Made with a hefty amount of sourdough discard, this same-day waffle recipe will help make a dent in your discard supply as well as leave you with 10 light, airy, and crisp waffles to enjoy now or freeze for later 🎉

A plate of sourdough discard waffles topped with berries and syrup.

Looking for a recipe that uses up a lot of sourdough discard? Start here: sourdough discard waffles. It’s a same-day recipe, which can be made with as much as 200 grams of discard. You can use either a freshly discarded sourdough discard (from a room-temperature feeding of your starter) or one that has been in your fridge for over a week (though ideally not more than two weeks).

The remaining ingredients here are classics for waffles: buttermilk, eggs, flour, sugar, butter, salt, vanilla, and a mix of baking powder and soda. This recipe yields a perfectly sweet and nicely seasoned waffle with a crisp exterior and light and airy crumb (see below!).

How to Make Sourdough Discard Waffles, Step by Step

First, gather your ingredients: flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugar, eggs, buttermilk, vanilla, melted butter, and sourdough discard.

The ingredients to make sourdough discard waffles on a countertop.

Whisk together your dry ingredients:

The dry ingredients to make sourdough discard waffles in a large bowl.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, eggs, sourdough discard, and vanilla.

The wet ingredients to make sourdough discard waffles on a countertop.

Whisk in the melted butter last.

The wet ingredients to make sourdough discard waffles all stirred together.

Combine the wet and dry ingredients:

The wet ingredients added to the dry ingredients to make sourdough discard waffles in a large bowl.

And stir until mostly smooth:

Sourdough discard waffle batter in a large bowl.

Distribute the batter in your waffle iron appropriately, given its size. For my waffle iron, I find 1/3 cup of batter per well to be about right. And I set my dial to 5, which cooks the waffles for roughly 6 minutes. Note: my waffle iron is ancient and cooks the waffles a little unevenly, but I have no intention of replacing it 🙂

A waffle iron open and filled with just-cooked sourdough discard waffles.
Sourdough discard waffles on a cooling rack.
A stack of halved sourdough discard waffles, revealing an open crumb.

Top with syrup and berries, and serve.

A plate of sourdough discard waffles topped with berries and syrup.
A plate of sourdough discard waffles topped with berries and syrup.
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A plate of sourdough discard waffles topped with berries and syrup.

Simple Sourdough Discard Waffles (Same Day)

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Description

Made with a hefty amount of sourdough discard, this same-day waffle recipe will help make a dent in your discard supply as well as leave you with 10 light, airy, and crisp waffles to enjoy now or freeze for later. 

Notes:

  • For best results, please use a scale to measure. 
  • Baking Soda: I know 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda feels like a negligible amount, but it makes all the difference in ensuring the waffles brown evenly and rise properly. 
  • Salt: If you are using Morton Kosher salt or fine sea salt, use 3/4 teaspoon. 
  • Sourdough Discard: You can use either freshly discarded discard (as in from a room-temperature feeding of your starter) or you can use discard you’ve had in the fridge (ideally not older than 2 weeks). Ideally, you are feeding your starter at 100% hydration, meaning equal parts by weight flour and water, which is the hydration of the starter I used in all of my waffle experiments. If you need to use less starter, such as 100 grams, simply increase the amount of flour and buttermilk by 50 grams each. 
  • Buttermilk: To make your own buttermilk, place 1.5 cups of milk in a 2-cup measure. Stir in 2 tablespoons of vinegar or fresh lemon juice, and let it sit for 10 minutes. Stir it again; then use. 

Ingredients

  • 170 grams (1 1/3 cups) all-purpose flour
  • 50 grams (¼ cup) sugar
  • 12 grams (1 tablespoon) baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda, see notes above
  • 6 grams (1.5 teaspoons) Diamond Crystal kosher salt, see notes above
  • 200 grams (about 1 cup) sourdough discard, see notes above
  • 380 grams buttermilk (a heaping 1.5 cups), see notes above
  • 2 eggs
  • 13 grams (1 tablespoon) vanilla extract
  • 113 grams (8 tablespoons) melted butter, salted or unsalted (I always use salted)
  • maple syrup and fresh berries for serving 

Instructions

  1. Preheat your waffle iron. 
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar.
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, vanilla, and sourdough discard. Add the melted butter, and whisk until mostly smooth. 
  4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and whisk until the batter is well combined. 
  5. When the waffle iron is ready, distribute an appropriate amount of batter into each well depending on the size of your waffle maker — for me, 1/3 cup of batter is perfect. 
  6. Close the machine and cook until the waffles are evenly golden on each side, roughly 6 minutes total, though timing will vary depending on your machine. 
  7. Remove the waffles from the machine and transfer to a cooling rack briefly — just a minute or two before serving. 
  8. Serve with maple syrup and fresh berries. 
  9. To freeze, let the waffles cool completely; then transfer to an airtight bag or vessel and transfer to the freezer for as long as 3 months. To reheat, place a waffle in a toaster directly from the freezer, and toast for 3 to 4 minutes or until toasted to your liking. 
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes
  • Category: Breakfast
  • Method: waffle iron
  • Cuisine: American