Easy Sourdough Waffles
This recipe for easy sourdough waffles is exceptional - golden, crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside, with just the right touch of tang. The great part is that you don’t have to keep the batter overnight, the no-wait sourdough discard waffles are made in minutes!
If you’ve got sourdough discard sitting in your fridge, these waffles are must try! Adding sourdough discard to the batter makes them delicious, fluffy and utterly sublime.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Golden, light, airy - these sourdough discard waffles have the best texture!
- A delicious way to use that sourdough discard! It adds a lovely tang and depth of flavor that makes these waffles extra special!
- A zero-waste recipe! By the way, you can use the sourdough discard to make many more delicious things like sourdough banana bread, sourdough crackers, and sourdough peanut butter brownies.
- While this is a no-wait sourdough waffle recipe, you can make the batter the night before for even more flavor and ease! Just heat the waffle iron in the morning, and you're good to go!
- These vegan waffles work with everything! Load them with your favorite toppings: cinnamon honey butter, strawberry jam, fresh fruits, or even a dollop of vanilla ice cream!
Vegan Sourdough Waffles Ingredients
Flour: All-purpose flour is the best way to make crispy, fluffy waffles.
Sugar: I used granulated sugar to give the sourdough starter waffles a little sweetness.
Baking powder and baking soda act as leavening agents.
Sourdough starter helps the batter rise and adds that signature tangy flavor we love.
Milk: The liquid ingredient for this recipe. Since I made vegan sourdough waffles, I used almond milk. But any milk will do – dairy or non-dairy.
Oil adds a little fat for crispy edges and tender insides. Don’t like coconut oil? Use melted butter.
Cinnamon powder and homemade vanilla extract add a ton of flavors.
Please see the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities
Variations
Flour: You can use whole wheat flour for a heartier waffle. Or make them gluten-free by using buckwheat flour, like I did with apple cinnamon waffles.
Add-ins: The sourdough waffle batter can handle it all. Throw in poppy seeds like in my lemon poppy seed waffles. Or mix cocoa powder for a chocolate flavor as I did in my brownie waffles! Try chocolate chips, chopped nuts, or orange zest as in these cute gluten-free orange waffle cookies!
Savory versions: Reduce the amount of sugar and add cheese, spices, and herbs for a lovely savory version. My cheese waffles are always a hit for brunch or a light evening supper!
How to Make Easy Sourdough Waffles?
Step 1: Whisk the flour with salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon powder, and sugar.
Step 2: Mix sourdough starter discard, vanilla extract, coconut oil, and milk.
Step 3: Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Whisk till you have a smooth and lump-free batter with a thick, viscous consistency. Let the batter rest for 10-15 minutes.
Step 4: Follow the instructions given by your waffle maker, and then ladle the batter into the hot, well-greased cavities.
Step 5: Cook till golden brown and crisp.
Final step: Serve and savor!
Pro Tips
Make sure your waffle iron is HOT and well-greased! That’s how you make crispy sourdough waffles. Let the iron reheat between waffles.
Do not overmix the waffle batter. A few lumps here and there are just fine.
Do let the batter rest for 10-15 minutes. This allows the gluten to relax, resulting in tender, fluffy waffles.
Serving Sourdough Waffles
We enjoyed the sourdough waffles hot off the iron with fresh cherries and some peaches. A drizzle of maple syrup, a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar, and some roasted hazelnuts rounded off to make them a full breakfast.
You can serve them with a spoonful of apple butter, persimmon jam, or cherry jam. Enjoy with a chilled glass of mango matcha latte or a creamy cup of oatmeal latte.
Or turn them into a dessert with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, topped with Nutella or chocolate sauce!
Recipe FAQs
Can I use sourdough discard straight from the fridge?
Yes! You don’t need to bring cold sourdough starter discard to room temperature. You can mix it in directly.
Can I keep the sourdough waffle batter overnight?
Yes, for a stronger, tangier flavor (and ease) you can certainly make the batter the night before.
How to keep sourdough discard waffles crisp?
Don’t stack cooked waffles on a plate. The steam will make them soggy and soft. Place them individually on a wire rack in a single layer.
Can I freeze the sourdough waffles?
Yes, allow the waffles to cool completely and transfer them to a freezer bag. They'll stay well for up to 1 month. Reheat in a toaster.
More Sourdough Recipes
Recipe
Easy Sourdough Waffles
Equipment
- Waffle Maker
Ingredients
- 1 cup All-purpose flour
- 1 tsp Baking powder
- 1/4 tsp Baking soda
- 1 tsp Cinnamon powder
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 1 tbsp Sugar
- 1/3 cup Sourdough starter
- 3/4 cup Almond milk You can use any milk of your choice
- 2 tbsp Coconut oil You can use any oil you prefer
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
Toppings ( optional)
- Cinnamon sugar
- Hazelnuts
Instructions
- Combine all the dry ingredients - flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugar, and cinnamon powder, in a bowl.
- Mix the sourdough starter, milk, vanilla and coconut oil together. Pour into the dry ingredients. Whisk until smooth and thick. The batter should have a soft dropping consistency, like a cake batter.
- Let the batter rest for 10 -15 minutes.
- Preheat your waffle iron according to manufacturer's instructions.
- Grease the waffle cavities well and pour a ladleful of batter in the cavity. Let the batter cook for 4-5 minutes, until golden and crisp.
- Repeat with the rest of the batter.
- Serve warm with maple syrup or honey. Sprinkle some cinnamon sugar and chopped hazelnuts on top and enjoy!
Notes
- Make sure your waffle iron is HOT and well-greased! That’s how you make crispy sourdough waffles. Let the iron reheat between waffles.
- Do not overmix the waffle batter. A few lumps here and there are just fine.
- Do let the batter rest for 10-15 minutes. This allows the gluten to relax, resulting in tender, fluffy waffles.
Wonderful recipe, no going back to other waffle recipes now!! Will double it next time because we ate every bite!
Natasha Author
Awesome! I'm so thrilled to hear this,May. Thank you so much for the love.xoxo
Delicious! These waffles are a great way of using extra starter. I’ve made them several times now and they are the perfect consistency and reheat well in the toaster oven. Instead of the coconut oil I added 6 tablespoons of flax meal to the batter. My family really enjoys them!
Natasha Author
Oh wow! I'm so glad to hear that, Carol! Thank you so much for your support and kind words.🙏🏻
Adding flax meal is such a great way to also up the protein and fiber in the pancakes. I'll try doing that too!
This recipe is incredible! You swap out ingredients and still get a tasty, light and crisp waffle! I batch make these and freeze them! Thank you so much for sharing your delicious recipe!
Natasha Author
Thank you so much Megan for your wonderful comment! This really made my day! xx
I've made these twice and both times they ended up absolutely perfect! The second time I doubled the recipe and used half GF all purpose flour and half spelt flour and the consistency was amazing. This is definitely going to be my go-to recipe for discard! Thank you!
Natasha Author
I'm thrilled to hear this Madeline! Thank you very much for trying this recipe and making it your own. Nothing makes me happier!! xx
Such a great way to use my starter! Most vegan waffles don't end up having the right consistency, but these are so fluffy! I'm curious about the batter ratio with a Belgian waffle maker - that's what I used and I only got 3 waffles instead of 8. Is this normal, or did I mess up somewhere?
Natasha Author
Hi Josie, I'm thrilled to hear how well these turned out for you! Thank you for your lovely words and for following along.xx
So typically, Belgian waffle makers have a bigger grid ( more batter per waffle), the waffles you get from these will be thicker and larger than the regular waffles. I think that's why you got fewer waffles, though I bet they tasted way better than the regular ones I made!
A truly crispy crust and a incredible light and fluffy interior, these were the best waffles I've ever made, for sure! It's a super simple recipe to whip up in the morning, and I'm happy to be using my (not so active) sourdough starter. Thanks Natasha, this one's a keeper 🙂
Natasha Author
Hi Lara, I'm so happy you enjoyed this recipe. I love the idea of using the not-so-active sourdough starter in various recipes. It just adds so much flavor! Wish you a wonderful day and thank you for following along! xx