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If you’re a pancake lover and haven’t tried making Sourdough Discard Pancakes yet, you are seriously missing out! I wanted a recipe that was just as easy as reaching for a box mix, but with better flavor, a softer texture, and that subtle tang only sourdough discard can add. This recipe checks every box!
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“I have tried 4 different pancake recipes for discard. THIS IS the WINNING ONE!! All the others are going in the trash. Thank you!” -Elizabeth
It took a few rounds of testing to get them just right. Some of my first batches were a little gummy, so I adjusted the cooking temperature, timing, and ratio of leaveners until they turned out light, fluffy, and golden every time. Now they are one of my kids’ favorite breakfasts and a recipe we come back to often.
They’re made with simple ingredients you probably already have on hand and come together fast enough for busy mornings. Keep them classic with butter and syrup, or fold in blueberries, chocolate chips, or your favorite mix-ins for an easy breakfast everyone will love.
Table of Contents
- Reasons You Will Love these Discard Pancakes
- Sourdough Pancake Recipe Ingredients and Substitutions
- Mix-in ideas for pancakes
- How to Make Discard Sourdough Pancakes
- Can I long-ferment sourdough pancake batter?
- Sourdough Pancakes Recipe Tips
- How to Store and freeze Discard Pancakes
- Sourdough Pancakes Recipe FAQs
- More sourdough Breakfast recipes
- Sourdough Pancakes Recipe
Reasons You Will Love these Discard Pancakes
- Soft and fluffy – What I love most about these pancakes is how fluffy they are! They are so soft and delicious and cook up perfectly every time.
- Kid approved – My kids absolutely love this pancake recipe!
- Easy to make extras – I like to make a double batch because they store so well, and it makes breakfast for my kids so easy.
- Good use of sourdough discard- I always love being able to use up some of my sourdough starter discard in a recipe.
- Customizable – You can easily add your favorite add-ins like chocolate chips, cinnamon, or blueberries, or top with maple syrup, fresh berries, or whipped cream.
Sourdough Pancake Recipe Ingredients and Substitutions
- Sourdough Discard– You can use sourdough discard straight from the fridge or active starter; either one will work. If you have a lot of discard to use up, check out my other sourdough discard recipes.
- Baking Powder& Baking Soda- Both baking powder and baking soda are critical for getting a fluffy, well-risen pancake.
- Milk- I like using whole milk for the best flavor and texture, but if you need a dairy-free option, coconut milk is my top choice since it still gives you that rich, full-fat result. You can also use almond or soy milk, although keep in mind the pancakes may turn out a little less soft and moist.
- Butter- For a dairy-free option, replace butter with coconut oil or vegetable oil.
See all the ingredients and amounts in the recipe card below.
Mix-in ideas for pancakes
Regular pancakes are always a hit, but this recipe is the perfect chance to get creative. From chocolate chips or chunks, cinnamon chips, blueberries, raspberries, or other fruits and nuts there are so many options.
For the best results, sprinkle your mix-ins onto the uncooked side of the pancake once it’s on the skillet or griddle. This keeps everything evenly distributed.
How to Make Discard Sourdough Pancakes
Step 1: Begin by mixing the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Add the all-purpose flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.
Step 2: In a separate bowl, combine the wet ingredients. Melt butter in the microwave and let it cool slightly. Then combine the melted butter with the large eggs, milk, vanilla extract, and sourdough discard.
Step 3: Pour the wet ingredient mixture into the dry ingredients whisk until just combined. It’s okay if it’s lumpy.
Step 4: Preheat a cast iron skillet or griddle to medium heat. Spray with non-stick spray or add oil or butter to the pan.
Scoop 1/3 cup of batter onto the hot griddle or pan. Sprinkle mix-ins on top if desired. Wait a couple of minutes until the sides of the pancake begin to brown and the top has bubbles throughout. Flip the pancake over and continue to cook for an additional 3 minutes on the second side or until the pancake is lightly golden brown. Serve with butter and maple syrup.
Can I long-ferment sourdough pancake batter?
Yes, if you would like to ferment the batter overnight you can. Simply mix all the ingredients together except the baking powder and baking soda and place the batter in the fridge covered overnight. Right before baking, mix in the baking soda and powder until just combined.
Sourdough Pancakes Recipe Tips
- Cook low and slow- Avoid high heat. This makes the outside brown too quickly while the inside stays gummy. Stick with medium heat so the pancakes have time to rise and cook through. If they are still browning too fast, lower the heat to medium low and adjust as needed.
- Flip only once- Do not keep flipping the pancakes. Too many flips cause them to deflate. Wait until the edges look set and the top is covered with bubbles before flipping. Then cook for 2 to 3 minutes on the second side.
- Do not overmix the batter- Gently fold the ingredients together until just combined. Overmixing will deflate the bubbles from your discard and make the pancakes tough instead of fluffy.
- Warm your griddle or skillet first- A fully heated pan helps the pancakes cook evenly and prevents sticking. Lightly grease it with butter or oil before each batch.
How to Store and freeze Discard Pancakes
Pancakes will stay fresh for about a week in the fridge in an airtight container or bag. To reheat, you can microwave them or add them back to a warm pan or griddle to reheat.
Sourdough discard pancakes freeze beautifully, making them perfect for quick breakfasts later on. To freeze, place the pancakes in a single layer on a baking sheet and flash freeze for about 1 hour. Once firm, transfer them to a large freezer-safe bag and store for up to 3 months.
Another option is to stack the pancakes with pieces of parchment or wax paper between each before sealing them in a freezer-safe bag.
Then, to reheat them in the microwave, place your desired amount of pancakes on a plate and heat them in 30-second increments until they are warmed all the way through. Typically, it will take a minute or less for even a large stack. You can also use your toaster oven if you prefer.
Sourdough Pancakes Recipe FAQs
Yes! Either active starter or discard will work great in this recipe.
If you would like to keep your pancakes warm as you cook the next batch, you can add them to a sheet pan and cover with foil and them place them in a 200°F oven until ready to serve.
Yes, if you’d like to make buttermilk pancakes, you can substitute buttermilk for the milk in the recipe.
Flat or dense sourdough pancakes usually come down to a couple of common mistakes:
Overmixing the batter: Stirring too much develops the gluten, which leads to tough, rubbery pancakes that don’t rise. Stop mixing as soon as the ingredients are combined. It is normal for the batter to have lumps.
Flipping more than once: Pancakes should only be flipped a single time. Flipping back and forth causes them to deflate and lose their fluffy texture.
Absolutely. Just be sure to use a large mixing bowl and cook in batches.
Your heat is too high. Stick with medium to medium low heat for fluffy, fully cooked pancakes.
More sourdough Breakfast recipes
Sourdough Breakfast Recipes
Sourdough Breakfast Bars with Jam
Sourdough Bread Recipes
Overnight Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls Recipe
Spring Sourdough Recipes
Carrot Cake Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls
Sourdough Discard Recipes
Sourdough Muffins (Little Bites Mini Muffins)
Tried this Sourdough Discard Pancakes or another recipe from the site? I’d love to hear about it! Drop a star rating and share your thoughts in the comments—can’t wait to see what you’re baking!
Sourdough Pancakes Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 280 grams all purpose flour, 2 cups
- 50 grams sugar, ¼ cup
- 14 grams baking powder, 1 Tablespoon
- 3 grams baking soda, ½ teaspoon
- 3 grams salt, ½ teaspoon
- 2 eggs, 100 grams
- 57 grams unsalted butter, melted, ¼ cup
- 360 grams milk, 1 ½ cups
- 120 grams sourdough discard, ½ cup
- 4 grams vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon
- 168 grams chocolate chips or chunks, 1 cup
Instructions
- Mix together the wet ingredients in a large bowl.2 eggs, 57 grams unsalted butter, melted, 360 grams milk, 120 grams sourdough discard, 4 grams vanilla extract
- Combine dry ingredients in a separate bowl.280 grams all purpose flour, 50 grams sugar, 14 grams baking powder, 3 grams baking soda, 3 grams salt
- Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined. It's okay if it is lumpy. Fold in chocolate chips or chunks if desired.168 grams chocolate chips or chunks
- Preheat a skillet or griddle to medium heat. Spray with non-stick spray or melt butter.
- Scoop ⅓ cup of batter onto the griddle.
- Wait a couple minutes until the sides are starting to brown and the top has bubbles. Flip the pancake over and continue to cook an additional 3 minutes or until the pancake is slightly browned.
- Serve with butter and maple syrup if desired.
Notes
Tips:
- In order to achieve fluffy pancakes it is imperative not to cook the pancakes on high heat. This will cause the pancakes to brown too quickly on the outside but will be gummy and undercooked on the inside. It is better to cook at a medium heat so the inside of the pancake has adequate time to rise and cook while the outside lightly browns.
- Don’t flip the pancakes before they are ready. You only want to flip the pancake once. Too many flips will cause the pancake to deflate and lose the desired fluffy texture. Wait for the pancake edges to begin browning and the top of the batter to be bubbly before flipping it. Then let it cook for another two to three minutes on the other side.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
These are amazing! We make a double batch on our blackstone griddle, let them cool, and add 5 to a bag and seal them up for the freezer. When ready to eat, grab a bag, pop them into the microwave and heat them up. A little butter and syrup and they are so good. Absolutely love your recipes!!
Thanks so much Deb!
I haven’t eaten pancakes in years. I always thought they were pretty boring. Now that I am on this new sourdough journey, I thought I would attempt a discard recipe. My husband and kids like pancakes so I figured that I would try this recipe first, it wasn’t too difficult. I can’t believe how delicious these pancakes are. They have such good flavor and SO fluffy! Thank you for this yummy recipe😋 I will be making these again, I am glad I doubled it! ☺️
Thanks so much Tracy! So happy to hear you like them.
AMAZING!!! No need to save any other recipes, this is the only one you want.
Our new favorite sourdough discard pancake recipe!! I got carried away and forgot about the pancake batter for about 20-ish minutes, but that MADE THEM BETTER!! The pancakes were so thick and fluffy. I cooked the pancakes on my griddle at 300° and WOW it was worth the wait. Thank you for sharing the recipe!!
Have you ever tried them with buttermilk instead of regular milk?
I haven’t but I’m sure it would work great you may just need a little more liquid since it’s a thicker consistency.
My family LOVED these pancakes! Sooooo fluffy!!
Delicious pancake recipe!
Definitely a real keeper and a great way to make use of sourdough discard.
Thanks so much! So glad you like it.
Oh my, these are delicious and so fluffy! This is now my go-to recipe for sourdough discard pancakes, and the thick batter would also likely work well for waffles. I added chopped pecans to my batter so they would be incorporated throughout. By the way, I set the griddle at 250 degrees F and it was the perfect temperature to cook the pancakes slowly; they were lightly browned on the outside and not gummy in the middle.
Thank you for a fantastic recipe!