My original post on how to make gluten free sourdough bread turned out to be so long, I felt it would be so much easier for everyone if I broke it down by writing up how to make the gluten free starter information separately.
I will cover all of the steps needed to make a gluten free sourdough starter with several different gluten free flours and blends so you can compare and dive in to make your own starter!
When I first interviewed Sadie at Bread Srsly, she was so generous to share an older version of her famous sourdough recipe with me to share with my readers. I have streamlined Sadie's original recipe and tested a few different gluten free flours and blends in order to make it easier for you to recreate this recipe.
If you want to try her original recipe, you could use 1/4 cup of millet flour or 1/4 cup of sorghum flour. (Check out Rachel's comment in my Gluten Free Sourdough post linked at the top of this page to see her comments how she uses the millet flour!)
Sourdough starter instructions:
- Day One: Mix together equal parts of a gluten free flour blend and water. I used 1/4 cup flour to 1/4 cup water ratio. If your gluten free flour blend is starchy, you will want to use 1/4 cup flour to 1/2 cup water. (Stay away from pure starch sources such as tapioca and potato.) *NOTE: I highly recommend using filtered or bottled water. Chlorine and chemicals will kill the beneficial bacteria you are trying to grow.
- Leave it in a bowl at room temperature. Cover the bowl with a towel. (You can use Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1 GF Blend , King Arthur Measure for Measure GF Blend., GF Jules Gluten Free Flour Blend), or individual flours like brown rice, millet, or sorghum.
- Use: I used 1/4 cup King Arthur Measure for Measure and also GF Jules GF Blend for my test starters. My reader Dana used 1/4 cup Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1.
Day 2-5: Every 8-12 hours, (2-3 times a day) add a little more flour and water. Stick to a 1:1 ratio, or the 1:2 ratio depending on which is working best for you. I keep my starter in my kitchen bay window, but I make sure it is completely covered by a clean kitchen towel so no sunlight gets in.
Day three: bubbling starter! I have fed it 2x a day with more flour and water.
After 3-5 days, your mixture should smell sour and have lots of bubbles. Congratulations! You are almost there.
Day 5: This is what it looks like now! It is thick and creamy looking with lots of little bubbles. It still has the consistency of runny pancake batter.
Now to make the actual starter that you use to make the bread!! Once your mixture is bubbling, add some to your bread mix (see recipe card below).
Do not use any yeast! Don't forget to check out my instructions for making the gluten free sourdough bread when you are ready to make your first loaf of sourdough bread!
Day 5: Add your starter, filtered water, and bread mix as listed above to a large bowl.
Cover with a towel and let rise for at least 12 hours. (See above photo, the mass should almost double in size.)
Once the bread has risen, put aside at least 1/4 cup as your new starter so you can keep making delicious sourdough things, like these gluten free sourdough bagels, and see how to feed your starter instructions below. Use the rest to make a loaf of bread with this recipe:
Gluten Free Sourdough Bread recipe to use this new starter to make a loaf of bread! You can also use it to make this crisp delicious gluten free sourdough pizza crust!
How to feed the starter?
If you love sourdough bread and want to continue making it regularly, your best bet is to keep a starter in the refrigerator. The starter will need to be fed in order for it to survive.
You will need to feed your starter in the refrigerator every 3 days in order to keep it going. I feed mine by adding 2 tablespoons of additional flour to 2 tablespoons purified water. Stir it well so the flour is incorporated in. If your blend is starchy, you can use 3 tablespoons water.
When you want to bake bread, take the starter out of the refrigerator the night before. Feed it (2 tablespoons flour and 3 tablespoons of purified water) and cover it completely with a clean kitchen towel. You don't want it exposed to the sunlight. Use for baking sourdough the next day then put the starter back into the refrigerator.
My daughter named our starter, Alfred. It is a tradition to name your sourdough starter. What will you name your starter?"
Can you switch flours mid-way?
I have been using the King Arthur Measure for Measure gluten free blend for a couple of weeks now and I finally used up the bag. I haven't been able to get more so I decided to add brown rice flour to feed my starter.
The starter exploded and almost overflowed over the sides of my jar. It tripled in size. I will be using some discard to make pizza tonight with it. I think moving to the brown rice flour fermented so quickly because it didn't have the starch that the King Arthur mix has.
Is it necessary to discard some starter?
Many people discard some of their starter as they are adding flour and water 3x a day to grow the starter. I totally understand this as you will end up with a huge starter if you don't toss some. There are definite benefits to discarding some of the starter as it makes the bacteria stronger.
I did not discard when making my starters. It wasn't in Sadie's original instructions and I had great luck without discarding anything.
How do I know if it has gone bad?
If your sourdough starter has been exposed to bacteria, it can go bad. The easiest way to tell if your starter is still good is to open it and smell before each use. Also, look at the starter to make sure it is still bubbling.
If it smells like unbaked bread, then it is still good and can be baked. If you notice a foul odor, mold growing or pink or orange tint, then it has gone bad and should be discarded.
What is the liquid on top of my starter?
The liquid that forms on top of your sourdough starter is known as "hooch". When you see hooch in your starter that is an indicator that the sourdough needs to be fed. The development of hooch is perfectly normal and not a cause for concern.
Simply drain off the hooch before you feed the sourdough starter. You may notice the hooch smells like alcohol and this is normal as well.
Can I freeze the starter?
Yes, you can freeze the sourdough starter. If you decide to freeze the starter, you will not have to feed it. When you are ready to bake the bread, you will need to give the sourdough starter a week before the dough is active again. Once you remove it from the freezer, you will need to begin the feeding process.
Freezing the starter is an excellent idea if you just don’t have the time and effort to keep feeding it. I recommend freezing the sourdough starter if you are going on vacation or aren’t going to be home for some reason for several days.
Don't forget to check out the next step...making the sourdough bread!
How to Make a Gluten Free Sourdough Starter
An easy tutorial to make your own homemade gluten free sourdough starter
Materials
- 1/4 cup gluten free flour
- 1/2 cup purified or bottled water
Tools
- Small jar
- Spoon
- Clean dishtowel
Instructions
- Add the flour and water to a jar and mix well.
- Cover with a clean dish towel and leave it on the counter. I kept mine in my kitchen bay window so it was warmed by the sun.
- 3x a day, add 2 tablespoons of flour and 1/4 cup water. You want the consistency to be like runny pancake batter so feel free to use more water if the starter needs it. Some gluten free flours need more liquid so go by the water feel of the starter.
- By day 3-5 your starter mix should be bubbly and smell sour.
- Add your starter to the bread mix:
2 cups gluten free flour blend (*see note)
1 1/2 tsp Kosher salt
1/2 c sourdough starter (see post for directions to make this)
water by feel
Mix well and set out to rise for 12-24 hours. Congratulations! This is your starter. See my gluten free sourdough bread recipe linked in this article for the bread recipe to use your starter with.
Notes
I have used sorghum and millet flours sucessfully. I also have used King Arthur Measure for Measure GF Blend, Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1 GF Blend, and GF Jules gluten free flour blends to make a sucessful starter.
Tcat
Finally got a batch that's looking good! Switched from Reds 1:1 to King Arthur M4M. Starter about doubled 5th day, started the 1st bread recipe, waiting 12-24 hrs.
I still have at least ½ cup of starter after I used ½ cup in bread mix. Why not use this to continue feeding, rather than pulling ½ cup from the bread mix? Or does it matter?
Sandi Gaertner
That is awesome! It probably doesn't matter because it isn't a large amount.
Douglas austin
Once the start is made, how do you store it?
Sandi Gaertner
Hi Douglas, thanks for asking. If you plan to use this starter often, store on the counter and feed it 2x a day. If you only plan to make 1-2 loaves a week, you can store it in the refrigerator and just take it out the night before you use it (feed it and let it sit out overnight.)
Charlotte
Hi!
So just to clarify...after the 12 hr rise...then you take 1/2 cup out and that is the “reserve starter”?
Also if I understand this correctly...once you add the flour/water/starter mentioned at the end...this is also the start of making the actual bread recipe right?
Thanks!
Sandi Gaertner
That is correct Charlotte.
Tcat
I'm just starting the starter, am confused. You start with ¼c flour and water, add 1 tbs flour and 2 tbs water twice a day for 3-5 days, so you have about a cup or so on day 5.
Then you say add to bread mix on day 5 to make the "real starter" . So now have 3 or 4 cups of starter? It's like your making starter twice, then you use ½c to make your bread. So you can store the other 2 or 3 cups that are left? But you say store ¼c in fridge. Confused between where starter ends and bread begins. Thanks!
Sandi Gaertner
Hi. Thanks for asking. That real starter is what you make your first loaf from. Take 1/2 cup out after adding the bread mixture. That is your new starter and the rest you use to make the bread.
Tcat
One other question. Day one starts out:
"Day One: Mix together equal parts of a gluten free flour blend and water. I used 1/4 cup flour to 1/2 cup water ratio"
"Equal parts", is not ¼:½. All the rest is the ¼:½ ratio.
I'm on day 3 doesn't seem to be riding, but is bubbling a little.
Sandi Gaertner
This is going to depend on your flour blend. If it is starchy, you will do better if the mix is more watery. If you use single flours, 1:1 is often better. I will go in and try to clarify in the post more. Thank you.
Julie
Hi, looking forward to starting this process. About this part of the recipe
Add your starter to the bread mix:
2 cups gluten free flour blend (*see note)
1 1/2 tsp Kosher salt
1/2 c sourdough starter (see post for directions to make this)
water by feel
Mix well and set out to rise for 12-24 hours. Congratulations! This is your starter. See my gluten free sourdough bread recipe linked in this article for the bread recipe to use your starter with.
Is the ‘bread mix’ you refer to a bread recipe, or a second phase of the starter that then gets added to a bread recipe?
Thanks!
Sandi Gaertner
Hi Julie, Yes, the bread mix is the recipe in the recipe card at the bottom. You only have to do this once, then make sure to save 1/2 cup of the new starter for a new loaf.
Tcat
Still confused. I'm on day 6, finally bubbling and rising! Have about 1-1.5 cups of starter. Do I use ½c of this to make bread, and save ½c of it? Or do I use ½c, make the bread recipe, rise for 12-24hrs, and call this the starter? Use ½c of this for bread and save ½c of this, and throw out the rest of this 1st bread recipe?
Sandi Gaertner
I am so glad you are getting bubbles :-). Use 1/2 cup to make bread and the rest can be used as starter to keep feeding etc. Many will discard some at this point. I have pizza loving kids so I usually make a loaf and a big pizza, then put the remaining 1/2 in a clean mason jar and feed it to keep it going as my starter.
Dina
Have you tried Cup4Cup gluten-free multipurpose flour, and if so did it turn out well?
Sandi Gaertner
Hi Dina, I scanned all comments on both the starter and the bread post, then looked at a post in the gluten free sourdough FB group and Charlene did use Cup4Cup. I am pasting her comments here for you just in case you are not in that group.
"Used Only Cup4Cup Flour blend for every step including bread making. Why? We have had good experiences using this blend and it is affordable especially during these unprecedented times. After much research could not find any info regarding Cup4Cup so thought to try making a sourdough start and bread with it. Pleasantly surprised!
Disclaimer: I am NOT a professional baker or scientist
Start
3:00 pm Make a start 1/4 cup flour and distilled water in mason jar. Covered with plastic wrap.
Day 1
11:30 am Did not discard. Add 1/3 cup flour and water. Cover with dishcloth instead of plastic wrap to see if that helps.
9:00 pm it’s doubled in size. Discard some and feed it 1/3 cup flour and water.
Day 2
9:30 am starter doubles in size! Discard and feed 1/3 cup flour and water. Rise a little in day.
5pm discard and keep and feed 1/3 cup flour and water
Day 3
AM Rise about 30% more. Let it sit all day. By evening it rose and had lots of big air gaps
6:45 pm discard and feed 1/2 cup flour and water
11:30 pm start has already risen 50%
Day 4
8:45 am start has doubled and lots of bubbles and smells sour. Decide to try making bread with it. Keep some for start and use about 1/2 cup of start to make bread (according to recipe)
9:00 am make batter for sourdough bread and let it rise all day
Here is what I did:
(This is not a Gluten free recipe)
2 cups GF flour blend
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 1/2 tsp sugar (helps for a faster rise)
1/2 cup sourdough starter
1 1/4 cup water (add enough to make a medium thick pancake batter)
-put dry ingredients into bowl and whisk together
-add water and sourdough start
-you want a dough that is wet like a pancake batter
-pour batter into a greased loaf pan to rise
-let dough rise for 12 to 24 hours at room temperature or until batter rises to top of pan
-heat oven to 450
-put loaf into oven and decrease oven to 420 for 20 minutes
-decrease oven to 375 for 30 minutes
-bread should be around temperature 205
-let cool completely before slicing
Adapted from this recipe:
https://www.fearlessdining.com/chef-recipe-bread-srslys.../
8:35 pm it had risen to top of pan
Heat oven to 450, then turn down to 420 and bake for 20 minutes. Change to 380 for another 25 minutes.
Loaf shrunk. Crispy and moist on inside. Hard outer crust. Yummy"
amber
Hi! Is it beneficial to use a bowl vs say a quart sized Mason jar? Does is make a difference or maybe make the original starter in a bowl and then switch to a Mason jar for keeping in the refrigerator?
Sandi Gaertner
I don't see any issues with using a bowl, just make sure it is very clean and use only purified water.
Beth Nordquist
"Day One: Mix together equal parts of a gluten free flour blend and water. I used 1/4 cup flour to 1/2 cup water ratio"
1/4 cup flour & 1/2 cup water is a 1:2 ratio, not equal parts. What am I missing?
Sandi Gaertner
Hi Beth, Thanks for your note. It really goes by what Sadie calls water feel. Some gluten free flours absorb more water than others. Please use enough water so your starter has the consistency of pancake batter.
Chris
I had the same question and decided to use what was in the boxed area of the recipe.