Sourdough Discard Pancake Recipe | Easy and Quick
There’s nothing quite like waking up to the smell of homemade pancakes on a Saturday morning. My kids love them and they’re one of my favorite recipes for a slow weekend. This fluffy sourdough discard pancake recipe is a family favorite. They’re soft, golden brown, and lightly tangy from the sourdough flavor, but a sweetness too. They’re a great way to make good use of your leftover sourdough starter discard instead of tossing it out.
If you’ve ever felt guilty about the food waste of maintaining a mature sourdough starter, this recipe is for you. With just a few basic ingredients, like flour, eggs, milk, and that excess sourdough starter, you’ll have a stack of the best sourdough discard pancakes ready in no time.
Drizzle them with butter and maple syrup, or pile on your favorite toppings like fresh berries or chocolate chips, and you’ve got the perfect fluffy sourdough pancakes for family breakfast.
More sourdough recipes for baking inspiration.
Why You’ll Love This Sourdough Discard Pancake Recipe
This is an easy way to use up leftover sourdough discard. The starter creates the fluffy texture you love in the best pancakes, with a little tangy flavor that makes them unique.
This recipe is so simple and an easy to mix up, cook, and enjoy. It’s also very adaptable with add-ins like blueberries, chocolate chips, or even a touch of cinnamon sugar. You make a fun and freeze for busy mornings. They reheat great!
What is Sourdough Discard?
If you’re new to sourdough baking, you may be wondering about the difference between an active sourdough starter and sourdough starter discard. When you feed your active starter, you remove some of the mixture so the remaining ingredients (flour, water, and starter) can thrive. That removed portion of starter is called the discard. While you can throw it out, discard still holds all the wonderful sourdough flavor, even if it won’t fully rise bread on its own. You don’t have to toss the good stuff! My favorite way to use it is in discard recipes.
Discard recipes are a great option when you want to experiment with sourdough recipes but don’t have time to wait for the batter to ferment. You can use it in pancakes, sourdough waffles, English muffins, or even sourdough blueberry muffins. The only thing to remember is that sourdough discard won’t act as a leavening agent by itself, so you may need to add yeast, baking powder and baking soda for that signature lift and fluffiness.
If you're looking for more sourdough recipes, check out these Easy Homemade Sourdough Discard Bagels and White Chocolate Sourdough Discard Scone Recipe for more sourdough discard recipes
Tools You Will Need For This Recipe:
- Mixing Bowls: Large mixing bowl and medium mixing bowl
- Wooden Mixing Spoon or rubber spatula
- Whisk or stand mixer
Make your own sourdough starter using this step-by-step guide
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Ingredients You’ll Need:
A list of the simple ingredients you’ll need to make these delicious sourdough discard pancakes:
- Flour: I used all-purpose flour, but you can also use whole wheat flour.
- Sugar
- Baking Soda
- Salt
- Whole Milk
- Eggs
- Unsalted Butter: melted
- Sourdough Starter or Sourdough Discard: The instructions are for sourdough discard. You can use active sourdough starter as well.
- Vanilla Extract
Try this Cinnamon Sugar Sourdough Bread Recipe
How To Make this Easy Sourdough Discard Pancake Recipe
1. In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, salt, and sugar.
2. In another bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients: milk, sourdough discard, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla extract.
3. Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Do not overmix… this is the secret to fluffy pancakes! A quick batter rest of 5–10 minutes can also help create an even better rise.
4. Heat a cast iron skillet or hot griddle over medium heat (sometimes medium-low heat works best if your pan runs hot). Grease lightly with butter. Don’t over grease or the butte will start burning.
5. Scoop about ¼ cup of batter onto the hot pan for each pancake. Cook the first side until bubbles form and the edges look set, about 2-3 minutes.
6. Flip and cook the second side for another 1-2 minutes or until golden brown.
7. Repeat with remaining batter, adjusting heat as needed between medium heat and medium-low for even cooking.
Related Post: Easy, Fluffy Sourdough Discard Banana Muffins
Tips for this Recipe:
- Room temperature ingredients may mix more evenly and can help create a great pancake texture.
- Don’t over mix the batter. This will keep your pancakes tender and not dry.
- You can let the batter ferment for a more gut healthy pancake.
- If your batter feels too thick, splash in a little extra milk. If it’s too thin, add a little extra flour to thicken it up.
- Use a cast-iron skillet for an evenly heated surface. I love cooking my pancakes in butter.
- Keep already cooked pancakes warm on a baking sheet in a 200°F oven until ready to serve.
Variations to Try:
- One of my favorite ways to change up this pancake recipe is by folding chocolate chips into the pancake batter. My kids think they’re the best pancakes ever when melty chocolate is involved.
- For a fruit option, add a handful of fresh blueberries. The tangy sourdough flavor pairs great with blueberries. If you like a cozy fall twist, you can sprinkle in a little cinnamon and brown sugar for warmth. They’re so delicious with the maple syrup.
FAQs about this Sourdough Muffin Recipe
Are sourdough discard pancakes good for you?
Eaten with moderation, these aren’t unhealthy, but I wouldn’t say they re exactly healthy.
Do sourdough pancakes taste different?
Yes, they do taste different than a box pancake mis. I grew up with boxed pancake mix, and they are so nostalgic to eat! This sourdough discard pancake recipe is dense and more filling. The sourdough starter gives in a tiny tang but the sugar gives it a sweetens with the maple syrup.
What’s the best flour for sourdough pancakes?
I like to sue all-purpose white flour, but you can also use whole wheat.
Why are my sourdough pancakes tough?
Make sure you have enough milk added and you aren’t over cooking your pancakes. The batter should be pourable and not too thick. This will result in tough or dry pancakes.
How do I store leftover pancakes?
Let the leftover pancakes cool completely, and you can store them in a ziplock bag or an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or store in the freezer for up to 6 month in a freezer ziplock bag.
How do I reheat sourdough pancakes?
Warm in a 350 degree oven or air fryer for 6-8 minutes. If frozen, thaw in the fridge overnight and warm in the oven for 6-8 minutes.
Enjoy this Easy and Quick Sourdough Discard Pancake Recipe
If you’ve been looking for the best sourdough discard pancakes, this is it! They’re soft, fluffy, and filled with that little bit of sourdough tang that makes them different than regular pancakes. It’s a great recipe for cutting down on food waste while creating something your whole family will love. I hope you make these delicious pancakes. the next time you’re craving pancakes!
From one home cook to another, I hope you enjoy this recipe!
Sourdough Discard Pancake Recipe
Equipment
- Mixing Bowls
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Wooden Mixing Spoon or rubber spatula
- Whisk or stand mixer
- cast iron skillet
Ingredients
- 2 cups flour
- 1 cup sourdough discard
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cups milk
- 2 eggs
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, salt, and sugar.
- In another bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients: milk, sourdough discard, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla extract.
- Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Do not overmix… this is the secret to fluffy pancakes! A quick batter rest of 5–10 minutes can also help create an even better rise.
- Heat a cast iron skillet or hot griddle over medium heat (sometimes medium-low heat works best if your pan runs hot). Grease lightly with butter. Don't over grease or the butte will start burning.
- Flip and cook the second side for another 1-2 minutes or until golden brown.
- Repeat with remaining batter, adjusting heat as needed between medium heat and medium-low for even cooking.
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