Sourdough Pancake or Waffle Batter

By Sam Sifton

Updated May 8, 2023

Sourdough Pancake or Waffle Batter
Melina Hammer for The New York Times
Total Time
15 minutes, plus overnight rest
Rating
5(3,068)
Comments
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If you have a sourdough starter, you will need to feed it to keep it alive. Many recipes call for doing so after discarding a cup or so of the starter you have, so as to maintain its equilibrium and prevent it from growing too large. This recipe takes advantage of that excess starter, using it as the base of a pancake or waffle batter that ferments overnight and yields a remarkably flavorful breakfast the next day, with minimal effort.

Featured in: Sourdough Starter, America’s Rising Pet

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

    For the Overnight Sponge, or Base

    • 1cup/240 grams sourdough starter “unfed”
    • 1cup/224 grams buttermilk
    • 1cup/120 grams all-purpose flour
    • 1tablespoon/about 13 grams light brown sugar

    For the Batter

    • 1large egg
    • ¼cup melted unsalted butter or neutral oil
    • ½teaspoon vanilla extract
    • ½teaspoon/3 grams kosher salt
    • 1teaspoon/6 grams baking soda
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

447 calories; 17 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 9 grams monounsaturated fat; 5 grams polyunsaturated fat; 60 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 9 grams sugars; 13 grams protein; 874 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Put the sourdough starter in a large bowl and add the buttermilk, flour and sugar, then stir to combine. Cover the bowl and allow it to rest overnight at room temperature.

  2. Step 2

    When you are ready to cook, whisk the egg, melted butter or oil and the vanilla extract together in a small bowl, then add the rested sponge. Add the salt and the baking soda to the batter and mix to combine.

  3. Step 3

    Pour some of the batter onto a preheated greased waffle iron and cook until the waffle is brown and crisp, then repeat. Or use a small ladle to create pancakes on a preheated oiled pan or griddle, flipping them when they are well browned on the bottom. Serve immediately.

Ratings

5 out of 5
3,068 user ratings
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Comments

duane

An equal volume (1 cup) of a liquid and a solid will have different masses. 1 cup of water = 8 oz or ~ 230 grams. Flour is less dense that water. It weighs less. Throw out the measuring cups, buy a scale.

kniterati

Quit already with the mass-over-volume kool-aid. I do know what I'm doing. There is just as much variability in consumer instrumentation for weighing ingredients as there is for measuring volume and it is simply not superior for most single meal preparations. Ambient temperature, elevation, humidity and freshness of the same ingredients over time and brand cast wide differences in the their mass . Care, attention and technique in all measurement is more important. Lose the white horse.

PaulR

I just want to say thank you to Mr. Sifton and the Times for including gram measurements.

I'm on a crusade for this. When I see cups and teaspoons, my assumption is that this a recipe is by and for people who have no idea what they're doing.

Amy F

Made these this morning. Absolutely spectacular - crunchy, delicate outside and tender inside. Beautiful flavor. I won’t go back.

S. Furstenberg

A delicious way to use up sourdough discard. Frankly these waffle weren’t quite as good texture-wise as the Joy of Cooking buttermilk waffle recipe that I’ve been making for the last 25 years, but they were still great. They were a little on the squishy, almost angel’s food side of texture, which some people may love. My family missed waffle squares structure retention of the Joy of Cooking waffle which holds syrup really well. That said, I would make this recipe again.

C Shinn

If I want a double batch, must I double the sponge too?

Lisa K

@C Shinn. I do. No problem with doubling up this recipe. A double batch uses up my weekly amount of sourdough discard. If I have a bit more of the doubled amount called for in the recipe then I add it also. Just add a bit more flour.

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