The Best Sourdough Discard Recipes

Favorite Sourdough Starter Discard Recipes

These sourdough recipes are a perfect way, and my favorite ways, to use sourdough discard… Don’t throw it away! Put all that extra sourdough starter to good use!

Pumpkin Spices Sourdough Bread!

This pumpkin spice sourdough discard recipe turns out a super moist and perfectly spiced loaf of pumpkin bread!. Its perfectly spiced pumpkin flavor is made even more delicious with the amazing flavor that sourdough imparts… And it tastes even better a day after it is baked! 

This is a super easy 1 bowl recipe that my whole family loves. (And I have some picky eaters!) Makes 2 loaves.

Buttery soft sourdough dinner rolls.

These buttery and soft sourdough rolls are super easy to make and they’re the perfect side dish for any meal! Sourdough adds a depth of flavor to rolls that you just can’t get any other way! This recipe is simple and does not require the use of special tools or a kitchen scale. I love to serve these rolls with a roast or hot bowl of soup on a cold day! Printable Recipe Card Below!

Soft Sourdough Rolls

Sourdough Banana Bread

I can confidently say this is the easiest and best sourdough banana bread recipe in the world with sour cream! The Sour cream makes this banana bread stay delectably moist for days. It only takes about 10 minutes to mix together and lasts for up to a week…. If you really want a treat, top it with streusel! Yields 2 medium loaves.

Sourdough Pancakes – This recipe makes super fluffy pancakes!

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 starter gives these pancakes a depth of flavor you just can’t get any other way! We love to eat these with butter, Apricot Sauce (apricot freezer jam), and real maple syrup!

Sourdough Apple Fritters

This sourdough apple fritters doughnut recipe is super simple and sooo good… The sourdough gives these doughnuts a depth of flavor you just can’t get any other way!

Sourdough English Muffins

These east sourdough English muffins are light and fluffy, crispy outside, and full of nooks and crannies, with a delicious sourdough depth of flavor that you just can’t get any other way!

Mix ingredients the night before, and wake up to a beautifully fermented sourdough that’s ready to make “nook and cranny” perfection!

https://farmhouseharvest.net/the-best-sourdough-english-muffins-from-scratch/

Sourdough Discard Crepes

My family LOVES Crepes for dinner with sliced strawberries and other berries! Serve with whip cream or powdered sugar on top! If you like crepes… You’ll love these sourdough crepes!

Sourdough Brownies

Fudgy Sourdough brownies are extra delicious and have a hint of sourdough goodness that kicks the flavor up a notch! These are fudgy, chocolaty, and delicious… Especially with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!

Sourdough Blueberry Muffins

Blueberry muffins are so good, but sourdough blueberry muffins are so much better! These are moist, loaded with blueberries, fermented and so delicious! This recipe is super easy and has a delicious streusel topping!

Sourdough Belgian Waffles!

Belgian waffles are good… BUT these sourdough Belgian waffles are AMAZING! Sourdough waffles have a more complex and nuanced flavor compared to regular waffles. The natural fermentation process of the sourdough starter adds a tangy and slightly acidic note that balances the sweetness of the waffle batter.

Sourdough waffles tend to be lighter, airier, and have a delicate crispness on the outside while remaining soft and fluffy on the inside. The fermentation process produces carbon dioxide, creating pockets of air in the batter, resulting in a delightful texture.

Sourdough pizza crust, pizza dough.

Sourdough fermentation imparts a unique and complex flavor to the pizza crust. The natural yeasts and lactic acid bacteria in the sourdough starter produce a tangy, slightly sour taste that balances the sweetness of the dough and complements the toppings. This depth of flavor sets sourdough pizza apart from regular pizza crust.

The slow fermentation process creates a pizza crust with a satisfying, chewy edge (cornicione) that pizza enthusiasts appreciate. This gives the crust character and depth.

Sourdough Tortillas

Many people find satisfaction in making their own sourdough tortillas at home. It allows them to control the ingredients and experience the art of sourdough baking firsthand.

Sourdough tortilla dough is versatile and can be used in various recipes, from traditional Mexican dishes to fusion cuisine. They can be used for tacos, burritos, quesadillas, or as wraps for a wide range of fillings.

Chocolate Chip Sourdough Scones

These scones are a delightful way to use your sourdough discard and enjoy a sweet treat at the same time. Feel free to customize them with other add-ins like nuts or dried fruit if you like.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cubed
• 1/2 cup sourdough discard
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips (or more, to taste)

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
3. Add the cold, cubed butter to the dry ingredients. Use a pastry cutter or your fingertips to work the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
4. In a separate bowl, mix together the sourdough discard, milk, and vanilla extract.
5. Pour the sourdough mixture into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Be careful not to overmix; the dough should be shaggy.
6. Gently fold in the chocolate chips.
7. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and shape it into a 1-inch thick circle. Cut the circle into 8 equal wedges, like a pizza.
8. Place the scones on the prepared baking sheet, leaving a little space between each.
9. Bake in the preheated oven for about 15-20 minutes, or until the scones are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
10. Allow the scones to cool on a wire rack for a few minutes before serving. Enjoy your sourdough discard chocolate chip scones with a hot cup of tea!

Discard Cheddar Biscuits

Some people find sourdough biscuits easier to digest due to the fermentation process.

Sourdough biscuits have a unique, slightly tangy flavor due to the natural fermentation of the sourdough starter. This added dimension of taste sets them apart from regular biscuits, which are typically more neutral in flavor.

These sourdough biscuits also have a distinct aroma that can be quite appealing, adding to the overall experience of enjoying these baked goods. Try these cheddar sourdough biscuits for a real treat!

Sourdough Discard Cornbread

Sourdough Cornbread goes so well with any type of soups or chili in the fall and winter months! It’s one of our family favorite meal stapples! I love to top this sourdough cornbread with honey-butter for a real treat!

Discard Fried Chicken!

If you haven’t tried sourdough fried chicken… You’re in for a real treat! I love this recipe for Lisa at FOB https://www.farmhouseonboone.com/sourdough-oven-fried-chicken

Sourdough Discard Coffee Cake

Try this sourdough pumpkin coffee cake for a real breakfast or brunch treat! Its sweet, moist, topped with streusel and perfect with a warm cup of tea!

Discard Doughnuts

Sourdough apple fritters are so delicious, but you can make the sourdough doughnut recipe and use it alone for plain sourdough doughnuts or any of your favorites! These are super fluffy and soft sourdough doughnuts with that unmistakable flavor of sourdough!

Sourdough Discard Zucchini Bread

Zucchini Bread is good… But sourdough zucchini bread is so much better! It’s moist and flavorful and easier on your tummy!

FAQ’S

What is Sourdough Discard?

Sourdough discard is a term used in the context of sourdough bread baking, and it refers to the portion of a sourdough starter that is removed and discarded during the process of feeding or refreshing the starter. A sourdough starter is a mixture of flour and water that captures wild yeast and beneficial bacteria from the environment, which are used to leaven bread naturally. To keep a sourdough starter active, it needs regular feedings, which typically involve adding fresh flour and water.

During each feeding, a portion of the existing starter is removed before adding more flour and water. This removed portion, often called “discard,” is not thrown away but can be used in various recipes to minimize waste and make good use of the active microorganisms in the starter. It’s called “discard” because it’s the portion of the starter that isn’t needed for the feeding, and it may have become less active or flavorful compared to the freshly fed portion.

What is the difference between sourdough starter and sourdough discard?

Good question… Sourdough starter & sourdough discard are basically the same thing. The only difference is that discard is the sourdough starter you don’t feed. People call is “discard” because it gets “discarded” during or after feeding.

What Can I do With Sourdough Discard?

There are so many great ways to use sourdough discard! These great recipes include:

• Soft Sourdough dinner rolls
• pizza crust
• pie crust
• sweet breads
• Sourdough cinnamon rolls
• doughnuts
• cornbread
• pancakes
• waffles
• crapes
• Try bread coating for fried foods! Like Fried Chicken!

How Long Can I Store Sourdough Discard

You can store properly packaged sourdough discard for up to 1 week in the refrigerator.

How To Store Sourdough Discard

Keep your sourdough discard in the refrigerator for up to one week before you’ll need to use it or throw it away. If you try to keep sourdough discard out at room temperature, it will keep fermenting and develop a liquid on top. This liquid is called hooch, and can be mixed into starter or poured off down the drain. At this point, your starter will be very sour and will go bad if not used right away.

Sourdough discard stored in the refrigerator ferments at a much slower pace, does not get too sour, and adds a beautiful depth of flavor to regular recipes!

How To Use Sourdough Discard

You will get the best results with sourdough discard if you remove it from the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature before using it!

Can I Use Sourdough Discard Straight From The Fridge?

Yes, you can use sourdough discard straight from the refrigerator in “no wait recipes” like pancakes, waffles, and crepes! Sourdough pancakes and waffles get super fluffy even with starter straight from the fridge if you add a teaspoon of baking powder!

Is it OK if my sourdough starter smells like vinegar?

If your sourdough starter stinks like alcohol or vinegar, that means it’s so hungry that it has produced a lot of “acetic acid”. To fix this problem mix a fresh 1 cup of water with 1 cup of flour and stir in 1 tablespoon of your stinky starter. Let that sit on the counter for a few hours till bubbles start forming, then put it in the fridge! This new starter will be MILD and delicious! You can discard the remaining smelly starter or use it in one of these sourdough discard recipes!

How do I know my starter is ready?

You can test your sourdough starter to see if it’s ready to use by filling a glass cup with room-temperature water, then drop a teaspoon of your starter into that water. If the starter floats, then it’s ready to use. However, If your starter sinks, then it needs more time to develop with another feeding, or it just more time to sit out at room temperature so the wild yeast develops gas bubbles!

How soon can I use sourdough starter after feeding it?

For best results, use your starter between 4 and 12 hours after feeding! Sourdough starter usually at its peak activity between 4 – 12 hours after you feed it. For best results use it when there are lots of bubbles on top, and it has physically risen in the jar and before deflates down again.

What happens if you don’t discard sourdough starter?

If you don’t discard your sourdough starter, then it grows too big and becomes unmanageable. To maintain such an amount of starter you will go through a ton of amount of flour. If you do not discard, by day 5 you’ll need to feed your starter a ton of flour and water at least twice a day, because 1 cup of starter requires 1 cup of flour and 1 cup of water to feed. So if you have 5 cups of starter, you’ll have to feed it 5 cups of flour and 5 cups of water 2 times a day! That’s a big batch of starter! Unless you’re baking that much, you will end up with a bathtub full of starter… You could do a sourdough bath instead of a mud bath!

Do you stir sourdough starter before measuring?

No need to stir sourdough starter before measuring into a recipe. That’s because Sourdough recipes call for an active bubbly starter!

WHY Sourdough?

Sourdough is a traditional method of bread baking that relies on natural fermentation and wild yeast and friendly bacteria to leaven the dough. There are several reasons why people choose to use sourdough in their baking:

1. Flavor: Sourdough bread has a distinct, complex flavor that is characterized by its slight tanginess. The long fermentation process allows for the development of unique and pleasant flavors in the bread, making it more interesting and flavorful compared to bread leavened with commercial yeast.
2. Natural Leavening: Sourdough relies on the wild yeast and lactic acid bacteria present in the environment and the flour, rather than commercial yeast. This natural leavening process can be appealing to those seeking more traditional or artisanal bread-making methods.
3. Longer Shelf Life: Sourdough bread tends to have a longer shelf life compared to bread made with commercial yeast due to its lower pH, which inhibits the growth of spoilage microorganisms. This can help reduce food waste.
4. Personal Satisfaction: Many home bakers enjoy the process of creating and maintaining their sourdough starter, as well as the satisfaction of baking bread from scratch. It can be a fulfilling and rewarding hobby.
5. Adaptability: Sourdough can be used in various recipes beyond just bread, including pancakes, waffles, pizza dough, and more. Its versatility allows for experimentation and creativity in the kitchen.

How often should I clean my sourdough starter jar?

If you want to clean your sourdough starter jar then by all means please do! Just be sure to put your starter into a clean bowl while you wash the jar. Make sure not to leave soap or residue in the jar, and transfer the starter back!

Sources

wildyeastblog.com

sourdoughhome.com

PMC