With this easy Sourdough Starter Recipe, you can make delicious Sourdough Bread, Sourdough Pancakes, waffles, pizza, pretzels, and more right at home. It’s easier than you think, and with just two ingredients—water and flour—it’s inexpensive to make Sourdough Starter from scratch.
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While you may have heard that making sourdough is a complex process that requires time, money, and an inherited starter—I’m here to tell you not to be intimidated. People have been doing this for thousands of years without fancy techniques or tools, and I’m going to teach you how to do it, too.
What is a Sourdough Starter?
It’s basically a fun at-home science experiment with a delicious result. Sourdough starter is wild yeast that is cultivated using water and flour and then used to make baked goods rise, like sourdough bread. It’s been around since before the Ancient Egyptians, and it was the only way to make leavened bread until active dried yeast became available in the 1800s.
While commercial yeast is faster to use since you don’t have to wait for the yeast to ferment, it won’t give you the great benefits of sourdough, the distinctive sour taste, or the same feeling of achievement!
Sourdough Starter Recipe Video
See Natasha create her own sourdough starter with just flour and water. With patience and consistency, it’s simple and fun. It’s so easy, so let’s start your sourdough journey now!
How to Make a Sourdough Starter
While the process sounds mysterious, it’s so simple. Watch our video tutorial to see our simple process in action. Ready? Let’s start growing some wild bacteria on our kitchen counter–err–let’s make sourdough starter!
The 3 Stages of Creating a Sourdough Starter
There are 3 basic steps to making your own sourdough starter. In this sourdough starter recipe, I don’t overcomplicate it because it’s truly a simple, forgiving process.
- Create – a medium for yeast and bacteria to thrive (water + yeast)
- Grow – Strengthen and build up population of yeast and bacteria with regular feedings
- Maintain a healthy starter with consistent daily feeding of flour
How long does it take to create a sourdough starter?
This sourdough starter recipe takes about one week of consistent feeding to nourish and strengthen the yeast, but these are a few of the factors that can change how fast your starter grows, so patience is also important (but so worth it):
- Room Temperature – 70 to 75˚F is ideal
- Flour type – start with whole wheat or rye flour and use all-purpose for feeding
- Water quality – use spring water, filtered or dechlorinated water
- Feeding schedule – be consistent
Tools for Making a Sourdough Starter
It’s simple to make a sourdough starter with just two tools.
- Clear Glass Jar – use a quart mason jar or 3/4 qt Weck Jar with loose-fitting lid. Thoroughly wash and rinse. A Weck Jar is my favorite because it weighs exactly 400 grams without the lid so the math is easy, and it has a loose-fitting lid which is important to prevent pressure build-up. You can also set a lid loosely over a mason jar.
- Digital kitchen scale – you can make a starter without a scale (I’ve included cup measurements) but your process and later bread-making will be so much faster, easier, and more precise with a scale that measures in grams. It’s worth the small investment now.
Pro Tip:
A rubber band or dry-erase marker makes it easier to track the starter’s starting point and feeding times. And a silicone spatula makes for the easiest cleanup.
Ingredients
There are only two ingredients for creating a sourdough starter: Flour and water. We use two different flours here, one to establish the starter and one to maintain it (see the explanation of flours above).
- Whole Grain Rye Flour or Whole Wheat Flour – organic is best, but regular Rye or Wheat will work as well. These sturdy, less processed grains create a stronger starter more quickly, but you don’t have to continue to bake with these flours.
- All-purpose flour – I prefer organic here as well and avoid bleached flour. After the wild yeast is established, this flour is used to maintain and feed the starter since is cheaper and what most people stock in their pantry
- Water – use room temperature filtered water, spring bottled water or dechlorinated water is needed since chlorine hinders yeast growth. To dechlorinate your water – boil and cool tap water, or leave a jug of water on the counter for a day to dechlorinate. If your house is cooler, use lukewarm water (not more than 85˚F). Avoid cold water which will slow the growth.
What is the best flour to create a sourdough starter?
To begin and establish a starter, use wholegrain rye flour and whole wheat flour – preferably organic. I have created starters with both and they grew equally well. See a photo of the difference below. In rye flour, the germ and bran haven’t been processed away as in all-purpose refined flour, so it gives more food for the wild yeast to eat.
I have tested creating a starter with all-purpose flour and it took 3 times as long to show bubbling activity. All-purpose is best used to grow and maintain your starter but you should initially start with rye or whole wheat flour.
How to Make a Sourdough Starter
It’s simple to make sourdough bread starter in just a few minutes each day. In most cases, you’ll be making bread in just a week!
Day 1: Make your Starter (Stage 1 – Create)
- Stop! Before you do anything, record the weight of your jar on a kitchen scale in grams on the jar with a permanent marker.
- Mix 100g (3/4 cup) Rye or whole wheat with 100g (1/2 cup) room temperature water into the glass jar. Once combined the mixture should be thick (rye flour is especially thick, like a sandy paste), but it will become thinner as the yeast breaks down the gluten. Scrape the sides of the jar.
- Cover the jar with a loose-fitting lid at room temperature for 24 hours. Mark the height of your starter with a rubber band or dry-erase marker and record the date.
Pro Tip:
The ideal room temp for growing sourdough starter is 70-75 degrees. Don’t be tempted to put your starter in a warm oven to speed it up. I tried that, and it grew too fast and exhausted my yeast so it stopped growing and I had to start over. Allowing the yeast to grow and develop slowly in the environment it will be used in is best.
Day 2: Check your Starter
- No Change – You probably won’t see anything changed. You may see some small bubbles, but leave it to rest for another 24 hours.
Day 3: Visible Bubbles (Stage 2 – Grow) and First Feeding
- Discard: Remove and throw away half of the starter (discard in the trash so it won’t clog your plumbing). You should have 100 grams or 1/2 cup remaining in the jar.
- Feed: Add 100g (3/4c) ALL PURPOSE FLOUR and 100g (1/2c) room temperature water.
- Mix the starter with the added flour/water until completely mixed. Use a silicone spatula to scrape down the sides, then loosely cover and rest for another 24 hours.
Pro Tip:
If you don’t see visible bubbles it may be due to your environment, flour, or just plain luck. Discard and feed anyway to continue with the schedule. You may need to add a few extra days at the end to strengthen your starter, but that’s ok! Patience is key, so keep on the plan.
Day 4: Lots of bubbles
- Discard all but 100g of the starter.
- Feed: mix in 100g all-purpose flour and 100g room temperature water
- Stir, scrape the sides, cover, and rest again
Pro Tip:
Some starters seem to slow down growth at this stage (called a false start) for seemingly no reason. This is normal, so just keep with the schedule.
Day 5: More bubbles and some growth
- Discard all but 100g of the starter
- Feed: Mix in 100g all-purpose flour and 100g room temperature water
- Stir, scrape the sides, cover, and rest again
Day 6-7: Nearly doubling in size!
- Discard all but 100g of the starter
- Feed: Mix in 100g all-purpose flour and 100g room temperature water
- Stir, scrape, cover, and rest until the starter has doubled in size. Continue this routine until the starter doubles in size in 4-6 hours, and then begins to recede after 12 hours. This means it’s probably ready to use!
Testing Sourdough Starter for Readiness
- Growth Rate: The Starter grows to more than double in size within 4 to 6 hours and recedes after 12 hours.
- Smell: The starter should smell good—like sourdough bread or like brewing yeast, have bubbles and a dome-shaped top
- Floats: Drop a bit of starter into a bowl of water. If it floats, it’s ready to bake bread. Hooray!
Maintaining a Sourdough Starter (Stage 3: Maintain)
Once it passes the float test and your starter is established, you can feed it daily or weekly depending on how often you want to bake. See our detailed Tutorial on how to Feed and Maintain Sourdough Starter. You can even dry it out to take a months-long pause. This is great news because you can travel or pause without ruining your starter.
- Frequent baking: Store at room temperature. Begin daily discard and feeding schedule to keep the starter healthy and continue strengthening it (Discard all but 100g of the starter and Feed by mixing in 100g all-purpose flour and 100g room temperature water)
- Less frequent baking: Store in the refrigerator. Once a week, discard and feed then let it rest at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours before refrigerating. If baking, remove the starter from the fridge and bring to room temperature overnight. Discard and feed. When the starter reaches its peak, remove the portion needed for the recipe, then feed and refrigerate.
Pro Tip:
Once your starter is mature, don’t throw away your sourdough discard. You can use it to in recipes like Sourdough Pancakes, Sourdough Crackers, and many other sourdough discard recipes.
Naming Your Sourdough Starter
Many people choose to name their sourdough starters. I loved my sister-in-law’s idea and copied it—Doughseph. After two years of making the dreamiest sourdough, he’s a part of the family.
Why Won’t my Sourdough Starter Rise?
It’s common to have a starter that isn’t ready by day 6 or 7. Keep feeding it for another week until you see it double and the texture is spongy and puffy with large and small bubbles. It should also smell sour and pleasant.
Sourdough is very forgiving so long as you don’t add hot water which kills the yeast. Just keep feeding it and discarding and it usually bounces back.
It’s easy to make sourdough bread at home using this simple sourdough starter recipe. Start today and you can enjoy a loaf of homemade bread in about a week!
More Bread Recipes
While your starter is growing, try these easy, beginner-friendly recipes to enjoy delicious bread made right at home.
Sourdough Starter Recipe (VIDEO)
Ingredients
- 100 g Whole Grain Rye Flour or Whole Wheat Flour, preferably organic (100g = 3/4 cup)
- 500 g All-purpose flour – preferably organic and avoiding bleached flour, used to maintain and feed the starter
- 1 qt filtered water or spring water is even better*, room temperature
Instructions
Day 1 Make your Starter
- Record the weight of your jar in grams before you add anything and label the jar with your starting date for easier tracking.
- Add 100 grams (3/4 cup) whole wheat or rye flour and 100 grams (1/2 cup) water. Stir together thoroughly with a fork (it will be very thick), scrape down the sides with a spatula. Cover with a loose-fitting lid and let it rest at room temperature for 24 hours*. Put a rubber band around your jar to mark the growth of your starter. Label the jar with a date to track.
Day 2: No Changes Noted
- Likely nothing is happening. You might see some tiny bubbles or it will look exactly the same. Let it rest for another 24 hours
Day 3 (stage 2) Visible Growth and Bubbles in Jar
- Remove and discard half of the starter in the trash so it does not affect the plumbing. You should have 100 grams (1/2 cup) of starter left. Add 100 grams (3/4 cup) all-purpose flour and 100 grams (1/2 cup) room temp water. Stir thoroughly, scrape down the sides of the jar, cover loosely, and rest at room temperature for 24 hours
Day 4 (72 Hours into the process): See a lot of bubbles
- Remove and discard all but 100 grams of starter. Add 100 grams (3/4 cup) all-purpose flour and 100 grams (1/2 cup) room-temperature water. Stir thoroughly, scrape down the sides of the jar, cover loosely, and rest 24 hours. Note: In a couple of my many tests, my starter seemed to slow down its growth on day 4 for no apparent reason. If that happens, just keep feeding it – it will turn back around.
Day 5: Visible growth and bubbles.
- Remove and discard all but 100 grams of starter. Add 100 grams (3/4 cup) All-purpose flour and 100 grams (1/2 cup) room-temperature water. Stir thoroughly, scrape down the sides of the jar, cover loosely, and rest 24 hours.
Day 6-7: Your starter may double or more
- Remove and discard all but 100 grams of starter. Add 100 grams (3/4 cup) All-purpose flour and 100 grams (1/2 cup) room-temperature water. Stir thoroughly, scrape down the sides of the jar, cover loosely, and rest until more than doubled in volume.
Testing Your Starter
- When your starter is ready, it should peak between 4-6 hours and start to recede after 12 hours. It should smell sour and pleasant, drop a dollop of your starter into a bowl of water. If it floats, it’s healthy enough to use in recipes. If your starter isn’t ready by day 7, continue feeding it following this schedule. It may take a bit longer depending on many factors—such as the flour use and the environment.
How to Maintain your starter
- For frequent bakers: store at room temperature. Discard and feed every 24 hours. To use the starter, feed and wait for the starter to reach its peak, 4-6 hours then remove the portion needed for the recipe.
- For casual bakers (weekly): store in the fridge. Once a week, discard and feed the starter, then let it rest at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours before returning it to the fridge. If baking, remove the starter from the fridge and bring to room temperature overnight. Discard and feed. When the starter reaches its peak, remove the portion needed for the recipe, then feed and refrigerate.
Notes
- Temperature is key: The room temperature will affect how quickly the starter develops. The ideal growing temperature is 68-75 degrees. a cold kitchen may take longer. For colder kitchens, consider storing in a warmer location or start with lukewarm 85˚F water.
- Use non-chlorinated water: Chlorine can hinder the growth of yeast and bacteria. Use filtered water or spring water for best results. To dechlorinate your water, you can boil and cool or set your water into a vessel and leave it on the counter for 1 day to naturally dechlorinate and come to room temperature.
- Consistency: try to feed your starter consistently at the same time each day.
- Patience is essential: Starters can vary in how quickly they develop, so don’t worry if yours takes a little longer. Don’t try to speed it along in too warm of an environment or you can exhaust your yeast.
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Natasha Kravchuk
Hi! I'm Natasha Kravchuk. Here you'll find delicious, trusted recipes with easy step-by-step photos and videos. 
I just want to be sure. I will be using almost 4 cups of flour in the starter? Am I figuring this correctly? Can it be started with less flour & water? Half the amount?
Hi Peggy. No, you are only starting with 100g (about 3/4 cup) of whole wheat or rye flour. The other 500g of all purpose flour is used to feed and maintain your starter on days 3-7 (100g each day). It takes about 7 days to have an active and healthy sourdough starter so the recipe card takes that into consideration when giving out the quantities of ingredients.
Hi Natasha, it’s been nearly two weeks, my sourdough starter is not doubling up. Iam not consistent with the time I feed the starter. What should I do? The float test is successful. Can I start making the bread. It’s around 30degree Celsius here.
Hi Nancy! Consistency in feeding helps to build a strong starter. At 30°C (86°F), your starter is likely fermenting quickly, so you may have to increase your feedings (8–12 hours) or move it to a slighter cooler spot. I keep mine between 70-75°F. Since your starter passes the float test, it should have enough leaning strength to make bread.
Hello! Today is day 4 of my starter. I need to feed it in a couple hours. I checked it before I went to bed last night and it was some bubbly and had risen a decent amount. This morning, when I checked it, it had fallen and there is liquid just under the surface. The top surface is bubbly/foamy. We live in Panama, so it’s hot all year round. The house is usually 77° during the day. We don’t have central air so I’m worried that it’s too warm? I checked the temp of the starter this morning and it read 80°.
Hi Cherith! You’re off to a good start, it sounds like your starter is very active which makes sense given your environment. The liquid on top is called hooch, it means is ready for a feeding. Starters will ferment quicker in warmer environments. If you have a cooler spot in the house to move it, that will help slow it down. You can also temporarily refrigerate it for 2-3 hours (during the warmest part of the day) to slow down the fermentation. If it ferments too fast, it can exhaust the yeast. You may need to increase your feedings every 8-12hrs. This will keep it active and keep it from running out of food too fast.
Hello! My Weck jar weighs 389 grams on my scale. So on Day 1 after feeding my jar should weigh 589 grams correct? Then after feeding the starter on the consecutive days after discard my jar should weigh 489 every time? This part confuses me. Thank you!
Hi Susan! It can fluctuate a little bit. When you discard, you’re going to discard all but 100g, so if your jar weighs 389g, you discard until you’re left with a total weight of 489 on the scale. Then feed it 100g flour and 100g water. Repeat this process each feed. Discard all but 100g (total weight: 489g). I hope that helps.
Girl, I love your style and your food. This is great, I’ve been looking for a sourdough recipe, one I can make myself.
Thank you for that wonderful compliment, Patty!
Hi! I’m on day 4, and my starter doubled in size in about 6 hours. It is very bubbling, and I did the float test, and it is floating. Can I start baking?
Hi Maria! It’s not uncommon for staters to be active this early but I recommend waiting longer for it to develop enough leaving strength. If not, your bread can be dense and flat and would require adding yeast.
Hi Natasha, I had started this process and due to some difficulty found this post. I am on day 8 and although I do have some bubbles and no nasty smells, my starter is not doubling. I had been doing the oven with light on method as my home is typically colder (66-68F)but I have been able to monitor and turn off so it would not get to hot. I am also in the mid Atlantic region of the US so it is just cold right now lol. Is it really enough to just add warmer water and leave on the counter if my house is much cooler than what you recommend? Either way, I am far along in the process and wonder if should just start over.
Hi Lara! You don’t need to start over. If it bubbles and rises slightly, it’s alive. It sounds like your starter just needs more time. The process can be slower in cold weather, especially in it’s early days. Keep feeding it on schedule and monitor it’s progress. I think getting it in a consistent warm temperature would help most. Some other options to try- on top of the refrigerator, in a small cooler with a jar of warm water, wrapped in a towel. You can continue with the oven light on and the door propped open so it doesn’t get too warm.
Yes- adding warm water when feeding will help warm it up faster in a colder environment.
Other things to try- switch to spring or filtered water and if you’re using all purpose flour, you can switch to or mix it with rye or whole wheat for a couple of feedings to give it a boost.
I hope that helps!
Thanks for the reply. I have continued on and will see what happens!
Hi Natashia, I am doing your sourdough starter, and my house is warm started this a few days ago and it seems to be doubling. Do you think it’s ready in three days? I think I’ll put it in the water to see if it’s ready. I’m a little scared to make this sourdough bread. I wish there was an easier way to get to talk to you I have so many questions. Do you have a recipe for bread rolls with honey? Please let me know
Hi Karen! For the stater to develop its full
strength and flavor it usually requires more time. While some starters can be active in three days, it may not have enough leavening strength to make bread without adding yeast. I would give it some more time. If it’s growing too fast it can exhausted your yeast and eventually stop growing, check your room temperature and move it to a slightly cooler spot if it’s too warm (ideal temperature is 70-75). Allowing the yeast to grow and develop slowly is best.
I do not have a honey bread roll recipe but if you type “bread” in the search bar above, you’ll see my current bread recipes. I just released a new Sourdough Dinner Rolls recipe.
Hi Natasha,
Can you tell me if I can use buckwheat flour ipo the rye or whole wheat flour for the starter?
Also, I enjoy your videos and Instagram posts!
Thanks!
Janice
Hi Janice! Thank you.
I believe you can, but I don’t have any advice to provide on that. I’ve never tested it myself. I would do some research online to see what you need to be aware of.
This is my first time doing my starter it grew and almost filled my jar on day 3 when I went to feed it for day 4 it was deflated is this normal? Will it be still OK?
Hi Christine, that could happen in the first few days and a great sign of a healthy starter. It must’ve been a really happy starter that particular day. Keep feeding it on schedule consistently and you should see consistent rises happen.
Hi! I’ve tried this twice and each time my starter gets huge (more than double) on day 2 or 3, falls, and then never comes back. After that huge growth it does not grow or bubble at all even, though I keep feeding it every day as directed. I’m using filtered/purified water that we get delivered in jugs. Maybe I should try different water or flour? I don’t think it’s getting too warm as I live in a super cold climate and it’s in my kitchen. Thank you for your help I love your recipes!
Hi Jenny, I’ve been doing some research and learned that even if you have a normal room temperature that isn’t too warm, an activity drop on day 2 to 3 can be normal and it can take time for the balance if microbes to stabilize so keep feeding it daily and you will see it return within a few days. you might switch to a whole grain flour for a day to give the starter a little more to feed on. I hope that helps!
I am having this this exact same issue right now. The starter doubled on Day 3 and then went down and never came back. I am now on Day 8. Are you saying to replace a feeding with whole wheat flour?
You can add some whole wheat flour to help it along, yes.
Made this with my family over the holidays and by the new year we had fresh bread! Very easy to follow and with delicious results!
Hi Natasha is distilled water ok to use?
Hi Carol! You can, but it’s not ideal. It lacks the minerals to help support the natural fermentation process. Filtered or spring water is best.
Hi Natasha,
Thank you for the clear tutorial – My first try at Sourdough – 2 quick questons.
1. I am using the ssame Weck jar and notice in your video that you use the lid without the rubber gasket and clips – Is that right?
2. My house is usually a little cooler than 70 degrees – do you have any advice for the best place to leave the starter – in the over with the light on maybe?
Thanks in advance for the help
Hi Bruce, that is correct – I use the lid by itself without the seal. You want the lid to sit on top of the jar loosely – it should not be airtight.
I would leave the starter just on the counter at a room temperature of 70˚F. The oven with the light on will be too warm and will quickly exhaust your yeast.
I followed your instructions to the T. I was amazed by the growth of my starter through 4 days but on the 5th day I noticed a water ring in my starter, right at my elastic marker, and of course nothing grew. My starter was doubled on the 4th day and was going amazingly well, can you tell me what I did wrong?
Hi Bob, I haven’t see the water ring form but form my research it could suggest too much water. Make sure you are using equal parts of water to starter to flour by weight. You might also switch to a whole grain flour to give it a boost. I would continue feeding it. Also make sure the starter is in a room about 70-75˚F which creates an ideal environment.
Thank you for the response. Unfortunately I already discarded my first starter, I just figured it was ruined, and have another ready for it’s first feeding. Although I am using a scale I will double check my measurements diligently. Its wintertime in Colorado and my kitchen does fluctuate temperatures while we conserve heat, I will place a thermometer close to my starter to ensure proper temperature is maintained.
First feeding is about to start, wish me luck!