You are in the right place if you are going to start making sourdough bread but not sure all the tools you’ll need – I have a whole list provided for you!
Maybe you randomly found this page or I referred you here through a market or one of my classes. I hope this helps you feel more equipped to make this delicious and nourishing bread for your family.
I am going to list these items in order of importance, in my opinion. I will also note if you can use kitchen items you may already have available vs purchasing.
UPDATE: Alternatively, go to my Amazon Storefront for more of my favorite baking items!
Let’s get to it! Here are the items I think are worth having from the start.
Kitchen Scale – a scale is a must! This a great affordable kitchen scale linked here.
Dutch Oven – this is one of the dutch ovens I have. It is enameled and I make lots of other dishes in here, so its worth the investment! The whole idea around it is it locks in the moisture of the dough to help it rise, but also helps keep the outside of the dough from getting dry too fast. If you were to just bake sourdough on a pan, it is likely the outside will quickly harden and inhibit the rise of the loaf. You may end up with a very dense and crunchy loaf. If you already have a dutch oven (and it’s enameled) be sure it can be baked up to 500 degrees. You can find out by looking up that specific brand.
If you are not in a position to purchase a dutch oven right now, you can bake sourdough in a loaf pan, which I do sometimes. If you want to do that, I have found stone loaf pans are my favorite. Specifically from pampered chef, but any brand will work. You’ll bake it a little differently, which I will cover if you are attending one of my classes.
Rice Flour – It is worth the investment to not only keep your dough from sticking to your basket, but also to keep your baskets and liners in better shape. Regular flour will cake on over time and is much more likely to mold if not dried and stored properly. White or Brown will both work. Rice flour linked here. You can also find it at your local health food store – but it is often out of stock where I live.
These items will be handy but you may have things in your kitchen you can use instead.
Sourdough Kit – if you would like to purchase a simple kit already put together, this would be a good one.
Proofing Baskets – I have purchased many baskets through Amazon and this one is my favorite from Bread Bosses! Or you can use a bowl and tea towel.
Dough Lame – this is what you will use to cut the top of your dough before baking. You can use a sharp knife to cut your dough, but I really do find this to be worth having. You can also just hold a razor in your hand, but this is a little safer to hold and store. This is the one I have!
Bench Scraper – a good bench scraper comes in very handy as a beginner! This one is easy to clean and inexpensive.
Dough Whisk – This dough whisk is really handy! It is much easier to get everything incorporated in about half the time. Although, a regular spatula or wooden spoon will do or you can use your stand mixer.
Cold Proofing Bags – I use these clear shower caps on my proofing baskets while my dough rests in the fridge. Covering your dough will help retain moisture and prevent anything from falling into the dough. Of course, you can also use a grocery bag, or tea towel.
Storing your loaves – I love storing my loaves in a glass container like this one! It is easy to get a slice of bread, and so beautiful on the counter top!
Dough Sling – you can absolutely use parchment paper but a dough sling is something you can easily wash and reuse! It is also much easier to take your dough in and out of the dutch oven if you’re using one. This is a highly rated one on Amazon.
Breville Toaster Oven – this is currently my favorite kitchen appliance! I use it ALL THE TIME including baking my sourdough loaves. It is important to note, the Lodge cast iron dutch oven is too tall to fit with the lid on. However if you can find a dutch oven (like the LeCruset) under 7.31in (this is the Lodge measurement) you should be good to go. It also has a proof setting so it can keep your starter and dough at a perfect temperature while it rises! Honestly, it is well worth the price.
I think that wraps it up! If you have any questions about the tools I use to make sourdough feel free to reach out to me through Instagram @breadbyhope_. I would love to connect with you!
Follow me on TikTok! You can find me @breadbyhope where I will be sharing all things sourdough with lots of tips and tricks if you’re just learning how to make sourdough!