The Best Sourdough Pancakes – Easy, Light & Fluffy Texture

These light and fluffy sourdough pancakes are super easy to make, call for simple ingredients that you probably have in your pantry, and whip up in a flash!

Sourdough Pancakes

Sourdough pancakes are my most requested breakfasts around here… I mix up plenty of starter the night before making these, because it’s the main ingredient!

You’ll love this recipe because it’s so easy to make and comes together in a flash!

In this recipe, each ingredient plays a unique role in creating a delightful balance of flavors and textures. The sourdough starter is the star, providing a sour and complex flavor profile, while the other ingredients work together to create a harmonious, fluffy, and delicious pancake experience.

Key Ingredients

Sourdough Starter: The heart and soul of this recipe, the sourdough starter provides a tangy flavor, and unique texture. The sourdough starter helps the pancakes rise. It contributes a complex depth of flavor that sets sourdough pancakes apart from regular ones.

Flour: The flour serves as a structural component, giving the pancakes their fluffy and tender texture. It combines with the sourdough starter to provide the necessary structure for a successful pancake.

Egg: The egg is a binding agent that helps hold the pancake batter together while providing moisture and richness to the final product. It contributes to the pancakes’ golden color and helps them rise slightly.

Honey: Honey adds a touch of sweetness and depth of flavor to the pancakes. It balances the sourness of the sourdough starter and complements the other ingredients with a subtle natural sweetness.

Baking Soda: Baking soda acts as a leavening agent in this recipe. When it reacts with the sourdough starter, it produces carbon dioxide gas, causing the pancakes to rise and become light and fluffy.

Vanilla Extract: Vanilla extract infuses the pancakes with a delightful aroma and a hint of sweetness. It enhances the overall flavor profile, making the pancakes more inviting.

Milk: Milk provides additional moisture to the batter, making the pancakes tender and slightly creamy. It’s a key component in achieving the right consistency.

How to Make Sourdough Pancakes

This is a one-bowl recipe that you’ll through together really quickly while your skillet is heating up!

1. In a mixing bowl, combine 2 cups of sourdough starter and 1 cup of flour. This mixture creates the base of the pancakes, with the sourdough starter providing tanginess and a leavening effect.
2. Add 1 egg, 1 tablespoon of honey, 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking soda, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and 1/4 cup of milk to the bowl. The egg binds the ingredients, while honey, baking soda, and vanilla extract add sweetness, leavening, and flavor. Olive oil and milk bring moisture and a hint of savory depth.
3. Gently stir the ingredients until they are just combined. Be careful not to overmix, as this can lead to tough pancakes. A few lumps are okay.
4. Heat a griddle or non-stick skillet over medium-high heat and lightly grease it with additional olive oil or butter.
5. Pour the pancake batter onto the griddle, using a ladle or measuring cup to create evenly sized pancakes.
6. Cook until bubbles form on the surface, then flip the pancakes and cook until they are golden brown on both sides.
7. Serve the pancakes hot, topped with softened butter and your choice of syrup or freezer jam.

Serve Sourdough Pancakes With

Apricot Freezer Jam

Blackberry Freezer jam

Strawberry Freezer jam

Kefir Smoothies!

Raspberry Freezer Jam

Recipe Card

Baking Soda vs Baking Powder

Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) is a leavening agent that helps pancakes rise. A study published in “Food Chemistry” (2006) explains the chemical reactions involved in using baking soda to leaven pancakes.

Both baking powder and baking soda can be used as leavening agents in pancake recipes.

Baking soda is a base that reacts with acids in the batter (such as sourdough starter, buttermilk, or yogurt) to produce carbon dioxide gas, which helps the pancakes rise and become fluffy. If your recipe already contains acidic ingredients, such as sourdough starter, then using baking soda alone may be sufficient.

Baking powder is a mixture of baking soda, cream of tartar, and sometimes cornstarch, and it already contains an acid. When it’s added to the batter, it reacts with the moisture to create carbon dioxide gas and help the pancakes rise. If your recipe doesn’t have enough acidity to activate the baking soda, then using baking powder may be a better choice.

Sourdough Starter & Hydration Percent

When we talk about the hydration level of sourdough starter, we are referring to the ratio of water to flour in the starter. For example, a sourdough starter at 100% hydration contains an equal weight of flour and water, while a 50% hydration starter contains twice as much flour as water by weight.

The hydration level of the sourdough starter used in a recipe can have a significant impact on the texture and flavor of the final product. Here are some things to keep in mind when using sourdough starter at different hydration levels:

1. Higher hydration starters (such as those at 100% or more) will produce a wetter, more liquid batter, which results in lighter, airier textures. That’s because the extra water in the starter can help to create more steam during baking, which can lead to a more open crumb structure.
2. Lower hydration starters (such as those at 50% or less) will produce a thicker, more dough-like starter, which can result in a denser, chewier texture in baked goods. This is because there is less water available to create steam during baking.
3. When using a sourdough starter with a higher hydration level in a recipe, it may be necessary to adjust the amount of flour and liquid in the recipe to compensate for the extra water in the starter.