Easy 5-minute sourdough pancakes made with sourdough discard! They are light, fluffy, buttery and oh-so-addicting! If you love sourdough pikelets, you'll definitely want to try this recipe!
Recently, I decided to dive into making sourdough starter so I could make my own fresh sourdough bread at home. When making a sourdough starter, I discovered that you end up with a lot of sourdough discard (the part you throw away).
Not wanting to waste precious flour, I looked up a lot of sourdough discard recipes.
This one is AMAZING. I couldn't believe how delicious these sourdough pancakes were! Surprisingly, they don't taste like sourdough at all, just fluffy, delicious pancakes. But these do not make you feel bloated.
Probably because sourdough is one of the healthiest types of bread you can eat. As the yeast goes through fermentation, it breaks down gluten, making it easier to digest and minimizing discomfort. So these pancakes are a great option for those that have a hard time digesting gluten but aren't allergic.
What's In This Blog Post
Ingredients Needed
All you need are some basic ingredients to make sourdough discard pancakes. Most importantly, you need discard! I usually have about 1 cup of discard, but the amount you add is not really important. Think of the discard as "flavoring" for your pancakes.
Sourdough discard is the part of the sourdough starter that has been broken down by yeast after it has been fed and discarded. Not sure what sourdough starter is? Check out my sourdough starter recipe.
Step-By-Step Instructions
- Place your skillet (I like to use a cast-iron skillet for even browning) on the stove and heat it on medium-low heat for 15 minutes. We're shooting for a temp of 300ºF for cooking pancakes.
Protip - Low and slow is better for pancakes to ensure a nice golden brown crust and a soft and fluffy interior. - Combine all your ingredients in one bowl and mix until combined. No worries if it's lumpy.
- Melt a teaspoon of butter in the skillet. Butter adds some delicious crispiness to your pancakes.
- Pour about ½ cup of batter into the skillet and cook for 5 minutes or until the edges of the pancake start to look dry and you can see some holes forming on top.
- Flip your pancake over and cook for another 3 minutes.
Enjoy! I slather mine in more butter, but my daughter Avalon prefers hers with cinnamon and sugar. So good!
Yes, sourdough pancakes can be a healthier alternative to traditional pancakes due to the fermentation process breaking down phytic acid, making nutrients more bioavailable. The fermentation also contributes to a lighter, fluffier texture and potentially a lower glycemic index, making them a more nutritious option. Sourdough pancakes can be further enhanced by using whole wheat flour and natural sweeteners
Overmixed batter is a likely cause of gummy sourdough pancakes. Instead of light and fluffy, they turn out dense and gummy because the gluten has overdeveloped. To avoid this, mix the batter until just combined.
Relevant Recipes
Recipe
Ingredients
- 10 ounces all-purpose flour about 2 cups spooned and leveled
- 1 cup sourdough discard more or less is ok
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 3 Tablespoons Sugar
- 14 ounces milk about 1 ¾ cups
- 2 large eggs
- 2 Tablespoons canola oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat your skillet over medium-low heat for 15 minutes
- Combine all your ingredients together in a bowl and mix until it's combined. It will be lumpy and thats ok.
- Melt 1 teaspoon of butter in your hot skillet
- Add about ½ cup of your batter into the pan and cook for 5 minutes or until the edges of your pancakes start to look dry and you start seeing holes on top of the pancake
- Flip your pancake and cook for another 3 minutes
- Serve immediately with more melted butter and syrup!
Video
Notes
- Low and slow is perfect for pancakes. I use a thermometer to check the temp of my skillet. You're shooting for 300ºF or just set your temp to medium-low
- Do not over-mix your batter or it will become tough. Just mix it until it's cohesive
- Use your batter right away for the best results
- You can save sourdough discard and use it later! Just wrap it up and put it in the fridge for up to two days. Any l longer and it starts to develop too much flavor and can taste bitter.
Esther Mathieu says
This was a great discard recipe! I whipped the egg whites for more fluffiness. Thank you!
Elizabeth Marek says
Thank you so much! That's a great idea!
Seema A says
Excellent recipe...definitely a keeper! They turn out fluffier and flavorful than the regular pancake. Absolutely loved it! ❤️
Elizabeth Marek says
That is my favorite part! so fluffy and the flavor is amazing
JP says
I just made these and they were great - nice and fluffy. I made a couple of modifications and used a blend of all purpose (1 1/2 cups) and whole wheat flour (1/2 cup) and used flaxseed eggs instead of large eggs.
Emily says
These taste SOOO good! Easy recipe and so fast!
Michelle says
I've tried a few sourdough discard recipes now, and this one is by far is the best! So fluffy and the flavour is amazing. Thank you!
debbie says
Hands down the best pancakes I've ever made. I halved the recipe and used malted milk powder instead of sugar to give them that diner taste. So.Very.Delicious!!!! Thank you!
V. R. says
A great, never-fails recipe!
Phoebe Eskenazi says
Absolutely delicious! I used one whole egg and one egg white and added a few drops of vanilla and the results were great! Thank you!!!
Lola says
Great pancakes but too much for the husband and I. So I added blueberries and put the remaining batter in a pan and baked it. Delish!
Rhonda says
I don't usually like pancakes as they are like eating a dish sponge, however after trying this recipe with some sourdough discard it is definitely a keeper. They're so fluffy & the best tasting pancakes I've ever eaten. I topped them with a drizzle of honey, coconut yoghurt & fresh berries. Will certainly be making them again.
Thank you 🌻
Beth Anderson says
Great! Easy, quick, light, fluffy - delicious crispy edges - and mild. My kids didn't complain about the sourdough addition. Usually it comes through too strong in other recipes.
sera says
This is a really great recipe! I have made several sourdough discard pancakes and I just couldn't figure out why they need to be overnight. These are way better than the overnight pancakes I've tried. Thank you!
I added vanilla, cinnamon, and cardamom to make these really tasty.
TJ says
I made the recipe exactly as written and everyone loved it. I especially appreciated the advice on the low and slow preheating of my cast-iron skillet. I’ve never been able to make pancakes successfully in my cast-iron, but this worked perfectly.
The only minor gripe I had was the prep time and total time being listed as five minutes. With the 15 minute preheating and the eight minutes per pancake cooking time, I don’t understand how the prep time and total time can be listed as five minutes. The results were worth it, but this recipe does take some time hanging by the stove.
As I said, though, minor gripe. Results were delicious!
Keren says
Since starting out on a sourdough baking journey, I’ve been looking for creative ways to use up my discard. Sooo happy I came across this recipe for pancakes. These pancakes are so easy to make, tastes amazing and they are so fluffy! Husband approved too! I like to throw in blueberries or white chocolate chips to add more flavor. You won’t be disappointed!
Sarahí says
ULTIMATELY DELICIOUS!
These are way better than regular pancakes! And i always have a lot of discard!
Thanks for this delicious recipe (:
Concon says
Omg these are so fantastic! The only thing I'd change is to use less salt. I'll definitely make these again! Thanks for sharing.❤
Sheri says
I used my spelt starter but with gluten-free (Walmart brand) flour to lessen the gluten exposure. Soooo delicious!!! Thank you!
Carrie says
Just followed your recipe to make blueberry pancakes for 8 adults...Thanks for the recipe:)
Elizabeth Marek says
You're so welcome!
Sheri says
Also used stevia instead of sugar. Didn't notice it hurt the sweet taste any, or texture. Yummy!
Dina says
Added teaspoon cinnamon & teaspoon vanilla-family devoured them
Tonda Smit says
Best pancakes I've ever had! I used my throw-away starter, spelt flour and unsweetened vanilla almond milk- soooo yummy. You gotta try these!
Clóighi says
I make this recipe every couple of weeks. It is the best! I am so glad I found this for my discard starter.
Drmgiver says
You knocked it out of the park with this recipe! So good! (though it made more than I was expecting! Lol)
Jas says
I did this as a half batch since its just 2 of us, but my husband who does not love pancakes really liked the texture and flavor. Thanks for the recipe.
Rhonda Vega says
These are amazing so yummy! Thank you. I do have one question do the pancakes freeze well after making them?
Elizabeth Marek says
Yes they freeze really well!
Kristina Austin says
Wow, this is the best pancake recipe!! A friend gave me some of her sourdough starter about 2 months ago. I've enjoyed making my own sourdough bread. Today I took my discard and made your pancakes. Instead of using milk, I combined sour cream and water together to a consistency of milk. Since my husband is sugar diabetic, I used his sugar substitute. These pancakes are more satisfying than regular pancakes. Thank you! I'll be trying more of your recipes in the future. Thank you for sharing them!!
Kristina