LAURA LEE ALICE
COOKS
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Best Homemade Sourdough Starter Recipe
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There are many ideas out there on how to create a sourdough starter. I
have done this method for years and it is still going strong. It doesn't
take as long as the traditional way (which uses just flour and water)
and you can make your first loaf of bread in less than a week.
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The big difference is that you add a packet of yeast to the mixture in
the beginning, just once. After that, remove some starter for baking,
feed the starter, and store.
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A fresh loaf of sourdough bread comes from a fermentation process
that involves wild yeast and bacteria, which is lactobacilli. They give
sourdough that familiar tangy, sour taste (and smell) that I love.
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Sourdough bread acts as a prebiotic, which simply means that the
fiber contained in the bread feeds the "good bacteria" in you gut.
These are necessary to help maintain a healthy digestive system. FYI,
it's also much lower in gluten than other breads.​​​​​​​​​​​
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Why I like this recipe . . .
• Simple ingredients.
• Because of the fermentation, it's so much easier to digest.
• Over time, making your own bread is more cost-effective.
• Learning to bake bread is a skill that will continue to grow as you widen your baking techniques.
• With this starter, you can make many kinds of sourdough breads.
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​Best Homemade Sourdough Starter Recipe
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Ingredients
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• 2 cups all-purpose flour, I use organic unbleached or einkorn*
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• 2 cups warm water (free of chlorine and other chemicals)
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• 1 pkt active dry yeast (¼ oz)
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Instructions
1. In a 1 gallon glass bowl or jar (no metal), mix the 2 cups of flour and
the packet of yeast. Slowly stir in the 2 cups of warm water (105° to
115°F). Scrape down the sides and stir again until smooth. It will
be the consistency of cake batter.
2. Cover with a clean loosely woven towel and leave it to rest in a
warm spot (70-85°F) up to 4 days*. The mixture should be very
bubbly, have a sour smell and have a watery liquid on top**. If not
using right away, cover with a tight-fitting lid and refrigerate.
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3. When ready to use (within 1 to 2 weeks), take out and stir; let it come
to room temperature then remove what's needed for your recipe.
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4. For every ½ cup of starter removed, replace with ½ cup flour and ½
cup warm water; stir until smooth and scrape down sides of
container. Cover with a cloth and leave in a warm place for 1 to 2
days until bubbly; stir; cover with a tight-fitting lid and refrigerate.
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Tips
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• Each time you feed the starter, stir vigorously. It's important not to have any dry lumps of flour.
• To keep your starter going, it must be fed. Follow steps 3 and 4 above
if you're going to be using it often.
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• If you have a food scale, measure the ¾ cup flour and weigh it. Add
the equal weight of water each time you feed.
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• On the days you feed, leave it on the counter for 1 to 2 days so the
bacteria can multiply.
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• For longer storage, stir; let come to room temperature; remove half of
the starter; replace with the same amount of flour and water, 1-1-1.
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Cover with cloth; leave in warm place until bubbly; stir; cover with
tight-fitting lid and refrigerate.
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*It make take longer for your starter to double, depending
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on the temperature of the room.
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**If the starter has an odor or mold, toss and start over.
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Facts
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​​• Always use fresh flour, that is absolutely necessary for a successful
sourdough starter.
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• Check the date on your yeast packet to make sure it's good.
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• Don't use tap water.​​​​​​​
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Flour
Yeast
Water
