Sourdough Waffles

Instead throwing away sourdough discard, make waffles!

By
Donna Currie
A headshot of Donna Currie, a Contributing Writer at Serious Eats
Donna Currie

A longtime cook and baker, Donna Currie has written equipment reviews and bread recipes for Serious Eats.

Learn about Serious Eats' Editorial Process
Updated October 31, 2023
Two sourdough waffles on a plate with maple syrup.

Serious Eats / Ariel Kanter

Why It Works

  • Sourdough starter contributes its complex flavor to the batter.
  • Measuring the ingredients by weight leads to more consistent recipe results (though you can use the supplied volume measurements, if desired).

That sourdough starter you have bubbling away has more uses than just for bread. With each feeding of the starter, some is discarded, but that discarded portion can be used in other recipes, like these light and delicate waffles with a rich aroma and just a touch of tanginess from the sourdough starter.

The beauty of using starter for waffles is that the starter doesn't have to be completely active to still make a nice waffle. It's used for flavor more than anything else, so a sleepy starter from the fridge or a fiercely bubbling starter on the counter, or a new starter that's not quite ready; they're all just as good. After all, the baking powder in the recipe provides most of the lift.

The flavor you end up with will depend on your starter. A really mild starter will be much less assertive in the waffles than if you've got a seriously sour starter brewing. Either way, it's a great use for excess starter.

January 2011

Recipe Details

Sourdough Waffles Recipe

Prep 5 mins
Cook 25 mins
Active 25 mins
Total 30 mins
Serves 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

  • 5 ounces all-purpose flour, such as Gold Medal (1 cup, spooned; 142g)

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder (1/4 ounce; 6g)

  • 1 ounce granulated sugar (2 tablespoons; 30g)

  • 1 teaspoon (4g) Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for table salt, use half as much by volume or use the same weight

  • 2 large eggs (3 1/2 ounces; 100g)

  • 6 ounces whole milk (3/4 cup; 170g)

  • 8 ounces sourdough starter, unfed/discard (1 cup; 226g) (see note)

  • 1 1/2 ounces unsalted butter, melted (3 tablespoons; 40g), plus more for serving

  • Maple syrup, for serving

Directions

  1. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt until well combined.

  2. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, starter, and melted butter until well combined.

  3. Add dry mixture to wet mixture and whisk until just combined. (Depending on the thickness of the starter, you may need to adjust the batter's consistency. It should be the consistency of pancake batter. Add milk to thin it, if necessary.)

  4. Cook in waffle iron according to the manufacturer's directions. Serve right away with butter and maple syrup.

Special Equipment

Belgian or American waffle iron

Notes

You can use unfed/discarded starter that has been kept at room temperature or straight from the refrigerator. To read more about discarding, feeding, and maintaining a sourdough starter, please see our guide here.

Read More

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
336Calories
9gFat
57gCarbs
8gProtein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories336
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 9g11%
Saturated Fat 5g24%
Cholesterol 80mg27%
Sodium 407mg18%
Total Carbohydrate 57g21%
Dietary Fiber 2g7%
Total Sugars 23g
Protein 8g
Vitamin C 0mg0%
Calcium 141mg11%
Iron 2mg13%
Potassium 192mg4%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

More Serious Eats Recipes