Sourdough Pancakes From Scratch

Sourdough pancakes from scratch are really easy and versatile.

So, I know I’m starting in the middle here. Maybe you don’t have any starter yet. If you do and, like me, you hate to throw out good food, then this is for you.

If you don’t have starter yet but you want to try these delicious and versatile pancakes, you have a couple options:

1. Make your own starter: This is easy to do but takes time, like up to two weeks. There are a myriad of ways to do this but the easiest way is to mix 1/2 cup of whole wheat or unbleached white flour with 1/4 cup warm water in a large jar such as a quart sized Mason jar. Cover it and set in a warm place (about 75 degrees). On day three throw out half of it. This is where the tightwad in me begins to grumble. Add in another 1/2 cup of fresh flour and about 1/4 cup water. Adjust the water so you have a thick liquid. Repeat this process every day until you have a bubbly liquid that smell slightly alcoholic and very yeasty.
2. The other option is to find a friend who is looking to be relieved of some extra starter. This is way faster and does not risk having the brewing batch overflow on your counter. That’s what will happen if you either don’t remove enough starter or if you start to think nothing is going to happen and don’t check it.
3. Once your starter is growing well it can live in the refrigerator. Just don’t forget to take it out and feed it once or twice a week. Feeding involves throwing out about half of it and replacing that volume with more flour and water. If you are feeding a hungry family you probably won’t be throwing out much because you will be making great recipes like these pancakes.

Remember, once you have a starter growing you will need to continue throwing half of it away and re-feeding it about once a week. That’s what started me looking for ways to use the starter instead of throwing it out.

I found a few recipes for sourdough pancakes and started tweaking them. I can’t ever leave a recipe alone it seems. Some of the recipes call for leaving the batter to soak for anywhere from 30 minutes to hours. The sourdough process makes flour easier to digest so the longer it soaks the better, but I have often made them with no waiting at all and they were still great.

We are really fond of oats in our pancakes around here. The oats add a more complex flavor as well as all the benefits of a little oat bran. You can omit them and add in an equal amount of flour. I have successfully make these sourdough pancakes from scratch using any of the following flours: hard red wheat, prairie gold wheat, soft white wheat, unbleached white flour from the store (I mill my own other flours). I have also used about 50% rye flour and 50% hard red wheat for a robust flavor and increased fiber. They would probably come out well with oat or rice flour but I have not tried those yet. I’m quite sure spelt would work.

Making sourdough pancakes from scratch is a good way to use up the abundance of starter and any left over flours you may have.

Adjusting the milk ratio will make the pancakes more or less dense and will affect cooking time.

These are a very yeasty and not sweet pancake. Now, I have an unconquerable sweet tooth, but I’m crazy about these anyway. The lack of sweetness also makes them very versatile for snacks or even for sandwiches. Yes! They are great with PB&J or even sliced savory meat. I have also eaten them with some good Southern pinto beans or Mexican black beans.

This makes a pretty big batch of pancakes, more than my daughter and I will eat in a sitting that’s for sure.

What to do with all the extras? I let them cool on a rack. Then toss them in a food storage bag. They keep nicely on the counter for a day or so and in the fridge a lot longer. I usually put some in the freezer with layers of wax paper between them. They warm up well in the microwave and can be put in the toaster. The ones pictured were cooked in a cast iron skillet with cold pressed coconut oil hence the darker color on some of them.

I like to have versatile options available for quick and healthy meals. I rarely eat out and recipes like this are part of why I’m not “picking up something easy” on my way home.

Here’s the recipe and tell me what you think: