I’m going to teach you how to make sourdough starter step by step. If you’re a beginner and new to all thing’s sourdough than you’re in the right place. All you’ll need is some water and flour and before you know it with a little bit of patience, you’ll have your very own bubbly and active sourdough starter that you can make delicious sough dough recipes with!

Sourdough Starter

Are you looking for an easy and step by step sourdough starter recipe? Follow my tips and tricks for making an easy sourdough starter. It’s not as complicated as it sometimes seems. All it takes is a little patience.

The first time I tried making sourdough starter I absolutely failed. I was very frustrated with myself, and I had no idea what I did wrong. I was really disappointed in myself. After lots of research and trial and error I finally figured out how to make sourdough starter. And it really wasn’t as hard as I thought it was.

I thought since I struggled when first making sourdough starter that it would be great if I could one day get the hang of it and share a guide about it. Now here I am doing just that. I’m honestly super excited to be sharing my step by step guide with you. I’m hoping that since I struggled so much, I’ll be able to share lots of details on this guide, so you have all the information you need to succeed in making your very own sourdough starter. It’s really not as hard as you think.

Where do I get Sourdough Starter

There are a few ways you can get sourdough starter. If you don’t want to make it yourself, you have some other options as well. Here are some ways you can get ahold of sourdough starter.

Make sourdough starter yourself
Buy sourdough starter from a local bakery
You can buy sourdough starter online
You can ask a family member for sourdough starter

I will be sharing with you how to make sourdough starter yourself from scratch. The whole process will take between 1-2 weeks (maybe longer) for you to have your active and bubbly sourdough starter. Be patient! Once you have an active starter you will want to feed it daily to keep it happy and healthy.

How To Store and Feed Sourdough Starter

At Room Temperature: If you bake with your starter often you can leave it on your counter at room temperature. Make sure you are feeding it daily even if you aren’t baking with it. I suggest feeding using a 1:1:1 ratio. This is what I found works the best for me. Meaning whatever you remove from the jar add the same amount of flour and water back to the jar.
In the Refrigerator: If you’re only baking with your starter once a week or even only once a month you can store it in the fridge. Feed it once a week to keep it strong and healthy. You will need to bring the starter to room temperature before feeding it. When ready to use feed the starter at room temperature until its active and bubbly. The warmer the water you use the faster this will happen.

You’ll want to have a regular feeding time for your starter. It doesn’t matter if it’s in the morning or at night. but you should be consistent. This will train your starter to rise at the same time each day. That way you will know when the starter is ready to be used.

Frequently Asked Questions

Maintaining a sourdough starter is a whole experiment in itself. Here are some frequently asked questions so your starter can stay healthy to bake with!

Starter isn’t bubbly or rising: The starter may need more time to develop or it’s not in the right environment. Simply check the environment of the starter. Is it too cold? Starters like it warm. Ideal temperature between 70-75 degrees. You can always place the starter in a turned off oven with the door open.
Starter smells like dirty socks: This is an indication that the starter is hungry. Increase feedings especially if your starter is in a warm environment. The warmer it is the faster the starter ferments.
Starter has a weird colored liquid on the top: This is called hooch. Indicating your starter is hungry, simply remove the hooch and feed a 1:1 ratio and feed your starter more often.
Starter is moldy: If your starter has mold on it do not use it and throw it away. This usually happens from improper cleaning or poor health. Start a new starter and make sure to keep your tools clean.

Ingredients Needed for Sourdough Starter

Organic All-Purpose Flour
Room Temperature Filtered Water

how to make your own sourdough starter in six easy steps

Step by Step Instructions for Making Sourdough Starter

Day 1:

Combine 60g (1/2 cup) organic all-purpose flour and 90g (1/2 cup) room temperature filtered water to a large jar. Mix with a fork until the mixture is smooth. It will be thick and pasty. Cover with plastic wrap or a lid with a small opening for some breathing room. Let sit in a warm spot (at least 70 degrees) for 24 hours.

Day 2:

After 24 hours check to see if any bubbles have appeared. If not that’s okay the bubbles may have appeared and disappeared while you were away. Give the starter a good stir and let sit for another 24 hours.

TIP: You may notice a dark liquid that appears on the surface of the starter. This is called hooch, and it is very stinky and normal. It smells similar to dirty socks. Whenever you see this remove it and feed your starter. It’s a sign the starter is hungry.

Day 3:

Remove and discard half of the sourdough starter from the jar. (I highly suggest using a digital scale in grams for this part). The texture should be really stretchy at this point. Add 60g (1/2 cup) organic all-purpose flour and 90g (1/2 cup) room temperature filtered water to the jar and mix with a fork until combined. Scrap down the sides of the jar. At this point the mixture should be thick similar to pancake batter. Cover and let rest in a warm spot for another 24 hours.

Day 4:

Remove and discard half the sourdough starter. Add 60g (1/2 cup) organic all-purpose flour and 90g (1/2 cup) room temperature filtered water to the jar and mix well with a fork and scrap down the sides if necessary. Cover and let rest for 24 hours.

Day 5:

On day 5 you’ll start feeding the starter every 12 hours. Remove and discard half the sourdough starter. Add 60g (1/2 cup) organic all-purpose flour and 90g (1/2 cup) room temperature filtered water to the jar and mix well with a fork. Scrap down the sides if needed. Cover and repeat the process 12 hours from now.

Day 6:

Do the whole process again. Repeat day 5. Remove, discard, and add 60g (1/2 cup) organic all-purpose flour and 90g (1/2 cup) room temperature filtered water to the jar. Mix well with a fork and scrap down the sides. Cover and let rest for 12 hours and repeat again in another 12 hours.

Day 7:

Your Starter should be ready! By now the starter should be doubled in size and should have lots of big and small bubbles. The starter should be active, bubbly, and the texture should be spongy. The starter shouldn’t smell. If this is the case than your sourdough starter is ready to use! Lastly you can name your starter if you’d like.

TIP: Transfer the starter to a clean jar if the jar you are using is very crusty. Keep your jar as clean as possible to ensure your starter stays happy and healthy.

NOTE: If your starter isn’t active and bubbly yet be patient and keep repeating the process for another week. It can take time to establish a starter so don’t get discouraged if it’s taking longer. Temperature plays a huge role so make sure it’s between 70-75 degrees. You can always place the starter in a turned off oven with the door open.

feeding and maintaining your sourdough starter

Equipment

Digital Scale

Ingredients

3 1/2 Cups Organic All-Purpose Flour
3 1/2 Cups Filtered Room Temperature Water

Instructions