Light, tender and a delight to enjoy for breakfast on a slow morning, this Sourdough Vegan Pancakes recipe is made with Sourdough Starter Discard for a tangy flavor and tender texture. Like my easy Sourdough Biscuits, these pancakes are simple to whip up and can be made overnight or same day! | Disclosure: This recipe is brought to you by Bob’s Red Mill.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love These Vegan Sourdough Pancakes
- Easy to Make
- Made with Simple Ingredients
- Egg and Dairy Free Pancakes
- Make Same Day or Overnight Pancake Batter
Pancakes touch all the comfort food buttons. They’re fluffy, tasty, and so satisfying drizzled with maple syrup and served with your favorite toppings. They’re even better when shared with those that you love. No one’s late to the breakfast table in our home when pancakes are being flipped on the griddle!
Sourdough discard vegan pancakes are perfectly simple to make for a lazy morning. So, gather your family and whip up some pancakes!
Need a sourdough starter? I’ve got a handy DIY Sourdough Starter for that!
Ingredients Make All the Difference
Choosing high quality ingredients is important for flavor and health. It’s a reflection of the love and attention that goes into each recipe I create for my family, friends and the Vanilla And Bean community.
Made in partnership with Bob’s Red Mill, I’m excited to share their pantry staples with you, highlighting a brand I trust. I use Bob’s Red Mill Organic Unbleached All Purpose Flour in this pancake recipe and many others. It’s a high quality flour that produces consistent results every time.
You’ll find Bob’s Red Mill All Purpose Flour in my Sourdough Bread Starter, tasty Sourdough Biscuits, absolutely fabulous Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies, and more! It’s perfect for everyday and something you’ll always find in my pantry.
Quick Guide: How to Make Same Day or Overnight Vegan Sourdough Pancakes
There are two ways to approach when you make sourdough pancakes: same day or overnight. Same day pancakes are just so convenient, but planning ahead with overnight pancakes pays off in the flavor department! In summary, here’s how to make em’ (see recipe card for details):
For Same Day Pancakes:
- First, in a medium mixing bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, salt and cinnamon.
- Second, in a large mixing bowl, whisk the sourdough discard, apple sauce, plant milk, vegan butter (or coconut oil) and vanilla extract.
- Third, gently mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients just until there are no longer any dry patches of flour. A few lumps are okay.
- Next, allow the batter to rest for 15-20 minutes.
- Last, stir the pancake batter down and spoon onto a griddle, using the back of the spatula or spoon to flatten the pancake out a bit.
For Overnight Pancake Batter: simply mix all the ingredients, except the baking powder and baking soda, the night before. Rest at room temperature overnight, then mix in the leavening agents in the morning. Allow the batter to rest for 2-3 minutes, stir down and bake!
Top these easy sourdough pancakes with favorite seasonal toppings like stewed apples, fresh summer berries, blueberry compote, stewed pears, sliced bananas, or simply with pure maple syrup.
How to Manage Sourdough Discard
My sourdough discard is 100% hydration, meaning it’s made from a starter with a 1:1:1 ratio of ingredients: one part starter, one part water, one part flour. So, for example, 50 grams starter, 50 grams water and 50 grams flour. This discard has the consistency of a pourable, smooth batter. It has a sour aroma, but is pleasant and yeasty.
Sourdough discard is best stored in a glass jar in the refrigerator. It can be added to when your sourdough starter is refreshed. Simply add the leftover “discard” into the discard jar. When ready to use the discard, like in a this sourdough vegan pancakes recipe, stir it down, then add it to the wet ingredients.
Using discard in these vegan sourdough pancakes is a practical way to use the ingredients it takes to maintain a sourdough starter rather than throwing it out. Discard adds flavor and contributes to a tender texture in baked recipes. So why not enjoy it!
Fluffy Vegan Sourdough Pancakes FAQs
How Do You Make Sourdough Pancakes Vegan?
For egg free pancakes, I utilize unsweetened apple sauce rather than chia or flax seed in this recipe for its ability to add structure and moisture with a neutral flavor, and without compromising on texture. For dairy free sourdough pancakes, I use homemade cashew milk or almond milk and plant butter or coconut oil.
Can I Use a Different Flour in These Pancakes?
Substitute up to half the flour with whole wheat flour. It adds a nutty flavor and offers whole grain goodness to these tasty pancakes.
Can I Freeze Sourdough Pancakes?
Yes! Freeze individual pancakes flat on a parchment lined sheet pan, then stack in a storage container until ready to use. Reheat in a 350 Fahrenheit oven wrapped in one layer and in foil so they don’t dry out for oven for about 4-6 minutes, or until heated through. Toasting dries them out too much.
How to Make the Best Vegan Sourdough Blueberry Pancakes?
Gently nudge fresh blueberries on the pancake batter once baking on the griddle. Flip, then finish baking through.
How to Make Overnight Sourdough Pancakes
Make the pancake batter the night before omitting the baking powder and baking soda. Rest the batter overnight at room temperature. The next morning, mix in the baking soda and powder, rest the batter for a few minutes until fluffy, stir down and bake!
Tips for Making Vegan Sourdough Pancakes
- Mixing: When mixing the wet and dry ingredients together, mix pancake batter gently and just until there are no flour patches visible as over mixing can make your pancakes tough. A few lumps are okay!
- Thick Batter: For this vegan pancake recipe, the batter is thick and gloppy – not pourable. You’ll scoop the batter up using a measuring cup (1/4 cup) and scrape the batter out onto the griddle. Then use the back of a spoon or spatula to spread the batter thinish into a 4 inchish circle.
- Baking Equipment: Use a nonstick griddle or pan to create the best sourdough pancakes! No added oil is required. Or, for crispy edges, use a little bit of coconut oil or vegan butter to fry up the pancakes in a skillet.
- Temperature Control: Set the griddle to 350F or a skillet on medium low heat. The temperature will fluctuate a bit, so adjust heat as needed keeping in mind to bake low and slow.
- Hot Enough: To see if the griddle/pan is hot enough, flick a few drops of water on it. If the drops sizzle and evaporate fast, the cooking surface is ready. You can also make a tiny pancake to test the pan!
- Baking Cues: Watch for bubbles around the edges first, then as the pancakes cook, you’ll notice bubbles in the center. Once you see these bubbles and the edges are dryish, gently lift the pancake and take a peak underneath. When golden, flip and finish cooking the pancake.
Recipes to Share with Your Pancakes
For more recipes using Bob’s Red Mill Organic All Purpose Flour and other fabulous ingredients, head to their website.
Sourdough Vegan Pancakes Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cup (220 grams) Unbleached All Purpose Flour I use Bob's Red Mill, Organic
- 2 tablespoons Cane Sugar
- 1 tablespoon Baking Powder aluminum free
- 1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1/2 teaspoon Fine Sea Salt
- 1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon optional
- 1/2 cup (135 grams) Sourdough Discard 100% hydration stirred down
- 1/2 cup (113 grams) Unsweetened Apple Sauce
- 3 tablespoons Coconut Oil melted, warm or melted vegan butter**
- 1 1/4 cups + 2 tablespoons (315 grams) Plant Milk I use unsweetened homemade cashew milk
- 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
- Real Maple Syrup and Vegan Butter for Serving
Instructions
For Same Day Pancakes (see notes below for overnight pancakes):
- In a medium mixing bowl whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, salt and cinnamon. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk the sourdough discard, apple sauce, oil, milk and vanilla until.
- Whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, mixing just until no dry flour patches remain. The batter will be thick and a little lumpy.
- Cover the batter with a tea towel and rest at room temperature for 15-20 minutes. This rest aids in flour hydration and fluffy pancakes.
- To Bake: Heat a nonstick griddle or skillet on medium heat to 350 Fahrenheit (176 Celsius). There's no need to oil or butter the pan if using a nonstick pan. If not using a nonstick pan, lightly oil or butter the pan. Before scooping the batter, stir it down. The batter will be thick – not pourable. Scoop the batter up using a measuring cup (1/4 cup / 50 grams) and scrape the batter onto the griddle. Use the back of a spoon to spread the batter thinish to about 4 inches in diameter.When bubbles start appearing towards the center of the pancake and the edges begin to look dry, gently lift the edge of the pancake to see if it's golden-brown. This should take about 2 1/2 minutes. Bake a little longer if needed. Flip the pancake and bake until the underside is golden-brown and is cooked through, about 2 1/2 minutes.
- Keep the pancakes warm in a 200F oven until ready to share or even better, share right off the griddle with vegan butter, real maple syrup and top with seasonal fruit/berries, blueberry compote, stewed pears or stewed apples.
- To Freeze: Freeze individual pancakes flat on a parchment lined sheet pan, then stack in a storage container until ready to use. Reheat in a 350 Fahrenheit oven wrapped in one layer and in foil so they don't dry out for oven for about 5-8 minutes, or until heated through.
Really really terrific recipe, and I’ve tried a ton of dairy free, egg free pancakes in my day. Thank you!!
Best note ever! Thank you Kate! Hooray for tasty pancakes 🙌🏻
Excellent sourdough discard pancakes! I made the same day version. I used Country Crock plant butter sticks, almond milk and I used half white whole wheat flour and half regular white flour. I didn’t add the cinnamon. They came out fantastic. My 17 year old son, commented that they were “really good”!
Hi Alice! Thank you for your note, sharing your sub tips and, I love that you used whole wheat white flour FTW! So excited you and your son enjoyed the pancakes!
Excellent pancakes! They had good flavour, puffed up nicely, and had good texture.
I used half whole wheat pastry and half all purpose flour. Although the coconut oil was liquid when I put it in, it became a more solid lump after adding the cold milk and didn’t mix in well as a result. I might try a different oil next time.
Hi Martina! Thank you for giving the pancakes a go and sharing your whole wheat pastry flour tip! Happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe. Be sure the coconut oil is warm to the touch before mixing it into the other ingredients. That’ll help with incorporating it into the mix. You can also pop the batter into the microwave for about 5-10 seconds to melt the coconut oil again if needed.
I made these yesterday and they were delicious! My family also liked them. I’m always happy about sourdough discard recipes since I hate wasting food. The only thing I changed in this recipe was using mashed banana instead of apple sauce because I didn’t have any.
Hooray, Lucie! Super happy to read your note and that you and your family enjoyed the pancakes. Thank you for your tip about the mashed banana! Love it! I’m with you on wasting food.
Made these today, my husband loved them! This recipe is a keeper. I enjoyed them with plain unsweetened almond yogurt and fresh blueberries. Delicious!
Hi Sherri! Thank you for your note and giving the pancakes a go! SO happy to hear… and that your husband loved them :D
An absolutely delicious looking stack Traci! Just perfect for weekend brunching. Love the night before prep too!
Hello weekend! They look perfect, Traci! Love that you can do all the work the night before. Always a win for me!
We are on the same page, Liz! Makes for a lazzzy morning :D