Are you looking for a thoughtful gift for the sourdough lover in your life? I have you covered with this round up of Gifts for the Baker: Sourdough Edition.
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Why are These the Best Gifts for the Baker in Your Life?
Making sourdough bread can be intimidating, especially at the beginning but having the right tools to hand helps a lot with getting good results and crafting the perfect loaf. While having lots of equipment is not strictly necessary, I have found that certain items have been a game changer in my sourdough journey. It is those items I want to share with you today so that you can choose the perfect gift for your loved one.
Whether you are buying for a sourdough beginner or expert, I hope you will find something in this list to inspire you!
And if you are looking for a great recipe to get you started with sourdough baking, check out my White Artisan Loaf or my Simple Wholewheat Flour Sourdough Bread.
Disclaimer: The photos in this post feature items from my own kitchen and may not be exactly representative of the specific products linked. The linked items were chosen for their quality and similarity to the tools I use and love, but please review the product details before purchasing to ensure they meet your needs.
Must Have Tools that Make Perfect Gifts: Sourdough Edition
Banneton Proofing Baskets
These banneton baskets are a must-have for any sourdough baker. They are what the dough will be placed in during the long ferment, giving the dough its shape and the natural material and breathable design enable the dough to properly develop and retain is form before baking. They are available in a variety of sizes, but here are the ones I recommend and use on a regular basis.
Round banneton proofing basket for making sourdough boules.
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Oval banneton proofing baskets for making batard shaped loaves.
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Bench Scraper
Making sourdough can get messy, especially in the beginning when you are learning how the dough is developing and how to make it not quite so sticky. When I finally got around to buying a bench scraper, I found clear up so much easier! Getting dough off the counter, or removing flour that I used for dusting is so much easier with this tool than with a wet sponge. Trust me, this bench scraper is an absolute must!
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Bread Lame (Baker’s Razor)
Scoring is an important part of sourdough bread baking. Not only does it make the loaf look beautiful, but the deep score allows the steam to escape in a controlled manner, preventing the bread from cracking.
I love to make decorative scores on my loaves too. Although this is totally optional, I do think it makes sourdough all the more fun!
This bread lame is very good for precise scoring, as well as being beautiful. It sits well in the hand, making decorative scoring a lot easier. It comes in a protective pouch for safe storage. However, I will put a little disclaimer here that it is quite difficult to change the razor blade and can be a little dangerous if you’re not very careful.
I have put another option below for a bread lame that makes it easier to change the blade if you would rather go that route.
Round wood bread lame:
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Bread lame alternative:
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Affordable Gifts for the Baker who Loves Sourdough
If you are looking for a small gift for a sourdough baker who already has the essential equipment, let me suggest the following items.
Danish Dough Hook
This piece is not only practical but beautiful too. It mixes the dough quickly with less mess than using your hands and it is very easy to clean. It can be used to prepare sourdough bread of course, but I aldo like to use it in other preparations such as granola or these sourdough apple oat muffins.
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Bowl Scraper
Ok, I’ll admit it, these are not the most attractive items to have in your kitchen. They are, however, very practical. I use them for scraping down the bowl after mixing the dough and also for actually mixing the dough by hand. They are tools I reach for again and again and I know any sourdough baker would love to have them!
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Pastry Brushes
For a long time I used silicone pastry brushes until I realised that these natural fibre ones were so much better. They are perfect for dusting off excess flour, buttering a cake tin or brushing bread/brioche/buns/pastry with egg wash.
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Cooling Rack
This is such an important piece of equipment for cooling freshly baked bread so that it doesn’t go soggy. It can also be used to cool biscuits, cookies, muffins mince-pies… Sometimes I like to serve bread or scones directly on it, I find it adds some character to the table.
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More Expensive Gifts, if You Want To Really Spoil The Baker in Your Life!
KitchenAid Stand Mixer
I absolutely love my KitchenAid Stand Mixer, I have had it for YEARS. In fact, I have had it for so long I think that this purple colour has not been available for a very long time! I have periodically replaced the dough hook and mixing paddle but it has never needed to be fixed, even though I use it multiple times a week. It would make a very special gift if you are looking to thoroughly spoil the sourdough baker in your life!
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Staub Dutch Oven
I use my Staub Dutch Oven many times a week. Whether it is for slow cooking a delicious chilli, preparing soup for a crowd or baking bread, this Dutch Oven gets a lot of use in my kitchen!
Today, I prefer to open bake my sourdough loaves, especially as I am usually cooking multiple loaves at once. However, I think that baking sourdough bread in a dutch oven is a very good idea for beginner bakers. It allows you to control the atmosphere easily, it creates just the right amount of steam and leaves you with a perfectly crusty loaf.
It is a bit of an investment, but it is well worth it in my opinion.
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So, there you have it! I hope I gave you some different ideas for some useful and beautiful gifts to offer your friends and loved ones who are sourdough bakers. Do you have any other ideas that I should add to the list? Let me know in the comments!
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And if you are looking for some sourdough recipes, I have several here!
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