Can you freeze sourdough starter? Yes! Freezing sourdough starter is a simple way to preserve your starter for up to a year without feeding it. If you need to take a sourdough hiatus, this is a perfect way to save starter for later use.
Over the two decades that I have been baking, I’ve had seasons where I bake non-stop and times when I don’t bake much.
This is especially true lately because now that I have a three-year-old in preschool, I am taking regular baking breaks because we are constantly sick (the preschool plague is no joke, y’all).
For yeast breads, this is no big deal. But because sourdough relies on a healthy starter, taking a sourdough baking break isn’t quite as simple. Sourdough starter maintenance isn’t complicated, but it must be consistent.
So to ensure that I have healthy starter even if I’m in a season of baking less or laid up on the couch with (another) cold, I freeze portions of my mature sourdough starter for long term storage.
This is a great way to ensure that you always have some of your precious starter available.
Table of Contents
Benefits of Freezing Sourdough Starter
You can go a year without feeding.
Frozen starter can be stored in a freezer bag for up to a year. During that time, you don’t have to worry about feeding it at all. That’s a long time to go without feeding your sourdough starter!
Freezing sourdough starter is easy.
The process of freezing starter is really simple. It takes about 5 minutes of hands-on time. And to revive it, you’ll just have to let it thaw and feed it for a few days. It’s as easy as that.
Frozen starter is useful for mishaps.
With frozen starter on hand, you don’t have to worry about making a new starter if something goes wrong. Did your starter grow mold? Toss it, and grab your frozen starter. Did your jar of starter shatter on the floor? Grab frozen starter.
Watch How To Freeze Sourdough Starter
Tips for Freezing Sourdough Starter
Use a silicone mold
I’ve found that the best way to freeze starter is in a silicone mold. I prefer this because it’s easy to pop the frozen starter out. But more than that, I like silicone molds because you can find them in pretty designs. Having pretty frozen starter certainly isn’t necessary. But it is a treat to pull out beautiful flower-shaped starter from the freezer.
Use a mature & active sourdough starter
it’s a good idea to freeze a mature sourdough starter that is active and bubbly. Generally, this is any starter that has been fed within 4-12 hours of freezing. Technically, you could freeze inactive starter, but active starter will yield better results.
Weigh your starter
For the best results when reviving your starter, take note of the weight. Either before or after the freezing process, take note of how much one block of starter weighs. Jot that down on the freezer bag so you will know how much to feed it when you are ready to use it.
Use a ziplock bag
Though I try to limit how much plastic I use, ziplock bags (the freezer kind) are the best to way to store your starter for future use.
An airtight container can do the trick. However, I have found that freezer burn is more likely when I use an airtight container. Maybe that’s because mine are old, but it doesn’t seem worth the risk.
FAQs
Is sourdough starter healthy after freezing?
Yes! Yeast is of the most resilient life-forms. Many varieties of yeast can withstand below freezing temperatures. Some of the yeast and lactic acid bacteria may die off during freezing. But enough remains dormant to be reactivated once thawed and fed for a few days.
Can you use starter as soon as it is thaw?
No, you will need to feed your starter for a few days after thawing it. This not only revives the yeast, but it also encourages new growth of bacteria and yeast.
Can you freeze sourdough discard?
Technically, yes. But for the best results, you are better off freezing an active and healthy sourdough starter. Because some of the yeast dies when frozen, you want the starter to have as much healthy yeast as possible prior to freezing.
How long does sourdough starter last in the freezer?
While starter in the fridge can last up to two months without feeding, frozen starter can last a full year.
Is dried starter better than frozen?
Dried starter is also a great way to preserve wild yeast for long term storage. And depending on your preferences, dry sourdough starter could be better because it can store longer than 12 months. However, the process takes a little longer. And if it isn’t dried correctly, it can mold. Whereas with frozen stater, it takes five minutes, and there is no risk of mold.
Can you freeze sourdough bread, too?
Yes! Sourdough bread freezes well. What I like about sourdough is that from start to finish, you can use the freezer for future sourdough. You can freeze the starter, and you can freeze the bread. I’ve even successfully frozen sourdough cobbler!
Once you revive the starter, what recipes can you use it for?
Everything! After you have revived and nourished your starter for a few days, you can get back to baking as usual. Other than bread, some of my favorite recipes are sourdough breadcrumbs, sourdough pizza dough, and sourdough carrot cake.
Watch How To Make Sourdough Starter
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- Silicone molds – These are useful because the frozen starter will pop right out. I love these silicone bee molds and silicone flower molds.
- Freezer bag – Make sure you are using a freezer bag and not a sandwich bag. Otherwise, your starter won’t last a year in the freezer.
- Glass jar – When you are ready to revive your starter, you can thaw and feed it in a glass jar.
- Cloth lid and rubber band – As you revive your starter, you will need to cover it with a cloth lid and rubber band. You could also use any loose fitting-lid. Be sure that your lid is not airtight.
- Whole wheat or rye flour – Once you are ready to use your frozen starter, you will need to thaw and feed it. I recommend feeding it all whole wheat or rye flour at least twice. Whole wheat and rye have more nutrients and microbes that can give your starter a boost.
- All-purpose flour – After the first few feedings, you can switch to feeding your starter half whole wheat or rye and half all-purpose flour.
- Water – With each feeding you will need to give your starter an equal portion of starter, flour, and water.
How to Freeze Sourdough Starter
Feed your starter. Allow it 4-12 hours to become active and bubbly. How long that takes depends on your starter, so keep an eye on it.
Once your starter is bubbly and doubled in size, spoon dollops of your active starter into a silicone mold, ice cube tray, or muffin tin lined with plastic wrap. The amount of starter depends on your mold. Fill it to the top.
Freeze for 12-24 hours or until completely frozen.
Once frozen, remove the starter from the mold. Place the frozen starter in a Ziploc bag and seal. Your starter will last up to a year in the freezer.
How to Thaw and Reactivate Frozen Sourdough Starter
Weigh your frozen starter. This way, you will know how much to feed it.
Place the frozen starter in a jar, loosely covered, and allow to sit in a warm spot until completely thaw. Starter doesn’t take long to thaw. Mine took about 4 hours to get back to room temperature.
Once thaw, combine equal parts starter, flour, and water. I recommend, for the first two feedings, using whole wheat or rye flour. Whole wheat and rye have more nutrients and microbes that can give your starter a boost.
So if your frozen starter weighed 30 grams, you will mix together the 30 grams of thawed starter, 30 grams of whole wheat flour, and 30 grams of water.
Stir until thoroughly combined. Allow it to sit at room temperature for 12 hours.
Discard half of the starter. Again, combine equal parts starter, flour, and water. For example, after discarding half, if you have 45 grams of starter remaining, feed it 45 grams of whole wheat flour, and 45 grams of water.
The next time you feed your starter, if you prefer, you can switch to half whole wheat and half all-purpose flour. For example, you would mix together 45 grams of starter, 23 grams of whole wheat, 22 grams of all-purpose (for a total for 45 grams of flour), and 45 grams of water.
Continue feeding your starter every 12 hours. Once your starter is consistently doubling after feedings, it is ready for baking.
Keep in mind that your starter will likely need a few feedings to get going.
More Sourdough Posts You’ll Love
- Sourdough Fried Chicken
- Sourdough Breadcrumbs That Work Every Time
- Chocolate Sourdough Bread
- How To Do the Windowpane Test for Dough
- How to Use a Bread Stencil – Easy Sourdough Art
Freezing Sourdough Starter
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Additional Time: 12 hours
Total Time: 12 hours 5 minutes
Freezing sourdough starter is a simple way to preserve your starter for up to a year without feeding it. If you need to take sourdough hiatus, this is a perfect way to save starter for future use.
Ingredients
- Sourdough starter
- Whole wheat or rye flour (for reviving frozen starter)
- All-purpose flour (for reviving frozen starter)
- Water (for reviving frozen starter)
Instructions
How to Freeze Sourdough Starter
- Feed your starter. Allow it 4-12 hours to become active and bubbly. How long that takes depends on your starter, so keep an eye on it.
- Once your starter is bubbly and doubled in size, spoon dollops of starter into a silicone mold, ice cube tray, or muffin tin with liners.
- Freeze for 12-24 hours or until completely frozen.
- Once frozen, remove the starter from the mold. Place the frozen starter in a freezer bag and seal. Your starter will last up to a year in the freezer.
How to Thaw and Reactivate Frozen Starter
- Weigh the frozen starter you want to use. This way, you will know how much to feed it.
- Place the frozen starter in a jar, loosely covered, and allow to sit at room temperature until completely thaw. Starter doesn't take long to thaw. Mine took about 4 hours to get back to room temperature.
- Once thaw, combine equal parts starter, flour, and water. I recommend, for the first two feedings, using whole wheat or rye flour. Whole wheat and rye have more nutrients and microbes that can give your starter a boost.
- Stir until thoroughly combined. Allow it to sit at room temperature for 12 hours.
- Discard half of the starter. Again, combine equal parts starter, flour, and water. For example, after discarding half, if you have 45 grams of starter remaining, feed it 45 grams of whole wheat flour, and 45 grams of water.
- The next time you feed your starter, if you prefer, you can switch to half whole wheat and half all-purpose flour. For example, you would mix together 45 grams of starter, 23 grams of whole wheat, 22 grams of all-purpose (for a total for 45 grams of flour), and 45 grams of water.
- Continue feeding your starter every 12 hours. Once your starter is consistently doubling after feedings, it is ready for baking.
- Keep in mind that your starter will likely need a few feedings to get going.
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