Your easy guide to all things sourdough, including a 7-day tutorial to grow a sourdough starter, tips to keep & feed the starter, plus easy recipes to use it.
More great sourdough recipes can be found on the Best Bread Recipes page.
In the years since I first shared my sourdough explorations with you, I've gotten a LOT of questions about growing a starter, keeping it, and recipes using it.
I wrote a bunch of tips that I learned in the first year after growing my own sourdough starter, and then published a number of recipes using the starter.
Since I still get quite a few questions, I thought I'd finally publish how to grow, keep & use a sourdough starter, along with an update (now that I just realized that I've kept that original starter going for FOUR YEARS!) and a list of all the recipes I've posted on the blog.
So consider this to be AOC's main guide to all things sourdough! (Disclaimer: I'm by no means a sourdough expert - I'm simply sharing my easy home kitchen, occasional-user sourdough tips with you!)
What is Sourdough?
Sourdough is made by 'growing' the natural yeast that occurs in flour with good bacteria found in the air (lactic acid). Each area of the country (and world, for that matter!) creates it's own varieties of sourdough depending on the air and climate because of this bacteria - like San Francisco's famous sourdough that can't really be exactly replicated outside of it's coastal climate.
The wild yeast and the lactic acid bacteria working together create the bubbles and gas to rise bread. Because of the starter's pH level and the presence of antibacterial agents, it's able to prevent colonization by unwanted yeasts and bacteria - this is why you can have a starter last for many years.
What this means for you is that your starter may take longer or shorter to grow than the steps I outline below. It's okay - and as I discussed in my sourdough tips page, the main thing I've learned with sourdough over the last three years is to have patience, with both the starter and the dough.
How to Grow A Sourdough Starter in 7 Days
(Adapted from Heavenly Homemakers)
Day 1:
- Gather 1 half-gallon jar or 4-qt. or bigger glass bowl (not metal or plastic, sourdough is acid-based), 1 cup whole wheat flour + 1 cup rye flour (you can use all whole wheat - 2 cups total - but I read that rye flour makes the best sourdough starter, so I added half), and 2 cups warm water (just warm tap water) - using warm water is the major difference in my adaptation, as I've read - and experienced - that yeast responds better to warm water. NOTE: if your water isn't good or has additives, use a filtered water.
- Put the flour into the jar or bowl and stir in the water. It should be mixed well and look pretty liquidy - that’s just the way it’s supposed to be the first day.
- Cover the top of the container with muslin (or cheesecloth). You can secure it with a rubberband or tie, but I didn't, as you want the bacteria to find it's way in - just not dust or bugs.
- Keep in a warm place - I set mine on the top of the refrigerator, since I started making it in February.
Update: from here on in the process, you can use less flour and water to feed, if you'd like. As long as you start to see bubbling and activity, 1/2 cup or even 1/4 cup flour-to-water ratio should be okay (if it stalls, I'd use more again).
You'll end up with less starter at the end, but that may be a good thing.
Day 2
- After 24 hours, the starter may have separated some (like in the day 2 photo above). You can pour off the dark liquid that is on the top or mix it in - this is called the "hooch" and is perfectly normal. (Over the years I've realized that it always produces some hooch as it waits in the fridge, since hooch means the starter is hungry. Mixing it back in seems to create a more sour bread.)
- Pour the starter in to a fresh, clean jar or bowl (transferring it to a new jar or bowl each day allows the sides to remain clean- I've no idea if it's truly necessary or not). Add 1 cup of whole wheat flour and 1 cup of warm water, stirring well. Replace the cloth and return the jar to it's warm spot. (note: your starter probably doesn't smell very soury yet and that's okay)
Day 3
- Repeat day 2: pour any liquid off (or mix it in), put your starter into another clean jar or bowl, add 1 cup flour and 1 cup warm water and place it back in it's spot, covered with the cloth.
Day 4
- Your starter may have risen some by now, have a slightly sour smell, and have little bubbles as well as the hooch after waiting 24 hours from day 3 (but again, don't worry if yours looks different - just keep moving forward..). Repeat the steps from days 2 & 3.
Day 5
- You may not like the smell of your starter by this stage, but don't think it's bad - it's just working. There'll be a number of different smells as you go through the process. There may be be a lot of liquid with stuff on the top - again, normal.
- Add 1 cup flour and only 3/4 c. of warm water* to your starter (again you can choose to pour the liquid off or mix it in).
- Your starter may outgrow your container today or tomorrow - go ahead and move it to a bigger glass bowl when you see it's getting near the top.
*Note: what I've learned is that the more liquid-to-flour ratio, the more sour your starter and subsequent bread. 1 cup water to 1 cup flour is considered a 100% hydration and is a bit more liquidy and sour. If you want a less sour bread, try a 3/4 c. water-to-1-cup-flour ratio, which is what I now do, since it seems to make the starter rise better. However, you can actually add only 1/4 c. or 1/2 c. water at this point if you'd like hardly any sour flavor.
Day 6
- You should see bubbles in your starter today and maybe liquid depending on how much water you added yesterday.
- Add another cup of flour and 3/4 -1 c. of water, transferring the starter to a large bowl, like an 8-qt. size glass measure. Lay your piece of muslin or cheesecloth over the bowl and return it to the warm place.
Day 7
- Repeat day 6.
Day 8
- Today's the day to make something using your new sourdough starter, which should have bubbles and have grown in its container! At this point it's considered an 'active' starter.
- Place 1-2 cups of the starter in a glass jar, place a lid on the jar - but don't seal tightly - and place in the refrigerator. This is now the starter you will feed and use each time you want to make something.
- As for what to make with the rest of your new starter, I found the hard way that even though the starter looked all bubbly and active on day 8, it's not really mature enough yet to rise bread really well.
- So my suggestion on day 8 is to make these amazing waffles, a batch of these slightly addictive crackers, or a basic sourdough pancake recipe.
Refrigerated Sourdough Starter
Week 2 and Beyond
- Once a week, remove your sourdough starter from the fridge, pour into a bowl and feed it with 1 cup of whole wheat flour and 3/4 to 1 cup of water (the thicker starter above was fed the 1 to 3/4 c. ratio), stirring well.
- Leave it to grow and become active again 12 to 24 hours before using it in a recipe. It should double in size during that period. Depending on how long the starter has been in the fridge, it sometimes needs more than one feeding. You’ll need to feed it until it is reliably doubling in size, how ever many feedings that takes. To be strong enough to raise bread, the starter should double in 6 hours or less after feeding.
- Remove all but 1-2 cups and return that to the fridge in a clean jar. Use the rest to bake with - this is the "discard."
- Tip: I clean the jar I store the starter in with warm water only - no soap, so not to introduce anything weird into the starter.
Top of sourdough starter after refrigeration.
The idea is to get in the habit of using your starter at least once a week by bringing it to room temperature, feeding it until it's doubling in size (feeding as many times as needed to double in 6 hours or less), and then making something with a portion while putting 1 to 2 cups back into the fridge for the next week. Each time you use some of the starter and refeed it, it is maturing and growing stronger.
Suggested timeline for what to make with a brand new starter:
- Weeks 2-3: waffles, pancakes, and crackers
- Weeks 4-5: english muffins, bagels (and maybe a King Arthur Flour sourdough recipe, which always use a bit of yeast with the sourdough).
- Weeks 6-7: easy sourdough artisan bread, sourdough cheesy batter bread (batter breads don't require kneading, etc.)
- Week 8 and beyond: Finally, after your starter has been successful with these items, it's time to try a traditional sandwich loaf! I always use my friend, Gina's (Homejoys) soft sourdough bread - she also has a lot of great sourdough tips and recipes, so be sure to check her site out!
My Year Four Sourdough Update:
After using my sourdough at least monthly (it's hard to do it every week!) for more than three years, I got tired of being a 'slave to the sourdough.' Last summer I stopped needing as much bread and I didn't bother with my starter - until seven months later.
Our power went out in a snow storm and the contents of our fridge needed to be put in a cooler. I left the sourdough starter - which had about a 2-inch layer of hooch by now - outside in the cold, figuring it was long gone.
However, after our power came back on, I decided to see if I couldn't bring it back to life, since it still smelled like sourdough starter. (Some people have said they threw out their starter because it was growing mold - I've never had this happen! The hooch had some white bubbles floating on it, but it wasn't mold - so look carefully to be sure before throwing out your precious starter.)
I started feeding it and guess what? It came back to life - 7 months and 5 days with no power later!
I fed it for a week before baking with it, just to make sure it was good and strong. Then I baked up a batch of artisan bread and my daughter declared it my best sourdough yet!
Moral? Don't give up on your starter.
(PS- and the first photo in this article is what my starter looks like when I first pull it out of the fridge, too, thoroughly inactive. A little flour, warm water & time and voila, it comes back to life!)
Go here to see more tips for keeping and using your starter.
Here's a list of all the sourdough articles & recipes on An Oregon Cottage:
- Sourdough Bread? My first bread-baking attempt: Feb. 2010
- My Sourdough Tips after 1 year
- Amazing Sourdough Waffles
- Easy Whole Wheat Sourdough Crackers (really - this dough is a dream to work with!)
- Easy Whole Wheat Sourdough English Muffins
- How to Make Sourdough Bagels
- Cheesy Sourdough Batter Bread
- Easy Sourdough Artisan Bread
Have you grown your own sourdough starter? Have any tips to share?
Natasha says
You started with whole wheat flour and rye. After day 2 or 3 you just say add flour. At this point can we add all purpose flour or bread flour, or should we continue with the whole wheat flour?
Jami says
Yep, you can add any flour you want as you grow your starter.
Kathy says
Do you let your sourdough starter come to room temperature before feeding it?
Jami says
No, I use warm water mixed with the flour to start it waking up. Actually I always use warm water when feeding to get everything going quicker. 🙂
Merryn says
Thanks for the great post. Can a starter be TOO active? I was planning on following your directions but with 100% Pumpernickle Rye (that's what I have 50lbs of...), however, my 2 cups of flour plus 2 of water overnight filled up my half gallon jar! I washed everything thoroughly, so I can't see how any commercial yeast would have got in it. Any suggestions on how to proceed? Thanks!
Jami says
Oh, yes, that's too much of both to start with, Merryn. You want to just start with a half cup of both flour and water - some people start with 1/4 cup or less even. Initially, it will grow so you want to have less to keep it in bounds - as you learned. 🙂
Ashley says
Hello. Ive had my starter for about 5 months now, using it once a week. I’d like to start using it twice a week. Should I change anything like ratios, feedings or rest time? Thank you
Jami says
Not much, Ashley. It might take a bit longer to fully "wake up" the starter after a couple weeks versus one, but only just a bit. It's only if you notice a difference. Plan on taking a couple days to bring it back to baking with strength, I'd think.
Debbie Dilbeck says
Do you know if I could use all sprouted whole wheat flour?
Jami says
Yes, that should work fine. Most any flour does, even rice flour for gluten free.
Nancy Whitaker says
I started my starter off with 50/50 whole wheat and bread flours a ratio of 120 grams of flour mixture and 120 grams of water. I started my starter 1/9/19 my 1st feeding was 1/13/19 I have fed like I have read to feed. I discard 80% of the starter then I feed it 76 grams of flour mixture and 76 grams of water. 1/28/19 is my 15th feeding. I am getting a lot of bubbling but my starter is not growing. Can you please, please help me and let me know what I'm doing wrong or what's wrong with my starter.
Jami says
It sounds like you're on your way to a good starter, Nancy - though I'm sure you're getting tired of all the flour you're going through with no baking yet! When you're growing a new starter (or reviving one from the fridge), you will do the feed and discard routine until it shows it alive again with bubbles and activity. But then you need to stop discarding and just feed the starter to grow it into an amount you can use in baking. You'll want to feed it the amount you have in the jar, so:
- If you have 1/3 cup (about 76 grams) of bubbly starter, add 1/3 cup of flour and 1/3 cup of water with no discard.
- See how long that takes to grow some.
- In about 12 hours, add the amount of flour you have starter for again. For example if you have 1 cup, add 1 cup of flour and 1 cup of water. Stir and set aside. I use an 8-cup glass measure for this so I can easily see the measurements (this is also why I find it easier to use cups and not weight).
- You should see growth now. If it's not doubling in 6 hours or less, it's not strong enough for a loaf (and since yours is new, it's probably not) but it will make things like crackers, waffles, etc. You can choose to remove a cup or so to make pancakes, etc. and then start the growing period again.
- With a brand new starter, I would think a month of good feedings (and baking with some of it) would produce a strong enough starter for a loaf of artisan bread, but even then you'll notice it just gets better with time and care.
- If you want to do major baking, you can keep feeding until you have the amount of starter you need for your recipes, leaving at least 1/4-1/2 cup left to continue your starter.
Hope this helps!
Tabatha Henderson says
Hey!! I’m loving your site! I’m new to sourdough and I was wondering if on day 9 my starter still doesn’t smell like anything but it is bubbling and has hooch on it everyday, which I stir back in, when do I know if it’s ready? Or do just keep feeding it? I have not put it in the fridge yet I was waiting on a smell . Lol can you help me? DO you need a pic? THANK YOU so much. Tabatha.
Jami says
If it's bubbling, then you're good - there is action there. What you need to do is to pour at least half off (make crackers or pancakes with it) and then feed it on a 1:1 starter to flour ratio (so 1 cup of starter would be fed with 1 cup of water and 3/4 cup of flour). Now you'll want to see if it doubles (in the example, the 2 cups should grow to 4) and how long it takes. When your starter is doubling in 6 hours or less then you're ready to bake bread. I find that if I use slightly less water than flour (like 1 cup flour to 3/4 cup water) the starter does better for me, doubling more reliably.
Hope that helps!
Angela says
Day 3 we left to go out of town for the day and I forgot to feed it when I left. Day 4, in the morning I went to feed it and it had bubbles! It looked like risen bread dough from the side of the jar. I was so excited! It did smell really bad though....kind of like vomit. My husband came in from the other room and said, "What are you doing?!!!!" I put a little raw honey (like 1 tsp) in it to feed the cultures and hopefully improve the smell. I had seen that done on some other tutorials...so we'll see what happens. Excited to try crackers with it on Monday.
Jami says
Yes, you will have bubbles as it starts growing - congrats! It shouldn't smell that bad, though - I would pour a lot out and feed with a 1 cup flour, 3/4 cup water feed and see if that improves the smell.
Aaron Viebrock says
I follow the directions above, but my starter never doubles in size. In a glass quart jar, it will rise an inch-inch and a half overnight, left on the counter. When I'm not baking and it's left in the refrigerator, it doesn't really rise at all.
Jami says
Yes, it won't rise in the fridge, Aaron - it's essentially "asleep." To wake it up takes a few days (sometimes longer if it's been awhile). I put it in a larger 4 or 8-cup container and feed a cup of flour and just less than a cup of water. I find that it gets stronger when there's a little less water-to-flour ratio. With the measuring marks you can see what it starts at and how far it rises. Even if it shrinks down again (say overnight) if the mark on the glass is at least double, it's strong enough to bake a bread. You can always use the less strong starter for crackers or breads that don't need a lot of rise. Give it time - it will eventually do it!
Emily says
Can you use white flour if you’re out of wheat flour in your starter?
Jami says
Yes, in fact many people use white flour for their starter. I just like to keep mine 100% whole wheat.
Donna says
I use water that I have cooked potatoes in to fed my sourdough starter.
Jami says
That's a great tip, Donna!
Diane M says
Can this starter be used for making doughnuts? I am looking for a good Amish sourdough doughnut recipe.
Thanks
Jami says
It can be used for any sourdough recipe, Diane!
Tessa says
DO you feed your stater after you make the bread?
Jami says
Yes, I feed it before putting it back in the fridge.
Carol says
Hi. Your recipe sounds great but I'm a newbie to bread baking. All the recipes I've been reading say I have to remove all but 1/2 cup at every feeding and discard (or use a discard recipe with it) the rest, using the 1/2 cup starter and feeding it. I didn't want to get 2 weeks in and have a disaster on my hands. That's a pretty big batch of sourdough. Can you clarify or confirm your directions?
Thank You!
Jami says
Good question, Carol. When you're growing your first starter, you do not need to throw anything out. You're trying to build your yeast colony. The direction I list here are what I did to start and grow my first sourdough as well as just recently when I needed to start another new batch. So I know it works. However, if you're new starter isn't bubbling and smells "off" for some reason, a good solution would be to discard a portion before feeding again. You also don't need to use the 1 cup measurements if you'd like less starter - you can go with 1/2 cup or even 1/4 cup. See if that's bubbling and starting to grow. If not, try more. It's definitely not an exact science!
As for feedings with established starter, there are definitely two thoughts on this. The main reason for discard is so that you don't have huge amounts of starter to deal with. The other reason is to keep it from getting "too sour" and to be healthy. I've always found that our sourdough isn't as sour as we'd like, so that last point isn't an issue with my family. To not get too much starter, I feed just a little at first.
I don't typically discard, then, unless I notice that it's taking longer to double when I'm waking it up - then I might remove some to make waffles with and then feed and see if it doubles. I find that when I wake it up, feeding until it doubles and then remove what I need to bake with and put the rest back into the fridge, it is "discarding." I'm just baking with my discard. 🙂
Here's a forum I found that discusses this a bit more: https://sourdough.com/blog/unconventional-works-me
I think you will start to get the hang of it when you are more familiar with the process and then you can decide what works best for you and your schedule.
andrea says
So grateful to you for taking the time to share your experiences and tips. I am new to growing sourdough and appreciate your help.
Thanks,
Andrea
Jami says
You're welcome, Andrea - I hope you have fun on your sourdough journey. 🙂
S. says
Hi there! I'm sure this is answered somewhere in all your info but I thought it might be easier to just ask! You say in a few places to feed the starter and give it 24 hours before baking with it. During that 24 hours, are you putting it back in the fridge? Basically - once you put your starter in the fridge, does it ever sit out on the counter again? Thank you for the helpful guide!!
Jami says
I'm glad you asked - sometimes that's the best way. You will always want an "active" starter to bake with and that means a starter that has been fed at room temperature enough times that it is doubling in volume. So, no, you will not refrigerate a starter you want to use - only refrigerate when you've baked all you need and you want to just keep it alive until the next feeding-and-baking time. This cycle (feeding at room temp, using it, and storing it in a fridge) will be repeated over and over for the life of your starter. Hopefully this makes sense!
S, says
Absolutely! Thanks so much!
Julie says
Can I put the starter in multiple 2 cup jars and place in the fridge? If so, do I only feed one jar each time I want to make a loaf and leave remaining jars in fridge until ready to use, not feeding them?
Thanx Julie
Jami says
You could try that, Julie, though I haven't. I don't see why it wouldn't work if that seems easier to you than one starter.
Nia says
Happy belated thanksgiving. Thank you for all your info on sourdough. I started mine on 11/18/2017. It still hasn’t risen yet. I put it in the oven with the light on -that didn’t help. Can you tell me what else I can do to get it to start fermenting?
Jami says
If you don't see any bubbles at all yet, Nia, then I would toss it and start over. 🙁 If there are some bubbles, I would remove some of the starter and feed it with less hydration (more flour than water) - sometimes that starts it growing better. I hope this helps!
Erin says
I see many instructions for starter that say to discard a portion before feeding. Is this necessary?
Jami says
Yes, I do too, Erin, and it never sat well with me to waste all that flour. 🙂 So I don't always discard. But when I'm really trying to grow the starter so it can double in volume (maybe after sitting in the fridge for a long time), then I will remove some after the 2nd and 3rd feedings. I don't discard it, though - I use it to make low-rise things like crackers, waffles, or English Muffins. 🙂
Heidi Fogle says
I've copied this to my sourdough database for easy reference. I love your simplified instructions. Thank you so VERY much for going into great detail. So that I don't just assume, could you tell us the amount of starter you are removing from the refrigerator when you add the cup of whole wheat flour and 3/4 to 1 cup of water. I'm trying to replicate this. Last night I ordered the baking dish you recommended. thank you so much! I love this new adventure. I'm newly retired and this has been on my very short bucket list for hobbies!
Jami says
I'm so glad you found this helpful, Heidi!
I use all the starter in the container from the fridge, adding the flour and water to bring it back to life. Depending on how long the starter has been in the fridge, it sometimes needs more than one feeding. You'll need to feed it until it is doubling in size, how ever many feedings that takes.
Heidi says
I am going camping on day 7 of my wonderful adventure of making a starter... sigh. Have you ever refrigerated the starter at this point?
Jami says
No, but I have found that it is pretty resilient, so I would try it!
Heidi Fogle says
For anyone else camping with starter, I took it and put it on an electric blanket in a corner of the bed. It was too warm the first day, but it survived!