guys!! if ya can’t tell, i’m OBSESSED w my new hobby. there was a time, not all that long ago, i didn’t understand the hype of sourdough… but omg it’s something that not only is VERY rewarding and instantly gratifying, but who doesn’t LOVE freshly-baked bread (and many other yummy treats)!? at least everyone in our household! additionally, ‘sourdoughing’ (or so i call it) has played a significant role in my mental health journey, and i’m only a couple of months in!

what IS a sourdough starter and how does it work?

the microbes eat the sugars in the flour, they exhale carbon dioxide, producing the bubbles that turn a flat, dense loaf into something light and fluffy. a starter breathes life into bread. in other words, if the loaf is the body, the starter is the soul. it’s pretty satisfying to watch it expand/grow/thrive, and then make it into a delicious part of our meal. and if you’re anything like rosie, a butter slice of bread IS a meal within itself. 🙂

let’s get into it, shall we?!

as promised and by popular demand, here’s a list i’ve thrown together of allll my fav baking tools and supplies. originally it was going to just be for sourdough starting, but you’ll find items that are just good to have on hand for baking. this is all the bulk of what i use currently! it has taken a couple of months to collect and invest in the products, but i already had some of them!

if you’re here because you’re solely ready to start your sourdough and just need the very basics on a budget- this is what i recommend for you:

ok now, this is not sponsored content whatsoever… but you can buy the last 3 items in ballerina farm’s starter kit. it’s a little pricey at $89, however, i use everything SO much AND it includes her dehydrated starter if you’d rather revive hers.

note: you’ll find some higher end tools listed below, but again, there are lots of lower priced options out there. on a few things i’ve found and added links to cheaper things that i’m sure would work just as well!

one thing i hear often is that some people are intimidated by all the supplies/tools to get started, and put it off. you really don’t have to invest heavily into this and by all means, ease your way into a collection. like many hobbies, it can take time- which is half the fun of it in my opinion. even i have a list of things i still want someday. this journey should be blissfully imperfect.

download my recipe >

bread sling

for a while i was using parchment paper folded longways and it worked okay, but this silicone sling is just easier to work with! and it’s cure too.  ended up buying two.

wooden cake server

this is a very nice wooden cake stand and glass dome.  the dome lid fits into a groove so it doesn’t easily slip off.  i put all kinds of baked goods in here, there’s usually something sweet in it.  so not limited to bread making, but thought i’d include it for those who want to show off your treats!

brown papers

these are handy to throw in boxes or bags when gifting your baked goods.  get tons of questions on these little papers so here they are!

assorted box set

since i’ve been gifting so much, thought it would be nice having this assorted set of boxes.  great for cinnamon rolls, any cookies, pastries etc. (includes stickers + wax paper sheets)

the sourdough school

tbh i have juuuust started this book but it’s lovely!  the photos are stunning and it seems to be packed full of tips and tricks. a follower recommended it, so glad i bought it on the spot so i wouldn’t forget.  there is a kindle option as well but this hardback makes a beautiful coffee table book.  if you know someone getting into sourdough, 10/10 would be the best gift!

pastry cutters set

never knew i needed a pastry cutter until a few recipes lately called for cutting up cold butter into dry mixtures (hello scones!)  this set also comes with biscuit and cookie cutters and i needed those too! 

set of two tall (1.5 liters) weck jars

ok so the weck jars in general are sooo good! i bought about 6-8 variety in a short time frame bc i just love them for many purposes. sometimes they only come with the glass lids, rubber rings and clamps for airtight… but i especially love the most of these include the bamboo lid bc they are pretty, quick on/off and match my other bamboo kitchen jars.  they’re definitely multipurpose!  two of the 1.5 liter is what i’d recommend for sourdough daily feedings so you always have a clean jar ready to go- or three if you want to keep your discard in one too.  linking individuals AND sets, so pay attention to the link and decide how many/how tall you want.

weck tall + bamboo lid (single)

tulip weck + bamboo lid (1 liter)

same as all the other weck jars, just with a lovely tulip shape (slightly wider belly)

set of two tulip weck jars + bamboo lids (1 liter)

set of 2 weck 3/4 liter bamboo lid

this is what i use to store my discard in the fridge.  the size 3/4 liter is sometimes juuust slightly too small for a growing active starter but your discard will not expand when kept cold.

set of 2 weck 3/4 liter bamboo lid- great for sourdough beginners so you always have one jar of starter and one clean jar to feed.

3/4 liter weck jar + bamboo lid (single)

flour jar + bamboo lid

a clean, simple and classic jar i use for flour.  this bamboo lid matches all the weck bamboo lids perfectly.

set of stainless steel mixing bowls

ok so i bought these in the white set.  work totally fine but the white coating scratches off easily therefore i’d recommended the stainless steel.  i’ll prob eventually get the steel bc it drives me bananas 😉 but they are nice bowls either color, love the lids!

scoring tool

a little hand held razor used for scoring bread. 

measuring cups and spoon set

an all around classic stainless steel measuring cup set.  comes with a set of measuring spoons as well that are rectangular shaped for fitting into spice jars!

digital food scale

easy to read and use kitchen scale.

dutch oven (come in 10 pretty colors)

this is what i bake my sourdough bread.  you can totally get away with a 4 quart if your loaves arent too big, but mine fill up every bit of the 6 quart.  it’s super sturdy, oven or stove friendly so will be awesome for soups, all the baked dishes, meats etc!

dough whisk

gotta have!  love this tool for whisking the starter dough and water.  you want a real milky consistency for that so this is your friend!

bread knife

this is how i get those perfect sized slices and ate perfect for sandwiches!  love this knife for things like banana breads and coffee cake as well!

bread knife (ballerina farm)

set of 50 bakery bags

these bags are great for gifting or storing bread and i like that you can see through them.

sourdough wooden spatula (ballerina farm)

might possibly be the best kitchen utensil.  certainly my fav! this little guy is perfect for scraping the the starter dough down the sides of the jar, IYKYK. also just a handy all around staple for cooking.

sourdough starter kit (ballerina farm)

this is the kit that literally started it all for me.  you can simply revive the ballerina farm’s dehydrated starter with an instruction card.  this process takes about 5 days until you can increase feedings and begin baking from it!  since then, i’ve made my own starter w flour and water, aka alma 🙂  while this kit is great for beginners and makes a great gift, starting your own sourdough starter is literally SO SIMPLE so don’t feel like you have to buy it.  tbh, one of the reasons i wanted it was for the staple tools like my fav wooden spatula, bench scraper, proofing baskets and optional weck jars!   (each item is sold individually from her site)

set of two proofing baskets (ballerina farm)

love these wicker baskets, but honestly a little pricey at $44 unless you are getting her starter kit. gorgeous and great quality though!

set of two proofing baskets (amazon)

bench scraper (ballerina farm)

gotta have one of these guys for all your scraping.

bench scraper (amazon)

pie carrier

there is a pie or cake carrier option of these but it also works great for storing all baked treats.  for storing slides sourdough bread, this works well or just zipper bags! 

bamboo bread box

literally just bought this as i was in the middle of the blog post. while zipper bags and cheap plastic tubs work FINE, if you’re looking for a more attractive box, here is this one! love all the bamboo and it will match everything else. figured i would upgrade since i ALWAYS have some kind of bread or bakes goods on hand. 😉

i think that’s about it for now…

hopefully this has been helpful for you if you’re shopping for baking goodies. as i gain experience and play around, i’ll be sure to update this list with future faves and reviews. sourdough pals, i would love to hear some of your personal go-to tools if i’ve missed anything! feel free to reach out with any questions and/or comments for me 🙂

xx

katy