In baking applications involving starch gelatinisation, surfactants such as sodium stearoyl lactylate (SSL) and monoacylglycerols (MAG) and Bacillus stearothermophilus maltogenic alpha-amylase (BStA) can be used jointly. We here showed that SSL but not MAG delays wheat starch hydrolysis by BStA. The effects were explained in terms of different degrees of adsorption of the surfactants on the starch granule surface, retarded and/or decreased water uptake and delayed availability of gelatinised starch for hydrolysis by BStA. Additional experiments with waxy maize starch led to the conclusion that SSL impacts swelling power and carbohydrate leaching more by covering the starch granule surface than by forming amylose-lipid complexes. SSL postponed starch hydrolysis by BStA, but this did not influence subsequent starch gelation. Finally, when adding SSL or MAG on top of BStA to starch suspensions, the effect of the surfactants on gel strength predominated over that of BStA.