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Pancakes bring back a flood of childhood memories. My dad’s all-time favorite food? Pancakes. So they were a regular part of my Saturday morning childhood memories—and now I’m passing that tradition on with these Fluffy Sourdough Discard Pancakes. Soft, tender, and packed with flavor, they’re even better when you let the batter ferment for a little extra sourdough tang.
Pancakes, hot off the griddle with butter and maple syrup (I love the real stuff!), are one of the best sourdough breakfast foods! No matter if you’re new to sourdough or have been baking for a while, sourdough pancakes with crispy edges but so soft and fluffy should be on your short list of sourdough recipes to make. Yum!
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Why You’ll Love Sourdough Pancakes
- Easy Breakfast – Quick, easy, and so delicious. For even smoother mornings, keep a batch of my Homemade Sourdough Pancake Mix on hand.
- Light & Fluffy – The texture of these fluffy sourdough pancakes is unbeatable. Want another favorite? Try this Sourdough Dutch Baby Pancake too.
- Discard-Friendly – Like my Sourdough Roll-Up Pancakes, this recipe uses sourdough discard to boost flavor and reduce waste.
- Fall Flavor Twist – When autumn rolls around, my Sourdough Pumpkin Pancakes are the perfect seasonal variation, packed with cozy pumpkin spice.
Don’t Just Take it from Me…
One reader, Kelsey, wrote, “These are so so good and easy to make. Will never make boxed pancakes again! I’m not even a big pancake fan, and I really enjoyed these. Thanks for the amazing recipe!” ★★★★★
One reader, Zackary, wrote,
“My teenagers are anti-pancakes, but gave this a whirl, huge hit. They are already asking for this again this week!” ★★★★★
Important Ingredients
- Sourdough Discard – Use 100% hydration discard (equal parts flour and water). Older discard = more tang. If it’s very runny, add a little extra flour.
- Buttermilk – Adds flavor, rise, and tenderness. See substitutions below if needed.
- Vanilla Extract – A little bit adds great flavor.
- Baking Powder and Baking Soda – These react with the buttermilk to create lift and fluffiness.
Sourdough Discard Tip: I keep a jar in my fridge that I continually add sourdough discard to. Discard is a by-product of your sourdough starter and there is no reason to throw it away. Instead, use it in incredible sourdough discard recipes where it adds moisture and great flavor. Use older, more tangy discard in savory recipes like this Easy Sourdough Discard Granola and young/fresh discard in sweeter recipes like my favorite Sourdough Mini Muffins with Chocolate Chips.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities
Substitutions
- Buttermilk– If you don’t have buttermilk, you can mix an equal volume of sour cream (or Greek yogurt) and milk together. I use about 210 grams sour cream and 210 grams of milk, mixed together. You may need to adjust the liquid to your preference.
- Flour – These sourdough pancakes work well with all-purpose flour, but I especially love using freshly milled flour for more flavor and a tender texture. Einkorn, soft red wheat, soft white wheat, and spelt all produce fluffy sourdough discard pancakes.
- Sugar – You can substitute honey or maple syrup for the sugar in this recipe—just add a bit more flour to balance the extra moisture.
Favorite Pancake Mix-Ins
We love adding fresh berries—especially blueberries—to these pancakes. Pour the batter onto a buttered skillet and let it cook for about 30 seconds before dropping 4–5 blueberries on top of each one. This helps keep them evenly spaced and prevents sticking. You can even stir a scoop of protein powder with a little extra milk into the batter before cooking to add a little extra fuel to your morning.
Other favorite mix-ins include chocolate chips, chopped nuts, and banana slices. You can even go all in with both chocolate chips and mini M&Ms. My uncle used to make them that way, and some of my best pancake memories came from those colorful stacks.
How to Make Sourdough Pancakes
Mix The Batter
Step 1: Add the liquid ingredients to a large bowl, including the sourdough discard, buttermilk, eggs, sugar, vanilla, and melted butter. Set aside.
Step 2: To a small bowl, whisk together the flour – I love using freshly milled in this recipe, but all-purpose works too – baking powder, baking soda and salt.
Step 3: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and whisk together until completely incorporated. Also note that the longer the batter sits, the thicker the batter often becomes as the flour soaks up the moisture, so don’t be surprised if you need to add a splash or two of buttermilk or milk to thin the batter to your desired consistency.
Long Fermenting the Batter? If you want that sourdough tang or the benefits of fermentation, you can long-ferment the batter. Mix everything except the baking powder, baking soda, and salt, then cover and refrigerate for 24–48 hours. When you’re ready to cook, stir in the leavening and salt, then cook as usual.
You can mix in the baking powder, baking soda, and salt before fermenting—but the pancakes may not be quite as fluffy.
Pan Fry The Pancakes
Step 4: Preheat a pan or griddle over medium-low heat. After a minute, add a small pat of butter to the hot griddle/pan and let it melt without burning (adjust the heat if needed). Scoop the batter onto the pan, ladling in small circles, and cook until golden brown with crispy edges.
Step 5: Cook the pancakes for about 2 minutes on one side. Once the pancake has bubbles on top, flip it over to cook on the other side. Once the pancakes are cooked all the way through, serve immediately and enjoy!
How to Keep Pancakes Warm: We usually serve these pancakes straight off the griddle, but sometimes we’ll hold off for a full sit-down family breakfast. If you want to serve all the pancakes at once, keep them warm in a 175–200ºF oven while you finish cooking the rest. You can also loosely cover them with foil to help retain heat.
How to Store Leftovers
Leftover discard pancakes can be stored in an airtight container for up to 24 hours or in the freezer for up to a month. Place a piece of parchment between each one so they don’t stick together, especially helpful if you just want to grab one or two. Reheat in the toaster, toaster oven or microwave to enjoy warm. I usually save a few for quick breakfasts, or just leave them on the counter where my kids grab them for an afternoon snack.
Amy’s Pancake Tips
I have made thousands of batches of pancakes in my life – yes, thousands! They are my go-to tips for super light and fluffy sourdough discard pancakes:
- Don’t overmix the batter – Stir just until the dry ingredients are moistened. A few lumps are okay!
- Let the batter rest – Especially if using whole wheat flour, 5–10 minutes of rest makes the pancakes softer and fluffier. Or long-ferment the batter overnight for more flavor.
- Preheat the pan properly – Medium-low to medium heat is best. A pan that isn’t fully preheated is what leads to underdone, pale pancakes—and why people think the first pancake is always a throwaway. Not true if your pan’s ready – you can use a griddle, frying pan or even a cast iron skillet.
- Use butter or oil for crisp edges – I like adding a pat of butter to the pan for those golden, crispy edges. Just keep the heat at medium-low so it doesn’t burn. Oil works too if you prefer.
Bonus: Flip once. Wait for bubbles and set edges—then flip. No flipping back and forth!
Frequently Asked Questions
Add a little more buttermilk or milk to the batter if it’s too thick. If it’s too thin you can add a little more flour to the mixture.
You can, but I recommend my dedicated Sourdough Waffle Recipe for the best texture. It includes cornstarch for crispy outsides and soft middles.
Yes! You definitely can do that. I recommend that you reserve the baking powder, baking soda, and salt to add right before cooking the pancakes. You can also make my homemade sourdough pancake mix, which makes whipping up sourdough pancakes even easier on a busy morning.
I haven’t tested this recipe without the eggs or buttermilk. You could try swapping in a dairy-free yogurt and milk combo for the buttermilk, but I’m not sure how it’ll turn out without the eggs. If you give it a try, let me know what you used and how it worked—I’d love to hear!
Related Recipes
If you tried these Fluffy Sourdough Discard Pancakes or any other recipe on my website leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. Happy Baking!
Fluffy Sourdough Discard Pancakes Recipe
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Equipment
- frying pan
Ingredients
- 150 grams sourdough discard , 100% hydration, about 2/3 cup
- 420 grams buttermilk, about 1 3/4 cups, see recipe notes
- 2 large eggs , about 100 grams
- 45 grams granulated sugar , about 3 Tablespoons
- 4 grams vanilla extract , about 1 teaspoon
- 60 grams unsalted butter, melted, about 4 Tablespoons
- 275 grams all-purpose flour, about 2 cups, see recipe notes
- 6 grams baking soda , about 1 teaspoon
- 5 grams baking powder , about 1 teaspoon
- 6 grams salt, about 1 teaspoon
- butter for the pan
Instructions
- Mix together sourdough discard, buttermilk, eggs, sugar, vanilla and melted butter. Whisk until the discard is completely incorporated into the other ingredients.
- To a small bowl, add the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Fluff together. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix together until just mixed. If the batter seems thin, add a little bit more flour to the batter. All sourdough discard is a little different in how long it has fermented and how much liquid it has in it as a byproduct from that fermentation process.
- Overnight Fermentation Option: If you want to long-ferment the pancake batter, mix up all the ingredients EXCEPT the baking powder, baking soda and salt. Place the batter in the fridge for 24-48 hours. Before frying the pancakes, add the baking powder, baking soda and salt. Mix and proceed with the recipe.
- Preheat a frying pan or griddle to medium-low heat. Butter the pan. Use a ¼ cup measuring cup and pour batter onto the pan in a circle. Use the cup to spread the batter out a little more for a thinner pancake. Cook until the bottom is brown and bubbles are forming on top of the pancake. Flip and cook on the other side. Each pancake takes about 3-4 minutes total, depending on the heat of your pan.Note: It is normal for this batter to be a little bit thick. Thin it out if desired with a little extra buttermilk or milk.
- Butter the pan again and repeat with the remaining batter until all the pancakes are baked through. Enjoy warm with maple syrup, butter and fresh fruit if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
One of the best pancake recipes we’ve made! Fluffy and delicious!! What a great way to use sourdough discard.
Thanks for the review!
Delicious! Just like your discard waffles, the best pancakes we’ve ever eaten. Light and fluffy with a gentle crisp on the outsides. Thank you!!!
They are the best! Thanks for the review.
Discard pancakes. What could be more delicious. I had discard to use and decided on them. Going to freeze them. I tried one. So good.
They are a winning recipe for sure! Thanks for the review.
Amy, I have made this recipe twice now and we love it. Specially with the crispy edges! What a great way to use extra starter. I can’t believe how quickly the discard started piling up once my starter was established. I am always looking for discard recipes but it seems I never get ahead of it! Next, focaccia!
Thanks for the review! This is one of my favorite discard recipes too!
My family and friends love the sourdough pancakes!! Soft and fluffy and so good with syrup and/or jam! Definitely a repeat in our household.
I’m so glad they were a big hit. Enjoy!
I made these for supper tonight. They were excellent. My hubby gave me a nice compliment when he said they reminded him of “Chris’s cakes”, a professional pancake business who travels around and does fund raisers for events. I rarely get compliments on my cooking so I considered it high praise.
Thanks for the review. I’m glad they were good enough for high praise!
I’ve tried several sourdough discard pancake recipes and this one is the winner.
I used fresh ground soft white wheat and about 30% fresh ground Einkorn and I used the overnight ferment in the refrigerator.
The pancakes were over the top good.
Thanks for such a good recipe.
Thanks for the notes and review. They are definitely delicious pancakes!
I LOVE these. We cook pancakes often in our house and I’ve tried a lot of different recipes. This, by far, is my favorite!
Thanks for the review! These are my go-to favorites too!
Outstanding! New favorite discard pancake recipe. Loved the extra tang of week old discard along with sour cream/milk mixture. Also liked crispiness of cooking in butter, usually cook with oil (in batter and in pan). Added about 1/3 c. Milk to make cakes spreadable.
Thanks for the feedback and review!