74 bread starter recipes

Herman milk sourdough starter: a sweet, milk-based fermented batter that becomes the base for Amish friendship bread, cinnamon coffee cakes, and quick breads. Pass cups along to friends; the starter never runs out.

Amish friendship yeast starter, the classic 10-day fermented sweet starter you stir daily, feed with milk, flour, and sugar, then divide to bake friendship bread and share with friends.

Herman wheat and honey starter: a 5-day yeast-based friendship starter made with whole wheat flour, milk, and honey. Classic American bread-sharing tradition.

Authentic pumpernickel bread with a rye flour starter, whole wheat, wheat germ, bread crumbs, and caramel for color. A 4-loaf recipe with an overnight rye starter from scratch.

Old-fashioned potato sourdough starter: a yeast-and-flour starter fed with raw potato for biscuits, breads, and pancakes. Pioneer-style starter that improves with age.

Sourdough starter for bread machines using just skim milk, plain yogurt, and flour. The yogurt cultures kickstart fermentation in 2 to 5 days.

Grape starter for sourdough bread uses wild yeast from red grape skins to build a tangy, fruity base with just flour and water. A 6-day fermentation process creates a living starter you can maintain for months.

Hops yeast starter brews a traditional wild-yeast bread starter from hops, malt flour, brown sugar, and water. The pre-commercial baking technique used by pioneers and old-time home bakers.

Traditional Amish Friendship Bread starter that lives on your counter for 10 days, then splits into four batches to share. The foundation for sweet, tangy quick breads.

Puccia, traditional Italian olive-studded bread rolls from Puglia made with biga starter and whole wheat flour. Crusty, airy rolls with a long rise for deep flavor.

Herman starter, the friendship sourdough-style yeast and milk starter that bakers have been passing along for generations. Mix once, feed every five days, and share cups with friends or bake into coffee cakes and breads.

-Bread Machine CB: A true sourdough starter is nothing more than the flour and milk or water which sits at room temperature for several days and catches live yeast bacteria from the air. Most starter recipes today include yeast as an original ingredient as it is much easier and less time consuming. In addition, many sourdough bread recipes also indicate usage of yeast itself as it does provide a higher rising, lighter loaf. A sourdough starter should be kept in a glass or plastic bowl which has a tight fitting lid. I recommend a bowl instead of a jar as you can "feed" your starter right in the bowl easily.

Sourdough starter built from active dry yeast, sugar, flour, and water in 2-3 days. A reliable shortcut starter for tangy sourdough breads without waiting weeks for wild yeast.

Homemade onion rye bread made with a sponge starter, rye and bread flour, and sauteed onions kneaded into the dough. Crusty outside, soft and fragrant inside.

Salt-rising bread made with a potato water starter fermented overnight. A heritage Appalachian yeast bread with a distinctive tangy flavor and dense crumb.

Yeast ferment starter made with potato water, mashed potato, sugar, and dry yeast. Speeds up bread dough rising and adds soft texture to homemade yeast breads.