There is something incredibly satisfying about baking with sourdough. It has become one of my favorite hobbies, and I love being able to feed my family something made with my own hands. While there are countless methods for maintaining a sourdough starter and baking with it, I wanted to share what has worked well for me. I’m certainly not an expert, but this simple routine has made sourdough baking enjoyable and manageable.
Skip the Hard Part—Ask for a Starter
If you’re just getting started, my biggest piece of advice is this: don’t spend weeks trying to create your own starter if you don’t have to. Building a healthy sourdough starter from scratch can take a lot of patience, trial and error, and, sometimes, frustration.
Instead, ask a friend for some of their established starter. You’ll save yourself time and have a much better chance of success right from the beginning.
If you need one, I’m happy to share some of mine! I just ask for about two days’ notice so I have enough time to prepare some for you.
You Don’t Have to Bake Every Day
One of the biggest misconceptions is that owning a sourdough starter means baking constantly. That’s simply not true.
I don’t bake with sourdough every day. In fact, I often bake only once a week or even once every other week. Because I’m not actively baking all the time, I keep my starter in the refrigerator, which dramatically cuts down on maintenance.
Again, this is simply what works for me, and I’m happy to share my experience if you’re considering doing the same.
My Favorite Sourdough Recipes
One of the reasons I love sourdough is how versatile it is.
Our absolute favorite is English muffins. They’re soft, flavorful, and perfect for breakfast sandwiches. I also love that they actually look like the English muffins you’d find in the grocery store—only they’re homemade and taste so much better. One of my treats is enjoying a warm, freshly baked English muffin with raw honey and a cup of tea on a crisp fall afternoon.
Other recipes I regularly make include:
- Classic sourdough sandwich loaf (not the traditional artisan loaf—my family prefers a softer bread)
- Sweet and savory scones
- Fudge brownies
- Muffins
- Focaccia
- Flat bread-for wraps or pizza
Focaccia is especially fun because there are so many ways to customize it. Some of our favorites include:
- Cinnamon raisin focaccia topped with cream cheese frosting—a much easier alternative to making cinnamon rolls!
- Herb focaccia, which I often turn into homemade croutons since my husband enjoys a salad nearly every evening.
Keeping a Small Starter
When storing your starter in the refrigerator, you don’t need a huge amount. I typically keep only 10–30 grams of starter on hand.
Keeping a small starter means less flour is used during feedings, there’s very little waste, and it’s easy to build up the amount you need when you’re ready to bake.
Getting Ready to Bake
When you’re ready to bake, remove your starter from the refrigerator and allow it to come closer to room temperature. I find it mixes much more easily once it has warmed up a bit.
My Feeding Routine
There are many opinions on feeding ratios, and every sourdough baker seems to have a favorite. Since I’m not an expert, I simply use the method that has worked consistently for me.
I use a 3:1 feeding ratio.
For example:
- 25 grams of starter
- 75 grams of spring water (I avoid tap water.)
- 75 grams of bread flour
For flour, I’ve had great success with either Kirkland Bread Flour or King Arthur Bread Flour.
First, mix the starter and water together until combined. Then stir in the flour. Once fed, allow the starter to sit and grow. Depending on your kitchen temperature and feeding ratio, it usually takes 6–8 hours to become active, doubled in size, and nice and bubbly.
If Your Starter Has Been Sleeping
If your starter has been sitting in the refrigerator for two weeks or longer, it may need two feedings before it’s strong enough for baking.
After the first feeding, you’ll likely have more starter than you need. Remove about three-quarters of the starter. The portion you remove is called discard.
I keep my discard in a separate container in the refrigerator because there are so many wonderful recipes that use it. English muffins, pancakes, waffles, pizza dough, crackers, brownies, and scones are just a few of the endless possibilities.
One important tip:
Never pour sourdough discard down your sink. It can harden and contribute to plumbing problems. If you aren’t saving it, simply scrape it into the trash.
Then feed the remaining starter again using the same method. After the second feeding, your starter should be active, bubbly, and ready to bake.
Final Thoughts
Sourdough doesn’t have to become an everyday commitment. By keeping a small starter in the refrigerator and feeding it only when I’m ready to bake, I’ve found a routine that fits my schedule and keeps baking enjoyable instead of overwhelming.
When I first started, I focused almost exclusively on making the traditional artisan sourdough loaf. Looking back, it was probably the most frustrating thing I could have chosen! There are so many variables—hydration, proofing time, over-proofing, under-proofing, room temperature, and shaping—that it can be discouraging for beginners.
If I were starting over, I’d become comfortable making recipes like English muffins, scones, focaccia, or sandwich bread first. They’re incredibly rewarding, more forgiving, and you’ll build confidence while learning how your starter behaves. For example, my sister bakes with sourdough all the time, but 95% of what she makes is bagels—and they’re amazing! Find the recipes your family will enjoy the most and that bring you the most joy. That’s what makes sourdough fun.
And remember—if you’d like to get started without the hassle of creating your own starter from scratch, I’d be happy to share some of mine. Just let me know about two days in advance!
Recommended Accounts to Follow
There are endless sourdough bakers on social media who share recipes, tips, and inspiration. Here are a few I enjoy following:
- Our niece’s micro bakery in Texas: https://www.facebook.com/p/Jos-Doughlights-Bread-Bakes-61557450932645/
- https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61551036125348
- https://www.facebook.com/thesourdoughhoe
- https://www.facebook.com/chelsea.ferrie.3
Happy baking!
Jill