My Sourdough Journey: 6 Months of Learning, Fails, and Wins

Six months ago, I decided to embark on a new baking adventure: sourdough. It all started with my brother-in-law, who had been making sourdough, and I was hooked from the first loaf I bought from him. As someone who loves to bake, I thought, why not try making my own starter and baking fresh bread at home? Plus, I’m always looking for ways to make healthier choices for our family, and with all the additives in store-bought bread, sourdough seemed like a great solution.

The journey has been anything but easy. At first, I had no idea what I was doing. Most of my early loaves were, let’s just say, “creative” versions of what I hoped for, but we ate them anyway because they still tasted good. But after many trials (and errors), I found my rhythm and even started selling loaves by word of mouth! Here’s a look at the ups and downs of my sourdough adventure.

The main inspiration for starting my sourdough journey was my family’s health. When you look at the ingredient list on bread from the grocery store, it’s pretty frightening how many unnecessary additives are included. I wanted to provide something healthier and more wholesome for my family.

I didn’t go into this with massive expectations—just to make bread for my family and maybe make a little extra money on the side if I got good at it. But sourdough is unique compared to other types of baking. It’s not just about throwing ingredients together; you have to maintain your starter, which feels like a living thing. That made it special. I love the idea that I can pass my starter on to others, and maybe even my kids one day.

One of the hardest parts in the beginning was creating the starter. My brother-in-law kindly offered to give me some of his, but I was determined to do it on my own. Let me tell you—it took forever! My starter took about three weeks to really get going. They say you need to be patient, and now I understand why some people just buy an established starter from someone else!

Once it was alive and kicking, maintaining it was pretty easy. It just needed regular feeding. And even if I missed a day or two, a couple of extra feeds would bring it back to life. I relied a lot on Instagram, TikTok videos, and, of course, my brother-in-law for guidance during those early days.

Oh, those early bakes! I had no idea what I was doing. I constantly underproofed or overproofed the dough because I didn’t know what I was looking for. When you overproof or underproof, the bread turns out dense and flat. It still tastes okay, but it’s nothing like a perfectly risen sourdough loaf.

But practice truly does make perfect. The first time I nailed a loaf, I was so excited. I immediately texted my husband pictures, feeling so proud. Everything just clicked that time. All the steps felt right, and I could tell what to do at each stage because I had learned from all the failed loaves before it. That success was so satisfying.

One thing that helped me immensely was finding a recipe that worked for me. Once I had the basics down, I started playing around with flavors—chocolate sourdough, jalapeno cheddar, you name it.

When it comes to tools, while you don’t need anything fancy, I do enjoy using a banneton and a Dutch oven. That said, I bought a relatively inexpensive Dutch oven from Target, and it works just fine!

The biggest lesson I’ve learned is patience. Sourdough teaches you to slow down and trust the process. Timing is crucial, but the tricky part is that it changes with the weather and humidity. Just when you think you’ve mastered it, nature throws a curveball. It keeps you on your toes!

Looking ahead, I want to keep experimenting with different flavors and ingredients. I’m also really interested in finding new ways to use sourdough discard for recipes that my family will enjoy.

However, balancing baking with being a mom can be challenging. Sourdough is so time-sensitive, and when my kids are needing me, it can get frustrating if I’m at a critical stage in the baking process. But even with those stressful moments, the rewards are worth it.

I highly recommend sourdough baking to anyone who’s curious! It’s a creative and fulfilling process. And if you’re not ready to make your own starter, you can always buy one. Heck, reach out to me, and I’ll sell you some of mine!

There’s nothing quite like the satisfaction of pulling a fresh loaf of sourdough out of the oven. The smell, the sight of it rising just right—it never gets old. I encourage anyone who’s thinking about starting their sourdough journey to dive in! It takes time and patience, but it’s worth it. And if you’ve already started, I’d love to hear about your experiences—share your wins and fails in the comments, or feel free to ask questions!