These buttermilk sourdough discard pancakes are the ultimate way to use your “discard” to create a breakfast that knocks it out of the park. You can look forward to incredibly light, airy, and pillowy stacks with that signature tangy flavor that comes with sourdough.
New to sourdough? Start Here! How To Feed Sourdough Starter Beginners Guide Easy Sourdough Bread Recipe for Beginners (Artisan Loaf)
The Buttermilk Pancake “Upgrade” You Didn’t Know You Needed
I absolutely love pancakes. In fact, I have one of the most popular pancake recipes on the internet (my Cracker Barrel Pancakes). But when I first tried sourdough discard pancakes I was pretty disappointed. They were dense and flat – something I never want in a pancake!
So I asked myself… could a great sourdough discard pancake exist? After some very fun recipe testing the answer is ABSOLUTELY!
I took the bones of my wonderful buttermilk pancakes, applied a bit of science and gave the recipe a powerful sourdough upgrade. We’re talking about a stack that is lighter, airier, and has a much more interesting personality than anything you can get from a yellow box.
You can make a complete batch of these pancakes in less than 20 minutes and be happier than you have ever been with a mix or restaurant!
Why Sourdough Discard Makes Excellent Pancakes
It all comes down to the science of the tang. The natural acidity in your sourdough discard reacts with a few simple pantry staples to create a massive rise. Unlike some recipes that end up heavy enough to use as doorstops, these sourdough discard pancakes stay incredibly pillowy even after you’ve doused them in maple syrup. Plus, that subtle sourdough flavor adds a tang and depth that changes the game.
Tips for the Fluffiest Sourdough Pancakes
Freezing Pancakes for Busy Mornings
These pancakes freeze like a dream and I take full advantage of that. I’m a big fan of the “future self” strategy. I almost always make a double batch specifically so we have a stash ready to go in the freezer.
The trick to keeping them from getting sad and soggy is to move them straight from the griddle to a cooling rack. Once they are fully cool, layer them into a zip-top bag with a little parchment or wax paper between each pancake so they don’t turn into one giant frozen brick.
We are “empowering” our children to get their own breakfasts and start on their daily routines without us holding their hands every step of the way. (Translation – our mornings are crazier than ever because we are training a 4 year old to get his own breakfast!)
We love that the kids can just pop a couple pancakes in the toaster and have something homemade and tasty with zero effort (or dishes.) The toaster brings back that crisp edge and fluffy center in about two minutes flat. I do this with my buttermilk waffles too—it’s the only way to survive some weeks! (Besides, who doesn’t love emergency waffles?)
My Favorite Tools For Sourdough Discard Pancakes
Most of what you need to make pancakes is in your kitchen. Bowl? Check. Spoon? Yep! Measuring cups – of course! But there are two things I think make really great pancakes. If you don’t have these, consider adding them to your collection.
- I love using a #12 portion scoop to get 1/3 cup of batter on the griddle. As soon as I dump the scoop (easy because it works like a muffin scoop!) I use the bottom of the scoop to spread the pancake out a bit. This helps get nice round pancakes! The scoop keeps everything the same size, helps make round pancakes, and is the easiest tool for putting batter on the griddle.
- I recommend a high quality electric griddle. You can cook six pancakes at a time and if you have a quality griddle they cook evenly and don’t burn easily. I’ve become a big fan of this Zojirushi Griddle. It has a wonderful non-stick surface that is so strong they actually ship you a metal spatula to use on it! The heat distribution is perfect AND you can pull off the griddle surface to wash it – no fusing over an electric griddle that you can’t really wash!
Pancake Toppings To Play With
I love me some butter and maple syrup but there is SO much more available in the world of creative pancake toppings!
- Sticky Bun Breakfast Syrup (Tastes just like the gooey sauce in sticky buns!)
- Blueberry Honey Butter
- Fresh Seasonal Fruit
- Candied Pecans
- Homemade Blackberry Syrup
- 10 Minute Homemade Caramel Sauce
- Easy Blueberry Syrup
- Peanut Butter and Banana
- Fresh Pineapple and Flaked Coconut
- Homemade Whipped Cream – drool
Really is there anything you don’t want to put on pancakes?
How To Get Crispy Edges OR Soft Flapjack Style Pancakes
Butter: To get crispy edges use butter. Take a stick of butter and rub it in a circle on the griddle where each pancake goes. Repeat for each round of pancakes. Using butter creates the crispy edges and rich exterior crumb I love.
Oil Spray: For a softer more flapjack feel use a nonstick cooking spray to lightly coat your griddle. Repeat during cooking only if things are sticking. This gives a soft exterior that melts in your mouth.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use discard straight from the fridge? Absolutely! Since we aren’t relying on the yeast to make the pancakes rise (we have other helpers for that), cold unfed discard works just fine.
Can I use fed discard? Yep! Let’s say you fed your starter and baked a loaf of bread and now you have a few hundred grams of extra fed starter. It’s perfect for pancakes! Enjoy your good fortune!
My discard is a few days old—is it still okay? As long as it doesn’t smell like a chemistry project gone wrong, yes. A little extra “tang” from older discard actually makes for a delicious pancake. I keep discard in the fridge for weeks but it can get really sour over time. The stronger it smells the stronger it tastes so you decide what you want to use.
Can I add blueberries or chocolate chips? Please do! My kids love huckleberries, wild blueberries and chocolate chips in these! I sprinkle in whatever I want to add to each pancake after the batter is on the griddle and then I flip them to cook the 2nd side. (You can use any kind of blueberry but wild blueberries are smaller and that makes them SO great for pancakes and other cooking projects. You can get them at Costco and many other grocery stores in the frozen section.)
The Best Fluffy Sourdough Discard Pancakes
Ingredients
- Note on Measurements: I suggest measuring the flour and discard with a scale. Discard measures differently depending on how recently it was fed. Using a scale ensures correct ratios of ingredients.
- 240 g all-purpose flour
- 4 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 340 g sourdough discard about 1 ½ cups
- 1 ½ cups buttermilk
- 2 large eggs
- 6 Tablespoons salted butter melted
- Additional butter for cooking if desired
Instructions
- In a medium mixing bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, baking soda and baking powder.
- In another medium mixing bowl whisk together the sourdough discard, buttermilk, and eggs. Whisk in the melted butter.
- Pour the dry mixture into the wet mixture and fold / stir gently with a rubber spatula just until combined. Mix just until the batter is mostly smooth with a few lumps.
- Rub butter on griddle in a circle each place where you will cook a pancake. Put about 1/3 – ½ cup of batter on the butter and smooth slightly into a circle. (Alternately use non-stick pan spray. See post for details.)
- Cook just until the first or 2nd bubble pops and then flip promptly.
- Cook the 2nd side just until the pancake gets fluffy and the sides appear cooked. Serve hot. Pancakes that don’t go straight to plates should be put on a baking rack so they don’t get soggy as they cool.
- Leftover pancakes can be saved in the refrigerator or frozen. Try toasting them from the fridge or freezer for a quick breakfast.
Your Rating Matters
When you leave a comment or star rating, it means more than you might think. It helps me understand what you’re enjoying, builds trust for other readers, and supports real, tested cooking content. If you have a moment, I’d truly appreciate you sharing your experience. – Mirlandra
A Note on Nutrition
Nutritional info is an imperfect estimate. Please take it with a grain of salt.
New to sourdough? Start Here! How To Feed Sourdough Starter Beginners Guide Easy Sourdough Bread Recipe for Beginners (Artisan Loaf)
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