Easiest Sourdough Starter Recipe! (with Raisin Water) (2024)

Learn to make the easiest sourdough starter recipe with raisin water. Follow the step-by-step instructions and begin making sourdough bread without throwing out half your starter!

My Journey to the Easiest Sourdough Starter Ever

First Attempts with Sourdough Starter

Over the course of about five years, I received a total of three starters as gifts from friends and attempted to make my own from scratch. However, I had a huge learning curve and kept assuming I was killing the starter!

I received my first starter from a neighbor in my dorm right before move-out day. Sadly, I forgot I had packed it away, and found it weeks later in the bottom of a box. I threw it out fast!

After getting married, another friend shared a portion of her starter with me. I was inexperienced and busy with school. Though I thought about my starter every time I opened the fridge, I was intimidated and never attempted to make anything! A couple months later, I looked at the sad lump with black hooch on top and figured it was dead.Again, I threw it out.

About a year later, I was visiting my husband’s family in Alaska and a family-friend came with sourdough pancakes. I picked his brain for ideas on how to keep a starter, and he offered me a portion of his. When I took it home, I was determined to use it successfully. I was done with school and ready to hone my sourdough skills! After weeks of using the starter to make pancakes, English muffins, and other flat breads, I couldn’t figure out why it never made a successful rising loaf, so I threw it out.

Creating a Sourdough Starter with the Traditional Method

Finally, I decided to try making my own starter from scratch. I was hesitant because of the day-in and day-out feedings and throwing away half the flour each time. As I began, I enjoyed watching my starter begin to grow bubbles. The first three days were a hit, and I was excited for the product at the end. After the three days, life got busy, I started missing feedings and became impatient with the slow process. I read through several instructions to try and figure out how I would know if it was ready. In the end, I gave up and threw it all out.

Finding the Easiest Sourdough Starter Recipe

I did it! (well, my husband did) and you can too!!

Fast forward another year, and my husband became interested in natural yeast starters. He looked up some instructions, and I stood back to watch with a skeptical eye and burnt-out enthusiasm. After just a few days, he used the water to make a loaf of bread, and it was DELICIOUS! Not only did he create a beautiful loaf, but we also had extra starter to maintain and keep using. Suddenly, my soul was fed and my interest piqued. I stepped in to try my hand at sourdough bread making again! It worked!!

More than one hundred loaves of sourdough bread later, I now know how to make a successful loaf and how to recover a sad starter. Looking back, most of the starters I had previously thrown out were actually still usable, just starving! Aside from the first, I could have fed my other starters more flour and water at regular intervals for just a few more days, and the starters would have revived.

Supplies for Raisin Water Starter

Recommended Materials:

Glass pint jar and lid

Kitchen scale

Ingredients:

100 g (2/3 c) raisins (organic raisins or standard)

250 g (1 c) filtered water (lukewarm water works best)

4 g (1/2 tsp) cane sugar or honey (optional)

about 400 g flour (weight of flour should equal the final weight of yeast water without raisins)

How to Make the Easiest Sourdough Starter with Raisin Water

Day 1: Prepare the Raisin Water

Clean and sanitize the glass jar and lid under hot water. Dry completely.

Add the raisins, water, and honey (if using) to the clean jar, place the lid on snug, and shake vigorously for about 5 seconds. Unscrew the lid to release any pressure and replace the lid again until barely snug. You want some air to be able to escape from the jar as needed throughout the day.

Place the jar in a dark area at or above room temperature (70-80 degrees Fahrenheit).

Day 2 through 5: Follow the Shake and Release Method 2-3x per day.

Tighten the lid and shake vigorously for about 5 seconds, release the pressure, then replace the lid again until barely snug.

Signs of Progress

First: Raisins begin to swell.

Second: Lots of bubbles form and raisins begin to rise.

Third: Plump raisins rise to the top and the water appears carbonated.

Final Day (typically Day 6): Raisin Water shows all Signs of Progress (listed above)

Separate the raisins from the water by pouring the mixture through a cheesecloth over a fine mesh strainer on top of a bowl. Take the raisins aside, rinse with fresh water, and place them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two months.The yeast water works best when used fresh, so follow the instructions below to make the yeast water starter right away.

Use the Raisin Yeast Water to Make Sourdough Starter

Use a kitchen scale to measure the amount of yeast water in grams, and place it into a large bowl. Add an equal amount of flour to the water. Alternatively, you can measure out 100 grams of yeast water and flour each, and reserve the remaining water for another time. Mix together until all the flour is incorporated and the starter dough resembles a thick batter. This mixture is your sourdough starter. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow the starter to rise until it doubles and becomes bubbly.

The wild yeast starter will likely be ready to use in your recipe within just a few hours as the homemade yeast is very active at this point. Watch it carefully, or re-feed it if it begins to fall before you use it in your recipe.

Note: the active starter will still be thick when it is bubbly and ready to be used the first time. It will become thinner during the second and third feedings.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between raisin yeast water and yeast water starter?

Raisin yeast water extracts wild yeast from the raisins in water. Yeast water starter comes from adding flour to the raisin yeast water. Yeast is found in varying degrees in all types of fruits, and raisins are especially high in natural yeast. Other fruits take longer to create good yeast water, and after the first loaf of bread the starter does not maintain much of a distinct flavor.

What type of flour should I use to feed my starter?

I recommend using a whole grain flour such as whole wheat flour or rye flour for at least the first few feedings. I also feed my starter high quality, whole grain flours whenever my starter seems to need an extra boost now and then.These flours have a higher protein content, creating a better gluten matrix for a strong rise. With that said, you can use any type of flour to feed the starter, including all-purpose flour (preferably unbleached) or bread flour. The weight of the flour added will remain the same regardless of which flour you use, so be sure to weigh the flour rather than rely on volume measurements.

Does sourdough bread made from yeast water starter taste like raisins?

The initial loaf of bread made from the raisin yeast starter has a uniquely rich flavor. While the sour taste of the starter continues to develop overtime, the aroma and sweetness of the first loaf is irresistible. After several feedings, the sweet, tangy flavors will gradually be replaced by a traditional sour flavor.

Can I use the raisins after straining off the yeast water?

Yes! The raisins are delicious, especially baked into sourdough bread. If you are not ready to use the raisins right away, I recommend rinsing and refrigerating the raisins to slow down the fermenting process. Try adding them to sourdough cinnamon raisin bread!

How is raisin water starter different from traditional sourdough starter?

A traditional starter is made from flour and water. Each day, you discard half of the mass and feed the remainder with equal parts flour and water. During this initial creation of a traditional starter, the discard needs to be thrown away as the bacteria is not yet ideal for consumption and the starter is not ready to be used in baking for at least one week. The traditional method takes a long time and wastes flour in the beginning stages.

Raisin yeast water becomes ready to use in baked goods as soon as you begin adding flour. Once it becomes bubbly, it is an active sourdough starter after just the first feeding. Both raisin yeast starters and traditional starters are maintained with the same method.During maintenance, discard may be used in a variety of recipes from biscuits and tortillas to cookies and muffins.

Traditional starters and wild yeast starters have a complex microbiome of various bacteria. A traditional starter relies primarily on lactic acid bacteria to help the bread rise, whereas a yeast water starter relies primarily on wild yeasts to make the bread rise. Over time, as the raisin yeast starter is maintained through a diet of flour and water, the microbiome of the starter gradually shifts toward greater lactic acid bacteria.

What is the difference between a wild yeast starter and commercial yeast?

Commercial yeast is made from a single strain of yeast, s​​accharomyces cerevisiae, that has been isolated for convenient bread-making. A wild yeast starter on the other hand is a complex array of yeasts that provide depth of flavor. Wild yeast water is also more effective at breaking down the gluten in flour than commercial dry yeast, and provides a natural leavening to bread. Commercial yeast rises quickly (hence the name “instant yeast”). Homemade sourdough starter takes anywhere from 8 to 24 hours to fully ferment and rise.

Can I maintain raisin yeast starter or is it for one-time use only?

Yes, a raisin yeast starter can be maintained in the same way as a traditional starter. Or, if you tend to make sourdough once a year, go ahead and use the starter up without feeding it. The raisin water will make roughly 400 grams of starter, generally enough to make two sourdough recipes of your choice.

How do I maintain a raisin yeast water starter?

To maintain the starter, remove half or more of the starter, leaving at least 30 grams. Save this discard in the refrigerator to use in various recipes that do not require rising. Next, feed the remaining starter with equal weight of flour and water. If you anticipate making bread soon, check the recipe to see how much starter you need to make. As a rule of thumb, I generally feed my starter with 100 grams of flour and 100 grams of water to make enough for two loaves of bread with a bit of starter left over.

I have found that it is often favorable to add more flour and water than the weight of the starter, but never less. For example, with 50 grams of starter, you may feed it 50 grams or more of flour and water each. When trying to revive a highly acidic starter (smells like nail-polish remover), I feed 30 g starter with 100 g flour and 100 g water. On the flip-side, feeding a 100 g starter only 30 g flour and water will leave your sourdough starter starving.

How often do I need to feed my raisin water starter?

If you plan to maintain the raisin yeast starter at room temperature, you will need to feed the starter once or twice a day depending on its growth. You may also store the wild yeast starter in the refrigerator and feed it once a week. Be sure to feed the starter prior to using it in bread recipes, and let it sit at room temperature for 4-8 hours until bubbly and doubled in size. At this point it is an active sourdough starter. If the starter does not bubble well or has sat in the refrigerator for more than one week, you may need to feed it 2-3 more times before using it in a bread recipe.

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