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Gluten-Free Sourdough Starter
Love sourdough but you're gluten free? This Gluten-Free Sourdough Starter is so easy--you can have tasty sourdough bread ready right away, even if you're avoiding gluten!
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Ingredients
Gluten-free Sourdough Starter
- 6 cups gluten-free flour
- 5 1/4 cups filtered water
Instructions
Gluten-free Sourdough Starter
- Combine 1/2 cup flour (whatever gluten-free flour or gluten-free flour blend you like) and a scant 1/2 cup filtered water in a medium to large bowl.Whisk until smooth and cover the gluten free sourdough starter with a cheesecloth or clean dishtowel to allow air to circulate but prevent particles from falling in.Set the bowl in a warm area where it will not be disturbed. A kitchen counter, pantry cabinet, or patio can all be good options.
- Wait 12-24 hours.
- At least twice a day for the next six days, at regular intervals, add 1/2 cup of flour and a scant 1/2 cup of filtered water to the existing starter. Mix until smooth, and cover.This is called feeding the starter.Make sure to watch your starter carefully.
- When your starter is very bubbly and creates a dome on top 2-3 hours after each feeding (like the above picture), you are ready to make bread. This is often called the sponge and typically it takes 5-7 days for this to happen.
- Use your starter for making the sourdough bread of choice. See above this recipe card in the post for some great options!
Notes
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- Ingredient Amounts: The amounts we give in the ingredient list are the amounts you will need if you only feed the starter twice a day, which is the least number of times you should feed it. So if you feed it more often, you will of course need more flour and water.
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- Flour: Gluten-free flour blends (just like with alternative sweeteners like stevia) tend to work best when used in conjunction with others. So it's best not to try to make this sourdough starter or sourdough with only one type of gluten-free flour. Personally, I recommend using a blend of flours. As you can read in this gluten-free baking tips post, using a blend of flours tends to make baked goods turn out better when using alternative flours.
- Grain-Free / Coconut Flour Option: Grain-free sourdough starters are possible, but grain-free flours behave differently from gluten-free grain flours and may require different hydration or fermentation methods. Coconut flour in particular absorbs much more water, so it should not be substituted 1:1 for the flour in this recipe. I have not tested a bread recipe specifically for a coconut flour starter, so consider this an experimental option. See the Grain-Free & Paleo Options section above for more information.