The Easiest Gluten Free Sourdough Starter

Making a gluten-free sourdough starter has never been easier! Using my method, you can create a gluten-free sourdough starter without any measuring, discards, or feedings. It is truly amazing!

This recipe was first published in July 2022. It has been updated with additional information and helpful recipe tips.

Since nobody in my family has problems with gluten intolerance, we usually make wheat, spelt, or einkorn bread.

But several of you have contacted me, requesting a gluten-free sourdough starter recipe. So, here it is!

This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. You can read my full disclosure.

Why my gluten-free sourdough starter recipe is better than others

There are plenty of other recipes for gf starters out there, so what makes mine so special?

1. No measuring, discarding, or feeding. I use this same method for making a sourdough starter as well as maintaining a sourdough starter.
2. Perfect method for busy people! This recipe is perfect for anyone who does not want to stick to a feeding schedule or who bakes only a few times a week.

Why bake with sourdough?

People bake with sourdough mainly for these reasons:

• Easier to digest. The fermentation process of sourdough makes the glutens in grains easier to digest for most people.
• Better flavor. Baked sourdough goods have a more complex flavor.
• Sourdough is the original leavening agent! It’s been around longer than other rising ingredients like traditional yeast, baking soda, and baking powder.
• Longer shelf life. Breads made with sourdough stay fresh longer

New To Sourdough? Check out My Super Simple Sourdough Course!

Ingredients and substitutions

Just 3 simple ingredients is all you need. So easy!

• gluten-free flour: I use Arrowhead Mills’ organic gluten-free all-purpose flour. This flour blend is perfect since it is a 1:1 replacement for regular all-purpose flour. It is a combination of different flours: organic white rice flour, organic brown rice flour, organic tapioca flour, organic millet flour, organic inulin, and xanthan gum
• cultured buttermilk: This is my “secret” ingredient. It’s important to use buttermilk with live active cultures, as substitutes will not work. Like combining lemon juice or vinegar with dairy milk.
• filtered water

Substitutions

• flour: There are many great gluten-free brands, such as Bob’s Red Mill and King Arthur. While I have not personally experimented with other gluten-free flours such as buckwheat flour, teff flour, sorghum flour, brown rice flour, etc., I am pretty confident that this method will still get you a bubbly starter.
• buttermilk: You can use other ferments instead. I have successfully made sourdough starters with yogurt, kefir, and kombucha. Just make sure to use plain varieties without fruit or added sugar.
• water: If you only have tap water available, you can vigorously boil it for a few minutes and then let it cool to room temperature before using it. The chlorine will likely dissipate if you let tap water sit in an open container for 24-48 hours.

Helpful Kitchen Supplies and Tools

• glass jar: I prefer using something like a clear glass mason jar or Weck jar. First of all, it is a non-reactive container. Secondly, you can see what is going on inside the jar.
• a way to cover the jar: You’ll need to use something that allows air to circulate – a beeswax wrap, paper towel, coffee filter, or some light fabric. You will also need a rubber band or other method of holding the cover in place.
• wooden spoon: Even though using a metal utensil for stirring will not hurt your starter, I prefer using a wooden spoon.

How to make a gluten-free sourdough starter

I promised you that you would not have to measure anything. So …

1. Add buttermilk to your jar. Using a 16-oz mason jar (or something similar), fill it about ⅓ or ¼ of the way with cultured buttermilk.
2. Incorporate the gluten-free flour. Just eyeball the amount – use enough gluten-free flour to create a thick, pancake-batter-like consistency.
3. Stir, and adjust consistency if needed. If your gluten-free starter is too thick, add some filtered water or spring water. Too thin? Just stir in a bit more flour.
4. Loosely cover the jar with beeswax wrap, a paper towel, plastic wrap, or some fabric.
5. Set it in a warm place. Room temperature is great.

Next steps

Every day or two, check on the starter for signs of activity, fermentation, and growth.

Give it a good stir. Depending on the temperature, you may not see much activity in the first few days. After 4 or 5 days, you will see some bubbles forming. You may also notice a sour smell. These are all good signs.

Continue inspecting and stirring every day or two. After the first few days, start looking for signs that the sourdough starter is ready.

How to tell when gluten-free sourdough starter is ripe

There are many factors that can influence the growth of sourdough starter. So, it is challenging to give you an exact time frame. However, you can expect an active starter in 5-10 days. You will know it is ripe when:

• you see a lot of small bubbles throughout your sourdough starter
• it smells pleasantly sour
• it tastes pleasantly sour and has a fizzy quality
• you will hear a hollow sound when you tap the bottom of the container

When it’s active and bubbly, you can use the GF sourdough starter. It will be perfect for making a loaf of gluten-free bread, a sourdough Dutch baby pancake, shortbreads, muffins, or even sourdough chocolate chip cookies. I have a recipe for basic GF scones at the bottom of this post!

If you don’t want to make a new starter every time you bake, this no-discard, no-feeding method will be perfect for keeping your starter going.

Problems and Troubleshooting

Here are some common issues and problems

• Mold: make sure to only use filtered, distilled, or spring water. Often, tap water contains chlorine, which can kill the beneficial yeasts and bacteria you are trying to cultivate. Also, make sure you keep your SD starter away from other ferments such as sauerkraut, and from anything moldy in your kitchen (even a tiny bit of mold on fruits!). I actually have an entire blog post about all the reasons why there may be mold on your sourdough starter.
• Starter not ripening: while I have successfully made sourdough starters in cool kitchens in the winter, it might just take a bit longer. However, it will be easiest if you can find a warm area for it. Also, be sure to use spring, filtered, or distilled water.
• Brown liquid on top of your starter: This is also called “hooch” and I often get it myself. Most often, I stir it right back in. Sometimes, if the starter is very thin, I add some more flour to it. It can be an indication that your SD starter is “hungry”.
• Off-smell: if your sourdough starter smells like alcohol or vinegar it is a sign that it is “hungry”. Simply add some more fresh flour, stir it in, and give it another day.
• Too many bubbles in the first few days: This will likely happen if you try to make a gluten-free sourdough starter with 100% buttermilk and no water to dilute it.

For other frequently asked questions about sourdough, check out this post.

You should be able to convert most traditional sourdough recipes into gluten-free sourdough recipes. Look at these beautiful gluten-free sourdough blueberry muffins:

If you have any questions, and/or to rate this recipe, please leave a comment below! And don’t forget to tag me on Instagram @ourgabledhome with your beautiful photos!

Basic Gluten-Free Sourdough Scones Recipe

• 1 ½ cups gluten-free flour
• 3 TBSP granulated sugar
• 1 heaping tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp sea salt
• 5 TBSP butter
• 1 cup gluten-free sourdough starter

Instructions

1. Whisk the dry ingredients together in a bowl.
2. Add the wet ingredients and mix everything into a uniform dough (I used my Kitchenaid stand mixer for this).
3. With your hands, shape the dough into a flat disk on a cookie tray lined with parchment paper. Cut the dough into 6 wedges with a knife and brush it with cream.
4. Bake at 425˚F for 15-25 minutes, or until golden brown.

Pin For Later