Sourdough Discard Waffle Recipe (Quick + Easy)

Crisp and light, easy and delicious, this sourdough discard waffle recipe is the perfect breakfast to wake up to!

I love this sourdough recipe because it requires no added flour, ensuring that my kiddos wake up to a fully fermented breakfast.

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These light and crispy waffles feature two cups of discard, two eggs, butter, and vanilla, making them a perfect breakfast option.

The resultant waffles are light, bubbly, and delicious.

I love quick and easy recipes (especially at breakfast time), and these tasty waffles fit the bill. This recipe uses just one bowl for mixing, making for quick morning cleanup.

I adapted this recipe from an old-fashioned sourdough waffle recipe in the Alaska Sourdough book. I love that it takes advantage of the easy to digest, fully fermented flour in sourdough discard.

Since the fermentation process breaks down the gluten in the flour, these waffles are easier to digest. Discard is an excellent source of fiber and probiotics, as well.

Let’s dive into how to make these delicious sourdough waffles. Read the tips section to get the most out of this recipe!

Ingredients For Sourdough Discard Waffles

This recipe requires just a few simple ingredients:

• 2 cups sourdough discard (or active): While some recipes add flour to waffle discard recipes, this specific recipe skips the flour and features discard only.  I recommend that your sourdough starter be fed the day prior and you use fresh discard. You can also use active sourdough.

• Eggs (2): Eggs add protein and structure to this recipe

• 1 Tsp vanilla: A hint of vanilla adds a lovely hint of sweetness to this sugar-free breakfast.

• 4 Tablespoons Melted Butter: Butter is the holy grail of foods in our household, we never have enough of it! The butter in this recipe will make the waffles extra crisp and delicious. You can sub with 1/4 cup melted coconut or olive oil if needed.

• 1/2 Tsp Salt

• 1 Tsp Baking Soda: A teaspoon of baking soda allows the sourdough batter to rise. Dissolve the baking soda in one tablespoon warm water to distribute it more evenly in the batter.

Baking Tips + Notes

• This waffle batter may seem a bit runny. The baking soda should fluff it up quite a bit, though.
• Dissolve the baking soda in one tablespoon of warm water to help it dissolve evenly. (Optional).
• Fold in the baking soda rather than beating or mixing. Use your spatula to apply many gentle folds, and watch the rising action!
• This recipe yields four full-size waffles. You can double or triple the recipe; create the desired amount by mixing flour, water, and sourdough starter the day prior.
• Give the batter a quick mix before cooking each new waffle to give them more structure.

If you are looking fore more easy recipes, try our quick sourdough bread recipe here and our quick pancake recipe.

How To Make Sourdough Waffles

Here’s how to make this delicious discard recipe:

Plug in your waffle maker, grease it, and crank it up to the highest setting. Melt butter and cool slightly. 

Add melted butter, sourdough, vanilla, and eggs to a large bowl and mix very well.

Optional: Dissolve one teaspoon of baking powder into one tablespoon of warm water and mix well (I use my pink finger to swirl it around and dissolve).

Add baking soda to the waffle batter and gently fold over and over. Soon, you should see the batter bubble up and rise! (It’s fun and satisfying to watch the batter come to life, kids enjoy it!).

Spoon batter onto the hot waffle iron, filling it to the edges. Bake until desired crispness (4-5 minutes for our waffle maker).

I like to give the batter a quick stir in between each waffle- we get lighter, fluffier waffles doing so.

Enjoy fresh for the best flavor and crunch!