12 Irresistible & Easy Sourdough Discard Recipes
These easy sourdough discard recipes are perfect for transforming leftover starter into delicious treats. From decadent lemon bars to delicate crepes, these recipes offer classic, wholesome flavors with a tangy sourdough twist.
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Table of Contents
If you have a starter or are in the process of making a sourdough starter, you have probably come across the term discard.
Sourdough starter discard is the portion you remove during your routine starter feeding.
But I don’t really love the term “discard” because it insinuates that you should throw it away. Sourdough starter “discard” isn’t trash at all.
It might seem like just flour and water, but that’s food! In my kitchen, discard is a staple ingredient I use to make these simple and delicious recipes.
Ps. Below are more tips and tricks for using sourdough discard. Be sure to check them out!
12 Easy Sourdough Discard Recipes
Simple Sourdough Flatbread Recipe – Quick and Easy
This sourdough flatbread recipe is perfect for busy cooks. Prep the ingredients in the morning; in the evening, they can be on the table in 15 minutes. They are simple, delicious, and versatile. They are perfect for mini pizzas, with hummus, and as a vessel for almost everything!
The BEST Sourdough Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie
This sourdough chocolate chip skillet cookie is a dream come true. Baked in cast iron, it's soft and gooey in the center, crispy around the edges, and loaded with chocolate chips. It's easy to make and a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.
Sourdough Pumpkin Cobbler with Easy Crumble Topping
This sourdough discard pumpkin cobbler will satisfy all of your fall-flavor cravings. It's perfect with a heaping scoop of vanilla ice cream for dessert or a cup of coffee for breakfast.
Sourdough Carrot Cake – (No-Wait Recipe)
This sourdough carrot cake is a classic recipe adapted to include sourdough discard. The discard adds a touch of depth to the flavor. And I cut back slightly on the spice so the carrots and cream cream icing can shine. Scratch-made with simple ingredients, this carrot cake will be an instant family favorite.
Sourdough Strawberry Cake with Fresh Berries
This lightly-sweetened sourdough strawberry cake is made with fresh berries, lemon juice, yogurt, and sourdough discard. Filled and topped with juicy strawberries and creamy yogurt, this cake is perfect to welcome the bright days of spring. Plus, this is a no-wait recipe that's finished in just over an hour.
The Best Sourdough Discard Crepes – Quick Recipe
This is THE BEST sourdough crepes recipe. These delicate, french-style pancakes are light and fluffy with crispy edges. Made with sourdough discard, they have a subtle tangy flavor that pairs perfectly with sweet or savory fillings.
Sourdough Peach Cobbler with Easy Crumble Topping
This sourdough peach cobbler features fresh, juicy peaches and a sweetened sourdough discard topping. The topping is a quick crumble version of a classic cobbler, making it a quick dessert that's ready in under 45 minutes. Top it with vanilla ice cream for a delicious summertime dessert.
Sourdough Pumpkin Cobbler with Easy Crumble Topping
This sourdough discard pumpkin cobbler will satisfy all of your fall-flavor cravings. It's perfect with a heaping scoop of vanilla ice cream for dessert or a cup of coffee for breakfast.
Sourdough Apple Cinnamon Bread – Discard Recipe
This sourdough apple bread is a buttery cake-like sweet bread filled with juicy apples, brown sugar, and cinnamon. The sourdough discard and orange juice add a touch of tang and create a perfectly tender bread that will appease all your fall flavor cravings.
Homemade Sourdough Cinnamon Toast Crunch Recipe
Making sourdough Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal is easy and way better than the boxed stuff. It is crunchy and sweet with a touch of sourdough tang. And, of course, it is covered in a delicious cinnamon and sugar topping. This is a no-wait sourdough recipe, so it is ready in about 30 minutes.
Homemade Sourdough Pop Tarts with Strawberry Jam
These sourdough pop tarts are a fun throwback to a favorite childhood treat. Sourdough pie dough is filled with strawberry jam and baked to golden perfection. Then, these old-school snacks are topped with a sweet glaze and sprinkles.
Sourdough Lemon Bars Recipe (with YouTube video)
These sourdough lemon bars are bright, creamy, and delicious. The decadent lemon filling is made with sweetened fresh lemons and tangy sourdough discard. And it sits on a thick, buttery sourdough shortbread crust. These cheerful treats are perfect for sunny picnics and summer gatherings.
Why You’ll Love Sourdough Discard Recipes
- Creativity: Adding sourdough discard to your favorite recipes can inspire a little creativity in the kitchen. If you don’t have a starter yet, download my free starter eBook to learn how!
- Reduce waste: Using up starter in recipes is a great way to prevent food waste. The flour in that discard is a future cookie!
- Unique flavors: Discard adds a subtle tang and a complex flavor.
- Option to long ferment: The recipes in this post are no-wait recipes, but they can all be long fermented to promote easier digestibility.
Tips for Making Discard Recipes
Use active or inactive starter.
You can use active or inactive starter for discard recipes! If your starter is bubbly, just stir it down before using it.
Old discard is more sour.
The longer your sourdough starter discard sits in the fridge, the more sourdough it will taste. If you prefer less sour flavor, use up your discard within a few days.
Bulk feed for baking days.
If you enjoy making discard recipes, you can also bulk-feed your starter so you have more discard on hand.
If I know I want to make a batch of discard recipes, I’ll feed my starter a 1:2:2 ratio. For example, if I have 50 g of starter, I’ll feed it 100 g flour and 100 g water.
Keep in mind that if you bulk-feed your starter, it will take a little longer for it to get active and bubbly.
Save up your discard.
A simple trick to save your discard is to keep a dedicated jar in the fridge. Each time you discard, just transfer it to that jar.
I like to keep adding to the same jar until I’ve collected enough for a few recipes.
Video – The Difference Between Active Starter, Inactive, & Discard
Knowing the difference between active stater, inactive, and discard can be tricky, especially if you are new to making sourdough. This video breaks down the differences in an easy and accessible format.
Don’t forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel. New videos come out weekly!
FAQs
Yes! You can freeze sourdough starter, including discard. This is a great way to preserve starter for up to a year.
If you are using it right away, you can store sourdough discard on the counter. However, it will sour very quickly this way. So generally, I recommend storing discard in the fridge.
The cold temperatures will slow down the fermentation process. It won’t stop it from getting too sour or developing hooch, but it will slow it down.
Sourdough starter is made with wheat flour, so it is not gluten-free. I don’t have experience making a gluten-free starter or gluten-free sourdough recipes. But there some readily available with a quick Google search. Let me know what you find!
The Next Steps on Your Sourdough Journey
The best part about sourdough is that there is always something new to learn and try. Check out these posts for simple sourdough inspo:
Let’s Connect!
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