Making pancake batter from scratch is easy, delicious, and cost-effective. Plus, homemade batter contains no preservatives. This recipe for homemade sourdough pancakes uses sourdough starter discard, helping to reduce waste while adding a boost of flavor. The result is a batch of amazingly fluffy pancakes with a subtle hint of sourdough. These pancakes are quick to prepare, making them perfect for a Saturday morning breakfast or as a favorite dinner option for kids- “breakfast for dinner.”
This recipe consistently yields 22 pancakes. We like to use a griddle to optimize cooking time. Sourdough pancakes can be served immediately, hot and fresh off the griddle. If there are any leftover, they can be stored in the refrigerator for up to four days or even frozen for up to three months. I prefer to make a large batch that I can freeze for convenient weekday breakfasts for the kids.
What is sourdough discard? Why use it in sourdough pancakes?
Maintaining a sourdough starter is fairly straightforward. You can store it in the refrigerator and, if needed, it can still be revived after sitting unused for a long time.
When the sourdough starter is kept at room temperature and fed fresh flour and water, it becomes active. After several hours, the active starter eventually loses its rise and becomes discard. This discard is removed from the jar before adding more flour and water to reactivate the starter. While it cannot serve the purpose of rising, it can enhance the flavor of many baked goods.
Pancakes are an ideal use for sourdough discard—especially if you find yourself with over two cups in the jar. Sometimes, I get carried away with feeding my starter due to my baking ambitions that spontaneously change because life happens! This can lead to a lot of discard! Instead of throwing it away, I repurpose it into some of the best pancakes you’ve ever tasted.
There are plenty of resources online that explain how to begin and maintain a sourdough starter. For more information about the science behind sourdough starter, you can check out an informative article published by South Dakota State University.: Sourdough Starters
Here are some other similar breakfast recipes to try:
Chocolate Chip Sourdough Pancakes
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Equipment
- mixing bowl
- Griddle
- Spatula
Ingredients
- 2 cups Flour
- 2 tsp Baking powder
- 1 tsp Baking soda
- 2 tbsp Sugar
- 1 tsp Sea salt
- 1 cup Sourdough discard
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- 2 cups Milk
- 1 Egg
- 2 tbsp Coconut oil
- Mini chocolate chips
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugar, sourdough discard, milk, egg, and coconut oil.
- Allow batter to rest for 5 minutes.
- Heat griddle to medium low to medium heat.
- Scoop batter onto the griddle with a 1/4 measuring cup.
- Cook pancakes for 3-4minutes, or until the bottom is brown. Before flipping the pancake, sprinkle a few mini chocolate chips onto each.
- Flip pancakes and cook for another 2 minutes or until cooked through.
- Serve immediately with butter and pure maple syrup.
Nutrition
My family loves these pancakes! Thanks for sharing.