All-Discard Sourdough Pancakes

Sourdough pancakes are the ultimate entry point into discard recipes. They take something familiar and turn it into something tangy, elevated and just a little bit fancy. If you’re in the midst of growing a starter or keep your mature starter on the counter, you’ll probably have copious amounts of sourdough discard at your disposal. Pancakes are the easiest way to put it to good use and these all-discard pancakes pack a double punch: they use up a whopping 460g (just under 2 cups) of discard in one fell swoop and are a great recipe to make if you’ve been rescuing very sour discard with my discard-reset method!

What’s Great About All-Discard Sourdough Pancakes

Reliable: Sourdough usually comes with rules and schedules, but discard recipes are a lot more forgiving. No eyeballing bulk rise, no fancy names, just mix and go for instant big flavor.

Adaptable: Don’t have quite enough starter in the fridge? Make up for the difference and add extra (fresh) flour and water. And if you keep your starter the no-discard way and don’t have any discard sitting in the fridge: just grow enough fresh starter overnight and use it in the morning!

Fermented: Fermenting flour makes grains easier to digest—it breaks down gluten and phytic acids and makes nutrients more bio-available. I’m often too impatient for long fermentation, but using all discard is shaving off a lot of (perceived) time here!

Ingredients Notes and Substitutions

Coconut oil: I prefer neutral (refined) coconut oil over butter in this recipe for an unclouded flavor. Unrefined coconut oil (or melted butter, if you don’t need them dairy-free) works too, though the flavor will be more pronounced.

Honey: I love the combination of honey and cinnamon in these, but you could also use maple syrup or plain white sugar if you prefer.

Tools You May Need

Small nonstick or cast iron pan: I love using a small 20cm (8-inch) pan and completely filling it with batter to make larger pancakes. It cuts down on a lot of flipping.

Medium bowl: One medium bowl is all you need.

Wire whisk: To make sure that the ingredients are combined thoroughly before adding the baking soda.

How to Make All-Discard Sourdough Pancakes

01

Preheat a cast iron skillet on medium low heat, if using.

In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients except baking soda and whisk until well combined.

02

Add in baking soda and whisk gently to combine. The batter will foam and rise immediately. Don’t overmix once this starts.

03

Lightly brush your pan with coconut oil and pour in the batter. Fry until the edges are starting to set and there are many bubbles visible on top (2-3 minutes max).

04

Once you can release the sides by sliding a spatula underneath, gently flip the pancake to fry the other side for another minute or until golden brown. Stack the pancakes on a plate as they finish cooking.

Tips

• Since this recipe uses 100% discard, very sour discard will result in a tangier pancake. If you prefer a milder flavor, you can:
  • Use my discard reset method to fix super sour fridge discard
  • Use fresh discard (no more than a few days old)
  • Feed your starter the night before and use it while still active
  • Use less discard, and replace the rest with equal parts fresh flour and water
• Before you add the baking soda, make sure that there is enough room left in your mixing bowl for the batter to expand. It will froth up a lot. If you’re already near the top—change bowls!
• Pancakes are ready to be flipped, when there are a lot of little bubbles on top. The edges should be starting to set and turn golden. If you can slide a spatula underneath and loosen the pancake from the pan, it’s ready to flip!
• Preheat the pan well, but keep the heat down on low to medium-low. Pancakes should be golden and fluffy by the time they’re cooked through, not dark and crispy.
• If you want, keep baked pancakes warm in a low oven until you’re ready to serve. I find stacking them on a plate as I go is more than enough to keep them warm, even without covering with a tea towel.

Variations

Spices: Replace the cinnamon with other spices you love, like cardamom, or pumpkin pie spice.

Add-ins: Try adding fresh berries or chocolate chips to the top of the still-wet batter before flipping in the pan. (Raspberries and chocolate chips are pure mother’s day bliss.)

How to Serve Sourdough Discard Pancakes

I love baking these into bigger pancakes and serve them as one big stack on the table, for everyone to serve themselves. Little stacks look cute, but I find them fussy to eat. Our favourite pancake toppings include (but are not limited to):

• Maple syrup (classic)
• Greek yogurt and a drizzle of honey
• Dulce de leche (or regular caramel sauce)
• Seasonal berries and fruits (fresh or stewed)
• Homemade Nutella

How to Store and Freeze Leftover All-Discard Sourdough Pancakes

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. Make sure to reheat them in a microwave or toaster, as the coconut oil will go solid in the fridge and make the pancakes feel tough. Don’t worry, they’ll go back to soft and pillowy once they’re warmed through again!

I’ve never frozen these myself, but The Pioneer Woman has a great guide on how to do it!

Recipe FAQs

More Sourdough Discard Recipes from the Grains and Greens Kitchen

Ready to fall in love with discard recipes? If you tried and loved these all-discard pancakes, leave a star rating for the recipe and share it with friends! Got any questions? Drop’em below, I’d love to hear from you! Happy baking!