Don’t throw away that starter discard! Make sourdough buttermilk pancakes!
Sourdough Buttermilk Pancakes
6-8
servingsMakes 15 six-inch pancakes
Ingredients
7 oz. (1 cup) sourdough starter
7.5 oz. (1⅓ cup) bread flour, divided
7.5 oz. (1⅔ cup) cake flour, divided
4 oz. (½ cup) filtered water
2 oz. (4 Tbs) butter, melted, plus more for skillet
17 oz. (2 cups) buttermilk
2 large eggs
3 Tbs sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries (optional)
Softened butter, for serving (optional)
Maple syrup, for serving (optional)
Jam, for serving (optional)
Bacon or sausage, as side (optional)
Directions
- In the evening, place the starter, 2 oz. (1/3 cup) of the bread flour, 2 oz. (2/3 cup) of the cake flour, and the water into a large mixing bowl. Stir with a sturdy wooden spoon to blend, then stir vigorously for 100 strokes. Cover and leave on the countertop overnight.
- In the morning, preheat a cast-iron skillet over low heat. Meanwhile, stir the butter into the buttermilk. Add the eggs and whisk until blended. Add ⅓ of this mixture to the starter, and whisk until fully blended. Continue until all the buttermilk mixture is added. The batter should not have lumps.
- Whisk the remaining 5.5 oz. (1 cup) bread flour, the remaining 4.5 oz. (1 cup) cake flour, sugar, baking powder, and baking soda together. Pour it onto the batter, and use a flexible spatula to gently stir and fold the mixture together. Stop when the mixture is mostly smooth, but many small lumps still remain. Let the batter rest for 2 minutes. Meanwhile, increase the skillet heat to medium.
- Brush a small amount of butter across the bottom of the skillet. (This should have to be done only once, before the first pancake.) Use a ⅓-cup measure to pour a pancake into the skillet. (Distribute berries across the pancake, to taste.) After 2 minutes, flip. Cook two minutes more, then serve immediately (with butter, syrup, jam, bacon, and/or sausages) or keep in a warm oven.
Notes
- You can substitute AP flour for the cake and bread flours.
- I can cook only one of these at a time in my 12-inch, cast-iron skillet. If you have an electric griddle, this is of course the time to whip that thing out.
- A nonstick pan will work as well as cast-iron in this instance. In that case, you won’t need to butter than pan. Check manufacturer’s instructions regarding preheating a nonstick pan.
The backstory
Like a lot of you, I created a sourdough starter during the quarantine. I’ve wanted to work with a starter for years, but never wanted to commit to making bread every week, or throwing away something that had the potential to become good food … so I abstained and instead contented myself with purchasing sourdough loaves. Three months of house arrest changed all that.
After many loaves of bread, my ever-curious mind began to wonder what else could be done with my quarantine starter. (I don’t mean to imply that my starter caused the quarantine…)
These pancakes are modeled after my go-to recipe. Compared to those, these have just a hint of breadiness in their flavor and in their texture … just a hint of a hint. Had I not announced to my husband, “What do you think of these sourdough pancakes?” as I sat him down to breakfast, I don’t think he’d’ve known the difference. I do think, though, that my go-to recipe is a notch better. Still, these are quite good, and they used up my starter. I consider that a win.
I do think these pancakes have a slight advantage in pairing with savory things like bacon and sausage. They also can hold more butter and syrup than a typical pancake.
Sourdough Buttermilk Pancakes
Credit for images on this page: Make It Like a Man!, unless otherwise indicated. Thank you, Kesor. This content was not solicited by anyone, nor was it written in exchange for anything.
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Since I really like butter and syrup on my pancakes, I’m all for a pancake recipe that is designed to hold more of these. This quarantine is really making us explore more possibilities with food!
It sure is. It sounds like these pancakes are for you!
Thats a good idea, I have been making sourdough since this lockdown now I am so over it. Your pancakes gave me a better alternative so wont be throwing those starters anymore
Raymund recently posted…Pulutok
Excellent!
These are a thing of beauty! I too love to use sourdough discard to make pancakes. Gotta try your recipe next time.
angiesrecipes recently posted…Spring Salad with Surimi and Blackberries
Thank you, Angie!
What a great idea to use up the discarded sourdough starter. I made a starter several months ago and left it in the fridge but when we returned from Spain in mid March, I’d forgotten to feed it. In early June I saw it in the fridge, separated and not bubbly so I thought it died but when I took it our and loosened it, it bubbled up like crazy! It doesn’t have a lot of levening power but boy is it fragrant! Now to figure out how to inject some levening life into it.
Eva Taylor recently posted…Lemon Olive Oil Tart
This is all new to me, so I’m sure I’ll be facing similar scenarios. I’ve heard that you can dry out the starter, and later rehydrate it. I’ve also heard that you can freeze it.
You definitely can I’ve done it! GREG
sippitysup recently posted…Home-Grown Lemon Verbena Vesper
Anytime a pancake can hold more butter and syrup, then that’s a win in my book. I love this idea since pouring starter down the sink is such a sad thing. I’ve gotten a nice rhythm going where I keep the starter in the fridge and then start to bulk it up a couple days before I need it. That way I don’t waste too much at all. However, I’m going to add a couple extra scoops of flour and water so I’ll have enough starter to make these pancakes. Sounds delicious, Jeff!
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Oh my goodness, I love pancakes and these sourdough buttermilk pancakes look wonderful!! I haven’t had sourdough starter around in years, Jeff but I think I have to begin again 🙂 This is a delicious way to repurpose some it.
Thank you, Marcelle!
Dear Jeff, I love that stack of Sourdough Buttermilk Pancakes with blueberries – not only does your recipe sound wonderful and you made good use of your sourdough starter, but I also enjoy the way you presented the pancakes and the fact that they can hold more butter and maple syrup than regular pancakes – sounds delicious to me!
Take care,
Andrea
Andrea@thekitchenlioness recently posted…Grissini (Italian Breadsticks) with Red Onion Skins & Leaf-to-Root Eating Part 2 – Grissini mit roten Zwiebelschalen
Thank you, Andrea. As I said, I did like them, but I have to add that as time when on (and I ate them leftover), I found myself liking them quite a lot, particularly because of the way they hold butter and syrup.
Oh boy your pancakes look and sound delicious! I still have to make your bread recipe, it’s on my list of things to make! 🙂
Let me know how it goes!
Haven’t made pancakes in years. Funny, you’ve got me craving them now. 🙂 Sourdough is great in pancakes. I’ve had them, but haven’t made them myself. I should!
John / Kitchen Riffs recently posted…Tonnato (Tuna) Sauce and Dip
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funny isn’t it how people have gone crazy about sourdough starters?:-) i too have held back because i knew i would just let it die and i’d feel so guilty … Pancakes sound good tho…
sherry recently posted…Za’atar Salmon With White Bean Mash
Well, I was afraid there’d be no yeast. Little did I realize how hard it’d be to find flour!
I love the idea of using the sourdough starter in recipes other than bread rather than discarding it. I totally understand the opposition to throwing out anything which could be used to make lovely food! These pancakes look gorgeously fat and delicious and I love that they hold more butter and syrup than a typical pancake! Yum!
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Seriously, I can only imagine how good those pancakes taste. They look wonderful and I could sure go for some right now.
Thank you, Judee!
omg….You made my mouth water. Thanks for sharing.
You’re welcome!
If only it WAS your sourdough starter that caused the quarantine. 😉
I’ve only tried once to make a starter and it failed. Then, my son was diagnosed with Celiac and I sort let bread making go — well, anything that would potentially spread gluten all over the kitchen.
I love the pancakes! Such a smart idea. I bet that sourdough flavor is so delicious with the blueberries. A fantastic way to start any day. 🙂 ~Valentina
P.S. I like your new recipe card.
Thank you, and thank you!
Wow something so simple but elegant. This is a totally new idea to me. Looks delicious!
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Hello, I loved this post, I love gastronomy, I would very much like to try it. I didn’t know your blog, it’s great.
Pancakes! Now there’s something I haven’t yet made in our lockdown. These sourdough buttermilk pancakes look amazing Jeff!!
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Ok this is a BRILLIANT idea Jeff! What a great way to use a sourdough starter. I am dying to try these pancakes!
Thank you, Shannon!
Jeff, I must of missed this one as I’m always looking for ways to consume my unfeed sourdough starter. I’ve made pretzels, HB buns and so on, but never pancakes. I see this coming over the weekend when I feed Matilda (my starters name).
Ron recently posted…Gingravad Lax and Skåne’s Gästgiveri (Inns)…
I love that you’ve named your starter! I’m going to have to think of a name for mine!
Yours pancakes look wonderful Jeff!
Gloria Roa Baker recently posted…Raspberry Swirl Lemon Cheesecake (cheescake de limon y frambuesas )
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Wow, these looks really good! I may need to teach my significant other to make these since I’m usually to bleary-eyed in the morning to do any cooking before 11 am. I can make the starter…
Frank Fariello recently posted…Polpette di sedano (Tuscan Celery Balls)
I know what you mean. If we have pancakes, I have to confess it’s going to be a late breakfast.
Those look great! And the blueberries would be an excellent addition!
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Thank you!