How do I know if my dough is overproofed?

The poke test helps: overproofed dough does not spring back at all when pressed—the indent stays. The dough may also look deflated and feel very soft and fragile.

Can I save overproofed dough?

Somewhat. Gentle reshaping and immediate baking can produce edible bread, though it will be flatter than ideal. Converting to focaccia or flatbread is often a better option.

Why does overproofed bread collapse in the oven?

The weakened gluten cannot hold the gas. When scored, the gas escapes instead of expanding the bread. Without structure, the loaf deflates.

Overproofed

Proofing

Overproofed dough has fermented too long—the gas bubbles have grown too large and the gluten structure has weakened. The result is bread that may collapse in the oven with little oven spring and a flat profile.

Try This Right Now

1Reshape gently and bake immediately—do not proof further
2Handle very gently to preserve remaining structure
3Score minimally—large cuts may cause collapse

Detailed Solutions

Immediate Bake

Moderate

Get dough in the oven before more structure is lost.

Preheat oven to maximum temperature
Gently turn dough onto parchment
Score with a single, shallow cut
Bake immediately with steam

Focaccia Conversion

Easy

Convert to focaccia where flat is expected.

Oil a sheet pan generously
Gently transfer dough to pan
Stretch to fill pan edges
Dimple, oil, and bake at 425°F

Why This Happens

Overproofing happens when the yeast has consumed most of the sugars and produced so much gas that the gluten structure can no longer hold it. Contributing factors include: Final proof too long, Room temperature higher than expected, Forgot about dough in proofing, Using too much starter, Weak gluten that cannot hold gas.

Prevention for Next Time

Set a timer and check dough regularly during final proof
Proof in the refrigerator for more control and flexibility
Learn what properly proofed dough looks like—jiggly but not collapsed
In warm weather, reduce starter amount or proof time

Related Issues

Having other problems? Check out these related troubleshooting guides.

Underproofed Flat Loaf Dense Crumb Over-Fermented