Light and fluffy, sourdough discard pancakes are a great way to use your extra sourdough starter. You won't go back to the boxed pancake mix after you've had homemade pancakes with sourdough!
Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases, however this is at no cost to you. Read my disclosure policy here.
Sourdough pancakes are my favorite way to make pancakes. They are light, fluffy, and full of flavor!
This is just a base recipe. You can add chocolate chips, blueberries. strawberries, sprinkles, and so much more to jazz up these pancakes for your family!
Don't forget to check out these other delicious sourdough discard recipes!
- Chocolate Chip Biscotti
- Cheesy Crackers
- Sourdough Donuts
- Sourdough Scones
- Light and Crisp Sourdough Waffles
Jump to:
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- It's a great way to use up extra sourdough starter! I look at my sourdough starter as gold! It can make so many delicious baked goods, so don't waste it!
- They are a great make ahead breakfast! These pancakes will last up to 5 days in the refrigerator. Perfect to make a big batch on a Sunday and keep the rest for breakfast throughout the week.
- The kids will love them! My kids love helping me in the kitchen, and mixing these pancakes is a great way to get the involved and help in the kitchen!
Ingredients For Sourdough Discard Pancakes
- Sourdough starter- Inactive, straight from the refrigerator.
- Baking Powder and Baking Soda- Even though we are using sourdough starter in this recipe, the baking powder and baking soda add more rise to the pancakes.
- Buttermilk- Regular milk can be substituted. To make your own buttermilk, add 1 tablespoon of vinegar to 1 cup of milk.
- Eggs- to add a little rise and a little fat to the pancakes.
- Flour- All-purpose flour is best.
- Melted Butter- Coconut oil can be substituted instead.
What is Sourdough Discard?
Sourdough discard is the portion of your sourdough starter that you are not feeding. When you are "feeding" your starter to make bread with, you feed it equal parts water, flour, and starter. You can't feed your entire starter, as it doubles and sometimes triples in size, and that's a lot of starter to have on hand! If you are new to sourdough, be sure to check out this post all about how to keep your sourdough starter happy.
Equipment You'll Need
How To Make Sourdough Discard Pancakes
- In a medium bowl, add the buttermilk, eggs, vanilla, melted butter, and sourdough starter. Mix well with a whisk. Set that aside.
- In a separate bowl, add the flour, sugar, baking soda, and baking powder. Mix to combine.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix well. Do not overmix. It's ok if there are a few lumps left in the batter.
- Preheat a pan and add 1 tablespoon of butter to the pan. When the butter is melted, add a scoop of the batter to the pan.
- When the outside of the pancakes start to look dry and there are bubbles in the middle of the pancake, carefully flip the pancake over.
- Let the other side cook for 2-3 minutes until both sides are golden brown. Repeat this process for the rest of the pancakes.
Step By Step Photos
Variations Of These Pancakes
If you want to spice up these pancakes, there are so many different ways you can make them more exciting! Here are just a few suggestions
- Chocolate Chip Sourdough Pancakes- Add 1 cup of semisweet chocolate chips to the batter
- Blueberry Pancakes- Add a cup of fresh or frozen blueberries to the batter before cooking.
- Pumpkin Spice Pancakes- Add 1 teaspoon of pumpkin spice seasoning and ½ cup of pumpkin puree to the batter.
- Funfetti Pancakes- for the kids! Add ½ cup of sprinkles to the batter.
- Vanilla Cinnamon Pancakes- Add 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract instead of one and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon to the batter.
How To Serve Sourdough Discard Pancakes
The possibilities are endless when it comes to topping pancakes. Here are just a few suggestions:
- Maple Syrup
- Whipped Cream
- Strawberry Jam
- Blueberry Jam
- Peach Jam
- Ice cream
- Sprinkles
- Powdered Sugar
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! You can freeze pancake batter. Place the batter in an airtight container, cover, and freeze for up to three months. When you are ready to use the batter, take it out and let it defrost in the refrigerator for a few hours.
Yes! You can make the pancakes completely and let them hang out in a 200 degree oven until you are ready to serve them. You can also make the pancakes, place them in an airtight container, and then when you are ready to serve them, reheat them in a 200 degree oven until they are warm.
Yes! Make the pancakes and then place them on a baking sheet. Freeze them until they are completely solid and then place them in an airtight container. This will prevent the pancakes from sticking together.
Yes! You can use active starter instead. It will give a little more rise to the pancakes.
Other Recipes To Try
Did you love these Sourdough Discard Pancakes? I'd so appreciate it if you would give this recipe a 5-star review! That will help other hungry readers find my recipes!
And don't forget to tag me on Instagram or Facebook and share this recipe on Pinterest! Thanks for sharing this journey with me and enjoy these delicious recipes!
- Chicken Sausage and Mini Pepper Pasta
- Instant Pot Bagels
- Feta and Olive Stuffed Broiled Tomatoes
- Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Dip
- Brown Butter and Pecan Cookies
📖 Recipe
Simple Sourdough Discard Pancakes
Ingredients
- 1 cup Sourdough Starter Inactive
- 1 cup Buttermilk or Milk
- 2 Eggs
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 2 tablespoon Melted Butter
- 1 ½ cup All Purpose Flour
- 2 tablespoon Sugar
- ½ teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, add the buttermilk, eggs, vanilla, melted butter, and sourdough starter. Mix well with a whisk. Set that aside.
- In a separate bowl, add the flour, sugar, baking soda, and baking powder. Mix to combine.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix well. Do not overmix. It's ok if there are a few lumps left in the batter.
- Preheat a pan and add 1 tablespoon of butter to the pan. When the butter is melted, add a scoop of the batter to the pan.
- When the outside of the pancakes start to look dry and there are bubbles in the middle of the pancake, carefully flip the pancake over.
- Let the other side cook for 2-3 minutes until both sides are golden brown. Repeat this process for the rest of the pancakes.
Notes
- To make your own buttermilk at home, milk 1 tablespoon of vinegar with 1 cup of milk. Allow that to sit for 5 minutes.
- Inactive starter means it came straight from the refrigerator and has not been fed recently.
- Add chocolate chips, blueberries, strawberries, or sprinkles to this batter for more variations on this recipe.
- The amount of pancakes this recipe will yield depends on the size of your spoon. Smaller scoops of batter will yield more pancakes, larger scoops of batter will yield less pancakes.
Dania Bringas
Worked very well , pancakes were fluffy and delish!
Will be making these again!!!!
Lynn Polito
Fantastic! I am so happy to hear that! Thanks for making my recipe!
Andrea
So good!
lynnswayoflife
So glad you liked them!