The pancakes that turn the jar of starter discard you've been guilty about into the best Saturday morning of the week. Crisp at the edges, tender in the middle, with a quietly tangy depth that buttermilk pancakes only dream of.
Every sourdough baker has a jar of discard in the fridge that they feel a little bit bad about. This is the recipe that turns the guilt into Saturday breakfast. Twelve minutes from "I should probably do something with this" to a stack of pancakes on the counter that disappears before they make it onto plates.
Sourdough discard makes pancakes that are unmistakably better than the boxed-mix version: a fine, fluffy interior, crisp brown lace at the edges, and a quietly complex flavour from the long-fermented starter. We make them every weekend the discard jar is full enough.
What you'll need
8 to 10 pancakes (about 12 cm each)
- 200 g (¾ cup + 2 tbsp) sourdough starter discard, straight from the fridge
- 150 g (1¼ cups) all-purpose flour
- 30 g (2 tbsp) granulated sugar (or 1 tbsp honey)
- 5 g (1 tsp) baking powder
- 2 g (½ tsp) baking soda
- 3 g (½ tsp) fine sea salt
- 1 large egg
- 240 g (1 cup) whole milk or buttermilk
- 30 g (2 tbsp) melted butter, plus more for the pan
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- To serve: real maple syrup, a little flaky salt, fresh fruit, soft butter
Flour notes
Canadian bakers — Robin Hood, Five Roses, or No Name AP at ~13% protein gives a slightly chewier pancake. Some folks love that; if you want fluffier and more delicate, replace 30 g of the AP with cake flour or cornstarch.
US bakers — King Arthur, Gold Medal, or Bob's Red Mill AP at 10.5–11.5% protein is exactly right here. The lower protein gives the tender, fluffy crumb pancakes are famous for.
About the discard: any starter, fed or unfed, works. Cold straight from the fridge is fine. If your discard is more than 7 days old it may smell strongly acidic — perfectly safe but the pancakes will taste tangier. Some people love that.
The method
Whisk the dry · 1 minute
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Whisk the wet · 1 minute
In a separate bowl or large measuring cup, whisk the discard, egg, milk, melted butter, and vanilla until smooth.
Combine · 30 seconds
Pour the wet into the dry and stir with a spatula until just combined. A few small lumps are fine — overmixing makes tough pancakes. The batter will fizz slightly as the baking soda meets the discard's acidity. That fizz is your leavening.
Heat the pan · 2 minutes
Heat a cast-iron pan or non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add a small piece of butter — when it foams, the pan is ready. Too hot and the bottoms scorch before the centres set; too cool and the pancakes turn tough.
Cook · 90 seconds per side
Pour a scant ¼ cup of batter per pancake. Cook 90 seconds, until bubbles rise to the surface and the edges look set. Flip with a thin spatula. Cook another 60 to 90 seconds on the second side. The first pancake is the cook's pancake — it always comes out a bit weird, eat it standing at the stove.
Stack and serve · ongoing
Move finished pancakes to a plate in a 95°C / 200°F oven to keep warm while you finish the batch. Stack high, top with a generous knob of butter, drown in real maple syrup, sprinkle with flaky salt. Serve immediately.
Climate notes
Cold winter mornings: the kitchen is your friend here — there's no rise involved. Just preheat the pan a bit longer (3 minutes vs 2) since cast iron takes longer to come up to temperature in a 19°C kitchen.
Make-ahead option: mix the dry ingredients into a Mason jar the night before. In the morning, just add the wet ingredients to the dry, whisk, and cook. Two-minute breakfast.
Batter tip: the batter can sit for up to 30 minutes after mixing without losing rise. Beyond that, the baking powder loses its lift — make a fresh batch.
Variations
- Buttermilk + lemon zest. Replace the milk with buttermilk, add the zest of one lemon to the wet ingredients. Brighter, slightly tangier, exceptional with blueberries.
- Chocolate chip. Fold 100 g of dark chocolate chips into the batter after combining wet and dry. The classic kid-pleaser.
- Banana walnut. Mash one ripe banana into the wet ingredients and fold 50 g of toasted chopped walnuts into the batter. A weekend brunch hero.
- Vegan. Replace egg with a flax egg (1 tbsp ground flax + 3 tbsp water, rested 5 min). Replace milk with oat milk; butter with melted coconut oil. The crumb stays soft.
- Savoury (cheese and chive). Skip the sugar and vanilla. Add 50 g grated sharp cheddar and 2 tablespoons chopped chives to the dry ingredients. Top with a fried egg. Brunch saved.
Storage
Pancakes are at their absolute best within 5 minutes of leaving the pan. After that, the texture changes. If you have leftovers, layer between parchment in a freezer bag and freeze.
To reheat from frozen: pop directly into the toaster or toaster oven for 90 seconds. Better than fresh in the toaster — they get crisp at the edges again.
The batter does not keep well overnight — the leavening dies. Mix only what you'll cook within 30 minutes.
Common questions
Can I use unfed discard from the fridge?
Yes — that's exactly what this recipe is for. Discard straight from the fridge, even after a week or two, works perfectly. Older discard tastes more tangy; if it smells alcoholic or has hooch (the dark grey liquid on top), stir it in before measuring.
How tangy will the pancakes taste?
Less tangy than you'd expect. The sugar, butter, and vanilla balance most of the discard's acidity. Older or more sour discard pushes the tang up; a fresh-fed starter gives almost no tang at all.
What if I don't have a sourdough starter?
This recipe is specifically for using up discard, but you can adapt it: replace the 200 g of discard with 100 g flour + 100 g milk + a tablespoon of plain yogurt for tang. Not as good, but real pancakes.
Why are my pancakes flat?
Three usual suspects. Old baking powder (more than 6 months past opening). Pan too hot — the outside browns before the inside rises. Or you overmixed and developed too much gluten. Lumps in the batter are good. Stop stirring as soon as the dry mostly disappears.