Sourdough Discard Recipes

These Sourdough Discard Recipes are so good you’ll never waste starter again. Give them a try the next time you have starter to spare.

Jump to Recipe

*This post may contain affiliate links which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. Read my full disclosure here.*

If you don’t have a sourdough starter here is a great article by The Clever Carrot. She walks you through the process step-by-step and has plenty of tips. 

I started by sourdough starter 3 years ago. Part of having a healthy starter is regular feedings and discarding the extra so you don’t have to much starter.

The frugal side of me is sad seeing all that wasted starter in the trash. One afternoon while looking up sourdough recipes, I came across a discard recipe for waffles. I had no idea such things existed.

This was a turning point for my discard and I as I’ve found I enjoy baking with it more than baking bread. This being a modern farm, and not a full fledge homestead, I work full time. I don’t have an opportunity to bake bread until the weekend.

This means I have a lot of starter going to waste while I wait to bake

If you’re like me and you have excess sourdough discard, I’ve compiled a few of my favorite recipes for you to try. 

Reasons You’ll Love Sourdough Discard Recipes

No Waste: Instead of tossing out the extra starter, you get to turn it into something delicious! It’s a fun way to use every bit of your sourdough.

Adds Unique Flavor: Sourdough discard has a little tang that makes regular recipes taste extra special. Pancakes, brownies, or even pop tarts all get a cool twist with that sourdough flavor.

Saves Money: Using sourdough discard means fewer wasted ingredients, so you’re saving money by using what you already have.

Easy to Make: Most discard recipes are simple and don’t take a ton of time. Perfect for a quick breakfast, dessert, or snack without much fuss.

Great Variety: There are so many recipes out there! From sweet treats like brownies and pop tarts to savory ones like pancakes and crazy bread, there’s something for everyone.

Fun to Experiment: Sourdough discard recipes are awesome for experimenting. You can try new flavors and recipes you wouldn’t usually make.

Perfect for Sharing: These treats are great for sharing with friends and family! It’s a fun way to introduce others to the world of sourdough.

Sourdough Discard Pop-Tarts

I’ll start with my very favorite discard recipe. Sourdough Discard Pop-tarts. The dough can be made the evening before, and kept in the fridge until it’s time to use it. I love this recipe because it’s so versatile. I use whatever filling I have on hand, and it’s always delicious. Our favorite fillings are strawberry jam and apple butter.

The frosting can also be modified to suit your taste. This recipe is a favorite with my children, and on our regular breakfast rotation. You can also make them ahead and freeze them. Just bake them prior to freezing.

Sourdough Discard Brownies

Sourdough discard brownies are very decadent and fudgy. I’m a unapologetic chocoholic, and these brownies hit the spot. I can whip them up with my usual pantry staples for a crowd pleasing dessert.

The brown butter and sea-salt really make these brownies decadent. The flavor is different from a typical brownie recipe, and has a lot of depth. I do tend to add less of the course salt than the recipe calls for. 1/2 -3/4 teaspoon of salt is usually sufficient.

Sourdough Discard Pancakes

Sourdough discard pancakes are a favorite for my family. Pancakes are by far the most requested breakfast in our home. Sourdough pancakes are easy to whip up using simple ingredients. They are fluffy and tangy. These are a Saturday morning favorite at our house with warm maple syrup and plenty of soft butter.

Crazy Bread Recipe

This recipe is so good, it will be gone before it cools down. As evidence by the photo I’m sharing of the bread that Brent got into as soon as it came out of the oven. The bread consists of lots of thin layers with a buttery cinnamon sugar filling.

I do recommend modifying the recipe to add a teaspoon of flour to the cinnamon sugar mixture. This will help the sugar stick to the layers better. This really is a no-fail delicious bread. Make it up in the morning and let it rise until you’re ready to bake.

What you’ll Need

• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 salt
• 1/2 cup softened butter
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup sourdough starter

Filling

• 1/2 cup softened butter
• 1/2 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 tbsp cinnamon

Instructions

• Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. 
• Cut softened butter into dry ingredients until you have pea-size or smaller bits. 
• Whisk milk and discard together.
• Add the discard-milk mixture to the dry ingredients and combine until a dough forms. 
• Knead dough for 5 minutes. You may need to add a little additional four if dough is too sticky. 
• Place the dough in a bowl. Cover with a towel or plastic wrap, and let it rise for 2-4 hours or until it doubles in size. The time will vary depending on the temperature of the kitchen. 
• Pre-heat the oven to 350°F
• On a floured surface, roll out the dough until it is around 1/4″ thick. 
• Prepare the filling by mixing granulated sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon together. 
• Spread softened butter over dough. Be sure to spread the butter to the edges. 
• Sprinkle cinnamon sugar mixture over entire surface of the dough. 
• Cut the dough vertically and then horizontally to make squares. A pizza cutter works great for this. 
• Line the loaf pan with parchment paper. 
• Stack the dough in the Loaf pan, filling the pan with the individual squares. 
• Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until the internal temp of the dough is around 200° F.

Equipment

My favorite tools to use when baking sourdough

• Loaf pans for making cozy bread, or smaller sandwich loaves
• Dutch oven for baking sourdough bread loaves. I love my lodge cast iron dutch oven.
• Banneton bread proofing baskets for proofing your sourdough.
• Wooden dough bowl for kneading dough.

Final Thoughts on Sourdough Discard Recipes

With so many delicious ways to use sourdough discard, there’s no reason to let any of it go to waste! Whether you’re whipping up fluffy pancakes, gooey brownies, homemade pop tarts, or even a batch of tasty crazy bread, you’re turning that extra starter into something amazing.

Each recipe has its own unique flavor, and using sourdough discard adds a fun twist to classic treats. So next time you feed your sourdough starter, remember these recipes and get creative in the kitchen. Your taste buds (and maybe your friends and family) will thank you!

I hope you’ll give these recipes a try! Thanks for visiting my little farm!

More From The Farm

Sourdough Carrot Cake Bread

Sourdough Discard Banana Nut Muffins

I hope you can give these favorites a try. You will not be disappointed!