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 wanted to sourdough-ize everything from sourdough bread, to sourdough pancakes, even waffles and crêpes! Because what’s better than a stack of warm, fluffy pancakes drenched in maple syrup and fresh berries for 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 golden brown, butter-fried edges get me every time). Best sourdough pancake recipe ever? You be the judge.
How to Make Fluffy Sourdough Pancakes
Emilie’s Best Tips for Making Pancakes
Tip #1:
First and foremost, the liquid to flour ratio 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- just 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 in the refrigerator, the flavor will intensify and you’ll get the added benefit of fermentation. My son who is gluten sensitive does really well with this recipe. And for convenience? The batter is prepped ahead! No mess. No stress.
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Best Sourdough Pancakes (Overnight or Same Day)
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: (10) 6-inch pancakes
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Stove-top
- 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!
Notes:
- 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!
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:
- In a large mixing 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 cast iron skillet (or non-stick pan), 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
Michelle says
Oh my goodness. These are amazing, I’ll share what I did differently. I had blueberries to use up (the small ones) in the fridge. I only had a 50/50 mix of AP Flour and WW flour (I did NOT expect these to be amazing. I did expect an ok breakfast). They exceeded my expectations by a mile. My first bite my eyes opened wide and mmmmmm hence my second bite lol. And third lol. Ok, so here’s the only modifications I made to make use of what I had. All weights were the same: I used 1/2 n 1/2 whole wheat/all purpose flour; Whole fat Milk powder and water for the milk; 1/2 Tbs vanilla; 1 Tbs grated orange zest; and a big handful of blueberries. Cook until internal temperature is 175°F.
Your welcome!
Kelly K says
The best recipe I’ve found!! I mixed & cooked the same day. SO fluffy & delicious!
Melanie says
These pancakes are delicious! I made the overnight option, and they are light, fluffy, and have great flavour. They’re not super sweet (I replaced the sugar with monkfruit, 1:1) so can be used for sweet or savoury meals. I made the whole batch (about 12) so I can freeze some for quick breakfasts or work lunches. Quick and easy. Thank you!
Cat C Willis says
Sooo good.. will definitely make these again!❤️
Annette says
Wonderful recipe. Used half the batter the same morning I mixed it and the remaining batter the next morning. Both were outstanding!
I amended the recipe a bit by using about ½ cup of ground flax seed to replace part of the flour and halved the sugar. Best pancakes ever and no tummy ache or sugar spike at all! Can’t wait to try your other recipes!
Robin L Lensing says
I made this recipe today! It yielded 21, 6″diameter pancakes. They were delicious and tender! Next time I might add a little cinnamon and nutmeg. Thank you!
Cathcurt says
Great recipe-I only had about 1/2 cup of discard and it was fine in the recipe. Made very fluffy pancakes with delicious flavor.
Gary Parks says
these are amazing easy recipe love em!!!
Kristina says
Hello! I put together all my ingredients besides the baking powder and soda and was going to put in the fridge for the morning however now I can’t make them until the day after tomorrow. Do you think the dough will be ok in the fridge that long? Someone please helppppp
Eve says
lol, I just did this. Still worked as long as you didn’t add the baking powder and soda. The flavor was a bit more sourdough-y.
Caroline Irwin says
I have tried all of the sourdough discard pancakes and this one takes the cake!! I split the recipe in half and it made 6 salad plate sized pancakes.
Y james says
Could I swap out the milk for buttermilk?
Jennifer Pendell says
Excellent! Made today exactly as written for same day prep and husband agrees, best pancakes we ever had. Thank you for a keeper!
Lien says
Made these, half the amount and used olive oil in the batter instead of butter. Cooked in butter though :) so good! Best pancakes I’ve ever had in my life!
KC says
Hi Emilie!
I tried the recipe, may I ask what if my batter isn’t as bubbly as the one in your photo? Does it mean I need to let it sit some more? But upon cooking it was still tender and fluffy :) just asking so I can still improve :D
Patsy says
We love these pancakes! Can I freeze and then reheat? How would I reheat the entire batch? In a couple of weeks, we are going to have several over for breakfast. I am trying to figure out how to do ahead so I am not overwhelmed that day.
Phaedra says
I always freeze my leftovers 4 in a gallon ziploc made in a single layer then top with wax paper for another layer. I usually get 12 in a bag and take out what I need for my grandkids during the weekday breakfast.
Anne says
Fabulous! Made the overnight option with half whole wheat flour, half ap. No other changes. They were perfection! Another great recipe from Emilie. 🙏🏼😍
Bill says
Hmmmm, Gotta say they were the best pancakes I have made! Soooo very light and tender with a very slight hint or aroma of baked bread. My discard was probably 90% wheat flour. I will never have enough discard, lol. I did add about 1/3c extra apf because it was too runny.
BFred says
This is my favorite sourdough pancake recipe! Give it a try and you will not be disappointed. Whether you do the overnight recipe or the same day, it will turn out delicious. I do prefer the overnight version but when company comes calling, unexpectedly, you can cut corners and still have a great meal.
Farmgal87 says
Made these for an easy, overnight fermented breakfast to use up some discard and was very pleased with the results! I followed the recipe with the addition of vanilla extract and substitutionof buttermilk for the milk. In the morning I added the levening and 1 Tbs of raw milk to thin it out a bit. They cooked up beautifully and everyone loved them. Such a great way to use up discard and have an easy breakfast ready to go!
Ashly says
Absolutely delicious! I had left over canned coconut milk I wanted to use so I swapped that in for the milk and then I added mini chocolate chips and coconut flakes. I also did the overnight method to give it some good fermentation. Will definitely make these again!
Naomi says
Amazing recipe kids loved it thank you!
Colby says
Just started on sourdough journey. Tried these this morning, and everyone loved them.
Silke says
Thank you for this great recipe. I made it as instructed and they turned out perfect! I did add some blueberries to a few of them. So yummy!! :)
Yingren Niu says
Such a simple and delicious recipe, I love the no sugar in the ingredients. Thank you for sharing!
Sara says
Brilliant recipe. Used all my sourdough discard, left in the fridge overnight and made for breakfast next morning. Only issue, that didn’t make any difference, was I used bread flour – now have to get more for the bread making!
Sandy says
Great recipe!! I’m looking forward to your other sourdough recipes.
Angie says
Fantastic, my family gobbled them right up!
Gail Flood says
This is my first time trying this recipe, however, I usually use a large skillet to cook multiple pancakes at a time for my family, would that work for these as well? Thank you!
Tina says
I just mixed up the batter tonight for breakfast in the morning. There was a change in plans right after I mixed it up and now we are having Sunday morning breakfast with my son’s family instead of Saturday. Do you think the the batter will still be good to use if it sits two nights in the refrigerate? I did not add the baking soda and baking powder yet.
Debi says
Wonderful, fluffy pancakes! A hit in this house, for sure.
Hannah says
These are so delicious! I have good amount of extra batter though- can I freeze it and use again in a few days?
Lisa G says
My family loves this recipe, and it prevents me from wasting starter. It’s a win win ! Thank you for posting it!
Liz says
Keeping em warm that’s why I’m putting the oven on! doh….I was just thinking I’d be eating them one at a time…..which I probably will do 😂
Liz says
Gonna try these in the morning….just wondering what I’m heating the oven up for though?
Michele says
These were so good, and so easy! Your bagels are up next, as I think I can do better than my current recipe.
Joe says
Excellent!! The best!!!!
Yana says
Made these today….delicious!!!!!!!
Barb says
Can I make waffles with this recipe?
Joe says
You should just try. What’s the worst that can happen?
Abby says
I love this answer! This is how a cooks attitude should always be- what’s the worst that could happen!
Mike says
I made them into waffles and they were great!
LY says
This is now my go-to recipe for pancakes. Made a few times and the yummy result is consistent!
Thanks so much for this wonderful recipe!
LY
Cheryl says
Can I use buttermilk instead of regular milk?
Caroline Dettling says
I did, they were good
Christine Walton says
Best piklets ever.Yummy.
Selma says
Amazing , it is my first starter experience and I hated wasting the discard, tried this recipe, amazing airy pancakes super fluffy , I think I can eat them on their own without topping 🤤thank you
Amanda says
Hands down, best pancakes I’ve ever had. The overnight option is a winner every time (we make these 3x a week!). On weekends, I add a tablespoon of cocoa powder and chocolate chips.
Sawyer says
We did the overnight method and chefs kiss! Absolutely amazing. Already looking forward to making them again!
Cleo Gisler says
I made your sourdough pancake recipe easy version with the discard, and they were super easy to make and were as you described fluffy, light and very Delicious. I will be making them again. As a relative newbie to sourdough baking I appreciate non complicated recipes. Thank you!!!
Tracy says
The best pancakes. Easy to make and oh so tasty.
Danielle says
Can I use almond milk in place of dairy milk? I just don’t have milk on hand since we aren’t milk drinkers in my house
Kate says
Yes, I’ve used a variety of non-dairy milk and pancakes still turns out amazing.
Natalie says
We loved your light whole wheat sourdough bread recipe and we love whole wheat pancakes. Do you think I could swap out the all-purpose flour for half whole wheat flour? I know I do that with my normal pancake recipe, but I’m very new to sourdough. Thanks!
Christy says
Not the author, but I would try. You may just need a bit more milk as WW flour tends to result in a bit drier dough or batter. Give it a go!
Krystal says
Delicious tender and fluffy pancakes. Everyone loved them. Thank you!
Edith says
The best fluffy pancakes! I added blueberries and my family loved them! Thank you!