Fluffy Sourdough Pancake Recipe with Discard

Want a fluffy sourdough pancake recipe that you can mix up the night before and freezes well for busy mornings? I have just the recipe for you!

But before we get started, I want to encourage you to grab my Guide to Establishing a Sourdough Starter. It’s free and a great resource for step-by-step instructions for getting a starter going! 

You’ll need a sourdough starter so that you’ll have discard to use in making this recipe. What is discard you ask? Well, sourdough starter discard is the portion of starter that you remove and discard before feeding. I like to keep a separate jar in my refrigerator labeled discard. In fact, I actually use my discard more often than active starter. You can add it to so many recipes! I’ll share a few of my favorites at the end of this post. 

Besides the tangy taste, another reason to add sourdough discard to your recipes is for the nutritional value. Discard is rich in probiotics which is great for your gut and helps improve digestion. 

Ingredients for Fluffy Pancakes

It’s likely that you already have all of the basic ingredients to make fluffy sourdough discard pancakes. The sourdough discard lends a subtle tanginess, creating a perfect balance with the sweetness of the honey. 

For the overnight batter:
1 cup of milk (or buttermilk)
3 Tablespoons of honey
3/4 cup of discard
1/2 stick melted butter (4 Tbsp)
1 teaspoon of vanilla
2 cups of all-purpose flour 

Add the next morning:
2 eggs
1 teaspoon of baking soda
1 teaspoon of baking powder
1 teaspoon of salt

How to make overnight sourdough pancakes

First, you’ll need to mix up the overnight batter. To do this, add milk, honey, discard, melted butter, and vanilla to a large bowl. Stir until combined. Then add flour to the wet ingredients and incorporate. 

Cover with plastic wrap and let your batter ferment at room temperature on your counter overnight or up to 12 hours. 

The next morning you’ll notice that your mix is quite fluffy and has doubled in size. This means it’s ready for the next step. 

When you’re ready to make pancakes, add eggs, baking soda, baking powder, and salt to your overnight mix. Stir and let your batter rest for 20 minutes while you prepare your hot griddle or pan. 

Frying sourdough pancakes

Preheat your griddle or pan to medium heat. If I’m making a batch to freeze, I’ll use my griddle because I can make several small pancakes at once. However, I really love to fry my fluffy sourdough pancakes in a cast iron skillet. You can read more about my love of cast iron here. 

Once your pan is nice a hot, add a pat of butter. Then spoon your sourdough pancake batter onto the pan. A measuring cup works great for this!

Fry for 2-3 minutes or until they begin to bubble and the bottoms are golden brown. Flip and continue to cook until done and the edges are nice and crispy. 

Tip: preheat your oven to 200 and place cooked pancakes on a pan inside to keep warm. 

Once they are ready, stack them on a plate and drizzle with warm maple syrup or top with fresh berries or any other favorite toppings!

Notes:

Can I add chocolate chips to the batter? Yes, my kids love chocolate chip pancakes so I add a few chocolate chips to each pancake once it’s in the pan. You can incorporate other ingredients for different kinds of pancakes such as blueberry or sub milk for buttermilk for extra tangy pancakes. 

Do I have to ferment the batter overnight? The short answer is no. You do not have to mix and rest overnight but when you do, you’ll have the added health benefits of fermentation and added flavor and more sour taste. 

How to store and freeze sourdough pancakes

After your pancakes are cooled, you can store them inside the fridge in an airtight container for a few days.

I love to prepare a double batch of homemade sourdough pancakes and freeze half. This is great for busy mornings! Just cool your pancakes completely and then place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Flash freeze them for 1-2 hours. Then pop them inside a freezer bag. They will keep for up to 3 months.

When you’re ready to reheat them, simply place them in a toaster or reheat them in the oven at 300 until they are warm throughout. 

Light, airy, and slightly tangy, these homemade pancakes are a delicious change from the ordinary. Top them with your favorite syrup, fresh fruit, or a dollop of homemade whipped topping for a breakfast treat that’s as satisfying as it is comforting. 

Additional Sourdough Recipes 

Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls– These cinnamon rolls can be made with extra sourdough starter or sourdough discard. I like to double up and freeze a batch. 

Easy Sourdough Biscuits– This is hands down my number one breakfast request for Saturday morning. These biscuits are so quick and easy. If you’re new to sourdough discard, this may be the first recipe you want to try!

Sourdough Sandwich Bread & Rolls– This recipe makes three loaves of sandwich bread but my favorite way to use the dough is for 2 loaves and one batch of buttery soft rolls.