6 Easy Sourdough Discard Recipes (2024)

If you like making sourdough but you don’t like throwing away your sourdough starter discard, here are 6 easy sourdough discard recipes to make the most of your sourdough starter. You can make pancakes, coffee cake, pizza dough and more!

6 Easy Sourdough Discard Recipes (1)

Making sourdough bread is fun and easy! If you want an easy sourdough starter be sure to check out this recipe for sourdough starter.

You need to be sure to feed your sourdough starter every few days and discard any excess. Many people are fascinated at how the sourdough starter grows and how it keeps providing starter again and again, so when you take out the sourdough starter discard, it can break your heart to throw it away! If you don’t want to throw away your sourdough starter discard, you can whip up something quick and tasty to make the most of it!

Here are 6 easy sourdough discard recipes to help you make delicious treats for your family with your sourdough discard!

A few tips for these sourdough discard recipes:

Be sure to use a clean jar or crock at least every few times you take out your sourdough starter discard. That way you won’t get mold in your sourdough starter.

Feed your sourdough starter with filtered or distilled water. This isn’t a must, but some tap water can contain a lot of chlorine that will kill your starter. I am able to use tap water for mine but if you find your sourdough starter dying, this may be why.

When you feed the sourdough starter, mix the water with your starter first and then add the flour. This makes sure it gets evenly distributed.

Your sourdough starter needs to sit out on the counter for at least 4-6 hours (overnight is best).

You don’t have to throw away sourdough starter discard. Use these sourdough discard recipes to save you the heartbreak of throwing it away.

Easy Sourdough Discard Recipes

You don’t have to be using a discard to use these sourdough discard recipes, so if you’re just looking for something to make with your sourdough starter, these are all great easy recipes!

You can make easy and tasty old fashioned pancakes with this sourdough discard pancakes recipe! Don’t waste your sourdough discard. Make these pancakes that your family will love! This is one of the more popular sourdough discard recipes and only takes a few minutes to make!

6 Easy Sourdough Discard Recipes (2)

Sourdough Discard Pancakes

1½ cups milk
1 cup sourdough starter discard
2 cups all purpose flour
¼ cup white sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 egg
2 Tbsp. butter, melted*

Combine the milk with the sourdough starter discard.

Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large mixing bowl. Whisk egg and butter into the milk. Pour the flour mixture into the wet ingredients and whisk until the lumps are gone.

Grease a large skillet with bacon grease or cooking oil. Heat over medium heat. Pour batter onto the skillet in approximately ¼ cup portions. Cook until bubbles appear on the surface and the edges begin to firm up. Flip with a spatula and cook until browned on the other side.

This sourdough discard biscuits recipe makes easy and delicious old fashioned baking powder biscuits! They’re perfect with butter or jam, for biscuits and gravy or as a bread for any family meal!

6 Easy Sourdough Discard Recipes (3)

Sourdough Discard Biscuits Recipe

2 cups flour
3 tsp. baking powder
¾ tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
5 Tbsp. margarine, butter or butter flavored shortening
1 scant cup milk
1 cup sourdough starter discard

Preheat oven to 425°.

Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl. Cut in margarine with a fork or pastry blender until it resembles cornmeal.

Add milk and sourdough discard, stirring just enough to combine ingredients. Do not over stir. Put dough on a lightly floured surface and gather into a ball. If the dough is sticky, add a little flour to help form the ball. Knead lightly 5-10 times.

Roll out to ½ inch thick and cut with a biscuit cutter or a glass rim that has been dipped in flour. Put onto an ungreased cookie sheet and bake 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Makes 10-12 baking powder biscuits.

Did you know you can make coffee cake with sourdough? This easy sourdough discard coffee cake recipe makes super delicious homemade coffee cake starting with a sourdough starter discard! When thinking about sourdough discard recipes, many people don’t think of recipes like this one, but it is super tasty and great for breakfast or a snack and our kids love it!

6 Easy Sourdough Discard Recipes (4)

Sourdough Discard Coffee Cake Recipe

2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 cup sugar
2 rounded Tbsp. shortening
¼ cup milk
1 cup sourdough starter
2 eggs
3 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 350°.

In a bowl, mix flour, baking powder, salt, sugar and shortening. Add milk, sourdough discard, eggs and vanilla to the remainder of the flour mixture. Mix until smooth.

Pour the batter into a 9×9 inch buttered pan. Sprinkle the topping over the top. Bake 45 minutes, until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Serves 9.

Coffee Cake Topping

2 Tbsp. butter
½ tsp cinnamon
3 Tbsp. brown sugar
¾ cup flour

Combine all of the ingredients and mix well.

This easy sourdough discard pizza crust recipe is perfect for the next time you want to make homemade pizza! It is one of our favorite sourdough discard recipes! Tasty pizza crust is much easier to make than most people realize and you won’t have to spend a fortune on delivered pizza!

6 Easy Sourdough Discard Recipes (5)

Sourdough Discard Pizza Crust Recipe

1 cup sourdough starter
1 cup warm water
½ tsp. yeast
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. oil (Olive oil is best)
2 tsp. crushed garlic (optional)
1 tsp. basil (optional)
1 tsp. thyme (optional)
1 tsp. oregano (optional)
2½-3 cups flour

Dissolve yeast in a bowl with warm water. After the yeast is proofed, add the sourdough starter and mix. Add sugar, salt and oil. Add spices, as desired. Mix well. Gradually add flour to form a stiff dough. Knead on a floured surface until smooth. Place in a greased bowl. Turn dough over in the bowl in order to grease both sides. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 2-4 hours. Makes 2 medium pizzas.

To Make Homemade Pizza

Preheat oven to 400°.

Divide the dough in half for 2 medium pizzas or roll out the entire batch of dough for a 9×13 pan, ¼-½ inch thick. Bake for 5 minutes so the dough does not become soggy.

Cover crusts with pizza sauce. You can use a red pizza sauce, Alfredo sauce, garlic sauce or a tasty pesto. Add your choice of toppings and cheese. Bake at 400 degrees on a baking pan or pizza stone (like this one)* for about 15 minutes.

For more pizza ideas, check out our homemade pizza recipe and ideas here.

You can make easy and delicious rustic homemade crackers with this easy sourdough discard recipe! Use them for spreads, soups or with anything else you might normally serve with crackers!

6 Easy Sourdough Discard Recipes (6)

Sourdough Discard Crackers Recipe

1 cup flour
½ tsp. salt
1 cup sourdough starter
4 Tbsp. butter, room temperature
2 Tbsp. dried herbs of your choice (optional)
oil, for brushing
coarse salt (such as kosher or sea salt) for sprinkling on top

Mix together the flour, salt, sourdough starter discard, butter and herbs to make a smooth (but not sticky) dough. Add a bit of flour to knead smooth, if needed. Divide the dough in half, and shape each half into a small rectangular slab. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes until the dough is firm.

Preheat the oven to 350°. Lightly flour a piece of parchment and the top of the dough. Place dough on the parchment and roll to about 1/16″ thick.

Transfer the dough and parchment together onto a baking sheet. Lightly brush with oil and then sprinkle the salt over the top of the crackers. Cut the dough into 1¼” squares with a pizza cutter. Prick each square with the tines of a fork. Bake crackers for 20 to 25 minutes, until the squares are starting to brown around the edges.

Remove the crackers from the oven and transfer them to a cooling rack. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. Freeze to store longer.

This sourdough discard waffles recipe makes easy and tasty old fashioned waffles your family is sure to love!

6 Easy Sourdough Discard Recipes (7)

Easy Sourdough Discard Waffles Recipe

2 cups flour or wheat flour
1 cup sourdough starter discard
1½ cups milk
2 Tbsp. sugar
½ cup vegetable oil, margarine or butter, melted
2 eggs
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. salt

Mix flour, sourdough starter discard and milk. Let sit for 4 hours to overnight in a warm place.

Beat in the remaining ingredients, just until smooth. Do not over mix. Pour the batter onto the center of the hot waffle iron. Bake 5 minutes or until the steaming stops. Remove carefully. Makes twelve 4 inch waffles.

Sourdough Discard Recipes And More!

Check out our easy sourdough starter recipe here.

Check out our easy no knead sourdough bread recipe here.

For more great sourdough discard recipes, check out the Easy Sourdough Start to Finish e-book:

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6 Easy Sourdough Discard Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What can I do with all the sourdough discard? ›

Sourdough discard works well in many baked goods that don't require lively yeast—flat foods like crackers, tortillas and pancakes. Or you can use it to flavor recipes that rely on leavening from other sources, such as active dry yeast, baking soda and baking powder.

What can I do with day 3 sourdough discard? ›

What to do with sourdough discard? Don't throw it away! Instead, use it to make delicious and nutritious treats like pancakes, waffles, muffins, and bread. Sourdough discard is a great source of natural yeast and flavor, and can add a unique tangy taste to your baked goods.

How long can sourdough discard last in the fridge? ›

You can store mature sourdough discard in the refrigerator indefinitely. As long as there is no mold, it is good to use. It may develop a grayish liquid on top called “hooch” which can be poured off before use or stirred in. If you stir it in, the flavor will become more sour.

Do you discard sourdough starter each time you feed it? ›

It would be best if you discarded some portion of your starter each time you feed it unless you want to continue to let it grow. Eventually, you need to discard the used “food” (flour and water) that's been used to sustain your starter during the last fermentation period.

When should you throw out a sourdough discard? ›

You can store sourdough discard in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. It's fine to leave it on the counter for up 24 hours, however if you aren't planning to use it straight away it's always better to store it in the fridge.

Does sourdough discard still have health benefits? ›

Yes, there are actually several health benefits to using sourdough discard in your cooking and baking. Sourdough discard is rich in probiotics, which can help promote a healthy gut microbiome and improve digestion.

What happens if I forgot to discard starter before feeding? ›

If you didn't discard a portion of your starter each time you feed it, two things would happen: Your starter would grow to an enormous, unmanageable size. Your starter would likely become more and more inhospitable to the bacteria and yeast we want as the mixture would become ever more acidic.

Can I use immature sourdough discard? ›

However, “discard” doesn't necessarily mean “throw out.” A two-to-three day old starter can be used to add amazing flavor and texture to a number of baked goods, even if it is not quite ready to make your dream loaf of sourdough bread.

How long can sourdough starter discard sit out? ›

As long as your kitchen isn't too warm (I'd say 78°F or higher) your starter/discard will be fine stored at room temperature for at least a few days without feeding. The flavor will get more acidic the longer it sits.

How do I know if my discard is bad? ›

The discard should be fine in the fridge, however if it is displaying signs of mold or any pink or orange tinges then it has gone bad and needs to be tossed.

Can you eat raw sourdough discard? ›

No, it's not advisable to eat raw sourdough starter. While some people claim to have healed their gut problems by eating probiotic rich sourdough starter, it's not really advisable. Raw sourdough starter contains uncooked flour which can harbor harmful bacteria among other things.

Can I use active starter instead of discard? ›

Absolutely you can! Active starter can be used in the same way as sourdough discard in sweet or savory baking.

Can you use day 1 sourdough discard? ›

I recommend keeping sourdough discard for about one week, but I do know others who keep it for much longer. After one week, there is a higher risk of mold or bad bacteria growing on the discard.

Why throw away half of sourdough starter? ›

If you don't get rid of the excess, eventually you'll have more starter than your feedings can sustain. After a few days, your daily 1/4 cup flour and water won't be enough to sustain your entire jar of starter, and your starter will be slow and sluggish, not much better than discard itself.

Why is my sourdough starter bubbling but not rising? ›

If your starter gets completely covered on top with bubbles but does not rise, it is healthy but may just be a wet mix. Try reducing the water in your next feeding and see if you have different results. Also, the type of flour you are using can impede the rise of your starter.

Can I freeze sourdough discard? ›

Can you freeze sourdough discard? Technically, yes. But for the best results, you are better off freezing an active and healthy sourdough starter. Because some of the yeast dies when frozen, you want the starter to have as much healthy yeast as possible prior to freezing.

Can you keep feeding sourdough starter without discarding? ›

If your recipe calls for more than 227g (about 1 cup) of starter, feed it without discarding until you've reached the amount you need (plus 113g to keep and feed again).

Can I make a second sourdough starter with discard? ›

Yes, you can give your friend a portion of sourdough discard to start their own sourdough starter, however it's best if your starter is mature (at least 3 months old) when you do this, so that your friend can start baking straight away.

References

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