Sourdough Blueberry Pancakes

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Sourdough blueberry pancakes have all the best qualities of this breakfast favorite; they’re tender, fluffy, golden, and buttery with a mild sourdough tang and bubbly pockets of fresh blueberries.

a stack of sourdough blueberry pancakes with a pat of butter and honey on top. The pancakes are on a white plate.

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There’s so much to love about this recipe. These pancakes have amazing flavor and texture. They’re buttery and tender, with the lightest sourdough tang, just enough to know the discard is there.

The discard adds moisture and is put to good use when I make up a big batch! These freeze well and are easily served as a future breakfast when doubled or tripled.

We always have plenty of discard, so you’ll often find sourdough discard cinnamon rolls in the oven, sourdough discard English muffins kept on the countertop, or a batch of sourdough chocolate chip cookies ready for snacking.

I love that this recipe offers another great opportunity to incorporate a kitchen staple in a super tasty way. If you’re not into sourdough yet, learn more about it with my post on how to care for a sourdough starter!

This sourdough pancake batter is made up quickly, and it’s essentially a one-bowl recipe. (The butter needs melted separately, but otherwise, it’s all in one bowl!) Mix it up gently, cook them on a hot griddle, then serve with butter and pure maple syrup – or your own favorite toppings – for a delicious breakfast.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Quick breakfast – These tasty blueberry pancakes can be mixed up and cooked right away, which means a pancake breakfast doesn’t have to be saved for a weekend brunch.

Basic ingredients – Made with simple pantry staples, chances are you don’t have to run to the store to make this recipe. You also know everything that goes into your food, unlike the complicated ingredients list on a box of pancake mix. Straightforward and simple, but so delicious.

Tender, fluffy pancakes – This isn’t your average pancake recipe. The sourdough adds a deeper flavor and a tender texture, and the blueberries add bright little pockets of sweetness.

Ingredients

Sourdough discard: You can use active sourdough starter for a milder flavor, or sourdough discard for a stronger tang.

Milk: Any kind of milk will work here.

Flour: I use unbleached, all-purpose flour.

Butter: Butter should be melted and cooled a bit before adding to the batter. Salted or unsalted is fine.

Blueberries: Berries can be fresh or frozen.

A full ingredient list with exact amounts can be found in the recipe card below.

side view of a stack of sourdough blueberry pancakes on a stone plate.

How to Make Sourdough Blueberry Pancakes

Dry ingredients in a glass bowl with a whisk.

Step 1: Begin by melting 1/4 cup (half of a stick) of butter and setting it aside to cool. Add flour, salt, and baking soda to a large bowl and combine.

Adding milk, melted butter, sourdough starter, and egg to the dry ingredients in a bowl.

Step 2: Add the sourdough discard, milk, eggs, cooled butter, and honey to the dry ingredients, then whisk until just combined. The batter may still be somewhat lumpy which is just fine.

a pancake with blueberries frying on a cast iron skillet.

Step 3: Heat the skillet over medium heat. Add a small amount of butter to the hot skillet, then ladle about one-third of a cup of batter onto the melted butter. I like to use a measuring cup for this. Sprinkle over a few blueberries, arranging them evenly over the pancake.

fluffy sourdough blueberry pancakes on a fork.

Step 4: Cook until the edges begin to set and bubbles appear across the batter. This may take several minutes. Flip, then continue to cook for 1-2 minutes on the other side. Keep the cooked pancakes in a warm oven until ready to serve. Serve warm with more fresh berries, fruit topping, homemade yogurt with honey, or maple syrup.

Tips

Avoid overmixing the pancake batter, and aim to only flip them once while cooking. Too much stirring, or flipping too many times, can cause the pancakes to be flat.
For thinner, less fluffy pancakes, you can add a splash more milk to thin the batter.
Start your skillet out on medium-high heat, but if the pancakes are cooking too hot or burning easily after the first round or two, reduce the heat to medium-low or low heat.
To get things moving quickly, I use more than one skillet and have lots of pancakes cooking at once.
You can swap the blueberries out for raspberries, chopped strawberries, blackberries, or oven chocolate chips.

Recipe FAQs

How do you know when to flip pancakes?

You can tell a pancake is ready to be flipped when the edges begin to set and multiple bubbles develop across the top of the batter.

How should I store leftover pancakes?

Cooled pancakes can be placed in an airtight container and kept in the fridge for several days, or in a freezer-safe bag or container (separate them with parchment paper so they don’t stick together) for several months.
To reheat from refrigerated, the oven or toaster are great options. To reheat from frozen, let them thaw and then place on a cookie sheet in the oven at a low temperature to warm up.

What can I do with my sourdough discard?

Sourdough discard can be used in so many recipes! For inspiration, browse my list of 15+ healthy sourdough discard recipes.

When do you add berries to pancake batter?

Fresh berries can be stirred gently into the pancake batter right before you cook them.
Frozen berries will change the color of your batter if stirred in (they still taste great!). If you want to avoid purple pancakes, you can sprinkle the frozen berries on top of each pancake as they cook. Use a spoon, or you’ll end up with purple fingertips!

More Sourdough Recipes from the Farmhouse

If you try this recipe and love it, I would love it if you could come back and give it 5 stars! Tag me on Instagram @farmhouseonboone.