Healthy Vegan Sourdough Discard Pancakes

(Pan-Crepe Style, Naturally Sweet, and Freezer-Friendly)

If you’ve been wondering what to do with your extra sourdough discard, these healthy vegan pancakes are one of my favorite answers. They’re soft, lightly sweet, and thinner than your typical pancake—almost like a crepe and a pancake had a baby. I call them “pan-crepes,” and they’re one of the most repeated recipes in my kitchen.

These pancakes are:

• Naturally sweetened (no refined sugar)
• Plant-based and egg-free
• Freezer-friendly and easy to reheat
• Toddler approved—my daughter begs for them and will eat four or five in one sitting!

Why You’ll Love These Sourdough Discard Pancakes

These aren’t your average thick and fluffy diner-style pancakes. Instead, they’re thin and bendable like crepes, with a satisfying chew and gentle sweetness that makes syrup totally optional. (Though if you do want syrup, I highly recommend my Vegan Buttermilk Syrup—it’s made with dates and tastes shockingly similar to the real thing, just without the butter or refined sugar.)

This is a great way to use up sourdough discard that might otherwise go to waste, and it’s so easy to double the recipe and stock your freezer for busy mornings.

Ingredients

• ¾ to 1 cup plant milk (start with ¾ cup and adjust as needed)
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 2 tbsp maple syrup (or sweetener of choice)
• ½ cup sourdough discard
• 1 cup flour (I like using ½ cup whole wheat and ½ cup all-purpose)
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• ½ tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp salt
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

Note: The thickness of your discard may affect the batter. Start with ¾ cup plant milk and adjust as needed to reach your desired consistency.

Instructions

1. Prep the vegan buttermilk:
   In a small bowl or measuring cup, mix the plant milk and apple cider vinegar. Let it sit for 10 minutes to curdle.
2. Mix the dry ingredients:
   In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
3. Combine wet ingredients:
   Add the sourdough discard, maple syrup, vanilla, and the plant milk mixture to the dry ingredients. Stir gently until just combined.
4. Cook:
   Preheat a nonstick skillet or griddle over medium-low heat. Lightly grease if needed. Scoop about ¼ cup of batter per pancake and spread gently (the batter will be thicker than crepe batter, but thinner than traditional pancake batter). Cook for 2–3 minutes until bubbles form and edges look set, then flip and cook another 1–2 minutes.
5. Serve or freeze:
   Serve warm as-is, or with your favorite toppings. Let leftovers cool completely before freezing.

Freezing & Reheating Tips

These pancakes freeze beautifully and reheat like a dream.

To freeze:

1. Let pancakes cool completely.
2. Stack with a small square of parchment paper between each one to keep them from sticking.
3. Store in an airtight container or freezer-safe bag.

To reheat:
Just pop them straight into the toaster (no need to thaw!), or warm them in a skillet until heated through. They’re soft, flexible, and perfect for quick breakfasts or snack time.

Final Thoughts

When I first created this recipe, I thought I might tweak it to be fluffier—but I ended up falling in love with the pan-crepe texture just the way it is. They’re cozy, kid-friendly, and a perfect way to use up sourdough discard without any waste. They are perfect for an on-the-go breakfast because they have just enough sweetness to them that you don’t have to add syrup (unless you want to!)

They’ve become a freezer staple in our house—and honestly, one of the most requested breakfasts by my toddler. Whether you roll them up with fruit, eat them plain, or drizzle on that date-sweetened syrup, I hope you love them as much as we do!