Amazing Sourdough Waffles or Pancakes (Light & Crispy)

Whip up this easy sourdough waffle recipe to level up your morning! Golden brown and crispy on the outside, and so light and fluffy on the inside, you’ll want to make these again and again. Let the batter ferment overnight for unbelievably flavourful and airy waffles, or mix them up and cook them right away—your choice! No waffle iron? No problem! These cook up perfectly as pancakes on a griddle, too.

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What makes these the BEST Sourdough Waffles?

Waffles have been a Sunday morning tradition in our house for the last several years. I find something so nice and comforting about indulging in delicious light and crispy waffles to end another busy week. Since I always have a healthy stock of discard in my fridge, I knew I had to develop my version of the perfect sourdough waffle recipe. Give this recipe a try, and I’m sure it will become your new favourite! Here’s why:

• So easy to make—just mix the ingredients in one bowl.
• They’re made from scratch, so you know what’s in them. They’re better for you, and taste so much better than waffles from a boxed mix.
• They are unbelievably light on the inside and deliciously crispy on the outside!
• Sourdough discard takes the place of buttermilk, adding a delicious tangy flavour to the waffles.
• The recipe uses a fair bit of discard. That’s really helpful you keep a lot of discard and are looking for a way to use a lot of it up!
• For no-wait waffles, you can make these right away by mixing all of the ingredients and cooking immediately.
• For overnight waffles, mix all the ingredients except for the eggs, vanilla extract, and baking powder, and let the batter ferment at room temperature overnight. The sourdough discard will work its magic, making these waffles even lighter and more flavourful. You might even find them easier to digest with a longer fermentation, too. Whisk in the eggs, vanilla, and baking powder the next morning.
• They aren’t noticeably sweet, so these waffles are perfect for both sweet and savoury toppings.
• If you don’t have a waffle iron, you can make these as pancakes on a griddle or frying pan without changing anything about the batter.

Ingredients You Need & Why

Unsalted Butter

Butter adds richness and flavour to the waffles, and also helps them release easily from the waffle iron. Use unsalted if you can. If all you have on hand is salted butter, go ahead and use that but reduce the salt called for in the recipe to compensate. The butter will be melted first, so you can take the butter straight from the fridge.

Milk

Using milk instead of water in the batter adds more flavour to the waffles. I always recommend using whole milk (because fat = flavour). If all you have is 2% or skim that will work. Non-dairy milk alternatives will also work, but will slightly alter the flavour of the waffles.

Sourdough Discard

Sourdough discard is used in much the same way that buttermilk would be in a standard waffle recipe, adding a delicious tangy flavour. If the batter is left to ferment overnight, the discard will also contribute to the lightness of the waffles. You can use active starter instead of discard. If you don’t have any yet, it’s easy to make your own sourdough starter from scratch (I promise!). Or you can buy a dehydrated starter online or find a local sourdough bakery and ask if they’ll share some of their starter.

All-Purpose Flour

All-purpose flour has a medium gluten content somewhere between cake flour and bread flour. Just enough gluten to give these waffles the structure and lift they need, without being unpleasantly chewy. Avoid bleached flour if you can, and there’s no need to spend extra on organic flour unless using organic is important to you.

Baking Powder

A fair bit of baking powder is used in the batter, to give these waffles a dramatic lift and airy texture.

Fine Sea Salt

Without salt, these waffles would taste bland. I love using fine sea salt, but fine kosher salt would work well too. Table salt will work in a pinch, but I usually avoid it since most table salts contain iodine and sometimes anti-caking agents, which I prefer not to have in my baked goods.

Sugar

Just a little bit of sugar is added to help with browning and to make the crust extra crispy.

Eggs

Eggs keep the dough together, and help it rise in the waffle iron (or on the griddle). Use large eggs.

Vanilla Extract

Vanilla adds a complex base note to the other flavours in the batter. For the best and most complex flavour, use pure vanilla extract if you can afford it.

Equipment for Sourdough Waffles or Pancakes

You don’t need any special equipment for making this recipe. My favourite way to cook this batter is as waffles, since it’s easier to make than flipping pancakes and they turn out fluffier and crispier than pancakes. To make waffles, you’ll need either an electric waffle iron like this one, or a good-quality stovetop waffle iron like this one. If you prefer pancakes, an electric griddle is a great choice. Or you can simply use a skillet or nonstick frying pan.

How to Make Sourdough Waffles or Pancakes

5. You can keep waffles crisp and warm in a 200˚F (90˚C) oven until they’re ready to serve. Top waffles or pancakes with your desired toppings, and serve immediately!

How to Serve Sourdough Waffles or Pancakes

This batter makes waffles or pancakes that aren’t noticeably sweet, making them perfect for both sweet and savoury applications! The possibilities for toppings are endless, but here are a few ideas to get you started:

• You can’t go wrong with the classic combo of butter, maple syrup, and fresh berries! Make it extra indulgent with a dollop of real whipped cream.
• Spread on some butter, and sprinkle on some cinnamon sugar.
• Make it an ice cream sundae with a couple scoops of your favourite flavour, a drizzle of hot fudge, and a cherry on top.
• I love using waffles as a base for a couple eggs fried sunny side up, with a drizzle of BBQ sauce.
• For chicken & waffles, top a waffle with a few pieces of fried chicken (or used baked chicken strips to make this even easier) and drizzle with maple syrup or hot honey.

Tips for Success

• Even if you are cooking the batter right away and not fermenting overnight, you should let the batter rest for 10-15 minutes. Start preheating your waffle maker or griddle after you finish mixing the batter to let it rest. This allows the flour to fully hydrate and starts activating the baking powder, making for fluffier waffles or pancakes with a much better rise.
• If your waffles are sticking to the waffle maker, give it a generous spray with cooking spray or brush it with oil.

How to Freeze Sourdough Waffles or Pancakes

You can make this recipe in advance, and stash the finished waffles or pancakes in the freezer to pull out any time you have a craving. Just cook all of the batter as either waffles or pancakes, and leave them to cool completely on a wire rack. Once cool, transfer them to an airtight freezer bag. You can store them in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you want to eat some pancakes or waffles, just pull out as many as you’d like from the freezer and pop them in the toaster to reheat and re-crisp.