Better Understanding Of Dough Development (MIXERS & HAND KNEADING)

GLuten Development Myths

1.Stronger gluten always produces better bread. Strength certainly has its place, particularly in doughs where structure and chew are desirable, but it is not universally beneficial. Many enriched formulas rely on moderate development to preserve tenderness. Pushing those doughs toward maximum elasticity can create a tighter crumb and diminish the softness the recipe was designed to achieve.

2.A full windowpane is mandatory for success. While the test is useful, it is only a diagnostic tool. It measures elasticity, not balance. A dough can display an impressive windowpane and still be overworked, just as a moderately developed dough can bake into an exceptionally soft product. Treating the windowpane as a universal requirement often leads bakers to mix beyond the point that the formula actually calls for.

3.Stickiness. Bakers may assume the dough needs additional flour when, in reality, hydration is what allows bread to remain soft and extensible. Introducing flour simply to make a dough easier to handle quietly alters the formula, often resulting in a heavier crumb. Learning to manage stickiness. rather than immediately correcting it, is part of becoming comfortable with properly hydrated dough.

4.Timing. Recipes provide mixing ranges, but minutes alone do not determine development. The same way you shouldn’t give yeast/proofing a window, just because the recipe gives one. Dough strength is created through mechanical tension, whether by mixer or by hand. If that tension is not present, as in the case of a batch that is too small for the bowl, extending the mixing time will not produce the desired structure. Observation is always more reliable than the clock.

5.If a dough is not coming together, the formula must be flawed. In practice, dough behavior is influenced by multiple variables: mixer capacity, ingredient temperature, butter incorporation, hydration level, environmental conditions, etc. Evaluating these factors often reveals that the dough is responding appropriately to its conditions rather than failing.

6.More kneading demonstrates greater effort. In professional baking, restraint is just as important as action. Mixing until a dough has developed enough, rather than as much as possible, is what preserves the qualities the formula was written to deliver.

Windowpane Is Not the Goal for Every Dough

One of the most common sources of frustration for bakers — both new and experienced — is the kneading. A dough is mixed according to the recipe, the suggested time passes, and yet it doesn’t resemble what was expected. Instead of stopping, many continue mixing far beyond the intended point, often assuming the dough has not developed enough gluten.

In reality, the issue is rarely a lack of mixing. More often, it is a misunderstanding of what proper dough development should look like for that specific formula.

Gluten development is not a universal finish line. It exists on a spectrum, and the level a dough should reach is determined by the texture the final product is meant to have. A strong, highly elastic windowpane is appropriate for certain breads where chew, structure, and volume are priorities. However, many enriched doughs are intentionally mixed to a moderate level of development. These doughs should feel cohesive, smoother than when they began, and capable of holding shape, but they do not need to stretch paper-thin without tearing.

Pushing every dough to a full windowpane can unintentionally alter the outcome of a recipe. Overdeveloped gluten can tighten the crumb, reduce tenderness, and create a bread-like chew in formulas that were designed to be soft and plush. Understanding this distinction is what allows a baker to move from simply following steps to interpreting dough correctly.

Dough Development Is Intentional

Professional formulas are written with a specific texture in mind. Mixing instructions are not arbitrary — they are calibrated to support the structure the dough requires without exceeding it.

For example, enriched doughs containing butter, eggs, sugar, or pre-gelatinized starches such as yudane or tangzhong already benefit from mechanisms that improve softness and moisture retention. These ingredients naturally inhibit excessive gluten formation, which is precisely why they are used.

Attempting to force these doughs into strong elasticity often works against their design rather than improving them.

A moderately developed dough is not an unfinished dough. It is frequently the correct stopping point.

Sticky Dough Does Not MEAN Failure

Highly hydrated doughs often challenge expectations, particularly for beginner bakers, home bakers, etc. who are accustomed to firmer bread doughs. When fat, sugar, and eggs are introduced, the dough may appear glossy, soft, and slightly adhesive.

Professional bakery doughs are often softer than what many home bakers anticipate because hydration is directly tied to product longevity and eating quality. Moisture supports a tender crumb, delays staling, and improves reheating.

Stickiness alone is not a reliable indicator that a dough needs more flour or more mixing. What matters is whether the dough is gaining organization, and becoming smoother, more elastic, and less prone to tearing. Once that structure is present, continued mixing is not always beneficial.

Windowpane Is Not a Requirement

The windowpane test is useful because it reveals how far gluten has developed, but it should not be treated as a mandatory checkpoint for every dough.

Some formulas call for strong elasticity. Others require only enough development to create gentle structure. The difference is significant, and recognizing it prevents unnecessary overmixing.

When bakers automatically chase a full windowpane, they may unknowingly override the formula. The result is often a tighter crumb and a firmer bite than intended. The better approach is to evaluate dough within the context of the recipe rather than applying a single standard to all breads.

Mixer Capability

Equipment has a huge impact on dough behavior, but this is rarely discussed with enough transparency. I may take some time to scroll TikTok, and I’m obviously on the baking side. I see SO many complaints under baking and recipe videos about “my dough never came together, I had to add 1/2 or 60g extra flour”. They blame the recipe, or assume their process would be exactly the same if following the recipe properly.

I mainly use my Kitchen Aids for recipe development testing when recipes will be shared for public use vs a commercial kitchen. That’s what most of you use, and it’s the “all purpose”. A standard KitchenAid-style planetary mixer is an excellent multipurpose machine. It performs well across a wide range of baking tasks and can absolutely produce quality bread dough. However, extremely hydrated enriched doughs can challenge its torque capacity, particularly in larger batches. So this means many bakers’ expectations should be adjusted.

Spiral mixers, commercial planetary mixers, and machines engineered specifically for dough development generate tension differently. Dough may come together faster and appear smoother under those conditions.

A baker using a residential mixer should not expect identical visual cues to those produced in commercial equipment. What matters is reaching the correct level of development, not replicating the exact appearance of dough mixed elsewhere.

Well-designed formulas, including my Blonde Cinnamon Roll dough — are written in a way that can be successfully produced in most mixers because they do not rely on extreme gluten strength. Still, learning to read the dough is far more valuable than relying solely on time or appearance.

Hand Kneading IS STILL a Foundational Skill

Even in professional environments where mixers are standard, understanding dough through touch is invaluable. There’s such a dependency on mixers and machines, so many bakers don’t even want to hand knead, or even roll out their dough by hand. Hand kneading develops sensory awareness that machines cannot provide. It teaches how elasticity builds, how hydration feels as it absorbs, and how dough transitions from rough to organized.

This knowledge allows a baker to adapt confidently whether that means finishing a dough by hand when a mixer struggles, adjusting technique based on batch size, or recognizing when development has been achieved. Mixers provide efficiency. Hands provide understanding. The strongest bakers cultivate both.

WHEN EXTRA Mixing Is Appropriate

There are situations where a dough genuinely needs more time. The key is identifying the cause rather than mixing indefinitely.

Common factors that slow development include low dough temperature, butter incorporated before sufficient gluten has formed, or a mixer working beyond its effective capacity. Occasionally, a dough simply requires patience.

What should be avoided is the assumption that every dough must reach maximum elasticity. Mixing should always support the intended texture, not compete with it.

Example: Designed Mixing vs Extended Mixing

In my video featuring the Blonde Cinnamon Roll dough, I demonstrate this distinction by dividing the batch in half. One portion is mixed precisely to the level recommended in the formula. The other is pushed several minutes further to achieve stronger gluten development.

Both doughs are technically successful, but they are not identical. The more developed dough produces slightly more chew and structure. The dough mixed to the intended level bakes into a softer, more delicate crumb.

Neither approach is universally “better.” The correct choice is the one aligned with the formula’s goal. This is why understanding development matters more than chasing a visual benchmark.

The Most Important THING

Windowpane is a tool for observation, not a universal mandate. Moderate gluten development is often intentional, particularly in enriched doughs where tenderness is the priority. Soft dough is not a mistake. Sticky dough is not inherently underdeveloped. And more mixing does not automatically translate to better bread.

When bakers learn to evaluate dough within the context of the recipe — rather than applying a single rule — their results become more consistent and far more predictable. The objective is not simply to knead until something changes. The objective is to develop the dough to the degree the formula was designed to support.

Mixer Capacity/Dough Behavior

Mixer capability plays a larger role in dough development than many bakers realize. While most residential mixers are marketed as suitable for bread, their effectiveness depends heavily on batch size, hydration level, and dough richness.

A planetary mixer, such as a KitchenAid develops dough through an orbital motion. The hook rotates while traveling around the bowl, repeatedly stretching and folding the dough. When the bowl contains an appropriate volume, this motion creates friction and tension, both of which are necessary for efficient gluten development.

Problems begin when the batch size falls outside the mixer’s functional capacity. If the dough quantity is too small for the bowl, the hook cannot properly engage it. Instead of being stretched and folded, the dough simply rotates. Bakers often describe this as the dough “just orbiting.” It spins, smears along the bottom, and occasionally collects on the hook without ever organizing into a cohesive mass.

At that point, the mixer is no longer kneading, it is just mixing. Time alone does not build strong gluten. Mechanical tension does. Without that tension, extended mixing becomes inefficient and can place unnecessary strain on the machine without meaningfully improving the dough.

This is a common source of frustration. Bakers continue running the mixer, waiting for the dough to transform, unaware that the environment required for development is not actually present. The result is usually predictable: excessive mixing time, an overheated mixer, growing irritation, and eventually the assumption that something must be wrong with the recipe.

Batch Size

Through repeated testing with my Blonde Cinnamon Roll dough, I have found that the most effective mixing environments are either preparing a half batch in a 4.5-quart mixer or increasing the full batch by roughly 30–50% when using a 6–7 quart Pro-style mixer. Both approaches allow the hook to properly engage the dough so that stretching and folding can occur instead of simple rotation. When the dough mass matches the mixer’s working range, development happens more efficiently, mixing times shorten, and the dough behaves as expected.

By contrast, undersized batches in large bowls frequently create the illusion that a dough “will never come together,” when in reality the mixer cannot apply the mechanical work required. Professional bakeries account for this constantly. Dough formulas are paired with mixers that operate within specific capacity ranges because development is not just about ingredients — it is about the relationship between dough and machine.

When Your Mixer Is No Longer Kneading

Every baker should learn to identify the moment when mixing has stopped being productive. If you notice the dough pooling at the bottom of the bowl, spinning without resistance, or clinging to a small section of the hook while remaining loose elsewhere, the mixer is telling you something important: it is not effectively developing the dough.

Continuing to run it will not solve the problem. At that stage, the most professional decision is also the simplest one, stop the mixer and take control of the dough manually.

A skilled baker does not remain committed to a machine that is no longer serving the process. If a dough has been mixing for 12 to 15 minutes and still lacks organization, elasticity, or structure, removing it from the bowl and finishing by hand is often the fastest path forward. Hand kneading immediately introduces the tension that the mixer failed to generate.

Mixing Longer Is Not the Same as Mixing Better

There is a misconception that gluten develops automatically if a dough is mixed long enough. In reality, gluten develops most effectively when dough is stretched under resistance. Without that resistance, additional minutes contribute far less than bakers assume.

Meanwhile, prolonged mixing introduces its own problems: rising dough temperature, oxidation that can mute flavor, and mechanical wear on the mixer itself. More importantly, extended mixing can change the character of an enriched dough, pushing it toward strength when the formula was designed for tenderness.

Growth as a Baker Means Learning to Adjust

Encountering mixer limitations is just part of developing professional awareness. When a dough behaves differently than expected, the strongest response is curiosity rather than frustration. Instead of assuming the formula is flawed, evaluate the mixing environment first.

Ask whether the hook is truly engaging the dough. Observe whether tension is forming. Decide whether the batch size supports proper development. And when it does not, adapt. Professional baking has never been about rigidly following a machine. It has always been about understanding when to intervene.

Signs You are mixing, not kneading

While it may appear that progress is being made simply because the machine is running, effective kneading requires resistance, stretching, and reorganization of the gluten network. Without those elements, the dough is not truly developing, just moving.

If the dough continuously spins around the bowl without gathering into a cohesive mass, the hook is not engaging it with enough tension. Similarly, when dough pools at the bottom while only a small portion clings to the hook, the mechanical force needed for development is absent. You may also notice the dough smearing along the sides of the bowl rather than being pulled upward and folded back onto itself.

Another common sign is time without transformation. Enriched doughs typically show visible organization as mixing progresses. becoming smoother, more elastic, and less prone to tearing. If 10 to 15 minutes have passed with little structural change, the issue is usually mechanics.

At this stage, continuing to run the mixer often leads to unnecessary heat buildup, prolonged mixing times, and growing frustration, all without significantly improving the dough. More importantly, excessive mixing under low tension can begin to alter the texture the formula was designed to produce. Knowing when to stop the machine is a professional judgment.

Removing the dough and finishing it by hand immediately introduces the resistance required for proper gluten formation. Within a few minutes of intentional hand kneading, many bakers are surprised to see the dough organize faster than it did in the bowl.

This should not be viewed as a corrective measure or a sign that something went wrong. It is simply an adjustment, one that demonstrates awareness of the process rather than dependence on equipment.

Over time, some bakers find that if a dough repeatedly struggles to develop in their mixer, beginning directly on the countertop can be the more efficient choice. This is particularly true for smaller batches or highly enriched formulas where adequate hook engagement is difficult to achieve.

Starting by hand provides immediate feedback. You feel elasticity forming, you control the tension, and you eliminate the uncertainty of whether the machine is truly working the dough.

Mixers are designed to support the baker, not replace judgment. Recognizing the difference between motion and development is part of gaining that judgment — and it is often the moment when a baker’s confidence begins to deepen.

WHEN Your Dough Has Been Overtaxed

While underdeveloped dough receives a great deal of attention, overmixing is often the quieter problem. The baker continues kneading in pursuit of smoother structure or a stronger windowpane, without realizing the dough has already reached the level of development the formula required.

Gluten is strongest when it is organized but still extensible. When pushed beyond that point, the network begins to tighten. Elasticity increases, but flexibility decreases. Instead of supporting expansion, the dough starts to resist it.

The Dough Stops Relaxing

Properly developed dough will stretch and then gently retract. Overtaxed dough snaps back quickly, almost fighting the motion. When shaping, it may shrink noticeably or resist being rolled thinner.

This excessive elasticity is often mistaken for strength when it is actually a sign that the gluten network has been pushed too far. If a dough feels combative rather than cooperative, it is often asking to be left alone. A rest period can sometimes help if the overmixing is mild, but severely tightened dough rarely returns fully to its intended state.

The Surface looks Overly Tight or Shiny

As mixing continues past the optimal point, the dough skin can take on an almost strained appearance, very smooth, sometimes slightly glossy, but lacking the supple quality associated with balanced development.

Instead of feeling soft and alive, it might feel dense or overly firm beneath the surface.

Tearing Instead of Stretching

One of the clearest indicators of overworked gluten is tearing during extension. Bakers often expect tearing to signal underdevelopment, but once gluten becomes too tight, it loses its ability to stretch gracefully. When pulled, the dough may split abruptly rather than elongating. Additional kneading will not repair the structure. Stopping is the best choice.

Rising Dough Temperature

Friction generated during prolonged mixing raises dough temperature. Warm dough ferments faster, which can compress flavor development and make proofing less predictable.

Elevated temperature softens butter within enriched doughs, shifting the texture from structured to greasy. Bakers sometimes interpret this as the dough “breaking,” when in fact it has simply absorbed more heat than it should have.

Windowpane Becomes Misleading

A very strong windowpane can give false confidence. If the dough stretches paper-thin but feels rigid, difficult to shape, or overly elastic, the test is no longer telling the full story. Windowpane measures strength, it is not for balance.

Balanced gluten is what allows a dough to expand comfortably during proofing and baking. Chasing the thinnest possible membrane is rarely the objective for enriched formulas.

When Should You Stop Kneading?

The answer is not numerical. A properly developed dough is cohesive, elastic, and capable of holding shape, yet still relaxed enough to be shaped without resistance. It should feel resilient but not tense. Think of the goal as organized strength rather than maximum strength.

If the dough stretches comfortably, shows a smoother surface, and responds predictably to handling, further kneading is rarely necessary. Stopping at the appropriate moment preserves the qualities the formula was written to deliver.

Professional bakers do not mix until the dough cannot possibly develop further. They mix until it has developed enough. That distinction is what protects tenderness, supports proper fermentation, and ultimately produces bread with the texture it was designed to have.

Checkout the Blonde Cinnamon Rolls to see my videos. I use a mixer, and hand knead.