An easy, one-bowl recipe for fluffy, homemade sourdough pancakes using leftover sourdough starter discard. The batter can be made overnight or on the same day- it takes less than 10 minutes to do!
When writing Artisan Sourdough Made Simple, the most interesting chapter to research was sourdough discard recipes. I had no idea how fun and versatile it could be. I was literally inspired to “sourdough-ize” everything I could get my hands on. Sourdough pancakes were no exception. Is there anything more enticing than a warm stack of pancakes (or sourdough waffles!) drenched in sweet maple syrup and fresh mixed berries? After all, it’s quintessential weekend breakfast.
And I’ll tell you something, when pancakes are made with sourdough discard they become uniquely different than regular pancakes: they’re extra fluffy, super flavorful and easier to digest (the butter-fried edges get me every time). Best sourdough pancake recipe ever? You be the judge.
How to Make Fluffy Sourdough Pancakes
Ingredients you will need:
- Sourdough starter (100% hydration, either leftover discard or bubbly)
- All purpose flour
- Sugar
- Fine sea salt
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Large eggs
- Milk
- Butter
Best Tips for Making Pancakes
Tip #1:
First and foremost, the ratio of liquid to flour needs to be on point. Too much flour, and the pancakes will be thick and doughy (like English muffins). Too much liquid and they’ll be thin and chewy like crepes. One way is neither right or wrong; it all depends on the style you want.
For fluffy sourdough pancakes, the batter should be thick, bubbly and pourable.
See that gorgeous aerated texture? You can actually “hear” it when you drag a spoon through the batter. It should drip down in slow, stretchy ribbons and not just plop into the pan.
Tip #2:
Use a combination of baking power AND baking soda. Baking powder will make the pancakes fluffy and baking soda will lighten them up. You need both. Some fluffy pancake recipes call for whipped egg whites, which definitely works, but it’s an extra step you can bypass altogether.
Tip #3:
You’ll need about 1 cup of leftover sourdough discard. Bubbly is fine too- use what you have. When baking soda merges with the natural acids in the sourdough starter it tenderizes the texture (like buttermilk pancakes). So now you have light, fluffy and tender.
For best results, use a 100% hydration sourdough starter. Its thick, batter-like texture is perfect for fluffy sourdough pancakes. Try my Beginner Sourdough Starter Recipe or use what you have adjusting the liquid if it’s too thick.
Why Make Pancakes from Scratch?
For me, homemade has to include two things: flavor and convenience.
Here, I’ve combined the best of both worlds with an overnight pancake batter. As the batter sits, the flavor will intensify making a notable difference when compared to regular pancakes.
You’ll also get the added benefit of fermentation. On the overnight, the natural acids in the starter help to break down those pesky glutenous enzymes making these pancakes easier to digest. My son who is gluten sensitive does really well with this recipe.
And for convenience?
The batter is prepped ahead!
No mess. No stress.
TIP: When using the overnight method, for thick and fluffy pancakes add the baking powder and baking soda in the morning (not to the overnight mixture). This will ensure the batter is nice and bubbly before cooking. For thin and fluffy pancakes, add everything all at once. You’ll get a really nice melt-in-your-mouth texture with this option. Alternatively, the batter can be made fresh on the same day. Instructions for both options are included in the recipe below.
A Few More Thoughts…
- Do yourself a favor get a wide 6-inch spatula for flipping. Most likely, your standard spatula is too narrow. A wide one makes flipping so much easier and helps with splatter control.
- For crispy, golden fried edges fry your pancakes in a small pat butter. I use Kerry Gold salted butter.
- Use a cast iron or non-stick skillet for cooking the pancakes- both options are fine. It’s the heat that you need to pay attention to. Always make a mini test pancake first!
More Recipes to Try with Sourdough Discard
- Ultimate Sourdough Banana Bread
- Cinnamon Sugar Sourdough Waffles
- Overnight Sourdough Apple Cake
- Homemade Sourdough Blueberry Muffins
- Moist, Fluffy Sourdough Gingerbread Cake
Best Sourdough Pancakes
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: (10) 6-inch pancakes
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Skillet
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
An easy, one-bowl recipe for fluffy, homemade sourdough pancakes using leftover sourdough discard. The batter can be made overnight or on the same day- it’s takes less than 10 minutes to do!
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups (190 g) all purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 2 tbsp. (24 g) sugar
- 1/2 tsp. fine sea salt
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. baking soda
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup (240 g) sourdough starter (sourdough discard or active sourdough starter)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup (240 ml) milk, plus more as needed
- 3 tbsp. (42 g) melted unsalted butter or oil, plus more to coat the skillet
To Serve
- Pure maple syrup
- Fresh berries
- Powdered sugar
Instructions
Overnight Preparation:
For thick and fluffy pancakes: Combine the wet and dry ingredients EXCEPT for the baking powder and baking soda. Whisk well, cover and chill overnight. The next day, sift the powders directly over the bowl and whisk again to combine. The texture should be thick, bubbly, and pourable. Add extra milk, 1 tbsp at a time, to thin out the texture if needed. Let the batter sit for at least 5 minutes to aerate; it should be nice and bubbly before using. The batter can be used cold.
For thin and fluffy pancakes: Add all of the ingredients together and chill overnight. No need to add the leavening agents separately.
Same Day Preparation:
Preheat your oven to 250 F.
In a large bowl, whisk the dry ingredients together. Add the wet ingredients. Whisk gently until a smooth batter forms; some lumps are ok.
In a large 10-inch skillet (cast iron or non-stick), melt a small pat of butter over medium-low heat. Swirl the pan around to coat.
Pour 1/3 cup of batter into the pan. Cook for 1-2 minutes, lowering the heat as needed. When the edges begin to puff up and bubbles appear on the surface, flip it over. Cook for another minute or so. Place the pancake onto a sheet pan and keep warm in the oven while you cook the rest.
To continue, use a scrunched up paper towel to wipe out the skillet. Add more butter if the pan gets too dry. Repeat the cooking process until you are finished with the batter.
To serve, stack the warm pancakes on a platter for your guests to help themselves. Have plenty of pure maple syrup, fresh berries and powdered sugar at the ready.
Comments
Kenny says
Brilliant! served them with homemade lemon curd and oregon blueberries… and i don’t even care much for pancakes because they tend not to have much inherent flavor. THESE are outstanding!
Dayne Conn says
Tried this recipe twice. Came out beautiful. Thanks.
Emilie Raffa says
Fantastic! Glad you enjoyed the pancakes :)
Jean says
Fluffy and great taste! I added cinnamon too!
Emilie Raffa says
So glad you liked it Jean! Cinnamon sounds wonderful :)
Laura says
So delicious! Finally a way to use up my discard. I left out the sugar and had them with savory spreads for brunch! A success!
Do you think whole wheat flour could work as well? Combined with all-purpose-flour starter.
Ty!
Kara says
I make this every week and I recently discovered it does great in the waffle maker too! Sooo happy! We do not buy instant pancake mix anymore because this
Recipe tastes so good!
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Kara! Thanks so much for your feedback. Glad you liked it! We make a big batch (dry ingredients) and keep it in a large jar. So easy to mix up!
Ashley says
These pancakes were amazing! We had a few leftover pancakes so we popped them in the fridge for a couple days – and they were even delish days after!
Emilie Raffa says
So glad to hear, Ashley! Thanks for your feedback!
Stephanie Lynne says
Impressive! I don’t usually leave comments or rate recipes, but this was really good! I have celiacs and often crave “normal” easy peasy food. This recipe converted over spot on with my GF sourdough discard. The cakes were delicate, luscious and velvety. Breakfast for dinner was a hit, even my mom (who dislikes pancakes) was saying mmmmm! Thank you for the recipe, I did the quick version and look forward to the overnight version for an upcoming weekend delight!!
Emilie Raffa says
This is such great feedback, thank you! Sometimes GF conversions can be tricky (or failures!), but it’s good to know it worked here. Fantastic. Thanks Stephanie!
Mark says
These are really terrific. I used half buckwheat and half white whole wheat, with blueberries… wow! Super-light, tasty and good for you. Great recipe, and my new favorite reason to save discard. ;)
Luis says
I made this recipe today for breakfast. Best pancakes I have ever made from a flavor perspective. I’m going to make them again following the overnight process
Thank you
Gabriel Inpool says
Oh, how fun!! We don’t get very creative with our toppings for pancakes, but this looks great. Thank you for sharing it!
Emilie Raffa says
You’re very welcome- enjoy!
Theresa D. says
Do you think it would be ok to use only bread flour?
Emilie Raffa says
Theresa, great question. Depending on the brand, it might absorb more liquid making the batter drier (and the pancakes more chewy). I would stick with ap flour for best results. Alternatively, experiment with the bread flour, adding more liquid to the batter, and enjoy with an open mind :)
GalleryMouse says
This is the best recipe for sourdough discard pancakes by far.
I made a few substitutions:
milk – I used 1/2 oat milk and 1/2 water
eggs – I added 1 ripe banana instead and a fist full of spinach
I mixed all of the above in a blander and proceeded with the rest of the recipe.
The pancakes are so tasty and the unused batter great the day after as well.
Thank you!
Casey says
This is my go to sourdough pancakes recipe! I’ve been using it for about a month now. They’ll are insanely fluffy and so delicious!! Thank you for sharing this recipe
Katie says
Soooo delicious!! Going to freeze the rest in a bag for the weekend :D
Irene says
Hi Emilie, thank you so much for this recipe! This is the first thing I baked with my sourdough starter (I followed your recipe too) and they turned out great. Non only they’re tasty, but they also didn’t cause any stomach pain. I will continue making them!
Laura S says
This is a new family fave. We add blueberries directly into the pancakes after pouring into the pan, and they get just sort in the course of the pancake cooking – so good and so easy to make. Great recipe.
Laura S says
*sort=soft!
Kendra Michelle says
Great recipe! I doubled it and made waffles too! Kids loved them and they froze great! Thank you!
Elaine says
I made these today using artificial sweetener instead of sugar; my husband said they were ‘lovely’……….much better than the ‘uncooked in the middle’ crumpets I made yesterday! Are they suitable for freezing?
Emmy says
They turned out wonderful. I’d make starter just for this recipe lol Highly recommend if you’re looking for the best way to use up starter discards.
Becky I says
These are so amazing! I make regular buttermilk pancakes and these taste just like them. I have a question, would it be possible to incorporate banana and cinnamon and if so when do you think it should be added?
Ingrid says
Thank you like CRAZY! We thought we had the best pancake recipe for YEARS until I started doing sourdough and came across this one It’s delicious. Thank you!
Emily Neidhart says
Okay, I’ve eaten a LOT of pancakes in my life, but WOW these were the BEST! I did the “fluffy” recipe, and added in the baking powder and baking soda right before I cooked them. They were SO FLUFFY! I added a dash of powdered sugar and fresh fruit. They were sweet but not overwhelming- just perfect. THANK YOU for the recipe!
Brenda WILKINS says
Made these during the winter storm in Texas before I lost power. I added 1-cup blueberries and a tsp each of cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla bean paste as suggested by other’s for more flavor. That worked, they were very good, light and fluffy. I did same day method. Will try overnight.
Emilie Raffa says
Sounds delicious, Brenda! Thanks for sharing :)
David Gartner says
Just made these fluffy sourdough pancakes and they are AMAZING! I have been working on my sourdough bread after my son and daughter-in-law gifted me Emilie’s book Artisan Sourdough Made Simple. They gave me the book after I unsuccessfully attempted to make some sourdough and was frustrated and almost ready to give up. Since I followed the book, I have been able to expand from the basic sourdough to cinnamon, cinnamon/raisin. decadent chocolate, and my variation on that; Chocolate/raspberry. All because I follow the steps outlined in the book. Thanks Emilie.
Skysis says
Nice recipe. And thanks so much for the metric equivalents.
Sdu Gerasch says
I made these pancakes, they were absolutely gorgeous. I didn’t have the butter so I used coconut oil and added a bit more sugar. My kids were raving about them, you know what they say about the kids not lying, so they were a hit. Oh also, I used buttermilk because yeeees you guessed it right, I didn’t have milk🙈
Sadie says
These pancakes are an excellent way to utilize starter discard. As described, they’re thick, light, and fluffy, and have a nice flavor. Following suggestions from other reviewers I used a bit more sugar and added vanilla to the batter The batter bubbled and rose quite a bit after the baking powder and soda were added, and didn’t need any additional milk to thin. Using a 1/3 cup measuring cup yielded 15 5-inch pancakes.
Cristina says
I prepared the batter on the same day and it worked like a charm, the whole family agreed 😉 thank you!
Chai says
I love the pancakes, added some chia seeds and oatmeal that I happened to have in the fridge and the pancakes turned out to be great :)
KimmyKay says
Used 55g apple sauce per egg for a vegan version and they worked out great! Super fluffy and delicious!
Emilie Raffa says
Oooo, this sounds great! Thanks for the tip!
Cin says
I’ve fallen in love with these, they’re so easy to toss together on a whim! I honestly prefer making these to my favorite pre-made pancake mix, simply because they benefit from being made the night before. I don’t have to try to throw pancake mix together half asleep anymore!
My favorite way to have them is to add a splash of homemade vanilla extract and a little bit of cinnamon at the end, and to double the sugar. I don’t put a whole ton of syrup on my pancakes, usually just plain almond butter and a little splash of syrup, so it ends up tasting amazing. Honestly, even without the adjustments, they’re still the best pancakes I’ve ever had!
Emilie Raffa says
What lovely feedback, Cin. Thank you! I think I’m going to try your suggestions next time- love the idea of cinnamon for a twist! xx
Allen P says
Lovely recipe with some great tips. I added juice from half a lemon (reducing liquid by same amount) and results are yummy. Thank you.
Rich says
These are delicious! I find that replenishing the pan with a touch of oil between batches is the key for consistently fluffy and golden pancakes. I threw in a handful of dark chocolate and it turned out great as a desserty version. Thank you!
Frank says
Amazing recipe! Super easy and delicious. I used a 100% rye starter and the same day method and the pancakes were the fluffiest I’ve ever made. Will be making them again tomorrow! Such a good way to use a substantial amount of discard, it’s great!
Emilie Raffa says
Excellent- sounds delicious. Thrilled you enjoyed it. Thanks for the kind words, Frank!
Melanie says
Best sourdough pancake recipe I’ve tried yet. Super easy and delicious. Thank you.
Emilie Raffa says
You’re very welcome, Melanie! :)
Alex says
Second time making these (overnight prep) and both times we’ve had perfect, fluffy pancakes. Dead easy, tasty weekend breakfast and a great way to use up discard. Cheers Emilie!
Emilie Raffa says
Alex, thank you so much. Appreciate the feedback :)
Valerie says
Is it possible to make the overnight version and keep it in the fridge for a few days before making the pancakes? I made them last night to make today, but we want to make them on the weekend instead. Baking soda and powder has not been added yet!
Emilie Raffa says
Valerie, I haven’t tried it but I don’t see why not! In fact, I think a few readers here have tried it with success. The flavor will only deepen more.
Anna K says
Your site got me hooked on sourdough baking and this is yet another great recipe! These were the fluffiest pancakes I’ve ever made. I’ve added 1/2 tsp vanilla extract but will increase it to a full teaspoon next time and add another 2 tbls of sugar to satisfy my family’s preference for sweetness.
Emilie Raffa says
Sounds fantastic! Thanks Anna! :) xx
Demetra Bengle says
This recipe is very good, tastes amazing and very easy recipe to follow.
The sourdough recipe for these pancakes is great quality and will be enjoyed by the whole family!!
ingrid says
thanks for giving delish ways to use up all of this starter that I was hating throwing away! these pancakes were truly amazing!
Katherine Grace says
Can I substitute Greek Yogurt for the Milk? And if so, what amount should I use?
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Katherine! You can’t do an even swap because the batter will be too thick. I recommend using buttermilk instead. Alternatively, you can try a blend of yogurt and milk.
suzie says
Best Pancakes Ever
Annette says
Wow, best pancakes ever; just got the recipe from a friend yesterday and tried it this morning : thought it would be fitting for Thanksgiving.
Normally I do not like pancakes that much, but my family does , so I make them; but these ones were absolutely amazing, I am hooked.
Will be our new go to pancake recipe
Paul Grace says
Great recipe. Loved these pancakes, and very simple to follow the recipe.
Emilie Raffa says
Glad you enjoyed it!
Mia says
Fantastic recipe & what a brilliant way of using up discard. My 3 year old daughter nicknamed these pancakes fluffcakes 😊.
Sarah from Wandercooks says
I’ve made this recipe So. Many. Times.
It’s our go-to discard solution, so that’s almost a weekly occurrence. Haha! Even my parents love coming over now to join in on the fluffy deliciousness. We usually go the overnight method and works a treat every time.
Thanks lady!
Emilie Raffa says
Amazing, thank you Sarah!!! Appreciate the kind feedback :) xx
Terry says
I agree, These are the best sourdough pancakes and so does the rest of the family. Thank you!
ainslee wight says
These were super fluffy and sourdough-y. The only thing I noticed is a slight bi carb (baking soda) taste – will try half the amount next time unless you have any other ideas?
Jennifer Kurdyla says
I had the same issue. It sort of baked out when I cooked them but it was there.
Emilie Raffa says
See my response above! :) PS: you site is so pretty…
Emilie Raffa says
Hi there! A few questions: did you add the baking soda the following day? Or did you do the overnight method? Was it sifted first? Did it contain aluminum? It’s possible that it wasn’t fully absorbed into the batter or perhaps there were patches of the baking soda throughout the mix. Aluminum can cause a bitter aftertaste that’s sometimes detectable when the presence of other flavors are not strong enough to mask it. If any of this hele- great! If not, try reducing the baking soda next time and see if that helps :)
Whitney says
Unbelievably delicious. My family is due hard chocolate chip commercial pancake mix lovers. They all agreed these were better by far! Me too. I ate too many.
Nina Rosenblatt says
My favorite discard pancake recipe!!
D. says
I tried the overnight + BP/BS version and it yielded the softest, fluffiest, most beautifully golden pancakes ever. But they were BLAND. Hubs compared the flavour to soda crackers. I used bubbly starter but there was no signature sourdough tang. No sweet, no salty, just nothing. Any suggestions for getting a flavour worthy of the texture?
Emilie Raffa says
Hi there! Sorry to hear that :( Unfortunately, I haven’t experienced what you’ve described, however a few things come to mind: What kind of salt are you using? What type of flour are you feeding your starter with? Thanks!
D. says
Thanks for your response, Emilie. I used sea salt in the recipe, and all purpose white flour to feed the starter. How would you descrive the flavour of your batches? And do you add vanilla, spices, or any other flavourings?
Emilie Raffa says
Hi there! Thanks for the info. Most American-style pancakes do not contain spices or flavorings. However, you are more than welcome to add vanilla extract and more sugar to the batter which will enhance the flavor. For spices, cinnamon and/or nutmeg would be nice, but only very little- they might over power!
Laura says
Hi Emilie,
Thanks for this recipe, am always looking for things to do with sourdough discard. Also helpfully you provided the grams :-)
Can I make a batch of these and then freeze them? Have you done this, would you recommend it and does it impair the flavour?
Thanks in advance!