This is the recipe that gave me the confidence to make sourdough and continues to deliver impressive, beautiful bakes and deep flavor. It’s a pure levain dough but I’ll admit that I sometimes add 1-2 tsp. of instant yeast to give it extra volume and large, gaseous bubbles. The long overnight bulk fermentation allows the dough to comfortably stretch and triple in volume by morning.

This recipe makes a single 1.5 lb. loaf within 2 days (day one for the levain, bulk fermentation overnight, day two for final proof and bake). I’ve added timestamps to make this sourdough as user-friendly as possible!

Recipe adapted from Flour Water Salt Yeast

Levain Ingredients

• 50g mature, active levain (this is your starter)

• 200g bread flour

• 50g whole wheat flour

• 200g water (85ºF-90ºF or 29ºC-32ºC)

• I use this container

9AM: Make the levain

• Mix by hand until just incorporated. Do not knead.

• Cover and rest at room temperature for 7-9 hours. It should double in size and look gassy, sticky, and wet.

5PM: Mix the dough ingredients

• 402g bread flour

• 38g whole wheat flour

• 342g water (90ºF-95ºF or 32ºC-35ºC)

• 11g fine sea salt

• 1-2 tsp instant yeast (optional if you want extra volume insurance)

• 108g levain (what you made earlier)

• I use this container

To begin making the dough:

• Mix the bread flour and whole wheat flour by hand to incorporate. Add the water and salt. Mix until just incorporated. Cover and rest for 30 mins.

5:30PM: Mix the final dough

• Add the instant yeast (optional) and levain evenly over the top of the dough. Massage and pinch the dough together to combine the ingredients. It’s sticky now but will get smoother over time. Cover and rest for 30 mins.

6:30PM–bedtime: Fold the dough 3-4 more times

• Because overnight levain dough expands very slowly, the rest of the folds can happen anytime that’s convenient for you. Each time you fold, massage and pinch the dough to break apart the dry flour bits. This is when you knead, but it doesn’t have to be aggressive.

• Cover with a damp kitchen towel and kiss your dough goodnight.

8AM: Shape the dough

• When the dough is nearly triple its original volume (usually 12-15 hours after mixing), it’s ready to be divided.

• Ease the dough out of the tub onto a lightly floured work surface. Peel any remaining dough out of the container too – that’s good stuff.

• Fold the sides inward and roll the dough up into a little ball. Continue rolling it neatly into a tight ball.

• Place the dough ball into a proofing basket, seam side up. Cover with a damp kitchen towel and rest for up to 4 hours.

12PM: Bake

• Preheat the oven to 475ºF (245ºC).

• Put a dutch oven on the middle rack. I like to put a baking tray on the bottom rack to protect the crust from getting too crisp.

• Cut a sheet of parchment paper into a round.

• Gentle ease the dough out of the proofing basket and onto the parchment paper.

• Score the top with a bread lame or sharp knife.

• Remove the hot dutch oven, carefully place the dough inside.

• Bake for 25 mins. covered.

• Remove the lid and continue baking for 25 mins uncovered.

• Remove from the oven and cool completely on a wire rack.

My go-to recipe for super thicc, chonky cookies. Best when made ahead, chilled in the fridge for 24 hours, and baked in the toaster oven for 13 mins. Cakey on the outside, gooey inside, and able to hold their weight and shape when eaten a la mode.

Recipe adapted from Serious Eats

Ingredients

• 4 ounces unsalted American butter (about 1/2 cup; 113 g), softened to about 65°F (18°C)

• 4 ounces light brown sugar (about 1/2 cup, firmly packed; 113 g)

• 3 1/2 ounces white sugar (about 1/2 cup; 100 g)

• 1/2 ounce vanilla extract (about 1 tablespoon; 15 g)

• 2 teaspoons (8 g) Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for table salt, use about half as much by volume or the same weight (plus more for sprinkling, if desired)

• 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 2 large eggs (about 3 1/2 ounces; 100 g), straight from the fridge

• 10 ounces all-purpose flour (about 2 1/4 cups, spooned; 283 g)

• 8 ounces assorted chocolate chips (about 1 cup)

Directions

To Prepare the Dough:

• Combine butter, light brown sugar, white sugar, vanilla extract, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment.

• Mix on low to moisten, then increase speed to medium and beat until soft, fluffy, and pale, about 8 minutes; halfway through, pause to scrape bowl and beater with a flexible spatula.

• With mixer running, add eggs one at a time, letting each incorporate fully before adding the next. Reduce speed to low, then add the flour all at once.

• When flour is incorporated, add chocolate chips and keep mixing until dough is homogeneous.

• Divide dough into 8 equal portions (about 6 ounces/170g each) and round each into a smooth ball. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate at least 12 hours before baking; if well protected from air, the dough can be kept in the fridge up to 1 week.

To Bake:

• Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat to 350°F (180°C). Line an aluminum half-sheet pan with parchment paper. When the oven comes to temperature, arrange up to 4 portions of cold dough on prepared pan, leaving ample space between them to account for spread. If you like, sprinkle with additional salt to taste.

• Bake until cookies are puffed and lightly brown – 13 minutes for underbaked, gooey cookies and up to 22 minutes for well-done cookies.

• Cool cookies directly on baking sheet until no warmer than 100°F (38°C) before serving. Enjoy warm, or within 12 hours. These cookies taste best when freshly baked.

• Make ahead and storage: The portioned cookie dough can be wrapped tightly in plastic and refrigerated for up to 1 week. Alternatively, the portions can be individually wrapped, then placed in a freezer-safe zip-top bag and frozen for up to 6 months. Thaw frozen dough to 40°F (4°C), unwrap, and bake as directed.