Worried about your bread dough, or sourdough starter? If your homemade dough is not rising, there are a few possible reasons why. See our advice...
There's nothing like the taste and smell of fresh homemade bread, and our handy dough hook makes light work of mixing and kneading bread dough. But what if it doesn't rise? Here's a few reasons why that might be happening.
8 reasons why your bread dough is not rising:
Yeast is not freshYeast has an expiration date, and, after that date, will not be as effective. Yeast should be stored in a cool, dry place.
Yeast is too hotYeast may have been dissolved in water that was too hot, or the liquid ingredients in the recipe may be too hot, causing the yeast to die. Yeast needs to be warm - not too hot, not too cold.
Yeast is too coldIf the other ingredients are too cold, it could cause some of the yeast to die.
Was the dough kneaded properly?
Dough may not have been kneaded enough. Kneading 'exercises' the gluten in the bread and gives it the elasticity to hold in the air bubbles produced by the yeast. It is these air bubbles that cause the dough to expand and rise. All of our mixers come with a dough hook, which is perfect for mixing and kneading yeast dough.
Was the dough given enough time to rise?
Insufficient time may have been allowed for the dough to rise correctly. Try leaving it a little longer.
Where was the dough placed to rise?
The room temperature can affect the yeast too. The ideal temperature for the rising dough is between 21ºC and 32ºC (70º-90ºF). At a higher temperature, or if the temperature is too low, the yeast will begin to die.
What type of flour was used?
If speciality grains are being used in dough, the dough will not rise as much because these grains have a lower percentage of gluten to hold in the air bubbles that cause the bread to expand.
Making sourdough?If a sourdough starter is being used, it may not be active. A sourdough starter must be fed at proper intervals and kept at the correct temperature (22-24°C, 70-75°F) to keep the yeast cultures alive and active.
FAQs
Dough that has expired yeast, too much salt, all-purpose or cake flour, or antifungal spices like cinnamon might have trouble rising.
How do you fix bread dough that is not rising? ›
But almost as good as a proofing box is taking a Mason jar filled halfway up with water, microwaving it for two minutes, then putting your bowl of dough into the microwave with the jar to rise. The other thing you can do is place your lidded container or bowl of dough into a second, larger bowl of warm water.
What happens if dough doesn't rise long enough? ›
If baked too soon or too late, loaves can collapse and have a dense, gummy center. “There are so many factors that affect rise time, so exact time will vary for every baker.
How do you make dough rise bigger? ›
You can also put hot water in a heat-safe dish and place it on the floor of a cold oven (or on a lower shelf). The steam and heat from the water will help the temperature rise just enough that the yeast is active. The steam will also assist in keeping the surface of the dough moist so it will stretch as it rises.
How long should the second rise be for bread? ›
For deeper flavour (and convenience), most doughs can be put in the fridge for their second rise and left to prove overnight.
How long can you let dough rise at room temperature? ›
Yes! If a recipe calls for proofing bread dough overnight in the refrigerator, it can be proofed on the counter at a warmer temperature for a shorter period. Rather than placing the dough in the refrigerator overnight, leave it covered on the counter for 1 to 4 hours until it's ready to bake.
What temperature kills yeast? ›
Regardless of the type of yeast you use, if your water reaches temperatures of 120°F or more, the yeast will begin to die off. Once water temps reach 140°F or higher, that is the point where the yeast will be completely killed off.
What do I do if I killed my yeast? ›
Solutions for yeast that didn't bloom
If your liquid was too hot, your yeast was killed and it cannot be saved. Try again with new yeast and make sure your liquid is the right temperature.
What can I add to dough to make it rise? ›
Using Rapid-Rise Yeast
Quicker yeast activation makes bread rise faster. Find rapid-rise yeast packets at your local grocery store. They might be labeled "instant yeast" or "quick-rise yeast." Mix a packet of rapid-rise yeast in with the dry dough ingredients.
Why is my homemade bread so dense? ›
There may be several reasons for a dense, cake like texture in bread. It may indicate the kneading wasn't enough for the gluten to develop properly, or the dough was proved for too short a time or the dough may have been too dry. It is also worth checking the flour you used.
When you add yeast to water and flour to create dough, it eats up the sugars in the flour and excretes carbon dioxide gas and ethanol — this process is called fermentation. The gluten in the dough traps the carbon dioxide gas, preventing it from escaping. The only place for it to go is up, and so the bread rises.
How to fix bread that isn't rising? ›
Increasing the temperature and moisture can help activate the yeast in the dough so it rises. You can also try adding more yeast. Open a new packet of yeast and mix 1 teaspoon (3 g) of it with 1 cup (240 mL) of warm water and 1 tablespoon (13 g) of sugar. Let the yeast mixture proof for 10 minutes.
Why is my dough not doubling in size? ›
The most common issue is not kneading enough between rises. The yeast cannot float through the dough, so it has to just eat the flour near it. If it exhausts that supply, it's stuck. Kneading the dough a bit - and it doesn't take much - puts the yeast and bacteria back in touch with fresh food.
Why is my homemade bread not rising? ›
Yeast is too cold If the other ingredients are too cold, it could cause some of the yeast to die. Was the dough kneaded properly? Dough may not have been kneaded enough. Kneading 'exercises' the gluten in the bread and gives it the elasticity to hold in the air bubbles produced by the yeast.
What does overmixed dough look like? ›
As with the batters above, overmixed biscuit and pie dough will seem heavy—it may also appear overly uniform. If a biscuit or pie dough has warmed too much, it may take on a greasy appearance or tough texture (which will make it hard to roll out or handle).
What happens if you over mix bread dough? ›
If mixed too long the dough can become loose and sticky. The water that was absorbed by the flour gets released back into the dough and the gluten structure breaks down. After this there is no way to fix it. It will be a loose, soggy, and sticky mass unable to hold in fermentation gasses.
How to speed up dough rising? ›
A Bowl of Steaming Water is the Key to Quickly Proofing Bread. In the winter, when your house and kitchen are at a crisp temperature and you need a warm spot for your dough to rise, create a makeshift “proof box” by placing a bowl of steaming water inside your oven alongside your bowl of dough.
What's the longest you can leave dough to rise? ›
Can I leave my bread to rise overnight? Yes, you can let your bread rise overnight in the fridge. Keep in mind, though, you'll want the dough to come back up to room temperature before baking.
Is my house too cold for dough to rise? ›
It's hard to get bread to rise in a cold house. My favorite way to counter a cold house is to boil water in a small pot then place the pot on the lower baking rack of the (turned off) oven, place the bread on the top rack, and shut the oven door while the bread rises.
How to fix sticky dough without flour? ›
Oil does as well and is better suited for keeping the dough from sticking to a bowl or rising container than water is. Water is more readily absorbed. Paul Hollywood shows how using oil instead of flour to knead bread, which helps keep the texture of the dough consistent.
Allowing dough to rise before baking is an essential step in achieving soft, fluffy bread that's as good as you would get from the bakery.
Why didn't my dough rise in the fridge overnight? ›
When you put your dough in the fridge it slows the yeast activity down. It takes ten times longer for dough to rise in the fridge than it does at room temperature.
