Sourdough Pancakes

Written by
Leah Maroney
A recipe developer and food photographer, Leah Maroney is an ardent home cook and food blogger who has written over 300 recipes for The Spruce Eats.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Leah Maroney
Updated 01/20/21
Sourdough Pancakes

The Spruce / Leah Maroney
Prep: 30 mins
Cook: 15 mins
Ferment: 12 hrs
Total: 12 hrs 45 mins
Servings: 6 servings
Yields: 12 pancakes

Mix up your normal weekend morning pancake routine with these sourdough pancakes. They're pleasantly chewy with a fluffy texture and sweet and tangy flavor. If you already have sourdough starter in your refrigerator, this recipe comes together easily. You do need to plan ahead, though, since the pancake batter has to sit on the countertop overnight. In the morning, simply mix in the other ingredients and begin cooking for a quick breakfast.

Serve these sourdough pancakes with some fresh berries and real maple syrup, or top them with powdered sugar, butter, or fruit syrup.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup sourdough starter
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 eggs (beaten)
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons butter (melted and cooled)
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Neutral oil (vegetable, canola, or butter for greasing the pan or griddle)
  • Garnish: berries, maple syrup, powdered sugar, and/or melted butter

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for Sourdough Pancakes
     The Spruce / Leah Maroney

  2. Combine the sourdough starter with the milk and flour in a large bowl that is big enough to allow the mixture to rise.

    Mix pancake batter
    The Spruce / Leah Maroney

  3. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and leave it on the counter overnight; the batter needs to rise and continue to develop its sourdough flavor. This will be your overnight sponge and the base for the pancakes.

    Let the pancake batter rest
    The Spruce / Leah Maroney

  4. In the morning, add the beaten eggs, sugar, baking powder, and salt to the sourdough starter mixture. Whisk until combined and smooth.

    Add in the eggs
    The Spruce / Leah Maroney

  5. Whisk in the cooled melted butter and the vanilla extract. The batter will be very thick and almost like a slack bread dough after you are done mixing.

    Whisk the batter
    The Spruce / Leah Maroney

  6. Heat up a cast-iron skillet or griddle over medium-high heat and add a little bit of neutral oil or butter. Turn the heat down to medium-low and add the batter to the skillet; you can make the pancakes as large or as small as you want. Cook for a few minutes until bubbles start forming on top and the pancakes are browned on the underside.

    Cook pancakes on a cast-iron pan
    The Spruce / Leah Maroney

  7. Flip the pancakes over and cook for another minute on the other side. It doesn't take as long on the second side, so watch carefully. Repeat with the remaining batter.

    Cooked sourdough pancake
    The Spruce / Leah Maroney

  8. Serve the pancakes with fresh berries, maple syrup, powdered sugar, and/or melted butter.

Tips

  • Make sure the melted butter is completely cooled (but still liquid) before adding it to the batter. If warm butter combines with cold ingredients, it will solidify into clumps.
  • If you use a griddle, you can cook several pancakes at a time. Nonstick surfaces are best for cooking pancakes.
  • It's important to keep the heat low while cooking these pancakes. Because the batter is thicker, these pancakes take more time to cook through than typical recipes. If the heat is too high, the pancakes can burn on the outside while remaining uncooked on the inside.

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