Hi! I'm Hannah, the baker, recipe developer, photographer and voice behind Make It Dough, a baking blog for sourdough bread and sourdough discard recipes.
Thanks for visiting my blog! Here you'll find:
Bread Baking Guides: Drawing on extensive research and my personal bread baking journey, I provide comprehensive guides to help you make better bread at home.
Creative Sourdough Recipes: I'm enthusiastic about helping you unlock the full potential of your sourdough starter, offering a variety of recipes that range from bread creations to unique uses for sourdough discard.
Bakes for All Skill Levels: Whether you're eager to tackle a two-day sourdough bread project or prefer a quick sourdough cookie recipe ready in under an hour, I've got a diverse selection of recipes tailored to both beginners and seasoned bakers alike!
A little bit about me
Growing up in a Filipino household instilled in me a profound love for food. Filipinos express their affection through acts of service, and nothing embodies love more than preparing a meal for your friends and family. Some of my fondest childhood memories revolve around our family gathered at the dinner table, savoring a meal together.
My fascination with baking began when I baked oatmeal chocolate chip cookies with my older sister at the age of 10. It was my first taste of the magic of creating something with my own hands and indulging in it while it was still warm from the oven. I've been captivated ever since. Cookies continue to hold a special place in my heart, and my Sourdough Oatmeal Cookies was the first recipe I ever developed.
Although I never envisioned a career in the culinary world, my kitchen became my sanctuary on stressful days. The process of making dough or batter would whisk away my worries, and I knew that by the time I took my creation out of the oven, everything would be alright.
My journey into the world of sourdough started after leaving a decade-long career as a publicist. Refreshing my starter brought structure and solace into my life, revealing a newfound passion for bread-making. It made me realize that my true joy lay in making food for the people I loved.
Today, I'm privileged to share my sourdough recipes with people worldwide here on Make It Dough. Currently, I happily reside in Tucson, AZ, alongside my boyfriend Joel and our furry family: Geordie, Tasha, Zoey, Penny Lane, and Sergeant Pepper.
Stay Up to Date
Sourdough has truly changed my life
In 2019, Make It Dough proudly received the Reader’s Choice Award for Best Special Interest Blog from Saveur Magazine. The following year, I published my debut cookbook, Sourdough Every Day, which celebrates my devotion to sourdough discard. In 2022, I launched my inaugural virtual sourdough course in collaboration with Central Milling, titled "How to Make Sourdough Bread."
My journey with sourdough serves as a testament to the fulfillment of pursuing one's passion. It underscores the importance of embracing a life filled only with the things you love.
My cookbook
I developed and wrote a sourdough cookbook called "Sourdough Every Day."
In the book, I guide you easily through all the steps of sourdough baking, from how to create and maintain your starter, to how to bake your first loaf, to making an incredible range of breads and more. I’ll even show you how to transform your extra discard into delicious sourdough-inspired treats.
My work
I've been fortunate enough to create a career out of my passion for sourdough bread.
My recipes have been featured on King Arthur Baking Company, Simply Recipes and Challenger Breadware. I've had the privilege of collaborating with some of my favorite brands to create captivating photography and videos that showcase the products I adore, including Microsoft, Robert Mondavi Wines, Fontana Forni, Imperial Sugar, Target, among many others.
If you are interested in hiring me for a photography commission or recipe development project, visit my work with me page.
Questions
I created my sourdough starter in 2018!
I started this blog in 2018 to document my foray into sourdough bread baking.
When I created my starter, I was completely overwhelmed with all the information about microbiology, fermentation and bread making. I figured that if I could write the information out and explain it to someone else, then I would understand it better myself.
Along the way, it helped me discover a passion for recipe development and food photography. Today, I've transformed Make It Dough into a thriving business.
I am a huge Star Trek fan and the blog name is a play on a phrase that Captain Picard often says when he gives orders: "make it so."
I absolutely love baking crusty sourdough bread! I try to bake a loaf at least once a week and I still use my tried and true Sourdough Bread recipe to this day.
Yes, I can confidently say that I have baked and tested all of the recipes here on the blog.
Yes, thanks to the blog, I've developed a passion for photography. It's one of my favorite aspects of being a creative. All the photos you see here were taken by me.
Absolutely! I've been fortunate enough to develop recipes and create content for some of my favorite brands, including the King Arthur Baking Company, Challenger Breadware, Imperial Sugar, Robert Mondavi, among many others.
You can view samples of my work here and reach out to me directly at hello@makeitdough.com
I shoot all my photos and videos with my trustee Canon 6D Mark II, it's an amazing camera that has served me for 4 years.
My most used lens is a 50 mm f/1.8. I also use a macro lens.
My favorite recipes!
These are my all-time favorites. While I continually experiment with and create new recipes for sharing on Make It Dough, these treats hold a special place in my heart, and I often find myself returning to them.
Keep in touch!
Did you try one of my recipes? Tag @makeitdough on Instagram and TikTok!