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Learn how to add sourdough discard to any recipe. It’s a simple calculation that can transform your favorite recipes into delicious sourdough creations. Use this conversion for any type of starter, including all-purpose starter, fresh-milled starter, or an einkorn sourdough starter.
Overview: How To Add Discard To Any Recipe
- Ready In: 5 minutes
- Best For: Adding sourdough discard to existing recipes
- What You Need: Sourdough discard, kitchen scale or measuring cups
- Works Best With: Pancakes, muffins, quick breads, simple doughs, and similar forgiving recipes
- Why You’ll Love It: This simple method makes it easy to add sourdough discard to recipes you already know and love. With these easy-to-understand weight and volume conversions, you can adjust the flour and liquid without complicated calculations.
SUMMARIZE & SAVE THIS RECIPE ON
Whether you want to use more fermented grains or simply have extra discard in the fridge, adding sourdough discard to almost any recipe is simple.
All you have to do is weigh the discard, divide that number in half, then subtract that amount from both the flour and liquid in the original recipe.
If you regularly feed your sourdough starter, you probably have plenty of discard on hand. You can use it for much more than no-knead sourdough bread, including baked goods like sourdough strawberry scones, quick sourdough pancakes, and sourdough skillet cookies.
After trying my easy sourdough discard recipes, use the calculations below to convert your own recipes. I'll show you how to adjust the ingredients using either grams or cups.
🌾 New to sourdough? My Sourdough Starter for Beginners course walks you through making a healthy starter and baking your first loaf with confidence. 🌾
Jump to:
- Overview: How To Add Discard To Any Recipe
- How To Add Sourdough Discard to Any Recipe
- How To Add Sourdough Discard in Cups (Conversion Chart)
- Get the FREE sourdough starter eBook!
- Tips for Success
- Recipe Examples
- What Recipes Can You Add Discard To?
- When Adding Sourdough Discard Doesn’t Work as Well
- Sourdough Discard Conversion FAQs
- More Sourdough Tutorials
- How To Add Sourdough Discard To Any Recipe
How To Add Sourdough Discard to Any Recipe
This conversion assumes that you are using a 100% hydration starter, which is just a fancy way of saying that your starter is fed equal parts flour and water.
Step 1: In grams: Weigh the amount of discard you want to add to the recipe. Let’s assume you weigh out 100 g of sourdough discard.
Step 2: Divide your starter weight in half. We do this because your starter is made with half flour and half water. Half of 100 g discard is 50 g flour and 50 g water.
Step 3: Check the weight of the flour and liquid in the original recipe. Assume the recipe calls for 400 g flour and 150 g milk.
Step 4: Reduce the flour and liquid in the original recipe by half of your starter’s weight (50 g flour and 50 g liquid from Step 2).
If the original recipe calls for 400 g flour, convert the recipe to 350 g.
If the original recipe calls for 150 g milk, convert the recipe to 100 g.
Continue the recipe as usual. Mix the discard in with the liquid ingredients.
How To Add Sourdough Discard in Cups (Conversion Chart)
| Starter Used | Flour to Subtract | Liquid to Subtract |
| 1/4 cup | 1/4 cup | 2 tablespoons |
| 1/3 cup | 1/3 cup | 2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons |
| 1/2 cup | 1/2 cup | about 1/4 cup |
| 2/3 cup | 2/3 cup | about 1/3 cup |
| 1 cup | 1 scant cup | about 1/2 cup |
Tips for Success
- If measuring in volume, keep in mind the bubbles in your starter take up space. I recommend stirring out any bubbles because measuring in volume.
- If any grey liquid is on the surface of your starter, pour it off before using your starter. Though it looks funky, hooch is just a sign your starter is hungry.
- I usually stick with 50-100 g of discard. But you can use up to 200 g if you have more discard to use.
- The older the discard, the more acidic and sour it will taste. So, if you prefer less sourdough flavor in your baked goods, use a recently fed starter.
- The starter will combine more easily if you add it with the liquid. Since egg is an emulsifier, I usually toss the discard in with the eggs.
- Make a note of the conversions before you start baking so you don’t get mixed up. And save them for next time!
Recipe Examples
Vanilla Cake Recipe
- 240 g all-purpose flour (2 cups) >>> 190 g all-purpose flour (1 1/2 cups)
- 100 g sourdough discard ( a little under 1/2 cup)
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 5 g salt
- 333g sugar
- 170g butter
- 3 eggs
- 13 g vanilla extract
- 227 g buttermilk (1 cup) >>> 180 g buttermilk (3/4 cup)
Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
Recipes without liquid can be tricky to convert. Be sure to check out the section above that explains how to add starter to recipes without liquid.
- 227 g butter (1 cup)
- 232 g sugar (1 cup)
- 213 g dark brown sugar (1 cup)
- 13 g vanilla extract (1 tbsp)
- 2 eggs
- 360 g all-purpose flour (3 cups) >>> 344 g all-purpose flour (or reduce by 2 tbsp)
- 50 g sourdough discard (approx. 1/4 cup)
- 6 g baking soda (1 tsp)
- 3 g baking powder (1/2 tsp)
- 6 g salt (1 tsp)
- 396 g dark chocolate chips (2 cups)
What Recipes Can You Add Discard To?
Recipes that already contain both flour and liquid are usually the easiest to convert. Good options include:
- Pancakes and waffles
- Muffins and quick breads
- Cakes and cupcakes
- Cookies
- Crackers and flatbreads
- Biscuits and scones
- Some sauces and batters
When Adding Sourdough Discard Doesn’t Work as Well
Though sourdough discard can be added to many recipes, this conversion works best in recipes with enough flour and liquid to adjust.
Recipes that rely on precise ratios, such as delicate cakes, pastries, and some cookies, may require more testing and a little experimenting.
For the easiest conversions, start with flexible recipes like pancakes, muffins, quick breads, and simple doughs. Keep in mind that discard consistency can vary, so you may need small adjustments.
Sourdough Discard Conversion FAQs
One cup of unfed sourdough discard is approximately 227 grams.
One half cup of unfed sourdough discard is approximately 113 grams.
One hundred grams of unfed sourdough discard is a little under 1/2 cup.
Two hundred grams of unfed sourdough discard is approximately 7/8 cup (3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons).
Sourdough discard can be added to many recipes that contain both flour and liquid. Forgiving recipes like pancakes, muffins, quick breads, and simple doughs are usually the easiest to convert, while recipes that rely on precise ratios may require more testing.
No, in most cases, sourdough discard isn’t the primary leavening agent in a quick recipe, so use the baking soda, baking powder, or yeast called for in the original recipe.
More Sourdough Tutorials
If you tried this sourdough discard conversion or a recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks, y'all!
How To Add Sourdough Discard To Any Recipe
Ingredients
- sourdough starter
- ingredients for original recipe
Instructions
- For Grams: Weigh the amount of discard you want to add to the recipe. Let's assume you weigh out 100 g of sourdough discard.sourdough starter
- Divide your starter weight in half. We do this because your starter is made with half flour and half water. Half of 100 g of discard is 50 g flour and 50 g water.
- Check the weight of the flour and liquid in the original recipe. Assume the recipe calls for 400 g flour and 150 g milk.ingredients for original recipe
- Reduce the flour and liquid in the original recipe by half of your starter's weight (50 g flour and 50 g liquid from Step 2).For example, if the original recipe calls for 400 g flour, reduce it to 350 g. If the original recipe calls for 150 g milk, convert it to 100 g.Continue the recipe as usual. Mix the discard in with the liquid ingredients.
- For Volume. choose how much discard you want to add, then subtract the corresponding amounts of flour and liquid from the original recipe.1/4 cup discard → subtract 1/4 cup flour & 2 tablespoons liquid1/3 cup discard → subtract 1/3 cup flour & 2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons liquid1/2 cup discard → subtract 1/2 cup flour & 1/4 cup liquid2/3 cup discard → subtract 2/3 cup flour & 1/3 cup liquid1 cup discard → subtract 1 scant cup flour & 1/2 cup liquid
Video
Notes
- New to sourdough? My Sourdough Starter for Beginners course walks you through making a healthy starter and baking your first loaf with confidence.
- If measuring in volume, keep in mind the bubbles in your starter take up space. I recommend stirring out any bubbles because measuring in volume.
- The nutritional data will vary based upon your recipe.
- If any grey liquid is on the surface of your starter, pour it off before using your starter. Though it looks funky, hooch is just a sign your starter is hungry.
- I usually stick with 50-100 g of discard. But you can use up to 200 g if you have more discard to use.
- The older the discard, the more acidic and sour it will taste. So, if you prefer less sourdough flavor in your baked goods, use a recently fed starter.
- The starter will combine more easily if you add it with the liquid. Since egg is an emulsifier, I usually toss the discard in with the eggs.
- Make a note of the conversions before you start baking so you don't get mixed up. And save them for next time!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is auto-calculated and may not reflect your final product. Please verify independently if needed.
This conversion makes it so easy to add discard to my favorite sourdough recipes! That way, if I have extra starter on hand, it doesn’t go to waste.
What do I omit to add sourdough discard to my cornbread recipe?
Hey there!
It depends on your recipe. Does your cornbread recipe call for all-purpose flour and milk/water? If so, reduce the flour and liquid by half the discard’s weight. If not, I’d add just a little discard (no more than 50 g) and reduce the cornmeal just by a tablespoon or two. If you want to leave your recipe in the comments, I can give you more detailed instructions. 🙂
-Rebecca