My Favorite Sourdough Supplies & Recipes

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There's a rhythm to sourdough that feels like home. The soft stretch of dough between your fingers, the scent of flour and fermentation, it's a quiet reminder that the simplest things are often the most satisfying. After years of baking, feeding, shaping, and sharing, sourdough has become second nature here on the farm.

This isn't just about bread anymore. It's part of my daily rhythm, woven between milking the cow, homeschooling the kids, and stirring dinner on the stove. If you've been craving bread that's alive with flavor and a baking process that connects you to something timeless, sourdough will become your new favorite ritual too.

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Why I Love Sourdough

Sourdough taught me patience long before it taught me perfect bread. Once you understand your starter and its needs, the process becomes intuitive - stretching, folding, and baking when it feels right, not rushed. I bake with mine several times a week, using it for everything from crusty artisan loaves to soft rolls and even desserts.

If you're just starting, it might feel intimidating, but I promise it's easier than it looks. Over time you'll build a rhythm that fits your life, feeding your starter when you make coffee, doing your stretch and folds during dinner prep, and baking in the quiet of the next morning.

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My Sourdough Starter

My starter is over six years old now, strong, bubbly, and part of our kitchen family. I've shared it countless times with friends and readers who've started their own baking traditions by dehydrating it. I've shared how to Dehydrate and Rehydrate your sourdough starter if you want to try it. If you don't have a starter yet, see if a fellow baker will share. We sourdough folks are generous like that.

If you need to purchase one, a dehydrated starter is a great choice and will be bubbly within a week. Once yours is active, you'll find countless ways to use it, from breads and rolls to sweet treats made with discard.

Try these favorites from my homestead kitchen:

• Pumpkin Sourdough Bread - soft, spiced, and beautiful on fall mornings.
• Sourdough Discard Graham Crackers - a cozy pantry staple that tastes like childhood.
• Sourdough Flatbread - quick, versatile, and perfect for lunches or pizza night.
• Mini Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls - the sweet reward for an active starter.
• Ranch-Seasoned Sourdough Crackers - crisp, flavorful, and nearly impossible to stop snacking on.

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My Must-Have Sourdough Supplies

You don't need a kitchen full of gadgets to make beautiful bread, just a few dependable tools that will last for years.

Half-Gallon Mason Jars
Perfect for storing your starter and giving it room to rise. I keep two on hand so one can be cleaned while the other is in use.

Digital Kitchen Scale
Accurate measurements make consistent loaves. Weight is key to understanding hydration and dough feel.

Bench Scraper
Great for dividing dough, shaping loaves, and cleaning your work surface. Mine lives permanently on the counter.

Banneton Proofing Baskets
These help dough hold its shape and develop that signature round look. A light dusting of rice flour keeps it from sticking.

Cast Iron Dutch Oven
Your secret weapon for that deep, golden crust. The steam trapped inside helps the dough spring up perfectly.

Lame or Scoring Knife
Scoring gives your bread personality and helps control expansion in the oven.

Redmond Real Salt
It enhances the natural flavor of sourdough and adds essential minerals. Once you use it, you won't go back to table salt.

Rice Flour
Sprinkle this into your proofing basket to keep dough from sticking, it works better than regular flour every time.

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Favorite Recipes from the Homestead

Once you have your starter going, sourdough will sneak into every corner of your kitchen. Here are a few of my all-time favorites:

• Traditional Artisan Loaf - crusty on the outside, airy and soft inside.
• Everyday Sandwich Bread - tender and sliceable for lunchboxes.
• Sourdough Bagels and English Muffins - chewy, tangy, and freezer-friendly.

And of course, don't miss the recipes linked above, each one uses your starter in a slightly different way, showing how versatile this humble dough can be.

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A Few Hard-Won Tips

• Use high-protein, unbleached flour for structure and chew.
• Don't rush fermentation, the flavor develops best over time.
• A cold ferment helps loaves hold shape and improves scoring.
• Keep your starter in a warm, consistent spot to encourage growth.
• Don't worry about perfection, rustic bread is part of the charm.

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Final Thoughts from the Homestead

Each loaf I pull from the oven feels like a small victory, a blend of patience, time, and good flour. Sourdough has become more than baking for me; it's a rhythm of life that ties together our days on the farm.

If you're new to sourdough, start slow. Learn your starter. Bake one loaf at a time. Before long, you'll have a jar that bubbles happily and fills your home with the scent of fresh bread, proof that simple, handmade things still have a place in our busy lives.

Share away friends!