What is the purpose of kneading dough?

Kneading dough primarily serves to develop gluten, which is essential for giving bread its structure and texture. When you knead the dough, you are physically working the proteins found in flour—mainly glutenin and gliadin. As these proteins are activated and worked together through kneading, they form gluten strands that create a strong, elastic network. This network traps gas produced by yeast during fermentation, allowing the dough to rise and providing the final baked product with the desired chewiness and strength.

While combining ingredients is a part of the kneading process, the main goal and benefit of kneading goes beyond mere mixing; it specifically focuses on the development of gluten. Adding flavors is typically achieved through other means, such as incorporating herbs or spices, and air pockets may be formed indirectly through kneading by trapping air, but this is not the primary purpose of the technique. Thus, the key reason kneading is critical in dough preparation is its role in gluten development.