Learn how to make an einkorn sourdough starter at home with just two ingredients and a little bit of time.
Raise your hand if you love all things sourdough and have a hard time eating unfermented grains because they taste so mediocre! It’s not just me, right?
Sourdough is healthier for you, because it is breaking down all the anti-nutrients and allowing your body to absorb those nutrients found in grains more easily. But let’s face it, it is also way more delicious.
And for those who have a hard time digesting grains, sourdough can be your golden ticket to eating grains again. But what is better than regular sourdough for this? Einkorn sourdough.
Einkorn flour is more easily tolerated by those who have gluten sensitivities. It is one that doesn’t need to be fermented for better digestion, though einkorn is even easier to digest and the antioxidants present in the flour are even more bio-available.
Plus, einkorn is just a delicious flour to use. It has more of a nutty and buttery taste. Yum!
Tips:
- The absolute easiest way to create an einkorn sourdough starter is to start feeding your regular wheat sourdough starter einkorn flour. Eventually, after the fifth feeding of einkorn flour with discarding (or using), your starter will be 96% einkorn.
- Einkorn absorbs less liquid than wheat flour, so you will want to feed the starter a ratio of 1 to 1/2 flour to water. Since einkorn is a little more expensive than wheat flour or all-purpose, I feed my starter with 1/2 cup flour and 1/4 cup water.
- For making an einkorn sourdough starter, I prefer to use all-purpose einkorn flour over whole wheat. If you choose to use whole wheat einkorn, you will need a little less flour.
- Your sourdough starter should be ready to use within a week, but it may not be mature enough to bake bread for about 4 weeks.
- Don’t toss out your sourdough discard. Rather, use it to make discard recipes.
Your sourdough starter should be ready to use within a week, but it may not be mature enough to bake bread for about 4 weeks.
Why einkorn?
It is an ancient wheat that is much easier to digest and doesn’t require fermenting to break down phytic acid. It is also one of the only wheats not hybridized by modern farmers.
Most wheat today has been hybridized for better baking (aka higher protein) and better yields.
It has a higher protein content and has less starch compared to modern wheat. It also doesn’t have the same inflammatory response that refined flour can have.
Ingredients:
Einkorn flour – I prefer all-purpose einkorn flour for creating a starter. You can do whole grain einkorn for this process, but I like the results better with all-purpose flour. If you use whole grain you will need less flour starting out.
Water – Filtered, unchlorinater water. I filter my water with a Berkey water filter.
That’s it! Just two ingredients.
Tools:
Jar or bowl: This needs to be large enough for the starter to be able to double in size without spilling over. I like to use large canisters, but when you are just starting out, wide mouth mason jars work well.
Measuring cup: I use a dry measuring cup to measure out the amount of flour and use it for water, as well. Rebellious, I know.
Non-metal spoon: Some people swear that sourdough reacts to metal and doesn’t do as well. While I’ve never had an issue, I usually use a wooden spoon or a silicon spatula to stir.
FAQ:
Can I use einkorn flour in my sourdough starter?
Yes. There is a little tweaking that needs to be done since einkorn doesn’t absorb as much liquid as regular flour. So I will feed my einkorn starter a ratio of 1 to 1/2 flour to water.
Is einkorn good for sourdough?
Yes. Sourdough bread made with einkorn is absolutely delicious. The process is similar, but einkorn’s gluten structure is different, so you do not need to do the stretch and folds like regular sourdough bread. Rather, you flatten and fold.
Does einkorn flour cause inflammation?
No. Refined flour is most likely going to cause inflammation. According to this study, einkorn bread actually had an anti-inflammatory effect. (source)
How do you maintain an einkorn starter?
If you leave it out on the counter, you will want to feed it every 12 hours with a flour to water ratio of 1 to 1/2. If you are not going to be baking with it everyday, you can put it in the fridge with a lid and feed it once a week.
What is the healthiest sourdough starter?
There seems to be much debate on this. Some say whole wheat is healthiest, while others say rye, but in reality, I think it comes down to whatever flour you can afford or prefer. Sourdough products are healthier than their unfermented cousins, so choose the best quality for the flour you want to use. Whether it be einkorn, whole wheat, rye, or all-purpose, all are delicious and nutritious.
What is that gray liquid on the top of my starter?
That is known as a hooch and is an indication that you need to feed your starter more. It is harmless and can be poured out, and then you will feed your starter again.
What should a sourdough starter smell like?
A mature starter will smell yeasty and fermented. The more mature, the stronger the smell will be. If it starts to smell like vinegar, then that is an indication that it is not being fed enough.
How To Make An Einkorn Sourdough Starter
Day 1:
Mix 1/2 cup of flour and 1/4 cup filtered water.
Stir vigorously, making sure to incorporate everything well. Scrape down the sides.
Place a clean tea towel over the bowl and set aside. Allow it to sit for 24 hours.
Day 2:
Discard half of the mixture and repeat the process. Add 1/2 cup flour, 1/4 cup water, stir well, and cover.
Discarding half of the mixture is important in the early days of your starter. By day four, you would have so much sourdough starter that it would be a overflowing mess. But also, removing half ensures that you are feeding your growing colony of beneficial yeast the correct amount of flour and water. If you skipped this step, there would be too much starter and not enough food, creating a weak colony.
If you cannot fathom tossing your einkorn starter (I’m with you, especially since einkorn isn’t the cheapest flour), then use it in a discard recipe like pancakes.
Day 3-5
Repeat the day two instructions for days three through five. Discarding half, then feed.
Day 6 & 7
Every 12 hours, discard half the mixture and feed 1/2 cup flour with 1/4 cup water and mix well.
By day seven, there should be enough beneficial bacteria and yeast present to bake fermented sourdough goodies. Einkorn sourdough bread may not be able to bake for a few weeks as your starter matures.
You will know it is ready if by 4-12 hours after you feed it, it bubbles and doubles in size.
Sourdough Starter Maintenance
Sourdough starters can last multiple lifetimes and have been known to be passed down through generations. You simply need to take proper care of them, which is pretty easy to do.
If you plan to bake often, you can leave it on the counter and feed it twice a day. Otherwise it can be placed in the refrigerator.
Most people probably won’t use the starter every single day, so unless you own and operate a bakery, I would recommend storing it in the refrigerator between uses.
In the refrigerator for occasional use
By storing it in the fridge, you can feed the starter once a week and then just pull it out and feed before you plan to bake with it. Storing it in the refrigerator slows down the fermentation process, reducing the amount of feeding required.
I use my starter a couple times per week and plan bulk sourdough baking (like my bulk sourdough bread making… it’s life changing). If I plan to make something on Sunday morning, for example, I will pull my starter out of the fridge Saturday morning and feed it. By Saturday evening it is bubbly and ready to go for starting a batch of bread. Then I will feed the starter and place it back into the fridge until I need it again.
Find My Other Favorite Einkorn Recipes:
- Einkorn Cinnamon Rolls
- Einkorn Sourdough Bread
- The Best Einkorn Pie Crust
- Einkorn Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Gingerbread Cake With Einkorn Flour
If you try this recipe and love it, I would love if you gave it 5 stars! Thank you! Tag me on Instagram @farmhouseonboone.
Einkorn Sourdough Starter
Ingredients
- Einkorn flour
- Water
Instructions
Day 1:
- Mix 1/2 cup of flour and 1/4 cup filtered water.
- Stir vigorously, making sure to incorporate everything well. Scrape down the sides.
- Place a clean tea towel over the bowl and set aside. Allow it to sit for 24 hours.
Day 2:
- Discard half of the mixture and repeat the process.
- Add 1/2 cup flour, 1/4 cup water, stir well, and cover.
Day 3-5
- Repeat the day two instructions for days three through five. Discarding half, then feed.
Day 6 & 7
- Every 12 hours, discard half the mixture and feed 1/2 cup flour with 1/4 cup water and mix well.
- By day seven, there should be enough beneficial bacteria and yeast present to bake fermented sourdough goodies.
- You will know it is ready if by 4-12 hours after you feed it, it bubbles and doubles in size.
Notes
- The absolute easiest way to create an einkorn sourdough starter is to start feeding your regular wheat sourdough starter einkorn flour. Eventually, after the fifth feeding of einkorn flour with discarding (or using), your starter will be 96% einkorn.
- Einkorn absorbs less liquid than wheat flour, so you will want to feed the starter a ratio of 1 to 1/2 flour to water. Since einkorn is a little more expensive than wheat flour or all-purpose, I feed my starter with 1/2 cup flour and 1/4 cup water.
- For making an einkorn sourdough starter, I prefer to use all-purpose einkorn flour over whole wheat. If you choose to use whole wheat einkorn, you will need a little less flour.
- Your sourdough starter should be ready to use within a week, but it may not be mature enough to bake bread for about 4 weeks.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I’ve been following this recipe (I’ve also tried a 50g starter, 50g water, 100g flour recipe) and my starter is currently 1 month old! It is doubling after 24 hours but has yet to double within the reccomend 4-12 hours. I’ve only been feeding it once a day because I can tell it isn’t hungry enough for a second feeding. It honestly looks like it could continue growing past the 24 hour mark but I’m afraid to let it go without a feed for longer than 24 hours. Can I make bread with it yet or should I just keep feeding and discarding until it doubles in 4-12 hours? Do you have any recommendations on how to make it happier/more active?
It may be growing past the 24 hour mark. Depends on temperature in your home. If it’s colder, it may take longer to rise.
I have yet to be successful with AP and regular wheat. I bought unifine Organic Einkorn flour. Can I use it to try again to make starter? lol. Thank you!
Yes you can! Another option would be to see if you can find a mature starter from a friend or a sourdough bakery in your area.
On day 7, no bubbles any of the days. What is wrong? I move to container with lid, no rise, no bubbles. Do I need to put on seed starter mat for more warmth?
Oh no! Well you don’t want to have a lid on it unless you are storing it in the fridge. Using a tea towel allows for the wild yeast in the environment to go into the starter. If your house is on the cooler side it may take longer. Keep going. Don’t give up, eventually you will have a great sourdough starter.
Can I put the sourdough starter on a seed warming mat? I put the tea towel back on again. I am getting a few bubbles, and not much by any means and no rise. It seems that when I have used the seed mat for a few hours, there gets to be a slight, brown crust on top.
Do I discard on every feeding if I’m not using my starter?
You discard every feeding when you are beginning your starter. Once it’s established, you can keep it in the fridge and just feed it before you want to bake with it.
I am currently doing the basic starter which yields me about 1 cup starter, which I see is what I need for one batch of bread. How and when would I increase/grow the starter to have enough for bread plus some leftover to continue the starter?
Just feed it more water and flour until you get the amount you need.
I get my Einkorn flour from the local Amish and I have been reading up on sourdough starter for a few weeks now. I am ready to try it out after reading all your posts as they have been so helpful. I do have some questions though, on the second day of your starter, when you have the discard, can you use this in other recipes such as cookies or should you wait a few days before you can use the discard? Another question is that you have mentioned all purpose Einkorn and whole grain Einkorn. The flour I purchase is already ground. Can I omit the whole grain when making the bread?
You can. It doesn’t have as many nutritional benefits yet, as an established starter would. You can still use it though!
Help! I think I messed up my starter. I’m using Einkorn all-purpose flour and I was using the ratio 1:1. Flour to water. Then I read on your blog one specifically for Einkorn that’s 1/2 : 1/4. Mine had formed a black ring- hooch. I am on day 3. I read that means it needs to be fed, so I fed immediately the correct ratio for purely Einkorn. I did not start with my other all-purpose flour. Is that going to be ok?
Discard most of your starter and go back to feeding it 1/2:1/4.
So after 6-7 days of following this process, you say it might not be ready to use for bread. Does that mean I keep feeding it every day for a month? Or put it in the fridge and feed once a week? Thank you!
You’ll keep feeding it on your counter every day until you see activity. I would also try to find a warmer place for your starter right now, since it’s colder in most places geographically.
After day 7 do we continue feeding the starter twice a day or back to once a day? My starter does not show much activity.
If your starter is not showing any activity, don’t give up. It can take up to two weeks for it to show activity. I would feed it once per day until you begin to notice activity. Then bump it up to twice per day.
Thank you for the feedback. I am excited to get this going. Patiently awaiting for activity.
Help! I did something really stupid with my Einkorn sourdough starter! I have a mature starter that was working fine and I think I destroyed it by following a feeding recipe on someone’s website. I had been feeding my starter with a 1:1:1 ratio like other flours, then I read that I should not being using these ratios for Einikorn flour. I found a suggested Einkorn sourdough starter maintenance recipe that was: 10g starter, 59 grams water and 60 grams flour. I mixed this up and discarded the remnants of my starter only to discover that the above recipe was not for starter maintenance but for making a levain. I now have a jar of levain and no starter! Is it possible to convert the levain back into a starter or am I weeks-months away from being able to make Einkorn sourdough bread?
I would try taking a small amount of the levain out and using it to make a sourdough starter again. See if that will work!
At what point do I put my sourdough starter into a jar with a lid? The instructions say, make it in a bowl and cover with a tea towel, but they never instruct at what point to put it in the jar.
You can put it in a jar at any point or continue to use a bowl.