The Best Sourdough Pancakes

a stack of sourdough pancakes topped with a pat of butter and maple syrup on a white plate that rests on a blue and white checked towel

4.71 from 1006 votes

These fully fermented sourdough pancakes are fluffy and tender with irresistible, crispy edges. Made with six simple ingredients, they are not only easy and quick, but also so delicious when topped with butter, maple syrup, raw honey, or fruit topping.

Prep Time5

Cook Time4

Total Time9

Course: Sourdough

Cuisine: American

Keyword: breakfast, pancake, sourdough, sourdough pancakes

Servings:

Author: Lisa Bass

Ingredients

2 cups active sourdough starter
2 eggs
1/4 cup neutral oil
2 tablespoons honey
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
neutral oil for frying

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Mix the sourdough starter, eggs, oil, honey, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add the baking soda last and watch the starter foam up.
To achieve those crispy pancake edges, preheat a tablespoon of oil or butter in a cast-iron skillet on medium heat. After it is hot enough to produce a sizzle, pour 1/2 cup of batter right onto the hot oil. At this point, turn the stove down to medium-low heat so that the pancake can cook through without the bottom burning. Remember the “flip only one time” rule.
After the top is nice and bubbly and no more bubbles are being produced, give the pancake a flip. This may take 2 to 3 minutes. After flipping, cook for another 30 seconds to a minute, until cooked through and golden brown.
Keep the cooked pancakes in a warm place as you finish the rest of the batter. You can use a heat-safe dish in the oven on the lowest heat setting. Serve pancakes warm with your favorite toppings and enjoy!

Notes

The key to crisp edges is cooking the pancakes in a preheated cast-iron skillet with melted oil or butter. Only flip them once!
If you plan to add blueberries or chocolate chips, place them into the uncooked side while the cakes are cooking.
You can prepare this batter the night before, but I recommend waiting until the next morning, just before cooking, to add the baking soda.
The first pancake rarely turns out well. No worries. This is the time to adjust the heat to make sure it is not too hot or too cool.
You can tell a pancake is ready to flip when all the bubbles have popped and no more bubbles are forming.
If you need a gluten-free option, try this recipe for sourdough buckwheat pancakes.

Nutrition