Sourdough Discard Waffles
Sourdough discard waffles are a sweet way to use your sourdough starter to prep a make ahead breakfast you can freeze and then reheat in your toaster.
When I have a tub full of sourdough starter discard waiting in the fridge to be used, these delicious sourdough discard waffles are one of my top favorite things to bake.
Perfectly crispy on the outside and soft and fluffy on the inside, they are filled with that signature sour flavor from the starter.
The best part? You don't need your sourdough starter to be bubbly and active, you can store the discard for up to two weeks in the fridge and make these waffles when you have time!
Why This is the Best Recipe
- Easy Sourdough Discard Recipe: Just like my sourdough discard crackers, this recipe is worth keeping sourdough starter in your kitchen even if you never plan to make sourdough bread!
- Perfect Texture: My kids LOVE the crispy outside and fluffy inside of these easy waffles.
- Not-Too-Sweet: There's some sugar in here, but overall the waffles are more sourdough flavor than sweet which makes them perfect for drizzling syrups and jams.
Ingredients
All you need to make these delicious waffles is:
- Sourdough Starter: You can read more about my sourdough starter tips below.
- Milk: I use 2% milk, you could also use whole milk. I don't recommend fat-free milk for this recipe.
- Butter
- Eggs
- All-Purpose Flour
- Sugar
- Baking Powder
- Kosher Salt
Want to Save This for Later?
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
Sourdough Starter Tips
Every time I feed my sourdough starter, I collect the discard in a large storage tub for my fridge. It lasts for up to two weeks so when I'm nearing the expiration date I'll make a big batch of these sourdough waffles, a batch of sourdough discard brownies, these tender sourdough discard blueberry muffins, or my favorite sourdough crackers to use the remaining discard up.
You can use the sourdough discard cold, directly from the fridge. It doesn't need to be active and bubbly.
You could also use room temperature starter if you just recently fed your sourdough.
Prep the Batter
Place your mixing bowl on a food scale and press the Tare button so that it reads "0 grams". Scrape 240 grams of sourdough starter discard into the bowl.
Add the milk and melted butter and whisk them into the starter. This will cool down the melted butter before you add the eggs.
Crack the eggs into the bowl and whisk them in until smooth.
Add the flour, sugar, baking powder, and kosher salt to the bowl. Whisk them in until just combined.
The batter will be slightly lumpy, that's ok. It is better to not overmix.
Cooking Instructions
Preheat your waffle iron according to the manufacturer instructions. Spray it with cooking spray.
Then pour the batter in according to your waffle iron instructions. I have a 4-well waffle iron. I use a rounded 1/4 cup measuring cup or a 1/3 cup not quite filled to the top to portion out batter for each well.
Close the waffle iron and cook the waffles according to your appliance directions. For my waffle maker, I cook the waffles for 4 - 5 minutes.
Family-Style Waffles
If you want to enjoy the waffles together as a family at the table, you can keep them warm in the oven on a large sheet pan.
Preheat the oven to 250°F with the sheet pan inside. Then keep adding the waffles as they come off the griddle and serve them all at once on a platter.
Make Ahead Tips
These sourdough waffles reheat perfectly right in the toaster!
I made a big batch of waffles on a Sunday afternoon and kept them in an airtight container in the fridge with layers of parchment paper between so they didn't stick together.
For breakfast, we just put them in the toaster and they crisped right up and warmed all the way through. My girls loved them.
You could also freeze them for longer storage. I recommend letting them thaw in the fridge overnight and then reheating in the toaster.
Serving Suggestions
We served our sourdough waffles with a spread of butter and maple syrup and they were sooooo good.
The tangy sourdough flavor makes these an excellent waffle option to use as a base for southern chicken and waffles for brunch or breakfast for dinner. Because they are not too sweet, my sweet and spicy sauce for chicken and waffles would pair perfectly with them even if you're not adding the chicken!
For a festive flair, you could brush them with melted butter and then dip them into a shallow bowl of gingerbread spice finishing sugar for gingerbread waffles during the holiday season.
Or for spring, dollop them with mock clotted cream and a dollop of lemon curd or strawberry sauce.
More Waffle Recipes
If you love using your waffle iron to make homemade waffles, you won't want to miss these other delicious recipes:
📖 Recipe
Sourdough Discard Waffles
Ingredients
- 1 cup (240 g) sourdough starter see notes
- 2 cups milk
- 4 tablespoons butter melted
- 2 eggs
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Cooking spray for coating the waffle iron
Instructions
- Preheat your waffle iron while you prepare the waffle batter.
- In a large batter bowl, whisk together the sourdough starter discard, milk, and melted butter. This cools the butter down before adding your egg. Crack the egg into the bowl and whisk it in.
- Add the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt to the bowl. Whisk them in until just combined. It's ok if the batter is still just slightly lumpy.
- Spray your waffle iron with the cooking spray. Then pour the batter into the wells according to your manufacturer's directions. For my 4-well waffle iron, I use a rounded 1/4 cup scoop of batter for each waffle well. This recipe will make 16 waffles of that size.
- Close the waffle maker lid and cook the waffles according to your appliance directions. For my waffle maker size, I cook the waffles for 4 - 5 minutes or until golden brown.
- The waffles are best served immediately, straight from the griddle, but could be kept warm in a 200°F oven on a large sheet pan if you prefer to serve them family-style all at once.
Recipe Notes
Notes on Sourdough Starter Discard:
Every time I feed my sourdough starter, I collect the leftover starter (also known as "discard") in a large storage container and keep it in my fridge. The sourdough discard can be kept for up to 2 weeks. When I've collected enough discard in my container, I use it for this big batch of waffles. I can usually get this much discard after just two feedings but I like to let it sit in the fridge for a few days before using since that will increase the sour flavor of the discard in my final recipe. You can use the sourdough discard cold, directly from the fridge. There's no need to feed it or let it come to room temperature before using in this recipe.Save This Recipe to Your Recipe Box
Find this delicious recipe next time you visit by saving it to your very own recipe box on my site. All your favorites stored in one easy place!
Comments
No Comments