Hannah Dela Cruz
Hannah Dela Cruz is the founder of Make It Dough and the author of two cookbooks, Sourdough Every Day (2020) and Sourdough Cookies (2026).
She lives in Tucson, Arizona, with her partner, Joel and their 2 dogs and 2 cats.
Education
University of Pennsylvania: BA in History, 2012
Expertise
- In 2019, Hannah won the Saveur Blog Award for Readers' Choice in the Best Special Interest Blog category for her work on Make It Dough.
- She has contributed recipes and articles to Simply Recipes and King Arthur Baking.
- She loves sharing practical advice that makes sourdough baking more approachable and accessible to home bakers. Her tips and expertise have been featured in Forbes and Martha Stewart.
Experience
Hannah's love of baking began when she was around 10 years old, helping her sister make a batch of oatmeal raisin cookies. Growing up in a Filipino household, food was an important part of her life, and those early experiences continue to influence the recipes she develops today.
After graduating from the University of Pennsylvania, Hannah began her career in public relations before pursuing her interest in baking and food photography. A self-taught baker, she eventually turned her passion for sourdough into Make It Dough, where she shares original recipes and practical advice for home bakers.
Her first cookbook, Sourdough Every Day, was published in 2020 and explores ways to incorporate sourdough into everyday baking. Her second book, Sourdough Cookies, publishes in December 2026 and reflects her interest in finding creative uses for sourdough discard beyond traditional bread baking.
Today, Hannah spends her time developing recipes, photographing food, writing about sourdough, and helping home bakers gain confidence in the kitchen and create baked goods they're proud to share with family and friends.
Read more about Make It Dough here.
A Few Things You Might Not Know About Hannah
- She loves wine tasting, and her favorite wine region to visit is Paso Robles, California.
- She picked up running in her 30s and now tries to run at least one marathon a year.
- She's an aspiring artist and art class is her favorite day of the week.
- She loves Sci Fi. Make It Dough was inspired by a line from the Star Trek.
- She prefers painting to scrolling, but still loves connecting with fellow bakers and chatting about all things sourdough on Instagram @makeitdough.
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