Sourdough Discard Pancakes are light, fluffy, and perfectly golden, with a hint of tangy sourdough flavor that makes them irresistible. They're an easy and delicious way to put your leftover starter to good use!
If you love this recipe, try my Sourdough Discard Banana Bread and Sourdough Discard Chocolate Chip Cookies next!
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Serve these fluffy pancakes with this delicious cinnamon Texas Roadhouse Butter Recipe and copycat Magleby's syrup!
Sourdough discard pancakes
After tasting a $9 loaf from a tiny mountain bakery last summer, I was inspired to develop a recipe with the same tangy flavor and chewy crust.
After a couple of weeks of testing recipes, I finally recreated the perfect sourdough bread. The only problem was my fridge was full of discard I couldn't bring myself to throw away. So I started experimenting with recipes to use up the starter.
And these pancakes are one of our favorite new recipes. The natural tang from the sourdough starter discard adds something special you can't get from regular buttermilk pancakes.
I've played around with this recipe - adding bananas when they're too ripe, tossing in wild blueberries or grated apples. But honestly, they're perfect plain with just warm homemade strawberry jam and real maple syrup.
This pancake recipe is foolproof, forgiving, and a delicious way to use up that discard.
Recipe ingredients
All ingredients for these fluffy sourdough pancakes are shown in the pic below, and special notes are made in the bulleted list below to assist you.
- Sourdough Discard. You'll need ¾ cup of discard. Let it come to room temperature for easier mixing. I pull mine from the fridge the night before or at least an hour before. Both fresh and week-old discard will work. If you don't have any starter yet, check out my Easy Sourdough Starter Recipe.
- All-Purpose Flour. Regular flour gives these pancakes the perfect structure.
- Milk. Whole milk creates the richest pancakes, but I've made these with 2%, almond milk, and even oat milk.
- Leavening. Combining baking powder and soda works with the natural acidity in the discard for maximum fluffiness. Don't skip either one!
- Oil. Just a bit keeps these pancakes tender. You can also use melted butter.
See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to make sourdough discard pancakes
- In a large bowl, whisk together 1½ cups all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, 2½ teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, and ½ teaspoon salt until well combined.
- In another bowl, combine ¾ cup room temperature sourdough discard, 1¼ cups milk, 2 large eggs, and 3 tablespoons vegetable oil. Whisk until completely smooth.
- Pour the wet ingredients into your dry ingredients. Using a rubber spatula, fold gently until just combined. The batter should be lumpy - those small flour pockets create fluffy pancakes! Let the batter rest for 5-10 minutes while your griddle heats.
- Preheat your griddle to 325°F or a heavy cast iron skillet over medium-low heat. To test if it's ready, a drop of water should dance across the surface. Pour ¼ cup portions of batter onto the hot griddle. (An ice cream scoop works great!)
- Cook until bubbles form on the surface and the edges look slightly dry, about 2-3 minutes. Flip and cook another 1-2 minutes until golden brown. Note: The first batch is always a test run - adjust your heat if needed.
Top tips
- Room temperature ingredients. I always set out my discard, milk, and eggs at least an hour before. This helps everything mix smoothly and creates the fluffiest texture.
- Embrace the lumps. A few small flour pockets in your batter are good - they create those perfect, fluffy pancakes. I stop mixing as soon as the flour is incorporated.
- Perfect heat control. My griddle sweet spot is 325°F - hot enough for golden edges but not so hot they burn. A drop of water should dance across the surface when it's ready.
- Rest the batter. That 5-10 minute rest while your griddle heats makes a huge difference in texture. I use this time to get my toppings ready.
Serving suggestions
Stack these pancakes with homemade strawberry jam or crabapple syrup. For a full breakfast spread, serve with:
- Sweet toppings: Warm maple syrup, honey butter, or fresh berries.
- Savory sides: Air Fryer Bacon or Air Fryer Breakfast Sausage.
- Extra special: Top with whipped cream and fresh fruit for a weekend treat.
Variations
- Blueberry: Fold in 1 cup of fresh or frozen blueberries (don't thaw) after mixing the batter.
- Apple Cinnamon: Add 1 cup grated apple and 1 teaspoon cinnamon to batter.
- Chocolate Chip: Sprinkle dark or milk chocolate chips directly onto cooking pancakes.
- Banana: Mash one ripe banana into wet ingredients, add ½ teaspoon vanilla extract.
Want more breakfast ideas? Try my Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Muffins and Fluffy Banana Pancakes.
Storage instructions
- Make ahead: Mix pancake batter ingredients the night before and refrigerate.
- Leftovers: Store cooled pancakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
- Reheating: Pop them in the toaster, toaster oven, or air fryer for a quick reheat - they'll crisp up perfectly!
- Freeze: Layer pancakes between wax paper in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Reheat straight from frozen in your toaster for an easy breakfast.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can.
Like heavy cream - thick but pourable. Add milk one tablespoon at a time if needed to thin it out.
Yes! Store in fridge overnight. Let it come to room temperature and stir gently before cooking.
More breakfast recipes
Love these pancakes? Try these recipes next:
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Printable Recipe
Sourdough Discard Pancakes
Ingredients
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup sourdough discard room temperature
- 1¼ cups milk
- 2 large eggs
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 1½ cups all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, 2½ teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, and ½ teaspoon salt until well combined.
- In a separate bowl, combine ¾ cup room-temperature sourdough discard, 1¼ cups milk, 2 large eggs, and 3 tablespoons vegetable oil. Whisk until smooth and fully combined.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Gently fold the mixture with a spatula until just combined-small lumps are fine. Avoid overmixing to keep the pancakes light and fluffy. Let the batter rest for 5-10 minutes.
- Heat a large non-stick skillet or griddle over medium heat (325-350°F for an electric griddle). Lightly grease the surface with butter or vegetable oil. To check if it's ready, sprinkle a drop of water on the surface-it should sizzle.
- Scoop about ¼ cup of batter for each pancake and pour it onto the preheated surface. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until bubbles form on the surface and the edges look set.
- Carefully flip the pancakes with a spatula. Cook for another 1-2 minutes or until the second side is golden brown and the pancakes are cooked through. Repeat with the remaining batter, greasing the pan as needed.
- Stack the pancakes while warm and serve with your favorite toppings. Enjoy!
- If you loved this recipe, please leave a 5-star rating and review below!
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Notes
- Butter the pan lightly between batches.
- Don't press down on pancakes while cooking.
- Keep cooked pancakes warm in the oven at 200°F.
- Wipe the pan clean if the butter starts to brown too much.
Nutrition
The provided nutrition information is automatically calculated. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
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