Published: · Modified: by Elizabeth Marek · This post may contain affiliate links · 22 Comments
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I absolutely love making these sourdough discard pancakes. They taste WAY better than regular pancakes, they don't leave you with that heavy feeling in your stomach and only take 5 minutes to make! They are light, fluffy and a great way to use up that sourdough starter discard! If you love sourdough pikelets, you'll definitely want to try this recipe!
When I was growing up, we never had pancakes. We had pikelets. They are very similar to pancakes but not as sweet. More like fried dough.
I have never liked pancakes. They make me feel bloated and I'm STARVING a few hours later.
Recently I decided to dive into making sourdough starter so I could make my own fresh 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.
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.
Protip - 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.
Discard recipes are a great way to use up that discard instead of throwing it away! Discard can have a varying degree of flavor to it depending on the sourness of your sourdough starter.
What Ingredients Do You Need For Sourdough Pancakes?
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.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1 - 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.
Step 2 - Combine all your ingredients in one bowl and mix until combined. No worries if it's lumpy.
Step 3 - Melt a teaspoon of butter in the skillet. Butter adds some delicious crispiness to your pancakes.
Step 4 - Pour about ½ cup of batter into the skillet and cook for 5 minutes or until the edges of the pancake start to look dried out and you can see some holes forming on top.
Step 5 - 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!
How to make light, fluffy, and delicious sourdough pancakes from your discard. These pancakes come together in less than 5 minutes and fly off the griddle in my home! A great way to use your discard and start the day with a delicious breakfast.
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Prep Time: 5 minutesminutes
Total Time: 5 minutesminutes
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Servings: 8pancakes
Calories: 226kcal
Author: Elizabeth Marek
Ingredients
10ouncesall-purpose flourabout 2 cups spooned and leveled
1cupsourdough discardmore or less is ok
1teaspoonbaking soda
2teaspoonsbaking powder
3TablespoonsSugar
14ouncesmilkabout 1 ¾ cups
2largeeggs
2Tablespoonscanola oil
1teaspoonsalt
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.
Sourdough discard works well in many baked goods that don't require lively yeast—flat foods like crackers, tortillas and pancakes. Or you can use it to flavor recipes that rely on leavening from other sources, such as active dry yeast, baking soda and baking powder.
TASTE: Just a word to the wise, these taste like pancakes from your favorite restaurant. Thick, fluffy, soft, and delicious! They do NOT have a sour flavor, and most likely no one would know you used your sourdough starter when making them!
Yes, there are actually several health benefits to using sourdough discard in your cooking and baking. Sourdough discard is rich in probiotics, which can help promote a healthy gut microbiome and improve digestion.
Remember, you can't use the discard from your homemade sourdough starter for the first 7 days. You can use sourdough discard in all kinds of sourdough discard recipes, including these no wait sourdough recipes, overnight sourdough discard recipes and sourdough discard recipes that use up a lot of discard.
You can store mature sourdough discard in the refrigerator indefinitely. As long as there is no mold, it is good to use. It may develop a grayish liquid on top called “hooch” which can be poured off before use or stirred in. If you stir it in, the flavor will become more sour.
If you're an experienced baker and are familiar with working with a cold sourdough starter that has been kept in the refrigerator for a long time and you've had success, then it's totally OK to use your starter straight from the refrigerator. You can utilize a cold starter in any sourdough discard recipe.
Sourdough discard will last indefinitely when stored in the fridge, but the longer it sits, the sourer it becomes. Therefore, I like to use my discard within 2 weeks.
Why are my sourdough pancakes gooey? Your pan may have been too hot. If your heat is too high, the outside of your pancakes will burn before the inside can cook fully. Cook pancakes at a medium heat to make sure the interior set and cooks before the outside scorches.
How long can sourdough discard be stored? Best practice is to use the discard within 3-4 weeks, but if left longer it is okay. It just becomes more broken down and sour over time.
No, it's not advisable to eat raw sourdough starter. While some people claim to have healed their gut problems by eating probiotic rich sourdough starter, it's not really advisable. Raw sourdough starter contains uncooked flour which can harbor harmful bacteria among other things.
Active sourdough starter is starter that has been fed water + flour and allowed to sit until it is bubbly and about doubled in size. Sourdough discard is after the starter has peaked, and it has started to come down. It is the portion that you would typically throw away before feeding again.
I recommend keeping sourdough discard for about one week, but I do know others who keep it for much longer. After one week, there is a higher risk of mold or bad bacteria growing on the discard.
I left my sourdough discard out at room temperature for a few days. Is it okay? As long as your kitchen isn't too warm (I'd say 78°F or higher) your starter/discard will be fine stored at room temperature for at least a few days without feeding. The flavor will get more acidic the longer it sits.
You can always use this discard by directly mixing it into a dough for baking. Your discard, as long as it's in good shape, will leaven any bread dough just as well. The discard is just like a levain you would make for a recipe. The only difference is it's the same makeup as your starter.
Can you add sourdough discards together in the same jar? Yes you can add sourdough discards from different days together in the same jar. You just need to make sure you stir it well and you don't leave it sitting in the fridge for too long. Sourdough discard should be used within two weeks.
What to do with sourdough discard? Don't throw it away! Instead, use it to make delicious and nutritious treats like pancakes, waffles, muffins, and bread. Sourdough discard is a great source of natural yeast and flavor, and can add a unique tangy taste to your baked goods.
Can you freeze sourdough starter discard? While feeding an active starter is a better idea, freezing discard will also work. I would suggest freezing discard that has been more recently fed, it may take longer for the starter to become thriving and active after thawing.
If you didn't discard a portion of your starter each time you feed it, two things would happen: Your starter would grow to an enormous, unmanageable size. Your starter would likely become more and more inhospitable to the bacteria and yeast we want as the mixture would become ever more acidic.
Introduction: My name is Edwin Metz, I am a fair, energetic, helpful, brave, outstanding, nice, helpful person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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