Sourdough Discard Lemon Blueberry Pancakes

Name: Sourdough Discard Lemon Blueberry Pancakes
Prep time: 8 min
Cook time: 14 min
Total time: 22 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 cup (240 ml) Sourdough discard, unfed, at room temperature; 1 cup (120 g) All-purpose flour; 2 Large eggs, room temperature; ¾ cup (180 ml) Whole milk; 2 tablespoon (25 g) Granulated sugar; 2 teaspoon (8 g) Baking powder; ½ teaspoon (3 g) Kosher salt; 1 teaspoon (3 g) Lemon zest, finely grated; 2 tablespoon (30 ml) Fresh lemon juice; 1 cup (150 g) Fresh blueberries; 2 tablespoon (30 g) Unsalted butter, melted, melted; 1 tablespoon (15 g) Unsalted butter, for cooking

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Fluffy, tangy pancakes made with sourdough starter discard, brightened with fresh lemon zest and juice, and studded with sweet blueberries. The sourdough adds wonderful complexity and helps the pancakes rise beautifully without extra baking soda. Ready in under 30 minutes and perfect for weekend breakfast.

Prep: 8 min
Cook: 14 min
Wait: 5 min
Total: 27 min
Makes: About 12 pancakes (4 servings, 3 pancakes per person)

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Steps

Before you start

Have sourdough discard at room temperature (if cold, let it warm for 20–30 minutes)
Gather all ingredients and equipment before mixing
Use a large griddle or skillet for efficient batch cooking
Read the timing—the batter rests while you heat the griddle

1
Combine dry ingredients
- In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 cup (120 g) flour, 2 teaspoons (8 g) baking powder, 2 tablespoons (25 g) sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon (3 g) salt.
- Set aside.
2
Combine wet ingredients
- In a large bowl, whisk together 1 cup (240 ml) sourdough discard, 2 large eggs, 3/4 cup (180 ml) milk, 2 tablespoons (30 g) melted butter, 1 teaspoon (3 g) lemon zest, and 2 tablespoons (30 ml) fresh lemon juice until well combined and smooth.
3
Fold wet and dry together
- Pour the wet mixture into the bowl with the dry ingredients.
- Using a spatula or whisk, gently fold until just combined.
- The batter should be slightly lumpy with a few streaks of flour visible; do not overmix, as this will develop gluten and make tough, dense pancakes.
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Ready when: Batter is combined with some lumps remaining; no dry flour streaks
Tip: Overmixing activates gluten and makes pancakes tough. Lumps are actually good—they create tender, fluffy pancakes.
4
Rest batter
- Let the batter rest at room temperature for 5 minutes.
- This allows the baking powder to activate and create gas bubbles, which will help the pancakes rise and become fluffy.
- While the batter rests, you can start heating your griddle (see Step 6).
5
Fold in blueberries
- Gently fold 1 cup (150 g) fresh blueberries into the batter until evenly distributed throughout.
- Use a gentle hand to avoid crushing the berries; crushed berries release their juice and can turn the batter purple.
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Tip: If you're concerned about crushing, fold very gently or add berries directly to the griddle as you pour each pancake.
6
Heat griddle and butterOven 350°F / 175°C
- Heat a 12-inch (30 cm) griddle or large skillet over medium heat (about 350°F / 175°C).
- Let it heat for about 2 minutes.
- Test the temperature by flicking a few drops of water onto the surface—they should sizzle and bounce immediately.
- Lightly butter the hot cooking surface with 1 tablespoon (15 g) butter, using a folded paper towel to spread it evenly so the surface is just barely coated.
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Ready when: Water droplets sizzle and evaporate immediately on contact
Tip: Don't add butter too early—it will burn. If you're cooking multiple batches, you may need to re-butter the griddle between batches.
7
Cook pancakes
- Pour 1/4 cup (60 ml) batter onto the hot griddle for each pancake, spacing them about 2 inches (5 cm) apart.
- Depending on your griddle size, you may need to cook in two batches to avoid crowding.
- Cook for 2–3 minutes until the top surface is covered with small bubbles and the edges look set and slightly dry.
- Gently flip each pancake and cook for another 1–2 minutes until the bottom is golden brown.
- Transfer cooked pancakes to a serving plate.
- Repeat with the remaining batter.
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Ready when: Golden brown on both sides; cooked through, not gummy in the center
Tip: Don't flip until bubbles form on top and the edges dry out. Flipping too early creates dense, gummy pancakes. If edges brown too fast but tops are still wet, reduce heat to medium-low.
8
Serve warmOven 200°F / 95°C
- Serve the pancakes immediately while still warm with your choice of toppings: warm maple syrup, fresh berries, Greek yogurt, whipped cream, a pat of butter, or a dusting of powdered sugar.
- For a crowd, keep finished pancakes warm in a 200°F (93°C) oven on a baking sheet while you finish cooking the remaining batter.
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Tip: Serve immediately for the fluffiest results. Pancakes firm up as they cool, so don't let them sit too long.

Good to know

Tips

Don't overmix the batter—lumps are good and lead to fluffier, more tender pancakes. Mix just until ingredients are combined.
Fresh sourdough discard at room temperature works best. If your discard is cold from the refrigerator, let it warm on the counter for 20–30 minutes before using.
If using frozen blueberries, add them directly to the batter unthawed, but increase the flour by 2 tablespoons to account for extra moisture released during cooking.
Keep cooked pancakes warm in a 200°F (93°C) oven on a baking sheet while you finish cooking the rest—this prevents them from getting cold and stale.

Make ahead

Yes. Mix the batter the night before, cover the bowl, and refrigerate. In the morning, let the batter come to room temperature (about 15 minutes) before folding in blueberries and cooking. Note: batter made ahead will be slightly less fluffy since some of the baking powder's lift is lost overnight.

Storage & reheating

Keep warm pancakes in a 200°F (93°C) oven until serving. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat chilled pancakes in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 5–8 minutes until warm, or use a toaster. Freeze cooked pancakes for up to 2 months (separate with parchment paper). Reheat frozen pancakes in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 10–12 minutes or use a toaster.

Substitutions

Fresh blueberries → Fresh raspberries, blackberries, or strawberries (halved). Use the same volume (1 cup). Softer berries like raspberries may crush more easily when folding; add them gently or scatter directly on the griddle as you pour batter.
Sourdough discard → Buttermilk. Replace the full 1 cup sourdough discard with 1 cup buttermilk and reduce the milk to 1/2 cup. The pancakes will be slightly less tangy but still fluffy. Keep baking powder at 2 teaspoons.
Lemon zest → Orange zest or lime zest. Use the same amount (1 teaspoon zest). Replace lemon juice with orange juice or fresh lime juice for a different bright citrus note.
All-purpose flour → Whole wheat flour (partial). Replace 1/4 cup (30 g) all-purpose flour with 1/4 cup whole wheat flour and add 1 tablespoon extra milk to maintain batter consistency. Pancakes will be slightly denser and nuttier.