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.
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.
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 in recipes like Sourdough Pancakes, Sourdough Crackers, Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies, 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 three 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.
Filed Under
Hi Natasha! I need help please! I’m using king Arthur’s whole wheat flour and room temperature spring water. During the day my house is about 74 and at night 68 Fahrenheit. My starter is not bubbling or rising. It is like a thick paste with liquid on top. It stays like this and does not rise or bubble. Should I stir it on day 2? This is my third attempt lol help please!
Hi Shante, it sounds like it needs to be revived. I would discard and then feed daily until it strengthens again. I recommend reading through those steps again and stay consistent with it.
Hi Natasha, I loved your video and positive attitude. I have a starter that is 22 days old, doing white wheat flour only. Doing a 1:1:1 60g 60g 60g. I heard the water drop test isn’t accret, so I never did it. I was told at the end of this month start adding more to it. I have no Idea when I can start saving discard or anything at this point. Would you help me ? I would greatly appreciate it. Thank you ☺️.
Hi Kathy! At this point your starter should be ready if it is consistently doubling in size within 3 to 4 hours after feedings. The float test works, it tells us if there’s enough gas within the starter to produce a good rise when making bread.
If your starter is not consistently doubling in size and if it’s not very bubbly, then you can feed it with rye/whole wheat flour for a few days to give it a nutritional boost. Also verify that the room temperature is ideal to promote growth which is generally 70 to 75°F.
To increase the volume of your starter, you just need to feed it with equal parts- starter, flour, and water. So after your next feeding, rather than removing all but 60g, keep the amount of starter you want (I keep 100g) and feed it with equal parts water and flour. For my recipe that would be 100g starter, 100g water, 100g flour. I hope that helps!
Ni Natasha, im from Malaysia. Our weather is about 94 F which is 35 celsius today.
i started this starter yesterday and in 24 hrs it had already risen by 1.5cm from my marked rubber band. There are bubbles too. Should i already start feeding, although its just been 24 hrs?
And thank you for making baking so so fun. Ive used so many of your recipes thru the years and it all turned out so so amazing!
Hi Henrina! Thank you so much for your kind words. Because of your climate, I would go ahead and feed it. Store it in the coolest corner of your kitchen. You can set it in a container of cool water, or feed it with slightly cooler water but you need even need to feed 2x a day once it gets stronger. If you see it rising and collapsing within a few hours, that’s a sign to start feeding it more. If it ferments too fast it can exhaust the yeast, and even spoil.
I started my starter 9 days ago and it is looking so good! Thank you! I’m excited use it!
Hi Kate, that’s great! There are so many ways to use it. I hope you love exploring sourdough recipes and finding some new favorites!
Hi Natasha, first time trying sd starter. I think it rose too quickly. It was almost to the top on the 3rd day. I discarded down to 100g and now im on day 6 and it wont rise much over the rubber band. It has lots of bubbles, and smells good. Not sure how to proceed. Thank u!
Hi Linda, it sounds like you have a healthy starter! Keep feeding it so it can mature and continue strengthening! It should get stronger and be more consistent as the days go on.
I have a starter at day 6 and it only grows maybe an inch above the rubber band. I started it with whole wheat and now I’m using all purpose like your videos shows. Our house runs a bit on the cool side unfortunately. I didn’t want to move it closer to the heater since you suggest not to. What should I do so it grows like it should?
Hi Lesley! That’s no uncommon, in cooler holes it could take 10-14 days before it doubles reliably. You could try keeping it in the oven with the light on (not heat). But check on it and make sure the temperature doesn’t go above 80 degrees. You can keep the door propped open, or just shut the light after having it on for a while to warm up the oven. You may try feeding your starter with whole wheat for 1-2 feeds to give it a boost. I hope that helps!
Hi Natasha!! Your videos are SO good and so easy to follow, I love them!
2 questions, I’m making another starter as a gift for my daughter and this one is actually growing a lot on day 2, almost doubled. Should I feed it today or leave it and start the feeding on day 3?
I have a Weck jar and love it but mine is only 396g. Can I add 104g of flour and 100 of water to make it easy to measure or just call the jar 400g 😆
Hi Lesley! This is an excellent gift! Yes, for simplicity you can call it 400g. You can wait to feed the stater. Let it fall and settle — this gives the wild yeast a chance to start developing before you introduce fresh food and diluting the microbes.
Oops. What do I do if I misread the recipe and have been removing 100g rather than leaving 100g remaining before each feeding? It seems to be growing and there are bubbles. I’m on day 4. Can I just remove all but 100g from the next feeding and continue from there?
Hi Lisa! Yes, you can remove all but 100g and keep the same feeding ratio (1:1:1). That way you’ll know for sure you’re removing enough and providing the starter with enough flour to strengthen it. Not removing enough will dilute the starter and it will be weak- have a hard time rising.
Do I extend my schedule and count this as a new day 2 or just continue until I see the doubling size with each feeding? Thanks so much. This girl has a lot of bubbles on the top so I believe there is still hope for Doughphelia 😉
I would just continue on with that schedule. Eventually your starter will be strong enough to bake with. Just follow the instructions above, if it’s consistently doubling in size (usually between 3-4hrs of feeding) and passes the float test, it’s ready!
Great video! On day 3 and my starter is very thin and I have a layer of hooch on the top, it does not seem to have bubbles, I started it with whole wheat flour.
Hi Patrick! That’s totally normal and it means the starter is hungry and ready for a feeding. Go ahead and stir it, discard, and feed. If your starter continues to seem sluggish and very thin, switch to whole wheat or rye flour for a few feedings to give it a boost. You can also feed with slightly less water- making a thicker pancake like consistency. If your room temperature is above 75 or of your live in a humid climate, it can ferment faster and run out of food requiring more frequent feedings or to be moved to a cooler spot.
I’m so mad. I’m used to using all-purpose flour and totally forgot that I was using my wheat flour for the starter. I started it with wheat flour but my first feeding I used all-purpose flour without even thinking I’m so mad, it was growing so beautifully. Should I start over? I’m fine starting over if that’s the best route.
Hi Lesley! That’s ok- no need to start over. All purpose flour works too, but it can take longer for the starter to strengthen. You can continue to feed with all purpose flour, or you can feed with whole wheat next feeding to give it a boost. Starter is very forgiving.
Hi Natasha, I’m on the morning of day 3 of the started. I started it at 5 pm so I’m waiting to feed it tonight at 5 since you said feed it at the same time each day, however bubbles and raising started significantly and this morning it’s doubled for sure. Should I wait until 5pm or feed it now so it doesn’t die?
That means your starter is already to healthy and alive on day 3! That’s so great! Keep feeding it at 5pm until it fully matures.
Thank you! Can’t wait to try some bread!!
Hi! My starter is on day 8 now and it has had a few bubbles over the last days but it is not rising our doubling. Today it’s been 2 hours since I fed it and there are no bubbles. Any ideas on how to fix this?? Thank you!
Hi Sandra, keep feeding it on schedule, be sure the temperature around the starter is based on the recipe post. Since it has a few bubbles it sounds like its getting there. You may also move to feeding it twice a day to speed up the process, but I do recommend reading through the post and watching the video again to be sure steps and ingredients are measured properly. I wish I could be more helpful from afar.
ELIZABETH DOUGHLOR HAS ACTIVATED! I put a little of my starter into water and it floats!! It takes around 8 hours after feeding for her to activate but it might be because my country is very cold now so I’m using warm water instead of room temp so hopefully that and feeding her twice a day speeds the process up. Thank you for your help!!
Hi Natasha, Thanks for making this seem so simple. I’m curious if I can use half rye and half Whole Wheat flour for the starter? I tried with just ww but nothing happened. I think my flour was old so I stocked up with new ingredients and wanted to ask before trying again. Thanks in advance!
Hi Lisa! That would be fine. I hope it works out well for you this time.
I am on day 6 of my starter. Days 1-3 I used wheat flour and was so excited to see the rise and bubbles. Then I switched to AP flour and everything stopped. There are a few bubbles but nothing amazing. Should I go back to wheat flour for days 6-7? I also have bread flour. Or do I need to start over again?
Hi Megan! Keep going, it’s not uncommon for it to get sluggish. It’s still balancing out and trying to establish. If you notice little to no activity, you can give it a boost with whole wheat or rye flour feedings on occasion. Other things that can hinder its growth- room temperature, using bleached flour, and tap water. Ideal temperature is 70-75 degrees. Be sure to use unbleached white flour, and spring or filtered water. Depending on your climate and the other factors I mentioned, it could take a few extra days to establish so don’t give up.
My starter has doubled on day two and day three. Almost overflowing the jar. Should I just keep doing what I’m doing and not worry? I know that it’s very active at least.
Thanks
Hi Claude! That’s great, it’s off to a good start. A few things to check and adjust- torture and climate can make a big difference in how your starter responds. If you like in a warm or humid climate, it can ferment faster which can also over exhaust the yeast. Ideal temperature is 70-75. You can move it to a slightly cooler spot if your room is too warm, feed it with slightly cooler water, or feed it twice a day if you notice it rising and dropping quickly and becoming runny or thin.
Thank you
It’s about 74°
I was just wondering I wasn’t sure if I should feed this twice a day or not. But if it’s no problem feeding twice a day I will do that but maybe I will try bringing it down into the basement to see what it looks like tomorrow.
Hi! My starter is on Day 6 and I am not seeing it grow but seeing more hooch. 🙁 Am I doing something wrong?
Hi Kate, Hooch just means your starter is hungry. Try feeding a bit more often (twice a day) and keep it warm (75-80F) — you should start to see bubbles and growth soon. You’re on the right track!”
I’m so excited to make my own starter! I’m on day 3 and I guess my jar is too small (256 g) After discarding half and feeding per the instructions, it has risen and about to overflow the jar after about 6 hours. Should I transfer to a bigger jar and continue with the schedule?
Hi Melissa! Yes, a larger jar would be best.
Thank you for such great dire tions for starter.
Looking for bread recipe now?
You’re very welcome, Kolleen! I have the Sourdough Bread Recipe linked here.
I used Rye flour and filtered water. After 48 hours nothing happened and I actually see a small mold spot. I am in AZ. My house is about 78. Is this why? Do I restart completely or scoop out half (with the mold) and feed it? Or wait until its cooler so I don’t keep wasting flour?
Hi, Cheryl! Yes, you’ll need to start over.
It could be one of many factors- climate, contamination, old flour, lack of air flow.
Clean and sanitize your jar and utensil, use fresh flour, keep it covered with a loose lid or a tea towel/coffee filter/cheesecloth and rubber band so that it has good airflow.
If you can’t control the warmer temperatures by moving it some place cooler, you can feed it with slightly cooler water or even twice a day to keep up with the fermentation and provide it a healthy environment to grow.
Hi just wondering I messed up on day 2 & only added 1/2 cup of AP flour & 1:2 cup water. So it didn’t rise at all. So to day I did the 100 grams of flour & 100 grams of water. Do you think I killed my starter?
Hi Shirley, its hard to say without being there, but I would discard and try feeding it again several days in a row to get it nice and strong and balanced again.