Sourdough Gingerbread Pancakes

5 from 1 vote

Dec 15, 2025

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These Sourdough Gingerbread Pancakes are soft, fluffy, and filled with warm gingerbread spices and rich molasses. They’re the kind of cozy Christmas morning breakfast that will quickly become a holiday tradition.

4 sourdough gingerbread pancakes stacked on a brown plate with a piece of the pancake on a fork.

Just like my Sourdough Discard Pancakes, this recipe is easy to whip up and makes incredibly fluffy, delicious pancakes. The addition of warm gingerbread spices and molasses gives them that classic holiday flavor. If you love gingerbread, don’t miss my Gingerbread Sourdough Focaccia and Gingerbread Sourdough Scones.

Why you will love this recipe
Important Ingredients and Substitutions
Instructions to make Sourdough Gingerbread Pancakes
Recipe Tips
Storage instructions
Recipe FAQ
More sourdough holiday recipes
Sourdough Gingerbread Pancakes Recipe

Why you will love this recipe

Easy, one-bowl recipe – These Sourdough Gingerbread Pancakes are quick and easy to whip up, even on a busy morning.
Make-ahead friendly – These pancakes reheat or freeze beautifully, making them a great option to prep ahead for a busy Christmas morning!
Holiday flavor – The gingerbread spices and molasses make the pancakes taste just like Christmas. Another seasonal pancake favorite is my Sourdough Pumpkin Pancakes.

Important Ingredients and Substitutions

Ingredients for sourdough gingerbread pancakes on a gray counter.

Sourdough discard – The sourdough discard adds moisture, flavor, and a slight hint of tang. You can swap for active sourdough starter as well.
Leaving agents – Both baking soda and baking powder are used as leavening agents to make these pancakes super light and fluffy.
Spices – A blend of ground ginger and cinnamon is used to bring the warm spice flavors.
Molasses – Molasses brings richness, flavor, and sweetness to the pancakes that help bring the gingerbread flavor.
Milk – I use whole milk but for a dairy free option, I recommend full-fat coconut milk.

See all the ingredients and amounts in the recipe card below.

Instructions to make Sourdough Gingerbread Pancakes

Sourdough gingerbread wet ingredients mixed together in a white bowl with a red striped towel in the back.

Step 1: Melt butter in the microwave and let it cool slightly. Then combine the melted butter with the eggs, milk, vanilla extract, molasses, and sourdough discard.

Sourdough gingerbread pancake batter in a white bowl with a red striped towel to the side.

Step 2: Add the all-purpose flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, ginger and cinnamon and mix until just combined. It will be lumpy.

Six scoops of sourdough gingerbread pancake batter on a black griddle.

Step 3: Preheat a skillet or electric griddle to medium heat. Spray with non-stick spray or add oil or butter to the pan. Scoop 1/3 cup of the pancake batter onto the hot griddle or pan. Wait a couple of minutes until the sides of the pancake begin to brown and the top has bubbles throughout.

Six sourdough gingerbread pancakes on a black griddle.

Step 4: 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.

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.

Storage instructions

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, (especially Christmas morning!) 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.

3 pieces of gingerbread pancakes on a fork sitting on a brown plate with a stack of gingerbread pancakes on the plate.

Recipe FAQ

How can I keep my Sourdough Gingerbread Pancakes warm while the rest are cooking?

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.

Why are my sourdough pancakes not fluffy?

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.

Why are my pancakes burning on the outside but raw inside?

Your heat is too high. Stick with medium to medium low heat for fluffy, fully cooked pancakes.

Can I use active sourdough starter instead of discard?

Yes, either active starter or discard will work for these sourdough pancakes.

Can I long ferment sourdough pancakes?

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.

Can I make waffles with this batter instead of pancakes?

Yes! This recipe can also be used to make waffles.