Gluten-Free Sourdough Beginner’s Guide
A collection of my favorite gluten-free sourdough tips, techniques, and recipes!
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Welcome to the World of Gluten-Free Sourdough
My old boss once said, "That's about as exciting as gluten-free bread," when describing something miserable. Clearly, he has never had my gluten-free sourdough bread! Who says going gluten-free means giving up all things delicious? Gluten-free baking is all about proving that you can have your bread and eat it too—fluffy, flavorful, and just as satisfying (if not more) than traditional recipes.
As a private chef for a Missouri-based women’s retreat, Women’s Wellness Weekend, where all of our meals are gluten- and dairy-free to cater to guests with various food allergies, I set out on a mission to find gluten-free options that genuinely taste great—not just okay [for gluten-free]. So naturally, I had to find a way to turn my love of traditional sourdough into something all my guests could enjoy.
With rising concerns about gluten sensitivities, the world of sourdough has expanded to include gluten-free options, offering a new way for those with dietary restrictions or preferences to join the fun. If you’re brand new to sourdough and baking, don’t worry—this guide will walk you through the process step-by-step so you can feel confident from the very start.
What is Gluten-Free Sourdough?
Gluten-free sourdough is a naturally fermented bread that uses wild yeast and bacteria to leaven dough—but without the gluten. Unlike traditional sourdough, which relies on the elasticity of gluten to trap air bubbles, gluten-free sourdough depends on creative flour blends, psyllium husk or xanthan gum, and a little extra patience.
How it Works: Fermentation happens when wild yeast and good bacteria in your starter eat the natural sugars in the flour, releasing carbon dioxide. This is what makes your bread rise and gives it that tangy flavor. No need for commercial yeast—nature does all the work!
If you’re curious about the differences between traditional sourdough and gluten-free sourdough, check out my blog post on Traditional vs. Gluten-Free Sourdough, where I break down everything from taste to texture and techniques.
Getting Started: The Basics
If you’re new to gluten-free sourdough baking, don’t worry—I’ve got you covered! This section breaks down the key steps and essentials so you can start your gluten-free sourdough journey with confidence. Let’s get baking!
Understanding the Lingo
Speaking sourdough can seem like a different language - discard, banneton, boule, oh my! If you’re just diving into the world of sourdough, this helpful glossary of terms may help you wrap your head around it a bit.
Supplies Needed for Gluten-Free Sourdough Baking
Mixing Bowls: Use stainless steel, glass, or ceramic to mix your dough and starter. Avoid aluminum bowls as they can react with the acidity of fermentation. This glass set from Pyrex is my favorite because the middle size is great for one loaf and the larger size for two.
Digital Kitchen Scale: Precision is key in learning sourdough baking. A kitchen scale ensures you measure ingredients accurately by weight, which is critical for consistent results.
Mason Jar (16-oz Wide Mouth): Ideal for storing and feeding your sourdough starter. The wide mouth makes stirring and feeding simpler.
Long Cake Spatula: My favorite tool for stirring! Its length makes it easy to scrape down the sides of the jar, ensuring everything is well-mixed without making a mess.
Dutch Oven or Loaf Pan: A Dutch oven traps steam to create a crispy crust and even heat distribution. For sandwich loaves, a standard loaf pan works well.
Proofing Basket (Banneton): Helps the dough hold its shape while rising. Alternatively, use a bowl lined with a lint-free towel dusted with rice flour. This starter kit has both popular shapes of banneton, along with lots of other helpful supplies for beginners and beyond.
Bench Scraper: This tool is perfect for handling sticky dough, dividing it into portions, and shaping it without excessive handling.
Parchment Paper: Makes transferring dough to the oven easier and prevents sticking, especially with wet gluten-free dough. I love these pre-cut, unbleached parchment sheets.
Lame (Scoring Tool): A sharp blade used to score the dough, allowing it to expand properly during baking and creating decorative designs. I prefer a “UFO” lame because it allows more precision when doing fun scoring designs.
Kitchen Towel or Plastic Wrap: For covering dough during proofing to prevent it from drying out.
Selecting Flours and Ingredients
While traditional wheat sourdough relies on just a few ingredients, gluten-free sourdough requires some additional components to compensate for the lack of gluten. These additions are key to achieving the right structure, texture, and flavor in your bread.
Getting to know your Flours:
Whole Grain Flours: Gluten-free grains like Teff, Millet, Buckwheat, Brown or White Rice, and Sorghum Flours are nutrient-rich and essential for creating a flavorful and nourishing loaf. These flours can be used individually or blended to suit your baking goals. For the best results, always choose fresh, organic flours from reliable suppliers.
Starches: Starches like potato starch and tapioca flour help improve the structure and provide a light, springy texture to gluten-free bread. They work well when combined with whole-grain flours to balance the texture.
Binders: Psyllium husk, chia seeds, and flax are key for binding the dough together. Psyllium husk flakes (not powder) are especially effective in retaining moisture and improving texture, making them a must-have for successful gluten-free sourdough.
Other Common Ingredients:
Honey or Maple Syrup: Adding a touch of natural sweetness activates fermentation and balances the bread’s flavor. Local, organic honey or high-quality maple syrup are excellent options.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil: High-quality olive oil enriches the crumb, enhances the crust, and adds a subtle depth of flavor to your bread.
Salt: Avoid iodized table salt, as iodine can inhibit fermentation. Opt for natural sea salt, Celtic salt, Himalayan pink salt, or my personal favorite—Redmond Real Salt—for better results. Each type of salt contributes unique minerals and subtle nuances to the flavor, elevating your bread's overall taste and complexity.
Filtered Water: The quality of water directly impacts your sourdough. Use filtered, reverse osmosis, or spring water to avoid the chemicals found in tap water that could interfere with fermentation.
Gluten-Free Sourdough Starter
A gluten-free sourdough starter is the heart of the process. I offer dehydrated gluten-free sourdough starters that are ready to go—just add water and flour, and in a few days, you'll have a mature, active starter that is ready to bake with! If you’re local to the St. Louis area, I am always happy to share some of my fresh starters, too!
Dive into all the nitty-gritty details of sourdough starters in my post “You’re Suddenly the Proud Owner of a Sourdough Starter… Now what?”
How to Care for Your Gluten-Free Sourdough Starter
Caring for your gluten-free sourdough starter is simple once you get the hang of it! Here's a quick breakdown on keeping it active, healthy, and ready for baking at any time.
Daily Feeding Routine
Consistency is Key: Feed your starter every 12-24 hours if kept at room temperature or every 7 days if stored in the fridge.
Flour Choice: Stick to whole-grain gluten-free flours like brown rice, millet, or buckwheat for feeding. These provide the necessary nutrients for the wild yeast and bacteria. Avoid cup-for-cup GF flour blends, as they have starches and gums that can dampen your starter.
I feed my gluten-free starter a blend of 2 parts brown rice, 1 part millet, and 1 part buckwheat flour, which I have found to create a very strong and reliable starter.
Ratio Matters: To keep things simple, always feed your starter at least its weight in equal parts of flour and water. For example, 25g starter, 25g flour, 25g water (known as a 1:1:1 ratio). You can scale up as much as needed to achieve the amount you need for a recipe, plus about 25 grams leftover to feed. I usually feed a 1:2:2 ratio for baking bread - so 25g starter, 50g flour, 50g water.
Signs of a Healthy Starter
Bubbles: A healthy starter will be bubbly and at least double in size 4-6 hours after feeding.
Tangy Smell: Expect a pleasant sour aroma, not overly vinegary or spoiled. Depending on the flours you use, it may even have a slightly cheesy aroma.
Activity: You’ll notice small bursts of bubbles on the surface and a dramatic increase in volume after a few hours.
What to Do Before Baking
Refresh Before Use: If your starter has been in the fridge, bring it to room temperature and feed it 1-2 times before baking for the best results.
Timing: Plan your bake by feeding your starter 4-6 hours ahead of mixing your dough (or overnight with a higher ratio like 1:5:5).
A Few Key Differences About a Gluten-Free Starter
Gluten-free starters tend to be more sensitive to environmental and temperature fluctuations.
So, if she is new to you, give her a few feeds to become familiar with your home.
Temperature factors like cooler weather or being pulled in and out of the fridge can make her sluggish.
Changes to food and water may also affect her response until she gets used to them.
It may take longer to wake back up after periods of refrigeration.
A few feeds in a warm environment should have her popping again.
They may not rise as much or develop larger bubbles like you may have seen in traditional sourdough starters.
A few signs your starter is quietly doing her thing would be a pleasant yeasty or vinegar smell or large wrinkles on the top of the surface after it has sat for a few hours. Undisturbed, if you scoop back the top layer, you may see the familiar bubbles you’re looking for just beneath the surface. You can still bake with a starter that is still fermenting but isn’t doubling.
Troubleshooting Your Starter
Starter Looks Flat and Inactive: Feed it twice daily at room temperature for 1-2 days to revive it.
Discoloration: If there’s a dark liquid on top (called hooch), simply pour it off and feed the starter. Hooch just means your starter is huuuuungry, which is especially common if its been sitting in the fridge [neglected] for over a week.
If mold appears, discard and start fresh (this is why I recommend keeping a jar of discard in the fridge or a pack of my dehydrated starter in the pantry as an insurance policy).
Weak Aroma: Switch to a more nutrient-dense flour, like buckwheat, teff, or millet, for a few feedings to boost activity.
Storage Options
Room Temperature: Feed daily and keep the starter covered loosely with a lid or cloth.
Refrigeration: For less frequent maintenance, store in the fridge and feed once a week. When storing in the fridge, it’s important to seal it tightly to avoid cross-contamination with other items in the fridge, especially produce mold.
If it has been in the fridge for more than a week, it may take a day or two to "wake back up." Be patient, and feed it twice daily at room temperature until it becomes bubbly and active again. Always leave room in the container for expansion.
By following these steps, you’ll have a strong, reliable starter that’s ready to help you bake delicious gluten-free sourdough breads and treats whenever you want!
Helpful Supplies for beginners that will last as you advance:
This handy kit has everything you need to mix, shape, and proof your dough. It’s high quality construction will serve you well. This is the one I have!
I LOVE this one, it is the perfect size for bread making, my viral pot roast, and many other dishes. A must for successful sourdough!
For repeatable results, it’s best to weigh all of your ingredients when feeding your starter and making your bread. I love how slim this one is for storage.
Techniques and Tips
Getting the Right Rise
Gluten-free dough behaves differently from traditional dough—it often proofs faster due to the lack of gluten structure. Monitor the dough closely to avoid overproofing; a typical proof might only take 2-4 hours depending on temperature.
Use proofing baskets lined with rice-flour-dusted cloth to support the dough while it rises without sticking, and avoid overhandling the dough to preserve its airy structure.
Hydration Levels
Gluten-free flours absorb water differently. Start with the recommended hydration level and adjust gradually until the dough feels thick but spreadable—similar to the texture of brownie batter.
Add small amounts of psyllium husk or chia gel to stabilize overly wet dough while maintaining hydration.
Flavor Profiles
Combine flours for flavor variety: sorghum for mild sweetness, brown rice for nuttiness, and millet for a subtle tang.
Add mix-ins like seeds, herbs, or spices for added flavor and texture—rosemary is especially good in savory loaves.
Baking Hacks
Use a Dutch oven for even heat distribution and a steam-rich environment, which helps create a crispy crust.
Preheat your oven with the Dutch Oven inside for at least 45 minutes to ensure consistent baking temperatures.
Line your Dutch oven or baking pan with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure easy removal of the loaf.
Place a baking sheet on the lowest rack of the oven while baking your bread to prevent burnt bottoms.
To enhance crust texture, remove the Dutch oven lid for the final 15 minutes of baking.
My Favorite Gluten-Free Sourdough Recipes:
A genuinely delicious gluten-free bread with a great texture, rich rustic flavor, and all the health benefits of sourdough fermentation. It’s SIMPLE to throw together - no kneading, stretch and folding, or hand shaping is required!
Super Satisfying Gluten-Free Sourdough Bread
This is the recipe base I use when making bread for the retreats. This is about the closest to “regular” bread I have found.
I swap the whey protein for Equip unflavored isolate to make it dairy-free.
A friend uses the cup4cup ancient grains flour blend, skips the psyllium & baking soda… and has beautiful delicious loaves!
Gluten-Free Sourdough Pop-Tarts
This has become my friend’s signature GF sourdough treat and party trick! While I personally haven’t made these yet, they look SO yummy and nostalgic.
Gluten-Free Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies
Another retreat staple that our guests absolutely devour! The sourdough gives such a unique texture and flavor, a true crowd pleaser!
Sourdough Discard Breakfast Pizza
This is a great way to use up your discard and was an easy 15-minute meal! Its excellent as a breakfast pizza and also as regular “dinner” pizzas. While this recipe is for traditional starters, its the same application for gluten-free discard.
Gluten-Free Sourdough English Muffins
Surprisingly easy to make, once you have a homemade english muffin you’ll never go back to store bought! I love making up a batch on the weekend and keeping some frozen for easy breakfasts.
More recipes to come!
As I experiment with different recipes and techniques, I will be adding them to this page.
Keep checking back!
