Sourdough - Little Wife in the Woods

Soft and Simple Sourdough Dinner Rolls Recipe

August 2, 2024

*Post contains affiliate links.

These sourdough dinner rolls are so soft and fluffy! Their buttery texture will melt in your mouth and satisfy every taste bud. They pair perfectly with a good from-scratch dinner!

Dinner Roll Goals

I have been trying to master the dinner roll since I was a teenager! I’ve been close but never as close as these. I’ve made some good rolls but they always lacked.

I think it’s because my expectations were all set off of one roll- the Queen of the Southern Dinner Table. If you know you know!! Sister Schubert dinner rolls are the top five of the must haves for every southern dinner party, thanksgiving dinner, and church supper.

When I think of a good dinner roll my mind immediately goes there. I remember always fighting for the last one at super. There was just something addictive about those rolls!

If you are shopping the grocery aisles today, you also know that a bag of ten rolls now costs around $5. Worth it? Probably! However, the ingredients are what concerned me most. Some not-so great things including soybean oil, sugar, and other nasty things somehow got packed into the best tasting rolls on the shelf.

For a family trying to limit usage of processed foods and non-real food ingredients I couldn’t overlook this. I also decided that if we are going to eat the carbs anyways they might as well be sourdough! (Since that’s healthy, right!?)

Needless to say, these sourdough dinner rolls have turned out the closest I’ve ever gotten to Sister Schubert and I’m so excited to share!

Sourdough Dinner Rolls vs Yeast Dinner Rolls

So what’s the difference? Taste wise, I feel like they are pretty close (let me know in the comments after you try the recipe!). The biggest difference is in time and healthiness.

• Time

The time factor is a big deal. Yeast is of course faster in most cases with slower rise time and no fermentation process. I began these sourdough dinner rolls around 9am and they were ready by dinner time around 6pm.

This might seem like forever but the amount of time they actually consume is fairly small. The majority is rise time and fermentation. They can easily be walked away from which makes the process more convenient.

• Healthiness

Sourdough is always the better option when it comes to sourdough vs yeast. The fermentation process of sourdough helps to break down the glutens in what you are baking. This makes it easier to digest, especially for those with a gluten sensitivity.

Starter is also packed full of probiotics. This is better for gut as it encourages the growth of healthy bacteria and helps maintain balance in the microbiome.

Ingredients

These rolls are made with simple ingredients! My favorite place to source natural ingredients I can trust is Thrive Market. Thrive is my one stop grocery stop for quality, organic products for my pantry and beyond at affordable prices!

Click here to get $60 in FREE groceries when you use my link!

Sourdough starter. You will want an active (recently fed and at peak rise), bubbly starter for best results. Less active (not peak rise but recently fed) starter can be used with similar results.

Water. Warm water is best!

Butter. You will need one stick (1/2 cup) melted butter for making your sourdough dinner rolls and a bit more to top them- measure with your heart. Use salted for best results or a 1/2 tsp extra in rolls.

Baking powder. This makes your rolls soft and fluffy.

Honey. Honey or other sweetener gives these dinner rolls a slightly sweet taste. To make them sweeter (like a Hawaiian roll) add more honey or whatever sweetener you prefer.

Salt. As main ingredient and a little to sprinkle on top.

All-purpose flour. As always, I prefer unbleached all-purpose flour.

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Simple-Sourdough-Ad-1024x366.png

Want to learn all about my simple, tried and true method of making and maintaining my sourdough starter? Go grab my downloadable mini e-book full of all my tips and tricks for beginners! Check out my other sourdough essentials while you are at it! Use code SOURDOUGH10 at checkout for 10% off.
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Tips

These rolls are probably among the most simple sourdough recipes here on the blog! There are not many tricks or techniques you need to know. They are basically fool proof! However, here are just few things that might help you make the best sourdough dinner rolls on your first try…

Dough Texture. The dough texture should be pretty thick and not very sticky (some stick is okay). You are looking for a step below a play dough like texture. It is okay for your dough to look a bit “rough” or not smooth during the fermentation process.

Temperature. The amount of time it takes for a good rise all depends on temperature. If you find that things are taking a very long time to rise, you live in a cooler climate, or you keep your home temp pretty low try heating your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 5 minutes. Turn the oven off and give it around 10 minutes to cool down a bit. Place your pan of rolls in the oven to rise. Another idea would be to place your rolls on the warm stovetop while your oven is heated to 350.

Shaping the rolls. You don’t want to overwork the dough during the shaping process. For this reason I did not stress about uniformity or design. I simply cut them and added them to the pan, helping the ones that needed a bit of shape. If you are wanting more uniformity I recommend using the 1/3 fold system to shape as this does not overwork them as much.

*1/3 fold system: simply lay the dough flat and fold into 1/3rds and into 1/3rds again.

Sourdough Dinner Rolls

A delicious, buttery roll that melts in your mouth! This dinner roll is easy to make and so good to eat. Start in the morning and have them ready by dinner time!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 9 10

Cook Time 18

Total Time 9 28

Course Appetizer, bread, dinner, Side Dish

Servings 16 rolls

Ingredients

1 cup sourdough starter active and bubbly for best results
¾ cup warm water
1 stick melted butter
¼ cup honey
1 ½ tbsp baking powder
2 tsp salt
3 cups all-purpose flour

Instructions

Mix starter, water, butter, honey, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl or bowl of stand mixer.
Add two cups of flour then add 1/4 cup of flour at a time until dough is soft and pliable. Some stickiness is okay. You are looking for a play dough like texture just a bit stickier. Shagginess or roughness is completely fine, just not overly sticky.
Allow dough to ferment on the countertop or in the refrigerator for about six hours.
Place dough on a floured countertop and shape into a ball. Using a butterknife or a dough cutter cut dough ball into ½ slices then into ¼. Cut the ¼ pieces in ½ down the middle. This should give you 16 rolls all together.
Place rolls into a greased 9×13 pan. Cover and allow to rise for about 2-3 hours or until doubled in size.
Bake at 350℉ for about 18-20 minutes or until tops are golden brown.
While still warm top rolls generously with butter and sprinkle with salt.

Keyword dinner roll, easy sourdough recipe, sourdough, sourdough dinner roll, sourdough rolls

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The Best Easy All-Purpose Sourdough Pie Crust Recipe

July 2, 2024

This all-purpose sourdough pie crust recipe is easy and delicious! Enjoy this soft, buttery crust with anything that calls itself pie.

Why Sourdough Pie Crust?

You may be wondering, why sourdough? For one, you could just buy a pie crust from the store for fairly cheap. It wouldn’t take nearly as long!

Or maybe you do want scratch-made crust but you’re still wondering, why sourdough?

First of all, it’s a really great, easy way to use your discard. This recipe can be made with active starter or discard, making it perfect for when you just need to get rid of some starter. Not to mention it’s delicious!

Another reason to use sourdough starter in your pie crust is the health benefit factor. All the probiotics in the starter instantly makes sourdough pie crust a much better option than store-bought or even other from-scratch recipes!

Don’t have a sourdough starter? Go grab a Little Wife in the Woods starter over in our Etsy shop! Or learn how to make your own starter from scratch in this post.

Ways to Use Sourdough Pie Crust

Sourdough pie crust can be use for just about anything that calls itself pie. You can adjust this recipe for any of them by adding or subtracting honey. For fruit pies/dessert pies add a bit more to make the crust sweeter. If you are making a savory meal, use less honey in your crust.

My favorite crusty foods…

Sugar free apple pie
Chicken pot pie
Meat pie
Peach pie
Chocolate pie
Caramel pie
Thin crust pizza

Ingredients You Need to Make Sourdough Crust

One of my favorite things about this recipe is the simplicity of the ingredients. It only takes six ingredients to make this perfect little pie crust. The best part- you probably already have them in your kitchen! You will need…

Sourdough starter
Water
Honey/sugar
Salt
All-purpose flour
1 stick or 1/2 cup of butter

Flour. I prefer to use unbleached all-purpose flour. Being a more naturally minded person I dislike the idea of there being chemicals in my baked goods. For this reason I use unbleached flour by King Arthur. You can get organic unbleached flour cheaper on Thrive! Use my link to get 40% off your first order.

Butter. I personally only use salted butter in just about all my recipes. I know some people prefer to use unsalted for any baked goods. However, I like food with lots of flavor so I use salted butter and salt in my recipes.

Tips

Laminating. Lamination is a necessary step if you want a nice, flakey crust. It sounds complicated but it’s very simple! Follow these steps for success…

1. Make your dough according to the recipe below and allow to chill.

2. Grate 1 stick chilled (or fresh from the refrigerator) butter.

3. Half the dough and roll out to about 1/8-1/4 in flat with a rolling pin.

4. Add 1/4 of grated butter to surface of rolled out dough then fold in half.

5. Add another 1/4 of the grated butter to the surface of the 1/2 folded dough, then fold into 1/4ths.

6. Now roll the dough out flat again.

This created flakey, buttery dough for pie crusts, pastries, and croissants.

Refrigeration. Working with cold dough and cold butter is key!! This will give your crust that extra flakiness. The refrigeration step is not essential, meaning you will have a good tasting crust if you need to skip the chilling process. However, best results are achieved when you are able to allow the crust to chill.

Sourdough Pie Crust

A soft, chewy, buttery pie crust made with sourdough starter. It is an all-purpose crust used for fruit pies, meat pies, and even thin crust pizza.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 1

Cook Time 25

Total Time 1 25

Course Dessert, Pizza

Servings 2 crusts

Ingredients

1/2 cup starter
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup honey
1 tsp salt
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 stick butter grated

Instructions

Dissolve starter in warm water for about 5 minutes then stir.
Add honey, salt, and flour. The dough should be nice and thick- just a little bit sticky but not overly much.
Shape dough into a ball. Chill in the freezer about 30-45 minutes. The dough should be very cold but not frozen.
Grate a stick of cold butter.
After chilling, half the ball of dough into two equal portions. This will give you a top and bottom crust.
Laminate the dough. (See the section of this post on laminating for more detailed instructions.) Roll out on a floured surface to about 1/8-1/4 thickness. Add butter to the surface of the dough then fold in half. Add more butter then fold in fourths. Now roll dough back out to 1/8-1/4 thickness. This will created layers in your crust.
Use the dough immediately or chill in the refrigerator in a sealed container to use when needed (or up to three days).

Notes

*Be sure to poke a few holes in your pie crust to make sure the air does not cause it to bubble up in odd places.

*You can also egg wash the top using an egg yolk and a bit of water. This will give it more of a clean, professional look.

Keyword dessert recipe, pie, pie crust, sourdough dessert, sourdough pie crust

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The Best Easy Sourdough Lemon Bread Recipe

June 26, 2024

This sourdough lemon bread recipe is perfect for the summer season. It has all the fresh tang of lemon with all the sweetness of a bakery style bread. Top it with lemon icing and enjoy with a sip of iced tea on the porch! Learn all about how to make it here…

sourdough lemon bread made with discard or active starter

Lemon Cake or Lemon Bread?

I had a really hard time deciding if this recipe should be called “sourdough lemon cake” or “sourdough lemon bread”. To be honest I am still pretty confused as to which category it would fall under. However, it was made in a bread pan so that is what we are going with.

If you make this recipe I would love some feedback and follow up in the comments as to which you feel it should be named- cake or bread!

Baking with Sourdough Starter

We are all familiar by now with the sourdough bread craze! After 2020 it seemed to absolutely blow up social media. What many of us did not know is that sourdough starter can be used in such a vast diversity of recipes- everything from savory to sweet!

Click here for my most basic sourdough bread recipe for beginners!

When added to a recipe sourdough starter adds benefits to health, texture, and taste! You might think it odd to add sourdough starter to something sweet like a cake or cookies. All I can say is, don’t knock it until you try it!

Looking for a place to source sourdough starter? Go check out our dehydrated starter over on our online shop!

Click Here

Due to the amount of sugar, natural or artificial, the “sour” taste of the sourdough starter is often canceled out. Meaning, what you make will not have the taste of sourdough necessarily but it will have all the nutritional benefits of the probiotics.

When adding sourdough starter to a recipe for the first time I highly recommend starting small. Things such as amount of sugar, amount of flour, eggs, or butter may need to be adjusted based on the hydration of your starter. What I have noticed as a general rule of thumb is that for every 1/2 cup starter you will need at least 1/2 cup more flour than what your recipe calls for- sometimes up to 1 cup more.

Tools You Need for Sourdough Lemon Bread

Making this sourdough lemon bread is simple and fun. Here’s everything you will need to make this recipe…

One large bowl/or stand mixer
Wire whisk or something to stir
One bread loaf pan (I prefer this glass one)
Lemon juicer or glass jar/bowl to juice lemons

Ingredients and Substitutions for Sourdough Lemon Bread

The ingredients for this recipe are simple and most likely all things you have on hand. Here is everything you need…

1/2 cup sourdough starter discard or active
1/2 cup water
1 stick butter
2 eggs
3/4 cup cane sugar
1/2 cup lemon juice about 1 and 1/2 lemons
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 cup all purpose flour

Substitutions and Adjustments

Active or discard starter can be used with similar results. No fermentation or rise time is required for this recipe. You can ferment the dough if you prefer by placing it in the refrigerator covered with a damp towel for about 8 hours.

Cane sugar can be substituted for honey or maple syrup if desired.

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Things like the organic cane sugar I used in this recipe, unbleached flour, cleaning supplies, snacks, and so much more! We love shopping Thrive and I know you will too. Click here to use my link and get a FREE $60 GIFT!

Storing

My sourdough lemon bread loaf did not last longer than a few days because we ate it that fast! However if you intend on having yours around a while you can store it in a cool, dry place (a bread bin) for up to five days or in the refrigerator for up to one week. Due to the moisture of the bread I would not recommend keeping it past seven days in the refrigerator.

If you want more from scratch, sourdough recipes from my kitchen to yours make sure you join the email list below so you never miss a post!

Sourdough Lemon Bread

A delicious cake-like bread with all the benefits of sourdough and all the sweetness of summer flavors! Moist sourdough bread flavored with fresh lemon and topped with lemon icing.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 30

Total Time 40

Course bread, Dessert

Servings 1 loaf

Ingredients

1/2 cup sourdough starter discard or active
1/2 cup water
1 stick butter
2 eggs
3/4 cup cane sugar
1/2 cup lemon juice about 1 and 1/2 lemons
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 cup all purpose flour

Lemon Icing

2 cups powdered sugar
2-3 tbsp lemon juice for thinner icing use more juice

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350℉
Combine starter, water, butter, eggs, sugar, and lemon juice in a large bowl.
Add baking powder, salt, and flour.
Pour into a greased bread pan and bake on 350℉ for 30-40 minutes or until the middle comes out clean with a toothpick.
Allow to fully cool before icing or slicing!

Lemon Icing

To make lemon icing for the top combine powdered sugar and lemon juice. Whisk well until the icing is smooth. Wait until the bread has completely cooled before applying icing.

Keyword lemon bread, lemon cake, lemon loaf bread, lemon loaf cake, sourdough bread, sourdough bread recipe, summer dessert, summer dessert recipe

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Sourdough Breadsticks Recipe: Simple and Quick Breadsticks From Scratch

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These sourdough breadsticks are quick and easy to make- so soft and buttery with a hint of garlic. This recipe can be long fermented or made quickly for convenience with active starter or discard. Learn all about how to make them in this post…

soft and easy sourdough discard breadsticks

Benefits of Sourdough Breadsticks

You might be here wondering- what in the world is up with all the sourdough things? First, you are seeing it everywhere because it’s the trendy thing! However, more importantly, a lot of us are here for benefits far beyond a trend…

Health Benefits of Sourdough

I could honestly write an entire post on this subject but here are just a few of the benefits of sourdough and why I personally choose it over yeast 99% of the time…

The breakdown of gluten. When you bake with sourdough the process of fermentation- long or short- breaks down the glutens far better than modified yeast products. This means your body is also able to break it down even better. Often those with gluten sensitivity and intolerance are able to eat sourdough.
The natural probiotics. The probiotic content in sourdough is so good for your gut! I decided that if I am making my own bread (or anything for that matter) I might as well get the most benefits out of it. The best thing about the probiotics in sourdough is that they are so easy on the digestive system.
Thoughtful ingredients. One of my favorite benefits of the sourdough world is that, often, when you are putting time and energy into a food you are much more likely to use quality ingredients. For example- I refuse to use bleached flour in anything! When it comes to my sourdough I am especially picky and choose to use only quality flour.

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Converting This to an All-Purpose Recipe

This recipe could be termed an “all-purpose” recipe. You can make this dough for any pizza/bread type side recipe. Here are a few ideas…

Pizza crust
Garlic knots
Cheese sticks
Pizza bombs
Pepperoni bites

If you are wanting to turn a pizza or side bread recipe into a sourdough recipe simply substitute the dough for this recipe below and add whatever other ingredients are required.

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Sourdough Breadsticks with Discard vs Active Starter

These breadsticks can be made with either discard or active starter- whichever you have on hand! I have tried to test both and see if there is a difference and honestly they taste exactly the same. The texture of the ones made with active starter were just a bit more fluffy. Both were delicious!

Sourdough Breadsticks Ingredients

The ingredients for these breadsticks are simple and stress free!

1 cup sourdough starter active or discard
1 cup warm water
1/4 cup honey or sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 cloves garlic
3 tbsp melted butter
garlic salt, optional

Substitutions for Sourdough Breadsticks

Honey and sugar. The sweetener is completely optional for this recipe. I found that it gives them a good flavor with a bit added but it is not necessary.

Baking powder. If you are using active, fresh fed starter it is not necessary to use baking powder. It simply softens and helps the breadsticks rise when discard (or less active) starter is used.

Want more sourdough recipes, from scratch dinner ideas, and more?! Make sure you subscribe to the email list so you never miss a post and discounts from Little Wife in the Woods!

Print Recipe

Sourdough Discard Breadsticks

An all-purpose bread dough recipe for breadsticks, pizza crust, garlic knots, and more.

Prep Time1 35

Cook Time15

Total Time1 50

Course: Appetizer, bread, Pizza, Side Dish

Keyword: Breadstick Recipe, Breadsticks, breadsticks from scratch, easy artisan bread, easy breadsticks, Easy sourdough breadstick recipe, from scratch breadsticks, Pizza side dish, Pizza side recipe, Pizza sides, Quick Breadsticks, quick pancakes, simple sourdough, Sourdough Breadsticks

Servings: 15 sticks

Ingredients

1 cup sourdough starter active or discard
1 cup warm water
1/4 cup honey or sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 cloves garlic
3 tbsp melted butter
garlic salt optional

Instructions

Combine starter and water. Allow to sit about 5 minutes, then stir.
Add honey, baking powder, salt, and flour.
Knead until smooth. The dough may be a bit sticky.
Let the dough rise for one hour. SEE NOTE #1.
Roll dough out on to floured surface.
Shape however you desire. For spiral technique follow the instructions below.
FOR SPIRAL SHAPE: Cut rolled out dough into 1 1/2-2 inch sections. Cut with a pizza cutter through the center of the section of dough almost all the way. Leave just a bit at the top of your cut (SEE PHOTO). Twist the parts together. Pinch the ends to keep them in tact.
After shaping, place on a greased pan and allow to rise for 30 minutes.
While dough is rising, melt butter and add finely chopped garlic. Brush the mixture on the breadsticks before baking. (I also add a bit of garlic salt.)
Bake at 350℉ for 12-15 minutes or until tops start to brown. Top with additional garlic butter after baking.

Notes

NOTE ONE: You may skip this step however it may result in slightly more dense and sour tasting breadsticks.

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*This post contains affiliate links from brands we love!

Want to learn more about mastering sourdough? Get my Beginner’s Guide to Simple Sourdough over in the shop! This mini digital guide is perfect for beginners and a great reference tool for experienced sourdough bakers to have on hand. Click the link below to get your copy and check out other items we have in the shop!
Click here to Get Your Guide!

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Recipe for Sourdough Pull-Apart Cheese and Herb Garlic Bread

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I think we have all had those loaves that did not turn out quite right but taste great regardless. Flat loaves, misshapen, etc. This bread is perfect for turning these mishaps into masterpieces!

The idea stemmed from a flat loaf that was over-proofed but tasted great. I have been working on implementing more zero-waste strategies into our home, beginning with the kitchen. It is amazing how much food you realize your family is wasting when you start to pay attention!

Of course you could use a perfectly good loaf of sourdough to make this recipe as well! It would make a great party snack/appetizer- great for sharing!

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Baking Sourdough Artisan Bread

This recipe requires a loaf of artisan bread- preferably sourdough, of course!

If you need a recipe click here for a relatively quick and easy recipe.

Baking artisan sourdough can be a true outlet of creativity! The process is slow, which to some might seem overwhelming but I promise the more you do it the more efficient your processes will become. Here are a few things to note when baking a loaf of artisan sourdough bread…

Timelines are flexible! Do not get too stunned by the amount of hours it takes to make a loaf. Sure, it takes longer to make than quick rise yeast breads. However, the total amount of time that you are actually working to make the bread is quite small. The rise times, rest times, and fermentation times can all be adjusted to fit your needs while also still achieving delicious bread!
It is more about feeling than measurements. Measurements are almost always relative when it comes to sourdough. We all live in different climates, keep our homes set to different temperatures, and experience different shifts in our environments. Keeping this in mind when you are working with sourdough will eliminate a lot of frustration.
If you fail, try again! The first several loaves a beginner makes are usually not that pretty magazine cover loaf that we are all hoping to achieve. Practice makes perfect! Try it again. Trouble-shoot and adjust!

Recipe Ideas for Sourdough “Fails”

Let’s be honest- the only real “fail” is one that tastes HORRIBLE! Anything short of that is a win. Flat loaves happen, even to experience sourdough makers. Sometimes things just flop and that is okay!

In regard to the flop that brought me this awesome recipe I decided to compile a list here for different things you can do with a sourdough fail. I would love to hear your ideas too! Drop one (or a few) in the comments!

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Earthly Wellness is a company dedicated to offering quality natural and herbal products for the whole family! I love Earthly because as a pregnant/nursing mom I can trust that I will have quick relief for headaches, sinus issues, fevers, and other common health concerns all while keeping my baby safe! Hop on over to earthly.com and use the code CHOOSENATURAL for 10% off your first purchase.

Garlic bread
Pizza crust (a very flat loaf cut in half would equal two pizzas)
Croutons
Bread crumbs
Soup bowls
French toast
Cinnamon Toast bites

If you give one of these a try I would love to know how it went!

Sourdough Pull Apart Cheese and Herb Garlic Bread

Delicious sourdough bread stuffed with cheese, garlic, and herbs! Easy to make with an existing loaf or from-scratch with a fresh loaf of sourdough bread. This recipe is a great shareable treat as an appetizer or party snack.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 10

Total Time 20

Course Appetizer, bread, Side Dish, Snack

Servings 8 servings

Ingredients

1 loaf artisan sourdough bread (see post for a link to my recipe)
1 cup grated cheese of choice (I mixed pepper jack and gouda for the loaf pictured)
1/2 cup melted butter
1 1/2 tsp garlic salt
2 tsp rosemary (or herbs of choice)

Instructions

Begin by cutting the surface of your sourdough bread in 1 inch rows vertically and horizontally (as pictured) but do not cut all the way through the bottom.
Melt butter and mix in garlic and herbs of choice.
Pour melted butter and herbs over the loaf. Pull bread apart in sections to get deep into the cracks.
Stuff cheese into the slices. (I found it easiest to go row by row.)
Bake on 350℉ for about 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Keyword artisan sourdough, cheese bread, cheesy sourdough bread, easy sourdough bread, garlic and herb bread, garlic bread, simple sourdough, soft sourdough bread, sourdough garlic bread, sourdough herb bread

I would love to know what you think of this recipe! Please let me know in the comments. You can also save this recipe on Pinterest so it is easy to find!

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The Most Simple Artisan Sourdough Bread Recipe for Beginners

January 11, 2024

If you are looking for a very basic, simple sourdough bread recipe that anyone can make- you have found it! This is a no-knead recipe with a very flexible time table. If you know sourdough, you know this is a huge WIN!

If you are new to sourdough and want learn how to make, care for, and maintain your starter go check out this blog post with a recipe and easy to follow instructions!

Here are a few things you need to know before trying this recipe!

The Process & Flexible Time Table

While making this delicious, no-knead dough is quite the process, the time table is extremely flexible! Here is a quick guide to the main process and how flexible you can be with your time table…

Step One: Feeding your starter. You want to start with a completely active starter so you will want your starter to be fed and fully risen before you begin. Flexibility aspect: while peak rise is the best way to start this recipe, you can use starter that has not completely hit peak rise or that is on the other side of its peak.
Step Two: Mixing ingredients and one hour rise. Next you will mix all the ingredients, shape your loaf, then shoot for one hour rise. Flexibility aspect: one hour is a loose term. Less or more is completely adequate. (This bread ain’t picky!)
Step Three: Fermentation/Refrigeration. After some rise time, your dough will need to ferment in the refrigerator for several hours. This allows all that good bacteria to really be effective in your loaf! The standard time is 8-12 hours of refrigerator fermentation. Flexibility aspect: I have done as little as five hours and as much as 18. My results in taste and quality were not significant.
Step Four: Stretch and Folds. We will go over this process in more detail in a moment but you want to shoot for about six stretch and fold sessions. One every thirty minutes. Flexibility aspect: as long as you get 3-4 rounds of stretch and folds every 15-20 minutes you will receive similar results, just a bit less airy and light. If you allow to rest more than 30 minutes you also need not worry.
Step Five: Baking. The process for baking is very simple- 15 minutes baking with the lid on with and additional 10-15 minutes lid off.

What are Stretch and Folds?

Stretch and fold is a term used for the process of allowing the gluten to break down in your sourdough while also making your bread light and airy. Stretch and folds are necessary in most sourdough bread that requires no kneading or is called an “artisan” loaf.

Your dough will be relatively wet, or sticky after mixing. This is exactly what you want. After fermentation you will notice it is a bit more firm but able to be stretched a good bit and maybe still slightly sticky. If you find it is sticking to your hands a lot you may want to try working with wet hands or lightly dusting your hands with some flour.

Here is the process of stretching and folding further explained…

Pretend your ball of dough is a square. Start on the end that is farthest away from you. You will pull this end of your “square” UP, slightly stretch it OUT in a Y shape, then over the dough towards the side of the square that is closest to you.
Rotate the bowl a quarter turn and repeat the process. Up, out, over.
Rotate once more a quarter turn, taking the dough from underneath then up, out, over.
Rotate one more time a quarter turn, then stretch up, out, over.
Cover your bowl with a slightly damp tea towel. Let rest 30 minutes (flexible). Repeat the process as many times as the recipe directs.

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Thank you so much for taking the time to check out this recipe! If you have any questions I would love to answer them in the comments! Be sure to save this recipe to Pinterest for easy finding later and share on social media.

You can find me over @littlewifeinthewoods on Instagram where I share tons of content on troubleshooting, techniques, and how to maintain your starter!

Artisan Sourdough Loaf

A simple, no knead sourdough bread recipe designed for beginners!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 12

Cook Time 30

Total Time 12 30

Course Appetizer, bread, Side Dish

Servings 1 loaf

Equipment

1 Dutch Oven For best results! You can, however, use a loaf pan as well.

Ingredients

3/4-1 cup sourdough starter
3/4 cup warm water NOT hot
2 tsp honey optional
1 1/2 -2 tsp baking powder optional, for extra softness
2-3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp salt (added after fermentation)

Instructions

Begin by combining fully active, bubbly starter with warm water and allow to sit about 15 minutes. Mix until well dissolved.
Add honey and baking powder if desired.
Add two cups flour, then 1/4 cup of flour at a time until the dough is still slightly sticky but does not stick fully to sides of bowl. You may use a stand mixer but I prefer to use my hands so the dough does not get overly mixed.
On a floured surface, gently press dough into a rectangular shape, then fold into thirds, then flip it over and gently shape into a ball.
Place dough in a greased or slightly floured bowl (to keep from sticking). For best results, allow to rise one hour. Then allow to ferment in the refrigerator for at least 5 hours (8-12 hours is best- see step three of the "Process and Flexibility" portion of blog post).
After fermentation remove dough from the refrigerator. Add salt in with your hands. You may allow the dough to come back to room temp before working or go ahead and begin your stretch and fold process.
To stretch and fold you will simple pull one end of the dough up, out to the sides forming a bit of a 'Y', then over to the side closet to you. Rotate the bowl a quarter turn. Repeat- up, out, over. Rotate a quarter turn again, then stretch and fold. Do this until you are back to the side you started on. You will repeat the process of stretching and folding your dough every half hour. For best results try to get in about 6 rounds of stretch and folds. This sounds like a lot of work but it is quite fun!
If using a Dutch oven, preheat for about one hour on 350℉. If you do not own a dutch oven you can use a regular bread loaf pan for a delicious loaf of sandwich style bread. While waiting you can place your dough on parchment paper. If you enjoy sourdough art you can work on some designs, or just allow your dough to rise while waiting. (Be sure to return it to a bowl while waiting on your dutch oven so it keeps that round shape!)
After fully preheated, place dough into the Dutch oven. Bake at 350℉ for 15 minutes with the lid on, and an additional 10-15 with your lid off. (See notes for a tip on how to bake sourdough bread in the dutch oven.)
Allow bread to fully cool (about 1 hour) before slicing for best results.

Notes

Dutch Oven baking tip: When baking bread in the dutch oven, place a bit of water or ice in between your parchment paper and the sides of the dutch oven. This will create a steamy atmosphere for your bread to bake in, giving you a warm, moist center with a crispy crust outside!

Keyword artisan bread, artisan sourdough, easy artisan bread, easy artisan loaf, easy sourdough, easy sourdough bread, simple sourdough, soft sourdough bread, sourdough, sourdough bread

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Dehydrated Sourdough Starter: How to Rehydrate Your Starter with Success

October 10, 2023

*this post contains affiliate links.

Purchasing a dehydrated sourdough starter can cut out a lot of the work involved in getting a successful starter from-scratch! You can now purchase Little Wife in the Woods starter made with all organic ingredients on Etsy.com (click this link to shop). Our starter is made from a slowly dehydrated starter that is packaged right here in our little homestead kitchen.

*Disclaimer: this method has only been tested on Little Wife in the Woods sourdough starter. Please follow the directions from the company you purchased your starter from for the best results.

The Process of Making Dehydrated Sourdough Starter

I have had a few questions about how the beneficial bacteria survives being dehydrated (a great question!). To answer that as simply as I know how, when dehydrated using the process explained below, the beneficial bacteria in the sourdough starter is not killed or damaged but rather put into a state of dormancy or “sleep”. When rehydrated the bacteria that is already there simply awakens and begins to multiply as it is fed and cared for properly.

So what is the correct process of dehydrating sourdough starter? Basically, slow and low heat over a long period of time. I prefer to boost the starter to its full rise before dehydrating. Then dehydrate on low heat over the course of about twelve hours. This ensures that when the starter arrives to your kitchen it is in the freshest state possible, and the easiest to rehydrate.

Storing Your Sourdough Starter

Dehydrated sourdough starter can last for years! Store it in a cool, dry place (or in the freezer for long-term storage). If you have pest problems, store your bag in an airtight glass container.

Once rehydrated, you will need to follow the storing instructions for a functional sourdough starter. You can read all about how to maintain your starter in this post.

Rehydrating Your Sourdough Starter

Day One

On day one you will need to begin by getting your starter back into a liquid state. Empty the entire contents of your bag of starter into a wide-mouth, quart size mason jar or a medium size glass bowl. (Contents of Little Wife in the Woods starter is about 1/4 a cup.) Add 1/2 cup of warm water to the dehydrated starter and allow to sit for 20-30 minutes.

Due to varying environments/humidity level you may notice that you need to use more water to fully break down the dried pieces of your starter. If you notice that it looks very clumpy or that the starter grains are not fully moistened go ahead and add about 1/4 cup more water to your starter.

After 20-30 minutes you should be able to stir the starter/water mixture to form a very loose, runny starter. Once everything is mixed and dissolved you will need to feed the starter. (You can read this post for why it is necessary to feed sourdough starter.)

Feed the starter 1/2 cup flour (I prefer King Arthur all-purpose or King Arthur organic all-purpose) and 1/4 cup water. Stir. Allow to sit uncovered for about 24 hours.

*Note: if you are on city water or any form of treated water you may need to consider using filtered water for your starter due to the fact that the chemicals added may effect the rising of your starter.

Day Two

Time to feed again! But first you need to discard some of the starter (read why in this blog post).

Discard (remove) 1/2 of the sourdough starter. Discard can be saved to use for sourdough discard recipes, given to chickens, or thrown away. You can also keep discard in your refrigerator as an emergency reserve in case something happens to your original starter. I highly recommend this because you never know when you might need it!

Now feed your starter the same way you did yesterday: 1/2 cup flour + 1/4 cup water. You may need to adjust the hydration of your sourdough starter. This involves adding more water or giving less water based on the texture of your starter. Basically, you are looking for a very thick pancake batter consistency. If it is too thin, add more flour and less water. If your starter is too thick, add less flour more water.

Allow to reset uncovered for about 24 hours.

Day Three

On day three you are ready to use your starter as long as it has bubbles and you are seeing starter rise when fed. If you are not yet seeing this continue to discard and feed for a few more days.

Today you will need to discard 1/2 the contents of your starter then feed 1/2 cup flour + 1/4 cup water (or whatever ratio you have found to be best for your climate). After 12 hours feed starter again (1/2 cup flour + 1/4 cup water). This time do not discard. After your starter has risen to peak rise you are ready to make your bread dough and begin the beautiful journey of making delicious sourdough goods right from your home!

Find everything you need to start making sourdough starter over on Amazon!
CLICK HERE!

Maintaining Your Starter

Now you are ready to enjoy your starter on a weekly basis! Here are a few tips on caring for your starter from now on…

Storing your starter

Storing your starter really depends on your usage. If you are planning to use daily to every couple days you can leave your starter out on the counter with no issues. Make sure you are feeding your starter consistently if it is being left out.

However, if you plan to make bread once a week or on random occasion you will want to keep your starter in the refrigerator. Starter can be kept in the refrigerator a long time before going bad. If it has been several months before use it two things you will want to check are visible presence of mold and/or an extremely rancid (more than just sour) smell.

A starter stored in the refrigerator may get a yellow or grey liquid on the top. This is not mold and your starter is completely usable. This is called hooch. You just need to drain the liquid off and it is ready to go!

Feeding/Discarding

If you are using your starter regularly you no longer need to discard starter before use. The only reason you should discard is if you are noticing you have a lot of starter and are not using it all. The more starter you have the more you need to feed it and you will cut down on cost by maintaining the amount that is right for you.

You need to feed your starter regularly (every day or other day) if you are leaving it out. If you are storing your starter in the refrigerator it is not necessary to feed your starter until you are ready to use it. You will want to remove the starter before use and feed it to get it nice and active again.

Thank you for purchasing a Little Wife in the Woods sourdough starter! If you are experiencing any difficulties with your sourdough starter I would love to try to help! Message me over on the contact page or comment below to chat.

Follow along over on Instagram (@littlewifeinthewoods) for weekly tips and recipes!

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Easy Sourdough Apple Cinnamon Muffin Recipe

July 21, 2023

These sourdough apple cinnamon muffins are the perfect cross between healthy and delicious! They are made with honey instead of sugar, and the sourdough component brings a whole other level of health benefits. They have it all- moist, simple to make, and clean ingredients!

Sourdough Starter

“but I don’t do sourdough…”

You can! Did you know that by taking only about five minutes out of your day for seven days you can have a thriving starter that can be used to make amazing recipes like this and so much more?

It is definitely possible! and sooo easy.

You can read all about how in this blog post.

We also have dehydrated sourdough starter in the Etsy shop! Dehydrated starter can be dehydrated and ready for use in just four days. It is already established so it shortcuts some of the tricky things with new, fresh starter.

Fermenting Apple Cinnamon Muffins

The fermentation step is completely optimal in this sourdough recipe. However, fermentation has several benefits that you may want to consider!

Fermentation helps break down the gluten for easier digestion. The fermentation process allows the gluten in the muffins to break down. This shortcuts the process of your body having to do all the work of breaking things down on its own. In fact, many people who have a gluten sensitivity intolerance find that they can eat sourdough because of the process of fermentation!
The probiotic content multiplies. When you allow the muffin batter to ferment the already exponential probiotic content increases even more! These probiotics are amazing for your gut health.
Light, airy muffins. Allowing the dough to ferment also creates those delicious sourdough bubbles that make sourdough everything it is!

To add the fermentation step to this apple cinnamon recipe simply allow the better to rest on the counter or in the refrigerator for up to twelve hours and as little as four. A great way to do this is to make the batter before bed and allow the fermenting to take place while you are sleeping. This way no time is lost in the fermenting process and you still receive all the benefits!

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Making Your Apple Cinnamon Muffins with Only Natural Sugar

This muffin recipe is designed specifically to be made with only natural sugar. For health reasons we bake, cook, and use mostly only natural forms of sugar such as honey, maple syrups, etc. Organic cane sugar is the only exception on our from scratch kitchen.

We have found that the way to achieve the best results is to mix up the forms of natural sugar into recipes. For example, mixing honey and maple syrup gives a very “sugar” like taste that you are used to in processed things we often eat today. Experimenting with all the different forms in different recipes can be so fun and help you find what is just right for the recipe you are trying to convert to a “natural sugar” recipe.

Switching to only natural sugar does not have to be boring! Things do not have to taste bland and your good choices do not have to leave your taste buds dissatisfied. Try this recipe and see if I am wrong!

Get this recipe for Sourdough Blueberry Muffins also made with only natural sugar!

Apple Cinnamon Muffin Ingredients

The ingredients for sourdough apple cinnamon muffins are simple and inexpensive. I highly recommend purchasing organic ingredients from Thrive Market! They are my one stop shop for affordable, natural ingredient groceries that I use for baking, snacking, toxin free cleaning, and more!

Click here and use my link to get $60 in FREE groceries!

sourdough starter- active or discard starter may be used for this recipe.
warm water
butter
honey
eggs
vanilla extract
baking powder
salt
cinnamon
unbleached all-purpose flour- bleached can be used with similar results but you will never find me recommending it.
apples- recipe calls for two, however you can adjust this to taste. Use one less for a bread-like muffin with fewer apple chunks or one more apple to make it more fruity.

Apple Cinnamon Muffin Storage

One of my favorite things about this recipe is the fact that they can be made and frozen for a quick snack later! Muffins can be stored in the freezer for up to three months. Simple take out, thaw and heat if desired. You can also store the muffins in an airtight container for up to five days at room temperature or seven days in the refrigerator.

Let me know what you think about this recipe in the comments! If you have any questions I am always happy to answer. I hope you enjoy this recipe- don’t forget to share! Don’t forget to join the email list so you never miss a post.

Sourdough Apple Cinnamon Muffins

Delicious muffins sweetened with honey and made with sourdough starter!

Course Breakfast, Dessert, Snack

Keyword apple cinnamon muffins, dessert, easy dessert, easy muffins, easy recipes, easy sourdough, muffins, sourdough baking, sourdough muffins

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 20

Total Time 35

Servings 16 muffins

Ingredients

1/2 cup sourdough starter (can be active or discard)
1/2 cup warm water
1 cup butter softened
1/2 cup honey
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 large apples peeled and diced

Topping (optional-sugar free)

1 cup oats
3 tbsp honey

Topping (optional-non sugar free)

1/4 cup organic cane sugar (for sprinkling)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350℉
Combine sourdough starter and warm water while you soften butter.
Mix starter/water mixture, butter, honey, eggs, and vanilla until well combined.
In a separate container mix baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and all-purpose flour.
Slowly add flour mixture to wet ingredients until everything has been mixed together. (If using a stand mixer you can just dump all the flour mixture in at once.)
Add in diced apples last.
Scoop muffin batter into a muffin pan (I like to use liners for easy clean up but if your pan is properly greased it is not necessary). Fill nearly to the top.
If you desire to top the muffins with sprinkle topping mixture of your choice on the the muffin batter.
Sugar Free Topping: mix oats and honey together with a fork, then top before baking.
Bake on 350℉ for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

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Sourdough Honey Hamburger Buns Recipe

July 18, 2023

These sourdough honey hamburger buns are so soft and sweet! They are great for hamburgers, bbq sandwiches, and all the things. Plus they are so easy to make!

Want to Learn How to Make a Sourdough Starter?

You somehow made it to this page but you don’t sourdough? If you want to learn how to make your own sourdough starter I have a blog post all about this. By taking just five minutes a day for seven days you can have a thriving, forever sourdough starter. I have curated my instructions to be easy to understand and completely uncomplicated. If you are interested you can check out that blog post here.

Shaping Sourdough Hamburger Buns

The only minor tricky thing about this recipe is getting the perfect shape on your buns. (If you mess up don’t worry, they still taste delicious!)

The best way to get a good shape on these buns is to roll them into a ball and smash it down with your palm. This sounds simple and it is. However, sometimes during the rising process things can go a little sideways. You can fix this by simply making them flatter then you think they should be when shaping.

Press firmly with the palm of your hand until the buns are around 1/2-3/4 inch thick. This will seem almost “too flat” but as they rise they should be just right.

Storing Sourdough Hamburger Buns

Hamburger buns are best stored in a ziplock bag or airtight container. They are good for up to seven days at room temperature but are freshest up to day four. They can also be frozen and kept up to four months. To thaw, pull them out and place on a paper towel lined plate. This will help absorb the moisture as the buns defrost.

Sourdough Honey Hamburger Buns

Fluffy and sweet buns that are perfect for hamburgers, sandwiches, and more!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 1

Cook Time 15

Servings 10 buns

Ingredients

1/2 cup active, bubbly starter
1 cup warm water
2 tbsp melted butter
1/3 cup honey
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 egg
3-3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Instructions

Combine water and starter and let dissolve about two minutes.
Add butter, honey, salt, and egg. Mix in stand mixer or by hand.
Add two cups of flour. Mix until well incorporated (use a dough hook if you are using a stand mixer). Add flour half a cup at a time until you have added three cups. If the dough is still too wet or not leaving the sides of stand mixer bowl, add flour 1/4 a cup at a time until the dough is stiff.
Knead dough by hand or in mixer until smooth.
Ferment overnight or about 8-10 hours in the refrigerator.
Remove from refrigerator and allow to come down to room temperature. Divide dough into 10 equal parts then shape into buns. (Read post for more information on how to shape.)
Let the buns rise in a warm place until doubled.
Bake on 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until buns brown on top.

Keyword bread, buns, easy sourdough, honey bun, sourdough, sourdough buns, sweet bun

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How to Make Your Own Sourdough Starter from Scratch

June 21, 2023

*Post contains affiliate links.

When I first began making my own sourdough starter over a year and a half ago I found it very confusing. Maybe it was just my overcomplicated brain but I found that when most people tried to explain sourdough, by way of blog, video, and books- I struggled to understand. I learn most things much easier when I just step out on my own and learn by trial and error.

Here I am going to try my best to explain to you, in very simple instructions, how I learned to make my own sourdough starter from scratch! I am one hundred percent certain there are people who understand sourdough far better than me and if you can glean better from more detailed instructions please go visit the other blogs I mention at the end of this post. My goal is to show you step by step what has worked for me and to create a very (hopefully) stress-free approach to sourdough.

What do you need to make your own sourdough starter?

You will need a few basic things to begin a sourdough starter from scratch. Most of these items are probably already in your home!

The first thing you will need is a vessel to keep your sourdough in. I find that a wide mouth, quart size mason jar works beautifully. The reason you will want wide mouth is so you have enough space to stir your ingredients in and to scrape the sides of the jar after stirring. Any glass or ceramic is an acceptable vessel. You will want to make sure the jar has thick enough glass so it does not crack when going from he refrigerator to room temperature but other than that you should not have to be too picky. You will also want to make sure that whatever vessel you choose has a lid that keeps air out, preferably something with a good seal around it.

Want even more information? My mini e-book for the Beginner’s Guide to Simple Sourdough is HERE!!!

Get quick, easy answers and even more info on my simple sourdough method that has been tried and proven successful.

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Another thing you will need to decide on besides a vessel is what flour you want to use. It is important to start out with a simple white flour. I use King Arthur unbleached flour, or Walmart’s unbleached flour. (I prefer unbleached flour for everything for health reasons.) King Arthur has done the best and I have the most consistent results when using this brand.

A few other items you will need getting started are a fork for stirring, and water (some prefer filtered, I go bak and forth depending on the day). If you want to think even more futuristically you can go ahead and purchase a bread pan as well.

How long does it take to make a sourdough starter?

Time and methods vary depending on who you are taking advice from but I have found that seven days works best for mine. It is important to realize that since we all live in different locations, keep our homes at different temperatures, and have different humidity levels we could each make a starter the same way and each end up with differing results.

Because of this key fact I cannot tell you exactly how to make your starter work best for you, I can only give you the main principles and help you learn ways to adjust to your own individual needs.

How to Adjust the Needs of YOUR sourdough starter?

Knowing the facts above will help you in learning just what to do with your starter. A few key things to know concerning adjustments are these:

1. Because of differing humidity levels in our homes and in the environment day to day, you may find that you need to adjust the hydration of your starter. The word “hydration” is simply referring to the amount of water that you mix (or feed) into your starter. Here is how you can tell if your starter is getting too much hydration- if you notice a clear liquid settling on top hours after feeding your starter, it is overly hydrated. You can adjust this by using a little less water at the next feed.

2. When adjusting it is important to know what to look for in the texture of your starter. If you add too much water your starter will be very runny and will not stick at all to a fork. If you have too much flour it will cling to the fork and not fall off at all when tipped over the side of the jar. A “just right” starter will have the consistency of a thick pancake batter. It should not be so runny it will not stick at all but should not stick to the fork forever.

3. Because our climates are different and our homes are set to varying temperatures rise times in recipes often looks very different for everyone. For instance, I live in East Tennessee. It gets into the mid-upper 80s on average this time of the year (June). I also keep my home at about 70-72 degrees during the day, and even cooler at night. If my recipe says to let something rise for four hours, it would likely look very different for a person living in Toronto, Canada who keeps their home on 67 in the month of June. It would take them significantly longer to get the same rise I got in four hours.

Why do I need to discard starter?

Discarding is removing a certain amount (usually half) of the starter before feeding again. This process used to really confuse my brain because it just did not make sense. Wouldn’t you want more starter instead of less?

The main reason is that without discarding you would end up will way too much starter to deal with. Each day your starter will likely double in size from about day four on. Because of this you would end up with an exorbitant amount of starter. You would also have to feed it more because of the high volume.

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Earthly is a company dedicated to providing only natural, herbal wellness products and supplements for the entire family! They have everything you need to start your non-toxic, chemical free journey to wellness! Go check them out at the link below and use code HELLONATURAL to enjoy 10% off your first purchase.
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Discard is not a waste! You can keep discard stored in the refrigerator for up to six months. It can be used for low-rise recipes. (Things like pancakes, crackers, cookies, etc.)

It is not necessary to continue discarding if you are using your starter regularly or storing in the refrigerator (read below for storage methods).

How to store starter?

A properly maintained starter will last generations! There have been stories of grandmothers passing them on to granddaughters as wedding gifts.

There are two ways to store. The first method is to leave on the countertop. If you choose this method you will need to feed your starter daily (if you forget a day or two it will be okay). This method is best for those who plan to use their start daily or up to every three days. If for whatever reason you cannot make bread and maintain your starter on a particular week (vacation, surgery, busy week, etc.) just switch to the second method until you can get back at it!

The second method is storing your starter in a sealed container in the refrigerator. This method is better for those who only want to make bread or other sourdough goodies occasionally (once a week or less). To follow this method simply place your starter in the refrigerator, take it out twenty four hours before you plan to use, feed it, and let it rise to doubled. You can place a starter in the refrigerator any time during the life of your starter.

Important terms for the beginner to know

Here are just a few terms (some I may have already mentioned) that you should know in the beginning.

Hydration: the amount of water you give your starter combined with the amount of humidity in the atmosphere.
Feeding: adding more flour and water to your starter
Discard: removing (usually half) of your original starter
Rise: when starter multiplies in mass
Peak Rise: the highest point in rise just before it begins to go down again

If you would rather save your time and energy you can now purchase Little Wife in the Woods sourdough starter over on Etsy! Our sourdough starter is made from our well established, active starter created with 100% organic flour. It takes just three days to reactivate and you are on your way to making delicious sourdough recipes!

Other great resources to get you started

While I could keep throwing information at you, I will stop there to keep from overloading your mind. This is all you need to know to get started. I will be doing several other follow-up posts on this topic to deal with troubleshooting, long-term maintenance, and recipes. Here are a few other resources I found (and still find) extremely helpful.

Lisa Bass- https://farmhouseonboone.com
Glenda Groff- https://aroundthefamilytableblog.com

Both of these ladies have amazing sourdough recipes! Of the two I would say that Lisa is much easier to follow, using very simple instructions. Glenda is a tiny bit more complex but if you are interested in the health benefits of sourdough she is a great go-to!

Follow along on Instagram @littlewifeinthewoods for more step by step instructions, troubleshooting, and techniques!

Sourdough Starter

An easy to understand, day-by-day guide to making your own sourdough starter.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Total Time 7

Equipment

2 wide mouth, quart mason jars (or another type of vessel- see blog post above)

Ingredients

1 bag unbleached King Arthur all-purpose flour
Water

Instructions

DAY ONE
In a wide mouth glass jar mix 1 cup flour and just under 1 cup water. Texture should be like a thick pancake batter, not too runny but not too firm. Adjust water or flour according to the texture described above.
Allow to sit on the countertop uncovered or loosely covered (with a napkin or coffee filter) for about 24 hours. (If you need to feed a few hours earlier or later this is completely fine.)
DAY TWO
Discard (remove) half the starter and store in a separate mason jar in the refrigerator.
Feed the remaining starter 1/2 cup flour and just under 1/2 cup of water. (Review the section about hydration and adjusting the needs of your starter in the blog post.)
Allow to rest around 24 hours on the countertop.
DAY THREE-DAY SIX
Follow the steps from day two. Discard, feed, allow to sit 24 hours.
By day three or four there should be bubbles forming. Around day four-five your starter should begin rising when fed.
If you forget to discard, just discard the next day.
DAY SEVEN
Discard and feed starter in the morning. Allow to rise 5-6 hours.
Feed starter again (do not discard). You may need to place starter in a larger jar or bowl for the second feed because of the amount of rise.
Allow to rise 3-4 hours or until peak rise. You are ready to make bread!

Notes

Choosing an easy recipe to start with is very important.

A simple sandwich loaf or bagels would be my top recommendations!

You can see my recipe for an easy sandwich loaf here- https://littlewifeinthewoods.com/?p=346

For bagels go check out Lisa at farmhouseonboone.com!

Keyword bread, easy sourdough, sourdough, sourdough course, sourdough starter

After have successfully made your starter be sure to come back for easy to follow, simple recipes for beginners!

Sourdough

Dinner Roll Goals

Sourdough Dinner Rolls vs Yeast Dinner Rolls

Ingredients

Tips

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Sourdough Dinner Rolls

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Instructions

Why Sourdough Pie Crust?

Ways to Use Sourdough Pie Crust

Ingredients You Need to Make Sourdough Crust

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Instructions

Notes

Lemon Cake or Lemon Bread?

Baking with Sourdough Starter

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Storing

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Lemon Icing

Instructions

Lemon Icing

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Health Benefits of Sourdough

Converting This to an All-Purpose Recipe

Sourdough Breadsticks with Discard vs Active Starter

Sourdough Breadsticks Ingredients

Substitutions for Sourdough Breadsticks

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Sourdough Discard Breadsticks

Ingredients

Instructions

Notes

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Recipe Ideas for Sourdough “Fails”

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The Process of Making Dehydrated Sourdough Starter

Storing Your Sourdough Starter

Rehydrating Your Sourdough Starter

Day One

Day Two

Day Three

Maintaining Your Starter

Storing your starter

Feeding/Discarding

Thank you for purchasing a Little Wife in the Woods sourdough starter! If you are experiencing any difficulties with your sourdough starter I would love to try to help! Message me over on the contact page or comment below to chat.

Sourdough Starter

Fermenting Apple Cinnamon Muffins

Making Your Apple Cinnamon Muffins with Only Natural Sugar

Apple Cinnamon Muffin Ingredients

Apple Cinnamon Muffin Storage

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Sourdough Apple Cinnamon Muffins

Ingredients

Topping (optional-sugar free)

Topping (optional-non sugar free)

Instructions

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What do you need to make your own sourdough starter?