well. Add the remaining ingredients and knead by hand or in a stand mixer.
Stretch and fold:
- Let dough rest at room temperature for about 1 hour. Do the first set of stretch-and-folds: With wet hands, take one side of your dough lift it up and fold it over itself. Turn the bowl a quarter turn and repeat this process 3 more times. Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for 30 minutes. Repeat this process 3 more times.
Let it rise:
- After the final stretch-and-fold, let the dough ferment for 1 hour at room temperature.
Shape the dough:
- Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface. Gently stretch it into a rectangle. Taking the short side, fold the dough ⅓ over itself, then fold the other side over. Starting again from the small side, roll the dough into a loose roll. With lightly floured hands, place the dough ball seam side down on your work surface and gently pull it toward yourself a few times, turning it while you’re doing this.
Bulk fermentation:
- Transfer the dough to a lightly floured proofing basket and put it in a cool place or your refrigerator for 8-12 hours.
Bake the bread:
- Preheat the air fryer to 400˚F for four minutes. Line a cake pan with parchment paper or brush it with oil. Flip the bread into the cake pan, seam-side down. You can score the top of the bread. Place the bread in the springform pan in the air fryer basket, add a little water to the bottom, lower the temperature to 385˚F, and bake the bread for the first 14 minutes. Carefully remove the bread from the cake pan, flip it over, and bake it for another 14 minutes. If your bread is not quite golden brown and done, lower the temperature to 330˚F and baking it until its internal temperature reaches 200˚F. Remove the bread from the air fryer and let it completely cool on a wire rack before cutting.
Nutrition
Frequently Asked Questions:
While I still love my traditional oven, this easy method produces a soft, airy crumb and a fantastic crust. It’s a game-changer for summer baking!
I recommend a cold proof in the refrigerator instead. It allows the flavors to develop and helps the bread rise better when it finally hits the hot air fryer.
The most reliable way is to use a thermometer to reach an internal temperature of 200°F. Otherwise, the bread should sound hollow when you tap the bottom.
Yes, if the temperature is too high. Because air fryers circulate heat so quickly, we use a lower temperature (375°F-385°F) than a standard oven to ensure it bakes through without scorching the outside.
Other sourdough recipes you might like
The Easiest Sourdough Bread Ever
Simple Whole-Grain Sourdough Loaf
Hi, I just came across your recipe and would love to try baking bread in air fryer. Mine does have a bake setting so wondering if I should use that or the usual air fryer setting? Thanks x
I would try to use the bake setting but I do recommend you check your air fryer’s manual ~ Anja
Great recipe! It was my first attempt in an air fryer, I didn’t have high expectations, but it turned out delicious, fluffy and with a great crunchy crust. Thank you !
I am so glad to hear that and thank you for commenting ~ Anja
Where do you buy whole grain wheat? What brand or website? Thanks!
You can find wheat berries on amazon, Azure Standard, Central Milling, or do an online search. There are so many good sources! Anja