Perhaps you have been wanting to start on your bread-making journey but you are worried that you do not have the right tools to start. You might have seen bakers knead stretchy pillows of dough with huge mixers and wondered if you might need a machine like that too.

Do you REALLY need a mixer to make sourdough bread?

Well, the good news is that the answer is NO!

You do not need a mixer to make sourdough bread! Though people use stand mixers to help speed up the process, you can simply stir the ingredients together by hand.

That said, soft breads such as brioche or soft buns which require the addition of milk or butter may be easier to make in a mixer as these ingredients can be difficult to incorporate by hand. Usually, it takes a long time to incorporate these ingredients and to knead the dough till it reaches the windowpane test . This process can be speed up with the help of a mixer.

When it comes to kneading the dough, you can absolutely do it by hand. In fact, many people believe that kneading by hand results in a better texture. However, if you're short on time or don't want to get your hands dirty, a mixer can definitely help speed up the process.

So, do you NEED a mixer to make sourdough bread?

The answer is no, but it can certainly helpful, especially if you're short on time or want an easier way to incorporate tough ingredients. Try it both ways and see what works best for you!