Activate Sourdough Starter & Bake Your First Loaf

Activate Your Sourdough Starter & Bake Your First Loaf

Learn real sourdough the way we do it in our micro bakery.

Fresh sourdough bread

If you’ve got a sourdough starter, you’re already halfway there.

Now it’s time to wake it up—and bake your first real loaf.

No shortcuts. No guesswork. Just simple, proven steps that actually work.

Step 1

🐿️ Wake Up Your Starter

Activating sourdough starter

Start by bringing your starter back to life.

Feed it:

  • Squirrelly Girl dehydrated sourdough starter
  • 50g warm water
  • 50g flour

Mix until smooth, loosely cover, and leave it at room temperature.

What you’re looking for:
  • Small bubbles forming
  • Slight rise
  • Light tangy smell
👉 That means it’s alive.
Step 2

🔥 Build Strength

Feeding sourdough starter Active sourdough starter

Keep feeding once every 24 hours:

  • Discard half
  • Feed again (50g flour + 50g water)
Your starter is ready when:
  • It doubles in size within 4–6 hours
  • Looks airy and full of bubbles
  • Smells clean and slightly tangy
👉 This step makes or breaks your bread.
Step 3

🥣 Mix Your First Dough

Sourdough dough ingredients Mixing sourdough dough

Ingredients:

  • 100g active starter
  • 350g warm water
  • 500g bread flour
  • 10g sea salt

Steps:

  1. Mix water + starter
  2. Add flour + salt
  3. Mix until no dry flour remains

Cover and rest 30 minutes.

Step 4

🤲 Stretch & Fold

Stretching sourdough dough Stretch and fold sourdough Folding sourdough dough

Do 4 sets total:

  • Every 30 minutes
  • Stretch the dough up
  • Fold it over itself
  • Rotate and repeat
This builds strength without kneading.
Step 5

⏱️ Bulk Fermentation

Sourdough bulk fermentation

Let the dough rest at room temperature for 2–4 hours.

Look for:
  • Slight rise
  • Air bubbles forming
  • Smooth, elastic feel
👉 This is where flavor develops.
Step 6

🔵 Shape the Dough

Shaping sourdough dough Forming sourdough loaf

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface.

Pull it toward you while rotating to create surface tension.

You want a tight, smooth ball.

Step 7

❄️ Cold Proof

Cold proofing sourdough

Place dough into a floured banneton.

Cover and refrigerate:

8–12 hours (overnight)

This improves flavor and structure.

Step 8

🔥 Bake — Dutch Oven Method

Baking sourdough in a Dutch oven
  1. Preheat oven + Dutch oven to 450°F (232°C) for 30 minutes
  2. Turn dough onto parchment
  3. Score the top
  4. Bake:
    • 28 minutes covered
    • 10–12 minutes uncovered

🍞 Your First Real Loaf

Freshly baked sourdough loaf Sourdough bread crumb

You just made real sourdough.

Not rushed.

Not fake.

Not from a packet.

This is the kind of bread that’s been made for thousands of years.

🐿️ Start Strong

Your results come down to one thing: Your starter.

That’s why we built Squirrelly Girl Sourdough Starter inside our micro bakery—to give you:

✔ Strong rise
✔ Reliable results
✔ Real sourdough flavor
✔ Beginner-friendly success
🥖 Order Squirrelly Girl Starter
100% Activation Guarantee
Zero risk. Zero guesswork. Just real sourdough.
If your starter fails to activate, we’ll either send you a free replacement or issue a full refund.

Learn about our Activation Guarantee →

Our 100% Activation Guarantee

Zero Risk. Zero Guesswork. Just Real Sourdough.

Bake or Get Covered: If your starter fails to activate into a bubbly, active, bake-ready culture.
We’ll either send you a fresh replacement batch completely free or issue a 100% refund.

No hoops to jump through, no complicated returns, and no hard feelings.

Activation Guarantee