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Every Simple Bake bread premix comes with its own little pouch of dried sourdough starter. Wake it up, keep it happy, and it will give your gluten-free loaf that gentle tang, open crumb, and proper crust you've been missing. This guide walks you through making your starter, feeding it, and rescuing it when it sulks.
What a gluten-free sourdough starter actually is
A starter is simply flour and water that wild yeasts and friendly bacteria have moved into. The yeasts make the bubbles that lift your bread; the bacteria make the acids that give sourdough its flavour. Wheat starters rely on gluten to trap those bubbles. Ours doesn't have any, so a gluten-free starter looks and behaves a little differently: it is looser, bubbles more gently, and never forms that stretchy, web-like texture. None of that is a problem. It just means you watch for different signs.
Making your starter from the dried pouch
Your premix pouch includes a dried starter that we prepare fresh with each order. Here is how to bring it to life.
Day one – wake it up
- Tip the dried starter into a clean glass jar or bowl.
- Add the amount of lukewarm water shown on your pouch [CHECK: exact grams] and stir until there are no dry patches. Lukewarm means body temperature; if it feels hot on your wrist, let it cool first.
- Cover loosely – a clean tea towel or a lid resting on top, not screwed tight – and leave it somewhere warm. The top of the fridge, near (not on) a radiator, or inside the oven with just the light on all work well.
Days two and three – watch and feed
- By the end of day one you may see a few small bubbles. By day two it should smell pleasantly sour, a bit like yoghurt or cider vinegar.
- Give it a stir once or twice a day. If the surface looks dry, stir in a splash of water.
- On day two, feed it [CHECK: feeding quantity and flour type – e.g. a spoonful of the premix flour and the same weight of water]. Stir well and cover again.
- By day three it should be visibly bubbly, smell tangy, and have a slightly domed, airy look. That is your sign it's ready and active.
Most kitchens get there in two to three days. A cold kitchen can take four. Patience, not panic.
How to tell your starter is ready
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Bubbles throughout, not just on the surface.
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A clean, sour smell – think yoghurt, cider, or a hint of beer. Not nail varnish, not rotten.
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It has grown since its last feed, even by a small amount.
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It moves – give the jar a gentle tap and you'll see it wobble and release a few bubbles.
If you'd like a second opinion, drop a teaspoon into a glass of water. A ready gluten-free starter will usually float or sit near the top; a tired one sinks straight down. It's not foolproof for gluten-free starters, so trust the bubbles and the smell first.
Feeding and keeping it alive between bakes
If you bake every few days, keep the starter on the counter and feed it once a day with [CHECK: ratio – equal weights of gluten-free flour and water is the usual rule]. If you bake less often, pop it in the fridge after a feed and it will tick over happily for a week or two. Take it out the day before you bake, feed it, and let it come back to life in a warm spot before you use it.
Three small habits make all the difference:
- Use a clean spoon every time. Stray crumbs from a wheat loaf are the one thing we really don't want in there.
- Keep the jar loosely covered so gas can escape but flies can't get in.
- Feed it before it smells sharp and boozy, not after.
Rescuing a starter that's gone quiet
Starters are tougher than they look. Here's what to do when things go wrong.
No bubbles after two days
It's almost always too cold. Move it somewhere warmer (22–26°C is the sweet spot), give it a fresh feed, and check again in 12 hours.
A layer of grey or brown liquid on top
That's "hooch" – a sign the starter is hungry. Pour it off or stir it back in (stirring gives a more sour flavour), then feed as normal.
It smells like nail varnish or very strong alcohol
Very hungry, not dead. Discard about half, feed it, and it should be back to a clean, sour smell within a day.
Pink, orange, or fuzzy patches
This is the one time to start again. Bin it, wash the jar in hot soapy water, and begin with a fresh dried starter. It happens rarely and is not your fault.
It was lovely, then went flat
It probably peaked and fell before you used it. Feed it and use it at its highest point next time – usually four to eight hours after a feed in a warm kitchen.
Using your starter in a Simple Bake loaf
Once your starter is active, the rest is the simple part: add it to your premix with water and oil, follow the timings on the pouch, and let the slow rise do the work. If anything looks unusual along the way, our Bread Premix FAQ and troubleshooting guide cover the questions we hear most. No Dutch oven? Here's how to bake without one.
Ready to get started? Choose your loaf: Oat, Buckwheat, Chickpea, Amaranth, or Cornbread – every one organic and freshly prepared to order. Your best loaf is one premix away.
