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

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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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…

How to make sourdough pancakes

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

Ingredients:

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.

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!

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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Yield: 9 pancakes

Sourdough Pancakes

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

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

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

Serving Size:

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

FAQs

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.

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

Let the batter rest for about 20 minutes before cooking. The pancake batter can stay in the fridge for up to 2 days before using it to make the waffles and pancakes.

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.

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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!

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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.

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Why is my sourdough sticky and not rising? ›

If you're using a young sourdough starter, there's always a chance that it's just not quite ready to bake with and will cause your dough to be too wet and sticky. Young sourdough starter lacks the established yeast colonies necessary to raise bread. Dough made with a young sourdough starter just won't develop.

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Is sourdough good for you? ›

Sourdough has made a comeback—and for good reason. It provides nutrients, including healthy carbs, protein, fiber, iron and vitamins like folic acid. It may help improve digestion, lower chronic disease risk and even promote healthy aging.

Learn More Now ›

Can sourdough dough go bad? ›

Sourdough bread will keep well for up to 3-5 days at a moderate room temperature of 18-20°C or 64-68°F. The warmer and more humid the conditions become, the more chance the sourdough has of spoiling.

What if I killed my sourdough starter? ›

Scoop out 30g of that starter into a fresh, clean jar, add 30g of flour and 30g of water. Stir it up and keep it warm. Your starter will likely recover in a day or two. Do not discard and refeed until the starter is completely covered with bubbles on top.

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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.

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What can ruin a sourdough starter? ›

Things that Will Kill A Sourdough Starter

High Temperatures - preheating your oven with your sourdough starter inside can lead to your starter's demise - but it would have to be completely baked for it to be completely unresponsive to some TLC.

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Why are my sourdough pancakes gooey? ›

Why are my sourdough pancakes gooey? Your pan may have been too hot. If your heat is too high, the outside of your pancakes will burn before the inside can cook fully. Cook pancakes at a medium heat to make sure the interior set and cooks before the outside scorches.

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Why does my sourdough starter look like pancake batter? ›

It should look like thick pancake batter. After mixing, I mark the jar with a whiteboard marker or a rubber band and cover loosely. Your starter is ready to bake with once it has at least doubled in size, active and bubbly and slightly tangy aroma.

What to do with throw away sourdough starter? ›

You can always use this discard by directly mixing it into a dough for baking. Your discard, as long as it's in good shape, will leaven any bread dough just as well. The discard is just like a levain you would make for a recipe. The only difference is it's the same makeup as your starter.

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How do you fix gummy pancakes? ›

This often happens with the first batch. How to fix gooey pancakes: Check the heat source and make sure it's medium-high on an electric or gas stove (+/- a 7 in a numbered dial) or 350-375F on an electric griddle with temperatures. Make sure the pan or griddle is hot before you grease it and before you pour the batter.

Why is my sourdough dense and gummy? ›

If your loaf is dense, has uneven holes and a gummy texture, most likely there wasn't enough active wild yeast in your starter to make the bread develop and rise during baking. This can be the case even if your starter seems really happy and bubbly.

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Why is my sourdough starter gluey? ›

When the bulk fermentation goes too long — often when the dough more than doubles or triples in volume — the dough can over ferment. You know the dough has over fermented if, when you turn it out to shape it, it is very slack — if it's like a wet puddle — and very sticky and lacking any strength and elasticity.

How do you fix gummy dough? ›

If your dough really is unbelievably sticky, you can try adding a teaspoon of flour at a time but proceed with caution. Too much added flour can actually end up ruining your dough. Remember, baking is a science, and ingredient measurements matter.