Sourdough
Sourdough Discard Buttermilk Pancakes
By Iris Marlow·March 26, 2026· 4 min read
Whisk a cup of sourdough discard with buttermilk, a beaten egg, and a spoonful of honey. Fold in flour, a pinch of salt, and — right at the end — baking soda to wake everything up.
Ladle onto a warm, buttered skillet and wait for the tops to freckle with bubbles before you flip. The tang of the discard against the sweet cream of the buttermilk is the whole point.
Stack them on a warmed plate with fresh berries, a pour of maple syrup, and coffee strong enough to earn its keep. This is the recipe that makes keeping a starter feel worthwhile on the quietest of mornings.
Sourdough Discard Buttermilk Pancakes
Prep
10 minutes
Cook
20 minutes
Additional
10 minutes resting
Total
40 minutes
Servings
About 12 pancakes
Ingredients
- 240g sourdough discard, unfed
- 240g buttermilk
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 30g unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 120g all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Butter for the skillet
Instructions
- 1Take the discard out of the fridge 30 minutes ahead so it loses its chill.
- 2Whisk the discard and buttermilk together until smooth and pourable.
- 3Whisk in the beaten egg and the honey until fully combined.
- 4Stir in the melted butter, making sure it has cooled so it does not cook the egg.
- 5In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together.
- 6Fold the dry ingredients into the wet with a spatula until just barely combined.
- 7Sprinkle the baking soda over the batter and fold it in with three or four strokes — it will foam.
- 8Let the batter rest 10 minutes while the skillet heats; lumps are fine and welcome.
- 9Warm a cast iron skillet or griddle over medium heat and butter it lightly.
- 10Ladle about 1/3 cup of batter per pancake, leaving room to spread.
- 11Wait for the tops to freckle with bubbles and the edges to look set, about 2–3 minutes.
- 12Flip once and cook another 1–2 minutes until golden and puffed.
- 13Keep finished pancakes warm on a plate in a 200°F oven while you cook the rest.
- 14Stack on a warmed plate with fresh berries and a pour of maple syrup.
Notes
- Do not overmix — a lumpy batter makes a tender pancake.
- Batter can rest in the fridge overnight; add the baking soda just before cooking.
