Sourdough Discard Pancakes

Sourdough discard pancakes are so easy to make and don't require the batter to sit overnight. These pancakes are soft, fluffy, and have that wonderful sourdough flavor. Cooking in butter on a skillet gives these pancakes a beautiful golden brown exterior. Finish it off by topping with your favorite fresh fruit or pure maple syrup.

What if I told you that making homemade pancakes is incredibly easy and that you will never reach for a boxed version again? Skip the store-bought pancake mix and try some sourdough discard pancakes!

These pancakes are made the same day and do not require sitting overnight like some other sourdough pancake recipes.

Whip up the batter while the pan is heating up and breakfast is done in minutes!

Are waffles more your thing? Check out my sourdough discard waffles recipe.

Don't have a starter yet and want to learn more? Read my sourdough starter tutorials.

Jump to:

• Ingredients
• Instructions
• Variations
• Substitutions
• Equipment
• Storage
• How Do I Make Pancakes Fluffy?
• Recipe

Ingredients

This pancake recipe is so easy to make and calls for simple pantry ingredients.

Sourdough Discard: This recipe calls for a sourdough discard. That is starter that has been unfed and is not active. Learn more about what discard is and how to use it.

Why do I use Baking Soda and Baking Powder in my Sourdough Pancakes?

1. It eliminates having to pre-mix your batter the night before. These pancakes can be made right after the batter is mixed.
2. Your Starter doesn't need to be active. This means, this recipe is perfect for those developing starters or if you haven't fed yours in a while.

Typically with most sourdough starter recipes, you have to allow whatever you're making, time to sit and ferment. The wild yeasts in the starter just need a little extra time to do their thing.

I use both baking powder and soda because using just baking powder, added with the starter, could make them too acidic. Adding the baking soda helps balance that out.

Instructions

Step 1: In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the starter, milk, and honey.

Step 2: Add in the flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Mix until just combined.

Step 3: In a small bowl whisk the egg and fold it into the batter. Be careful to not overmix! See notes below as to why.

Step 4: Over medium-low heat, warm up a cast iron griddle.

Step 5: Add a little butter and spread over the griddle. This will add a nice buttery flavor to the pancakes and also help keep them from sticking.

Step 6: Pour about a cup of the batter onto the skillet and let cook for a few minutes.

Once you see little bubbles form all over and the other side is golden brown flip and cook the other side.

Step 7: Transfer to a plate and repeat steps 5-7 until all the pancakes are done.

If making large batches and want to keep them warm, I like to turn my oven on as low as it can go and add the pancakes to a cookie sheet until they are all done. That way all the pancakes can be served at the same time and still be perfectly warm.

Serve with fresh berries, peanut butter, jam, or whatever your favorite toppings are.

Variations

Gluten-Free: These are not gluten-free and will require a gluten-free sourdough starter. If you have a gluten-free starter you can find a pancake recipe at Vanilla and Bean.

Add-ins: Every now and then we like to add chocolate chips or fresh blueberries to our pancakes. Once the batter is poured onto the griddle just sprinkle on your desired amount.

Substitutions

Flour - This recipe calls for all-purpose flour but can also be made with bread or whole wheat flour.

Sugar for Honey - I prefer a little honey in this particular recipe instead of sugar. If you don't have honey, 1 tablespoon of sugar can be used instead.

Equipment

Batter Bowl. Having a batter bowl allows you to easily pour your pancake batter.

Whisk - A fork also works great, but I find a flat whisk is the easiest way to get perfectly incorporated pancake batter.

Griddle. I love my cast iron griddle. It makes the best crust on the pancakes. Make sure to season with a little butter before pouring the batter on.

Storage

Sourdough discard pancakes are best eaten right away. If you have extra they will last in the fridge for 2-3 days. Make sure they are in a ziplock bag, airtight container, or wrapped in plastic wrap or aluminum foil.

Can Sourdough Pancakes be Frozen? Yes! They can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Reheating Sourdough Pancakes:

To reheat from the refrigerator: Place back on a warmed-up griddle for a couple of minutes.

To reheat from frozen: Allow them to thaw and then warm back up on the griddle. Or pop them in the toaster frozen and you'll have your own homemade Eggo-style pancakes.

How Do I Make Pancakes Fluffy?

Do you struggle to get super-soft, fluffy pancakes? There are some very simple things you can do to help get that perfect texture.

1. Do not overmix! If you try to mix out all the lumps the pancakes will turn out dense. Just whisk until everything is incorporated and avoid the temptation to keep whisking.
2. Let it rest for a few minutes. Even though this recipe can be made right away if there is time to let it rest for 10 minutes it will only make them softer.
3. Only flip once. Wait until the pancakes start to form tons of little bubbles and the other side is nice and golden brown. Avoid flipping it multiple times.

Sometimes it's not the ingredients in our pancakes but how we handle them. Try these three tricks above to get irresistible soft and fluffy sourdough discard pancakes. And let me know if it worked!

Other Sourdough Discard Recipes

Are you looking for other ways to use your sourdough discard? Check out some of the recipes below for inspiration.

See more discard recipes...

Recipe