10+ Quick Sourdough Discard Recipes to Whip Up Delicious Snacks Fast

If you bake sourdough, you probably end up with extra discard that’s just begging to be used. Quick sourdough discard recipes let you turn that leftover starter into snacks without waiting around or getting fancy.

It’s a win-win: you get fresh treats and cut down on food waste. Not bad, right?

These recipes are super simple and perfect for busy days when you just want something homemade without a hassle. Looking for snacks or a quick meal? You’ll find easy ways to make your sourdough discard actually useful.

Ingredients

• Sourdough discard
• Basic baking staples (flour, eggs, butter, etc.)

Cooking Instructions

1. Grab your sourdough discard and whatever else you need.
2. Mix things up following your chosen recipe.
3. Bake or cook as directed, usually somewhere between 350°F (175°C) and 425°F (220°C).
4. Enjoy your fresh sourdough snacks—no long wait, no fuss.

1) Sourdough discard pancakes

Sourdough discard pancakes are a classic way to give your leftover starter a purpose. They’re fluffy, a bit tangy, and you don’t need extra yeast or baking powder.

You can whip these up in about 15 minutes. Not bad for a homemade breakfast.

The pancakes have a gentle sourdough flavor that’s just different enough from the usual. Most people already have the ingredients at home.

To make them, just mix discard with flour, milk, eggs, and a little sweetener. Cook on a hot griddle until golden on both sides.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup sourdough discard
• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup milk
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon sugar or honey
• 1 tablespoon oil or melted butter
• Pinch of salt

Cooking Instructions:

1. In a bowl, mix discard, flour, and milk until smooth.
2. Add egg, sugar, oil, and salt; stir to combine.
3. Heat a skillet or griddle over medium heat (about 350°F / 175°C).
4. Pour batter onto skillet; cook until bubbles form on surface.
5. Flip and cook the other side until golden brown.
6. Serve warm with your favorite toppings.

If you want to see more, here’s a quick sourdough discard pancakes recipe.

2) Sourdough discard crepes

Sourdough discard crepes are a sneaky way to use up that extra starter. They’re light, thin, and you can fill them with whatever you want—sweet or savory.

The batter is just eggs, milk, discard, melted butter, and a tiny bit of salt. Whisk it all together, then cook in a hot pan.

Edges get crispy, centers stay soft, and they’re easy to fold or roll. Top with fruit, cheese, or syrup—whatever you’re craving.

Ingredients

• 200g sourdough discard
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 2 tbsp melted butter
• Pinch of salt

Cooking Instructions

1. Whisk eggs, milk, sourdough discard, melted butter, and salt until smooth.
2. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat (about 350°F / 175°C).
3. Pour a small amount of batter, swirl to coat the pan thinly.
4. Cook 1-2 minutes until edges lift, then flip and cook 30 seconds more.
5. Repeat until you use up all the batter.

3) Sourdough discard pizza crust

You can use sourdough discard for pizza crust, and it’s honestly one of the easiest ways to avoid waste. No extra yeast needed—the discard handles that.

Just mix discard with flour, water, salt, and olive oil. You don’t have to knead or let it rise for hours.

Shape the dough and bake at a high temp for a thin, crispy crust. Top it however you like.

Dust the baking surface with cornmeal or flour so it doesn’t stick. That little trick makes things easier.

Ingredients

• 1 cup sourdough discard
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup warm water
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Cornmeal (optional, for dusting)

Cooking Instructions

1. Mix sourdough discard, flour, warm water, olive oil, and salt in a bowl.
2. Stir until you get a rough dough—no kneading.
3. Turn dough onto a floured surface and shape into a pizza round.
4. Dust baking tray with cornmeal, put dough on it.
5. Add your favorite toppings.
6. Bake at 450°F (230°C) for 12-15 minutes until the crust is golden.

4) Sourdough discard chocolate chip cookies

You can make chocolate chip cookies with sourdough discard, and they come out soft and chewy. No long chill time, just mix, bake, and you’re done.

The discard adds a slight tang and keeps the cookies moist. If you want to level up, try brown butter or a pinch of sea salt.

This recipe is for a small batch, so you get that bakery-style taste without a ton of effort. Warm cookies in under half an hour—yes, please.

Ingredients

• 1 cup sourdough discard
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup chocolate chips

Cooking Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. Cream butter and sugar until smooth.
3. Add egg, vanilla, and discard; mix well.
4. Stir in flour, baking soda, and salt.
5. Fold in chocolate chips.
6. Drop spoonfuls onto a baking sheet.
7. Bake 10-12 minutes until edges are golden.
8. Let cool before eating.

Want more details? Here’s a sourdough discard chocolate chip cookies recipe.

5) Sourdough discard cinnamon bread

Sourdough discard cinnamon bread is a cozy way to use up extra starter. It comes together quickly and fills the kitchen with that classic cinnamon smell.

You barely have to knead or wait around for it to rise. The cinnamon gives every slice a sweet swirl—great for breakfast or a snack with coffee.

Just mix it up, bake in a loaf pan, and enjoy soft, slightly sweet slices. It’s a no-fuss recipe for anyone wanting fresh bread and less waste.

Ingredients

• 120g sourdough discard
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 large egg
• 1/3 cup milk

Cooking Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
3. Beat egg, then add sourdough discard, oil, and milk.
4. Stir wet and dry ingredients together until combined.
5. Pour batter into a greased loaf pan.
6. Bake 40-45 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
7. Let cool before slicing.

More ideas? Check out Farmhouse on Boone.

6) Sourdough discard popovers

Sourdough discard popovers are a fun way to use up that extra starter. They bake up light and airy with a crisp crust.

No kneading or proofing—just mix discard with eggs, milk, flour, and salt. Pour into a hot pan and bake until puffed and golden.

You can eat them plain or toss in some cheese and herbs if you’re feeling fancy. They’re a solid snack and help you cut down on waste.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup sourdough starter discard
• 1 cup milk
• 3 large eggs
• 3/4 cup flour
• 3/4 teaspoon salt

Cooking Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 450°F (230°C).
2. Whisk discard, milk, and eggs until smooth.
3. Stir in flour and salt.
4. Pour batter into a greased popover pan or muffin tin.
5. Bake 15 minutes at 450°F (230°C).
6. Lower oven to 350°F (175°C) and bake another 15-20 minutes.
7. Let cool a bit before eating.

7) Sourdough discard pasta

Making pasta with sourdough discard is honestly pretty satisfying. You only need flour, eggs, and your discard to make a fresh dough.

Mix it up fast and roll it out by hand. Cut into whatever shape you want—fettuccine, pappardelle, you name it.

No special gadgets required. Just cook in boiling water for a few minutes and you’re set.

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup sourdough discard
• 1 large egg

Cooking Instructions

1. Mix flour and discard in a bowl.
2. Add egg and stir until a dough forms.
3. Knead on a floured surface for 5 minutes.
4. Roll out thin, cut into shapes.
5. Boil in salted water for 2-4 minutes.
6. Drain and top with your favorite sauce.

Want to dive deeper? Here’s an easy sourdough pasta recipe.

8) One hour sourdough discard rolls

If you want fresh bread fast, these rolls are the answer. You can mix, shape, and bake them all in about an hour—no endless waiting or complicated steps.

The dough’s soft and a little tangy, thanks to the discard. You’ll end up with fluffy, golden rolls.

No special tools needed. Just follow the steps and you’ll have warm rolls to go with dinner, or honestly, just to snack on.

Ingredients

• 1 cup sourdough discard
• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 packet (2 ¼ tsp) instant yeast
• 1 cup warm water (about 110°F/43°C)
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp olive oil or melted butter

Cooking Instructions

1. Mix warm water, sugar, and yeast in a bowl. Let it sit for 5 minutes.
2. Add sourdough discard, flour, salt, and oil. Stir until it all comes together.
3. Knead the dough by hand just until it’s smooth.
4. Shape the dough into rolls and set them on a baking sheet.
5. Let the rolls rise for about 20 minutes.
6. Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 15 minutes, or until the tops turn golden.

9) Sourdough discard muffins

Sourdough discard muffins are honestly one of my favorite ways to use up leftover starter. They’re quick, and you can toss in just about any flavor—blueberry, chocolate chips, you name it.

These muffins have a gentle tang from the sourdough and somehow stay soft for days. You mix your discard with eggs, sugar, and melted butter. Add in some milk and whatever mix-ins you’re feeling that day.

Bake them at 350°F (175°C) and you’ll get that golden top and a soft, almost cake-like middle. They’re great for breakfast or a snack, honestly.

If you want a recipe that’s easy to follow, check out this one for easy sourdough muffins.

Ingredients

• 1 cup sourdough discard
• 1 large egg
• 4 tbsp melted butter
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips or blueberries

Cooking Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. In a bowl, mix sourdough discard, egg, melted butter, and milk.
3. In a separate bowl, stir together flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
4. Add the dry mix to the wet mix and stir gently—don’t overdo it.
5. Fold in chocolate chips or blueberries.
6. Spoon the batter into muffin cups, filling each about 3/4 full.
7. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick poked in the center comes out clean.
8. Let the muffins cool a bit before eating.

10) Sourdough discard waffles

Sourdough discard waffles are such a smart way to use up extra starter. They’re fast—no waiting around for the batter to rise.

The sourdough gives them a tiny bit of tang, which is honestly a nice change from regular waffles. Sometimes I’ll add cinnamon or vanilla if I’m in the mood.

They come out crisp on the outside, soft inside. I usually just grab my discard from the fridge, mix it with eggs, milk, and flour, and pour the batter straight into a hot waffle iron.

You can top them with fruit, syrup, or whatever you like.

Ingredients

• 1 cup sourdough discard
• 1 cup milk
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon oil or melted butter

Cooking Instructions

1. Preheat your waffle iron.

2. In a bowl, whisk together the sourdough discard, milk, and egg.

3. Toss in the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Stir it up, but don’t overthink it—just mix until everything comes together.

4. Pour in the oil or melted butter and give it a quick mix.

5. Scoop some batter onto the hot waffle iron.

6. Let it cook for about 3-5 minutes, or until the waffles turn golden and crisp.

7. Serve them warm. Top with whatever you love—fruit, syrup, maybe even a dollop of whipped cream if you’re feeling fancy.

Honestly, this recipe makes breakfast way easier, especially when you’ve got sourdough discard to use up.

Want more ideas or tips? Check out this Quick Sourdough Discard Waffles Recipe.