Sourdough Blueberry Pancakes Recipe

Have you ever tried sourdough pancakes? Adding sourdough to your pancake batter not only adds a mouth-watering tangy flavor but also makes the pancakes easier to digest. When you pair that with the sweet and juicy burst of blueberries, you’ve got a breakfast that’s not only delicious but also nourishing!

Not your average pancake, blueberry sourdough pancakes combine fresh eggs, flour, sourdough starter and juicy blueberries to make the most amazing pancakes on the planet and in this post I’ll show you step by step how to make them!

Pssst…This is a dairy-free pancake batter, and if you use coconut oil for cooking, they are completely dairy-free!

To make these sourdough blueberry pancakes, you’ll need a sourdough starter (either homemade or store-bought). You can also use sourdough discard. You can find my quick guide to making your own sourdough starter at the bottom of this post!

It doesn't take a long time to make your own starter! But there are so many recipes available for easy sourdough starters that it can be hard to know which is best. I too have attempted and failed numerous times over the years until I was given the ultimate guidebook to baking, simply titled "Bread Bread Bread" and written by Martin Johansson. When you have your started going you can bake a whole range of sourdough breads!

  Fortunately, you don’t really need any specialized skills to make sourdough pancakes, you can’t really go wrong with this simple batter! 

SOURDOUGH BLUEBERRY PANCAKE INGREDIENTS

Blueberry sourdough pancakes don't require more than a few simple ingredients and are devoured so quickly in our house, so you might want to consider making double!

REMEMBER: Start preparations the night before so the batter ferment overnight and will be ready the following morning. 

• Sourdough
  – For this pancake recipe, you can either use sourdough discard or an active sourdough starter.
  –If you have enough sourdough discard then there are no overnight preparations and you can skip the first step of the recipe!
  –Store-bought sourdough sachets are great nowadays and simplify the process, just use the starter as you would a homemade sourdough starter in this recipe! 

Here is my Step by Step guide for homemade sourdough starter.

If you have a lot of sourdough discard making pancakes is an easy way to put it to good use! Sourdough discard can have a very sour flavor, depending on how old it is. We love the sour tang of sourdough but our family prefers to make these blueberry pancakes with refreshed starter. Using fresh starters also produces fluffier sourdough pancakes.

• Flour – You can feed your starter with any flour and use any flour for this recipe.
  All-purpose flour or whole wheat flour is fine for this sourdough recipe as you don’t need a lot of gluten to produce height as you would when baking bread.

• Eggs – Choose free-range eggs when you can! Preferably pastured eggs as they have a superior flavor and nutrition profile and are laid by happier hens! The eggs in this recipe assist the baking powder to give the pancakes a fluffy texture.

• Baking Powder – Adding a leavening agent will assist the sourdough in creating fluffy pancakes. 

• Butter –To prevent the pancakes from sticking to the pan and to add flavor, you will need to use a little oil or butter. I adore the saltiness of butter with these naturally sweet pancakes. You can also use ghee or coconut oil, or another vegetable oil as a dairy-free option!

• Fresh Blueberries – When in season, fresh blueberries are a real treat! You can of course also use frozen blueberries. Leave them in the freezer until just before you are to make the pancakes. This will ensure that they keep their form and don’t leak juice all over the pan. In this batch, I’ve used blueberries that we picked ourselves and frozen down. 

• Pure Maple syrup – It’s hard to beat a drizzle of real maple syrup over a stack of pancakes! Our neighbors have freshly harvested wildflower honey that is just as amazing, and this is what we use when we can. It feels good to use a product that’s locally produced, and it’s easy to freeze down to maintain its health benefits.

• Salt  

TOOLS YOU WILL NEED

• A large bowl – A large mixing bowl with a spout is really handy for portioning pancake batter on the pan. You can also use a jug or pitcher 

• A whisk or handheld beater.

• A wide spatula makes flipping pancakes much easier!

• Non-stick skillet, an iron griddle, or a cast-iron skillet. I prefer de Beyer Pans made of sheet steel with a beeswax finish. You can read post about why I love them so much here.

HOW TO MAKE OVERNIGHT SOURDOUGH PANCAKES

I normally like to weigh my ingredients when working with sourdough, but this recipe is so forgiving, so it's not necessary!

THE NIGHT BEFORE

1. FEED YOUR STARTER: (If you are using sourdough discard; you can skip this step)
-Measure out the flour in a large bowl.

-Add 1-2 tablespoons of active sourdough starter to the 1 cup water and 1 cup flour and mix thoroughly.
Cover the bowl with a plate or plastic wrap and leave the batter rest overnight at room temperature.

Depending on the temperature of your home, you may need to find a warm place. On top of the refrigerator is usually about right.  We keep our house quite cool, and I often  kick-start the sourdough by using finger-warm water.)

THE NEXT MORNING: 

2. Rinse your fresh blueberries if using, and set aside to drain.

3. Beat the eggs in a separate bowl together with the salt and baking powder.

4. Combine the egg mixture with the sourdough and use a whisk or beater to make a smooth pancake batter. You might even start to see bubbles forming on the surface of the batter. 

TOP TIP: If using discard for this recipe I recommend that you use a little extra flour to give these pancakes A lift. You can add an extra egg or splash of water if needed to get the right consistency. It should be a relatively thick batter. 

5. Heat the pan thoroughly over medium-high heat and add a little butter to the pan. You can test if the pan is hot enough by adding a drop of pancake batter to the pan. If it sizzles straight away, it’s hot enough. 

Top tip: It's important to thoroughly preheat the pan to prevent sticking and ensure even cooking of the pancakes. Du Beyer pans become really super nonstick when they are hot making them ideal for pancake making!

6. Transfer the mixture to a pitcher or use a ladle with a spout to pour the pancake batter onto the pan. I like to make quite small pancakes and use about a half a cup of batter (120ml) for 3 pancakes. You can, of course, experiment and find a size that you like.

-You should see some bubbles come to the surface of the pancake as it cooks. Sprinkle a few blueberries on top of each pancake; how many you use will depend on the size of your pancake. Frozen blueberries thaw quickly but may take a few seconds longer to heat up. When you no longer see fresh bubbles appearing on top of the batter, it’s time to flip the pancake. It will take around 2-3 minutes in total. You will see the top of the pancake start to stiffen.

7. Flip the pancakes and cook briefly for about 30 seconds. I usually have a circus of eager children ready to gobble these pancakes up but you. Can also keep them hot in a warm oven. 

Top tip: Flip pancakes once only! It can take a little practice to get the temperature right so that the pancake has time to almost cook through before you turn it over. Too hot and the pancake will burn on the underside. Flipping blueberry pancakes only once means you won’t have to clean the pan of burnt blueberry juice and your pan will stay fresh for the next batch. Repeat the process until all of the pancake batter is used up. 

8. Add a little extra butter or use a scrunched-up paper towel to give the pan a quick wipe with a little oil or melted butter. The pan will be hot enough at this stage to be really nonstick. Repeat the process until all of the pancake batter is used up. 

 

SERVING SUGGESTIONS

Serve these delicious sourdough pancakes as they are or with a knob of butter and a drizzle of maple syrup or honey. 

Fresh fruit and some whipped cream also complement the tangy flavor really well!

A fun variation to try:  Use a mixture of white chocolate chips and blueberries for a treat or special breakfast.

If you like your pancakes to have crispy edges – use plenty of butter or coconut oil!

HOW TO STORE THESE PANCAKES

Store in an airtight container for up to four days or freeze down for a quick and easy snack.

-Freeze in a single layer on a baking sheet. When frozen, transfer them to an airtight container.
Allow the pancakes to fully thaw, if frozen, before reheating them on the pan over medium heat. They won’t be as crispy as fresh pancakes but keep all of their flavor!

If you enjoyed this recipe, I would love it if you would give it 5 stars and let me know in the comments below!

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