There is so much to say about this comprehensive guide to bread baking by Kathryn Hawkins. Just when I wasn’t certain there was much more to learn about how to improve and trouble shoot, I found myself poring over these sections and carefully reviewing why my dough might be sticky, how I could get the perfect slice and what my texture might look like.
This was all before the recipes even began! The varied offerings include gluten free choices such as steamed buns, sweet chocolate bread and even air fryer cheese and onion buns.
The greatest challenge is choosing what to bake!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Fox Chapel Publishing for the advance copy. All opinions are my own.

Excellent cookbook for making bread! The recipes are great and very easy to follow, as well as quite informative to the art of making bread and the common mistakes people make.

As an absolute beginner at making bread this book has been an invaluable resource! I am so happy to have all I need to know in one place. The range of recipes and care of instruction and backstory is wonderful. I highly recommend this book to anyone getting started on their breadmaking journey!

I love how informative this book is! I just started baking, simple cookies and muffins and now I want to expand that into bread! This book is going to help me so much!! I truly enjoyed the history of bread and learning about the cultures it dives into! This book covers it all and I can’t wait to try my hand at making the cinnamon bread.

The introduction has a brief history of baking bread in many cultures and religions. There is also a comprehensive guide to the different types of flour, leavening agents, and liquids that can be used. Dairy and gluten free products are addressed in this guide with more depth than I have seen in other bread cookbooks. The author is a food stylist and the many beautiful and useful photographs confirm that. There are suggestions for different shapes to consider for many of the recipes. It’s on my Christmas list for 2025.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for letting me review this book. There were some great tips,using flaxseed and water for a flaxseed ’egg’, if you don’t have eggs. There are several recipes I’m looking forward to trying.

Did I just get schooled on making bread?

Yes, I believe I did. That's a good thing if the book is all about making bread.
I appreciated that it was geared to a reader like me: an absolute beginner. So, with some tips from this book, its off to make some bread.
Recommend.

I love making bread. I have for a long time. But I am no expert. I always enjoy reading books on the process. I learned something different from each, and every book that I read, and this book was no exception.

If you’re looking to start making your own bread, this is your book!

A great book with a very thorough bread education in addition to recipes. Really helpful for learning all of the important pieces!

Book Review: Complete Starter Guide to Making Bread by Kathryn Hawkins

Rating: 5 Stars

When I first picked up "Complete Starter Guide to Making Bread" by Kathryn Hawkins, I was just a casual baker, dabbling in the occasional loaf when time permitted. Little did I know that this book would light a fire under my culinary ambitions and transform my kitchen into a bustling bakery.

Right off the bat, Hawkins' experience as a seasoned food writer shines through in her clear and engaging prose. With over 35 years in the food industry, she brings a wealth of knowledge that's both comprehensive and surprisingly approachable. This isn’t just a cookbook; it’s a breadmaking odyssey that explores the history and evolution of one of humanity's most beloved staples. Each page is brimming with fascinating details and insightful tips—everything from essential ingredients to the art of kneading, proofing, and shaping your dough.

The book offers more than 25 mouth-watering recipes, ranging from Irish soda bread and French baguette to more exotic creations like Bao buns and Babka. What I particularly loved was the vast array of baking techniques Hawkins covers. Whether you're using a traditional oven or experimenting with an air fryer, multi-cooker, or even a slow cooker, Hawkins has you covered. Her instructions are as easy to follow as they are detailed, making each recipe feel like a guided tour through the world of bread.

For those with specific dietary needs, the book doesn’t disappoint. It includes clever tips for making your bread gluten-free, vegan, or sugar-free. This attention to inclusivity means that no one needs to miss out on the joy of homemade bread.

The vintage-style illustrations harken back to the cookbooks my grandma used to cherish, adding a touch of nostalgia without feeling outdated. It’s like having a family heirloom that’s perfectly suited for today’s modern kitchen. This guide truly feels like something every baker—or aspiring one—should proudly display on their shelf.

In sum, "Complete Starter Guide to Making Bread" is an absolute gem. It's packed full of everything you could want to know about breadmaking, all explored in remarkable detail. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to expand your repertoire with new recipes and techniques, this book is a must-have. It's not just a cookbook; it’s an invitation to embark on a delicious journey that’s as rewarding as it is enriching. Five stars, without a doubt!

⚠️This review was written based on personal opinions and experiences with the book. Individual preferences may vary⚠️

If you want to impress me with a cooking/baking book give me a bit of history woven in with technique! Hawkins does that beautifully in this book! I loved it!

I love baking, and I'm really good at it. Just ask my family and coworkers. However, bread has always been difficult for me to master. I try, I fail, my bread is hard, it's a disaster. That's what initially drew me to COMPLETE STARTER GUIDE TO MAKING BREAD. Perhaps it's time for me to just reset everything and try from the beginning.

This book is incredible. It starts off with a detailed history of how bread has contributed to society, and then goes deep into the different ingredients. I particularly enjoyed reading about the different types of flours and how regional flour is.

When this book tells you that it's a starter guide, believe it. It goes into what equipment you should use, including how to knead the bread when you're preparing it. It felt like a nice refresher and I noticed that I have been skipping essential elements of my bread making, which is probably why I have been so unsuccessful in the past.

The actual recipes are also wonderful, and they include the ingredients in both volume and weight measurements. That's always a sign of a great cookbook to me. I also jumped for joy that the recipes include fresh yeast, which has always been my go-to yeast for bread, but it's very difficult to find recipes with fresh yeast.

I started with the whole wheat loaf. The instructions were clear and my bread turned out quite delicious. It was a lot more simple than I had originally thought and I felt fully supported by the instructions in the book.

This book is perfect for anyone who is wanting to get starting making fresh breads, who has had difficult making bread in the past, or someone who is starting off on their own in a new apartment or house. Overall, it's a delightful book that makes a great addition to any kitchen.

I requested this arc for my mother because she enjoys trying out recipes and what not and I think this is a great book for a 55+ demographic and you can see clearly that the author cares deeply and thoughtfully on the subject.

This as a lovely, comprehensive guide to making bread. I liked the variety of recipes and techniques in this book.

A heavenly delight to making bread. The detailed recipes and inkling into the world of baking breads would entice all the culinary lovers out there. I would simply read and re-read this one over my lifetime.

I received an arc from netgalley and honestly reviewed the Complete Starter Guide to Making Bread by Kathryn Hawkins and made two of her recipes: Corn Tortillas and The Slow Loaf. Like most typical cookbooks it started off with a brief history of bread making in different cultures, the different types of flours, add - ins, how to 'decorate your dough, equiptment and even a troubleshooting guide. The book is full of beautiful mouthwatering pictures of all types of breads and flatbreads and the recipes have very detailed step by step instructions. I chose to make tortillas as I've always made them with Maseca so this was slighly different for me. they came out pretty good but as a lifetime Maseca only tortilla maker and consumer I don't think I'll be switching my recipe anytime soon. I made her slow - cooker loaf as I do love my slow cooker and I will definitely be making it again.

One of the things I loved about this guide is how approachable it is. Hawkins expertly breaks down the art of bread making into digestible steps, ensuring that even absolute beginners feel confident tackling their first loaf. Hawkins weaves in the history and chemistry of bread making. It’s not just about following instructions; it’s about understanding the process. The photography in the book is absolutely stunning and serves as both inspiration and a visual guide for bakers. Seeing what the end product should look like gave me the confidence to try more challenging recipes, and it was a joy to flip through the pages just to admire the artistry.

This is a wonderful book for anyone who wants to get into bread making or who already started but wants new recipes and to learn more! The book did a great job of going into details and helping to lay out everything that the reader needs to know in order to be successful at making bread; tools, techniques, ingredients, different types of flours & breads, etc. She really dived into some of the science behind the ingredients and making of the bread which I think is awesome in understand and being successful at making bread. The recipes themselves look amazing, I have only tried one so far but am super excited to try some more! I like that they are ingredients I am able to find rather then being weird ingredients. I love this book and think it is a great thing to have in my kitchen and anyone who enjoys baking would love it!

This book is a true treasure trove. I am going to add it to my cookbook collection. I can hardly wait to have the smell of the bread coming in from the kitchen. Thank you for allowing me to preview this book. I am excited to use it!

I have no prior knowledge on making bread—before the pandemic, I did not know much about home cooking and baking. But once COVID-19 hit, like most people, I found myself interested in cooking more elaborate recipes and kept seeing people making bread at home from scratch. This book is perfect for those who want to learn more about the background of bread, its history and how to get started.

One of the best things about this book is how detailed it is—every little thing about bread making gets explored thoroughly, from the history of bread to the nuts and bolts of how different types of flours and wheat affect your dough. I had no idea how much science goes into making bread, and I love that Kathryn Hawkins takes the time to explain it all. Whether you’re just curious about the process or trying to perfect your bread recipes, this book has your back. It's like a crash course in everything you need to know starting with the essentials.

What I really appreciate is the way the book walks you through the basics without making it feel overwhelming. It doesn’t throw in crazy ingredients or processes which are too difficult for a beginner. It also takes you through troubleshooting tips. Plus, if you’ve ever wondered why baking soda and baking powder are so different (I know I have!), the answer is in there, along with so many more scientific explanations which are very interesting.

I love that the recipes are very well-written and easy to follow. Whether you're making grissini bread sticks, naan, or a rye sourdough, the instructions are clear, and the photographs make it all look very appetizing. I’ll be trying out the recipes of this entire book, one loaf at a time!

If you’ve ever wanted to make bread but didn’t know where to start, this book is your perfect guide. It’s accessible, informative, and will make bread baking exciting. It's also a great gift for anyone looking to dive into the world of baking. Get ready to impress your friends and family with homemade bread.