The Best Sourdough Books for 2024
Ready to learn more about sourdough? Check out my list of the best sourdough books for every budget and skill level.
What are the best sourdough books?
I hear that question a lot from you. In this post, I will review some popular sourdough books. You will learn what I do and don’t like about them. Ultimately, it is more about finding the right book for you than assuming that there is one best sourdough book.
How I Have Selected These Books
Of course, every selection will be somewhat biased. Since my sourdough content is so popular and I think and breathe sourdough, I have been reading a lot of sourdough books. Just know that my sourdough method is very unique. You will not find that in any book but maybe I should write one …
Sometimes, I find a recommendation in a sourdough Facebook group and might check that out.
I also do not need to own tons of sourdough books. Therefore, I often check them out at my local library. If I end up liking the book a lot, I might buy it. I have checked out most of the 33 sourdough books our local public library system carries! However, I do like and recommend the sourdough books below!
The Criteria I Used
These are some of the criteria I will discuss below:
- readability (how easily you can consume the content)
- quality of photographs
- types and number of sourdough recipes
- is it appropriate for beginners or do you need some experience
What All These Great Books Have In Common
- They all teach you how to make your own starter
- They go into the science of sourdough bread
- They all have delicious recipes
- They feature recipes with whole grains and alternative grains
- They are geared towards the amateur baker
- No matter which of these bread books you buy, it will make you a better baker
This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. You can read my full disclosure.
1. Artisan Sourdough Made Simple by Emilie Raffa
What I like about this book:
- It is definitely a beginner’s guide
- It has step-by-step instructions on how to make a sourdough starter
- Beautiful full-color photography
- More than 65 unique recipes (as per the publisher)
- Basic recipes with everyday ingredients
- 207 pages
- Affordable price ($18.34 on amazon.com at the time of writing this post)
What I don’t like:
- Paperback books sometimes don’t stay open
- The font is really small
- Some recipes seem a bit too much and are just variations of other recipes
Verdict: I recommend Artisan Sourdough Made Simple by Emilie Raffa
2. The Sourdough Whisperer by Elaine Boddy
What I like about this book:
- It is appropriate for beginner bakers
- Step-by-step instructions
- Extensive FAQ section
- Beautiful, full-color photography
- 40 versatile recipes (as per the publisher)
- 192 full-color pages
- Affordable price ($16.69 on amazon.com at the time of writing this post)
What I don’t like:
- Some paragraphs are very long and hard to skim
- Paperbacks often don’t lie flat on the counter
Verdict: I highly recommend The Sourdough Whisperer by Elaine Boddy
New To Sourdough? Check out My Super Simple Sourdough Course!
3. Homemade Sourdough by Jane Mason
What I like about this book:
- Very beginner-friendly
- Step-by-step tutorials
- Helpful troubleshooting sections
- Beautiful, full-color photography
- 43 recipes, some pretty unique
- 160 pages
- Very affordable ($9.49 on amazon.com at the time of writing this post)
What I don’t like:
- some recipes seem a bit repetitive (or too similar to make it another recipe)
Verdict: I highly recommend Homemade Sourdough by Jane Mason
4. The Sourdough School by Vanessa Kimbell
What I like about this book:
- Great for the beginning home baker
- Has personal stories, history, and background information
- Includes 4 different types of sourdough starter
- Very detailed step-by-step instructions
- Inspiring, full-color photos
- 29+ recipes for every skill level
- 208 pages
- Not too expensive ($22.49 on amazon.com at the time of writing this post)
What I don’t like:
- Some recipes use pretty exotic ingredients (“smoked kibbled rye” or “spent ale grains” for example)
Verdict: I highly recommend The Sourdough School by Vanessa Kimbell
5. Living Bread by Daniel Leader
What I like about this book:
- Lots of interesting information about sourdough history, baking, and ingredients
- Good enough for a professional baker
- Beautiful photographs, some of which are black-and-white
- 57 recipes from bakeries all over the world
- Coffee table edition
- 367 pages
- Not too expensive ($24.99 on amazon.com at the time of writing this post)
What I don’t like:
- Almost a little too big for a cookbook
- Very particular recipes
- Not necessarily for beginners
Verdict: For anyone who wants to get deeper into sourdough baking, I do recommend Living Bread by Daniel Leader
6. The Perfect Loaf by Maurizio Leo
What I like about this book:
- Very detailed information about ingredients and tools
- Perfect for the serious bread baker by the master of sourdough
- Stunning, full-color photography
- Extremely detailed recipes and instruction
- Too many recipes to count
- Coffee table edition
- 431 pages
What I don’t like:
- A bit more expensive ($30.99 on amazon.com at the time of writing this post)
- The book is a bit big for the home kitchen
- Some recipes look a bit too detailed and specific (which might be a plus for some home bakers)
Verdict: While more expensive than the other bread cookbooks, I do recommend The Perfect Loaf by Maurizio Leo to anyone who is serious about their sourdough journey.
7. Six Thousand Years of Bread: Its Holy and Unholy History
What I like about this book:
- Deep dive into the history of bread
- Very informative
- Historic illustrations
- Paperback
- 399 pages
- Not expensive ($14.95 on amazon.com at the time of writing this post)
What I don’t like:
- Can be a bit lengthy
- Scholarly writing style
- Not a recipe book
Verdict: I only recommend Six Thousand Years of Bread by H.E. Jacob for people who like to read a lot and learn the history and relevance of bread
8. Sourdough Culture by Eric Pallant
What I like about this book:
- Great, entertaining writing style
- Easy to read
- Includes historic photographs and illustration
- Contains 10 recipes, some of which are historic
- 305 pages
- ($20.49 on amazon.com at the time of writing this post)
What I don’t like:
- Nothing
Verdict: I highly recommend Sourdough Culture by Eric Pallant to anyone who enjoys good writing, good storytelling, and learning about the history of sourdough
Other Great Sourdough Books
The following sourdough books are also popular but didn’t make my list of favorite books for some reason or other:
- Tartine Bread by Chad Robertson
- Flour Water Salt Yeast by Ken Forkish
- Artisan Breads Every Day by Peter Reinhart
- Bread: A Baker’s Book of Techniques and Recipes by Jeffrey Hamelman
- Sourdough: Recipes for Rustic Fermented Breads, Sweets, Savories, and More by Sarah Owens
- Mastering Bread: The Art and Practice of Handmade Sourdough, Yeast Bread, and Pastry by Marc Vetri
- Sourdough Every Day: Your Guide to Using Active and Discard Starter for Artisan Bread, Rolls, Pasta, Sweets and More by Hannah Dela Cruz
- The Sourdough Bible: [3 in 1] The Most Complete Step-by-Step Guide to the Prepare Homemade Sourdough, Delicious Yeast Bread, and Perfect Homemade Pastry by Lawrence M. Northern
- New World Sourdough: Artisan Techniques for Creative Homemade Fermented Breads by Bryan Ford
New To Sourdough?
If you are completely new to sourdough or overwhelmed by how complicated sourdough sounds to you, I encourage you to check out my super simple sourdough methods and recipes:
