How to score bread

Hold a razor blade or lame at about 30° to the surface and cut one quick, confident stroke about 1/4 in (6 mm) deep. On a bâtard that single cut opens into an ear; on a boule, a cross or square lets it rise evenly. Score a cold loaf straight from the fridge for the cleanest cut.

Angle: about 30° for an ear, straight down for an even opening. Depth: 1/4 to 1/2 in. Speed: one quick stroke; hesitating drags the dough.

Lames and loading tools →Oven spring and the ear →

The motion

One quick, confident stroke along the loaf, the blade tilted to about 30° from the surface and about 1/4 in deep. The animation pauses if your device asks for reduced motion.

Start the cut just before the loaf and finish just past it, in one movement. Keep the blade's angle steady. If the blade drags, it is dull or the dough is too warm: change the blade, or chill the loaf for a while first (cold dough from the fridge scores more easily, King Arthur notes). A lame holds the blade at a steady angle.

Patterns by loaf

Decorative cuts need one deeper cut elsewhere so the loaf has a place to expand. Dust the top with flour first for contrast.

Scoring patterns
Loaf	Pattern	Angle
Bâtard	One long cut slightly off-center	About 30°, for an ear
Boule	A cross, a square or a hashtag	Straight down to 45°
Baguette	3 to 5 overlapping cuts almost along the length	Very shallow
Pan loaf	One cut down the middle, or none	Straight down
Decorative	Shallow leaves or wheat stalks plus one deep expansion cut	Shallow, 1/8 in

When the score does not open

A score that barely opens usually means the loaf was over-proofed, the cut was too shallow, or the loaf lacked steam. A loaf that bursts at the side instead was under-proofed or under-scored. See oven spring and proofing.

Questions bakers ask

What angle should I score sourdough?

About 30° for an ear on a bâtard; straight down for an even opening on a boule.

What can I score bread with?

A lame or a bare double-edged razor blade; a very sharp serrated knife or a craft knife works for a single slash.

Equipment for this job

Keep what you own when it does the job. These are the other exact models we profile.

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Straight or curved blade
King Arthur Two-in-One Bread Lame