A simple homemade sourdough starter made with flour, water, and a little sugar or honey. After several days of feeding, it becomes bubbly and active — perfect for baking delicious sourdough bread.
Ingredients
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon sugar or honey
For Daily Feeding
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup water
Instructions
In a clean glass jar or bowl, combine 1 cup of all-purpose flour with 1/2 cup of water.
Add 1 tablespoon of sugar or honey.
Stir thoroughly until the mixture is smooth and no dry flour remains.
Cover the jar loosely with a lid, cloth, or plastic wrap. Do not seal it tightly.
Leave the mixture at room temperature for 24 hours.
After 24 hours, feed the starter by adding:
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup water
Stir well until fully combined.
Repeat the feeding process every 24 hours for 5–7 days.
As the starter develops, you should notice:
bubbles forming
a slightly sour aroma
the mixture rising in volume
Once the starter becomes active and bubbly, it is ready to use for sourdough bread baking.
To store:
Keep it in the refrigerator
Feed it once a week with flour and water to maintain activity
Tips
Use a glass container for best results.
If liquid forms on top, simply stir it back in or pour it off.
A warm room helps the starter ferment faster.
Avoid using chlorinated water if possible.
How to Know It’s Ready
Your sourdough starter is ready when:
it doubles in size after feeding
has many bubbles
smells pleasantly tangy, not rotten
passes the “float test” (a small spoonful floats in water)
Perfect for homemade artisan sourdough bread, pizza dough, pancakes, and more
