How to Score Bread

Bread scoring is the practice of slashing the surface of bread dough immediately before baking it. Why? As crusty bread bakes, it rises quickly and dramatically (bakers call this “oven spring”). The yeast releases carbon dioxide, and the water in the dough rapidly evaporates. A robust oven spring is a good sign that you’ve got an open, airy crumb.

There’s a practical reason for scoring sourdough bread and other types of loaves like baguettes, bâtards and boules—basically any bread baked free-standing rather than in a pan. If you bake the bread plain, the oven spring can cause the loaf to burst open at random, leading to big caverns or swollen shapes. Scoring the bread before baking it lets bakers “guide” the oven spring, optimizing the rise and shape of the baked loaf.

Scoring can be as simple as making a quick slice down the middle of a loaf, but advanced bakers often treat bread scoring as a way to decorate the bread. Advanced bread scoring patterns can transform a humble peasant loaf into a work of art.

How to Score Bread

Scoring bread is easy, and the simplest scores don’t add much time to the baking process. The only trick? Be prepared with the right tools, a hot oven and design in mind.

Choose a scoring tool

While you can certainly use a special bread-baking tool called a lame (French for “blade”) to score the bread, it’s not essential. Any sharp, thin blade will work: a kitchen knife, scissors or even a razor blade. Make sure it’s clean and dry before using it.

Prep the dough

Follow your bread recipe precisely as written. You’ll score the dough after it rises and is shaped, immediately before it goes into the oven. Make sure your oven is hot and ready to go; don’t let the dough sit once it’s scored, or the pattern will weaken or close up.

Decide on a score pattern

If you’re a beginner, keep the bread scoring design simple. Some good options include:

• A slash right down the middle: Run the knife quickly down the center of the bread, holding the blade at a slight angle (about 30º to 45º) so the score will open upward rather than splitting wide. Angular cuts help to create that distinctive “ear” that juts upward from many fancy bakery loaves.
• A box shape: If you’re making a circular loaf like a boule or Dutch oven bread, a box cut will ensure a nice rounded shape and even rise. In the center of the loaf, cut four slashes in the shape of a square.
• A series of slashes: If you’re making a longer loaf, such as a baguette or French loaves, make a row of short slashes along the length of the bread. This scoring pattern helps it to rise evenly.

More advanced bread scoring patterns are almost infinite. Classic designs include;

• Sheath of wheat: A few long, curved slashes surrounded by several shallow, short slices resemble leafy sheaths of wheat.
• Leaves: Slice several curved lines around the perimeter of a circular loaf. They’ll burst open into oval, leaf-like shapes.

Score the dough

The keys to effective bread scoring are confidence and speed. Move with quick, certain gestures; if you work too slowly, you risk tearing the dough rather than slicing it. (A tear won’t rise as neatly.)

The other main considerations are depth and force. Score too shallow, and the cut won’t be significant enough to shape the loaf. Score too deeply, and you risk weakening the loaf’s integrity, even causing it to sink. Your knife tip should dig into the loaf’s surface, about 1/4 inch deep for a grapefruit-sized boule, or up to 1/2 inch deep for large loaves. You should err on the deeper side if you’re making fewer cuts, such as a single score down the middle. Elaborate patterns can be scored with shallower lines.

We like to dust the loaf with flour before scoring. The flour helps prevent the scoring tool from sticking. We also wipe the scoring tool between every slice for the cleanest cuts.

Bake the bread

After scoring, bake the bread as directed in the recipe. Don’t be tempted to open the oven door to check on the design; opening the door will let out precious heat, which you need to achieve that bouncy oven spring.

Scoring Bread Tips

How do you know your bread is ready to be scored?

The bread is ready to be scored when it’s completely proofed (risen). Scoring happens just before the bread goes into the oven. Bread is ready to bake when you’ve completed all the rising stages called for in your recipe. It should look domed and be at least doubled in size. Gently poke the dough: Your fingertip should leave a slight dent. If all of this sounds daunting, just remember that while bread baking is an art, it’s easy to grasp with the right guidance and practice.

How do you score bread without deflating it?

Think of it as a surface slash—channel Zorro flicking a “Z” into a door with the tip of his sword. Even more delicate breads (like gluten-free breads) can be scored without deflating. If your dough sinks, that simply means that you’ve cut too deeply.

How do you use stencils and flour when scoring bread?

Stencils are a great tool for guiding fancy scoring patterns. (It’s Kind of like how you’d use a stencil to carve a pumpkin.) You can create your own stencil by drawing your design on a piece of parchment and gently cutting out the pattern. Lay the stencil gently over the proofed loaf. Sift flour all over the loaf. Lift away the stencil. The flour should mark exactly where you need to slice. Score the design, then bake as usual.

Why did the cuts close on my bread?

There are a few reasons that scores may close up during baking. The first culprit? Not cutting deeply enough into the bread. Tentative slices can seal back up as the bread rises. Make sure to clean the blade between each slice. A dirty, doughy blade is dull and won’t cut as well. Finally, score the dough immediately before putting the bread in the oven (and make sure the oven is hot and ready to go). If the loaf sits, the yeast will continue to work, altering the shape and size of the bread and weakening the scores.

Another major cause of failed bread scoring is an over-proofed loaf. If the bread rose too much before baking, it won’t rise as much in the oven, so the scoring won’t be as visible. There’s nothing you can do about this other than learn from it. Experienced bakers are constantly seeking that perfect loaf of bread by refining their technique and learning from their bread-baking mistakes.