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38 Sourdough Discard Recipes That Are Truly Delicious (Savory + Sweet)

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Don’t just discard your sourdough starter!   Use it in a new, tasty recipe. Here are some of the best.

Sourdough starter. Throwing it out hurts. I get it. But you’re in luck. Sourdough discard recipes are some of the best sourdough creations out there.

grid of 6 sourdough discard recopes

Soon, you’ll wish you had even more discard… to make these.

sourdough lemon cake on wooden board

Easy + Delicious Glazed Sourdough Lemon Cake

A sweet and delicious lemon cake made with your discarded sourdough starter.  Perfect as a breakfast, snack, or dessert!

dark chocolate chunk cookies

Sourdough chocolate chip cookies

The best sourdough cookies of any I’ve tried, these chocolate chip cookies are thick and chewy, not cakey. Delicious!

sourdough english muffins on cooling rack

English muffins

These are, again, a perfect breakfast recipe. They have tons of air pockets and a great texture. They are great, of course, with just butter and jam, but we really love them with breakfast sandwiches. One of the most practical sourdough discard recipes out there.

white bowl of cheese sourdough crackers

Sourdough Cheddar Crackers

Salty, crisp, sourdough cheddar crackers made with your discarded sourdough starter- a quick and easy recipe!

plate of sourdough chocolate chip waffles topped with whipped cream.

No-Wait Chocolate Chip Sourdough Waffles

Golden and crispy, with a soft fluffy texture and plenty of chocolate chips.  Every kid’s favorite breakfast!

homemade pretzels on piece of parchment

Soft pretzels

This sourdough pretzel recipe can use either discard or fed sourdough starter. There is some kneading and shaping involved, so they are not a quick recipe like pancakes or waffles. But they are delicious, fun to make with kids, and can be adapted to be either sweet or savory.

3 pieces of cake on white plate

Sourdough Apple Cake

A moist apple cake with fall spices and shredded apple, topped with an apple cider cream cheese frosting. A delicious way to use your discard sourdough starter.

stack of shortbread cookies

Shortbread Cookies

This recipe uses a unique technique. Sourdough Shortbread Cookies! Buttery shortbread cookies are made more delicious with powdered sourdough discard. These cookies are perfect for the holidays!

slice of gingerbread with whipped cream

Sourdough Gingerbread

Sourdough gingerbread is soft and has a deep spice flavor that is not too sweet. This old-fashioned cake is perfect for any time of day, and there’s no sourdough flavor; it tastes just like the classic.

Quick & Easy Chocolate Chip Sourdough Muffins

An easy to make muffin recipe that uses your discard sourdough starter. Chocolate chips plus a sugar topping make this a crowd-pleasing snack or breakfast!

cooling rack of frosted cookies

Lemon ricotta cookies

Sourdough Lemon Ricotta Cookies are soft, tender, and melt in your mouth amazing. The ricotta and discard sourdough starter makes the cookies moist and cake-like with the perfect balance of sweet and tart.

basket of crescent rolls

Crescent rolls

Sourdough crescent rolls are soft and buttery. They are also a little bit sweet and have a nice sourdough flavor. These rolls are perfect with any family dinner.

Sourdough Coffee Cake with Cinnamon Streusel Topping

This moist and tender sour cream coffee cake will be a family favorite.  Uses all pantry ingredients and is a great way to use your sourdough starter!

stack of sourdough banana muffins with crumb topping.

Sourdough Banana Muffins (Walnut Crumb Topping)

Moist and sweet, this recipe is a must-try for anyone looking to experiment with sourdough baking or anyone who loves a good banana nut muffin.

3 square pieces of sourdough pumpkin cake on white plate

Sourdough Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Sweet pumpkin spice mixed with tangy sourdough starter combine to form this moist, easy to make sourdough pumpkin cake.

stack of 3 donuts

Baked doughnuts

Serve these delicious baked sourdough donuts with cinnamon and sugar topping to your family for a special treat. You can have them for breakfast, brunch, a snack or a dessert.

Classic Sourdough Banana Bread

Sourdough starter adds a mild tang to a classic banana bread recipe that’s moist, sweet, and delicious.

close up view of sourdough brownies.

Moist and Fudgy Sourdough Brownies

One bowl, no mixer, and the most decadent, rich, moist brownies ever. Meet your new favorite recipe for sourdough discard.

scones with dried lavender

Lavender scones

Lavender Sourdough Scones are easy to make and delicious! The floral lavender flavor and lemon glaze make them perfect for a party or an everyday treat! These scones can also be made without a sourdough starter and they are just as delicious!

Sourdough Blueberry Muffins with Crunchy Cinnamon Sugar Topping

An easy recipe for sourdough blueberry muffins, combining the tang of sourdough starter with the sweetness of fresh fruit and a cinnamon sugar topping.

small stack of sourdough pancakes on white plate, blueberries in background

Fluffy Sourdough Pancakes

Extra soft and fluffy sourdough pancakes mixed up and ready in under 30 minutes.  

sourdough chocolate cake with icing with slice cut out

One Bowl Sourdough Chocolate Cake

This is a simple cake that is totally appropriate for a snack as well as a dessert. You only need one bowl and a few minutes of prep time, and it’s absolutely delicious: moist, chocolatey, and not too sweet.

biscuits on plate

Discard biscuits

These sourdough discard biscuits are flaky, buttery, and delicious. You need just five ingredients to make them. Perfect any time of day.

stack of sourdough waffles with syrup being poured on top

Sourdough Discard Waffles

These are my favorite sourdough discard waffles because there is no overnight rise or anything else complicated. You mix, you pour into the waffle maker, you eat. Don’t worry about a sour flavor, it is barely noticeable, especially when they are covered in butter and maple syrup. (As they should be!)

Cranberry cake

This coffee cake is perfect for a weekend morning or afternoon snack. It is moist and buttery, with a layer of fresh cranberries and a double layer of rich, walnut-crumb topping.

stack of homemade tortillas next to rolling pin

SOURDOUGH DISCARD TORTILLAS

Crisp yet pliable, these sourdough discard tortillas blend traditional tortilla making with the tangy twist of sourdough. A perfect way to repurpose your discard, they elevate your tacos, wraps, and burritos to a whole new level of flavor

slice of banana cake made with sourdough starter on white plate

Sourdough Banana Cake

Use your discard sourdough starter to make this sweet, moist cake, topped with an easy cream cheese frosting.

bowl of yogurt and granola

Sourdough granola

Sourdough granola is a great way to use up your sourdough discard. This homemade granola is easy to make and tastes great. It is perfect for snacking on anytime.

stack of naan

Naan

This Sourdough Naan is a delicious flatbread that you can enjoy as a snack or with your favorite meals. It has a slightly chewy texture and a charred flavor that will delight your taste buds. You can use it to soak up your favorite stews, spreads, or toppings.

1 cinnamon roll on towel

Cinnamon rolls

You can learn how to make cinnamon rolls with sourdough starter. These cinnamon rolls are made without yeast, and the frosting is easy to put together.

dutch baby in baking dish.

Dutch baby

This Sourdough Dutch Baby or German Pancake is a thick type of pancake that is typically made with yeast, but in this case uses starter. It is very delicious and melts in your mouth.

tray of homemade onion rings

Onion rings

It is possible to make the crispiest, crunchiest, tastiest onion rings you have ever had by using sourdough starter discard. This will help give the onion rings a perfect coating.

unbaked pie shell

Pie crust

You can use leftover sourdough discard to make this easy dough! This recipe for sourdough pie crust is made quickly in the food processor and has a great flavor.

stack of glazed chocolate doughnuts

Chocolate doughnuts

Imagine airy, melt-in-your-mouth donuts with a rich cocoa touch! These chocolate sourdough discard donuts might just outshine your local bakery’s best. A delightful way to use your sourdough discard while satisfying those chocolate donut cravings.

pasta sauce poured into bowl.

Sourdough pasta

Crafted from a few staple ingredients, including sourdough discard and wholesome whole wheat flour, this pasta offers a tangy twist and robust flavor. It pairs perfectly with a zesty sauce for an unforgettable meal

serving bowl of stuffing

Sourdough stuffing

Experience the familiar comfort of classic stuffing, but with a sourdough twist! This Sourdough Bread Stuffing brings a gentle tang to each mouthful, making every bite memorable.

slice of sourdough biscotti

Chocolate chip biscotti

Meet the new best friend for your coffee! Whip up these Chocolate Chip Sourdough Biscotti effortlessly, and give your sourdough discard a delicious purpose

square cake in pan with rhubarb on top

Lemon Rhubarb Sourdough Discard Cake

Experience a burst of rhubarb in every bite with this delightfully moist lemony cake. Sourdough discard ensures a fluffy crumb, while honey and lemon zest enhance the rhubarb’s natural charm. Rest assured, there’s no sour taste in this treat

More on managing sourdough discard

First of all, let me say that it IS important to discard a portion of your starter regularly.  So if you don’t want to make one of these recipes, just give yourself permission to throw it in the trash.  It’s like thinning the plants in your garden. Painful, but necessary. If you don’t do it, the whole effort will be wasted. 

Here are ways to reduce waste (beyond the recipes above). 

  • Reduce the Starter Size: You don’t need a massive starter to bake bread. Keep just what you’ll use in your baking, and maybe a little more for safety. For many home bakers, 50g to 100g is a manageable size.
  • Refrigerated Maintenance: If you don’t bake often, keep your starter in the refrigerator. This slows down the fermentation, so you only need to feed it once a week. When you’re ready to bake, take it out a couple of days before, and give it regular feedings to reactivate.
  • Compost It: Sourdough discard is organic and will break down naturally. It can be added to your compost bin.
  • Share with Friends: Offer your discard to friends or neighbors. They might be interested in starting their own sourdough journey or have uses for the discard you haven’t thought of.

 

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Here’s to many more sourdough successes and experimentations ❤️.

38 Sourdough Discard Recipes That Are Truly Delicious (Savory + Sweet)
15K Shares

31 thoughts on “38 Sourdough Discard Recipes That Are Truly Delicious (Savory + Sweet)”

  1. I am starting to think I keep my sourdough starter just so I can make the discard recipes. There are so many fun things to make and this list is fabulous. I can’t wait to try a few of these.

    Reply
  2. Hi, I have an active starter itโ€™s about a month old, when the recipe says unfed how long from a feeding is that ??? When itโ€™s bubbling or already doubled ??

    Reply
    • it’s usually at least hours after a feeding. it will typically peak around 4-8 hours and anything after that it’s on the decline and is considered “unfed”. if its still bubbly, just stir it up. using an active starter in a “discard” recipe won’t hurt anything.

      Reply
  3. Thanks for the info on the starter and the discard! I have been feeding my starter for about 17 days now, and using some of the discard starter that I keep in the fridge. I use Einkorn flour, so it does react a bit differently than regular flour. I have read so many different methods for starter that my brain is on overload, as some directions contradict others. So, I am still feeding my starter twice a day. I started with 1/4 cup + 2 T of flour and 1/4 c water. I still feed it that amount. I discarded twice a day once I started seeing the “hooch” develop (Einkorn develops less hooch, I am told). It looks good and smells good, so I think I am on the right track. I don’t always discard twice a day; sometimes once. Does this make sense? Is my starter pretty much ready after 4 weeks? (which is what I have read.)
    Thanks, again for your help!

    Reply
    • hi Roseann! I’m not familiar with einkorn starter but the general rule of starter readiness is this: does it double in volume within 4-8 hours after a feeding? (it will double faster in a warmer room). put a rubber band around I t to mark the level at the feeding. if it doubles, you’re good to go!

      Reply
  4. Sorry to bug you but I’m having trouble clicking the link for the English muffins. Is it possible to get that recipe? I’m so excited for all these recipes! This is si great!

    Reply
  5. If there isn’t a sour dough flavor added to these recipes what is the purpose of adding the sour dough starter. what purpose does it serve?

    Reply
    • it still adds some flavor… I would describe it as a tanginess, like when you add yogurt or sour cream to a baked good. it’s just not exactly sour. but the main benefit of these recipes is when you discard your sourdough starter now you don’t have to throw it out.

      Reply
      • Unless you make your starter extra sour and do an extra rise your breads donโ€™t typically taste sour. My starter is extra sour. I make all kinds of stuff with it and it adds a bit of a zing. I made bagels yesterday and donuts a few days ago. They were not sour. Fermented starter is easier to digest and is an excellent addition to baked goods. It also helps those gluten free goodies less dense. GF pancakes rise wonderfully with a couple tbs of starter added to the batter. Since my starter is extra sour my pancakes have a nice zing and fluff like a normal pancake. Add sugar to batter and the zing pretty much goes away.

  6. Hi, I would like to try making the lemon snack cake. This one also does not have a link. Will you please put that in a reply? Thanks so much!

    Reply
  7. There are not any links other than pancakes. I see links in one of your responses but I canโ€™t get to the pretzels or pizza.

    Reply
  8. The Carrot Cake recipe does not have a link. Can you provide one please? I’m excited to try this one. Thanks!
    Oonagh

    Reply

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