Gift Guide For a New Sourdough Baker

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Have a friend who is a new sourdough baker? Or a family member who wants to start baking sourdough? Here are some ideas for the perfect gift for a sourdough “newbie”! I’ve been baking with sourdough for over ten years and these are all items that I have either purchased myself or would love to be gifted! This is the best gift guide for a new sourdough baker. I am an affiliate for most of these items, which means I get a small commission if you purchase through my link. I only recommend things I truly love or would buy myself. Thank you for your support!

Sourdough Starter: Make your own here (grab a Weck jar, spatula, whole wheat flour and filtered water) or purchase a sourdough starter from King Arthur Flour. You can also find some dehydrated options online.
Stirring spatula: I love this little spatula to stir up my sourdough starter and wipe down the sides. It’s not very expensive and is the tool I reach for most in my kitchen when stirring up my sourdough starter. This would be the perfect gift for any baker in your life too. I’ll be grabbing a couple to gift this season!

Weck Jar: These jars are well loved by many sourdough bakers. They are easy to see through and hold a starter well. If you want an upgrade from a regular 16 oz Ball jar, check out these jars.
Baking Stone: If you’re new to baking with sourdough, a baking stone is helpful. It allows you to make incredible homemade pizza, open bake this soft rosemary bread or sourdough bread bowls and it helps shield the bottom of your artisan crust from burning.

Kitchen Scale: A good kitchen scale is so important in sourdough baking. As a sourdough baker, you learn to weigh ingredients instead of using measuring cups. I love this kitchen scale for my sourdough baking.
Banneton Baskets: You don’t have to have a banneton to proof your sourdough, but they are a great gift for a sourdough newbie. You can get an oval shaped or round banneton.

Sourdough Class: A sourdough newbie will love taking a sourdough bread class. I offer in-person classes and will soon be offering some online options! Sign up for my email list to be notified when my on-line classes launch.
Dutch Oven: To make your first beginner loaf of sourdough artisan bread, you will need a good quality Dutch oven. This is a great beginner Dutch oven that can heat up to 500 degrees F and works well with oval loaves and some smaller round loaves. Click here for more Dutch oven options.

Oven Mitts: Sourdough baking uses very hot temperatures, so you need a good quality set of oven mitts. I have these ones and love that they are rated to 500 degrees F to keep my hands and arms from burning on the hot Dutch oven.
Beginner Baking Bundle: Amazon has some beginner sourdough baking bundles which have a few bannetons, bread lame and bench scraper. It’s a good deal for a true beginner.

Gifts Any Sourdough Baker Will Love

Wire Monkey Bread Lames: Scoring is part of the fun in baking sourdough bread. It’s where your creative side can take over and you can make beautiful designs on your loaves of sourdough bread. These Wire Monkey bread lames are the best of the best. They make scoring easy and offer a few different designs that are fun to try. Get 10% off using my link!

Dough Whisk: Sourdough bakers often get their hands sticky when mixing dough, so a Danish Dough Whisk is an awesome gift. I love this dishwasher-safe version from Brod and Taylor. If you’re looking for an incredible handmade option, you’ve got to check out Barlow & Co for their beautiful dough whisks (use AMYBAKES10 for 10% off).

Cookbook: The best sourdough cookbook I’ve found is called The Perfect Loaf. Written by Maurizio Leo, it’s won a James Beard Award and is wonderful for beginners and seasoned bakers alike. It gives great background information and reasons. If you’re looking for a great cookbook to give a sourdough baker, this is the one!
Wild Clementine Co Bowl Covers: These are beautiful handmade covers for your dough while it’s proofing. I love all the fun designs. Order EARLY this year or they may be sold out.
Sourdough Apparel Shirt/Hats/Aprons: Sometimes you just want something cute and fun to give to your favorite baker. I love these sourdough specific items: hat, shirt & bag.

Mixing Bowl: I am always on the hunt for a beautiful mixing bowl to mix up my sourdough breads. When you’re mixing by hand it’s nice to have a good quality mixing bowl. This set of glass bowls comes in good sizes for sourdough and they have lids. This one by Emile Henry is a splurge but a great size and quality.
Pastry Mat: This is a thoughtful and inexpensive gift for a home baker. A pastry mat is perfect for rolling out dough, and I love having the measurements right on the mat — makes my life a little easier!

USA Bread Pans: If you are new to baking, a good loaf pan is a MUST. The USA pans are my absolute favorite, and it feels like they last forever. Grab your special someone a bread pan or some baking sheet pans. I also love their m ini muffin pans.

Bosch Mixer: I love my Bosch mixer and it’s still going strong in year 7. It’s perfect for kneading many loaves of sandwich bread and other delicious breads that are best using a mechanical mixer. If you are looking for a special ticket item for a serious home baker, this is an incredible machine. If the price of this machine is too much, check out the NutriMill Artiste Mixer. A step down from the Bosch in size and motor power, but still a great machine for kneading bread dough.
KitchenAid Mixer: I also love my KitchenAid mixer and use it as much or more than the Bosch. I think the KitchenAid is easier to clean and has some great attachments you can add to it. The motor, however, is not quite as powerful as a Bosch. If you want a machine for cookies, cakes or icings, this is the machine I would choose. It doesn’t have quite the power for long-term bread dough kneading when compared to a Bosch.