Why Is My Sourdough Gummy? (3 Common Causes and How to Fix Them)

There is nothing more disappointing than cutting into a beautiful loaf… only to find a gummy interior.

The good news?

Gummy sourdough is almost always caused by one of three things — and all of them are fixable.

Let’s break them down.

1. You Cut the Bread Too Soon

This is the most common cause.

Even after your bread leaves the oven, it continues cooking internally.

Steam inside the loaf is still redistributing moisture and setting the crumb structure. If you slice into it too early, that steam escapes too quickly and the interior collapses into a gummy texture.

Solution:

Allow your bread to cool at least 1 hour on a cooling rack before slicing.

Yes, it’s hard.

Yes, it’s worth it.

2. The Bread Was Underbaked

Sometimes the loaf looks beautifully golden on the outside but isn’t fully baked inside. Proper internal temperature for sourdough should reach:

200–210°F in the center.

If you remove it too early, the crumb won’t fully set.

Solution:

Use a thermometer and insert it at an angle into the center of the loaf (not touching the Dutch oven).

If you don’t have a thermometer:

Look for a deep golden crust and a hollow sound when tapped.

3. The Dough Was Underproofed

Fermentation is where texture is built.

If the dough didn’t ferment long enough, the interior won’t develop proper structure. This often leads to:

• Dense crumb

• Large random holes

• Gummy texture

• Weak oven spring

Underproofed dough often feels:

• Tight

• Shiny

• Heavy when jiggled

Properly proofed dough feels airy and light with small uniform bubbles.

Learning to read fermentation is one of the biggest breakthroughs in sourdough baking.

How to Prevent Gummy Bread Every Time

Before baking, ask yourself:

✔ Was my starter truly at peak?

✔ Did my dough rise 50–75% during bulk?

✔ Did I bake long enough?

✔ Did I cool fully before slicing?

If you can confidently answer yes to those questions, gummy bread becomes rare.

Want to Bake Without Guessing?

If you’re tired of troubleshooting every loaf, I walk through the entire sourdough process step-by-step inside my beginner-friendly course, Sourdough Made Simple.

From starter strength to fermentation timing to baking temperature, everything is simplified so you can bake with confidence.

If you love quick visual tips, I also share daily sourdough education and troubleshooting over on Instagram.

Follow @thebreadcoach