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.
Soon, you’ll wish you had even more discard… to make these.
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!
Sourdough chocolate chip cookies
The best sourdough cookies of any I’ve tried, these chocolate chip cookies are thick and chewy, not cakey. Delicious!
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.
Sourdough Cheddar Crackers
Salty, crisp, sourdough cheddar crackers made with your discarded sourdough starter- a quick and easy recipe!
No-Wait Chocolate Chip Sourdough Waffles
Golden and crispy, with a soft fluffy texture and plenty of chocolate chips. Every kid’s favorite breakfast!
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.
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.
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!
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!
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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Fluffy Sourdough Pancakes
Extra soft and fluffy sourdough pancakes mixed up and ready in under 30 minutes.
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.
Discard biscuits
These sourdough discard biscuits are flaky, buttery, and delicious. You need just five ingredients to make them. Perfect any time of day.
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.
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
Sourdough Banana Cake
Use your discard sourdough starter to make this sweet, moist cake, topped with an easy cream cheese frosting.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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
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.
More resources:
- Deep Dive into Sourdough Basics: Many experts in the field of sourdough baking offer comprehensive guides. My guide focuses on the basics and uses simple language.
- The Science Behind Sourdough: The magic of sourdough is as much about science as it is about art. If this interests, you, learn more here about how wild yeasts and beneficial bacteria interact, and why it results in that unique sourdough taste and texture.
Here’s to many more sourdough successes and experimentations ❤️.
Can you store sourdough discard in freezer bags for the freezer or sandwich ziplock bags in refrigerator?
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.
love it carlee!! keep sourdoughing 🙂
Thank you for sharing! There are some amazing recipes here. Pinned!
thanks so much julie! you have so many great sourdough recipes!
Hi, I have an active starter it’s about a month old, when the recipe says unfed how long from a feeding is that ??? When it’s bubbling or already doubled ??
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.
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!
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!
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!
/hi sari! here is the link: https://jonesinfortaste.com/sourdough-english-muffins/
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?
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.
Unless you make your starter extra sour and do an extra rise your breads don’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.
The benefits of eating the sourdough starter..its a live enzyme..great for maintaining a healthy gut
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!
Here you go Sue! I am having the hardest time with these links in the post, sorry!!!! https://heartscontentfarmhouse.com/sourdough-lemon-cake/
Hi – May I have the link to the Lemon cake? That sounds perfect!
Beth
Here you go Beth, sorry I left it out! https://heartscontentfarmhouse.com/sourdough-lemon-cake/
There are not any links other than pancakes. I see links in one of your responses but I can’t get to the pretzels or pizza.
Misty, I think the issue is that the color of the links is too dark. I changed so it stands out now more. They are within the text of each description. 🙂
The Carrot Cake recipe does not have a link. Can you provide one please? I’m excited to try this one. Thanks!
Oonagh
https://heartscontentfarmhouse.com/sourdough-carrot-cupcakes-with-cream-cheese-frosting/ here you go! 🙂
I see no link to the recipes . How can I get the recipes for these?
Thanks!
hi Layne, if you click on the heading, the title of the recipe you’re looking for, (Right after the number) it should take you there. 🙂
hi Katie, I clicked on the title of the recipe (right after the number) and nothing. These titles do not look like they are linked like other items on your page. You may want to check it out. Can you post the links in a reply, please? I would love the Banana Bread, blueberry muffins, and the pancake recipe.
Thanks so much!
Layne
layne, you’re right! looks like I changed the link color and they are now a dark blue. here they are 🙂
banana bread: https://heartscontentfarmhouse.com/sourdough-banana-bread/
blueberry muffins: https://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/blueberry-sourdough-muffins-recipe
pancakes: http://yumarama.com/18/worlds-best-pancakes-starter-discard-rescue-recipe/
I’ll update the color so they stand out more!
We loved the pretzels. We used everything bagel topping on them. Yummmy!! Thank you
The link for the sourdough English muffins goes to the crackers. Do you have the correct link for the English muffins?
sorry, just fixed it! 🙂
Thanks the pretzels were very tasty.