Showerthought: your dough is not sticky, you just never let the flour hydrate | Bread Baking Basics

Rowan Kelly · 2026-09-17T20:35:04.179924+00:00

I keep seeing people on here dump in extra flour the second their dough feels tacky, and I think that is the single biggest mistake new bakers make. Flour needs time to soak up water, so if you mix your dough and walk away for 20 to 30 minutes before you even start kneading, that wet mess turns into something workable on its own. I tested it side by side in my kitchen in Boise two weekends back, same recipe, one batch kneaded right away and one rested first, and the rested one needed 40 grams less flour and still came out lighter. Adding flour early makes a dry, dense loaf and then everybody blames their yeast or their oven. Next time your dough feels sticky, cover the bowl and set a timer instead of reaching for the bag. Has anyone else tried this and gotten a totally different result, or am I just lucky with my cheap all purpose flour?

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Showerthought: your dough is not sticky, you just never let the flour hydrate | Bread Baking Basics - The Community Guide