Are you looking for the perfect gift for the sourdough baker in your life? Or, are you a new sourdough baker trying to find the right holiday gift for yourself? (No shame!) I’ve been baking sourdough bread for the last 15 months and I’ve learned a thing or two about what tools new sourdough bakers need (and want). So without further ado, here are my top four best gifts for sourdough bakers in 2020!
Best Gifts for Sourdough Bakers:
- A Good Bench Scraper
- A Dough Lame
- A Book of Bread Recipes
- A Dutch Oven
Each photo below is a clickable link. Click on the photo to check out the gift that you are considering.
(FYI: I’m starting at number 4 and working down to number 1. Also, a few of the product links in this post are affiliate links for which I will earn a commission if you chose to purchase something. See my full affiliate disclosure below.)
Gift #4: A Good Bench Scraper
Topping the list of “best gifts for sourdough bakers” is a classic bench scraper. Sourdough bakers love bench scrapers for many reasons. Not only are they great for dividing and shaping dough, they can clean up that dried out mess of dough that refuses to come off of the counter by any other means. (My wife was so happy when I finally got one of these.) Check to see if the sourdough baker in your life has one of these already. If they don’t, get them one! If they already have one, get them an amazing one like the “Campbell’s Dough Knife!” They’ll love it.
Bench Scraper with a Wooden Handle
This is a basic bench scraper. Wood handle, stainless steel scraper – it gets the job done. This is the same scraper I used for over a year exclusively and it’s still working as well as it ever has. Click here to buy this one on Amazon.
The Campbell’s Dough Knife (The Cadillac of Bench Scrapers!)
This is Instagram’s favorite bench scraper! Stainless steel and covered with a non-stick coating, I have yet to find a dough that sticks to this bench scraper for long. When my wife got me this gift for my birthday, I couldn’t wait to open it once I realized what it was 🙂 Chances are, if you know someone who loves making sourdough, they probably already know about this particular item. Why not surprise them with it as a gift? Click here to buy the Campbell’s Dough Knife from Campbell McFarlane himself on his website.
Gift #3: A Dough Lame
Scoring or slashing the top of sourdough bread with a razor blade is an important step in the baking process. A dough lame is a tool that holds the razor blade safely so that the baker doesn’t lose the razor in a bowl of dough! The first two lames on this list are basic models with long wooden handles. The second two lames on the list are made to fit snuggly between the baker’s fingers so that he or she can craft beautiful designs on the top of each loaf of bread.
Curved Dough Lame
This was the first lame I ever bought. It’s basic, but it works like a charm. Click here to see get one of these curved lames on Amazon.
Zatoba Walnut Bread Lame
This is a beautiful, straight-edged lame made of black walnut. A beautiful lame to add to your collection. Click here to get one of these from Challenger Breadware.
The UFO Lame
I just got my own UFO lame and I love it! It’s small, fits between your thumb and pointer finger, and it’s perfect for scoring beautiful, intricate designs on your sourdough loaves. Click here to shop all of the different UFO lames directly on their website.
The ARC Lame (For scoring beautiful designs + the smallest dough lame in the world)
Click here to see the ARC lame on the Wire Monkey Shop website.
Gift #2: A Bread Book
Bread books are great when they take you beyond the recipe and into the bread making process. They’re even better when they transport you into a specific culture with a specific type of bread. Each of these books check both of those boxes and are a delight to read.
“Tartine Bread” by Chad Robertson
“Tartine Bread” has influenced so many bakers, both professional and amateur. This book transports you to France where you can almost imagine yourself interning alongside Chad Robertson in a small French bakery. It also dives deep into a few recipes and shows you how you can transform those basic recipes into many different variations. This book is classic sourdough reading. If you know someone who is super into sourdough, they’ll love this book. Check out Tartine Bread on Amazon here.
“New World Sourdough” by Bryan Ford
Bryan Ford shows you the Latin American side of the sourdough world in his new book “New World Sourdough.” The recipes in this book are amazing, to say the least. If you know someone who would love the idea of making sweet breads and rustic artisan loaves through a Latin American lens, definitely get them this book. In fact, any sourdough baker should love this book. It’s just such a gem. Click here to see New World Sourdough on Amazon.
Gift #1: A Dutch Oven Specifically for Bread
Finally, at the top of my list of best gifts for sourdough bakers: A Dutch Oven (or baking vessel) specifically for bread. Baking bread inside a Dutch Oven is like having a professional baker’s oven inside your home. If you’re sourdough-obsessed friend or family member doesn’t have one of these yet, consider getting them a Dutch Oven as a gift. They will use it over and over.
While any type of Dutch Oven will likely work, here are two of the best ones in my mind.
Lodge Enameled Cast-Iron Dutch Oven
This is a classic enameled Dutch oven that can serve multiple functions in the kitchen. When you get this as a gift for someone, they can of course use if for baking bread, but even when they’re not baking, they can use it for sauces, soups, and stews! It’s a work-horse in the kitchen. Click here to check the current prices of this Lodge Dutch oven on Amazon.
The Challenger Bread Pan
This is the baking vessel for serious bread bakers. If your sourdough-loving friend or family member has truly been bitten by the sourdough-bug, this pan is for them! It was designed by a home baker, Jim Challenger. He designed it to have the perfect shape and design for baking all kinds of sourdough bread. From round loaves, oval loaves, and small baguettes, this pan can do it all. At a higher price point, this is definitely a gift to spoil someone with. Only get it for the truly sourdough-obsessed! But trust me – if you do, they will love it. Click here to see the Challenger Bread Pan on the Challenger Breadware website.
Conclusion
That’s it! That’s my round-up of the best gifts for sourdough bakers in 2020. I hope you find this post helpful. If there’s another gift you are considering buying for someone you love, let me know in the comments below. If you’re a baker yourself and you think something else should be on this list, let me know that in the comments too! I wish everyone a great holiday season.