Essential Sourdough Tips & Tools for Beginners

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These are the sourdough tips and tools I wish I had known about when I first started baking. There’s always something new to learn, but this collection of posts and must-have tools will help answer your biggest questions and set you up for success!

Collage of sourdough starter, flour scoop, bread loaf, and dough stretching. Text overlay: "Sourdough Tips for Beginner Bakers."

Starting your sourdough journey can feel overwhelming—I’ve been there. I remember staring at my lifeless starter, completely confused and wondering if I’d ever get it right.

But here’s the thing: sourdough isn’t about perfection. It’s about time, practice, and patience.

Over the years, I didn’t just learn how to make sourdough bread—I learned how to bake the most incredible rustic boules, sandwich bread, donuts, burger buns (the list keeps on going…) I’ve ever had. And you can, too!

I’m here to save you from the frustration (and the heartbreak of failed loaves).

Sourdough is a constant learning process, and even now, I’m still picking up new tips and tricks.

But these are the sourdough secrets I wish someone had shared with me from the start.

Here, you’ll find my most helpful posts and guides for making and maintaining a starter, baking sourdough bread, and mastering essential techniques to set you up for success.

Plus, I’ve included a list of must-have tools for successfully making sourdough bread.


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    Sourdough Tips for Beginners

    Mastering the basics is the secret to sourdough success! Sure, there are plenty of tips and tricks to pick up along the way, but let’s start with the essentials:

    How To Make a Sourdough Starter – Beginner’s Guide

    A healthy, mature starter is the key to baking great sourdough bread. In this guide, I’ll walk you through each step to help you create a strong, active starter that sets you up for success!

    What Types of Flour Can You Feed Sourdough Starter?

    When I first started making sourdough, I thought you could only feed starter all-purpose flour. However, you can improve the health of your starter and the quality of your bread by feeding it different types of flour.

    How Long Can Sourdough Starter Stay in the Fridge?

    One of the most common points of confusion is how to refrigerate your starter. Storing it in the fridge is the easiest, low-maintenance option—here’s exactly how to do it!

    How to Stretch and Fold Sourdough – Sourdough Basics

    When you’re new to sourdough, stretch and folds can feel a bit confusing. How do you do them? How many are enough? Don’t worry! I’ve got foolproof answers for you in this post!

    How To Do the Windowpane Test for Dough

    When making sandwich bread or other enriched doughs, it can be tricky to tell if you’ve kneaded enough. This simple trick will help you know exactly when your dough is ready!

    How To Add Sourdough Discard to Any Recipe (Grams & Cups Explained!)

    When I first started making sourdough, I ended up with jars full of discard after every feeding. But I soon discovered that discard is a secret ingredient for incredible baked goods! Here’s how you can use it in any recipe.

    How To Convert Any Yeast Bread Recipe to Sourdough

    Switching to sourdough doesn’t mean you have to give up your favorite yeast bread recipes. With this easy conversion, you can transform any bread into a delicious sourdough version!

    How Long Can Sourdough Dough Stay in the Fridge?

    Many sourdough bakers ask, "How long can sourdough dough stay in the fridge?" The good news is that it can chill (literally) for a few days. I'm sharing everything you need to know about keeping your sourdough dough in the fridge.

    Must-Have Sourdough Tools

    Luckily, when making rustic sourdough bread, you don’t need a bunch of fancy equipment. To get started, these are the must-haves:

    • Lame: A bread lame makes scoring dough easier. Remember, it’s easiest to score dough when it is cold.
    • Kitchen Scale: Most sourdough recipes use grams because it is more accurate and repeatable. So you’ll need a kitchen scale. I use this waterproof kitchen scale for everything!

    Mason jar with sourdough starter and flour. Text overlay: "Beginner Sourdough Tips."

    Let’s Connect!

    If you have questions about making sourdough, leave them in the comments below. I’m here to help!

    Also, don’t forget to pin this post and follow Moon + Magnolia on Pinterest. You can save all my recipes on your boards and keep up with the latest happenings!

    Share your creations on Instagram and tag @moon_and_magnolia!

    Make Sourdough Like a Pro

    Grab my Simple Guide to Making + Using Sourdough Starter eBook!

    I’ll show you EVERYTHING you need to make a starter, bake bread, and beyond.

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