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Discover how to make perfectly fluffy Sourdough Discard Pancakes with two easy preparation methods, overnight or same-day. You can also use active sourdough starter, making this accessible for all schedules and sourdough journeys. These incredibly tangy and delicious pancakes are made entirely from plant-based ingredients, making them a fan favorite among vegans and omnivores alike. A must-make sourdough discard recipe!
This recipe was adapted and veganized from The Clever Carrot’s Sourdough Pancake Recipe.
Yay, another pancake recipe! Both Baby J and I always get excited when pancakes are on the schedule, and these sourdough discard pancakes elicited even greater-than-usual elation.
With a crisp exterior, light and fluffy interior, and delightfully tangy taste, I could eat these easy-to-prep, gourmet pancakes every Saturday until the end of my days.
They’re really that good! And — thanks to the sourdough discard or starter — they’re nutritious, too. The sourdough enzymes help to break down the gluten, giving the pancakes a lower glycemic index, making them easier to digest, and also better for nutrient absorption (source). Talk about a surprisingly healthy recipe!
You may hear “sourdough” and expect an intensive and complicated recipe, but the reality couldn’t be further from the truth. Just measure the ingredients, combine, and let the batter ferment overnight, or cook it immediately. Once you have your sourdough starter up and going, it’s great for anytime the pancake cravings call!
For more sourdough discard recipes, check out my Sourdough Discard Pizza Dough and Sourdough Discard Crackers. Yum!
Why You’ll Love This Sourdough Pancake Recipe
These easy griddlecakes have it all — flavor, nutrition, and anyone-can-make-it accessibility:
- Tangy and Fluffy — As far as homemade breakfasts go, this sourdough pancake recipe is an all-star! Their restaurant-style flavor and texture belie the fact that they were made in just a few steps at home.
- Two Preparation Methods — I’ve got you covered, whether you have time to plan ahead or need a last-minute meal.
- Easier to Digest — Especially if made with the overnight method! The sourdough enzymes help break down the flour’s gluten, making it easier on tummies, whether gluten-intolerant or not.
- Family-Friendly — Who doesn’t love pancakes?! If your crew is anything like mine, family and friends of all ages will gobble them up, asking for seconds (and likely even thirds)!
- 100% Plant-Based — You can always count on me for tasty veganized recipes, and these vegan sourdough pancakes are no exception. They’re made with no animal ingredients, butter, or dairy. Plant-based perfection!
Ingredients
Sourdough Discard or Active Starter: For anytime convenience, you can make this sourdough pancakes recipe with either discard or active (bubbly) starter. You can use both forms with either preparation method. Just be sure to use discard that is less than 2 weeks old for the best and freshest flavor. If you’re a sourdough novice wondering how to start and maintain a starter, check out this tutorial for guidance.
Cane Sugar: Organic pure cane sugar adds sweetness while keeping the pancakes processed sugar-free and vegan. Looking for a substitution? You can also use coconut sugar, maple syrup, or agave syrup.
Ground Flaxseed: Not only does this add a touch of healthy omega-3s, but it also helps to bind the pancake batter. Use freshly ground flaxseed meal or pre-ground with a good expiration date. Once ground or opened, always recommend resealing and storing the flaxseed meal package in the refrigerator for optimal freshness.
Soy Milk: This keeps the sourdough discard pancake recipe vegan-friendly while adding protein, fat, and flavor. You will need at least 1 cup of soy milk, adding extra if needed. Feel free to use another unsweetened milk if desired.
Vegan Butter: For richness and to grease the skillet or griddle! Melt the butter before adding it with the wet ingredients for easy mixing.
Baking Soda and Baking Powder: These ingredients help leaven the pancakes, making them next-level light and fluffy.
How to Make Sourdough Pancakes
Ready to get going? First, you’ll need to choose your method.
The overnight method makes the most tangy sourdough pancakes. In this method, we will assemble the batter ahead of time and then let it ferment overnight in the refrigerator, resulting in extra-flavorful pancakes.
The same-day method is all about quick and easy preparation. The pancakes aren’t as tangy as those made overnight, but they are still fluffy and delicious.
Method One: Overnight Sourdough Pancakes
- Combine Dry Ingredients. Add the all-purpose flour, cane sugar, ground flaxseed, and salt to a large mixing bowl. Whisk to combine.
- Add Wet Ingredients. Add ¾ cup of soy milk, sourdough starter, and vegan butter and whisk until combined.
- Ferment. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate it overnight.
- Preheat. In the morning, fry the pancakes. Heat a cast iron or non-stick skillet or griddle over medium-high heat until hot.
- Prepare Batter. Remove the plastic wrap cover from the mixing bowl. Add the baking powder, baking soda, and the remaining ¼ cup of soy milk. Whisk to combine, adding more milk to thin if necessary. The batter should be thick, yet pourable.
- Cook. Reduce the heat to medium-low and grease the skillet or griddle with vegan butter. Scoop the batter onto the hot pan in 1/3 cup increments. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until bubbles begin to form on the top of the pancakes and their edges begin to dry. Flip the pancakes and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes or until they are golden and cooked through.
- Repeat. Transfer the cooked pancakes to a plate to serve or keep them warm in a 200°F oven. Repeat the cooking process with the remaining pancake batter.
- Serve pancakes hot, topped with maple syrup, vegan butter, and fresh fruit.
Method 2: Same-Day
This method is overall very similar to making sourdough pancakes overnight, except that we’ll initially mix the baking soda and baking powder with the dry ingredients and skip the overnight fermentation process.
- Combine Dry Ingredients. Add the all-purpose flour, cane sugar, ground flaxseed, salt, baking powder, and baking soda to a large mixing bowl. Whisk to combine.
- Stir in Wet Ingredients. Add 1 cup of soy milk, sourdough starter, and vegan butter. Whisk until combined and add more milk to thin if necessary. The batter should be thick, yet pourable.
- Rest. Let the sourdough pancakes discard batter rest briefly while you preheat the skillet or griddle over medium-high heat.
- Cook and Serve. Fry the pancakes as directed in the overnight method. Serve them hot with all your favorite toppings!
Sourdough Pancakes Pro-Tips
- Consider the liquid-to-flour ratio. The exact consistency of the pancake batter will depend on the hydration level of the starter. Start by adding 8 ounces (1 cup) of soy milk and add more by the tablespoon as needed until you’ve achieved a scoopable pancake batter consistency.
- Selecting the type of starter. You can make the pancakes with active sourdough starter or discard, making the recipe accessible regardless of where you are with your starter. For the best flavor, I recommend using a discard that is less than 2 weeks old.
- Add the baking soda and baking powder right before cooking. These leavening agents are the secret to ultra-fluffy sourdough pancakes, but they need to be added immediately before cooking to prevent premature or over-rising. For overnight pancakes, add them to the batter as the skillet preheats; for same-day pancakes, mix them with the dry ingredients.
- Adjust the heat as needed. Preheat the skillet over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to medium once you’ve scooped the pancakes onto it. This helps the pancakes cook evenly, preventing burnt exteriors or raw centers.
- Keep pancakes warm until serving. If not serving immediately, transfer the cooked pancakes to an oven-safe plate and store them in a 200°F oven for up to 30 minutes before serving.
Recipe Variations
Craving something different? Add any of the following to the sourdough starter pancakes:
- Fruit: Stir 1/2 cup of chopped peaches, apples, or other stone fruit into the batter or sprinkle the pancakes with a few fresh or frozen berries or sliced bananas after scooping them onto the skillet.
- Chocolate Chips: Top each freshly scooped pancake with 1-2 teaspoons of dairy-free chocolate chips and cook as directed.
- Spices: Add cozy warmth by adding 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon or 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice blend to the dry ingredients.
Storage Directions
- Refrigerating — Leftover pancakes keep covered in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Freezing — Once cooled to room temperature, stack the pancakes with small pieces of parchment paper between them and place in a freezer-safe container. Store the pancakes in the freezer for up to 3 months. Defrost them at room temperature for 15-30 minutes or reheat from frozen.
- Reheating — Warm the pancakes in the microwave on gentle heat or in a 350°F oven for 3-5 minutes or until hot.
Frequently Asked Questions
Not only is this sourdough discard pancakes recipe made with all plant-based ingredients, but the sourdough starter contains enzymes that help break down the flour’s gluten, making the pancakes easier to digest (source). Therefore, they are a nutritious alternative to traditional pancakes.
Certainly! You can use 1 cup of whole wheat or white whole wheat flour instead of the all-purpose flour for extra fiber, micronutrients, and whole grains. Whole wheat flour can absorb extra moisture, so add additional soy milk as needed to achieve a scoopable pancake batter consistency.
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Fluffy Sourdough Discard Pancakes
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Ingredients
- 1 cup (145g) all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ tbsp (26g) pure cane sugar
- 1 tbsp (8g) ground flaxseed
- ¼ tsp (1g) salt
- 1 cup (8 oz) unsweetened soy milk, divided, plus more as needed
- ½ cup (100g) active sourdough starter or discard
- 1 tbsp (10g) melted vegan butter or oil, plus more for frying
Next-Day or Same-Day Ingredients
- 1 tsp (4g) baking powder
- 1/2 tsp (3g) baking soda
Toppings
- maple syrup, fresh fruit, vegan butter, plus other toppings of choice
Instructions
Overnight Method
- Add the all-purpose flour, cane sugar, ground flaxseed, and salt to a large mixing bowl. Whisk to combine.
- Add ¾ cup of soy milk, sourdough starter, and vegan butter and whisk until combined.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate it overnight.
- In the morning, fry the pancakes. Heat a cast iron or non-stick skillet or griddle over medium-high heat until hot.
- Remove the plastic wrap cover from the mixing bowl. Add the baking powder, baking soda, and the remaining ¼ cup of soy milk. Whisk to combine, adding more milk to thin if necessary. The batter should be thick, yet pourable.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and grease the skillet or griddle with vegan butter.
- Scoop the batter onto the hot pan in 1/3 cup increments. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until bubbles begin to form on the top of the pancakes and their edges begin to dry. Flip the pancakes and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes or until they are golden and cooked through.
- Transfer the cooked pancakes to a plate to serve or keep them warm in a 200°F oven.
- Repeat the cooking process with the remaining pancake batter.
- Serve the pancakes hot, topped with maple syrup, vegan butter, and fresh fruit.
Same-Day Method
- Add the all-purpose flour, cane sugar, ground flaxseed, salt, baking powder, and baking soda to a large mixing bowl. Whisk to combine.
- Add 1 cup of soy milk, sourdough starter, and vegan butter. Whisk until combined and add more milk to thin if necessary. The batter should be thick, yet pourable.
- Set the pancake batter aside as you preheat the skillet or griddle over medium-high heat. Once hot, grease the pan with vegan butter.
- Scoop the batter onto the hot pan in 1/3 cup increments and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until bubbles begin to form on the top of the pancakes and their edges begin to dry. Flip the pancakes and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes, or until they are golden and cooked through.
- Transfer the cooked pancakes to a plate to serve or keep them warm in a 200°F oven.
- Repeat the cooking process with the remaining pancake batter.
- Serve the pancakes hot, topped with maple syrup, vegan butter, and fresh fruit.
Notes
- Refrigerating — Leftover pancakes keep covered in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Freezing — Once cooled to room temperature, stack the pancakes with small pieces of parchment paper between them and place in a freezer-safe container. Store the pancakes in the freezer for up to 3 months. Defrost them at room temperature for 15-30 minutes or reheat from frozen.
- Reheating — Warm the pancakes in the microwave on gentle heat or in a 350°F oven for 3-5 minutes or until hot.
- Consider the liquid-to-flour ratio. The exact consistency of the pancake batter will depend on the hydration level of the starter. Start by adding 8 ounces (1 cup) of soy milk and add more by the tablespoon as needed until you’ve achieved a scoopable pancake batter consistency.
- Selecting the type of starter. You can make the pancakes with active sourdough starter or discard, making the recipe accessible regardless of where you are with your starter. For the best flavor, I recommend using a discard that is less than 2 weeks old.
- Add the baking soda and baking powder right before cooking. These leavening agents are the secret to ultra-fluffy sourdough pancakes, but they need to be added immediately before cooking to prevent premature or over-rising. For overnight pancakes, add them to the batter as the skillet preheats; for same-day pancakes, mix them with the dry ingredients.
- Adjust the heat as needed. Preheat the skillet over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to medium once you’ve scooped the pancakes onto it. This helps the pancakes cook evenly, preventing burnt exteriors or raw centers.
- Keep pancakes warm until serving. If not serving immediately, transfer the cooked pancakes to an oven-safe plate and store them in a 200°F oven for up to 30 minutes before serving.
