Making a gluten free sourdough starter couldn’t be easier. Start with three simple ingredients, a little time and patience, and your starter is ready to make delicious homemade gluten free sourdough bread, pizza, pancakes, and waffles in about seven days!
A Gluten Free Journey
I started my gluten free sourdough journey in the summer of 2018. At the time I had just recently become proficient at sourdough bread when my doctor declared she wanted me to give a gluten free trial a go. And so the journey began.
I’m eating gluten again, but through the development of this gluten free starter, and consequently seeded gluten free sourdough bread and gluten free sourdough pizza crust, the Vanilla And Bean community has shown interest.
Gluten free sourdough starter is simple to make, but it took a bit of trial and error for me to get to this point. While it’s similar to developing a glutenous sourdough starter, I found some gluten free flours to be more reliable than others in producing a consistent GF sourdough bread starter result. After months of testing, I’m sharing with you my best gluten free sourdough starter.
If you want to learn how to make delicious and flavorful homemade gluten-free sourdough bread recipes, then a strong GF sourdough starter is where to begin.
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How to Make Gluten Free Sourdough Starter
step by step
This simple recipe generally takes about 5-7 days to complete, but it could take longer. You’ll think about it more than the time it takes to make it: checking on it periodically, looking for bubbles, taking a whiff for a bit of that sweet and sour aroma we’re after. The key is patience and consistency.
It’s ready when it’s ready.
Once the starter is puffy, has a sweet-sour aroma and bubbles are present under the surface (see pictures below), you’re ready for the next step: feed your starter!
Note: at about day three or four, your starter will begin to smell unpleasant, like sweaty socks. keep going… it will change for the better!
How to Feed Your Gluten Free Sourdough Starter
To keep your starter balanced and strong, you’ll need to refresh it, or feed it before using it in a recipe.
I feed mine at least every other week, once a week if I remember, when stored in the fridge, but always 8-12 hours before I’m ready to mix the sourdough. Also, I keep the starter in a glass jar with a rubber band around the starting level (after I refresh it) so I can track its progress as it develops.
To Feed Your Starter
- First, in a clear jar you’ll add part of your sourdough starter (throw out or save the leftover to make gluten free sourdough pancakes or sourdough waffles using your discard). Then you’ll whisk in the water and add the flours.
- Next, loosely lid and wrap a rubber band around the jar at the height of the starter. This will give you a visual indication of how much the starter has grown as it grows to double in size.
- Last, allow the starter to develop at room temperature for about 8-12 hours. The time will vary due to ambient temperature.
When is the Starter Ready?
Once your GF sourdough bread starter has doubled in size, is bubbly and has a sweet-sour aroma, it’s ready to use in this gluten free sourdough bread recipe. After measuring out the portion needed for your recipe, refresh the starter, as indicated above and store in the fridge until your next feeding.
The starter will not stay in this doubled in size state for long. At some point after doubling in size, it will begin to lose its strength and fall. The exact amount of time will vary from starter to starter but I’ve typically observed a few hours window, at room temperature, where the starter will remain doubled in size. On warm days, it’s shorter. But in the refrigerator, it’ll hold for quite a while. I’ve observed at least over eight hours! Once it starts falling back down after doubling in size, you’ll need to refresh (or feed) it and allow it to double in size again before using it in a sourdough bread recipe.
If your starter is struggling to double in size, you’ll need to go through a few cycles of refreshment to build strength in the starter. You can even refresh twice within a 12 hour period if needed. Doing this builds flavor and will help later in the development of your gluten free sourdough bread. I do a series of refreshments after freezer storage or a long period of neglect in the refrigerator before using it in a recipe.
How to Maintain Gluten Free Sourdough Starter
Think of your sourdough starter as a refrigerator pet that needs regular attention. There’s yeast and bacteria that make up the starter so it needs to be fed (refreshed) on a regular basis. Your starter can be stored at room temperature if you’re baking daily.
However, if baking only once every one or two weeks, store your starter in the refrigerator. This will slow your starter down, yet keep it viable for regular feedings and baking weekly or biweekly.
What is That Layer of Liquid?
Sometimes while you’re building your starter and/or after your starter is established, you may notice a layer of liquid that forms on the surface. This liquid is called hooch, a naturally occurring alcohol that indicates your starter is hungry, that it’s a little past time to feed your starter, and is an indication of a weak (hungry) starter. Hooch should have a pleasant sweet-sour aroma. You can pour it off or stir it into your starter and carry on with refreshment.
If you notice hooch after refreshing your starter, and you’ve missed the doubled in size bake window, you’ll need to feed your starter twice a day, about every eight hours, which will remedy hooch and build strength in your starter. Putting your starter in a cooler area of the house should help too. This will slow down the fermentation process.
Freeze Your Starter to Preserve It!
If you’ll be away from baking for a while and need to store your starter longer than a few weeks, it can go in the freezer, unfed. When ready to use it again, thaw it out in the refrigerator and refresh it a few times within a window of 12-24 prior to baking with it. Be sure to allow it to double in size again.
Remember, your starter is ready when it doubles in size, is bubbly and has a pleasant sweet-sour aroma.
Traci’s Tips
- Time is a guide rather than a determining factor for when the starter is ready. Use the cues and your senses to determine when it’s ready. It may take longer than seven days. It’s ready when it’s ready.
- For leftover sourdough starter (discard), you can keep it in a jar for use in other recipes, give some away or throw it out. It can be used in gluten free sourdough pancakes, sourdough waffles or my gluten free sourdough pizza crust recipe without having to double it in size… and it’s absolutely delicious! I keep a jar in my refrigerator and refill it as I discard the leftover starter at refreshment time. The discard can be frozen too.
- If you see any mold or a layer of pinkish/orange/white slimy color on the top of your starter, throw it out and make a new starter. This can be avoided simply keeping your starter happy and well fed, refreshing it weekly in the fridge or daily at room temperature.
- Float Test: If you’re a glutenous sourdough baker and have used the float test in the past to observe when your sourdough starter is ready, the same idea doesn’t work for gluten free sourdough starter. So, you’ll need to go on observation alone. Remember: the starter doubles in size, smells of a sweet-sour aroma and has air pockets within the starter (or is bubbly).
Note: Through testing this recipe I found sweet white rice flour or Bob’s Red Mill AP 1-1 Gluten Free Baking Flour to be an essential component in developing a strong and consistent gluten free starter. Mixed with buckwheat or brown rice flour yields consistent results.
Gluten-Free Sourdough Starter (Beginner Friendly!)
Ingredients
- Buckwheat Flour, or Brown Rice Flour
- Sweet White Rice Flour, or Bob's Red Mill AP 1-1 gluten free baking flour
- Water, room temperature **see note
Instructions
- Day One: In a medium glass bowl or jar, whisk together 2 T (20g) buckwheat or brown rice flour, 2 T (20g) sweet rice flour and 1/4 C (60g) of water. Cover with a damp tea towel and rest at room temperature for 24 hours.
- Day Two: In a clean medium glass bowl or jar, whisk 2 T (40g) of mixture you made yesterday (throw out the leftovers), 2 T (20g) buckwheat or brown rice flour, 2 T (20g) sweet rice flour and 1/4 C (60g) of water. Cover with a damp towel or loose fitting lid and rest at room temperature for 24 hours.
- Day Three Through Day Six or Seven (or beyond): Repeat step two using the previous days starter until the mixture becomes puffy, has a pleasant sweet-sour aroma and bubbles begin or air pockets are visible under the surface. This process takes about six to seven days (as this has been my experience) – but it may take longer. Time is not a determining factor for when the starter is ready, it's simply a guide. It's ready when it's ready. Use the cues and your senses to determine when your starter is ready. This is the nature of sourdough. Before using your new starter in a recipe, you'll need to refresh (feed) it.Â
How to Refresh your Gluten Free Sourdough Starter:
- Once you have an established starter, you'll need to feed it.In a clean lidded jar, add 1/4C (60g) of sourdough starter (throw out or save the leftover 'discard'). To the starter, mix in 1/3 C (80g) room temperature water. Add 3 T (30g) buckwheat flour and 3 T (30g) sweet white rice flour to the water mixture. Mix well until the flours are hydrated. Wrap a rubber band around the jar at the height of the starter. This will give you a visual indication of how much the starter has grown. Put a lid on the jar (it doesn't need to be loose – just regular) and allow the starter to develop at room temperature for about 8-12 hours* or until it doubles in size. The time will vary due to ambient temperature.If your starter is struggling to double, place it somewhere warm, like inside a turned off oven with a light on. You can also try feeding twice a day to nudge the starter along.Once the starter has doubled in size, is bubbly, and has a sweet-sour aroma, it's ready to use in your gluten free sourdough bread recipe.After measuring out the portion needed for your recipe, refresh the starter, as indicated above and store it until ready to use again. Â
How to Store Your Starter:
- Room Temperature: The starter can be stored at room temperature if you bake daily, which also means it will need to be refreshed daily. Store it in a glass jar with a lid. Refrigerator: Ideally, you'll want to refresh your starter (feed it) each week if stored in the refrigerator. When preparing for mixing, and after pulling the starter from the fridge, you may need to refresh it twice within a 12 hour period to get it going again. This is not always the case, but sometimes the starter can be sluggish. Store it in a glass jar with a lid. Freezer: For longer storage, place your starter in the freezer. It will revive after it thaws in the refrigerator and goes through a few refreshments. Store it in a glass jar with a lid.
How to Store Your Discard if Saving:
- Once you have an established starter, you can use it for bread, and your discard for pancakes, waffles, pizza and other recipes to add that tangy sourdough flavor. Store it in the fridge, in a lidded glass jar, for up to two weeks. You may see a layer of hooch, and this is not unusual. You can pour it off or stir it in. If you see any white, orange or pink film or mold, toss it. You can also store your discard in the freezer for longer storage. Thaw it in the fridge before using in a recipe.
Video
Notes
Made it? Leave a comment below!
The most helpful comment may include recipe rating, feedback, any modifications or helping other commentors.
I’ve seen a lot of starter guides that promote a 1:1:1 mass ratio (e.g. 100 g starter from previous day + 100 g flour + 100 g warer). Is there generally a need for more water mass with GF flours? You seem to need 50% more water than these other recipes that use wheat-based flours.
Hi Zac! Through my testing I found when working with gluten free flours, higher hydration allows for improved sourdough activity (and better rise). For my glutenous sourdough I use 1:1:1, but with GF it didn’t work for me after much testing. I don’t know of there’s a general need, but this is what works for me consistently. I hope this helps!
Hi Traci. My starter is going along well — despite the fact that I realized (in reading another comment) that I’m using White Rice Flour and not Sweet White Rice Flour. In any case, I think it’s looking good and I’m on day 4. My question is this — it doesn’t seem to be a ton of starter. I know when I do the leaven it may get to be more, but I have some recipes I want to try that call for more starter. How can I bulk this up if I wanted to?
Hi Ashley! Simply increase your feedings by quarter or double. That’ll bulk it up!
Hi! Super excited to try this – I’m on day 2 now! Can you clarify, on days 3+ do I continue to only keep 2 TBS of the starter or do I keep half? Thanks :)
Hi Jax… you got it. Use 2 Tbs of what you made the day before and toss the rest. Then add your water and flours. I hope this helps!
You’re a genius! LOL But seriously….the thought of sourdough always intimidated me. I LOVE to bake, and have been making gluten free bread for the last 2 years. This worked beautifully with your bread recipe; hands down, most delicious GF bread I’ve ever had. There’s no going back to. my old recipes (and those were pretty tasty too).
Anyway, a little tip for anyone having trouble getting their starter to double. After 8 days of feeding and establishing the starter, it appeared it was ready to use, so I was refreshing and waiting for that double. I was leaving it on the counter in the kitchen. Our kitchen can be pretty frosty, especially at night. I was not getting the rise needed. On a whim, I decided to house the starter in the microwave overnight, and BOOM, just like that, we got our double rise. So, if you know that your starter is ready but are having trouble with the rise, consider placing it in a warmer, more humid spot in your house. You will not regret being patient :).
Side note that the sourdough pancakes are delicious as well, and so happy not to have to throw away the discard. Planning to try your biscuit next.
Hehe! Hi R! Thank you for coming back, leaving a note and sharing your starter tips (I’ll add a note)! SO happy to hear you’re enjoying the bread and those pancakes! Here’s to good bread! :D
Hi! I am new to Gf baking. I started the starter ten days ago now but mistakenly used white rice flour instead of sweet rice flour. My started is smelling sour but isn’t getting puffy at all and is separating with liquid on top. Do I need to just discard this starter and start from scratch with sweet rice flour or can I save it somehow and convert feedings? Thanks so much!!
Hi Katy… Unfortunately I don’t have any experience with white rice flour in making this starter. What day are you on? You should be able to convert feedings just fine! I hope this helps!
Ok, thank you! I will try converting it. I am on day 10 but haven’t had any rise yet which made me think something was up.
Hi Traci,
I was just given your starter from a friend and am excited to get baking. There’s a little less than one cup though. Could I just feed/refresh it right in the jar so that it makes more, instead of transferring to a new container and discarding the extra ? I have used non GF sourdough for years and we just feed it directly in the container once a week. I’m wondering if this technique might work with your refresh recipe. Thanks! Appreciate your blog!
Hi Meghan! Hooray for receiving a starter! Feel free to manage your starter to fit your needs. This method is simply how I manage my starter and what I’ve found works for me and the particular associated GF sourdough recipes.
Thank you! It’s so precious, I just don’t want to ruin it:) Appreciate your response immensely!
Hi Traci, instead of transferring the 40 g of starter to a new jar every day is there an amount that I can remove from the jar (to discard) and then add the new water and flour to the same jar? Or is there another reason to start with a clean jar every day? Thanks!
Hi Kaitlyn! I know it seems like an extra step to use a clean jar/bowl, but I noticed mold growing around the sides and towards the top of the bowl after a few days of using the same bowl. So, to work clean, I just use a new vessel each time. I hope this helps!
When you say for Day 2: “Take a portion of the previous days mix (discard the leftover), and in a clean jar or bowl whisk in previous days mix, water and buckwheat and sweet rice flour. Lid or cover with a damp tea towel and set aside at room temperature for 24 hours… ” do you always work with the amount you are ‘removing’ in a new jar each day? What would happen if you removed the required portion, and then worked with the amount left in the original jar?
Hi Barbara… The specific measurements for day 2 are on the recipe card. As long as you’re following the proportions (measurements), it doesn’t matter what portion of the gf starter you make your refreshment with. Does that make sense?
Yes it does. Many thanks for such a prompt reply! Now to see if I can find the right flour….yahoo!
I have loved following your instructions on how to make a gluten free starter! Mine looks and smells beautiful, but it is not fully doubling, maybe like 1.5-ing. It’s been just over a week. Should I continue refreshing it daily until it doubles, or do you think I could give baking with it a go? *side note: I didn’t have the suggested flours so am using cassava and tigernut, which may very well explain my problem. It’s just so bubbly and nice that I feel like it’s working.
Hi Natalie, since I don’t have any experience with these flours it’s hard for me to say if the starter will be enough to rise bread. You can keep feeding to see if it will double, but for how long, I just don’t know.
Have started sour dough starter, not from scratch though was a brown rice flour starter that had gone a bit sour so started your instructions from day 2 is now day 5 and it is still quite watery is it ok or should I discard it and start new one. Is bubbly on surface. Cover it with muslin with rubber band around it but it is dry is this ok
Hi Jill… I would start fresh.