These fluffy sourdough pancakes are super simple to whip up with just a few basic ingredients. Light and fluffy with a little bit of crispiness, it is easy to see why this recipe is our favorite. Add toppings like blueberries or chocolate chips to make an extra special weekend morning treat.
If you have been hanging around the old farmhouse a while, you know how I loooove my sourdough starter. I have been nurturing it for over six years now.
I use it to make English muffins, pizza crusts, sourdough skillets, sourdough bread, even donuts! But, you know what I make with it more than anything else?
Pancakes. Deliciously fermented, fluffy, crisp around the edges, tangy pancakes.
Several people on Youtube and Instagram stories asked me about my pancake recipe. Your promptings finally kicked me into gear.
I must admit, I had no excuse. I just never got around to it.
So, here it finally is, my friends. The favorite homemade sourdough pancakes that the whole family loves. The one I have made every Saturday morning for probably, like, six years now.
Quick Sourdough Pancakes Recipe
Now, if you have been making recipes with sourdough starter, you may know that usually there is a waiting time to allow for fermentation, like in my sourdough English muffin recipe.
But, the wonderful thing about this recipe is, there is no wait. You just need to have two cups of fed excess starter on hand. It doesnโt even have to be room temperature.
You can pull your glass bowl of starter out of the fridge, and as long as you have at least two cups of starter, youโre good to go!
Now, this is of course assuming that you fed your starter and allowed it to ferment a little before you put it away last time. If you just stirred the flour and water in, and popped it into the fridge straight away, it will need a little fermenting time.
And if this is all a bunch of gibberish, make sure to visit my post on all the benefits, how to, and why do (just made that up) of sourdough, or this post on caring for your starter once you have it going.
This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. See my full disclosure here.
Tips For Making Sourdough Pancakes:
- If we plan to add blueberries and chocolate chips, we like to place them on the uncooked side while the cakes are cooking. I find that if the chocolate actually makes contact with the skillet, the pancakes tend to stick. This is why I donโt stir them into the batter. Same goes for blueberries.
- Totally new to sourdough? Check out how to make your own sourdough starter recipe here.
- To get the pancakes a little crispy, make sure there is a bit of hot oil in your pan.
- You can make this batter the night before, but I would recommend waiting until the next morning, right before cooking, to add the baking soda.
- The first pancake rarely turns out well. No worries. This is the time to adjust the heat to make sure it is not too hot or too cool.
- Want some gluten free pancakes? Try this recipe.
- You can tell a pancake is ready to flip when all the bubbles have popped and there are no more bubbles coming up.
Tools you may need:
Grain mill (optional- if you want to grind your flour to feed the starter)
Large bowl โ When the baking soda hits the sourdough starter it will expand a lot.
Cast-iron skillet or another type of non-stick pan. I really like my Caraway pans.
Measuring cups and spoons
Silicone spatula
Wooden spoon
Ingredients
Fed Sourdough Starter โ This is a bubbly active starter that has been fed within 4-12 hours before starting the recipe. While you could use leftover sourdough discard, they wonโt be very fluffy pancakes.
Eggs
Coconut oil โ if you donโt have coconut oil, you can swap it out for melted butter.
Honey or maple syrup
Salt
Baking soda
Butter or oil for frying
Rules For Cooking Pancakes In Cast Iron Skillets
Although it certainly isnโt a requirement for sourdough pancake makinโ, I prefer using cast iron. If you are brand new to cast iron cooking, visit this post all about it.
To ensure the cakes donโt stick, you will need to follow two rules:
Preheat the skillet before letting the batter hit it. A hot griddle plus a little oil produces the little bit of crispness that makes pancakes so delicious.
Only flip the pancake one time.
How To Make Sourdough Pancakes
Mix the starter, eggs, melted coconut oil, honey, and salt in a large mixing bowl.
Add the baking soda last, and watch the starter foam up.
I like my sourdough pancakes to have that crispy fried edge. To do this, preheat a tablespoon of coconut oil in my cast iron skillet on medium heat.
After it is hot enough to produce a sizzle, pour 1/2 cup batter right onto the hot oil. At this point, I turn the stove down to medium-low heat so that the pancake has a chance to cook through without the bottom burning. Remember that โflip only one timeโ rule.
After the top is nice and bubbly, and no more bubbles are being produced, give the pancake a flip. About 2-3 minutes.
Cook the second side for another 30 seconds to a minute on the other side, or until cooked through and golden brown.
Set aside as you continue to cook
Serve with butter, maple syrup, fresh fruit, homemade whipped cream, or even savory toppings.
FAQ
Can you freeze sourdough pancakes?
Lay the cooled pancakes on a baking sheet in one layer and freeze them for 1-2 hours. Stack and place in a freezer safe container.
You can also place a piece of parchment paper between each pancake and freeze. While you could freeze them in a stack without paper, they will freeze together in a big clump.
They will keep well in the freezer for a few monthsโฆ if they last that long.
Reheat them in the oven, toaster oven, or toaster.
Is pancake batter good overnight?
You can make this the night before and keep it stored overnight in the refrigerator, but I would recommend waiting to add the baking soda until you are ready to cook.
Why are my sourdough pancakes gummy?
This is most likely due to cooking them not long enough, the pan being too hot, or another cooking issue.
What else can you do with sourdough starter?
So glad you asked! There are so many sourdough recipes to make.
- Pizza Crust
- Flatbread
- Pumpkin Cobbler
- Best Chicken Pot Pie
- Biscuits
- Waffles
- Cinnamon Maple Apple Pie
- Whole Wheat Bread
- Donuts
- Sourdough Waffles
- Buttermilk pancakes
If you try this recipe, let me know by leaving a comment. Love it? Give it a 5 star rating!
The Best Sourdough Pancakes
Ingredients
- 2 cups active sourdough starter
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- coconut oil for frying
Instructions
- Mix the starter, eggs, melted coconut oil, honey, and salt in a large mixing bowl.
- Add the baking soda last, and watch the starter foam up.
Preheat a tablespoon of coconut oil in my cast iron skillet on medium heat. - After it is hot enough to produce a sizzle, pour 1/2 cup batter right onto the hot oil. At this point, I turn the stove down to medium-low heat so that the pancake has a chance to cook through without the bottom burning. Remember that "flip only one time" rule.
- After the top is nice and bubbly, and no more bubbles are being produced, give the pancake a flip. About 2-3 minutes.
- Cook the second side for another 30 seconds to a minute on the other side, or until cooked through and golden brown.
- Set aside as you continue to cook
- Serve with butter, maple syrup, fresh fruit, homemade whipped cream, or even savory toppings.
Notes
- Active sourdouhg starter is a starter that has been fed 4-12 hours before making this recipe.
- If we plan to add blueberries and chocolate chips, we like to place them on the uncooked side while the cakes are cooking. I find that if the chocolate actually makes contact with the skillet, the pancakes tend to stick. This is why I don't stir them into the batter. Same goes for blueberries.
- To get the pancakes a little crispy, make sure there is a bit of hot oil in your pan.
- You can make this batter the night before, but I would recommend waiting until the next.
- You can tell a pancake is ready to flip when all the bubbles have popped and there are no more bubbles coming up.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Thank you for sharing your recipes and methods. I am really excited to try these recipes. Looks like you are providing a beautiful life for your sweet family. Thanks for letting me peek into your world and learn!
My family love these pancakes. They are wonderful and a great way to use the sourdough starter another way! Thank you!
Every Saturday morning for the past 7 years Iโve made pancakes and bacon for my family; these have become our favorite recipe! Thanks Lisa.
I like these pancakes but I had to add floor because my sourdough starter is thin. Once I did your, my pancakes werenโt flat anymore. I just did it to the consistency of pancake batter. Mine took about 1 cup of flour that I needed to add. Definitely a coconut flavor with the coconut oil so if thatโs not your thing replace it with applesauce or any other oil. Thanks for the recipe!
These were the best ever! We loved them. My husband said they were even better than the ones from his favourite brunch place! Thanks for sharing ๐
honey becomes toxic when heated per Aryuveda
Thank you for sharing. Best pancakes ever!. This was my first sourdough starter and I love pancakes very much. So your recipe brightened my weekends๐
Iโve made a lot of pancakes over the years. This was by far the easiest recipe, and the BEST TASTING from all of them. I was worried they were looking a bit dark when cooking them, but they tasted soft and fluffy and were full of flavour. A must make.
This is the first time I have attempted making a sour dough starter and the pancakes were my first test. These were so incredible. I ate my own pancake and all my kids leftovers!
My batter didnโt foam up like yours ๐คจโน๏ธ
I fed my started they night before.
Itโs on its 7th day since Iโve started my yeast.
Could it be because I mixed my starter in a metal mixing bowl?