Homemade Kombucha Recipe

April 5, 2025 By Cate H

This post might include affiliate links for products that I know and LOVE!

Kombucha is all the rage these days, and for good reason! This fizzy, good-for-you drink tastes great and contains so many benefits. I’ve been making my own homemade kombucha recipe for ages, and let me say, it’s one of the easiest things I do in the kitchen.

Seriously, kombucha is fix-it and forget-it. Plus, your kombucha scoby is the gift that keeps on giving, saving you tons of money. I know you’ll be just as obsessed as I am!

Why Try Kombucha?

Kombucha goes through its seasons of popularity, but this fermented drink has been around for many, many years. There are so many health trends out there that it’s important to look at the facts when deciding what to implement into our lives. After all, we only have so much time in one day!

Kombucha can kill gross bacteria in the body and is also effective against candida. It’s also a powerful gut-healing elixir full of probiotics! When your gut is healthy, your entire body benefits through reduced inflammation and better digestion. With the latest emphasis on gut health, kombucha can be a simple way to boost gut health without investing in expensive supplements.

You can make it with a number of delicious teas, which amp up the health benefits. For example, use green tea for a dose of antioxidants or oolong tea for a metabolism boost.

If you’re a huge fan of fizzy drinks, you’ll love this bubbly treat. This homemade kombucha recipe gives you the basic details, but there are so many ways to customize your beverage. You can create herbal, fruity, and spicy kombucha. There are even ways to make it taste like your favorite soda! The possibilities are endless.

How to Get Started

To make your kombucha recipe, you need a few simple ingredients and a few helpful tools. I’ve tried many different methods, but I always fall back on this one because it’s the easiest and totally foolproof. Here’s what you need to get started.

Tea: My tea of choice is black or oolong. These options make the richest-tasting kombucha. You can also use green or white tea. Even if you don’t normally splurge for organic varieties, I encourage you to at least keep a box of organic tea on hand for your kombucha.

Sweetener: The right sweetener produces an amazing bottle of kombucha! I use organic, fair-trade cane sugar or coconut sugar for my brewing process. During the fermentation process, the sugars essentially break down to feed the yeast and produce good bacteria, so you aren’t ingesting refined sugar.

You can also use honey or pure maple syrup. Feel free to blend multiple sweeteners to create your perfect brew!

Scoby: This odd-looking creature is made of good bacteria and yeast. These elements break down the tea and sugar into the fizzy, delicious kombucha will know and love. Many people make their own scoby from scratch, which you can totally do, but I prefer to take a shortcut and purchase a fully grown one from a reputable source.

Glass Jar: I brew my kombucha in a gallon-sized glass jar. I cover it with a coffee filter, secure it with a rubber band, and let it sit on my kitchen counter. If your kitchen temperature fluctuates like my Midwestern one does, you may need to keep your brew warm.

During the winter, I will wrap a kitchen towel around my kombucha and let it sit near the stove. This keeps it at a reasonable temperature and doesn’t slow the fermenting process too much.

Many kombucha kits have jars with thermometer stickers on them, which are SO useful for figuring out the best spot for your homemade kombucha recipe to hang.

Storage: Finished kombucha needs to be refrigerated, and there are so many great ways to store it! You can use a drink dispenser, which is always a great option, especially if you’re serving it at a gathering. My favorite storage method is to funnel the kombucha into individual glass bottles. This is great for on-the-go! You can reuse old store-bought kombucha bottles or purchase ones similar to mine. Heads up: In all transparency, I found my bottles at Dollar Tree. It was the find of the century and you can only imagine how elated I was. 🙂

Kombucha Recipe

Step One: Brew the Tea

Place the tea bags and boiling water in the glass jar. Add the sugar and stir to dissolve. Let steep for 10 minutes.

Add the cool water to the jar and stir to combine. Your tea mixture should be at about room temperature. If not, let it cool a little more.

Step Two: Add the Scoby

With clean hands (or a wooden spoon), add the scoby and starter liquid to your glass jar. The scoby may sink or float, either is fine.

Step Three: Ferment, Ferment, Ferment

Place a coffee filter over the top of the jar and secure with a rubber band. Let the kombucha ferment in a warm place for 1-3 weeks, depending on your climate, ingredients, and personal preference.

You’ll know your kombucha is ready to drink when it’s slightly tangy. Experts say to start tasting it after a week and then once a day until it tastes just right. Mine usually brews for about 10 days.

How to Store Homemade Kombucha

Once your kombucha has finished fermenting, it’s important to store it properly to keep that delicious flavor and fizz.

Choose an airtight bottle or jar to keep the carbonation inside and prevent leaks. You can use swing-top bottles or even reuse an old kombucha jar from the store. When in a pinch, a Mason jar can work, too. When you fill your container, you want to leave at least 2 inches of headspace on the top. This leaves room for additional carbonation that can happen when the kombucha sits. Store your brew in the refrigerator, unless you want it to ferment more for stronger flavor. Your kombucha will technically last several months, but it’s best enjoyed within a few weeks.

Keep the Homemade Kombucha Recipe Coming!

After a few days, you’ll notice that your scoby appears to be growing another scoby. This is commonly referred to as the “baby” scoby. I usually place both of the scobys in my next batch to allow them to grow thicker. Eventually, you’ll be able to peel the baby scoby off. Then you can save it as a backup scoby or give it away.

Be sure to save at least a cup of finished kombucha along with your scoby to help ferment the next batch! We go through a lot of kombucha, so I always have a jar brewing. If you can’t brew a new batch of kombucha right away, store it in an airtight container in the fridge.

If your scoby looks sketchy, throw it out. Brown spots are usually fine, but anything that looks “moldy” is a sign of trouble. I always have a backup scoby in my fridge in case this happens!

Homemade Kombucha Recipe

Yield: 1 gallon

Brew joy in a jar with this simple homemade kombucha recipe—full of gut-loving goodness, gentle guidance, and flavor ideas to make your soul (and tummy) sing.

Ingredients

4 herbal tea bags or oolong tea
4 cups water, boiling
3/4 cup cane sugar, coconut sugar, honey, or maple syrup
Cool water (to fill the rest of the gallon jar)
1 SCOBY with starter liquid
1 (1-gallon) glass jar
Coffee filter
Rubber band
Kombucha bottles

Instructions

1. Place the tea bags and boiling water in the glass jar. Add the sugar and stir to dissolve. Let steep for 10 minutes.

2. Add the cool water to the jar and stir to combine. Your tea mixture should be at about room temperature. If not, let it cool a little more.

3. With clean hands (or a wooden spoon), add the scoby and starter liquid to your glass jar. The scoby may sink or float, either is fine.

4. Place a coffee filter over the top of the jar and secure with a rubber band. Let the kombucha ferment in a warm place for 1-3 weeks, depending on your climate, ingredients, and personal preference.

Notes

You'll know your kombucha is ready to drink when it's slightly tangy. Experts say to start tasting it after a week and then once a day until it tastes just right. Mine usually brews for about 10 days.

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Easy Sourdough Discard Bread in the Bread Machine

March 1, 2025 By Cate H

This post might include affiliate links for products that I know and LOVE!

You’ve just gotten into the wonderful world of sourdough bread and now you’re facing the most common dilemma..an overload of sourdough discard. This Easy Bread Machien Sourdough Discard Bread will help you use excess discard and give you a tasty loaf made on autopilot.

Listen, I love the long sourdough process as much as the next girl, but there are times when my kids just need a loaf of bread stat. And, while it’s not AS gut healthy as sourdough bread, I’m perfectly happy to let them indulge in a preservative-free bread any day. This mouthwatering loaf of bread is simple, totally hands-off, and the sourdough starter gives the bread a nice, mild tang. It’s the perfect option for busy bakers who want the best of both worlds.

Add This To Your Shopping Cart

Like anything else, the cost of bread is on the rise. This is why recipes like Easy Bread Machine Sourdough Discard Bread are SO important. While the cost of ingredients ebbs and flows, you can expect to pay about $1.50 per loaf. Note that this varies based on your location and whether your ingredients are organic or not. Here’s what you need to add to your shopping cart.

Sourdough Discard: I heard sourdough discard is like Tamagotchi pets for adults, and I totally agree. Fun, something to nurture, and it brings such a serotonin boost. Snag some discard from a friend (trust me, they have too much) or use your own sourdough discard. I made my sourdough starter from scratch, but you can purchase a starter of your very own here. You can use cold discard from the fridge or room temperature starter waiting to be discarded.

Active Dry Yeast: Because this recipe does not go through the long proofing process of traditional sourdough, it needs a little active dry yeast. You can also use instant yeast and get the same result.

All-Purpose Flour: The bread loaf pictured uses all-purpose flour. You can substitute bread flour, if desired, or whole wheat flour. I’ve also had great success using half all-purpose and half whole wheat flour, though the bread loaf is denser with that option.

Honey: A little honey helps activate the yeast and get the ball rolling. You can also use sugar, coconut sugar, or maple syrup, depending on your sweetener preferences.

Salt: Every loaf of bread needs a little salt to bring out the flavor. My personal preference is pink Himalayan salt for its mineral boost!

Fat and Water: To create a silky smooth dough, add a dash of melted butter or olive oil, which is my personal favorite because it’s the fastest. In the past, I’ve used avocado oil with awesome results, but I’d recommend staying away from canola or vegetable oil to make this recipe the healthiest it can be. And, of course, water binds everything together. Use warm water to help the yeast develop.

How to Make Sourdough Discard Bread

This easy recipe is almost entirely hands-off. Add the ingredients to the bread machine, press start, and walk away. Here’s what you need to do.

Step One: Add Liquids to the Bread Machine

Pour the sourdough discard, warm water, and oil in the bottom of your bread machine.

Step Two: Add Dry Ingredients

Add the flour, honey, and salt. Use your fingers to create a small well in the flour, and add the yeast. Shut the bread machine lid and choose the “Basic” or “White” bread on your bread machine. If using whole wheat, use the appropriate setting.

Step Three: Check the Dough

During the bread machine’s first kneading cycle, check the dough’s consistency. If it looks too dry, add water, one tablespoon at a time. If the dough looks overly sticky, add more flour, one tablespoon at a time.

Step Four: Bake the Sourdough Discard Bread

Let the sourdough discard bread complete its cycle, then remove the bread and let it cool on a wire rack before cutting. Enjoy your delicious loaf of frugal, homemade sourdough discard bread!

Helpful Tips and Customization Options for Sourdough Discard Bread

If you’re a baker, you already know that part of the fun is being creative. I love experimenting with different additions, whether inside the bread loaf or to garnish. Here are a couple of my favorite variations.

Herbs: Add 1-2 teaspoons of fresh thyme, rosemary, basil, or oregano for an earthy twist.

Seeds: Sunflower or flax seeds can add a fibrous boost to the bread and give it a wonderful texture. Stick with 2-3 teaspoons.

Cheese: This is one of my favorite additions! 1/4 cup of shredded cheddar or mozzarella gives the bread a fabulous flavor.

Peppers and Tomatoes: Sundried tomatoes and jalapenos go great with mozzarella and cheddar cheese, respectively. Be sure to dice your tomatoes and peppers finely so they don’t weigh the loaf down.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I Only Use Sourdough Discard Without the Yeast?

I don’t recommend going this route, even if your sourdough starter was recently fed. The bread machine’s “Quick Cycle” isn’t long enough to perform the long-rise process that helps the discard give rise to the bread. Adding a small amount of yeast ensures the perfect rise every time.

My Dough Didn’t Rise..What Now?

If your dough didn’t rise, the dough may have been too wet. At the perfect consistency, your dough is in a ball and is slightly sticky but not wet enough to make the dough unworkable. Other reasons include using old, expired yeast or an overly acidic discard. To combat this, ensure your yeast is within the “best used by” date and your discard hasn’t been in the back of your fridge for months.

Everyone has had a bad bread loaf from time to time. You can turn a dense loaf into bread crumbs to top casseroles or even croutons!

How Do I Store My Bread Loaf?
You can store your bread loaf in an airtight container or bread bag for up to 3 days. I don’t recommend refrigerating it, as that can cause the loaf to dry out faster. You can, however, freeze your bread by slicing it once it has cooled and placing it in a freezer bag for up to three months.