Q&A for How to Fix Dough That Won't Rise

Ye, you can. This is called proving the dough, that is, allowing it to rise after it has been shaped.

I found that putting it straight in the oven after kneading will keep it flat. Not keeping it warm will also keep it flat.

You may have over-kneaded the dough. Dough will go through a lumpy stage, sticky stage, elastic stage (perfect!) and finally a stiff, hard to manipulate stage where the surface looks broken. Like it has strings.

Make sure your yeast is not expired. Test your yeast by dissolving one packet or 2 1/4 tsp. active dry yeast with one teaspoon sugar in 1/2 cup of warm water. Let it stand for 10-15 minutes. You will know that the yeast is good if it has a foamy layer on top. You can then use the mixture in your recipe, but remember to subtract 1/2 cup of liquid from your recipe.

Milk is not what makes yeast dough rise. In fact, most artisinal breads do not contain any dairy products, just flour, water (of good quality), salt and yeast. The relations between these ingredients determine the bread's character. Other factors are kneading, resting/proofing, oven temperature and humidity during the initial stage of baking. Other ingredients like milk are added primarily for flavor. Coconut milk is basically just flavored water, not milk in the strict sense, so if you use that reduce the amount of plain water by the amount of coconut milk you use. If you had problems with the dough, it was most likely that the flour/yeast/water ratios were off.

Yes. The sweet yeast you are referring to is called "hydrolyzed yeast," and it is meant for dough that has a higher sugar content. All other types of yeast can only eat up so much sugar.

Don't put the dough in the refrigerator, it needs to stay warm to rise, you should cover it with a towel.

Salt helps the crust turn brown. You can use a wash (egg, water, and milk) to help develop the crust instead.

For about 4 cups of flour, you will need 1 package of yeast, which equals about 2¼ teaspoons or ¼ ounce.

Yes, the salt will kill the yeast. Add the salt to the dry ingredients.

If the dough is hard, you want to soften it. Try adding some water and flour to soften the dough. Set it to rise close to a warm location. If your oven is on, placing the dough nearby is perfect. Don't forget to cover your dough with a clean towel while it rises.

You could still use the dough, as it is still safe. Otherwise, you could add more yeast to the dough and let it rise again. However, make sure to check your yeast to ensure it isn't expired.

Yes, I've done it many times and nothing bad has ever happened.

The reason why bread rises is 1) leavening agents and 2) gluten. You need to replace the gluten. Major sources of gluten-free products recommend xanthan gum.

Yes, you can. Buttermilk lends a perfect texture to yeast rolls and other baked goods.

The yeast feed on sugar first, then flour. The lactose in the milk has been digested into simpler sugars. So there is still sugar in the milk. You are fine.

Sounds like your yeast ran out of fuel. Try adding just a bit of extra flour when you knead the dough right before the second rise.

You can't really undo the damage of over-worked gluten, but the longer rise can get the dough to relax a little. Loaves made with over-kneaded dough often end up with a rock-hard crust and a dense, dry interior. Slices will be very crumbly, especially toward the middle.

A failure of the dough to rise is generally the yeast being inactive. Check to see if it's expired.

Create a warm, moist location for your doughnuts to rise in after rolling them out. Try heating up your oven to a low temperature and place a casserole dish full of water inside. Turn the heat off and allow your doughnuts to rise in the warm oven.

Yes! I do this all the time and it has always worked for me. Just make sure that you put them in the fridge overnight with a cover over them.

The only thing you can really do is start over. Open a new package of yeast and mix a teaspoon of it with 1 cup (240ml) of warm water (at about 110°F/43°C) and 1 tablespoon of sugar. Let this mixture proof for about 10 minutes, until it gets 1/2 to 1 inch of foam. If this fails, you will need to get fresh yeast and try again.

It could very well be the altitude difference. When I moved from Montreal, Quebec to Colorado, I couldn’t understand why all my recipes wouldn't work out. Then my neighbor explained the effect altitude has on cooking. Check out How to Adjust Bread Recipes for High Altitude to get an idea of how it works.

Yeast expire (die), and your bread will rise more and more slowly. It is OK to store yeast in the freezer. When you pop the loaf into the oven, the warmth induces a growth spurt, and the loaf rises impressively. Consider buying fresh yeast and storing the excess in your freezer.

Frozen dough takes forever to warm up to room temperature. Try this: thaw the dough. This may take overnight. Warm up the oven. You want the temperature to be below 100 degrees, otherwise you'll cook the dough. Now put the more or less room temperature dough in the oven and let it rise. You'll need to oil the surface of the dough to keep it moist. Warning - your rising times will be all off due to the rapid temperature changes.

You might have added too much yeast. To fix it, preheat your microwave for 30 seconds, then put the dough in a bowl with some sort of paper on the top. Leave it in the microwave for a few hours.

You might have disturbed it before it finished rising, or you could have exposed it to drafty or cold air.

Yes, but be sure to leave it in a warm spot. You should also cover it with a towel. It is best to let dough rise overnight if you can.

Maybe you didn't knead the dough enough so that it would leaven the whole lump of dough. You may also have to add more yeast.

You will know when you kneaded long enough if you can see light from the dough if you stretch it very thin.