If you’re a regular sourdough baker, you’re familiar with the process of feeding your starter — and dealing with the discard. But rather than just disposing of it, there are plenty of ways to bake with sourdough discard instead. You’d be surprised at the number of bread recipes that call for discard (no feeding required!), but also the amount of unexpected bakes you can make, like crumb cake and English muffins. Here, we share our 15 best sourdough discard recipes.
1) Pain de Campagne (Country Bread)
Ideal for the low-maintenance sourdough baker, this loaf works on your schedule. It’s made with unfed (discard) starter, which means you don’t have to plan your days around when to feed your starter and ensure it’s ripe in time to mix. (Though, if you are using discard, we do recommend using a healthy starter that’s been fed within a week.) Helpfully, the proofing times are also long and flexible, so you don’t need to be handcuffed to your kitchen throughout the recipe.
Get the recipe: Pain de Campagne (Country Bread)
Shop the recipe: Artisan Bread Baking Crock and Dutch Oven
2) Easiest Sourdough Discard Crackers
Is there anything easier than a recipe that instructs you to dump, stir, then pour? There’s no rolling pin (or mess to clean up) in this seamless recipe, which takes just five minutes of prep time. Use a base of sourdough discard, melted butter, and salt as a foundation, then make these crackers your own with your favorite seasonings and toppings — za’atar and Pizza Seasoning are merely a starting point for these crunchy, flaky crackers.
Get the recipe: Easiest Sourdough Discard Crackers
Shop the recipe: Za’atar and Pizza Seasoning
3) Quick Sourdough Herb and Scallion Pancakes
These light, crispy pancakes are the perfect clean-out-the-fridge recipe. They’re made mostly of starter and a handful of whatever herbs you find in your crisper drawer. Plus, you can whip them up in about 10 minutes for a speedy weeknight dinner.
Get the recipe: Quick Sourdough Herb and Scallion Pancakes
Shop the recipe: Field No.8 Skillet
4) Sourdough Popovers
Sourdough discard is an unexpected addition to a breakfast treat that’s light, airy, and custardy. These five-ingredient popovers maintain that crisp exterior and soft interior, with the addition of sourdough's signature tang.
Get the recipe: Sourdough Popovers
Shop the recipe: Popover Pan
5) Sourdough Pizza Crust
The biggest flavor enhancement to your pizza crust? Sourdough! A smidge of instant yeast is added to give your dough a bit of insurance, but the nuanced, tangy flavor of sourdough will truly up your homemade pizza game.
Get the recipe: Sourdough Pizza Crust
Shop the recipe: Pizza Pan
6) Classic Sourdough Waffles or Pancakes
Breakfast classics like waffles and pancakes are one of our favorite ways to use sourdough discard. An overnight sponge adds a richer, more nuanced flavor than just the assertive tang typically associated with sourdough. Whether you choose waffles or pancakes, a light, airy interior is guaranteed. If you’re looking for a go-to sourdough pancake or waffle recipe, this is it.
Get the recipe: Classic Sourdough Waffles or Pancakes
Shop the recipe: Cuisinart Double Sided Belgian Waffle Maker
7) Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies
If you think you’ve tried every chocolate chip cookie recipe out there, consider reaching for your discard. Each ball of cookie dough is rolled in chopped chocolate to ensure melty puddles in every bite, and the baked cookies have an ideal texture, with crispy edges and soft middles.
Get the recipe: Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies
Shop the recipe: Valrhona Dark Chocolate and Valrhona Milk Chocolate
8) Sourdough Granola
Who knew you could use discard to bind your granola? Not only does the discard ensure the granola remains light and crispy (no rock-hard lumps here!) but using discard also means you can use less sweetener overall to bind the granola mixture.
Get the recipe: Sourdough Granola
Shop the recipe: Half-Sheet Pan
9) Do-Nothing Sourdough Bread
This recipe is as low-effort, high-reward as it gets. The artisan-style loaf is made with sourdough discard you can use straight from the fridge (though make sure your starter is healthy and ideally fed within the past week), and there’s no kneading and very little shaping required. If you’re newer to sourdough baking, start here.
Get the recipe: Do-Nothing Sourdough Bread
Shop the recipe: Brotform and Liner Set
10) Sourdough Zucchini Bread
What happens when you have a pile of zucchinis and a heap of discard to bake with? Enter Sourdough Zucchini Bread. Instead of the usual cinnamon flavoring, this recipe opts for lemon zest and nutmeg for a refreshing take on the original.
Get the recipe: Sourdough Zucchini Bread
Shop the recipe: Stone-Ground White Whole Wheat Flour and Nutmeg
11) Sourdough Cinnamon Crumb Cake
There’s no such thing as too much streusel, and this Sourdough Cinnamon Crumb Cake is a prime example of that. Discard makes a wonderful addition to this otherwise traditional breakfast cake, infusing its signature tang.
Get the recipe: Sourdough Cinnamon Crumb Cake
Shop the recipe: Pure Vanilla Extract
12) Sourdough English Muffins
It’s hard to go back to store-bought after a taste of these delightfully craggy, chewy English muffins. The recipe yields two dozen English muffins, so these are ideal for large families or meal prep that’ll last for weeks to come when stored in the freezer.
Get the recipe: Sourdough English Muffins
Shop the recipe: Baker’s Special Dry Milk
13) Sourdough Chocolate Cake
Discard (plus baking soda) gives this cake its loft and plush texture. If you're worried that it will make the cake too sour, fear not: The discard just enhances the cake's deep chocolatey flavor. There’s copious amounts of chocolate and coffee here: cocoa in the cake batter, espresso powder in the icing, and melted chocolate chips in the drizzle. It’s baked in a 9" x 13" pan and can feed a crowd, but you’d be surprised just how quickly this sheet cake disappears.
Get the recipe: Sourdough Chocolate Cake
Shop the recipe: Triple Cocoa Blend and Espresso Powder
14) The Simplest Sourdough Biscuits
Bake these sourdough biscuits enough times, and you can commit this recipe to memory: One part liquid, two parts butter, three parts sourdough starter, and four parts flour. They’re flaky, tender, and just tangy enough. Take YouTube host Martin Philip’s word for it: “It’s impossible to eat this with a frown, right?”
Get the recipe: The Simplest Sourdough Biscuits
Shop the recipe: Bench Knife
15) Sourdough Banana Bread
Make the most of two ingredients at the end of their life: overripe bananas and sourdough discard. Not only does the discard improve the bread’s flavor, but it also increases its shelf life so you can snack on this quick bread all week long.
Get the recipe: Sourdough Banana Bread
Shop the recipe: Vietnamese Cinnamon
Cover photo (Classic Sourdough Waffles or Pancakes) by Rick Holbrook, food styling by Kaitlin Wayne.
Looking for more sourdough education? Visit our guide: How to Bake Sourdough.
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