Best Sourdough Cookbooks | A Comprehensive Review and Buying Guide

Baking sourdough is a skill that comes with another yet more useful skill– nurturing natural wild yeast. As you learn how to bake sourdough, you’ll want to venture into the science of yeast and how it gives that bread the texture and taste.

So, do you think baking sourdough is as tough as it might sound? Certainly not. Thanks to countless cookbooks, you can now train yourself from the basics and take your skills to pro-level. Of course, not every cookbook out there will be as good in delivery, but only the best sourdough cookbooks will genuinely help.

In this review, you’ll learn the importance of a sourdough cookbook, how to choose the ideal one, and then the 7 best sourdough cookbooks to choose from. This should help you cut down on time, and possibly cost, for you won’t end up with the unideal copy.

Why Should You Have A Sourdough Cookbook?

There are several reasons for investing in a cookbook, for whatever recipes you are interested in. These reasons include:

You learn multiple things

As I mentioned earlier, learning to bake sourdough teaches you the art of maturing your own yeast. You don’t have to use the yeast in sourdough only. This is natural wild yeast that has a range of other uses.

You have a reference

As opposed to video, or a web page, learning the art of baking sourdough will likely stick better if you have reference material, like a cookbook. Should you purchase an Amazon Kindle version, you are guaranteed to read everything from one device instead of finding scattered pieces of information on the web.

You learn in the best way possible

A cookbook is designed to teach the reader to cook a dish. This is not always true for other online resources seeking to impress viewers and earn clicks.A cookbook sticks to the goal, teaching you everything from the basics, the equipment needed, ingredients, cooking times, and a few tips here and there for a better chance of succeeding.

What to look for when buying a sourdough cookbook

You now know why you probably need a cookbook for your sourdough baking, but do you know what sets aside a great cookbook from an average one? Let’s take a look at  considerations you should have in mind.

The level of content

A sourdough cookbook should not just summarize the recipes but take you through what each ingredient does and how to combine it with the other. Also, look at how explanatory it is so that you don’t end up more confused than guided.

Variety of recipes

Yes, it’s a sourdough cookbook, but that doesn’t make it a one-recipe guide. Look for a cookbook with various recipes you can explore. These recipes are usually of varying complexity. The simpler ones should console and encourage you before you polish your skills.

The appeal of pictures

There’s no better way to make a written recipe appealing than to provide a photograph of the end product. If a cookbook doesn’t offer a generous number of photos accompanying the recipes, it might as well mean they haven’t tried that recipe, and it may be impractical.

How qualified the author is

Like respected academicians are behind the most reliable academic books and publications, we can only expect great cookbooks from great authors, mostly chefs and cooks.

Best Sourdough Cookbooks Reviews

Wading through the hundreds of cookbooks already in the market can be a tedious task, more so for a beginner. This review will discuss the 7 best sourdough cookbooks that I have gone through and can attest to their efficacy and practicality.

1. Sourdough Baking with Kids: The Science Behind Baking Bread Loaves with Your Entire Family

This is one of the best picks to instruct children on baking sourdough, just as the book title tells. Of course, if it is suitable for kids, a beginner will find it friendly too.

Sourdough Baking with Kids explains how you can bake using only three ingredients: flour, salt, and water. This might sound simple, but you may never achieve the results without the science behind it. The cookbook explains the concept of caring for an active sourdough starter. In addition, you’ll learn how to best create and sustain it alive by feeding it, and finally, how to use it in your baking.

What sets each recipe aside is the color scheme, the ingredients, and the techniques applied. It’s fun learning what changes to look out for in the dough, other interesting facts about bread from across the world, and even discipline and patience required to make the best out of the process.

Once you’ve mastered the basic concepts, you can bring the kids along to explore sourdough loaf, yeast-based, and sourdough discard recipes. 

You kids will be particularly interested in trying fun and delicious recipes such as Chocolate Chip Cookies, Purple Corn Sourdough Loaf, Chocolate Cherry Brownies, Easy Same-Day Sourdough Loaf, Apple Galette, as well as English Muffins.

Get your copy of the Sourdough Baking with Kids,and you might have just found your kids a new hobby–sourdough baking.

What we like:

• Kid-friendly recipes
• Has tips for various stages of sourdough baking
• Teaches some history and facts about bread in a humorous and exciting way
• Available in Kindle and paperback print versions
• Reasonably priced

2. The Sourdough School: The Ground-Breaking Guide to Making Gut-Friendly Bread by Vanessa Kimbell and Richard Hart

The Sourdough School is so different from the school itself, authored by a culinary school founder, except that you now interpret the instructions by yourself. Vanessa has also been recognized by other authors, such as Tim Spector of The Diet Myth, who describes Vanessa’s cookbook as the way to learn to take care of your gut health and microbes.

The cookbook presents what Vanessa teaches in her school, including the secrets to the ultimate sourdough bread. Thankfully to the book, home bakers can now learn to make this digestive kind of bread.

Before learning bread making techniques, you’ll understand the principles of making a starter from scratch. Once you have these basics, Vanessa takes you through different ways of experimenting with flavors and using sprouted grains to make the tasty Cherry Plum and Fig & Earl Grey loves.

Learning from The Sourdough School takes the guesswork out of the picture. This is because every recipe is accompanied by step-by-step photography, while Vanessa throws in bits of a specialist’s advice along the way. She is also incredible at encouragement, so there is no risk of running out of interest or patience.

The Telegraph quotes Vanessa as the queen of sourdough, so I’d only be mean to state otherwise. Get your copy today and get to learn what makes others like Tim Spector, Dan Lepard, and The Telegraph crown Vanessa as the master of sourdough.

What we like:

• Simple, easy to follow instructions
• Authored by a renowned sourdough instructor2.
• Instructions are accompanied by photographs for the various stages
• Teaches how to make sourdough an everyday bake
• Available in Kindle and hardcover versions
• Fair price

3. Starter Sourdough: The Step-by-Step Guide to Sourdough Starters, Baking Loaves, Baguettes, Pancakes, and More by Carroll Pellegrinelli

Do you envy those perfect-looking and perfect-tasting sourdough loaves? How about the fact that you could make such? But this dream depends on one crucial factor– a healthy and happy starter. This starter is responsible for the tangy and delicious flavor of sourdough bread.

Starter Sourdough breaks down the delicate starter process in a way that leaves you laughing at how simple it is to bake those loaves. Whether loaves, baguettes, rolls, cakes,or even cookies, this is the cookbook to lead you to perfection.

Starter Sourdough is accessible to both beginners and seasoned home cooks. You’ll learn how to keep the sparkle alive in your new tasty creations, courtesy of the clear instructions and illustrative photography. May it be the Perfect Italian Sourdough, Double Piecrust, Sourdough Cinnamon-Sugar Doughnuts, Sourdough Marble Rye Bread, or even Sourdough Pretzels, you have it all covered.

Everything in this book is arranged logically to help you get started as quickly as possible at whatever skill level you might be in. It begins with an excellent start where you go over the essential ingredients: flour and water then proceeds with creative variations of the base recipe. In this section, expect to cover pieces of bread and biscuits, cakes, pizza, etc., all made from sourdough. The last part teaches you how to sustain a healthy start with a custom feeding schedule, and reap for a long time.

What we like:

• Simple and clear instructions with illustrations
• Beginner-friendly
• Organized in a logical manner
• Explores starter sustenance
• Availablein soft and hard copy versions
• very affordable

4. The Sourdough Cookbook for Beginners: Learn the FINE ART of Fermented Bread and Become a Master Baker by Grace Dough

There are so many sourdough bread variations, but that doesn’t exhaust the list. You could also make your signature sourdough if you have The Sourdough Cookbook for Beginners, that’s not only beginner-friendly but also diverse. This is a surefire way to become an expert without an instructor, from sourdough starters to baking loaves, pancakes, and baguettes.

If your goal is different, say making a family treat, The Sourdough Cookbook for Beginners teaches you the culinary skills you need to make a pop. Plus, you only need a week to start producing those fantastic goodies.

The Sourdough Cookbook for Beginners is broken down into four sections. These details about the first six days of growing the starter, using it, several artisan-style sourdough pieces of bread, and pan loaves.

Gluten-sensitive people will also find this book helpful as it lets them gluten sourdough. You’re probably wondering how that’s possible, but the described process of making a starter encourages maximum nutrient absorption, leaving the dough and thus the bread more digestible. This is also a big plus since store-bought sourdough bread contains additives, something you won’t do with your homemade version.

Take control over what you consume, save money, and boost your confidence with recipes in this book, as you learn more than just the art of sourdough baking.

What we like:

• Ideal for beginners
• Has diverse recipes
• Provide a way for gluten-sensitive people to enjoy wheat bread
• Very affordable
• Available in Kindle, hardcover, and paperback versions

5. Sourdough Cookbook for Beginners: A Step-by-Step Introduction to Make Your Own Fermented Bread by Eric Rusch and Melissa Johnson

Sourdough is an ancient and time-exacting process that takes patience and dedication. This book will show you all the steps to make a perfect loaf of bread. It’s not an instant gratification project, but the payoff is worth it!

You’ve got the dough and the time; now it’s time to make some doughnuts. With The Sourdough Cookbook, you’ll be baking up a storm in no time! Get the know-how and recipes for making all sorts of delicious sourdough goodies, from bread & desserts to pizzas & sauces. With photos, illustrations, and step-by-step instructions, you can’t go wrong.

Authored by Breadtopia founder and owner, it’s guaranteed that you will be learning from the best of the best. The cookbook simply presents instructions, with photographs covering each day of the first six of raising the starter. Along the way, you learn how the starter causes the bread to rise and tips for preparing your kitchen for the bake. 

There is more than you can exhaust in this cookbook–at least not literally. You’ll try your hand at unique baked goods, flavored pan loaves, artisan-style bread, pizza, and even learn about variations you can create.

Sourdough Cookbook for Beginners is divided into three sections. Fresh Start echoes the advice and tips you’ve probably seen in Breadtopia, taking you through the processes of starting, feeding, storing, and later on reactivating the starter. Here, you’ll also learn what factors can change the process of fermentation and thus the flavor.

The second section is Knead-to-know. Here you learn the ins and outs of bread baking, a couple of beginners’ recipes. There’s also a glossary of terms, as well as tips for troubleshooting through every stage of sourdough cooking.

The last section is On the Rise, which is basically the recipes section. You get the best of the Breadtopia and other intriguing creations like the Chocolate Babka. 

What we like:

• Ideal for beginners
• Authored by an accomplished writer and culinary instructor
• Logically organized
• Includes sourdough leftover recipes such as cakes
• Reasonably priced

7. Super Sourdough: The Foolproof Guide to Making World-Class Bread at Home by James Morton

Everyone can make sourdough with the right instructions and explanations, but not everyone can make really great sourdough. If you have been baking sourdough but want to polish up your skills, that’s where the Super Sourdough comes in. 

Every product out of this cookbook is delicate and fickle, but still, of a unique appeal you won’t usually find in many cookbooks. Of course, there are lots of pitfalls to be aware of, which is why the cookbook discusses and offers solutions and ways around such. 

From starters, flours, and hydration, to more delicate steps like kneading, shaping, and rising, Morton explains everything from a scientific point of view. This allows you to not just memorize the steps, but understand what happens when you do this or that.

After the scoring and baking steps, you’ll be a graduated baker, ready to take on the world’s best. Learn from over 40 expert sourdough recipes, covering basic loaves and rolls as well as more complex baguettes, buns, and bagels. These are all explained in a step-by-step manner, with the best tips alongside each recipe.

What we like: 

• Accessible for both beginners and pros
• Includes tips to make every recipe stand out
• Available in soft and hard copies
• Very affordable

7. Whole Grain Sourdough at Home: The Simple Way to Bake Artisan Bread with Whole Wheat, Einkorn, Spelt, Rye and Other Ancient Grains by Elaine Boddy

Wouldn’t you love to make sourdough out of whole wheat and other ancient grains? I bet you would, and there is no better way than learning it from the best cookbook of 2020 according to Delicious magazine.

You well know how baking can be daunting when you include whole wheat flour or any other ancient grain. These kinds of flour are nutrient-dense, but incredibly hard to work with. But with Elaine’s cookbook, it all becomes as simple as using other conventional kinds of flour.

In her cookbook, Elaine teaches simple, flexible, and fun recipes, that require as little effort as you can possibly afford. Just a single bowl, a few simple ingredients, a few minutes of kneading, and less than 24 hours wait time, you’ll be enjoying delicious and wholesome sourdough breads.

With her vast experience in nutritious flours like whole wheat, rye, einkorn and spelt, Elaine is certainly the expert to instruct you on making such. She teaches you not a single variety but many bread recipes, with that flor you thought unsuitable for sourdough. You simply learn several loaf recipes and even impeccable ones like focaccia.

It’s simply the cookbook you need to break free from the conventional processed flour sourdough.

What we like:

• Contains over 60 photo-illustrated recipes
• Covers the nutrient-dense kinds of flour 
• Include loaves and focaccia recipes, song others
• Time-sensitive recipes
• Available in Kindle and hardcopy versions
• Fairly priced

Video: The Ultimate Sourdough Starter Guide

Final Words

Understanding why you need a sourdough cookbook, how to choose one, and access to the seven best cookbooks reviewed, nothing should stop you now. Go ahead and select from the above list, and you might as well consider initiating your friends into the cult of sourdough baking!