Nearly every weekend I have the kids vote: Pancakes or Waffles?

Since the era of my sourdough obsession, this is my go-to recipe when waffles are the winner. They’re a riff on my original Sour Cream Waffles recipe (which has racked up 20 million plus views on YouTube!) bringing all that good sourdough gut health and added tang to the table. Same buttery, crisp exterior and light and fluffy inside.

sourdough discard waffles with berries and syrup

New to sourdough? Check out my Sourdough 101 Guide.

Why These Waffles Are Somethin' Special

Sour cream is the secret to the texture. The acidity in the sour cream activates the baking powder for a serious lift, while the fat content keeps the interior tender.
Cake flour = lighter crumb. Less protein means less gluten development, which translates to a delicate, light interior. All-purpose works too (see the tip below), but cake flour is worth seeking out for the texture difference.
No overnight rest required. Unlike some sourdough discard waffle recipes, these don’t need to ferment overnight. You can have them on the table in about 30 minutes.

What kind of sourdough discard should I use?

Any 100% hydration discard works here. It can be freshly unfed or several days old from the fridge. Older discard will give a more pronounced tang; fresher discard is milder. Both are great.

How to Make Sourdough Discard Waffles

Step 1: Organize your ingredients and combine all of the dry ingredients together.

Step 2: Whisk together the sourdough discard, eggs, sour cream, milk, and vanilla until smooth and combined.

wet and dry ingredients folded together in a mixing bowl

Step 3: Add the dry ingredients to the wet and fold gently with a spatula until just combined. A few lumps are completely normal.
Then fold in melted butter until mostly incorporated. Batter should be thick but pourable. Adjust with a tablespoon of milk if too thick, or a tablespoon of flour if too thin.

Step 4: Preheat your waffle iron according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Add batter and cook until the steam stops coming out of the sides of the iron. Transfer cooked waffles to a wire cooling rack rather than stacking them on a plate. Steam trapped underneath = soggy bottoms. The rack lets it escape so you get that crispy exterior all the way through.

discard waffles topped with butter, syrup and berries

Step 5: Serve with your favorite toppings! Butter, zero sugar syrup and berries for me.

Tips, Swaps & Make-It-Your-Way Options

Can I use all-purpose flour? Yes! Substitute 1¼ cups (about 163 g) of all-purpose flour for the cake flour. Because AP flour has more protein, the batter will be slightly thicker and the waffles a bit chewier, but still delicious. Be extra careful not to over-mix.

What kind of sourdough discard should I use? Any 100% hydration discard works here. It can be freshly unfed or several days old from the fridge. Older discard will give a more pronounced tang; fresher discard is milder. Both are great.

Can I swap the sour cream? Full-fat plain Greek yogurt works in a 1:1 swap and adds a bit more protein to the batter. The texture will be very similar.

Dairy-free option: Use a dairy-free sour cream or plain coconut yogurt, oat milk or almond milk in place of whole milk, and vegan butter. The flavor will be slightly different but the technique is the same.

Joanie's Balanced Bites

These waffles come with a happy dose of protein (nearly 8 grams per waffle) and fat from the egg and sour cream. However, if you're minding your glucose levels, there are two things I keep in mind with waffles:

Maple Syrup: Obviously this is a must along with a pat of melty butter! I prefer to use Zero Sugar maple syrup to help curb the glucose response.

Balancing the carbs: Studies show that you can reduce blood sugar spikes when eating carbs by pairing them with fiber, fat and protein. Some things I like to pair with my waffles for more stable energy include bacon or chicken sausage, a healthy dollop of green yogurt (protein and fat) and lower-glycemic berries like raspberries, blackberries or strawberries. Add even more fiber with a chia pudding or make these savory with guacamole (avocados are fiber rich!) and eggs.

Mr. Simon is a fan of schmearing them with lotsa peanut butter.

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Sourdough Discard Waffles

Why These Waffles Are Somethin' Special

What kind of sourdough discard should I use?

How to Make Sourdough Discard Waffles

Tips, Swaps & Make-It-Your-Way Options

Joanie's Balanced Bites