Sourdough Discard Waffles
These are the waffles I make on a lazy weekend morning when the discard jar needs emptying. Light, a little crisp on the outside, and just tangy enough from the sourdough to taste more interesting than a normal waffle. They also freeze beautifully, so this is one of the few discard recipes I’ll happily make a double batch of just to stock the freezer for busy weekday mornings. If your starter is active and freshly fed rather than discard, try my Active-Starter Sourdough Waffles instead, an oil-based batter built on active starter.
Which one is this?Compare both waffle recipes
Both waffle recipes are close cousins. Here is how they differ, so you can pick the right one.
- Active-Starter Sourdough Waffles59 min · Makes 4 Belgian waffles
Uses 227 g of fed active starter with avocado oil and Greek yogurt, for Belgian waffles.
You keep a fed starter and want Belgian waffles with no fermentation wait.
- Sourdough Discard WafflesYou are here40 min · Makes 6 waffles
Uses 1 cup of sourdough discard in a batter with all-purpose flour and melted butter.
You have discard to use up and want a quick classic batter.
Why You’ll Love It
- Uses a full cup of discard, fed or unfed
- Crisp on the outside, tender in the middle, with a subtle tang from the starter
- Comes together with a whisk and two bowls. No special equipment beyond a waffle iron
- Freezes and reheats beautifully straight from frozen in the toaster
- Easy to make dairy-free: swap the milk and use a dairy-free butter or oil, if that’s what you keep on hand
Ingredients
Volume measurements are included for convenience, but they’re approximate. A kitchen scale will always get you a more consistent batch, especially for the flour.
- All-purpose flour (1 cup): The base of the batter.
- Granulated sugar (2 tbsp): Just a touch, for browning and light sweetness.
- Baking powder (1 tsp): The main leavener, since the discard alone won’t give much lift here.
- Baking soda (½ tsp): Reacts with the discard’s acidity for extra lift.
- Fine salt (½ tsp): Balances the sweetness.
- Large eggs (2 large): For structure and richness.
- Milk (1 cup): Any kind works, dairy or plant-based.
- Unsalted butter (⅓ cup): Melted and slightly cooled before mixing in.
- Vanilla extract (1 tsp): Rounds out the flavor.
- Sourdough discard (1 cup): Unfed straight from the jar is perfect.
Equipment
Gear guides: Sourdough Equipment Guide·Kitchen Scales·Banneton Sizing·Scoring Tools·Storing the Loaf·Pizza Stone vs. Baking Steel·Shop All Picks →
- Waffle iron: Any standard waffle iron works; adjust cook time to your model.
- Wire cooling rack: Keeps cooked waffles from going soft while you finish the batch.
- Large mixing bowls: One for dry ingredients, one for wet.
- Whisk: for mixing the wet and dry ingredients smoothly.
Sample Schedule
Day 1
- Mix the batter and let it rest for 10 minutes while the waffle iron preheats
- Cook and serve warm, or cool and freeze the extras
Sourdough Discard Waffles
Method
- Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, then whisk in the discard, milk, melted butter, and vanilla.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk just until combined.
- Let the batter rest for 10 minutes while the waffle iron preheats.
- Cook the batter in a greased, preheated waffle iron according to the manufacturer’s instructions, until deeply golden and crisp.
- Transfer to a wire rack to cool slightly before serving, or cool completely before freezing.
Notes
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How to Make It
1Whisk the dry ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly combined.
2Whisk the wet ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, then whisk in the sourdough discard, milk, melted butter, and vanilla until smooth.
3Combine. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk just until combined. A few small lumps are fine and actually help keep the waffles tender.
4Rest the batter. Let the batter sit for 10 minutes while your waffle iron preheats. This gives the flour time to hydrate and the batter a chance to relax, which makes for a lighter waffle.
5Cook. Preheat and lightly grease your waffle iron. Pour in enough batter to cover about two-thirds of the surface, close the lid, and cook according to your iron’s instructions, usually 3 to 5 minutes, until deeply golden and crisp.
6Cool and serve. Transfer cooked waffles to a wire rack rather than stacking them on a plate. Stacking traps steam and makes them go soft. Serve immediately, or cool completely before freezing.
Tips & Troubleshooting
- Don’t skip the resting step. Batter that goes straight into the iron tends to make denser, chewier waffles. If your waffles are sticking, your iron probably needs a bit more grease, or a few more minutes of preheating before the first batch goes in. For extra crispness, cook them a minute longer than the iron’s indicator light suggests.
How to Store
Cool waffles completely on a rack before storing to avoid trapping steam. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days, or freeze in a single layer on a tray, then transfer to a freezer bag for up to 2 months. Reheat straight from frozen in a toaster or toaster oven until hot and crisp. A microwave will make them soft instead of crisp.
Nutrition
Nutrition values are estimates per waffle and will vary based on exact ingredients used.
300
CALORIES
36
CARBS (G)
8
PROTEIN (G)
14
FAT (G)
6
SUGAR (G)
Desi’s Notes
If you're doubling this for a freezer stash, cook the waffles slightly darker than you'd normally want to eat them right away. They crisp back up perfectly in the toaster, and starting darker keeps them from turning pale and soft on the second cook.
This is the discard version: flour, butter, and a cup of discard, fed or unfed. If you’d rather use active starter, my Active-Starter Sourdough Waffles use 227 g of it with oil, Greek yogurt and tapioca flour, and the batter doesn’t need the iron greased.
Another way to use discard is Sourdough Discard Apple Cider Donuts.
Another discard bake is Sourdough Discard Irish Soda Bread.
Another cracker made with discard is Sourdough Starter Discard Buckwheat Seed Crackers.
Before You Bake
Scaling this recipe up or down? Run your numbers through the Sourdough Calculator. And if you want a printable reference for troubleshooting or timing, browse all six Printable Quicksheets.
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