How to revive your starter
A simple, beginner-friendly guide to bringing your dehydrated sourdough starter back to life. No experience needed.
What is dehydrated sourdough starter?
Dehydrated sourdough starter is exactly what it sounds like: a living sourdough culture that has been carefully dried to preserve it in a shelf-stable form. The microorganisms go dormant, but they're very much alive — ready to wake up when you add water and flour.
This method has been used for generations. It means you can receive a genuine, wild-fermented sourdough culture through the mail, store it in your pantry, and revive it whenever you're ready. No need to catch wild yeast from scratch or wait weeks for a new culture to develop.
Think of it like a seed. It's not doing much right now, but with the right conditions — water, flour, and warmth — it comes alive and becomes a thriving, living culture that can bake bread for years.
What you'll need
The 5-day timeline
From dormant flakes to active, bubbling starter. Here's what to expect each day.
Rehydrate
Add the dehydrated starter flakes to your jar with equal parts flour and water. Mix, cover loosely, and let sit at room temperature.
First Signs
You should start seeing small bubbles and a slightly sour smell. This means the culture is waking up. Feed with fresh flour and water.
Active Feeding
The starter should be more bubbly and may be starting to rise. Continue feeding once daily, discarding half before each feed.
Ready to Bake
Your starter should be doubling in size within 4–6 hours of feeding, with a bubbly, airy texture and a pleasant tangy aroma. It's ready!