How To Make Sourdough Starter

How To Make Sourdough Starter

Learn how to make a sourdough starter from scratch with just flour, water, and patience. Follow this simple step-by-step guide to create and maintain a bubbly, active sourdough starter for baking homemade sourdough bread!

Author : Aline Cueni

5 from 1 vote

Prep Time :1

Additional Time :8

Total Time :8 1

Servings : 1

Calories : 255kcal

Ingredients

350 g whole wheat flour
350 g lukewarm water

Instructions

Day 1: Getting Started

Mix 50g of flour with 50ml of water in a clean jar (use a large jar with at least a 16oz/500ml capacity).
Stir well until no lumps remain.
Place the lid loosely on the jar and let it sit at 77-86°F (25-30°C) for 24 hours. If possible, stir it briefly after 12 hours.

Day 2: First Feeding

Not much will have happened yet, but it might smell a bit odd!
Add another 50g of flour and 50ml of water, stir thoroughly, cover loosely, and leave it at room temperature for another 24 hours.

Day 3: Second Feeding

By now, your starter should show some signs of life. You might see small bubbles on the surface, and it might smell stronger. → Mine doubled in volume within 24 hours but then collapsed again.
Repeat the process from day 2: add 50g of flour and 50ml of water, stir, cover, and let sit for another 24 hours.

Day 4: Feeding in a New Jar

You might notice some water forming on top of the starter — this is called “hooch” and it means your starter is hungry (which is a good sign)! 😊
Stir the starter, including the hooch, and transfer 50g of it into a new, clean jar (a smaller 8 oz/250ml jar will do). Compost or discard the rest. Add 50g of flour and 50ml of water, stir, and cover loosely.

Days 5-7: Feeding & Observing

Each day, repeat the process from day 4: take 50g of your starter, mix it with 50g of flour and 50ml of water in a clean jar, stir, cover, and leave it for 24 hours.
By now, your starter should double in volume overnight and have plenty of bubbles. If it doesn’t, continue this routine for a few more days. Sometimes it just takes a little more time, especially if your home is cooler than 77°F (25°C). Don’t give up! 🙏
To track the rise of your starter, wrap a rubber band around the jar after feeding. This makes it easy to see how much it has grown after 24 hours.

Day 8: Ready to Use

Your starter is ready when it has roughly doubled in size, looks fluffy, and has a pleasant, slightly tangy smell. If not, repeat feeding for a few more days until it's active.
Now you can use it to bake your first loaf of sourdough bread! Just remember to always save a bit of your starter to keep it going for future bakes.

Notes

It’s best to use whole wheat flour because it has more nutrients, making it ideal for jump-starting the fermentation process.
Patience is key! It might take a few extra days for your starter to get going, especially in cooler temperatures.