20 Sourdough Discard Recipes (2024)

From the digestion benefits to the flavor and texture, you’re going to adore this amazing list of 20 deeply flavorful and creative Sourdough Discard Recipes. Plus, if you already have a sourdough starter, it’s a great way to cut down on food waste.

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Here are a few examples of what you can expect.

There’s a Sourdough Cheesecake Brownie recipe, a Sourdough Discard Naan recipe, and even a Sourdough Onion Rings recipe. That last one caught us by surprise! So are you ready to discover the tasty?

Let’s dive in!

Sourdough Pancakes

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These Sourdough Pancakes are so Organically Addison. Who knew you could use sourdough discard to make the most deliciously fluffy, thick, and buttery flapjacks? The flavor is deeper and richer than the buttermilk variety. What’s more, they are incredibly versatile, as Addison provides optional instructions for making them sugar-free, gluten-free, and dairy free.

Sourdough Discard Tortillas

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After going on a sourdough bread-making spree, Sarita of An Off Grid Life tried her hand at Sourdough Discard Tortillas. The results? Amazing! As in five-star-rated-across-dozens-of-reviews amazing. And you’ll love it too. Here’s why. With just 30 minutes and five ingredients, including salt and water, you can produce a large batch of the deeply flavorful flatbread.

Sourdough Soft Pretzels

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So these Sourdough Soft Pretzels by Kim are so good they remind her of the ones you get from the ballpark. They aren’t sour at all, but rather, the taste is elevated thanks to the fermented discard. The Kickass Baker gives you tips on shaping, salting, and even a substitution for the discard.

Sourdough Pumpkin Roll with Freshly Milled Flour

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Kara of Grains In Small Places is another baker, kicking butt and taking names with her in-depth tutorials and ingenious recipes. Enter this Sourdough Pumpkin Roll with Freshly Milled Flour. She’s made this dessert with spelt and soft white wheat but has recommendations for other grains as well.

But some advanced planning is required. The flour, brown sugar, starter, and pumpkin get mixed the night before. Then you add the other ingredients the following morning. Finally, bake, add the filling, and roll it up.

Cheesecake Brownies

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As one day melts into the next, and winter refuses to give way to spring, Samantha of East Pine Home makes these Sourdough Cheesecake Brownies. They are decadent with swirls of sourdough brownie base, chocolate chips, and cheesecake. All you need is a glass of milk, some good t.v., and suddenly the cold season isn’t so bad.

Sourdough Pizza Dough

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Okay, so Chef Lindsay Farr is breaking all the “rules” today with her Sourdough Pizza Dough recipe. First, real sourdough pizza crust can only be had at those pizzerias will a large oven, right? Also, and this is a biggie, you’re supposed to be kneading the dough all day.

Well, not with this recipe. The Chef shows us how to make the most chewy yet crispy pizza dough the easy way. Which is right in your food processor.

Sourdough Apple Muffins

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At the request of a reader, Joanne of Ugly Duckling Bakery developed these Sourdough Apple Muffins. Now, I know you’re thinking, “I can close my eyes and find an apple muffin recipe.” Yeah, but not this one. First, it’s packed with a ton of chopped apples. There is over one cup of fruit in this eight-serving recipe. Also, it’s filled with Joanne’s tips, like choosing the right kind of apple and browning the butter.

Sourdough Banana Bread

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Savor The Best‘s Dahn crowns this Sourdough Banana Bread, the tastiest banana bread she’s ever had. That’s a bold statement, as she has several such recipes on her blog. But despite the exceptionally deep flavor and noteworthy texture, it’s still easy to make with common ingredients. And with Dahn’s tips, you can’t go wrong.

Sourdough Chocolate Cake

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If you want the most flavorful, moist, and tender cake you’ve ever had, you must try this Sourdough Chocolate Cake by Tati of Milk & Pop. As shown, she bakes it in a bundt pan, but you can also use this recipe to make layer cakes. But it’s not just an approachable dessert recipe with 10 minutes of preparation. The breakfast and brunch enthusiast shares her other tips, such as fresh hot coffee to enhance that chocolatey flavor.

Everything Sourdough Crackers

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Once you make these Everything Sourdough Crackers from The Suburban Soapbox, you’ll never reach for the prepared stuff at the store again. In fact, Kellie goes a step further, “you’ll be craving them 24/7.”

Surprisingly, they’re not difficult to make with simple ingredients: flour, salt, and butter. You simply mix the ingredients, knead, roll, cut, bake, and sprinkle with everything seasoning.

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Rye Sourdough Discard Chocolate Chip Cookies

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Marta of Sense and Edibility knows better than to throw away that unfed sourdough starter. Instead, the professional chef and former catering business owner makes these Rye Sourdough Discard Chocolate Chip Cookies. They are chewy and slightly tart, with chopped chunks of cacao throughout rather than uniform chips. What a great way to jazz up basic chocolate chip cookies.

Sourdough Scones with Blueberries and Lemon

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Traditional Scones are delicious all their own, but these Sourdough Scones with Blueberries and Lemon by Home Grown Happiness are special. The sourdough discard adds tenderness to the crumb as the acidic quality breaks down the gluten in the flour. So they are light, airy, and bursting with juicy blueberries and the brightness of lemon.

Sourdough Discard Naan

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The diplomatic Meenakshi of The Flavor Bells says there’s no way to mess up this Sourdough Discard Naan recipe. Others might call it “dummy proof.” Here’s why. Not including the garnish, it’s an easy six-ingredient flatbread made with AP flour, whole milk, sourdough discard, oil, water, and salt. Plus, there’s no hand-kneading involved. Your stand mixer does all the work for you.

Sourdough Discard Donuts

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While donuts come in different sizes, flavors, and shapes, there’s just something to appreciate about a classic yeasted glazed donut. It’s subtle in flavor with a perfect texture that seems to just melt away with every bite.

Well, perhaps Mary, The Goodie Godmother, improved on that simplicity with this Sourdough Discard Donuts Recipe. Multiple taste testers declared it the best donut they’d ever had. At first, it may seem a pretty standard write-up with the usual ingredients. Only this time, there’s the unfed starter for a bolder flavor.

Sourdough Onion Rings

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I gotta tell ya! We certainly weren’t expecting to discover a Sourdough Onion Rings recipe during our search for exciting sourdough discard recipes. But inventive, gorgeous, and delicious is just what you can expect from Eat The Love.

For this recipe, Lin shows you how to make the crispiest, crunchiest onion rings you’ve ever had in your life. You know, the kind of food that has you daydreaming about it. It works so well because sourdough discard gets crusty quickly, and its viscous quality makes for an onion ring that stays crispy long after you fry it.

Soft Sourdough Dinner Rolls

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Soft Sourdough Dinner Rolls by Rebecca of Sugar And Soul are pillowy soft, satisfyingly tender, and subtly sweet with that characteristic mild tang. And while homemade bread making is usually a labor of love, with some types requiring multiple kneading and resting cycles, this one is different. There are just 30 minutes of hands-on time. So, you’ll want them around for din-din, but if they’re in sight, you’ll snack on them any time.

Sourdough Discard Cornbread

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Sourdough Discard Cornbread is a Lynns Way Of Life favorite you’ll want to serve with chili, stews, and soups. Or you’ll just keep it around for snacking and serve it with apple butter or strawberry jam. And in addition to a well-tested recipe, Lynn also teaches you how to safely store your cornbread so it doesn’t go bad prematurely.

Jumbo Blueberry Sourdough Muffins

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Tangy sourdough and sour cream contrast perfectly with sweet and juicy berries in this Jumbo Blueberry Sourdough Discard Muffins recipe by Kayla of Broken Oven Baking. And we’re not just talking about fresh berries here. You can use frozen fruit, too, for year-round enjoyment. However, what gives the muffins that sweet crunch on top and bakehouse quality is the demerara sugar.

Sourdough Discard Waffles

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These Sourdough Discard Waffles by Kristin of Dirt & Dough are light and fluffy on the inside (thanks to the whipped egg whites) and crispy on the outside. Flavorwise? They have a hint of tanginess. So could these be the best waffles you’ve ever made at home? We’d say that’s a strong possibility. The best part is that you can mix the batter and have four scrumptious servings on the table in less than 30 minutes.

Cheesy Sourdough Discard Crackers

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For a tasty and fun-to-make snack, check out these Cheesy Sourdough Discard Crackers from Barley & Sage. It’s Kyleigh’s favorite way to use unfed sourdough starter. The seven-ingredient, 30-minute snack is herby and cheesy with a slightly sharp flavor. But that’s her delicious version. The pup-loving blogger also gives you plenty of examples to switch it up, including using cheddar instead of parmesan cheese.

Which Sourdough Discard Recipe Will You Try First?

By now, you’ve discovered many tasty sourdough recipes. From sourdough waffles to sourdough cornbread, there were so many tasty options to choose from. So, which ones are you most excited to try? We’d love to know!

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20 Sourdough Discard Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What to do with a lot of 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 much sourdough discard to use? ›

Weigh out how much discard you want to add to the recipe (no more than 200g). Divide the weight into 2. Subtract this amount of flour and water (or other liquid) from the recipe. Add the sourdough discard in place of these amounts of flour and water.

How do you use a large amount of sourdough starter? ›

10 ways to use up sourdough starter
  1. Sourdough crumpets. Add your sourdough starter to crumpet batter for a super light and airy texture. ...
  2. Sourdough crackers. ...
  3. Sourdough pancakes. ...
  4. Sourdough pizza.
  5. Sourdough scones. ...
  6. Sourdough focaccia. ...
  7. Sourdough toad-in-the-hole. ...
  8. Sourdough hot cross buns.

Can you use day 1 sourdough discard? ›

Remember, you can't use the discard from your homemade sourdough starter for the first 7 days. You can use sourdough discard in all kinds of sourdough discard recipes, including these no wait sourdough recipes, overnight sourdough discard recipes and sourdough discard recipes that use up a lot of discard.

How long can you keep sourdough discard before it goes bad? ›

Sourdough discard only lasts a day or two at room temperature. As such, it is best to keep your discard in the fridge, where it will last for up to one week. Of course, you can only rely on it lasting that long if you store it correctly.

Is eating sourdough discard healthy? ›

Sourdough discard recipes not only reduce waste but also offer health benefits, making them a wonderful addition to a balanced diet. The fermentation process of the sourdough starter increases the availability of certain nutrients and can help improve digestion.

Does sourdough discard have to be active to use? ›

One note: Don't start using your discard until your starter is really up and running. In other words, if you've just started your starter and it's not yet established, then you shouldn't save that discard. Wait until you have a healthy, active sourdough starter, then keep any discard from routine feedings.

Can you use 2 week old sourdough discard? ›

Can I Use Old Sourdough Discard? You can use old sourdough discard if it's been stored in the fridge, however, you really want to use it up within a week - 2 weeks max.

Can I feed my starter without discarding? ›

How to increase a starter. 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 you make more sourdough starter from discard? ›

One of the amazing benefits of sourdough discard is that you can use it to create new starters, which are known as levains. These off-shoots from the mother starter can be used to experiment with different types of flour or given as a gift – there's nothing quite like sharing an entire ecosystem with your loved ones.

How do you make a large batch of sourdough starter? ›

I would prepare a large fresh batch of sourdough starter (also known as a levain) by mixing 200 grams water, 200 grams flour, and one tablespoon of sourdough starter. It will take longer to become active, but it will not fail.

What happens with too much sourdough starter? ›

If you have too much starter compared to the additional flour and water you're adding, your hungry starter consumes all the nutrients and then it's not as bubbly.

What to do with a small amount of 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.

How do I know if my sourdough discard is good? ›

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.

What is the difference between sourdough discard and sourdough starter? ›

I would say the best way to differentiate between discard and active starter is that active starter is starter that has doubled and peaked whereas discard is any starter that is not the main starter and is not being used in an active sourdough recipe as a leavening agent.

Can you do anything with sourdough starter discard? ›

You can always use this discard by directly mixing it into a dough for baking. Your discard, as long as it's in good shape, will leaven any bread dough just as well. The discard is just like a levain you would make for a recipe. The only difference is it's the same makeup as your starter.

Can you freeze sourdough discard to use later? ›

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.

How do you dispose of sourdough discards? ›

Place your discard starter in a large bowl and add cold water, stirring to thin it to the consistency of milk; then pour it down the drain, flushing the drain with additional cold water. Will sourdough starter hurt your septic system? No, it shouldn't; it's simply organic matter and yeast.

Is sourdough discard good for plants? ›

So why use sourdough discard on your plants? The sourdough starter is teaming with good bacteria, yeast and microbes which your will enrich your soil and make your indoor and outdoor plants thrive. It is a living and thriving culture of bacteria and yeast. It's alive just like your plants and soil!

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