How to Make Sourdough Starter From Scratch: Easy Step-by-Step Recipe
Have you been dreaming of fresh homemade sourdough bread, but aren’t sure where to begin? First, you need a sourdough starter! Then you can bake your own delicious gut-healthy bread, crackers, cookies, muffins and more.
Come follow our easy recipe to make a sourdough starter from scratch. This guide will show you how to transform three simple ingredients – water, flour, and apple – into an active and bubbly sourdough starter. The process takes 7 days from start-to-finish but involves very few steps or active time!
I’ve included everything you need to succeed: step-by-step photos, a video tutorial, troubleshooting tips, and resources on how to maintain and feed sourdough starter going forward. Don’t worry – it’s much easier than you think!
NOTE: This post was originally published in January 2019 and significantly updated in 2025.
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What Is Sourdough Starter?
Sourdough starter is a mixture of flour and water that also contains a stable colony of wild yeast and beneficial bacteria, and is nurtured by routine “feedings” to keep it alive and happy. It’s what makes bread rise without the need for commercial yeast.
If kept alive, one starter can last a lifetime of baking. And don’t worry! An established, mature sourdough starter is very easy to maintain with only infrequent feedings required (when stored in the fridge).
You can make a sourdough starter from scratch, get some from a friend who bakes sourdough, or buy one online. Since starting from scratch can sometimes be tricky, we offer organic dehydrated sourdough starter too. It’s quick, easy, and foolproof to use!
Supplies Needed
- A large, air-tight glass container. We used a 2-liter flip-top container, though a half-gallon mason jar works perfectly too.
- Organic white bread flour. You can also use organic whole wheat if you’d like.
- One large organic apple, or two small apples. See substitutions below.
- Filtered water
- A kitchen scale. Sourdough recipes are measured by weight instead of volume (cups) since different flours have varying densities or weights.
- A mixing bowl
- Liquid measuring cup
- A silicone spatula
- A cheese grater (for the apple)
- A moderately warm location
Why use apple to make sourdough starter?
Our homemade sourdough starter recipe includes apple to increase your chances of success! Flour and water alone are fairly sterile, but organic fruit and vegetables contain natural wild yeasts and beneficial bacteria on them, which helps to kick start the activity of your starter. The shredded apple completely dissolves into the starter and isn’t noticeable by day 5.
It’s key to use organic apples since non-organic produce has been treated with chemicals that can inhibit beneficial bacteria growth or contaminate your starter. If you happen to be allergic to apples, you can substitute with 1 cup of smashed organic blueberries or seedless grapes instead.
How to Make Sourdough Starter
Day 1: Mix
- In a large mixing bowl, weigh out 500 grams of organic white bread flour. Don’t forget to tare the bowl on the scale first, or add the weight of the bowl in to the total!
- Next, wash and grate the apple into fine shreds with a cheese grater. Use the peels but avoid the core, stem, and seeds. Add the apple to the bowl with the flour.
- Now add 360 mL of room temperature or warm filtered water to the bowl and mix thoroughly. It’s best to avoid chlorinated water when making sourdough if possible (but not distilled water) since chlorine can inhibit the growth of beneficial bacteria. The mixture will be quite thick and sticky at this point.
- Transfer the sourdough starter mixture into an air-tight container, pressed nicely into the bottom and with the lid closed. The container should have ample empty space to allow for the sourdough starter to at least double in size over the next few days, if not more.
- Finally, use a washable glass pen to mark the current level of the sourdough starter mixture in the container. (You could also use a large rubber band around the outside of the container.) This is to help monitor the rise!
Day 2 and 3: Sit and Wait
- Now let the mixture sit for 3 days or about 72 hours after first starting.
- To make a new sourdough starter from scratch, it’s important to keep it in a location that is about 70 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit (23 degrees Celsius) to encourage beneficial bacteria activity. Cooler temperatures can easily lead to inactivity and mold growth. A dark or light location is fine, but keep it out of direct sunlight.
- If your home is cold, see tips and ideas on how to keep a sourdough starter warm below. Use a simple stick-on thermometer to easily monitor the temperature.
- During this time, the mixture may begin to form small bubbles and rise. In some cases, it may rise a lot! So you may want to keep the container on a plate to catch any overflow.
TIP: It’s possible for the sourdough starter to rise and then fall again before you notice (such as overnight) so look for smears on the sides of the container – not just the current level. However, it’s not essential to get a big rise at this stage!
Ways to keep sourdough starter warm:
- Find a warm spot in your house, such as next to or on top of a warm appliance. For example, our kitchen has under-cabinet lights that put off heat when they’re on, making the cabinets above quite warm and cozy. We’ve also placed it against a warm south-facing wall.
- Use a starter heating pad. Consider using a specialized heating pad to keep your sourdough starter warm, such as this wrap-around heat mat (thermometer included). It has precise temperature controls to keep the starter at the ideal temperature. My gardener friends use seedling heat mats too – just be sure it doesn’t get TOO hot! You may need to keep a towel or plate between the heat mat and starter jar.
- Oven light trick. Most oven light bulbs emit warmth, so turning on the oven light (but keeping the oven itself OFF) can create a nice warm spot in the back of the oven for your starter or proofing dough. However, I’ve heard horror stories when folks accidentally pre-heat or bake their starter! So if you try this, be sure to make a reminder that it’s in there – including for other members of the household.
- Proofing box. If you’re a regular baker with a chronically cool home, it may be worth investing in a proofing box – which can keep both your sourdough starter and proofing bread dough at the perfect temperature!
FAQ: What if my starter rises and falls before day 4? Can I move on to the next steps early? No, it’s best to wait. Sometimes, there is an initial burst of very vigorous activity on day 1-2, but that is usually caused by a different type of bacteria that quickly grows then dies off. Meanwhile, the main yeasts and bacteria (lactobacillus) that we want in the starter long-term grow a bit slower. So just be patient before proceeding to the next step!
Day 4: Discard and Feed
After 3 days or about 72 hours, it’s time to feed your sourdough starter for the first time! (This simply means adding fresh flour and water for it to “feed” on, so it can continue to get more active and strong.) By now, the mixture should smell sweet and tangy, sort of like apple cider vinegar. It may also be a bit darker in color.
- First, stir the mixture to knock out any air to let it fall back down to a more condensed state.
- Next, discard half of the amount in the container. This is to make more room in the jar for fresh flour, water, and to rise again! If you want to be exact, you can remove the mixture from its container, weigh it, and discard exactly half. Instead, I simply eyeball it by looking at the line marked on the jar.
- Now add 250 grams of of bread flour and 170 mL of lukewarm filtered water. Mix thoroughly. You can do this by either taking it all out of the jar, mixing it in a separate bowl, and then putting it back in – or simply mix everything right in the container itself.
- Clean up the sides of the jar a bit with a spatula so you can still monitor the rise and fall. (Also, gunky jar sides are more likely to mold.) Re-mark the level on your container if needed.
- Now, let your homemade sourdough starter sit for another 2 days or 48 hours in a warm location.
FAQ: What to do with the discard? Normally, you can use the discard from a mature sourdough starter in a variety of discard recipes like our fluffy sourdough pancakes, sourdough granola, or delicious sourdough discard crackers. However, the discard is still too young and won’t be a great addition to a recipe at this stage, so simply trash or compost it this time. Avoid putting it down your sink drain as it can cause clogs over time.
Day 5: Rest and Wait
Nothing to do today! Just let the new starter rest and rise. During this time, the colony of bacteria and yeast will happily feed on the fresh flour you provided, exponentially increasing their population as they do.
Day 6: Discard and Feed Again
Two days or about 48 hours after the first feeding, you should see a lot of activity and bubbles in your starter now! It also probably rose even higher than the first time. If so, it’s time to feed it again – just like you did on day 4.
However, if you’re not seeing much activity yet, let it sit for another day or two before discarding and feeding again. See more troubleshooting tips to increase activity below.
To feed, discard half the volume and then mix in another 250 grams flour and 170 mL of lukewarm water. It’s okay for the starter to be a tad more wet at this stage. It should be smooth and easy to stir, but not runny like pancake batter. If needed, add an extra splash of water (up to 30-40 mL more) until the desired consistency is reached.
Cover the sourdough starter and let it sit out one final time – for 24 hours this time.
Troubleshooting
In most cases, a new sourdough starter should be bubbly and rising by day 6. However, if you are going to experience any issues, this seems to be the step where it may stall out.
- If there is no activity since the last feed, let it sit an additional day or two before feeding again.
- Is your home on the cool side? Try to find a warmer spot!
- If the starter has visible bubbles but doesn’t rise after feeding, the mixture may be too wet or runny (as varying home humidities and flour types can lead to different textures). When a starter is too wet, the bubbles rise right up and out of the mixture – rather than being trapped inside and causing the starter to puff up and become spongy. So, stir in more flour to thicken it up, adding just a few tablespoons at a time until it more closely resembles your original thick mixture from step 1 (a stiff dough).
- Another option is to try opening the lid of your jar. Cover it with a coffee filter or something else that will prevent fruit flies or other debris from getting inside.
- If your starter isn’t rising well and has a dark liquid formed on top, it may actually be overly active and hungry! Stir in a little more flour (and warm water as needed, if it becomes too thick and dry) and let it sit again. Wait a day or two to see if it perks up and begins to rise and bubble.
- Try to feed it with half whole wheat or rye flour, which usually enhances activity.
- If all else fails, it may be best to buy an established (dry) sourdough starter instead. Ours is foolproof to get going!
RELATED: Learn even more detailed troubleshooting tips in our guide on how to strengthen sourdough starter. Or, see this article on how to tell if a sourdough starter is bad.
Day 7: It’s Ready!
If it’s bubbly and active within 24 hours of the last feeding – congratulations – you just made a new sourdough starter from scratch! It’s now ready to bake with. (Keep reading below for tips on how to use and store it.)
But first, be sure to name your starter. It’s tradition among the sourdough community and considered bad baking luck if you don’t! Check out our round-up of the best 60 Punny Sourdough Starter Names for plenty of fun ideas.
Next Steps: How to Use and Maintain Starter
Now what? If you aren’t ready to bake yet, simply store your starter in the refrigerator and then head over to our guide on how to maintain and feed sourdough starter. It covers the pros and cons of storing it at room temperature vs the refrigerator, when and how to feed it, and how to ready a starter for baking.
Hint: it’s best to use sourdough starter for baking several hours after feeding, once it’s reached “peak activity” – which is when it’s at least doubled in size, is no longer actively rising, but before it deflates again. And remember, never use ALL your starter in a recipe! Always save at least a half cup to feed and keep going.
To make bread, try our go-to no-knead sourdough bread recipe with step-by-step instructions and video. Our simple sourdough focaccia recipe is even easier! You can make all kinds of fun and delicious things like sourdough pumpkin bread, sourdough pie crust, sourdough cornbread and more! Explore all of our sourdough recipes and tutorials here.
FAQ: What’s that dark liquid on the top of my sourdough starter?
When a sourdough starter goes unfed for a while, it will form a layer of dark liquid on top called “hooch”. The yeast in starter produces hooch (an alcohol) as a natural byproduct of the fermentation process. Hooch is not harmful, but is an indication that your starter is hungry and needs to be fed.
When you see hooch, you can either pour it off the top or simply mix it back in, and then discard and feed as usual. However, mixing hooch into the starter will make it extra sour-tasting. Since we store our starter in the fridge and often go many weeks between baking/feeding, it almost always has a layer of hooch on top.
And that concludes this lesson on how to make sourdough starter from scratch. If you found this helpful, please leave a review in the printable recipe summary below! As always, feel free to ask questions in the comments below too. Have so much fun baking!
Video Tutorial
How to Make Sourdough Starter From Scratch
Equipment
- Large, glass, air-tight container (2 liter or half-gallon)
- Kitchen scale
- Mixing bowl
- Silicone spatula
Ingredients
- 500 grams organic bread flour or all-purpose flour
- 360 mL filtered water, room-temperature
- 1 large organic apple (or 2 small apples)
Instructions
- Wash your apple, but avoid using soaps or produce wash. Using a cheese grater, grate the organic apple into semi-fine shreds. Use the skins, but discard the core.
- Add the called-for flour, grated apple, and water to a mixing bowl and thoroughly combine.
- Transfer the mixture into a large glass airtight container that has enough room for it to at least double in size, minimum. (Ours usually quadruples while fermenting) Pack the mixture down into the bottom of the container. Close the lid.
- To monitor growth, mark the side of your container with a washable marker or rubber band at the top level of the mixture.
- Let the mixture sit for 3 days at a temperature of 70-75 degrees F. It should bubble and rise during this time.
- After approximately 72 hours, thoroughly stir the mixture and then discard half of the amount. Then, thoroughly mix in another 250 grams of flour and 170 mL of tepid filtered water to the remaining starter mixture. This is called "feeding" the sourdough starter. You can do this either in a separate bowl, and put it back into a now-clean ferment vessel, or like we do, mix it in place.
- Re-mark the container to note the height of the mixture. Let sit at 70-75 degrees, for 2 days or 48 hours this time.
- After 48 hours, repeat the same discard and feed process as done previously. Discard half, feed, mix, mark the level, and cover again.
- Allow the sourdough starter mixture to sit for a final 24 hours.
- Once complete, you now have a happy and active sourdough starter! Store it in the refrigerator when not in use, giving it a discard and feed weekly. OR if stored at room temperature, feed it daily to keep it alive.
Notes
- If there is no activity, let it sit another day or two.
- If your starter has risen and fallen, or, if seems to not rise after the first discard and feed, and instead it has a dark liquid formed on top (called hooch), it may actually be overly active and hungry! Stir in a little more flour (and warm water as needed, if it becomes too thick and dry) and let it sit again. Wait a day or two to see if it perks up and begins to rise and bubble.
- If your home is cold, try to find a warmer spot if possible!
- If the starter doesn’t rise at all after the first discard and feed, try opening the lid of your jar. Cover it with a coffee filter or something else that will prevent fruit flies or other debris from getting inside inside.
- Another troubleshooting tip is to feed with half whole wheat or rye flour, which usually enhances activity.
- Ensure that you use an organic apple.
Deanna Talerico
Deanna Talerico (aka DeannaCat) is a garden educator and writer with over 15 years experience in organic gardening. She is a retired Senior Environmental Health Specialist, and holds a M.A. in Environmental Studies and B.S. in Sustainability and Natural Resources.
301 Comments
BeginnerHomesteader
Hiiii! I just did my first discard and wanted to use the discarded portion for pancakes and crackers. Since it’s the first discard of the process is it safe to do so? It also smells odd so I’d rather make sure before consuming it. I did make the batter though. It rose and fell during the first three days as it was supposed to. Thanks!
DeannaCat
Hi there, if you’re talking about the very first time you removed some when making a brand new starter from scratch (day 3) then it’s not exactly “discard” yet. Sourdough discard is what’s referred to the portion of an *established* starter that you remove before routinely feeding, not necessarily at the stage you’re at. Not to say it isn’t safe, but it isn’t going to have the same flavor, rise potential, or benefits as an established starter yet.
Beth Kourik
I am going to attempt to start this this weekend and I’m so excited! Just one question. Have you ever attempted this with 1:1 gluten free flour? Would it work the same?
Aaron (Mr. DeannaCat)
Hi Beth, we have never attempted to make our own starter from scratch using GF 1:1 replacement flour as we have avoided it in the past due to the extra ingredients in those flours but you should be able to successfully make your own starter using them. Let us know how it goes and good luck!
Maggie Reed
Hey there! I used y’all’s recipe with apples included as my first starter without just did not go well. Our oven light is currently out too. I’ve been keeping it in the warmest spot in the house. There is activity and it has risen but not a lot. I’m at the finish line with it at this point, day 8 now. Should I try to get it to rise more before using it?
Aaron (Mr. DeannaCat)
Hi Maggie, if your starter is still not active enough, I wouldn’t worry about trying to use it in a recipe just yet. I would feed it again and let it sit for two days to see if you can get the beneficial bacteria to grow which should help with your starter activity. After a few days, discard and feed again and see how much it rises, you really want your starter to double in size (especially so when you are in the process of making one from scratch) to show that it is fully active and ready to be used for baking. Hopefully you will have a fully active sourdoughs starter to use in baking shortly, good luck!
Jj
I have tried twice now and both times my starter turned orange/yellow and smelled really bad before the first feed. The temp in my house is usually 72- 75. Is it possible to feed sooner?
Aaron (Mr. DeannaCat)
Hi Jj, feel free to try and adjust the feeding schedule, we have made starter from scratch multiple times without issue. The starter may be more red/pink in the beginning when the apple is more prominent but it shouldn’t really smell “bad”. There may be some sour, alcohol, maybe even nail polish remover type aromas as the fermentation sets in but it shouldn’t smell any worse than that. We do offer dehydrated sourdough starter in our shop that is easily activated and you should have a healthy and active sourdough starter within 5 days of starting it if you are having trouble starting one from scratch. Hope that helps and good luck!
Katie Jackson
I have made this successfully before but remember thinking it was so much volume for a starter. I will be making it again in a couple of weeks and will probably scale the recipe down. Have you guys ever done this before? Any recommendations or tips?
Aaron (Mr. DeannaCat)
Hello Katie, it should work out just fine if you scale it down. The process we describe in the article is just the way we were shown to create our own starter so we never looked too much into it after that as we have always had success. Usually once you do it one time, you don’t need to do it again unless something happens to your starter. Let us know how it works out for you, good luck and have fun baking.
Shvaughn
I am anxious to try this sourdough starter & recipes! I have a daughter who is allergic to Gluten…can I use GF flour in my sourdough starter & it still work?
Aaron (Mr. DeannaCat)
Hi Shvaughn, unfortunately it isn’t recommended to use GF flour in a regular sourdough starter if someone is allergic to gluten as I believe there is still too much gluten in the original starter. It may not be too bad if the person is just gluten intolerant, but if they are allergic or have celiacs disease, I wouldn’t use any glute at all, even if it is only in the original starter. We do have a post on How to Make a Gluten-Free Sourdough Starter from Scratch that may be a safer way to make your daughter GF bread. Hope that helps and reach out if you have any other questions.
Marie
I believe that you misunderstood the question…. the OP was excited about making the starter and wondered if they could use GF flour to make the sourdough from the beginning – NOT adding GF flour to an established wheat starter.
Shvaughan – You should have no broblem using GF flours to begin this sourdough starter – I have done it without any problems [I used banana in my original GF starter]… that starter is gone now and I am looking forward to making this one with apple 🙂 🙂
Aaron (Mr. DeannaCat)
Hi Marie, if that is indeed the case, we do have an article on How to Make a Gluten-Free Sourdough Starter from Scratch as well.
Scott
Successful starter! The initial measurements and first rise went well. We had to use the oven trick to get the 70-75 degrees, I’m guessing that because it did what it was supposed to do.
After the first discard and feed, nothing really happened at all. We just did another discard and feed and we were back on track. Starter did great for the last discard and feed. Now it is sitting happily in the refrigerator waiting for the weekend to bake our first loaf.
Wish I could say the first batch of sour dough starter crackers went well, but we went too far with the salt. Note to others, go sparingly. On the upside, we definitely drank our daily goal of water plus some,
Aaron (Mr. DeannaCat)
Glad to hear you had success making your own starter! Enjoy your sourdough journey as it is just getting underway, have fun baking!
Cassandra Hoer
Hi! I’m coming back to this recipe (tried it when you first wrote this blog post) and I’m running into the same issues 😩. When first making the starter it does GREAT, it doubles in size by 48 hours and looks successful. But then after the second feed it never rises. I tried your troubleshooting ideas and fed it again, tried half whole wheat flour, but it never rises well. I even added more four to thicken it up, but didn’t seem to do anything. Maybe not thick enough? It seems a little bubbly and grows a tad over the line I drew, but never like it did the first time. Please help! I keep it in the oven with the light on to keep it warm. Other than that, I have no clue what I’m doing wrong.
Thanks in advance!
Aaron (Mr. DeannaCat)
Hi Cassandra, it seems that second part can be tough for some people and we haven’t figured out exactly where it goes wrong for some. The winter time can be tough for people but you are utilizing your oven light to keep the temperature warmer so it is a tough call? Have you ever considered ordering a dehydrated sourdough starter from our shop, it is an easy option that will get you going in a matter of 4 to 5 days using less flour and water than making your own from scratch. Hope that helps and let us know if you have any more questions.
Debbie Florio
Hi, I can’t rate the recipe as I haven’t made it yet. I do appreciate the detailed instructions. I’m actually wondering if the prior commenter Trish Dela Cruz had any success. I have enough flour, but my jar is half the size required, and I’m too anxious to get started before my larger jars arrive
Cassandra Hoer
Just ordered your dehydrated starter!
I gave my homemade starter another feed and a couple extra days, but still no activity. Hopefully I don’t ruin your dehydrated starter the same way!
Aaron (Mr. DeannaCat)
Thanks for your order! Our dehydrated starter is very easy to activate so you should have a fully active and healthy starter within 5 days of starting the process. Good luck!
Mariah
Do you have any alternatives to organic apples? Just curious, because I don’t have any apples at the moment!
Aaron (Mr. DeannaCat)
Hi Mariah, I have heard people making their own starter with berries, grapes, plums, and even beets. Although apples and beets would be the main items that are in season right now. Hope that helps and good luck!
Warren Bilstein
OK, I’m a rookie (76 years old). I have a on-line friend who directed me to this site… and I’m glad and I subscribed. I read your article on how to create a sourdough starter from scratch….. using the shredded apples. My question:…… What happens to the apple? Do you have to remove it? Does it remain in the starter? Does it simply….. go away? Really got me curious…. Grin
Aaron (Mr. DeannaCat)
Hey Warren, glad to hear you subscribed to the weekly newsletter and we are happy to have you. The apple just dissolves into the starter and becomes unrecognizable within a short time as it is consumed. Hope that helps and good luck!
Warren Bilstein
Thanks Aaron…. I appreciate the answer…. I was very curious….. as I didn’t think we would want pieces of fruit “in the starter”…… I actually wondered if it would just “go away”…..but since it wasn’t actually stated….. I began to wonder. Thanks again.
Ashley Barber
By day three mine was growing mold. Any suggestions?
Aaron (Mr. DeannaCat)
Hi Ashley, I would ensure that all of your equipment is clean so the ingredients aren’t introduced to any bad bacteria before it has a chance to produce good bacteria. Temperature is another important factor in getting the ingredients active, try to keep it between 70-75 degrees F while you are trying to turn the ingredients into a healthy starter. If temperatures are too low, it will move more slowly and will give mold a greater chance of growing. Hope that helps and good luck!
Meg
Can we give the 72 hour discard to chickens? Is it beneficial at this point?
Aaron (Mr. DeannaCat)
Hi Meg, yes the starter should still be packed with healthy bacteria at that point and your chickens will still enjoy it, though we usually feed it in moderation. Hope that helps and good luck!
Alex
Hi! What do I do if it’s already doubled and it’s only been about 30 hours since I first made it. I’m supposed to wait 3 days but it’s about to overflow!
Thank!
Alex
Aaron (Mr. DeannaCat)
Hi Alex, did you start off with a large enough container to begin with? See if it gets close to the top without overflowing before you move on to the next step as it is a good idea to let the beneficial bacteria and yeast consume the food source before moving on. Even if it becomes slightly less active it will be ready once you are moving on to the next step. It looks like you are on the right track so do what you are doing and you should have a healthy and active starter before long. Good luck!
Trish Dela Cruz
Hi! I’ve been itching to try this for days now but our community is on lockdown and I have limited supply of flour. Will it work if I halve the recipe? (Start with 250g and feed with 125g of flour?) Or is it really recommended to start with 500g? Thanks! 🙂
Aaron (Mr. DeannaCat)
Hi Trish, we have not tried to do it that way but it seems like it should work. Let us know how it goes and if you are able to get a healthy starter out of it at the end. Good luck!