Maybe you've been making sourdough bread for years, or perhaps you've just started exploring your baking skills. Regardless of whether you're a veteran or newbie, you've undoubtedly gone to feed your starter, removed some discard, and thought, "What a waste of good discard." But what if you could use your sourdough discard to make wonderfully tasty recipes?
Luckily, tons of recipes out there put your discard to good use. It won't make a loaf of bread rise, but you can use it in everything - from pretzels and pancakes to quick bread and even chocolate cake!
A staple in Indian homes, rotis are unleavened flatbreads that are just about the perfect way to use sourdough discard. They don't need the rising action of a fed starter, so you can use your discard for flavor and texture. If you want a more robust sourdough flavor, let the dough sit in the fridge overnight. Serve with a spicy curry!
Crispy, crunchy crackers are a great way to use sourdough discard. Flavored with rosemary and parmesan, you can easily mix this cracker dough by hand or use a stand mixer. You can get a cracker roller tool, but these rustic crackers are more fun and have a lot of charm. Serve with a tangy dipping sauce.
Tons of Everything Bagel seasoning adds a lot of flavor to these crispy little crackers. Cut into larger sizes to serve on a charcuterie tray or cheese platter or set out with dip at your next party. You can make these 5 days in advance and store them in an airtight container.
Focaccia is a great way to get started with baking bread, and this recipe requires minimal work. Supplement the starter discard with some fresh yeast to get a spongy, crisp bread, and bake in a sheet pan. You can go wild with toppings - try caramelized onion and goat cheese, tomato and herb, or olives.
Warm and chewy soft pretzels almost always bring back fond memories. These sourdough pretzels take your childhood favorite to a whole new level. Top with salt for a traditional flavor, or spice it up with some Everything seasoning, olive oil. and herbs, or cheese. A simple brush of butter with a sprinkle of sugar also works beautifully.
If you prefer crunchy pretzels over soft ones, check out this easy sourdough discard recipe! You can flatten the dough to make crisps or leave it rolled for traditional-style hard pretzels. These are great for dipping into salsas, dips, or cream cheese, so go ahead and make a lot!
Make your own gourmet pizza at home with a robust and chewy sourdough discard pizza dough. This crust stands up well to a range of sauces, meats, and cheeses, so don't be afraid to try out well-aged cheese and bold toppings. You can make a large pizza or individual-sized ones for a party pizza bar.
If light and fluffy pancakes are your jam, this 5-minute recipe will serve a platter of spongy, light pancakes made with sourdough discard! Serve them with traditional butter and syrup, berries and powdered sugar, or a fruit compote. You won't walk away feeling overstuffed or bloated from this satisfying breakfast.
A common food in Australia and New Zealand, pickelets are made from a thicker batter than a pancake. They are also a more savory treat, similar to a crumpet, and good for all-day eating. The sourdough discard interacts with baking soda to give these pikelets a gorgeous rise. Feel free to add some chopped bacon, chives, or cheese to the batter for added flavor.
Crisp on the outside with a tangy, soft inside, these English muffins are so easy to make that you'll never want to buy them from the supermarket again! Sourdough discard makes these muffins irresistible chewy when toasted, and the flavor is mild enough to go with butter, jam, cream cheese, or with eggs Benedict.
Soft, tender, and crumbly, these cherry and walnut scones made with sourdough discard are elegant enough for tea with friends as well as a family breakfast. Change up the fruit for chocolate or nuts for seeds, or warm spices like cinnamon and even candied ginger would taste divine. Serve with butter or clotted cream for a full British effect.
If you love Chinese food, you've probably tried scallion pancakes at least once. These savory cakes are filled with fresh scallions and pan-fried, making perfectly crisp and soft pancakes. Add the soy sauce, ginger, pepper, and sesame oil right to the sourdough discard and fry them with a topping of sliced scallions and sesame seeds.
Delicate crepes with sweet or savory fillings are such a treat! Make these sourdough discard crepes the night before for the best and most intense flavor, or right before cooking for a lighter taste. Fill with ham, cheese, and herbs for a filling breakfast, or serve with fruits, jam, or chocolate sauce for a sweet dessert.
Fluffly, light sourdough rolls that don't taste sour will become an instant addition to your meal rotation! This recipe calls for sourdough discard and fresh yeast and can go from the mixer to the oven in around two hours. Brush them with lots of butter right out of the oven to keep these rolls soft.
These buttery, glossy hamburger buns are great to make when your starter is just starting out because the recipe also uses some fresh yeast. You can leave these in the fridge for up to 24 hours after shaping, and the finished product freezes incredibly well. Try making different-sized rolls for all your sandwich needs.
Buttery soft and delicious, these sourdough crescent rolls are very easy to make. The hardest part is rolling the dough out into a circle! Use this dough for any recipe that calls for refrigerated crescent roll dough, including cheeseburger pie and assorted appetizers.
This Irish soda bread is leavened with baking powder and baking soda, so the only use of sourdough discard here is for flavor. It is a quick and easy loaf that doesn't require any rising or any special pans. Just mix it, shape it, and bake it. Serve warm with butter and jam or with a delicious soup or stew!
Sweet orange and spicy cardamom are brought front and center in these muffins that incorporate sourdough discard. While this recipe is vegan, you can also make the muffins with eggs and milk in place of plant milk and egg replacer. Topped with orange juice and powdered sugar glaze, these delightful muffins can also be stored in the fridge for a quick breakfast.
Sourdough discard makes a tempura batter that is light and airy and fries up crispy with a little sour taste. Use this with a variety of veggies for a vegan appetizer, or to coat chicken or fish at your next Japanese-themed meal. The homemade tomato jam is the perfect accompaniment to these crispy bites.
Looking for a fun and creative way to use up some apples or a new recipe for your weekend breakfast? Break out your discard, a frying pan, and fresh apples, and try these easy fried apple rings! Perfectly deep-fried and topped with cinnamon sugar, these crispy treats will be loved by kids and adults alike.
Sourdough and granola may seem like a strange pairing, but this recipe will change your mind! The sourdough discard makes the granola light and crisp and adds flavor without too much sugar. Use your own blend of dried fruits, nuts, and seeds to satisfy your cravings.
This versatile recipe for chewy homemade granola bars can accommodate whatever fruit, nuts, seeds, and other add-ins you have in your pantry. The sourdough discard adds flavor without making the bars hard. And if you prefer crunchy bars over chewy, go ahead and bake them for a little more time, but be careful not to burn them.
You'll never use another recipe after you try these thumbprint cookies! A classic holiday favorite, thumbprint cookies are made with a plain dough filled with jam or chocolate and dusted in powdered sugar. Sourdough discard offers the same benefits as sour cream or cream cheese, resulting in a perfectly soft, tender, and toothsome cookie.
Delicious blueberry muffins are a home baker's staple, and with this recipe, you will find yourself skipping the coffee shop muffin. These perfectly baked muffins have a touch of tang, a cornmeal crunch, and loads of sweet berries. You'll fall in love with the first bite! Try with raspberries, peaches, or strawberries for variety.
These slightly sweet, slightly salty, absolutely scrumptious peanut butter cookies vary from the "traditional" cookies in two ways - sourdough discard and natural peanut butter. Most recipes want you to use regular peanut butter for fat and moisture, but the discard takes care of that! These cookies are best consumed the next day.
These amazing chocolate cookies take advantage of the natural leavening power of sourdough discard and omit the baking soda! This results in exceptionally moist and chewy cookies that are doubly good because of using double the chocolate. Make these for your family and watch them disappear in no time!
A flexible recipe, you can either use discard or ripe, fed starter. This is good because if you need a cake but don't have any discard, you can still use this recipe. It's an easy recipe to create a dense, crumbly cake with delicious flavor, topped with a coffee and dark chocolate drizzle.
Delicious chocolatey gooeyness abounds in these brownies! This recipe is more time-intensive than others, but it is so worth it when you bite into the crisp meringue-like top. Adding sourdough discard cuts the richness and keeps these brownies beautifully tender. This will fast become your go-to recipe.
With the addition of sourdough discard, this already-moist carrot cake becomes a little bit lighter than the dense carrot cakes you're used to. Pineapple and coconut add texture, and a delicious cream cheese frosting adds the perfect amount of sweetness. Both the cake and frosting call for nuts, but you can leave these out or try switching the walnuts for pecans.
In this recipe, the sourdough discard goes a long way towards making the cake soft with a tender crumb. The recipe also uses less sugar than a traditional cake, so you can add a lemon glaze without overdoing it. This cake freezes well, so make two and stash one away; surprise company will love this with fresh berries.
Perfectly soft and decadently delicious, this crumb cake has all the features that aficionados love - sweet and buttery topping atop a moist and tender cake. Unfed discard will infuse a more tangy flavor, while recently fed discard will be milder; experiment and see what you like the best. And the cinnamon sugar topping adds just the right amount of sweetness.
Soft texture and full flavors are the hallmarks of this easy-to-make apple cake. A little bit of lemon juice, zest, and some jam of your choice added before cooking the apples enhances the overall taste without needing to use a ton of sugar or spices. Topped with crunchy almond slices, it's a great fall cake.
It's time to re-live a fun county fair experience right in your home kitchen! Funnel cakes are classic fair and carnival food. In this recipe, they get a boost with some tangy sourdough flavor. Go ahead and load up on fun toppings. Whipped cream, chocolate sauce, cinnamon sugar, or toasted nuts - the options are endless!
