The Best Sourdough Pancakes Recipe (Discard Sponge Method)

Learn how to make the Best Sourdough Pancakes Recipe using my discard sponge method. In this post, learn about how you use sourdough starter discard, overnight fermentation, and tips to make these fluffy sourdough pancakes.

This recipe is completely different than most of the other ones you’ll find online that only make small batches, use a lot of milk, or are made quickly without much flavor development. These turn out so fluffy and creates a huge batch of delicious, irresistible sourdough pancakes! I can make 34 medium to large pancakes with one batch.

Before I introduce you to this easy recipe method for big flavor and big batches, let’s review sourdough starter discard.

What is Sourdough Starter Discard?

Sourdough starter discard is the stage of sourdough starter after the starter has been refreshed (process of discarding and feeding) and was an active starter for several hours. Once the wild yeast and lactic acid bacteria have digested all the “food” in the starter: the simple carbohydrates from the flour, the gluten connections that hold in those lovely bubbles of carbon dioxide grow weak so the starter collapses lower and lower with every hour. And some microorganisms grow weaker and some die in this process as the food runs out.

This leaves a flat sourdough starter with little to no bubbles, a stronger sour smell, and microorganisms in desperate need of care.

At this stage, the yeast is not in a stage where it can do a good job rising bread unless a specialized bread recipe is used like my No Knead Sourdough recipe. So a small portion, about a tablespoon, is put into a fresh jar and fed to revitalize the starter to make it become active again. The rest of the sourdough starter is known as discard because it’s what can be tossed or set aside since the small portion we carried over will continue the life of our sourdough starter.

Note: Another way to get rid of the bulk of sourdough discard is to pour out about 90% of the old sourdough into a collection jar (I usually have one or two in my fridge) then feed the small portion left in the jar. There’s room in sourdough baking for a wide variety of methods as long as you have down the basic principles of refreshing your sourdough starter: discarding and feeding. To learn more about this, check out my post What is a Sourdough Starter?

Check out this other post and video on What is sourdough discard?

Why use Sourdough Starter Discard?

You can absolutely just discard the old sourdough starter, but you can also use it in a variety of sourdough recipes to create more flavor and texture. Another benefit of using sourdough starter discard in sourdough recipes is that when used properly, it can make the recipe more digestible.

Since sourdough starter discard doesn’t have the rising power of active sourdough starter, it is commonly used in crackers, cookies, scones, pancakes, and other versions of quick breads when other leavening agents like baking soda, baking powder, eggs, or a combination are used.

Check out these other posts with videos: 

• Why use Sourdough Discard?
• How to Store Sourdough Discard for Starter Discard Recipes
• How to use Sourdough Discard

What is a sponge?

In baking, a sponge is a type of preferment or levain. It is created with fresh ingredients and typically the whole sponge is used in the final recipe.

I use a discard sponge method using sourdough starter discard to add a lot of flavor and texture to my pancakes.

The night before your sourdough pancake breakfast, you mix together the water, flour, and sourdough starter discard. This mixture is covered and left at room temperature in the bowl of the stand mixer or the mixing bowl. The sponge or starter batter ferment overnight.

On the next morning, the sponge will be full of large bubbles, tangy flavor, and a light texture. Add the other ingredients directly to the sponge and your pancake batter is ready to bake!

This sourdough pancake recipe is the perfect use for large amounts of leftover sourdough starter.

How to make the Best Sourdough Pancakes

Here are the ingredients you’ll need to make these delicious sourdough discard pancakes:

• Sourdough Discard Sponge
  • 650g water
  • 500g all-purpose flour
  • 200g sourdough starter discard (about 1 cup of discard)
• Ingredients to add for the final dough:
  • 6 T. unsalted butter, melted and cooled (about 85g)
  • 2 eggs, separated
  • 1/4 cup applesauce or brown sugar
  • 1 t. salt
  • 1 t. baking soda
  • cinnamon to taste

*Flour notes: All-purpose flour is great for tender, fluffy pancakes. If you’d like to add whole wheat flour (store bought or freshly milled), you would use 250g all-purpose and 250g whole wheat flour and reduce the water to 600g.  Don’t use bread flour for the sponge since the higher gluten content will make the pancake batter too thick and difficult to mix.

Making the overnight sponge for Sourdough Pancakes

In the bowl of a stand mixer or a large bowl, mix together the water, flour, and sourdough starter discard to create the overnight sponge with a paddle attachment in the stand mixer or with a sturdy whisk or large spoon if you’re mixing by hand.

Cover the large bowl with plastic wrap, a cover, or a large plate and let it sit out overnight or 6 to 12 hours at room temperature. In the morning, follow the next steps to prepare your ingredients that will be added directly to the prepared sponge.

Ingredient Preparation for Sourdough Pancakes

The next day, the sponge–the beginning of your sourdough pancake batter is ready to prepare with the remaining ingredients!

Start with melting the butter so that it has time to cool down before adding to the dough. Scrape the melted butter with a spatula into a heat safe carafe or bowl to help it cool down faster.

Add the sweetener (applesauce or brown sugar), salt, baking soda, and cinnamon to the sponge. Applesauce adds more liquid to the batter and creates an effect like oil that helps them have nice color and crisp on the outside.

Separate the eggs. Place the egg whites in a separate mixing bowl and add the egg yolks to the sponge. Beat the egg whites until soft white peaks form.

Final mix for Sourdough Pancakes

Mix egg yolks, applesauce (or brown sugar), salt, baking soda, and cinnamon until they are fully incorporated into the sourdough discard sponge.

Slowly stir in the butter until is completely added and combined.

Finally, fold in the egg whites.

Perfect way to Bake Sourdough Pancakes

Heat a skillet or griddle over medium heat*. Add a thin pat of butter and spread around the pan with a spatula.

Use a 1/4 cup scoop to add pancakes to the skillet or hot griddle. I like using this 1/4-cup Stainless Steel Cookie Scoop for scooping and pouring out the pancake batter easily with minimal mess. Add 1/4 cup of batter for each pancake with about 2 inches between each pancake.

Let each pancake bake on the hot griddle or skillet until the edges set and bubbles form in the center of each pancake. Then, use a metal spatula or Wooden Spatula to flip each pancake starting with the first pancake you poured to the last. DO NOT PAT DOWN!

Resist the urge to pat the tops of your delicious pancakes after flipping. Pushing them down after flipping will press out the air that is developing as your fluffy sourdough pancakes rise and bake.

Carefully use your spatula to lift the first pancake you poured onto the hot griddle to see if the second side (bottom) is golden brown. If it is, then remove the fluffy pancakes from the hot griddle and onto a large side plate or platter starting with the first pancake and going in the order you poured.

Enjoy these fluffy sourdough pancakes with some butter and maple syrup, jam, or other favorite toppings!

*Note: If you’re using cast iron skillet or cast iron griddle, let the cast iron heat over medium-low heat for 15 to 30 minutes without any butter to make sure it is heated and ready for even baking.

Sourdough Pancake Additions

Here are some delicious additions to make your sourdough pancakes even more delicious or adding a seasonal flair!

• Fresh berries (blueberries are one of my favorites)
• Citrus zest, zest combined with some berries is an amazing combination
• Chocolate chips
• Banana slices
• Spices
• Sautéed apples
• Pumpkin puree and spices, see this recipe for inspiration

Other ways to Bake Your Pancake Batter

​Can you make this batter into waffles? Yes! This batter works perfectly to make amazing sourdough waffles.

Instead of using  a griddle or skillet, preheat your waffle iron. Once it is heated, pour 1/4 to 1/3 cup of the sourdough batter onto the waffle iron, close waffle maker, and bake until the timer goes off.

Making waffles is the easiest way to prepare Saturday morning breakfast while you are multitasking in the kitchen since there’s no judging pancake done-ness, just catching the waffle at the beep of the waffle maker alarm. If you’re making waffles for a big family or group, the double Belgian waffle maker we use is amazing and cooks up all our waffles in half the time.

See this recipe for my Easy Overnight Sourdough Waffles (Discard Sponge Method) recipe to try it!

Another way to use sourdough pancake batter is making Overnight Sourdough Sheetpan Pancakes like this method. This method is great for making pancakes in bulk and they also turn out softer after oven baking.

9 Benefits and Tips for Fermented Sourdough Discard Pancakes

1. Sourdough pancakes are easier to make, healthier, and more flavorful than regular pancakes.
2. Take this recipe on the go for trips or camping. This is my go-to sourdough recipe for traveling.
3. You can get the flavor and texture of classic buttermilk pancakes without using buttermilk, or any regular milk!
4. Since the sourdough discard sponge ferments overnight it makes these sourdough pancakes easier to digest in addition to their incredible flavor.
5. Baking your pancakes in some melted butter adds a more crispy texture to the outside of the pancakes.
6. Once you try this recipe, you’ll see how easy it is to adapt with additions or switching up to sourdough waffles or sheetpan pancakes.
7. These pancakes can be easily adapted for dairy-free pancakes by replacing the melted butter with melted coconut oil.
8. Sourdough pancakes are easy to convert to vegan also. Swap the melted butter for coconut oil or neutral oil and use an additional 1/4 cup applesauce to replace the eggs.
9. This is also a great recipe to make with kids and introduce them to sourdough baking and kitchen skills.

More Sourdough Discard Recipes for Breakfast

• Easy Overnight Sourdough Waffles (Discard Sponge Method)
• Overnight Sourdough Sheetpan Pancakes
• Sourdough Apple Fritter Bread Fall Sourdough Recipe
• Plain Sweet Scones with sourdough discard
• Summer Berry Scones (Sourdough & regular version)
• Pumpkin Spice Scones (Sourdough Discard)
• Gingerbread Scones with Eggnog Icing (Sourdough Discard)
• Right Away Sourdough Discard Pumpkin Spice Waffles
• Sourdough Discard Zucchini Spice Quick Bread
• Irish-inspired Soda Bread Raisin Scones with sourdough discard (dairy-free)

Savor and Share

This is our favorite pancake recipe. It’s easy to adapt and trustworthy! It never fails to please on a Saturday morning.

I hope you enjoy making and sharing your own batch of homemade sourdough pancakes with your family or friends!

Make sure to share this recipe with a friend! And if you make it, I’d love to hear about it–you can comment on this post or tag me on instagram @livingbreadbaker!

Need more sourdough help?

Living Bread Baker posts mentioned

What is a Starter?

What is sourdough discard?

Why use Sourdough Discard?

How to Store Sourdough Discard for Starter Discard Recipes

How to use Sourdough Discard

Easy Overnight Sourdough Waffles (Discard Sponge Method)

Right Away Sourdough Discard Pumpkin Spice Waffles

Overnight Sourdough Sheetpan Pancakes

Sourdough Discard Zucchini Spice Quick Bread

Plain Sweet Scones with sourdough discard

Sourdough Apple Fritter Bread Fall Sourdough Recipe

Summer Berry Scones (Sourdough & regular version)

Pumpkin Spice Scones (Sourdough Discard)

Gingerbread Scones with Eggnog Icing (Sourdough Discard)

Irish-inspired Soda Bread Raisin Scones with sourdough discard (dairy-free)

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1/4-cup Stainless Steel Cookie Scoop

Metal spatula

Wooden Spatula

Double Belgian waffle maker

Food scale

Parchment paper

Stand mixer

Hand mixer

free sourdough quick start guide

online Intro. to Sourdough course

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Print Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Best Sourdough Pancakes (Discard Sponge Method)

Ingredients

Sourdough Discard Sponge

• 650 g water
• 500 g all-purpose flour
• 200 g sourdough starter discard about 1 cup of discard

Ingredients to add for the final dough:

• 6 T. unsalted butter melted and cooled (about 85g)
• 2 eggs separated
• 1/4 cup applesauce or brown sugar
• 1 t. salt
• 1 t. baking soda
• cinnamon to taste

Instructions

Making the overnight sponge for Sourdough Pancakes

• In the bowl of a stand mixer or a large bowl, mix together the water, flour, and sourdough starter discard to create the overnight sponge with a paddle attachment in the stand mixer or with a sturdy whisk or large spoon if you're mixing by hand.
• Cover the large bowl with plastic wrap, a cover, or a large plate and let it sit out overnight or 6 to 12 hours at room temperature. In the morning, follow the next steps to prepare your ingredients that will be added directly to the prepared sponge.

Ingredient Preparation for Sourdough Pancakes

• The next day, the sponge--the beginning of your sourdough pancake batter is ready to prepare with the remaining ingredients!
• Start with melting the butter so that it has time to cool down before adding to the dough. Scrape the melted butter with a spatula into a heat safe carafe or bowl to help it cool down faster.
• Add the sweetener (applesauce or brown sugar), salt, baking soda, and cinnamon to the sponge. Applesauce adds more liquid to the batter and creates an effect like oil that helps them have nice color and crisp on the outside.
• Separate the eggs. Place the egg whites in a separate mixing bowl and add the egg yolks to the sponge. Beat the egg whites until soft white peaks form.

Final mix for Sourdough Pancakes

• Mix egg yolks, applesauce (or brown sugar), salt, baking soda, and cinnamon until they are fully incorporated into the sourdough discard sponge.
• Slowly stir in the butter until is completely added and combined.
• Finally, fold in the egg whites.

Perfect way to Bake Sourdough Pancakes

• Heat a skillet or griddle over medium heat*. Add a thin pat of butter and spread around the pan with a spatula.
• Use a 1/4 cup scoop to add pancakes to the skillet or hot griddle. Add 1/4 cup of batter for each pancake with about 2 inches between each pancake.
• Let each pancake bake on the hot griddle or skillet until the edges set and bubbles form in the center of each pancake. Then, use a metal spatula or wooden spatula to flip each pancake starting with the first pancake you poured to the last. DO NOT PAT DOWN!
• Resist the urge to pat the tops of your delicious pancakes after flipping. Pushing them down after flipping will press out the air that is developing as your fluffy sourdough pancakes rise and bake.
• Carefully use your spatula to lift the first pancake you poured onto the hot griddle to see if the second side (bottom) is golden brown. If it is, then remove the fluffy pancakes from the hot griddle and onto a large side plate or platter starting with the first pancake and going in the order you poured.
• Enjoy these fluffy sourdough pancakes with some butter and maple syrup, jam, or other favorite toppings!

Video

Notes

• Dairy-free modification: These pancakes can be easily adapted for dairy-free pancakes by replacing the melted butter with melted coconut oil.
• Vegan modification: Sourdough pancakes are easy to convert to vegan also. Swap the melted butter for coconut oil or neutral oil and use an additional 1/4 cup applesauce to replace the eggs.
• This recipe can be used to make waffles or sheetpan pancakes.
• Note: If you're using cast iron skillet or cast iron griddle, let the cast iron heat over medium-low heat for 15 to 30 minutes without any butter to make sure it is heated and ready for even baking.

Optional additions:

Fresh berries (blueberries are one of my favorites)
Citrus zest, zest combined with some berries is an amazing combination
Chocolate chips
Banana slices
Spices
Sautéed apples
Pumpkin puree and spices