Technique

The honest guide to
sourdough scoring.

A good ear isn’t luck. Scoring sourdough is about depth, angle and timing, and once those three click, the same cut works every single bake.

Read the full bread guide Check your proof timing

Why It Matters

It’s not decoration

A loaf that goes into the oven unscored, or scored badly, doesn’t stop expanding. The steam and gas built up during proofing still have to escape somewhere, and if you haven’t given them a deliberate weak point, the crust finds its own, usually along the side or underneath, in a jagged blowout.

Scoring sourdough is simply choosing where that release happens. Cut in the right place, at the right depth and angle, and the dough opens predictably along that line, throwing the classic "ear" and directing oven spring upward instead of sideways.

Controls oven spring

A clean score gives the loaf one obvious place to expand, so the rise goes up and out along the cut rather than tearing the crust wherever it’s thinnest.

Prevents blowouts

Without a scored release point, steam pressure builds until it ruptures the weakest part of the skin, usually the side seam, leaving an ugly split instead of a clean bloom.

Depth and angle basics

A shallow, angled cut (around 30–45°) lifts a flap of crust into an ear as the loaf springs. A deeper, straight cut opens more like a valley, giving a wider, flatter bloom.

Timing is everything

Score right before the loaf goes into the oven, not earlier. Cut too soon and the dough relaxes and seals the line before it ever hits the heat.

How to score sourdough bread

Score cold, well-proofed dough just before baking, ideally straight from the fridge if you’ve done a cold retard, since chilled dough holds a cut far better than warm, slack dough. Dust the surface lightly so the skin is dry enough for the blade to glide rather than drag, then make one confident, continuous cut rather than several hesitant ones. A single unbroken line almost always outperforms a fussed-over pattern.

The angle decides the look: hold the blade nearly flat against the surface, around 30°, for a shallow cut that lifts into a dramatic ear. Hold it closer to 90° for a deeper, straight score that opens evenly without the flap. Both are correct technique, they just produce different results, so pick the one that matches the pattern you’re going for.

Pattern Library

Sourdough scoring designs, explained

Five patterns that turn up again and again on sourdough loaves, and the technique note behind each one.

Unbaked sourdough dough scored with a single long slash near the edge Baked sourdough loaf with a single curled ear of crust
01

01 · Classic

Single slash (the ear)

One long, shallow cut set off-centre near the edge of the loaf, running most of its length. It produces the signature Tartine-style "ear", a crisp flap of crust that curls up and away from the body of the loaf as it bakes.

Technique: the cut has to be near the edge, not centred, and held at a shallow angle. A centred, steep cut just opens a flat valley instead of lifting a flap.

Baked photo: Mettfluencer Mett Lifestyle / Unsplash
Unbaked sourdough dough scored with a central spine and diagonal leaf-vein branches Baked sourdough loaf with a feathered leaf-vein crust pattern
02

02 · Botanical

Leaf pattern

A central spine cut down the length of the loaf with short diagonal cuts branching off either side, like veins on a leaf. As the dough springs, each small cut opens slightly, giving a layered, feathered bloom along the spine.

Technique: cut the spine first at moderate depth, then the branches shallow and quick. Overworking the branch cuts tears the skin instead of opening it cleanly.

Unbaked sourdough dough scored with a diagonal cross-hatch grid Baked sourdough loaf with a bold cross-hatch wheat crust pattern
03

03 · Structural

Cross-hatch / wheat pattern

A grid of parallel diagonal cuts crossed by a second set running the other way, sometimes with a stalk cut down the centre to suggest a stem of wheat. Each little square lifts independently, giving a bold, geometric bloom.

Technique: keep every cut the same shallow depth. Because there are more release points than a single score, the loaf needs slightly firmer proofing so it doesn’t collapse under its own oven spring.

Baked photo: Pelin Erdogan / Pexels
Unbaked sourdough dough scored with a continuous spiral cut Baked sourdough loaf with a swirling spiral crust pattern
04

04 · Decorative

Spiral

A continuous curved cut winding from the centre of the loaf out toward the edge (or the reverse), giving a swirling, dynamic bloom that reads as more freeform than a straight-line pattern.

Technique: this one needs the steadiest hand, since a wobble reads immediately in a curve. Score slowly, rotating the banneton or turntable rather than twisting your wrist through the curve.

Baked photo: Patty Greco / Unsplash
Unbaked sourdough dough scored with curved petal cuts arranged in a ring Baked sourdough loaf opened into a flower-like crown of crust
05

05 · Showpiece

Crown / rosette

Several curved petal-shaped cuts arranged in a ring around a central point, so the loaf opens into a flower-like crown as it bakes. It’s the pattern most likely to show up on a boule meant for the table, not just the toaster.

Technique: mark the centre point lightly first so all the petal cuts stay even in length and spacing. Uneven petals bake unevenly, with the longer cuts opening wider than the shorter ones.

The Scoring Tool

Lame, razor, or kitchen knife?

Bread lame

A dedicated scoring tool: a slim handle holding a razor blade, usually with a slight curve. It’s the standard scoring tool for a reason, the curve lets the blade glide through the surface at a consistent angle without dragging, which matters most on wetter, stickier doughs.

Plain razor blade

A single-edge blade held between two fingers works nearly as well as a lame and costs almost nothing. Less control on a curve, but for straight single slashes it does the job just as cleanly.

Sharp kitchen knife

A serrated or very sharp paring knife will score dough, but it drags more than a blade and tends to compress the surface rather than slice it cleanly. Fine for a first loaf while you decide if you’ll bake often enough to justify a proper lame.

The tip that actually matters: if your dough is on the wetter side (75%+ hydration), dip the blade in cold water or run it under the tap between cuts. A dry blade drags and sticks on tacky dough, tearing the surface instead of slicing it. A wet blade slides through cleanly, and that alone fixes most "my scoring pattern disappeared" problems before they start.

Frequently Asked

Questions about sourdough scoring

  • Why doesn’t my bread open up when scored?

    Usually one of three things: the cut isn’t deep enough to break the surface tension, the dough is over-proofed and has already lost the strength to spring, or the oven isn’t hot enough at the start of the bake to generate the early burst of steam that drives the opening. Check your proof timing on the fermentation calculator before blaming the blade.

  • How deep should I score sourdough?

    Around 0.5–1cm for most loaves, just enough to break through the dry outer skin into the softer dough underneath. Too shallow and the cut seals over before it can open; too deep and you risk deflating the loaf or cutting into the crumb structure itself.

  • Can I score sourdough with a normal kitchen knife?

    Yes, a sharp paring knife or serrated bread knife will work, especially for a first attempt. It drags more than a razor blade or dedicated lame, so the cut is less clean, but it’s a perfectly reasonable place to start before buying a proper scoring tool.

  • Why did my scoring pattern disappear during baking?

    Most often a dragging blade tore the surface instead of slicing it, which is common on wetter doughs. Wet the blade before each cut on higher-hydration dough. Over-proofing is the other usual cause, since slack, over-fermented dough can’t hold a crisp line at all.

  • What angle gives the best "ear" on sourdough?

    Around 30–45° from the surface, with the cut placed near the edge of the loaf rather than through the centre. A shallow angle lifts a flap of crust as the dough springs; a steep, centred cut just opens a flat valley with no ear at all.

  • Should I score sourdough straight from the fridge?

    Yes, if you’ve done a cold retard. Chilled dough is firmer and holds a scored line far better than dough scored while still warm and slack, and it’s one of the easiest ways to get a cleaner cut without changing anything else about your technique.

  • Do I need a special scoring tool, or will any blade do?

    Any sufficiently sharp, thin blade will score dough. A dedicated lame is worth it if you bake often, mainly because the curved blade holds a consistent angle for you, but a loose razor blade or sharp knife produces a perfectly good score while you decide.

Still Not Opening Up?

Send the Coach a photo of your loaf.

A flat bloom or a torn crust usually traces back to proofing, not the blade. The AI Baking Coach can look at what happened and tell you whether it’s your scoring, your proof, or your oven.

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