The Best Fluffy Sourdough Discard Waffles Recipe

Are you looking for a way to use up that sourdough discard piling up in your kitchen? Or maybe you’re wanting a quick, easy, and delicious breakfast option that only takes minutes? Enter The Best Fluffy Sourdough Discard Waffles Recipe! The best sourdough waffles the whole family will love. 

These waffles are crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and oh-so-fluffy—making them the perfect quick and easy breakfast or brunch option. Not only will you feel good about using up that sourdough discard, but your taste buds will thank you, too. So put your extra sourdough discard to good use and let’s turn it into the most delicious waffles you've ever had!

Jump to:

• Why Sourdough?
• Maintaining a Sourdough Starter
• Easy Sourdough Waffles Ingredients
• Sourdough Discard Waffle Recipe Instructions
• Substitutions
• Delicious Sourdough Waffles Favorite Toppings
• Equipment
• Storage
• FAQ
• Related
• The Best Fluffy Sourdough Discard Waffles Recipe
• Save this pin for later here!

Why Sourdough?

Sourdough certainly seems to be growing in popularity due to the nutritional benefits. Using basic ingredients, sourdough makes one of the healthiest breads. Sourdough bread has a lower glycemic index than whole wheat bread or white bread, and the baked goods typically contain less gluten than regular yeast breads. 

Sourdough is a fermented bread. Fermented bread is great for an anti-inflammatory diet, can improve gut health, and contains higher levels of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. 

Sourdough starter discard recipes typically take no more time or effort than other similar recipes (recipes that do not contain the sourdough discard ingredient). We all know that most store-bought processed sweets contain preservatives and have almost a rubbery sort of texture, so definitely not the good stuff containing natural ingredients.

​(psst you’ll never want regular waffles again!)

Maintaining a Sourdough Starter

I had dabbled in the world of sourdough over the years, but never fully jumped in until a client of mine had gifted me a sourdough starter. It is easiest to get started with sourdough by using an already established starter, however, it is possible to create a starter from scratch as well.

A sourdough starter takes a little bit of maintenance - feeding and discarding daily. Typically, it is a 1:1:1 ratio of an established starter, all purpose flour (unbleached) and distilled water. The consistency should be that of pancake batter, so sometimes less water is appropriate. 

For a sourdough beginner, I highly recommend starting with sourdough discard recipes, such as this one. Baking with leftover sourdough discard is a great way to keep any of the extra sourdough starter from going to waste. In my opinion, the sourdough starter discard recipes are much easier to follow than recipes calling for active starter.  

Recipes calling for active sourdough starter typically require multiple steps to ensure sufficient rising and proofing, which complicates the process and can be overwhelming for a beginner. 

Most discard recipes, on the other hand, do not. Also, to utilize active starter you have to catch the starter when it is in fact active. This can be intimidating to someone new to sourdough or in the beginning, so getting the hang of daily feeding and utilizing the discard in recipes can be a great place to get started. 

Another delicious recipe, perfect for using sourdough discard, is my sourdough discard pumpkin muffin recipe — check it out here! Or, for a delicious sourdough discard banana bread, find the recipe here! Or if you’re looking for another simple sourdough apple recipe, check out this simple sourdough discard applesauce muffin and bread recipe here! Lastly, my easy sourdough discard pancake recipe is another breakfast family favorite, find it here.

Easy Sourdough Waffles Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups all purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup semi-sweet mini chocolate chips (optional)

Wet Ingredients

• 1 cup sourdough discard (or active starter)
• 2 large farm fresh eggs
• 1 cup buttermilk (regular works too)
• 3 tablespoons melted butter
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract 

See recipe card for quantities.

Sourdough Discard Waffle Recipe Instructions

In a large bowl combine all dry ingredients (except the chocolate chips) and mix well. In a separate medium bowl, combine all wet ingredients. Mix well. 

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until a smooth sourdough waffle batter forms. Mix in the chocolate chips (or other mix in ingredient) at this point.

Grease the waffle iron to prevent sticking. I love this mini waffle iron, it makes the perfect size waffle and is always cooked to perfection. 

Carefully spoon batter into the hot waffle iron and cook for about 1-2 minutes until the waffle becomes a crispy golden brown on the outside. 

Remove waffle from the iron, add toppings, and enjoy! 

Substitutions

We love to add in the semi-sweet mini chocolate chips, but blueberries make a great mix in as well!

Delicious Sourdough Waffles Favorite Toppings

• Butter - learn to make your own here (hint, use buttermilk from this recipe to get the best waffles)
• Real Maple Syrup
• Fresh Berries or Fresh Fruit
• Peanut Butter

Equipment

• Large Mixing Bowl
• Medium Mixing Bowl
• Measuring Cups and Spoons 
• Waffle Iron - we love this one, it makes perfect waffles every time in the perfect size!

Storage

Store extra waffles in the refrigerator for up to a week in an airtight container, or freeze in a freezer safe bag to store for a couple of months!

Flash Freeze the fluffy sourdough discard waffles first, to ensure they don’t stick together. To do this, start by spreading waffles in a single layer on a baking sheet (or sheet pan) or a wire rack and placing them in the freezer for a short time (1-2 hours) before bagging and freezing. 

FAQ

Related

Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:

Save this pin for later here!