Essential Tools for Sourdough Bread Baking
Starting your sourdough journey? You don’t need a lot of fancy equipment, but having the right tools can make the process easier and more fun! Here’s a simple list of essential sourdough baking tools I recommend, plus a few optional ones if you want to level up.
Must-Have Sourdough Tools For Beginners
Sourdough Starter
Creating a sourdough starter from scratch takes about 7–10 days. Our tutorial makes it easy!
Alternatively, you can purchase one from a local bakery or online.
Container to Store Your Starter in
Glass containers with straight sides are invaluable because they let you quickly see how much your sourdough starter has risen after feeding. My favorite container options include mason jars, Weck jars, and a glass crock.
Each container has a lid or cover to protect your starter while it rests. I recommend keeping two containers on hand, one for storing extra starter in the fridge and another for feeding a smaller amount when you're ready to bake.
Baker's Scale
The most accurate way to measure ingredients for sourdough recipes is by using a kitchen scale. Measuring by weight, especially for flour and water, ensures consistent results, since cups and spoons can vary.
Dough Proofing Bowl
A batter bowl with a lid is a versatile tool for mixing and resting dough. Its clear sides let you track how much the dough has risen, and the built-in measurements make it easy to see progress at a glance.
My two favorites in my kitchen are the Pampered Chef batter bowl and the Anchor Hocking batter bowl.
Bench Scraper
A bench scraper and/or bowl scraper are essential when making sourdough. It's one of my most-used tools!
A bench scraper helps shape and divide the dough, turn it during stretching and folding, and keep your work surface clean and dough-free.
Banneton or Proofing Bowl
A banneton is a proofing bowl made from organic materials and is anywhere from 8-10" in diameter at the opening. After the dough has had its final shape, it is placed in a proofing bowl for the second rise.
The proofing bowl provides structure to the sides of the dough as it rises, which helps the dough keep its shape when it bakes.
The bowl can be lined with a kitchen towel or floured to prevent the dough from sticking as it rises. Any similar-sized bowl can be used as a proofing bowl.
Bowl Covers
Silicone bowl covers are best for covering dough because they can be used repeatedly and keep the dough from drying out on the surface. Plastic wrap, plastic shower caps, a damp flour sack towel, or a plate can cover a dough bowl.
Bread Lame
A bread lame is a stick-shaped tool with a razor on one end. It is used to score or slash the dough before it bakes. A very sharp knife can also be used to score the dough. Because dough expands at its weakest point as it bakes, it is slashed to control the expansion.
Dutch Oven
A Dutch oven or 3.2-qt cast iron pan with a lid is ideal for baking sourdough bread because it mimics the steam environment of a commercial oven. During the first few minutes of baking, steam from the dough is trapped inside, helping the bread rise higher and develop a beautiful crust.
Gloves
Sourdough baking requires very hot oven temperatures. Invest in long silicone gloves to protect your hands and forearms from getting burned.
Dough Whisk
A Danish dough whisk or a stiff spatula helps you mix your dough without tiring your arm. It’s designed to cut through thick dough and combine ingredients easily.
Bread Knife
The crust of sourdough is thick and can be hard to cut. Invest in a good bread or electric knife to cut sourdough bread.
Parchment paper
Parchment paper makes it easy to transfer the dough to and from the Dutch oven and keeps it from sticking to the bottom of the baking vessel. You will also need it to bake other sourdough recipes, like cookies.
Tips for Beginners!
Start Simple: Focus on learning the process first. You can always add tools later!
DIY: Household items work in a pinch. You don’t need to buy everything right away.
Keep it Clean: Wash tools right after use, especially anything that touched sticky dough. When sourdough starter dries, it's like concrete and tough to get off of your tools!
More sourdough baking resources
- How to make a sourdough starter
- When is sourdough starter ready to bake with?
- Baking conversion chart
- How to maintain a sourdough starter
- Sourdough glossary
Subscribe to our newsletter and we'll send you more fresh recipes, valuable troubleshooting advice, useful tips, and other information we believe will be helpful to you!
Subscribe to our newsletter and we'll send you more fresh recipes, valuable troubleshooting advice, useful tips, and other information we believe will be helpful to you!
Good Morning, Or it was when I started writing lol >> my Question after several attempts at making my sourdough from both starter and discard, the flacvors are amazing, but it IS Rising during the complete process, although when baking the breads in my Dutch Oven, the breads have Not risen much if at all > ;-( I am so sad ... I am determined to continue, but was hoping you may have some thoughts... One thought I had was the last dough I thought was going to be MY ONE SUCCESS; I even left it in the fridge for over the 8 hours, up to 12 hours... everything was looking wonderful! but when it came time to take it out of the oven, once again... DENSE !!! can. you please hep me <3 figure this out? My starters and discards are all very bubbly, ready, fedd 4-8 hours b/4 using weights, I have even done my own a bit here and there not perfect substitutions In my own like your have shown us, they're wonderful!
My Bagels turned out wonderful, MY CARROT CAKE PERFECT and delicious, my Brownies Yummy, and all my other attempts at making even my Banana Breads are so amazing that I double the recipes and my Husband and friends can't stop eating them ... Im just so sad about my sourdough breads which is my favorite! I am using a Large 12 in Dutch Oven but didn't thing it would matter because of doubling the recipe this last time <3 I also have two smaller 6 inch dutch ovens and gave trued using those too ... Could it be that I am doubling the recipe? Thank You, I LOVE ALL your VIDEOS... thank you for your help! SzsAngels Blessings
Everyday for almost 2 weeks I've been making sour dough. this is the first recipe I've seen where we weren't supposed to half the dough and make 2 loaves.
I can't seem to master the final rise. I have small sense loaves every time except the first time. each result is different BUT I WILL SAY each loaf is still delicious... just different.
I saw a trick for dense loaves. before toasting a slice of a dense loaf, run it under your tap water (shake drops off) and and then lay it in your toaster oven and do a good toasting. it's completely delicious when you get it out and butter it... soft on the inside but crispy on the edges.
Hi, I was wondering if you use the large 7.5 quart Dutch oven or a smaller one. Thanks!
Hi Cecilia, I use a 5.5 quart Dutch oven but a 7.5 quart works just as good!
Amy... I use SO many of your sourdough recipes! I find your instructions easy, thorough and I feel you have contributed in part to my becoming a sourdough enthusiast! So- thank you!
My question is, what is your preferred method of keeping your baked sourdough breads? I've used Beeswax wrap, but wonder if you have other suggestions.
thank you!!
Hi Robin, thank you so much! Beeswax is our favorite way to keep sourdough bread!