Sourdough discard pancake recipe (2024)

Published: · Modified: by Elizabeth Marek · This post may contain affiliate links · 22 Comments

Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe

I absolutely love making these sourdough discard pancakes. They taste WAY better than regular pancakes, they don't leave you with that heavy feeling in your stomach and only take 5 minutes to make! They are light, fluffy and a great way to use up that sourdough starter discard! If you love sourdough pikelets, you'll definitely want to try this recipe!

Sourdough discard pancake recipe (1)

When I was growing up, we never had pancakes. We had pikelets. They are very similar to pancakes but not as sweet. More like fried dough.

I have never liked pancakes. They make me feel bloated and I'm STARVING a few hours later.

Recently I decided to dive into making sourdough starter so I could make my own fresh bread at home. When making a sourdough starter, I discovered that you end up with a lot of sourdough discard (the part you throw away).

Sourdough discard pancake recipe (2)

Not wanting to waste precious flour, I looked up a lot of sourdough discard recipes.

This one is AMAZING. I couldn't believe how delicious these sourdough pancakes were! Surprisingly, they don't taste like sourdough at all, just fluffy, delicious pancakes. But these do not make you feel bloated.

Probably because sourdough is one of the healthiest types of bread you can eat. As the yeast goes through fermentation, it breaks down gluten, making it easier to digest and minimizing discomfort.

What Is Sourdough Discard?

Sourdough discard pancake recipe (3)

Sourdough discard is the part of the sourdough starter that has been broken down by yeast after it has been fed and discarded. Not sure what sourdough starter is? Check out my sourdough starter recipe.

Protip - You can save sourdough discard and use it later! Just wrap it up and put it in the fridge for up to two days. Any l longer and it starts to develop too much flavor and can taste bitter.

Discard recipes are a great way to use up that discard instead of throwing it away! Discard can have a varying degree of flavor to it depending on the sourness of your sourdough starter.

What Ingredients Do You Need For Sourdough Pancakes?

All you need are some basic ingredients to make sourdough discard pancakes. Most importantly, you need discard! I usually have about 1 cup of discard but the amount you add is not really important. Think of the discard as "flavoring" for your pancakes.

Sourdough discard pancake recipe (4)

Step-By-Step Instructions

Step 1 - Place your skillet (I like to use a cast-iron skillet for even browning) on the stove and heat it on medium-low heat for 15 minutes. We're shooting for a temp of 300ºF for cooking pancakes.

Protip - Low and slow is better for pancakes to ensure a nice golden brown crust and a soft and fluffy interior.

Sourdough discard pancake recipe (5)

Step 2 - Combine all your ingredients in one bowl and mix until combined. No worries if it's lumpy.

Sourdough discard pancake recipe (6)

Sourdough discard pancake recipe (7)

Step 3 - Melt a teaspoon of butter in the skillet. Butter adds some delicious crispiness to your pancakes.

Sourdough discard pancake recipe (8)

Step 4 - Pour about ½ cup of batter into the skillet and cook for 5 minutes or until the edges of the pancake start to look dried out and you can see some holes forming on top.

Sourdough discard pancake recipe (9)

Step 5 - Flip your pancake over and cook for another 3 minutes.

Sourdough discard pancake recipe (10)

Sourdough discard pancake recipe (11)

Enjoy! I slather mine in more butter but my daughter Avalon prefers hers with cinnamon and sugar. So good!

Relevant Recipes

Sourdough Starter Recipe
Sourdough Bread Recipe
Sourdough Pikelets

Recipe

Sourdough discard pancake recipe (12)

Sourdough Discard Pancake Recipe

How to make light, fluffy, and delicious sourdough pancakes from your discard. These pancakes come together in less than 5 minutes and fly off the griddle in my home! A great way to use your discard and start the day with a delicious breakfast.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes minutes

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Servings: 8 pancakes

Calories: 226kcal

Author: Elizabeth Marek

Ingredients

  • 10 ounces all-purpose flour about 2 cups spooned and leveled
  • 1 cup sourdough discard more or less is ok
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 3 Tablespoons Sugar
  • 14 ounces milk about 1 ¾ cups
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 Tablespoons canola oil
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Instructions

  • Preheat your skillet over medium-low heat for 15 minutes

  • Combine all your ingredients together in a bowl and mix until it's combined. It will be lumpy and thats ok.

  • Melt 1 teaspoon of butter in your hot skillet

  • Add about ½ cup of your batter into the pan and cook for 5 minutes or until the edges of your pancakes start to look dry and you start seeing holes on top of the pancake

  • Flip your pancake and cook for another 3 minutes

  • Serve immediately with more melted butter and syrup!

Video

Notes

  1. Low and slow is perfect for pancakes. I use a thermometer to check the temp of my skillet. You're shooting for 300ºF or just set your temp to medium-low
  2. Do not over-mix your batter or it will become tough. Just mix it until it's cohesive
  3. Use your batter right away for the best results
  4. You can save sourdough discard and use it later! Just wrap it up and put it in the fridge for up to two days. Any l longer and it starts to develop too much flavor and can taste bitter.

Nutrition

Serving: 1pancake | Calories: 226kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 51mg | Sodium: 468mg | Potassium: 222mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 148IU | Calcium: 112mg | Iron: 2mg

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Sourdough discard pancake recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the best way to use sourdough discard? ›

You can always use this discard by directly mixing it into a dough for baking. Your discard, as long as it's in good shape, will leaven any bread dough just as well. The discard is just like a levain you would make for a recipe. The only difference is it's the same makeup as your starter.

Why are my sourdough pancakes gummy? ›

Why are my sourdough pancakes gummy? Gummy sourdough pancakes are usually due to cooking issues. Be sure to fully cook the pancakes all the way through.

Can I use sourdough discard to make more starter? ›

Can I use sourdough discard to make a new sourdough starter? Absolutely! You can take a portion of sourdough discard and add a few grams of flour and a few grams of water to create a healthy active sourdough starter. You may need to feed your revived starter a few more times before its ready to make bread.

Is eating sourdough discard healthy? ›

In conclusion, sourdough discard is a versatile, flavourful, and healthy ingredient that can enhance a wide range of recipes. By incorporating it into your cooking, you not only reduce food waste but also elevate the taste and nutritional value of your meals.

Do you have to discard sourdough starter every time you feed it? ›

Do I have to discard my sourdough starter? It would be best if you discarded some portion of your starter each time you feed it unless you want to continue to let it grow. Eventually, you need to discard the used “food” (flour and water) that's been used to sustain your starter during the last fermentation period.

Can I leave sourdough discard on the counter overnight? ›

Where should I store my jar of sourdough discard? Store your discard in a jar in the refrigerator where it will continue to ferment, albeit very slowly, whereas at room temperature, it will ferment quickly and you will soon have very ripe discard on your hands that won't be useful for much of anything.

Can I fix gummy sourdough? ›

Try less water with your flour. Uneven heat in your oven can be the culprit – if you loaf is nicely golden on the outside but gummy or moist in the inside, it's baking too quickly on the outside. Trying reducing the temperature you're baking at and bake for a bit longer.

Will sourdough pancake batter keep in the fridge? ›

The pancake batter can stay in the fridge for up to 2 days before using it to make the waffles and pancakes. NOTE: The batter doesn't have to ferment overnight if you'd like to cook these the same day. Mix ALL of the ingredients together, let the batter sit for 20 minutes and then proceed with cooking.

How long does sourdough discard last in the fridge? ›

You can store mature sourdough discard in the refrigerator indefinitely. As long as there is no mold, it is good to use. It may develop a grayish liquid on top called “hooch” which can be poured off before use or stirred in. If you stir it in, the flavor will become more sour.

How to tell if sourdough discard is bad? ›

How Do You Know if Sourdough Discard Is Bad? Sourdough discard will potentially smell acidic and even like acetone if it's a few days old. While it will smell different to a fed, active starter, it won't smell unpleasant.

Where to keep sourdough discard? ›

Store it for future baking: You can store sourdough discard in an airtight container in the refrigerator for future baking with sourdough discard recipes. When you're ready to use it, let the discard come to room temperature before using it to bake. I will keep sourdough discard in the fridge for about one week.

When to start saving sourdough discards? ›

If you've just created your sourdough starter, wait until it's reliably rising and falling each day with signs of fermentation—some rise, bubbles, a progressive sour aroma—before storing discard in your cache.

Do you throw away sourdough discard? ›

Although you need an active, well-maintained starter for certain artisan breads, you can still make tasty bread with a sluggish, slow starter so you don't have to discard sourdough starter daily. In fact, many of my favorite sourdough bread recipes use discard for flavoring to give bread that classic tang.

Can you bring sourdough discard back to life? ›

Reviving a dormant sourdough starter is a simple process. Begin by discarding all but 1/2 cup of the old starter. Then, feed the remaining starter with fresh flour and water. The feeding ratio should ideally be 1:1:1 (starter:flour:water).

What's the point of using sourdough discard? ›

Culinary-wise, sourdough discard can be used in various recipes such as pancakes, waffles, muffins, sourdough pasta and quick breads like sourdough banana bread to impart a tangy flavor, reduce food waste, and add complexity of flavor to your baked goods.

When should you throw out a sourdough discard? ›

You can store sourdough discard in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. It's fine to leave it on the counter for up 24 hours, however if you aren't planning to use it straight away it's always better to store it in the fridge.

Should sourdough discard be at room temperature before using? ›

Store it for future baking: You can store sourdough discard in an airtight container in the refrigerator for future baking with sourdough discard recipes. When you're ready to use it, let the discard come to room temperature before using it to bake. I will keep sourdough discard in the fridge for about one week.

Can I use sourdough discard straight from the fridge? ›

The answer is yes. You do not need to bring your starter. to room temperature before you refresh it, so you can just pop it right out of the fridge, open it up, grab the amount of. leftover discard that you need to refresh a starter, and you are ready to go. Bake day: take bowl out and let sit at room temp for 1 hour.

Can you put sourdough discard in the garbage disposal? ›

You can put your sourdough discard either in the trash. or the compost, or you can use it in recipes. Don't put it down the drain.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Rev. Porsche Oberbrunner

Last Updated:

Views: 6196

Rating: 4.2 / 5 (53 voted)

Reviews: 92% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Rev. Porsche Oberbrunner

Birthday: 1994-06-25

Address: Suite 153 582 Lubowitz Walks, Port Alfredoborough, IN 72879-2838

Phone: +128413562823324

Job: IT Strategist

Hobby: Video gaming, Basketball, Web surfing, Book restoration, Jogging, Shooting, Fishing

Introduction: My name is Rev. Porsche Oberbrunner, I am a zany, graceful, talented, witty, determined, shiny, enchanting person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.