Learn to make easy-peasy sourdough pancakes with our no-fuss recipe.
The ways you can use up excess sourdough starter are many and varied (and almost as fun as making sourdough bread). You can make sourdough recipes like crackers, crumpets, cookies and more.
But this sourdough pancakes recipe is one of the easiest to throw together and is perfect for whipping up for family breakfast time when you er, forgot to make sourdough bread!
Sourdough starter you say…
You will need sourdough starter to make this recipe. It’s kind of non-negotiable. The active starter in this mix makes up a good quarter of the ingredients, so it’s pretty essential.
We’ve indicated it should be at 100 per cent hydration (which just means you feed it with equal amounts of water and flour, as most folks do).
If you use a different feeding ratio you’ll need to adjust the hydration to make this recipe work. And while we’re using starter, we’re not really aiming to ferment the mix too much, which is why we add a little baking powder as a leavening agent.
These pancakes are so much easier than making sourdough bread. There’s no proving, kneading and only a little waiting so its perfect for beginners. And you can leave the mix in the fridge overnight for a very slow ferment if that suits your timeframes better. Win-win.
How ripe should my sourdough starter be?
This recipe is designed to be used with ripe starter – that is starter at its peak point of fermentation, ready to be used in baking.
Every starter reaches its peak at different times after feeding, depending on temperature, feeding ratios and its unique culture of yeasts. But as a general rule your starter is ready just as it begins to collapse (recede) from its highest point after feeding.
All that said, you can make this recipe with over fermented starter, though it will give the homemade pancakes a sharper, more “sour” taste. If using overripe starter it’s advisable not to allow the mix to ferment too long and use it a little sooner than indicated in the recipe below.
Pancake additions and alterations
This recipe calls for a little granulated sugar, which is important to balance out the sour notes in the starter. However, you can replace it with another sweetener like maple syrup, rapadura or even honey.
To make the recipe dairy-free you can replace the milk and butter with your preferred dairy-free alternative.
As for toppings, may we recommend fresh fruit, creamy yoghurt and lashings of your favourite syrup (or even chocolate chips!). Mmmm!
Sourdough Pancakes Recipe
Ingredients:
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup starter (at 100 per cent hydration)
- 3 tablespoon sugar
- 2 tablespoon butter melted and cooled
- 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
- 1 cup flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- Pinch of salt
Method:
In a medium bowl, beat the wet ingredients – egg, sugar, milk and starter – together until uniform. Stir in melted butter and vanilla essence. Sift in flour, salt and baking powder. Fold dry ingredients through until well combined, with no dry patches remaining. Allow mix to rest for at least 45 minutes or overnight in the fridge.
Heat a knob of unsalted butter in a large pan over a medium heat. Scoop ladlefuls of mix into a pan or cast-iron skillet and cook until bubbles begin to form on the surface (two or so minutes). Flip pancakes and cook for another 2-3 minutes on the other side. Repeat until all the mixture is used up.
Serve your delicious pancakes warm with your favourite toppings.
Extra pancakes will keep in the fridge for a day or so. Or make a batch of smaller pikelets for lunchbox brownie points.
Want some more sourdough tips and recipes?
We’ve got loads of great content about the world of sourdough!
In Issue #18 of Pip Magazine, we reveal:
- The secret to a successful sourdough starter;
- Explain the health benefits of sourdough;
- Plus, we share recipes for sourdough pizza, crumpets and ginger cake.
You can access this article online here as part of our digital subscription offering.
Also, check out our articles on What to do with stale sourdough bread and Keeping your sourdough starter alive while you’re on holidays.
And don’t forget we have loads of sourdough recipes online, including:
We’re thinking the only recipe we’re missing is sourdough waffles, what do you think?!
