10 sourdough discard recipes (2024)

If you find yourself short on supplies for another loaf, put your sourdough starter to work with our recipes and tips. Wondering what to do with your sourdough discard? Discover creative ways to use up starter leftovers with pancakes, crumpets, and more.

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Alternatively, consider packaging it up as a thoughtful gift for a friend, complete with a copy of our sourdough bread recipe.

See our sourdough recipes for more ideas, and read our guide on sourdough for a detailed overview.

What is sourdough discard?

As the name implies, sourdough discard refers to a portion of the sourdough starter that is set aside. This step is undertaken prior to feeding – adding fresh flour and water – to regulate its growth and rejuvenate the acidity levels.

Sourdough discard is a blend of flour and water – essential components in numerous baked goods. While it may not possess the activity necessary to leaven sourdough bread, it boasts versatility. If additional rising power is needed, baking powder can be added.

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Explore savoury options such as crumpets, pretzels and pizza dough. Indulge your sweet tooth with delights like pancakes, muffins and cakes.

Dive into our favourite sourdough discard recipes below.

10 ways to use up sourdough starter

1. Sourdough crumpets

Add your sourdough starter to crumpet batter for a super light and airy texture. Try using our crumpet recipe for a fluffy, golden brown result.

See our crumpet recipes for more inspiration.

2. Sourdough crackers

Mix starter excess with seeds and toasted, raw quinoa then pour onto a non-stick baking sheet. The mix should be the consistency of porridge. Spread evenly, sprinkle with salt and then bake at 200C/180C fan/gas 6 for 10-15 mins until browned and crisp. Cool and snap into pieces.

3. Sourdough pancakes

Add your starter leftovers into pancake batter for a tangy flavour and added fluffiness. Try our simple sourdough pancakes recipe to use up your discard and make a delicious breakfast treat.

Find heaps of pancake inspiration with our pancake recipes.

4. Sourdough pizza

Take your pizza to the next level by incorporating sourdough starter into the dough base. When pan-fried or baked, this results in a wonderfully crispy and chewy crust. Try our margarita-style sourdough pizza recipe and switch it up if you like with your own choice of toppings.

5. Sourdough scones

Mix your sourdough starter into a batch of scones for some added texture and flavour. It goes well with our easy fluffy scones or these savoury classic cheese scones.

Find more scones recipes perfect for any afternoon tea.

6. Sourdough focaccia

The act of making focaccia is often every bit as joyful as the eating, and comes as no exception to this sourdough version. The delightfully soft and squidgy dough is given its characteristic dimpled appearance by softly poking the surface with your fingers before baking. Make sure your starter is fully active for this – it should be bubbly and a teaspoon of it will be able to float in water.

Rustle up one of our rustic focaccia recipes.

7. Sourdough toad-in-the-hole

Take a classic childhood favourite to the next level with the addition of sourdough starter. The starter will ensure it rises and becomes super light. Try a classic toad-in-the-hole recipe or our luxurious easy cheesy mustard toad-in-the-hole with broccoli.

Find more family favourites with our toad-in-the-hole recipes.

8. Sourdough hot cross buns

Give this classic Easter bake a tangy flavour twist with your leftover starter. Although these sourdough hot cross buns take a little more effort in terms of stretching and proving the dough, they are well worth it for the end result. Reserve some of your starter to pipe the signature cross on each of the buns before baking. They are glorious served warm slathered with butter.

Try more of our hot cross bun recipes ready for Easter.

9. Dusting powder

Use up your sourdough starter with this versatile dusting powder. Dry out the starter in a thin layer, then grind into a powder using a pestle and mortar. Use the powder to dust bread baskets or bread dough before scoring.

10. Sourdough cinnamon buns

These sourdough cinnamon buns are utterly irresistibly drizzled with a layer of creamy soft cheese icing. The subtle tang of sourdough starter forms a perfect balance to the characteristically sweet and sticky flavours in this Nordic bake.

Discover more of our cinnamon recipes for exciting new ways to use this storecupboard staple.

Enjoyed these suggestions? See more recipes and guides...

How to make sourdough bread
Best bread-making equipment
Sourdough recipes
Health benefits of sourdough
Bread recipes

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How will you use up your sourdough starter? Leave a comment below...

FAQs

How much sourdough discard to use? ›

Weigh out how much discard you want to add to the recipe (no more than 200g). Divide the weight into 2. Subtract this amount of flour and water (or other liquid) from the recipe. Add the sourdough discard in place of these amounts of flour and water.

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What can I do with all the sourdough discard? ›

Replying to @Sara Nicole xxo 4 things to do with sourdough discard!

replace 50g of liquid and 50g of flour with 100g of discard to create a sourdough discard recipe!
dry out your discard to create a backup starter that you can rehydrate in an emergency.
use it to bake bread!

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Aug 2, 2023

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Can you use day 1 sourdough discard? ›

Remember, you can't use the discard from your homemade sourdough starter for the first 7 days. You can use sourdough discard in all kinds of sourdough discard recipes, including these no wait sourdough recipes, overnight sourdough discard recipes and sourdough discard recipes that use up a lot of discard.

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What can I do with day 3 sourdough discard? ›

Sourdough discard works well in many baked goods that don't require lively yeast—flat foods like crackers, tortillas and pancakes. Or you can use it to flavor recipes that rely on leavening from other sources, such as active dry yeast, baking soda and baking powder.

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How long can you keep sourdough discard before it goes bad? ›

You can store mature sourdough discard in the refrigerator indefinitely. As long as there is no mold, it is good to use. It may develop a grayish liquid on top called “hooch” which can be poured off before use or stirred in. If you stir it in, the flavor will become more sour.

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Does sourdough discard have to be active to use? ›

It can be at room temperature or come directly from the fridge. The texture is less bubbly (if bubbly at all) when compared to fluffy active starter. Sourdough discard is not active enough to make bread dough rise, and despite its name the “discard” does not have to be thrown away.

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Does sourdough discard still have health benefits? ›

Yes, there are actually several health benefits to using sourdough discard in your cooking and baking. Sourdough discard is rich in probiotics, which can help promote a healthy gut microbiome and improve digestion.

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Can you make a new sourdough starter from discard? ›

Can I use sourdough discard to make a new sourdough starter? Absolutely! You can take a portion of sourdough discard and add a few grams of flour and a few grams of water to create a healthy active sourdough starter. You may need to feed your revived starter a few more times before its ready to make bread.

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What happens if I forgot to discard starter before feeding? ›

If you didn't discard a portion of your starter each time you feed it, two things would happen: Your starter would grow to an enormous, unmanageable size. Your starter would likely become more and more inhospitable to the bacteria and yeast we want as the mixture would become ever more acidic.

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Can I use sourdough discard straight from fridge? ›

Yes you can use sourdough discard straight from the fridge, you don't need to let it come to room temperature if you don't want to. What is this? If you are using it straight from the fridge it may be a little stiff or thick, so you'll need to ensure you mix it really well.

What is the difference between sourdough discard and sourdough starter? ›

Active sourdough starter is starter that has been fed water + flour and allowed to sit until it is bubbly and about doubled in size. Sourdough discard is after the starter has peaked, and it has started to come down. It is the portion that you would typically throw away before feeding again.

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Can you use cold sourdough discard? ›

You can utilize a cold starter in any sourdough discard recipe. These recipes don't require a sourdough starter for leavening, so you can use your starter directly from the fridge. These recipes offer a fantastic solution for using excess sourdough.

Can I use immature sourdough discard? ›

However, “discard” doesn't necessarily mean “throw out.” A two-to-three day old starter can be used to add amazing flavor and texture to a number of baked goods, even if it is not quite ready to make your dream loaf of sourdough bread.

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Can you use 2 week old sourdough discard? ›

How long can sourdough discard be stored? Best practice is to use the discard within 3-4 weeks, but if left longer it is okay. It just becomes more broken down and sour over time.

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Can you use 2 day old sourdough discard? ›

You can use 1-2 week old discard in “discard recipes”… think cookies, brownies, muffins, non-yeast breads, tortillas (pretty much anything that doesn't require active starter (aka wild yeast). I have TONS in my digital cookbook if you need some good recipes.

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Can you discard more than half of sourdough starter? ›

Nope! Once the sourdough starter is established on day 8, all you have to do is just give it flour and water. You no longer need to discard half of it.