Sourdough Starter From Scratch Recipe
Make your own sourdough starter from scratch using just flour and water. Easy to follow and perfect for beginners—start baking delicious sourdough goodies at home!
Equipment
- Large Glass jar or bowl (wide mouth works best for jars)
- Wooden or Silicone Spoon
- Breathable Jar Cover (or a coffee filter, paper towel, or cloth secured with a rubber band)
Ingredients
- ½ cup Unbleached All-Purpose Flour or whole wheat, rye, etc.
- ½ cup Filtered or Distilled Water warm
Instructions
- Day 1: Mix flour and water in a glass jar. Stir well, cover with a breathable cloth (secured with a rubber band), and let sit at room temp for 24 hours.
- Days 2–5: Each day, discard half the mixture (can use the discarded starter to make other baked goods, so there is not too much waste). Feed with ½ cup flour and ½ cup water. Stir, cover, and let sit for 24 hours.
- Days 6–7: Repeat the feeding process every 12 hours on days 6 and 7. Your starter should become bubbly and double in size by day 7.
- Use & Store: Once your starter is active, use it in no rise recipes right away. For bread, wait a few weeks for best results. Feed it 4–6 hours before baking, or store it in the fridge and feed weekly to keep it healthy.
Notes
How to Use & Store Your Starter:
For baked goods that don’t need much rise—like pancakes or waffles—you can use it even earlier. For bread recipes, it’s best to wait until your starter is a few weeks old for the best results. Be sure to feed it 4 to 6 hours before mixing your dough so it’s nice and bubbly. Feed it everyday if leaving out on the counter for daily baking. If you’re not baking every day, store your starter in the fridge and give it a feeding once a week to keep it healthy and strong.
For baked goods that don’t need much rise—like pancakes or waffles—you can use it even earlier. For bread recipes, it’s best to wait until your starter is a few weeks old for the best results. Be sure to feed it 4 to 6 hours before mixing your dough so it’s nice and bubbly. Feed it everyday if leaving out on the counter for daily baking. If you’re not baking every day, store your starter in the fridge and give it a feeding once a week to keep it healthy and strong.