These sourdough discard pancakes are light, fluffy, and so utterly delicious — one bite will make you never want to waste a drop of your sourdough discard again! This one-bowl, same-day recipe will leave you with dozens of pancakes to enjoy now or freeze for later 🥞🥞🥞

A plate of sourdough discard pancakes topped with syrup and blueberries.

If you make a lot of sourdough bread, it’s great to have an arsenal of recipes that put your sourdough discard to good use. I love making crackers, tortillas, waffles, and bread with my discard, but my latest favorite use is this sourdough discard pancake recipe.

It’s a simple, same-day recipe that leaves you with more than 2 dozen light and fluffy pancakes to enjoy now or freeze for later. What’s more, you can use as much as 200 grams of discard in the recipe, which — if you’ve been stockpiling discard in your fridge — will make a nice dent in your supply.

Perfectly seasoned with a subtle tang thanks to both the buttermilk and the discard, I find these pancakes irresistible right off the skillet: no syrup or butter necessary. My children disagree — they love them with a generous glug of maple syrup and lots of fresh berries.

You can use either freshly discarded sourdough discard (as in from a room-temperature feeding of your starter) or discard that has been in your fridge for over a week (though ideally not more than two weeks).

The remaining ingredients here are classics for pancakes: buttermilk (which you can DIY with milk and vinegar, see recipe box for details), eggs, flour, sugar, butter, salt, vanilla, and a mix of baking powder and soda. If you’ve made the sourdough discard waffles, this recipe will feel familiar: it’s nearly identical with the exception of the flour (this recipe calls for slightly more) and a slightly different mix of baking powder and baking soda.

Find step-by-step instructions below. One bite will make you never want to waste a drop of your sourdough discard again 🥞🥞🥞

PS: If you’ve ever wanted to build a sourdough starter from scratch, but have been too intimidated by the process, take the Sourdough Starter from Scratch Challenge.

How to Make Sourdough Discard Pancakes, Step by Step

First, gather your ingredients: flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, eggs, butter, buttermilk, vanilla, and, of course, your sourdough discard.

The ingredients to make sourdough discard pancakes on a countertop.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs:

Two eggs in a large bowl aside buttermilk, melted butter, vanilla, and sourdough discard.

Then whisk in the buttermilk, melted butter, and vanilla:

A large bowl filled with melted butter, eggs, and buttermilk all whisked together aside a container filled with sourdough discard.

Add 200 grams of sourdough discard (see recipe box if you wish to use less):

A large bowl on a scale filled with the wet ingredients to make sourdough discard pancakes.

And whisk until mostly smooth:

A large bowl filled with the wet ingredients to make sourdough discard pancakes all whisked together.

Finally, whisk in the baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar, followed by the flour:

The dry ingredients for sourdough discard pancakes added to the wet ingredients in a large bowl.

Whisk again until mostly smooth, then switch to a spatula for the final strokes:

Sourdough discard pancake batter all mixed together.

Heat roughly 1.5 teaspoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Swirl the pan to distribute the oil or spread it out using a brush. Then, using a 2-tablespoon measure (or something similar), pour the pancake batter into the skillet.

Sourdough discard pancakes cooking in a skillet.

Cook for about a minute or until bubbles begin forming on the surface of the pancakes.

Sourdough discard pancakes cooking in a skillet.

Flip and cook for another 30 to 60 seconds or until the pancakes are cooked through.

Sourdough discard pancakes cooking in a skillet.
Sourdough discard pancakes cooking in a skillet.

Transfer the pancakes to a cooling rack when they finish cooking or…

A cooling rack topped with sourdough discard pancakes.

… stack them onto a plate and…

A stack of sourdough discard pancakes on a plate.

… drizzle with maple syrup.

A stack of sourdough discard pancakes on a plate being drizzled with syrup.

Serve with fresh berries if you wish.

A plate of sourdough discard pancakes topped with syrup and blueberries.

Any extra pancakes can be stashed in the freezer. I’m using this 2-quart vessel (one of my favorites) here.

A large container filled with sourdough discard pancakes.

To reheat, place the frozen pancakes directly into a toaster oven (or vertical oven) and toast until they are heated through and beginning to sizzle, 5 to 6 minutes.

A large container filled with sourdough discard pancakes in the freezer.
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A plate of sourdough discard pancakes topped with syrup and blueberries.

Sourdough Discard Pancakes

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Description

These sourdough discard pancakes are light, fluffy, and so utterly delicious — one bite will make you never want to waste a drop of your sourdough discard again! This one-bowl, same-day recipe will leave you with dozens of pancakes to enjoy now or freeze for later 🥞🥞🥞

Notes: 

  • For best results, please use a scale to measure. 
  • Salt: If you are using Morton Kosher salt or fine sea salt, use 3/4 teaspoon. 
  • Sourdough Discard: You can use either freshly discarded discard (as in from a room-temperature feeding of your starter) or you can use discard you’ve had in the fridge (ideally not older than 2 weeks). Ideally, you are feeding your starter at 100% hydration, meaning equal parts by weight flour and water, which is the hydration of the starter I used in all of my waffle experiments. If you need to use less starter, such as 100 grams, simply increase the amount of flour and buttermilk by 50 grams each. 
  • Buttermilk: To make your own buttermilk, place 1.5 cups of milk in a 2-cup measure. Stir in 2 tablespoons of vinegar or fresh lemon juice, and let it sit for 10 minutes. Stir it again; then use. 
  • Pan: I love this 11-inch nonstick pan for pancakes due to its low sides, which make flipping easy. A griddle would be ideal. 

Ingredients

  • 2 eggs (about 100 grams)
  • 380 grams (a heaping 1.5 cups) buttermilk, see notes above
  • 113 grams (8 tablespoons) melted butter, salted or unsalted (I always use salted)
  • 13 grams (1 tablespoon) vanilla extract
  • 200 grams (about 1 cup) sourdough discard, see notes above
  • 6 grams (1.5 teaspoons) Diamond Crystal kosher salt, see notes above
  • 8 grams (2 teaspoons) baking powder
  • 3 grams (1/2 teaspoon) baking soda
  • 50 grams (1/4 cup) sugar
  • 240 grams (a heaping 1 3/4 cups) all-purpose flour
  • extra-virgin olive oil or neutral oil, for cooking
  • maple syrup and fresh berries for serving 

Instructions

  1. Set a large skillet over low heat. 
  2. Mix together the wet ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk the eggs until blended. Add the buttermilk, vanilla, and melted butter and whisk until smooth. Add the sourdough discard and whisk again until mostly smooth. 
  3. Add the dry ingredients: Add the salt, baking powder, baking soda, and sugar, and whisk until incorporated. Finally add the flour and whisk until incorporated, switching to a spatula for the last few strokes to scrape the sides of the bowl and ensure everything is incorporated. 
  4. Cook the pancakes: Raise the heat under the skillet to medium. Pour 1 to 1.5 teaspoons oil into the center of the skillet and swirl to coat. Using a 2-tablespoon measure, pour the pancake batter into the skillet. I find I can make 4 pancakes at a time in my 11-inch skillet. Cook for 1-2 minutes on the first side, peaking under the pancakes with a spatula every so often to ensure they aren’t browning too quickly (turn the heat down if they are) or too slowly (turn the heat up slightly if they still look pale after a minute). When the pancakes are lightly browned on the bottom and when their surfaces have some bubbles, flip the pancakes and cook for another 3o to 60 seconds. 
  5. Transfer the pancakes to a cooling rack or directly to hungry eaters’ plates, and repeat the cooking process with the remaining batter, adding more oil to the skillet as needed. 
  6. To freeze: Let the pancakes cool completely, then transfer to an airtight container and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. To reheat, transfer the frozen pancakes directly to your toaster oven or toaster and toast until thoroughly reheated and sizzling slightly, 5 to 6 minutes. 
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes
  • Category: Breakfast
  • Method: skillet
  • Cuisine: American