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How to Make a Sourdough Starter From Scratch: A Beginner’s Day-by-Day Guide

A visibly active sourdough starter, full of bubbles, resting in a large, textured glass jar on a white kitchen counter.
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Learn the simple, step-by-step process to create your own active, bubbly sourdough starter using only flour and water. This guide covers the daily feeding schedule you need for success.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 100g Whole Wheat or Rye Flour (for initial activation)
  • 100g Unbleached All-Purpose Flour (for maintenance)
  • 100g Unchlorinated Water (room temperature)

Instructions

  1. Day 1: Initial Mix. In a clean glass jar, combine 50g of whole wheat or rye flour with 50g of room temperature water. Stir well until no dry flour remains. Cover loosely (a coffee filter secured with a rubber band works well) and leave at room temperature (ideally 70-75°F or 21-24°C) for 24 hours.
  2. Day 2: Rest. You may see little to no activity. Do nothing today. Let the mixture rest for another 24 hours.
  3. Day 3: First Feed. You might see small bubbles or a slightly sour smell. Discard half of the starter (about 50g). To the remaining starter, add 50g of all-purpose flour and 50g of water. Mix thoroughly, cover loosely, and let sit for 24 hours.
  4. Day 4: Increase Feeding. You should see more consistent bubbling. Discard half of the starter. Feed the remainder with 50g of all-purpose flour and 50g of water. Let sit for 24 hours.
  5. Day 5: Twice-Daily Feeding Begins. If your starter is doubling in size within 12 hours, begin feeding twice a day (every 12 hours) using a 1:1:1 ratio (e.g., 50g starter, 50g flour, 50g water). If it is not consistently active, continue feeding once a day.
  6. Day 6 – Day 7: Establishing Strength. Continue the twice-daily feeding schedule if activity is strong. You are looking for the starter to reliably double in volume within 4 to 8 hours after feeding. This indicates you have an active, bubbly sourdough starter ready for baking.
  7. Maintenance: Once mature, switch to a 1:2:2 or 1:3:3 ratio for less frequent feeding if storing on the counter, or move it to the refrigerator for weekly feeding.

Notes

  • Use a clear jar so you can easily track the rise and fall of your natural yeast starter.
  • If you see mold, discard the entire batch and start over. Pink or orange streaks also mean discard and restart.
  • If your starter seems sluggish, try feeding it with a small amount of whole grain flour again to boost activity.
  • For sourdough discard recipes, use the portion you remove before feeding.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://cookingbyfelix.com/sourdough-starter-beginners-day-by-day-guide/