Fluffy Sourdough Discard Pancakes
If you have a jar of sourdough discard sitting in the fridge, these fluffy sourdough discard pancakes are the easiest way to use it. They cook up soft, light, slightly tangy and perfect for weekend brunch. You can make them all in one go, but I like to mix the batter the night before and let it rest overnight in the fridge. The pancakes turn out lighter with a deeper flavour.
Sourdough in pancakes
Sourdough discard has mild acidity, which gives pancakes a soft, tender texture without tasting sour. You can mix everything and cook the pancakes straight away, but the optional overnight rest gives a much better result. The discard gently ferments the mix and the flour hydrates. In the morning you whisk in the baking powder and baking soda and the pancakes rise beautifully.
This recipe has also been updated. I now mix everything except the rising agents the day before. In the older version I added the eggs and butter in the morning, but the batter is softer and the rise is higher when the full mix rests overnight.
If you are still building your starter or want to learn more about how it behaves, see my sourdough starter guides, or my collection of sourdough discard recipes.
Just a few ingredients
How to make them
Option 1: Overnight ferment (my preferred method)
- The batter will be all mixed except for the raising agents which get added in the morning.
- Whisk the discard, egg, milk, sugar and vanilla.
- Add the flour and salt and whisk until smooth. Cover the bowl and place it in the fridge overnight.
- In the morning, whisk in the baking powder and baking soda. Add a little milk if the batter has thickened.
Option 2: Same day pancakes
- Rest for five minutes, then cook the pancakes as usual.
- Mix the discard, egg, milk, sugar and vanilla.
- Add the flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Whisk until just combined.
Cooking
- Heat a pan over medium heat with a little butter. Scoop the batter into the pan.
- Scoop the batter into the pan.
- Once bubbles appear and the edges look set, flip and cook the second side.
Tips
- Rest the batter for five minutes after adding the rising agents.
- Keep the pan on medium heat so the pancakes have time to lift before they brown.
- Loosen a very thick batter with a small splash of milk if you find it too thick.
- Avoid overmixing once the baking powder and baking soda go in.
- If your starter is not very acidic, or you are shortening the fermenting time, add half a tablespoon of white vinegar or apple cider vinegar to the batter along with the eggs and morning rising agents. The extra acidity helps activate the baking soda and gives an even fluffier rise.
Serving ideas
- Maple syrup and berries
- Lemon and sugar
- Yoghurt and honey
- Whipped cream and fruit compote
Variations
FAQs
Sourdough Discard Pancakes
Ingredients
- 230 g discard sourdough starter room temperature
- 360 g milk room temperature
- 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 3/4 teaspoon vanilla paste or extract
- 45 g melted butter
- 250 g all-purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1.5 tsp baking powder
Instructions
- In a large bowl whisk together the melted butter, milk, vanilla, eggs and sourdough discard starter. 230 g discard sourdough starter, 360 g milk, 2 Tbsp granulated sugar, 2 large eggs, 45 g melted butter, 3/4 teaspoon vanilla paste
- Whisk in the flour and salt and cover the bowl and place it in the fridge overnight, or for up to 24 hours. 250 g all-purpose flour, 1/4 tsp salt
- In the morning whisk in the baking powder and baking soda and let the batter sit for 5 minutes. If the batter has thickened too much, add a splash of milk. 1 tsp baking soda, 1.5 tsp baking powder
- Preheat a cast iron or non stick pan over medium heat and grease it lightly with butter.
- Pour about one third of a cup of batter into the hot pan for each pancake. If the pan is too hot, reduce the heat slightly.
- Let the pancake cook until bubbles appear across the surface, about two to three minutes. Flip and cook the second side for another one to two minutes.
- Transfer the cooked pancakes to a plate and repeat with the remaining batter, stacking them as you go.
- Serve warm with butter and maple syrup, or berries and cream.
- If you are not resting the batter overnight
- You can make these pancakes on the same day. Mix everything in one bowl, but add the baking powder and baking soda straight away. Let the batter rest for five minutes before cooking so the rising agents have time to activate.
Your instructions mention vanilla but the list of ingredients do not include any measurement or mention of vanilla.
I have made these before and they’re delicious – I just added what I thought would be a reasonable amount which was 1 teaspoon.
Ah thank you for the heads up! I will ad it in, I’m so glad you made them and loved them! 😀
Can leftover batter be saved in the fridge?
Yup it should be fine for a day or two in the fridge!
Love this recipe, and just told by my husband best pancakes he ever had. Served with blueberries, banana, custard and maples syrup!.
Thanks for all the great sour dough recipes.
Thanks
You’re so welcome Katie! So happy you’re enjoying the recipes
These are the first sourdough pancakes I have made. I used vegan substitutions with great results! I used the same amounts but instead used organic unsweetened soy milk/plant based butter and flax eggs. To make them better for my husbands type 2 diabetes I used soft white whole wheat and swerve sweetner. I usually don’t make that many substitutions the first time I try a recipe but I decided to go for it and these are the best pancakes I have ever eaten. Keeper for sure! I actually dislike reading reviews where people change so many things so was not going to write one but they turned out so amazing I thought it may help someone with different dietary needs. I kept all amounts the same and followed instructions exactly.
Just curious, why put the overnight sponge in the fridge? I’ve used a sourdough waffle recipe thats very similar and it says to leave out on the countertop. Granted, that recipe doesn’t distinguish between a recently fed or unfed starter, so maybe that makes a difference??? Anyway, I’ve made this recipe once, left it on the countertop overnight and they were absolutely delicious. I’m getting ready to make them again. They didn’t look as fluffy as your pic, not that I cared, super delicious, but maybe that’s why??? Maybe it needs to be a cool ferment as to not eat all the food to give it more rise???
Hey Adrianne,
I pop mine in the fridge because at colder temperatures, the bacteria in the starter produce acetic acid which reacts with the baking soda to create a fluffier pancake 🙂
Great recipe Elien! The family loves these pancakes.
As a wee tweak, I borrowed Nadia Lim’s technique of beating the eggs until they were light, fluffy and pale with an electric eggbeater; the results were amazing.
Ooh yes! i do this in my sourdough waffle recipe too and it really does make them super light doesn’t it 🙂