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
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.
How can I tell if I killed my yeast? ›
If you're not sure whether your yeast is still viable or not, the quickest way to check is to place it in some sugar and water and see if it activates. This process is called proofing the yeast and is essentially "feeding" the yeast to wake it up.
How to make bread rise more? ›
If you want to leave the dough to rise for longer, like while you are at work or overnight, just put it in a cold place such as the fridge, or an unheated room in winter. Then take it out to warm up a bit before you shape it.
Why is my bread suddenly not rising? ›
Most rise issues are yeast issues: bad yeast, something in the mix is killing or inhibiting the yeast (chem in water for example). You can test your yeast by adding it to 1/2 cup of water (bottled, no chem added water if you suspect your water) with a pinch of sugar.
What temperature kills yeast? ›
Too Hot to Survive. 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 happens if you bake bread with dead yeast? ›
A vacuum-sealed bag of yeast stored at high temperatures, however—e.g., in a hot kitchen over the summer, or in a hot warehouse before delivery—will fairly quickly lose its effectiveness. After awhile, if stored improperly, yeast cells will die. And if you use dead (or dying) yeast in your bread, it won't rise.
How do you fix killed yeast? ›
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. If your liquid was too cold, use a water bath to slowly bring your yeast and liquid mixture up to the right temperature, but no hotter.
What to do if dough won't stretch? ›
Add extra time for dough to rest
To really allow gluten to relax, you can refrigerate preshaped dough overnight, then stretch and shape the next day.
How to fix tough dough? ›
Start by adding 1 teaspoon of fat into dough at a time, whatever the recipe originally called for, usually butter or oil, until it's moistened. Your hands are the best tool for this job, as you can much more gently bring the dough together than a mixer, and too much mixing will make for some tough cookies.
Why is my bread dough dense not rising? ›
Some breads will take longer than others to rise and this can be due to many factors such as temperature, ingredients and even the water temperature used. Check the liquid added to the dough is not over 37°C or it may kill off some of the yeast, similarly check the yeast is not too old or stale and inactive.
The proofing time for bread dough varies based on the dough's makeup (amount of preferment, flour choices, and hydration) and the temperature at which it's proofed. The dough should generally be proofed for around 1 to 4 hours at a warm temperature or overnight (or more) at a cold refrigerator temperature.
