This leftover sourdough starter recipe will make your week! With this batter (using discarded sourdough) you can make either sourdough pancakes OR waffles.
I love finding or creating new recipes so I can use my leftover sourdough. In fact, I rarely bake bread and instead use my sourdough starter for all kinds of other delicious recipes. And this recipe is a real winner!
I’ve often made this batter for waffles. It produces the crispiest, lightest, slightly tangy waffles that you could imagine. This takes normal buttermilk batter and elevates it to the next level. When I make these waffles, I always get a huge portion, and they’re easy to freeze for another weekend. Just pop them in the oven to heat up a little, and I imagine you could even use a toaster to heat the frozen sourdough waffles.
However, I had never tried the sourdough batter like a pancake. These pancakes blew my mind! They are so delicious! They don’t go crispy like the waffles, and are denser, but still light and extremely flavorful. I am already dreaming of when I can possibly have these sourdough pancakes again.
If you have a sourdough starter, promise me that you make these this weekend! You will not be sorry!
Recipe video
Sourdough Pancakes/Waffles
Makes about 15-20 medium-size pancakes/waffles.
Macros in one pancake (out of a serving of 20): 99kcal, Fat 3.2g, Carbs 14.3g, Protein 3.1g
Step 1: Overnight Sponge
- 2 cups buttermilk (No buttermilk? No problem! Use 2 cups of regular milk and add 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar. Stir and stand for 5 or so minutes before adding the rest of the ingredients)
- 2 cups plain flour
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 cup sourdough starter, unfed/discard
- Start with a big bowl and drop in the 2 cups of buttermilk (or make the buttermilk substitute with 1 cup milk to 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar). If making the buttermilk substitute, stand for 5 minutes, before adding the rest of the ingredients.
- Now add in the plain flour, sugar, and discarded (unfed) sourdough starter. Mix well, then cover and set aside at room temperature for 12 hours or overnight.
The next day, bright and early, continue with step 2.
Step 2: Waffle or Pancake batter
- All of the overnight sponge2 large eggs
- 1/4 cup melted butter (I use salted butter)
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- Crack open the eggs in a small bowl. You can mix these together before adding to the overnight sponge.
- Your overnight sponge should be bubbly. Give it a quick stir, then add your eggs and butter to the mixture, stir well. Now add the salt and baking soda, stirring well. Watch what happens once your baking soda hits the batter! It puffs up to almost double the size and becomes a different consistency, almost like whipped cream.
- Your waffle iron or skillet or pan should at this point be preheated on medium heat. What are you having, waffles or pancakes? Grease your pan or waffle iron and add the batter. For waffle irons, bake according to the manufacturer’s instructions. For pancakes, wait until you see plenty of air bubbles on the top of your pancake and the sides start getting dry. At this point, they’re good to flip. Continue with the rest of your batter.
- Serve immediately with your preferred pancake/waffle toppings. Personally I love berries and maple syrup!
