Sourdough Discard Carrot and Ginger Pancakes

Name: Sourdough Discard Carrot and Ginger Pancakes
Prep time: 11 min
Cook time: 14 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 cup (240 ml) sourdough discard, active and bubbly, recently fed; 2 large eggs, at room temperature; ¾ cup (85 g) carrots, finely shredded; 1 tablespoon (10 g) fresh ginger, peeled and grated; ¾ cup (90 g) all-purpose flour; 1 teaspoon (5 g) baking powder; ¼ teaspoon (1 g) salt; ½ teaspoon (1 g) ground cinnamon; 1 tablespoon (12 g) sugar; ¼ cup (60 ml) whole milk; 2 tablespoon (28 g) unsalted butter

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Tender, fluffy pancakes made with active sourdough discard, shredded carrots, and fresh ginger. The sourdough gives a subtle tang and helps leaven the pancakes, while carrots add natural sweetness and moisture. Fresh ginger brings warmth and spice. Perfect for breakfast or brunch, served hot with butter, honey, or maple syrup.

Prep: 11 min
Cook: 14 min
Wait: 5 min
Total: 30 min
Makes: Makes 12 pancakes (4 servings, 3 pancakes per serving)

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Steps

Before you start

Use active sourdough discard that has been fed 4–8 hours ahead and shows bubbles on the surface
Finely shred carrots and grate ginger before starting to save time at the stove
Measure all dry ingredients into a bowl before you begin mixing
Have a warm plate ready to hold cooked pancakes

1
Prep the vegetables
- Using a box grater or food processor, finely shred the carrots and grate the fresh ginger.
- You should have about ¾ cup (85 g) shredded carrots and about 1 tablespoon (10 g) grated ginger.
- Measure out 1 cup (240 ml) of your active sourdough discard—it should smell tangy and have visible bubbles on the surface.
- Gather all ingredients and have them ready before you begin mixing.
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Tip: Use sourdough discard that's been fed 4–8 hours ahead and is actively bubbly; this ensures good rise and tang.
2
Mix the dry ingredients
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together ¾ cup (90 g) all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon (5 g) baking powder, ¼ teaspoon (1 g) salt, ½ teaspoon (1 g) ground cinnamon, and 1 tablespoon (12 g) sugar.
- Set aside.
3
Combine the wet ingredients
- In a separate medium mixing bowl, whisk together 1 cup (240 ml) sourdough discard, 2 large eggs, and ¼ cup (60 ml) whole milk until smooth and well combined.
- The mixture should be pourable but slightly thick.
4
Combine wet and dry; fold in vegetables
- Pour the wet ingredient mixture into the bowl with the dry ingredients.
- Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the wet and dry ingredients together until just combined; the batter should be slightly lumpy and rough.
- Fold in the ¾ cup (85 g) shredded carrots and 1 tablespoon (10 g) grated ginger until evenly distributed throughout.
- Stop folding once the vegetables are mixed in—do not overmix, as this will toughen the pancakes.
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Tip: Lumps in the batter are fine and actually lead to more tender pancakes; overmixing develops gluten and makes them tough and dense.
5
Let batter rest
- Cover the bowl loosely with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let the batter rest at room temperature for 5 minutes.
- During this time, the flour will absorb the liquid, the batter will relax, and flavors will begin to blend.
6
Heat the skillet and butter
- While the batter rests, place a 10-inch (25 cm) nonstick or well-seasoned cast-iron skillet over medium heat.
- Once the pan is hot (about 1 minute), add 1 tablespoon (14 g) unsalted butter and swirl it to coat the bottom evenly.
- Continue heating until the butter foams and just begins to smell nutty, about 30 seconds to 1 minute more.
- The pan is ready when a drop of batter sizzles on contact.
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Ready when: Butter foams and smells nutty; a drop of batter sizzles when it hits the pan
Tip: Avoid letting the butter brown too much, or the pancakes will have dark, burnt edges.
7
Cook the first batch of pancakes
- Once the butter is foaming and hot, pour ¼-cup (60 ml) portions of batter onto the skillet, spacing them about 1½ inches apart.
- You should fit 3–4 pancakes at a time.
- Cook on medium heat for 2–3 minutes without moving them—resist the urge to flip too early.
- The bottoms should turn golden brown and the edges should look set and slightly darker.
- Gently flip each pancake and cook the other side for 1–2 minutes until also golden brown.
- A toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.
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Ready when: Golden brown on both sides; toothpick inserted into center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs
Tip: Resist flipping too early—wait until the edges look set and the bottom is visibly golden brown, or the pancakes may fall apart.
8
Cook remaining pancakes and serve
- Transfer the cooked pancakes to a warm plate.
- Add the remaining 1 tablespoon (14 g) unsalted butter to the skillet, swirl to coat, and repeat cooking the remaining batter in batches of 3–4 pancakes each until all are cooked—about 8–9 more pancakes.
- Serve the pancakes immediately while hot, topped with butter, honey, maple syrup, Greek yogurt, or your favorite accompaniments.
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Ready when: Golden brown on both sides

Good to know

Tips

Don't overmix the batter—lumps are fine and actually lead to tender pancakes; overmixing develops gluten and makes them tough and dense.
Use sourdough discard that's been recently fed and is bubbly on top; this gives the best rise, tang, and leavening power.
Cook on medium heat, not high—this ensures the centers cook through before the bottoms burn; if pancakes are browning too fast, lower the heat.
If the batter seems too thick after resting, add milk 1 tablespoon at a time; if too thin, add flour 1 tablespoon at a time.

Make ahead

Batter can be mixed up to 2 hours in advance and refrigerated, covered. Cook fresh when ready. Cooked pancakes freeze beautifully for up to 2 months if wrapped individually in plastic wrap and stored in a freezer bag.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: up to 2 hours, loosely covered with a kitchen towel. Refrigerator: 3–4 days in an airtight container; reheat in a toaster oven at 300°F (150°C) for 5–8 minutes until warmed through. Freezer: up to 2 months wrapped individually; reheat from frozen at 300°F for 10–12 minutes.

Substitutions

sourdough discard → plain yogurt, sour cream, or Greek yogurt. Use the same amount; you may need slightly less milk for consistency if substituting.
carrots → shredded zucchini, apple, or sweet potato. Use the same amount; if using zucchini, squeeze out excess moisture first to prevent wet pancakes.
fresh ginger → ½ teaspoon ground ginger, or 2 tablespoons finely chopped candied ginger. If using candied ginger, reduce the sugar by 1 teaspoon to avoid over-sweetening.
whole milk → buttermilk or water. Buttermilk adds tang; water works fine if you prefer a more neutral flavor.