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Sourdough Starter Recipe {Quick & Easy Homemade Bread Starter}

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This easy Sourdough Starter Recipe will have you baking gorgeous loaves of fresh, crusty sourdough bread in no time!

So have you been wondering… how do you make a sourdough starter? It’s actually really easy! Thanks to this Sourdough Starter Recipe, with just a few minutes a day, you can have an active and bubbly sourdough starter ready to bake with in about 7 days!

Before you can begin baking those gorgeous loaves of artisan sourdough bread, you’ll first need to get your starter going. This quick sourdough starter is easy to make, simple to maintain, and if taken care of properly… can last for years and years!

Once you get your starter active and bubbly, you’ll want to maintain it with 1 feeding every week. Just so you don’t forget to feed your starter, you can make a catchy slogan in your head like… Feeding Fridays, Sourdough Saturdays, etc.

And as tradition goes, you’ll want to name your sourdough starter, too! I mean, it is living, right? 🙂 Mine is named Agatha Bertha. She’s been alive and flourishing for almost a year now, and has become such a great little friend in the kitchen!

So are you ready to make your own sourdough starter? Here’s what you’ll need to get started…

Sourdough Starter Recipe

Related:

What is Sourdough Starter Made Of?

It takes just 3 simple ingredients to make sourdough starter:

  • All Purpose Flour
  • Whole Wheat Flour
  • Filtered Water

Why use wheat flour? Well, I always use it in those first few days because it contains more microorganisms and nutrients which can kickstart your starter and help give it a faster fermentation.  In other words, it’s just easier to get it going.

How Do You Make Sourdough Starter from Scratch?

It’s actually really simple, and usually takes about 1 week to get it going! You’ll start with 3 simple ingredients, and usually feed it about twice a day for the first week. Once it becomes active and bubbly, usually around the 7th day, you’ll be ready to bake your first loaf of sourdough bread!

How Do You Keep Sourdough Starter Warm in a Cold House?

Got a cold house?  Not a problem! If your sourdough starter isn’t rising by day 4, after a feeding cover it with plastic wrap and a rubber band on top to hold it in place, then place it in a cold oven with the oven light on for a few hours a day.  The slight warmth from the oven will be the perfect cozy spot to help it wake up and get rising.

Kathy writes: “Put it in your oven with the light on – it makes just enough heat. Be sure to remove it before using the oven, though. Maybe put tape on your switch as a reminder.”

How Often Should I Feed My Sourdough Starter?

Once you get through the initial 7 days of getting your starter going, you can maintain it with once a week feedings IF you store it in the refrigerator. If you store it at room temperature, you’ll need to feed every 12 – 24 hours. That’s why I like to store it in the fridge. 🙂

What Can I Make with Sourdough Discard?

After your starter is well established, living in your refrigerator, and being maintained with weekly feedings, you may be wondering… “what should I make with my sourdough discard each week?” Well, that’s a great question! You can either toss it each week, or put it to use in a fun new recipe! Here are some delicious ways to use Sourdough discard…

  • Sourdough Biscuits {they’re AMAZING with homemade Strawberry Jam or Blackberry Jam}
  • Sourdough Crackers
  • Sourdough English Muffins
  • Sourdough Pancakes
  • Sourdough Pizza Crust

How Do I Share My Sourdough Starter?

After your sourdough starter is well established and mature, you can start sharing it with friends and family. It makes such a great Gift in a Jar!

I would suggest waiting until your starter is several months old, then simply take your discard from one of your weekly feedings, transfer it to a new clean jar, feed it 1/2 cup all purpose flour + 1/4 cup filtered water, stir well, place the lid on the jar, leave it out on the counter for a few hours, then transfer to the fridge. Discard and feed again the next week, just like you do with your regular starter each week, and it will be ready to share!

How Do You Keep Sourdough Starter Alive When On Vacation?

Well… it just depends how long you’ll be gone. If you’ll be gone around 1 week or so, keeping it in the refrigerator should be just fine. Just feed it before you go, and then feed it again right when you get back.

If you’ll be gone longer, there are a few options…

  • Have someone babysit {and give it the weekly feedings}
  • Share some as gifts with friends & family {and you can get back the discard if yours doesn’t make it}
  • Store some in the freezer. {then revive it at room temperature with feedings when you get back}

Frugal friend Lavia writes: “Mine is named Penelope. She’s about 10 years old now.  I even carried her with me when we moved cross country (kept her refrigerated every time we stopped in a hotel). I keep her in a couple containers in the freezer and a couple in the fridge. It also helps to give some away in case you have a mishap, so then you can get her back from whoever else has her (that happened to me once).”

Sourdough Starter Recipe
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Sourdough Starter Recipe

This easy Sourdough Starter Recipe will have you baking gorgeous loaves of fresh, crusty sourdough bread in no time!
Prep Time30 mins
Resting Time7 d
Total Time7 d 30 mins
Course: Sides
Cuisine: American
Keyword: bread
Servings: 1 starter

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup Whole Wheat Flour {+ 1/2 cup more for the week}
  • 1/4 cup All Purpose Flour {+ 2 1/2 cups more for the week}
  • 1/3 cup Filtered Water {Non-Chlorinated Water} {+ a little more than 1 1/2 cups more for the week}

Instructions

  • Day 1 Morning: Add ¼ cup Whole Wheat Flour, ¼ cup All Purpose Flour & 1/3 cup Filtered Water to Jar, stir well with small spatula, scrape down sides, put the lid on loosely {just be gently, and don't screw it on too tight}, and let it sit for 24 hours.
  • Day 2 Morning: Stir starter, put lid back on loosely & let it sit for 24 hours.
  • Day 3 Morning: Transfer 3 tbsp. starter to clean jar, discard the rest. To clean jar, add ¼ cup Whole Wheat Flour, ¼ cup All Purpose Flour & 1/3 cup Filtered Water. Stir well with small spatula, scrape down sides, and put the lid on loosely. Now is a great time to place a rubber band around the outside of the jar, at the top height of your starter. This will help you to be able to see if it is rising at all yet during the day. After attaching a rubber band, let your starter sit for 12 hours.
  • Day 3 Evening: In same jar, feed it 2 tbsp. AP Flour & 1.5 tbsp. Filtered Water, stir gently with spatula, put lid back on loosely & wait 12 hours.
  • Day 4 Morning: Transfer 3 tbsp. starter to clean jar, discard rest. Add ½ cup AP Flour & 1/4 cup Filtered Water. Stir well with small spatula, scrape down sides, put lid on loosely, and let it sit for 12 hours.
  • Day 4 Evening: Feed it 2 tbsp. All Purpose Flour & 1.5 tbsp. Filtered Water, stir gently with spatula, put lid back on loosely & wait 12 hours.
  • Day 5 Morning: It will be liquidy & may not rise… that’s okay. Transfer 3 tbsp. start to clean jar, discard rest. Add ½ cup AP Flour & 1/4 cup Filtered Water. Stir well with small spatula, scrape down sides, put lid on loosely, and let it sit for 12 hours.
  • Day 5 Evening: Feed it 2 tbsp. All Purpose Flour & 1.5 tbsp. Filtered Water, stir gently with spatula, put lid back on loosely & wait 12 hours.
  • Day 6 Morning: Transfer 3 tbsp. starter to clean jar, discard rest. Add ½ cup AP Flour & 1/4 cup Filtered Water. Stir well with small spatula, scrape down sides, put lid on loosely, and let it sit for 12 hours.
  • Day 6 Evening: Feed it 2 tbsp. All Purpose Flour & 1.5 tbsp. Filtered Water, stir gently with spatula, put lid back on loosely & wait 12 hours.
  • Day 7 Morning: Transfer 3 tbsp. starter to clean jar, discard rest. Add ¼ cup Whole Wheat Flour, ¼ cup AP Flour & 1/3 cup Filtered Water. Stir well with small spatula, scrape down sides, put lid on loosely, and let it sit for 12 hours.
  • Day 7 Afternoon: After 4 hours, it’s time for a float test. Transfer 1 tbsp. starter to glass or bowl filled with room temp water. If it floats, it’s ready to bake. If it doesn’t float yet, continue with feedings for another day, and test again.
  • Once your starter is ready to bake, remove the amount of starter needed for your recipe, and then feed the starter in the jar ½ cup All Purpose Flour and ¼ cup Filtered Water, stir well with spatula, let stand for 4 hours, then transfer to the fridge. This is where your starter will live now. 🙂 The consistency of your starter this point will be like a thick batter. When feeding, always make sure that starter is completely moistened, with no flour showing. If needed, just add an extra 1/2 tsp. of water at a time to achieve that consistency.
  • Maintenance Feedings Once a Week: Continue to feed your starter 1x each week by removing and discarding half of your starter, then adding to the jar 1/2 cup All Purpose Flour + 1/4 cup Filtered Water, and stirring well with a small spatula until it's all combined. After your weekly feeding, let your starter jar sit out on the counter for about 4 hrs, then place it back in the refrigerator.

Notes

Helpful Hints:
  • Always keep sourdough starter out of direct sunlight.
  • If sourdough starter isn’t rising by day 4, after a feeding cover it with plastic wrap and a rubber band on top to hold it in place, then place it in a cold oven with the oven light on for a few hours a day.  The slight warmth from the oven will be the perfect cozy spot to help it wake up and get rising.

That wasn’t so hard now, was it? And wasn’t it amazing watching your starter come to life?

Now that you have an active and bubbly starter, it’s time to learn how to make your own artisan rustic loaves of Sourdough Bread! Check out the detailed step-by-step tips here…

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So have you tried this easy Sourdough Starter Recipe yet?

Or what will you be naming your Sourdough Starter?

Leave a comment & share!

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Comments

  1. Krista says

    We’ve made it to day 7, and we didn’t float. 🙁 I’m planning to follow the regular steps this evening, tomorrow morning, try the float again, and… if we’re still stuck, we’ll try the oven light. Any other advice? Thank you for the very concise instructions!

    Reply

    • Heidi says

      Hi Krista… if it doesn’t float right at day 7 that’s okay, sometimes it may just need a little more time. Continue feeding it as normal, and tomorrow after the feeding let it sit for several hours to develop more bubbles before trying again. If it isn’t developing many bubbles, it may just need some extra warmth, and the oven light trick works great for that. If it doesn’t float tomorrow, I would just continue with the regular feeding schedule for several more days before trying again. Just make sure to keep it warm, out of direct sunlight, and use filtered {non-chlorinated} water when feeding. 🙂

      Reply

  2. Nancy says

    I literally thought about making a sourdough starter the other week. I love sourdough bread overall, but a loaf can get expensive so easily. Pretty cool that you can also share the starter as a gift as well! WOW! Can’t believe your friend has one for 10 years!! Big emphasis on the mother dough!

    Nancy ✨ mdrnminimalists.com

    Reply

    • Heidi says

      You should definitely start one, Nancy… they’re not hard at all, and you really will save so much money when you bake your own loaves! Plus, they really taste so much better than store bought loaves, too! 🙂

      Reply

  3. Mrs. Carol barrass says

    Ive just started a sourdough starter with 50g of whole wheat flour and 50g of water is it the same prosedga like yours ,be really appreciated for advice can you tell me what 50g of water is in ml or pints. Thank you

    Reply

  4. Molly Pisula says

    “Agatha Bertha” totally made me laugh! Love this clear instructions. I’ve been thinking of starting sourdough when we move back to the U.S. (Living in France I have too many lovely bakeries nearby to bother with making my own bread!) 🙂

    Reply

    • Heidi says

      Haha… Agatha Bertha is a good girl, and deserved a great name. 🙂 That’s so fun you may be starting a sourdough starter when you get back to the US… and I don’t blame you for not starting one now in France ~ I can only imagine the dreamy bakeries and fresh baked bread you have access to there!

      Reply

  6. CoCo says

    This is such a cool post, Heidi! I had no idea you could put a starter like this in a jar and give it away as a gift. I know a ton of people were baking bread when the pandemic first started so it’s been a lot of fun to see it still going strong. I can’t wait to try this recipe. Thanks for making it so easy! Hugs, CoCo

    Reply

    • Heidi says

      Yes… it really is a fun gift to give away once you have a strong and established starter. The sourdough bread baking is definitely one of the tastiest things that has come out of this pandemic! 🙂 Have fun making yours!

      Reply

  10. Katerina says

    This looks like a great starter recipe, Heidi, and I LOVE that you provided specific steps of what needs to be done every day to feed it – this is exactly what I need to stop being scared of starters haha 🙂 Thanks so much!

    Reply

    • Heidi says

      You’re very welcome, Katerina! They can definitely be intimidating at first, but I’m hoping the detailed steps make it much easier. 🙂

      Reply

  14. Judee says

    Wow.. I’ve always been mystified as to where people got sourdough starter and therefore never attempted any recipes. Thank you for this simple recipe. Can’t wait to try it and then one of your recipes. Thanks

    Reply

    • Heidi says

      You’re very welcome, Judee! It really does sound scary at first, but the whole process is actually pretty simple! Have fun getting your starter going! 🙂

      Reply

  16. Lisa says

    I’m excited to give this a try! You mentioned using the weekly discard to make things. How much should get discarded each week? I could only find how much to feed it each week. Thank you!

    Reply

    • Heidi says

      Hi Lisa,

      Once your starter is established, and you move on to weekly feedings, you’ll remove and discard half of your starter once a week, then add to the jar 1/2 cup All Purpose Flour + 1/4 cup Filtered Water, and stir well with a small spatula until it’s all combined. {the consistency will look like a thick batter} After your weekly feeding, let your starter jar sit out on the counter for about 4 hrs, then place it back in the refrigerator. Hope that helps! 🙂

      Reply

  17. Kim S. says

    Hi, do you have recipes using this starter available? I see the suggestions but they aren’t clickable. Thanks!

    Reply

  20. Hasin says

    Heidi,
    Such a fabulous recipe. Love how you have simplified it and homemade is ever so comfortable with making and devouring. Thanks for another lovely recipe.

    Reply

    • Heidi says

      Hi Shirley ~ it’s not absolutely necessary to use wheat flour, but I always use it in those first few days because it contains more microorganisms and nutrients which can kickstart your starter and help give it a faster fermentation. Hope that helps! 🙂

      Reply

      • shirley kathy tock says

        Thanks it does. Now, I wonder what bran flake powder would do? My state PA has a Senior Box Prpgram based on income and I had ALOT! of bran flakes , so I crused in blender to nice chips and use it in an a;pplesauce ecipe and more.
        If I were to grind to powder ie would have a fermentation booster, I think but, would decrease the amount (ratio) of APF/SRF :bran powder or it would be an eat an run even probably. Perhaps add some honey as well?
        Your thoughts on my new created recipe?

        Reply

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