The Best Sourdough Discard Waffles

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These Sourdough Discard Waffles are golden, crispy and fluffy in all the right ways. If you are looking for an easy way to use up some of your starter, these waffles are a satisfying way to do it.

Looking for more sourdough discard recipes? Try these fluffy Sourdough Discard Pancakes or these Sourdough Discard Blueberry Muffins.

I’m going to come right out and say it: this is the best sourdough discard waffle recipe. It makes golden waffles with a crisp exterior, fluffy center and incredible flavor. Every time I’ve made these for someone their eyebrows go up when they take that first bite. The contrast between crunchy, fluffy and sweet is downright addictive; and the sourdough adds a depth of flavor that’s hard to resist.

My sourdough starter is over a decade old. It’s hard to believe that I’ve been feeding it twice a week, then baking with it, since before my kiddo was born!

If you don’t have sourdough starter it’s easy to get one going: you can buy dry starter like this one from Cultures for Health. They have a good reputation and their site has many tutorials showing you how to activate and take care of your starter. Once you get it going, there is really only one rule of thumb: don’t forget about it. I feed my starter twice a week, on Saturday mornings and mid-week. It takes a few minutes and allows me to make flavorful treats like these sourdough waffles.

What You’ll Need

• Sourdough discard – This recipe uses unfed sourdough starter, so it is called “sourdough discard.” You will need 1 cup of discard for this recipe, so this is a good one to use when you have been feeding your starter for a month or two and have built up your supply.
• Milk – You can use cow milk, oat milk or soy milk.
• Melted butter – Although I typically treat butter and oil as interchangeable ingredients, that is not the case here. Use butter. Your tastebuds will thank you.
• Sugar
• Eggs – If you are using store bought eggs, then you will need 2 “large” eggs. If you are using eggs from your flock, then you will need either 2 large eggs or 3 medium eggs. It depends on the size of eggs your hens lay.
• All-purpose flour
• Baking powder
• Kosher salt

How to Make Sourdough Discard Waffles

• Turn on your waffle maker so it can heat up. I also heat my oven to 200F and place an oven-safe plate inside. The cooked waffles are placed on the plate to keep warm while I finish cooking.
• Combine wet ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the discard, milk, sugar, eggs and melted butter. Mix well. Make sure that your melted butter is warm, not hot before adding it to the bowl.
• Mix and add dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and kosher salt. Mix briefly, then add to the bowl with the wet ingredients. Stir until there are no large lumps or bits of dry batter visible.
• Add batter to waffle maker: Spoon batter into your waffle maker. How much batter you use will depend upon the size of your waffle maker. In my regular American waffle maker, I use about 1/2 cup of batter per waffle. In my deep Belgian waffle maker, which makes thicker/larger waffles, I use about 3/4 cup of batter per waffle.
• Cook: The cook time will also depend on your waffle maker and how much batter you are cooking at once. In my American waffle maker, these are ready in about 2 minutes. In my Belgian waffle maker, they are ready in 3 minutes.
• Serve: Add your favorite toppings and dig in!

How Do I Know When My Waffles Are Done?

The cook time varies according to the kind of waffle maker you have and how much batter you are using. So, the best way to tell is by color. These waffles are done when they are light golden brown.

If you want to do some testing and make notes for the future, I suggest timing the first waffle. Spoon the batter into your waffle maker, set a stopwatch timer, then start checking the waffle after 2 minutes. When it is golden, remove it from the waffle maker and then gently cut a small hole in it with a knife. If the outside is golden and the insides are fluffy, it’s done. Make note of that time for the future.

Topping Ideas

Waffle toppings are pretty much the same as pancake toppings. The only difference is that waffles have all those nooks and crannies to catch the toppings and let the flavors mix together for that perfect bite. Some topping suggestions:

• Maple syrup or honey
• Whipped cream – If I have a few extra minutes, I like to make this homemade maple whipped cream.
• Fruit – Any kind of berry, sliced peaches or diced mango. If I have some, I like adding black raspberries, currants, huckleberries or gooseberries. We have berry bushes for these, but at the right time of year you may also be able to find them at your local berry farm.
• Chocolate sauce or caramel sauce
• Jam or fruit butter
• Fruit Sauce – Spoon some homemade strawberry sauce or blueberry sauce onto your waffles. Yum!

How to Store and Reheat Extras

Let your waffles come to room temperature, then store them in the fridge in an airtight container. I like to place pieces of parchment paper between each waffle to prevent them from sticking together. They will keep in the fridge for 3-4 days.

When you are ready to reheat your waffles, just pop them in an oven heated to 350F for about 5 minutes.

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More Easy Breakfast Ideas

• Fluffy Multigrain Blueberry Pancakes
• Blueberry Scones with Maple Glaze
• Spinach and Cheese Croissant Strata
• Mile High Popovers