🍞 How to Start Sourdough as a Beginner (Without Losing Your Mind)

I used to think sourdough was for women with quiet kitchens and linen aprons… not for moms who trip over toys on the way to the stove and haven’t finished a cup of coffee while it’s hot in years.

But over the past year, I’ve gently, imperfectly found a way to bring sourdough into our real, bustling home—and I want to show you how to start sourdough as a beginner, especially when life already feels full.

Not because I’ve figured it all out. But because I’ve learned that starting doesn’t require perfection—just a little curiosity, some flour and water, and the courage to try. And maybe today, you’re ready to begin too.

This post is all about how to start sourdough as a beginner

Parts of this post were drafted with the help of AI, then reviewed, updated, and edited by me to reflect my personal experience and voice. I always aim to share real-life content that’s helpful, honest, and rooted in my day-to-day rhythms.

This post contains affiliate links. That means I may earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you) if you choose to purchase through my links. I only share products I use and love in my own home.

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🧡 Why I Was Drawn to Sourdough

I’ve loved sourdough since I was a kid—the tangy flavor, the crisp crust, and that soft, chewy inside. It always felt special. When I learned more about the health benefits, I knew I wanted to make it for my family.

My husband is really the baker in our house. A few years ago, someone gifted him a dried sourdough starter for Christmas. He made a couple of loaves (they were so good!), but with his schedule, regular baking just wasn’t realistic. The starter sat in our fridge… until one day I decided to give it a try.

I’ve been experimenting ever since.

Because I only use fresh milled flour, I don’t get that dramatic “oven spring” so many sourdough bakers talk about—but that hasn’t stopped me. I’ve still made plenty of things we all love. And slowly, I’ve started to trust the process.

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🙏 A Nudge Toward Slowness

Over the past few years, I’ve felt the Lord clearly calling me to slow down. I felt it in our decision to homeschool. I felt it in the tension of my heart when I realized I was rushing everything: our days, our meals, even my kids’ childhoods.

I used to think my kids were the source of my overwhelm. But in prayer, I realized—it wasn’t my kids. It was everything else I was trying to do. The pressure. The pace. The impossible standards.

Sourdough became one small way I could embrace slower rhythms. It grounded me. It reminded me to pause. And it showed me that not everything has to be rushed to be beautiful.

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⏳ What Held Me Back

Honestly? I thought sourdough was going to be an elaborate process—one more thing I’d have to babysit in an already busy day. I’d hear about people feeding their starters twice a day and trying to use up discard constantly. It felt like a lot.

And starting something new can be overwhelming for me. I have to start super small or I shut down. So for a while, I let it sit on the back burner.

Even now, I feel like I “fail” every other time. But I’ve learned to stop measuring success by how it looks and start focusing on what it is: nourishing, homemade, and done with love.

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🌱 What Helped Me Start Anyway

One day, I just decided to try. I told myself: The only way I’ll learn is by starting. Whatever I make will be yummy, even if it doesn’t look perfect.

Just yesterday, I made sourdough pretzels again (maybe the 4th attempt?). The dough was super sticky, and when I tried to lift them from the parchment paper into the boiling water, half of them fell apart. They looked like little piles of dough. But I baked them anyway—and they were so good.

Starting gave me permission to be a beginner.

I’ve loved learning from Lisa at Farmhouse on Boone—her rhythms and recipes fit life with a big family. I tweak her recipes for my fresh milled flour, and I appreciate that she’s starting to offer those variations too.

I also simplified the process by keeping my starter in the fridge. When I want to bake, I pull it out, feed it with flour and water, and let it bubble on the counter. Sometimes I feed it before bed so it’s ready by morning. If it needs help waking up, I just discard and feed again.

My favorite tools: a kitchen scale, metal bowls, a Danish dough whisk, and banneton baskets. But you don’t need anything fancy to start.

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🍞 Why It’s Worth It

I’ll never forget my first successful loaf. I felt so accomplished. There’s just nothing like slicing into a warm, homemade loaf of bread and knowing you made that.

I love that I know exactly what’s in our bread—and that it’s something nourishing I can give my family. It may not have added new rhythms or deep meaning to our days just yet, but it’s something I do with love. That matters.

The kids devour it when it’s fresh. And I know they’re watching me. My hope is that one day I’ll slow down enough to involve them too—not just rush through tasks, but invite them into the process.

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🌿 For the Momma Who’s Curious But Unsure

If you’ve ever thought, I wish I could do that, but it’s probably too hard—I’m here to tell you: you absolutely can.

Not perfectly.

Not all at once.

But simply. Gently. Step by step.

This post is all about how to start sourdough as a beginner.