Sourdough Pancakes Recipe (2024)

This sourdough pancakes recipe is quick and easy to make, uses only three ingredients, and is a great way to use up extra sourdough starter discard.

Sourdough Pancakes Recipe (1)

Sourdough pancakes recipe

This sourdough pancakes recipe is one of our favorite things to have for breakfast. They’re a really easy way to enjoy the benefits of properly prepared grains.

Souring or fermenting grains unlocks their nutrition and makes them easier to digest (source).Learn how to make your own Nourishing Traditions sourdough starter here. I have lots more sourdough recipes, like hamburger buns, tortillas, pizza dough, dinner rolls, and more. Get more sourdough discard recipes here.

Ready to make your own sourdough pancakes? Keep scrolling for this family favorite recipe…

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Sourdough Pancakes Recipe (2)

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Quick sourdough pancakes from scratch

These sourdough pancakes turn out light and fluffy with a delicious tangy flavor, and they only take three ingredients. Making sourdough pancakes is one of my favorite sourdough discard recipes.

Cooking from scratch doesn’t have to be time consuming! Sourdough pancakes can be a really quick breakfast option. I like to make sourdough pancakes overnight by feeding my sourdough starter the night before, and making pancakes in the morning.

And even if it did take longer to make pancakes from scratch, I would still choose homemade over boxed mixes. This is because I prefer keeping freshly ground flours on hand, rather than something that has sat on store shelves for an unknown amount of time, and I prefer souring or fermenting my grains before I eat them.

For centuries, people have traditionally prepared grains with methods like souring or fermenting them. I like following that example and using soaking or fermenting anything I make with grains.

Tips for making the best sourdough pancakes

This simple, quick recipe is one of my family’s favorites- we eat them all the time! Here are a few tips that I have picked up along the way…

  • If you want the fluffiest pancakes, I recommend using an established sourdough starter. The natural action of sourdough, as well as a few eggs, is all they need to rise while they cook.
  • To make thin sourdough pancakes, use cold, non active starter that has been in the fridge. Thin pancakes can work nicely as wraps for snacks or lunches.
  • The batter consistency should be on the thicker side. I like to keep my sourdough starter at around 100% hydration. I find that once I add the eggs, the batter is just perfect for making pancakes.

Of course, you can whip up pancake mix, but how much longer does it really take to mix a few ingredients together and make pancakes from scratch? I think it doesn’t actually take any longer! This sourdough pancakes recipe takes no time at all.

Ready to make your own sourdough pancakes with this tasty recipe? Keep reading to learn how…

Sourdough Pancakes Recipe (3)

How to make sourdough pancakes

Grab your measuring cup and a mixing bowl! Here is my family favorite sourdough pancake recipe!

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups sourdough starter
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 tsp salt

Instructions:

  1. Mix sourdough starter, eggs, and salt together until well combined.
  2. Melt butter in skillet over medium heat.
  3. Drop desired amount of batter into hot skillet for each pancake.
  4. When bubbles are all popped, flip pancakes over.
  5. When bottoms are cooked, remover pancakes from skillet.
  6. Top with melted butter, cultured cream, whipped cream, maple syrup, honey, fresh fruit, fruit syrup, or any combination of toppings.

Sourdough Pancakes Recipe (4)

Different variations for sourdough pancakes

There are lots of different ways you can change this basic recipe to make different kinds of pancakes. Here are some ideas:

  • Add blueberries to each pancake while the first side is cooking
  • Mix in some cooked pumpkin puree and cinnamon for pumpkin spice pancakes
  • Add some additional flour and buttermilk, yogurt, or kefir the night before for buttermilk sourdough pancakes

Other things you can make with sourdough starter

When it comes to cooking with a sourdough starter, the options are seriously endless! Most people use their starter for bread, primarily, then after that things can seem a little confusing. It doesn’t have to be!

A few meals that you can make out of a sourdough starter are:

  • Tortillas
  • Pasta
  • Pancakes (see above)
  • Pie Crust

Who would’ve thought that one simple, nutritious ingredient could do so much?

How to store sourdough pancakes

For any leftover pancakes that I plan on storing, I like to keep them in an airtight glass container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Any longer than that, I will freeze them (see below for details) for the busy school mornings when everyone is rushing out the door.

Can you freezer sourdough pancakes?

Yes! Having some sourdough pancakes already made and on hand makes breakfast super quick and easy. We like to make big batches of pancakes on the weekends, freeze the extras, and use them for busy school mornings.

First, let the pancakes cool to room temperature. Once they’re no longer warm, spread them on a baking tray and freeze for several hours. After they’re frozen, move them to a bag or airtight container for long term storage.

How to reheat sourdough pancakes

My favorite way to reheat sourdough pancakes is in the oven. Since I feed my family at once, it’s easiest to turn the oven on to 300ºF oven until thawed and warmed through. If you let them go longer, they will become crispier, and they make great snacks this way.

If I need a quick snack for one or two people, I will put the frozen pancake straight in the toaster.

Sourdough Pancakes Recipe (5)

Feeding sourdough starter

Something that is really great about sourdough starters is that you never, ever have to run out of it. By feeding it flour twice a day, it will continue to thrive so you can keep on cooking.

When you are using some of the sourdough starter for this pancake recipe, make sure that you leave a little and feed it for your next recipe.

Is it possible to mix two starters?

Instead of maintaining multiple jars of starters on your kitchen counter, know that it is completely fine to combine two starters together.

When you do combine sourdough starters, give them a few days to completely combine their unique bacteria and yeast properties. After a few days on their own, you will start to notice it begin to stabilize and you can begin baking with it!

Sourdough Pancakes Recipe (6)

More sourdough discard recipes

Tortillas

Pasta

Rolls

Pizza crust

What are your favorite pancake toppings?

What other sourdough discard recipes do you like to make? Share in the comments!

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Sourdough Pancakes Recipe (7)

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Yield: 9 pancakes

Sourdough Pancakes

Sourdough Pancakes Recipe (8)

This sourdough pancakes recipe uses only three ingredients and is a great way to use up extra sourdough starter discard.

Prep Time5 minutes

Cook Time15 minutes

Total Time20 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 cups sourdough starter
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 tsp salt

Instructions

  1. Mix sourdough starter, eggs, and salt together until well combined.
  2. Melt butter in skillet over medium heat.
  3. Drop desired amount of batter into hot skillet for each pancake.
  4. When bubbles are all popped, flip pancakes over.
  5. When bottoms are cooked, remover pancakes from skillet.
  6. Top with melted butter, cultured cream, whipped cream, maple syrup, honey, fresh fruit, fruit syrup, or any combination of toppings.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving:Calories: 252Total Fat: 3gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 93mgSodium: 330mgCarbohydrates: 46gFiber: 4gSugar: 0gProtein: 10g

Sourdough Pancakes Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why is my sourdough starter like pancake batter? ›

When starting to build your starter you can leave it a bit thinner but once you start making bread you will want it THICK, You want your sourdough starter to be the consistency of thick pancake batter. if it's too thin add a scoop of flour. If it is too thick add water to find the right consistency.

Why are my sourdough pancakes gummy? ›

Gummy sourdough pancakes are usually due to cooking issues. Be sure to fully cook the pancakes all the way through.

How long will sourdough pancake batter last in the fridge? ›

The pancake batter can stay in the fridge for up to 2 days before using it to make the waffles and pancakes. NOTE: The batter doesn't have to ferment overnight if you'd like to cook these the same day.

What happens if you use too much sourdough starter in a recipe? ›

If you have too much starter compared to the additional flour and water you're adding, your hungry starter consumes all the nutrients and then it's not as bubbly.

What flour makes the most sour sourdough starter? ›

For more tang: Incorporate some rye flour and/or whole wheat flour early in the bread-making process, such as when feeding the mother culture and the preferment. Rye flour in particular will help your culture produce some acetic acid.

What does dead sourdough starter look like? ›

What Does Bad Sourdough Starter Look Like? It's usually pretty obvious when your starter has gone bad. You will either see mold or discoloration (generally pink or orange). If you see either of these things, you will need to toss your starter.

Can I fix gummy sourdough? ›

Try less water with your flour. Uneven heat in your oven can be the culprit – if you loaf is nicely golden on the outside but gummy or moist in the inside, it's baking too quickly on the outside. Trying reducing the temperature you're baking at and bake for a bit longer.

Why is my sourdough starter thick and stretchy? ›

A sourdough starter kept at a lower hydration will be quite thick and spongy.

Why is my sourdough dense and chewy? ›

One of the most common mistakes is having a dough temperature that's too low for the starter to feed on all the flour in the dough, resulting in a crumb that's dense, with fewer openings. "Starter is happiest and most active at around 75 degrees. If it's a lot colder, the process will be much slower.

What do sourdough pancakes taste like? ›

TASTE: Just a word to the wise, these taste like pancakes from your favorite restaurant. Thick, fluffy, soft, and delicious! They do NOT have a sour flavor, and most likely no one would know you used your sourdough starter when making them!

Can you reheat sourdough pancakes? ›

You can reheat pancakes that have cooled off, have been kept in the fridge, or have been frozen. You can reheat them in the oven, the toaster, the toaster oven, the microwave, or a frying pan. Just don't overcook them when reheating. Use just enough heat and time to warm them up.

Why discard half of sourdough starter? ›

If you don't get rid of the excess, eventually you'll have more starter than your feedings can sustain. After a few days, your daily 1/4 cup flour and water won't be enough to sustain your entire jar of starter, and your starter will be slow and sluggish, not much better than discard itself.

Do you have to discard sourdough starter every time you feed it? ›

It would be best if you discarded some portion of your starter each time you feed it unless you want to continue to let it grow. Eventually, you need to discard the used “food” (flour and water) that's been used to sustain your starter during the last fermentation period.

Why do I keep killing my sourdough starter? ›

A sourdough starter (the wild yeast and bacteria in it) needs food and water and protection. Like any living entity, without that it goes into a sort of hybernation from dehydration, or it dies from contamination (like mold or foreign bacteria) or extreme hunger.

What does over fermented sourdough starter look like? ›

A dark watery layer, called 'hooch' (see this video) will appear on its surface, but that's absolutely normal – it doesn't mean your starter has died. This is just a sign that your starter has over fermented. Just remove the hooch before you feed your starter again.

Why isn't my sourdough starter fluffy? ›

It must be kept alive and well with additional feedings (flour and water) to keep it bubbly and active. Remember, it's a living culture which must be cared for with intent. Otherwise, your bread won't rise. Think of it like a pet that needs to be fed daily, or a house plant that needs water and a sunny window.

Why is my sourdough starter thick like dough? ›

If your starter is too thick, it may not allow enough air to circulate, which can slow down the fermentation process. Too thick is a good indicator that you fed it too much flour or didn't let it ferment long enough. If it's too thin, it may not be able to hold enough gas, resulting in a weaker rise in your bread.

Why does my sourdough starter smell like flour? ›

Refined white wheat flours, such as all-purpose flour, bread flour, high gluten flour, and Patent flour lead to milder aromas in the starter. Whole grains, such as whole wheat flour and rye flours tend to produce more pronounced and sharper smells in your starter.

References

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