This sourdough pancakes recipe will wake up your regular weekend pancake game. Slightly tangy and slightly sweet, they’re perfect for your next at-home brunch.
Looking to add another tasty and crazy easy pancake recipe to your rotation? If you’re a fan of sourdough bread, you’ll love these unique and fluffy sourdough pancakes. There’s truly nothing like the combination of the slightly tangy cake, butter, and a little maple syrup.
Note: You’ll need a sourdough starter to make this recipe. If you don’t already have one, this book provides an amazing guide to make your own, and this guide provides all the post for maintaining it.
Whipping Up These Sourdough Pancakes
To make these pancakes, all you need is a large mixing bowl, a cast iron skillet or griddle, and a spatula.
- Combine the Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk the all-purpose flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda together.
- Combine the Wet Ingredients: In a separate medium bowl, whisk the starter, milk, and 2 large eggs together.
- Make the Batter: Next, whisk the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until the mixture is smooth and runny.
- Preheat the Pan: Preheat a heavy pan over medium low with a bit of butter.
- Fry the Pancakes: Next, pour 1/3 cup of batter into the pan and cook the pancake on the first side until bubbles start to form on the top. Flip it over and cook the second side. Repeat until all your pancakes are golden brown. Stack ’em up and enjoy!
Hot Tip: Keep the pancakes warm by placing them on a baking sheet in an oven preheated to 200Ā°F as you go. This is crucial if you’re cooking for a big crowd!
3 Pro Tips for the Tastiest Sourdough Pancakes
First time making sourdough pancakes? No problem. A handful of tips will help you nail the process.
- Use leftover starter to make the pancakes. Feel free to use leftover starter that isn’t bubbly and active. It will work just fine for these pancakes!
- Make sure the batter is runny. Just like regular pancakes, you want the batter to be nice and runny. Depending on the starter you use, you may need to add some more milk to thin out the batter properly.
- Don’t over mix the batter. Whatever you do, don’ t over mix the dough. If you work it too hard, the pancakes will not come out fluffy! Once the wet and dry ingredients are well-combined, resist the urge to stir it anymore.
Different Variations
Now for the fun part – adding your favorite mix-ins to the pancakes! As a general rule of thumb, add in any additional ingredients immediately after you pour the batter in (this will help the ingredients cook into the pancake well).
- Berries: Add a handful of sliced strawberries, blueberries, or blackberries into each pancake.
- Chocolate Chips & Sliced Banana: Sprinkle on some milk chocolate or dark chocolate chips or chunks and a couple of thin slices of banana.
- Tropical Paradise: Sprinkle on some sweetened coconut flakes and thinly sliced pineapple for a tropical pancake.
What to Serve with Sourdough Pancakes
In terms of toppings, you can spruce up your pancakes with raspberry jam, apricot jam, honey, melted butter, and/or maple syrup. For sides, serve them alongside crispy air fryer bacon and a potato mushroom breakfast for a complete meal. If you want to keep it simple, a side of scrambled eggs will do the trick.
Storing & Freezing Sourdough Pancakes
Whether you have a couple of flapjacks to store in the fridge or a frozen batch, find all the tips you need for storing and freezing here.
- Refrigerator: To keep the pancakes on hand for up to a week, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. This will keep them from drying out or turning stale too quickly.
- Freezer: If you are meal prepping a big batch of pancakes, you can freeze them for up to three months. To do so, first allow them to cool down completely. Next, lay them out in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Pop the baking sheet in the freezer for 1-2 hours and transfer the frozen pancakes into a plastic storage bag.
Reheating Tip: The best way to reheat pancakes is in the microwave for 20-45 seconds. Just be sure not to zap them too long, as they are prone to turning rubbery!
FAQ
Why did your sourdough pancakes come out gooey?
The most common reason your sourdough pancakes turned out gooey is that they were cooked at too high of a temperature. This causes the outside of the pancake to cook more quickly than the inside, resulting in a gooey center.
Why did your sourdough pancakes turn out flat?
Your sourdough pancakes turned out flat if you over mixed the batter. Be extra careful to only combine the dry and wet ingredients just until they are well-combined or else the pancakes will surely fall flat.
How do you make sourdough pancakes more sour?
The only way to make your sourdough pancakes more sour is to use the right kind of starter. If you prefer a really sour taste, you’ll want to use less starter and feed it less often than you normally would.
Will sourdough pancake batter keep in the fridge?
If you’re working ahead, you can keep sourdough pancake batter stored in the fridge for up to 2 days. Make sure you keep it in an airtight container so it doesn’t absorb any smells lingering in your fridge.
Can you freeze sourdough pancake batter?
Yes, you can freeze sourdough pancake batter for up to a month in an airtight container. To thaw it, simply place it in the fridge overnight.
More Tasty Pancake Recipes to Try
- Cottage Cheese Pancakes (Quick & Easy) – Sweet & salty pancakes
- Banana Pancakes– Naturally sweetened, fluffy flapjacks!
- Russian Pancakes Oladi (Buttermilk Pancakes) – Slavic-style buttermilk pancakes
- Sheet Pan Pancakes – The oven does all the work for you, no flipping required!
- Potato Pancakes Recipe – Savory potato pancakes
- The Perfect Crepes Recipe (Video) – Thin, slightly sweet crepe pancakes
- German Pancakes – Also known as a Dutch baby, these are fluffy and just heavenly!
- Apple Pancakes – Buttermilk pancakes with freshly grated apples
Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 cup sourdough starter or discard
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup milk
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter for frying
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine all the dry ingredients together. Set them aside.
- In a separate bowl, combine the starter, milk, and eggs. Whisk to combine.
- Whisk the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until well combined.
- Preheat a heavy bottomed pan over medium-low heat with a spoonful of butter.
- Next, pour 1/3 cup of the batter into the pan. Cook until bubbles start to form on the top of the batter and the pancake turns golden brown. Flip the pancake to cook the other side. Repeat until all your batter is used up. Enjoy!
Me and my family loved these pancakes! So fluffy and light with a hint of tang! This was my first time baking (well cooking I guess) with sourdough discard, and I know I will be making this recipe again! Thanks so much for the amazing recipe!
Hi Layla, I'm happy to hear you guys loved it!
I NEVER leave reviews for recipes found online. However, and considering my wife is a pancake aficionado, these are the BEST pancakes you could ever have!! Period, no comparison!! Love the fluffiness, tangiest, and using the starter was exceptional!!
Well done Mom!!
Hi Dave, I love your enthusiasm! Sourdough pancakes have a special place in my heart, so I'm glad you guys love them!
I made these today and they are a hit with my family! Been learning to make sourdough starter and this is the first recipe I did using it, thank you for sharing your recipe!
Janice, I started my sourdough journey a few years back and I will never go back. It makes all the baking so much better. I am obsessed. Glad you got to try this recipe.
BEST PANCAKES EVER!!! So fluffy, so delicious, so good!!! These were our first sourdough starter pancakes and we won't bother trying any others because this recipe was so easy and the pancakes were the best we've ever eaten! Thank you Natalya! š
OHHHH, this literally made my evening. Truly, thank you for taking the time to share this feedback. I do love them, sourdough is like a secret to magic.. lol
How to be make sure that the batter which weāre pouring turns circle?
Hi Seda, I just pour carefully into one spot and the pancake comes out in the circle shape. But honestly the shape doesnt matter. The more you make it, the better the pancakes will look! Enjoy!
These have become our family favorite!!! Thank you so much š
Hi Yuliya! So glad to hear that! Thank you for sharing. Have a great day!
Is it ok to make the batter the night before?
Actually I noticed something for my pancakes, they come out better after a night or two in the fridge.
Hi Karen, yes, you can make it the night before, just keep it refrigerated. Enjoy and report back with feedback! š
Thank you! Iāve tried many recipes for sourdough pancakes, but usually they turn out gummy. These are the first ones that worked for me
Hey Liz, this makes me so happy! Thank you for taking the time to leave your comment!
best sourdough pancake recipe! Thanks Natalya š
Amazing! So glad you enjoyed it. Hope you covered them in your favorite toppings!
Love how fluffy it is and delicious too! Thank you for another new favorite recipe for us.
You're so welcome, Natasha!
The best pancake recipe! So easy to make too, thank you!
You're welcome, Heather Rose! Glad you loved em!
LOVE these sourdough pancakes! They are so easy to make and they taste so good!
Thank you, Valentina! š