✨ Bake Club! 🍞 5 Ways to Tell if Your Dough is Done Kneading


Hey, Reader!

Have you ever wondered if your bread dough is kneaded enough… or if you’ve gone too far?

⏰ I used to guess or watch the clock, but there are actually five simple signs that tell you if your dough is perfectly kneaded.

✨ And once you know them, I promise your bread will improve instantly!

5 Signs Your Dough is Fully Kneaded

  1. ⚽ Smooth Surface Texture
  2. ⛹️‍♂️ Springs Back After Poking It
  3. πŸ’ͺ Stretches, Not Tears
  4. πŸͺŸ Passes the Windowpane Test
  5. 🫢 Holds its Shape

I show examples of all 5 of these signs (including how to tell if your dough is over-kneaded) in my new YouTube video!

My Favorite Baking Tools for Kneading

  • ​Flexible Bench Scraper - I use this for kneading sticky dough inside the mixing bowl for the first minute, to avoid a big mess on my counter.
  • ​Silicone Mat - This is a great alternative to kneading dough on a counter, since it's way easier to clean.
  • ​Kitchenaid Stand Mixer - Of course, kneading can be a lot faster & easier with my good ol' stand mixer.

Now Let's Bake!

Let's turn our mini bake club lesson into something you can eat!

Click a link above or a photo below to go to my recipe on the blog!

​Find your next rustic bake​

Humbly Homemade

I'm the full-time recipe developer and food photographer behind Humbly Homemade. Inspired by my childhood growing up in Germany, I share recipes of delicious rustic bakes from scratch with an elevated European twist.

Read more from Humbly Homemade

Hey, Reader! Summer is the season that feels like an open invitation to seek inspiration and adventure. And as a recipe developer, I find inspiration at my local farmer's market, especially now that fresh produce like rhubarb & strawberries are overflowing off the gingham-lined tables. So to celebrate, I created two Bake-Club-exclusive recipes that I'm sharing with you today! 🍰 I baked a strawberry rhubarb streusel cake and rosemary rhubarb dirty soda that my family enjoyed on a picnic in our...

Four photos of chocolate desserts in a collage with camping graphics.

Hey, Reader! Father's Day is next Sunday, and if your dad is anything like mine, he'll say he doesn't want a fuss. But this year is also my husband's very first father's day as a dad, and I'm planning on making a GIANT fuss for them both. πŸ₯³ Whether it's your own dad, a father-figure in your life, or the ride-or-die co-parent to your pets, they all deserve a little extra love. And there's something about a homemade dessert that a gift card (or another grill spatula...) just can't touch,...

Hey, Reader! We've officially made it to summer! β˜€οΈ June is one of my favorite months, when the farmers markets are packed with seasonal produce and inspiration for baking with seasonal flavors seem boundless. πŸ“ Berries, stone fruit, zucchini, and herbs are some of my favorites this time of year, so I pulled together 10 recipes that celebrate these flavors. They're also all great for baking the rad dad-figures in your life on Father's Day later this month, on June 21st! Happy Baking! Click a...