Julie Clark
Posted: Updated:
Sourdough Pancakes
This post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy.
Make fluffy sourdough pancakes with this easy, one bowl recipe. Perfect for using sourdough discard, these pancakes with tangy flavor are a delicious twist on regular pancakes.
Looking for a delightful twist on your morning pancakes? Our fluffy Sourdough Pancakes Recipe uses sourdough starter discard to make homemade pancakes with unique flavor and irresistibly fluffy texture.
When you’re tired of making sourdough bread or whole wheat sandwich bread, make these fluffy pancakes. They are the best sourdough pancakes and a great way to start the day!
What readers are saying:
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ Susie says, “Amazing! I used my starter straight from the counter after I fed it the night before around 7pm. I also added in two dashes of pie spice and a tablespoon of pure vanilla. I had extra discard so I used 1.5 cups and it was the fluffiest pancakes ever. Cooked it down on the skillet with browned butter.”
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ Rosemarie says, “Had discard from my sourdough to use up and I hate wasting things. Originally I was going to do the King Arthur Flours recipe for the pancakes but that required more down time than I was wanting. Happen to do a search and clicked on this recipe and woohoo for me I was able to just make it and not wait another day. The cakes were nice and fluffy and tasted great! My new go to for sourdough discard pancakes.”
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ Charlotte says, “Lizzy, these are amazing pancakes. I wanted them to be digestible for a friend who is gluten intolerant, so I mixed the milk, flour, and starter the day before and let it ferment for 8 hours on the counter and another 12 in the refrigerator. The next day, I added the remaining ingredients, including an extra egg (mine are small). She LOVED them! Thank you! I’ve shared your recipe with a sourdough group on Facebook.”
Ingredients
A few notes about basic ingredients:
- All-purpose flour. I’ve also used all-purpose gluten free flour and it works well.
- Baking powder. Use aluminum free baking powder. Our favorite brand is Bob’s Red Mill.
- Sourdough discard. Many readers have left comments about using active sourdough starter, but I make the pancakes with sourdough discard from my fridge. Is isn’t airy or bubbly and is “runnier” than active sourdough.
What is sourdough discard?
When you start making sourdough, you either have to bake with it or discard part of the start or it will keep growing. In order to not be wasteful, you can make recipes with the sourdough discard (or “leftover sourdough starter”). These sourdough discard recipes use other leavening agents (baking powder, baking soda or yeast) to get a rise in the baked good.
How to Make Sourdough Pancakes
Make the pancakes in just 4 steps:
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and soda, sugar and salt.
- Add the sourdough starter, milk, egg and oil to the top of the dry ingredients. Mix well just until combined. It’s ok if there are a couple of lumps in the batter. It’s important not to overmix.
- Grease a pancake griddle or cast iron skillet with melted butter or oil. Heat the skillet over medium-low heat. Ladle ¼ cup of batter on the hot griddle. Cook until the batter starts bubbling on top, then gently flip the pancake.
- Cook for an additional 1-2 minutes on the second side or until the pancake is cooked through and golden brown.
Tips for the Best Pancakes
Getting your homemade sourdough pancakes just right might seem tricky, but with these 4 tips, you’ll be flipping perfect pancakes in no time.
- Use room temperature ingredients. This will create a smoother batter and allow the leaving agents to do their job well. It will also help the pancakes cook more evenly.
- Do not overmix the batter. Overmixing develops the gluten in pancakes and can make them gummy or “tough”. Mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients just until they are combined.
- The consistency of your batter is key. It should be thick enough to hold its shape but thin enough to pour easily. If it’s too thick, just add a bit more milk until you get it just right.
- When it comes to cooking, a medium-low heat works best. You’re aiming for a golden brown color on each side, so patience is your friend here. Wait until you see bubbles forming on the surface before flipping them. This is your secret to perfectly cooked, fluffy pancakes every time!
Pancake Toppings
These quick sourdough pancakes are so versatile, they go with just about anything. Here are a few ideas:
- Fresh berries, a dollop of yogurt, or a drizzle of maple syrup are classic choices.
- For a special treat, try a sprinkle of powdered sugar or caramelized bananas.
- A spoonful of homemade jam or a scoop of nut butter can add a wonderful twist.
- Raspberry sauce or strawberry sauce makes an excellent fruit syrup.
- Try savory toppings such as scrambled eggs, crumbled bacon or ground sausage. Drizzle homemade sausage gravy over the top and you’ve got a meal that’ll bring everyone to the table with a smile.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you make waffles with pancake batter?
Great news – this batter doubles as a fantastic waffle mix! Many readers have made this recipe as is and cooked it in a waffle iron for sourdough waffles. You can also add an extra egg, which will help the waffle crisp up and be a little sturdier. Preheat your waffle iron and give it a good coat of non-stick spray. Pour in the batter and cook according to your waffle iron’s instructions.
How do you make overnight sourdough pancakes?
Many have made the pancake batter the night before and stored it in the fridge to allow the flavors to develop overnight. Some readers say they wait until the morning to add the baking powder and baking soda so it does not de-active overnight.
Can I make half a recipe?
Yes. Use half of all the ingredients, but still use a whole egg.
Sourdough Pancakes {Great for Sourdough Discard}
Sourdough pancakes have a delicious flavor & fluffy texture that you’ll fall in love with! These will become your family’s favorite breakfast.
Servings 12
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour 260 grams
- 2 teaspoons baking powder 10 grams
- 1 teaspoon baking soda 6 grams
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar 30 grams
- 1 teaspoon salt 6 grams
- 1 cup sourdough discard at room temperature, 250 grams
- 1 1/2 cups 2% milk at room temperature, 12 ounces
- 1 large egg, beaten at room temperature
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 24 grams
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and soda, sugar and salt.
- Add the sourdough starter, milk, egg and oil to the top of the dry ingredients. Mix well just until combined. It’s ok if there are a couple of lumps in the batter. It’s important not to overmix.
- Grease a pancake griddle or cast iron skillet with melted butter or oil. Heat the skillet over medium-low heat.
- Ladle ⅓ cup of batter on the hot griddle. Cook until the batter starts bubbling on top*, then gently flip the pancake.
- Cook for an additional 1-2 minutes on the second side or until the pancake is cooked through and golden brown.
- Serve warm with butter and maple syrup.
Video
Notes
- I highly recommend sourdough discard for this recipe. It shouldn’t be bubbly and stretchy like active starter, but rather dense and thick, but “runny” in texture.
- The first side will take 2-3 minutes, depending on the temperature of the skillet.
- For buttermilk pancakes, replace the milk with buttermilk. This will make extra tangy pancakes.
- Add chocolate chips or chopped fresh fruit for a fun twist on traditional pancakes. Coconut oil is great for cooking pancakes! It gives them lightly crispy edges.
Nutrition
Calories: 144kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Cholesterol: 18mg | Sodium: 306mg | Potassium: 137mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 53IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 70mg | Iron: 1mg
I see that this is an older post but just had to say these pancakes were very good. Only issue was that it made so many pancakes (24- 4 inch cakes ) . I see someone else halved the recipe using one egg and it worked fine. Can lakes be frozen?
Have tried a few sourdough discard pancakes and they often turned out somewhat gummy so these were a real treat when they came out fluffy ! I used oat milk and a flax ‘egg’ (1 tablespoon flax powder with 3 tablespoon water, leave to stand for a couple of minutes) and it turned out really well. The batter was quite thick for me though so I might thin it slightly the next time for an easier time when cooking.
Thanks so much for the recipe! Note: It does make quite a few pancakes, enough for 4 adults.
These pancakes were amazing and I’ve made many kinds of pancakes before this. They are easy to whip up and such a treat to eat. My kids gobbled them up and kept asking for more. I’m glad I came across this recipe to use up my discard. I think I’ll be making these again very soon.
Best pancakes ever! And let me tell you, they only get better with time! I put some leftover batter in the fridge for 4 days so it was active and bubbling when I made another batch, and they have to be the thickest and fluffiest pancakes I have ever made. 🤤😋
I replaced half the flour with almond flour and otherwise followed the recipe exactly. They turned out absolutely delicious.
These were outstanding! I will definitely be making these a billion more times!
Wow, these pancakes were amazing! I used my discard from my starter this morning and mixed it with extra starter I had in the fridge since I didn’t have enough and oh my goodness, best pancakes I have ever made! Nice, fluffy, and very delicious. Looking forward to making these pancakes all the time from now on with my discard. Thank you so much for sharing your recipe!
Perfect pancakes. Followed recipe as is. Didn’t use fed starter, just my sad, old hungry starter straight from the fridge.
This is my go-to sourdough recipe now. It’s reliable and delicious. I store my leftover sourdough in the fridge and whip this up for my daughter. It’s her favorite pancake recipe.
I can’t tell you how many pancake recipes I’ve tried in my day; each claiming to be THE best. However, these actually ARE the best. Like, for real. I have made them for at least 3 groups of people now, and multiple times for me and my husband. Just last night we saw someone from one of these groups who said, “those pancakes you made for us last month were the best pancakes I’ve ever had in my life. I can’t stop thinking about them!” Ha! It’s true! Fluffy and the sourdough starter makes them taste so uniquely full of… Read more »
Excellent! . I combined the all purpose flour with whole wheat, almond and oat flour too. I premixed the batter excluding baking powder and baking soda the night before to let the sourdough do its work. Just before cooking i added them
In and added a hint
Of vanilla. Very good and soft.
Amazing Fat, Fluffy pancakes. I made 1/2 the recipe with 1/2 of a beaten egg. Absolutely delish.
I made this recipe today to use up some of my sourdough starter discard, and was pleasantly surprised! I did change the recipe swapping the egg for a flax “egg”, and used almond “milk” instead of dairy milk to make mine vegan. They turned out nice and fluffy and absolutely delicious!!!👌🏻💕 Thank you!
These are delicious! I had to add a little more milk because my discard was whole wheat and really thick. But that was no big deal! I love that they aren’t too sweet.
1. There is enough of batter to feed the army. I made half the recipe and me and my wife ate it until were were stuffed.
2. Even though I made half the recipe I had to add 1 1/2 cups of milk otherwise it was not runny enough to spread.
3. Each pancake was 7″ in diameter and 1/2 thick. But in order to rise up and be fluffy I had to cook them on medium/low heat and that is after I made one let’s just say well done. I like them lightly done.