Sourdough Pancakes: Fluffy Pancakes from Starter Discard

Why Discard Makes Better Pancakes

Sourdough discard is the portion of starter removed before feeding, usually at a 1:1:1 or 1:5:5 ratio to keep the culture stable. At 100% hydration it is roughly half flour and half water by weight, already fermented and mildly acidic (pH around 3.5 to 4.5). That acidity is the whole point in pancakes: it reacts with baking soda to produce carbon dioxide instantly, giving lift without waiting for a long rise. A batch of discard pancakes comes together in about 15 minutes from cold discard straight out of the fridge, no warm-up needed.

Because the discard replaces most of the flour and liquid, these are not ordinary pancakes with a spoon of starter stirred in. Around 240 g of discard carries roughly 120 g of flour and 120 g of water into the batter, so added flour drops to about 60 g. The result is fluffy in the centre, crisp at the edges, with a tang that offsets maple syrup and cuts sweetness. Scale the batch cleanly with the recipe scaler when you are feeding a crowd or halving for two.

Ingredients (Grams and Baker's Percentage)

Baker's percentages below are calculated against total flour (roughly 180 g: 120 g from the discard plus 60 g added). This makes the ratios portable if you scale up or switch flours. The batter runs wet by design, closer to a thick pourable cream than a bread dough.

This yields about eight pancakes at 1/4 cup (60 g) batter each. Omit the added 60 g of flour for thin, crepe-style pancakes; keep it for tall, fluffy stacks.

Why Baking Soda and Baking Powder Together

The two leaveners do different jobs. Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) is a pure base: it only produces gas when it meets an acid, and the discard supplies that acid in abundance. That reaction fires the moment wet meets dry, so it also neutralises part of the tang and browns the surface faster (a higher pH speeds the Maillard reaction). Baking powder carries its own acid plus a second dose that releases under heat, so it guarantees rise even if the discard is young and only mildly sour.

Method, Step by Step

1. Whisk the wet ingredients: Combine discard, milk, egg, melted butter, and sugar. Whisk until smooth and pourable, about 30 seconds.
2. Add the dry ingredients: Sprinkle salt, baking soda, baking powder, and the optional 60 g flour over the batter. Fold gently until just combined. A few lumps are correct; overmixing develops gluten and makes pancakes tough and rubbery.
3. Rest 5 minutes: Let the batter stand while the pan heats. You will see it puff and bubble as the soda-acid reaction begins. Do not rest longer than 10 minutes or the gas escapes before cooking.
4. Heat the pan: Bring a skillet or griddle to 175 to 190 °C (350 to 375 °F), medium heat. A water droplet should skitter and evaporate in 2 to 3 seconds. Add a thin film of butter.
5. Cook the first side: Pour about 60 g (1/4 cup) batter per pancake. Cook 2 to 3 minutes until the edges look dry and set and bubbles break across the whole surface.
6. Flip once: Turn and cook another 1 to 2 minutes until golden. Flip only once; repeated flipping deflates the crumb.

Overnight Version

For a deeper flavour, build a batter the night before and let it ferment. Mix only the discard, milk, and flour, then cover and rest at room temperature (about 20 to 22 °C / 68 to 72 °F) for 8 to 12 hours. Wild yeast and bacteria keep working, so the batter rises, thins slightly, and turns noticeably more sour. In the morning, whisk in the egg, melted butter, sugar, salt, and the two leaveners just before cooking. Add the baking soda last, because once it hits the now more acidic batter it starts gassing immediately and you want that lift in the pan, not in the bowl.

An overnight rest also pre-digests some of the flour's starches and gluten, which is why fermented pancakes often sit lighter. Keep the fridge overnight instead of the counter if your kitchen runs warm above 24 °C (75 °F), then bring the bowl out 30 minutes before cooking.

Thin Crepe or Tall and Fluffy

The single lever is added flour and, to a lesser extent, milk. For crepe-style pancakes, skip the 60 g of flour and add another 30 to 60 g of milk; the batter should coat a spoon and run off freely, and you swirl the pan to spread it thin. For diner-tall pancakes, keep the flour, hold the extra milk, and pour without spreading so the batter mounds. Griddle temperature stays the same at 175 to 190 °C (350 to 375 °F) for both; thinner batter simply cooks a little faster.

Toppings and Variations

The base batter takes add-ins well as long as you scatter them onto the poured pancake rather than stirring them through, which keeps the crumb clean and prevents streaking.

• Blueberry: Drop 6 to 8 fresh or frozen berries onto each pancake right after pouring. Mixed into the batter they bleed and turn everything grey-purple.
• Cinnamon-banana: Whisk 1 tsp cinnamon into the batter and lay thin banana slices on top before the flip; the sugars caramelise against the pan.
• Chocolate chip: Scatter a tablespoon per pancake after pouring so the chips melt without scorching on the hot surface.
• Savoury: Drop the sugar to 5 g, fold in chopped scallions and a pinch of garlic powder, and finish with a fried egg. The tang works like buttermilk here.

For classic finishes, warm maple syrup, a knob of butter, macerated berries, or plain Greek yoghurt with honey all balance the sourdough acidity. A pinch of flaky salt over the top sharpens sweet toppings.

Storing Discard for a Weekend Batch

You do not need to bake pancakes every feed. Collect discard in one jar in the fridge through the week; each feeding adds another 60 to 120 g, and by the weekend you have enough for a full batch. Pooled discard keeps for up to two weeks refrigerated, growing more acidic (and better for the soda reaction) as it ages. Stir before measuring, since the liquid and flour separate on standing. If a thin grey layer of hooch forms on top, pour it off or stir it in for extra tang. For more on managing cold storage, see our guide on keeping starter in the fridge, and for another heavy discard user try the sourdough focaccia recipe.

Discard pancakes are the gateway recipe: fast, forgiving, and a reason never to bin spent starter again. Once the batter and the bubble test become second nature, the whole thing is a 15-minute weekend habit.