Dough Doesn't Spring Back When you poke the dough with your finger and it doesn't spring back, it might be over-proofed. This indicates that the dough has lost its ability to rise properly.
Excessive Expansion If the dough has expanded too much and is overly airy, it could be a sign of over-proofing. This causes the dough to be weak and collapse easily during baking.
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Shrunken or Flattened Shape If your dough has lost its original shape and looks flattened or misshapen, it could have been left to rise for too long. The dough may not hold its structure anymore.
It Spreads Instead of Rising Instead of rising upwards, over-proofed dough will spread outwards on the baking surface. This means the yeast has consumed too much of the available food and exhausted its power.
Sour or Off Smell An over-proofed dough can develop a sour or off smell. This happens when yeast ferments the sugars in the dough for too long, leading to over-fermentation.
The Dough Is Sticky and Wet Over-proofed dough can become overly sticky or wet to the touch. This is due to the yeast having broken down too much of the flour’s structure, resulting in a very loose dough.