22 Sourdough Starter Discard Recipes (2024)

By: Author Julie Menghini

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If you find it difficult to throw away sourdough starter discard, here are some helpful tips on storing it, delicious recipes, and more creative uses.

22 Sourdough Starter Discard Recipes (1)

Sourdough Starter Discard doesn’t have to be thrown out. Add that tang to some baked crackers or a soft texture to cake and cookies. You’ll find the recipes for these and more right here!

What is a sourdough bread starter?

Bread starter is a combination of flour and water that with time develops bacteria and wild yeast that gives bread its rise.

Can I make my own bread starter?

You can make your own starter and bake with it in less than 8 days. Our Overnight Sourdough Starter post will show you everything you need to know.

Why would you want to use a sourdough starter discard in recipes?

Reduce Waste – Discarding sourdough bread starter between feedings just feels like a waste doesn’t it?

How long can you store sourdough discard?

Many bakers just add the discard to a tub and keep it in the refrigerator if they use it routinely or planning on using it soon.

Sourdough discard doesn’t need to be fed but it does have a shelf life. If you see any mold or an orange or pink tinge, it’s gone bad and it’s time to throw it away. A foul odor can also indicate that it has gone bad and shouldn’t be used.

My advice is not to keep sourdough discard unless you know you will be using it. Don’t be a bread starter hoarder!

22 Sourdough Starter Discard Recipes (2)

After feeding the stater, those little microbes go to town munching on the sugar provided in the new flour. Remember Pac Man? That’s what I envision.

The used sourdough starter loses its vigor once the food is depleted so it will not be sufficient for a beautiful loaf of bread unless it’s fed again but it still has enough energy to act as a leaven in baking goods that use baking powder or baking soda.

Sweet Sourdough Discard Recipes

Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies

Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies have a moist cake-like middle, slightly crispy outside, and delightful cookie flavor. This cookie recipe is the perfect way to use up your sourdough discard and treat your family.

Check out this recipe

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Sourdough Blondies – Baking Sense

Butterscotch blondies get a boost of flavor from sourdough discard. These blondies are both gooey and light at the same time.

Check out this recipe

22 Sourdough Starter Discard Recipes (4)

One Bowl Sourdough Banana Bread | BAKED

This one bowl sourdough banana bread is a fantastic way to repurpose your sourdough starter discard! It makes a fluffy, moist snack perfect with coffee.

Check out this recipe

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Cranberry Crumb Sourdough Coffee Cake | Sourdough Discard Recipe

Cranberry Crumb Sourdough Coffee Cake is a moist, buttery cake; with fresh cranberries providing tart contrast to double layers of rich crumb topping.

Check out this recipe

22 Sourdough Starter Discard Recipes (6)

Chocolate Chunk Sourdough Cookies | BAKED

These chocolate chunk sourdough cookies are a great way to use up some of your sourdough starter discard. Classic cookie taste with a slight tang!

Check out this recipe

22 Sourdough Starter Discard Recipes (7)

Bread and Homemade Muffin Recipes

Sourdough Blueberry Muffin Recipe with Discard

Serve these tasty sourdough blueberry lemon muffins as a stand-alone fast breakfast on your way out the door or make a batch to have as part of a delicious brunch for guests or family.

Check out this recipe

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Sourdough Morning Glory Muffins | BAKED

It may seem like these sourdough morning glory muffins have lots of ingredients, but most, if not all, are basic pantry and kitchen staples! Lightly sweetened with honey and molasses, they’re a-ok for a hearty morning snack.

Check out this recipe

22 Sourdough Starter Discard Recipes (9)

Sourdough English Muffins

Homemade Sourdough English Muffins are a delicious homemade bread. These muffins are not baked – they are cooked on a griddle!

Check out this recipe

22 Sourdough Starter Discard Recipes (10)

Sourdough Scones – Baking Sense

This classic buttermilk scone is given a little flavor boost with sourdough discard.

Check out this recipe

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Sourdough pizza dough – Caroline’s Cooking

Make pizza night even more delicious with this homemade sourdough pizza dough. Easy to make, with great flavor, plus don’t waste sourdough discard.

Check out this recipe

22 Sourdough Starter Discard Recipes (12)

Sourdough English Muffins

Sourdough English Muffins are a delicious use for sourdough starter removed when feeding and easy enough for novice bread makers.

Check out this recipe

22 Sourdough Starter Discard Recipes (13)

Pumpkin Spice Sourdough Scones | Sourdough Baking

These Pumpkin Spice Sourdough Scones smell like heaven, and they taste even better! 😋 Perfectly delicious ANY time of year!

Check out this recipe

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Cloverleaf Rolls Recipe (With Discard)

You are going to love this easy buttery soft and tender Old-Fashioned Sourdough Dinner Rolls Recipe with the discard from your starter.

Check out this recipe

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Breakfast Recipes

Sourdough Pancakes

Use your sourdough discard to make this amazingly delicious, light, fluffy, soft sourdough pancakes recipe.

Check out this recipe

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Cinnamon Sugar Sourdough Donuts Recipe – Baked

Enjoy these scrumptious baked sourdough donuts with cinnamon and sugar topping with a big glass of milk any time you want to give your family a special treat.

Check out this recipe

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Sourdough Pancakes {For the Absolutely Fluffiest Pancakes Ever!}

Sourdough pancakes have a delicious flavor & fluffy texture that you’ll fall in love with! These will become your family’s favorite breakfast.

Check out this recipe

22 Sourdough Starter Discard Recipes (18)

Easy and Quick Sourdough Donuts Recipe – The Gingered Whisk

This easy and quick sourdough donut recipe is the perfect way to use sourdough discard. Delicious donuts with a slight sourdough tang, these will become the favorite weekend breakfast for the sourdough lover!

Check out this recipe

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The BEST Overnight Sourdough Waffles – House of Nash Eats

These fluffy-crisp Sourdough Waffles have the most amazing flavor and texture and are made with your sourdough discard so nothing goes to waste! The overnight batter is made in advance so there is hardly any work to do in the morning to enjoy fresh, hot waffles!

Check out this recipe

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Sourdough pancakes – Caroline’s Cooking

These sourdough pancakes are not only a great way to use sourdough discard, they taste amazing. Incredibly light and fluffy, plus easy to make.

Check out this recipe

22 Sourdough Starter Discard Recipes (21)

Savory and Snacks

Sourdough Cheddar Cheese Rosemary Crackers

Delicious tangy, cheesy addictive, sourdough cheddar cheese rosemary crackers made with extra sharp cheddar cheese and fresh rosemary.

Check out this recipe

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Everything But The Bagel Sourdough Discard Crackers

These thin and crispy Everything But The Bagel Sourdough Discard Crackers are the perfect solution to your sourdough discard!

Check out this recipe

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Sourdough Crackers with Homemade Za’atar | BAKED

A simple rolled cracker recipe using discarded sourdough starter. A sprinkle of homemade za’atar spice takes the sourdough crackers to the next level.

Check out this recipe

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Make your own Starter Discard Recipe

Make your own recipe by replacing an equal weight or volume of flour and liquid for bakery recipes that use baking soda and/or baking powder.

For example, if I use a cup of starter, I reduce the flour and the liquid by 1/2 cup each since my starter is a straight 50/50 flour to water mix.

More useful ideas…

  • Sourdough Fried Chicken – Dip chicken in the sourdough starter.
  • Batter for other fried food such as shrimp or zucchini.
  • Frie Bread or Naan – Add starter in drops to fried oil for a donut or naan-like fry bread. Season with herbs or add cinnamon and sugar for a savory or sweet fry-bread.
  • Pie Crust – Starter will tenderize pie crust the way vinegar can. Use it for a savory pot pie.
  • Glue – Yep, my mother mixed flour and water together for our craft projects when I was little.

Recipes that use a starter

  • Overnight Sourdough
  • Sourdough Sandwich Bread
  • Multi-Grain Wheat Bread
  • Spelt Sourdough with Rosemary

I hope you’ll check back because we’re always adding to this list of amazing sourdough discard recipes and other creative ideas.

If you’ve got one we haven’t added, let me know! I’ll share it with our community.

Pin these amazing recipes!

22 Sourdough Starter Discard Recipes (25)

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22 Sourdough Starter Discard Recipes (2024)

FAQs

How much of your sourdough starter should you discard? ›

Experts recommend feeding a starter twice daily. And at each feeding, you hold onto 1/2 cup of your original starter, discard the rest, and then add its same weight in water and flour. With this schedule, you'd discard almost a cup of sourdough starter every day.

When can I use sourdough starter discard in recipes? ›

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.

How do you use 2 cups of sourdough discard? ›

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.

Can I use discarded sourdough starter to make more starter? ›

One of the amazing benefits of sourdough discard is that you can use it to create new starters, which are known as levains. These off-shoots from the mother starter can be used to experiment with different types of flour or given as a gift – there's nothing quite like sharing an entire ecosystem with your loved ones.

Do you have to discard starter every time you feed it? ›

It would be best if you discarded some portion of your starter each time you feed it unless you want to continue to let it grow. Eventually, you need to discard the used “food” (flour and water) that's been used to sustain your starter during the last fermentation period.

Can you use 2 day old sourdough discard? ›

Can I Use Old Sourdough Discard? You can use old sourdough discard if it's been stored in the fridge, however, you really want to use it up within a week - 2 weeks max. It's better to use "fresh" discard in a sweet sourdough discard recipe.

Can I use sourdough discard straight from fridge? ›

I prefer to use my discard within 7 days of keeping it in the fridge, otherwise, you risk too much sour flavor! To use sourdough discard that's been stored in the fridge, place it on the counter to warm up for 2-3 hours before using.

When can I save my discard? ›

When in the process of making a new sourdough starter you should not save the sourdough discard. During the beginning stages of making a starter it is more susceptible to mold and other bad bacteria. You will want to wait until the starter is doubling in size and bubbling with each feeding.

What can I do with day 3 sourdough discard? ›

What to do with sourdough discard? Don't throw it away! Instead, use it to make delicious and nutritious treats like pancakes, waffles, muffins, and bread. Sourdough discard is a great source of natural yeast and flavor, and can add a unique tangy taste to your baked goods.

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.

What is the biggest mistake you can make with your sourdough starter? ›

If you don't see bubbles, don't prune (discard), water and feed it! Give it time. The BIGGEST MISTAKE You Can Make With Your Sourdough Starter: Premature Discarding!

What is the biggest mistake with sourdough starter? ›

Make sure you maintain your regular feeding schedule and store your starter at a comfortable room temperature, as yeast dies at 60°C.
  • You bake your sourdough too soon. ...
  • You don't autolyse your dough. ...
  • You don't let the bread proof long enough. ...
  • You use unfiltered tap water. ...
  • You throw out your sourdough discard.

What happens if you don t discard half of sourdough starter? ›

Discarding some first allows you to add this fresh food, whilst maintaining your starter at a manageable size. Not discarding your starter will also affect the flavor of your starter. Not discarding before you feed will cause too much acidity which may eventually be detrimental to your microbes.

Why do you discard half the sourdough starter? ›

If you don't discard your sourdough starter, it will grow too big and be unmanageable. Not to mention you will go through an unmentionable amount of flour.

Should I discard liquid on top of sourdough starter? ›

But if there's a lot of liquid (say, more than half an inch or so), and especially if it's very dark, feel free to pour it off: not because it's “bad,” but because that amount of liquid may change your starter's hydration enough to make a difference in your baking.

Can you make sourdough starter without discarding? ›

Sourdough Starter Management: A Zero-Discard Method
  1. Ripe starter that is ready to use. ...
  2. Most of the starter goes into a dough and the remainder is fed. ...
  3. The starter is at least partially ripened and then refrigerated. ...
  4. Deciding whether and how to feed the starter again before the next bake. ...
  5. Ripe starter that is ready to use.
Mar 4, 2023

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