Christmas is the time when many people like to indulge in something special. These Spiced Pancakes with Sourdough Discard are the perfect breakfast to enjoy with family on the most magical morning of the year with their intoxicating aroma of spices and cinnamon, also because they allow you not to feel too heavy before family lunches, as there are no fats or proteins. They are suitable for vegans and also for celiacs of course using suitable flours and an appropriate sourdough starter.
They are also an alternative way to use the sourdough discard, which is the part that is discarded before refreshing, the part that should be thrown away because it is in contact with the air. There are many recipes that can be made with the discard, here are some links to check out! And if I’ve piqued your interest, let’s put on the apron and prepare the Christmas breakfast!
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very cheap
- Rest time: 4 Hours
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 7
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter
- Energy 3,128.06 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 400.47 (g) of which sugars 382.16 (g)
- Proteins 65.65 (g)
- Fat 138.99 (g) of which saturated 0.03 (g)of which unsaturated 0.09 (g)
- Fibers 25.92 (g)
- Sodium 7,282.33 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 49 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
Making spiced pancakes with sourdough discard allows you to get creative, varying the type of flour, choosing to use dairy milk instead of plant-based milk, changing (or omitting) spices and aromas, increasing the sugar or not… in short, you can go wild! The advantage of using spices like cinnamon allows you to be sparing with sugar because the sweetness will be amply covered by the aroma. In the advice section, I will share the results of my (many) tests!
- 80 g sourdough starter (2/3 days discard)
- 140 g almond milk
- 40 g water
- 120 g type 1 flour
- 25 g brown sugar
- 3 g ground cinnamon
- 1 packet vanillin
- 1 pinch salt
Tools
The tools needed to make spiced pancakes with sourdough discard are few, simple, and found in every kitchen. Here they are!
Alternatively, a mixer or Thermomix works well. I often make them in the TM31 because they are easy and quick to make.
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Pan
- 1 Fork
- 1 Ladle
- 1 Lid
- 1 Paper towel
- 1 Mixer Bimby
Steps
The procedure for making these pancakes is the same as any pancake, except for the initial part where you have to dissolve the sourdough discard. But it’s nothing difficult!
In a bowl, crumble the discard and add a third of the mix you previously made with water and plant-based milk.
Start mashing and mixing the starter into the liquid with a fork. This might be the most tedious step: the discard must dissolve and incorporate into the liquid, though it’s not necessary for it to become perfectly smooth.
At the end of the process, it should look like this: dissolved but not completely (a few lumps will not affect the success of the recipe) and with lots of bubbles showing how active the sourdough starter is.
Add the brown sugar and mix well, dissolving it.
After sifting the chosen flour (or the mix you decided to use), pour it into the bowl in several stages alternating with the remaining liquids.
Continue mixing until all the liquid and flour are well combined.
Add the selected spices to the batter. I chose to add a sprinkle of cinnamon and pisto, a mix of various spices used for many preparations that is perfect for Christmas.
Also, add the vanillin or other chosen flavor and mix well with the fork. The mixture should be fairly smooth and dark. Finally, add a pinch of salt.
Like all things made with sourdough starter, this batter needs a little resting time to activate. You can leave it at a temperature of 70–72 degrees Fahrenheit for three or four hours and then cook, or cover it with a lid in silicone and store it in the fridge until it’s time to cook, though no longer than overnight (max 8 hours).
I’ve tried both methods and I must say it’s very convenient to wake up in the morning with the pancake batter ready in the fridge!
When ready to cook, pour a teaspoon of vegetable oil into the pan and spread it with a paper towel. Turn on the heat, wait for the pan to get hot, and pour a ladle of batter in the center.
Put the lid on and set the flame to medium/low. After a couple of minutes, uncover and check the pancake: if bubbles have formed, it’s time to flip it gently but decisively with a fork (or a spatula). Cover again with the lid; in this way, the pancake will puff up, becoming nice and fluffy.
Stack all the spiced pancakes with sourdough discard on a plate until all the batter is used up.
This recipe yields 5–7 pancakes (depending on how much batter is poured for each pancake).
Advice, Variations, and Suggestions
As I have already mentioned, spiced pancakes with sourdough discard lend themselves to various modifications. I have tried using 2/3 of the total with type 1 flour and the remaining with almond, to enhance the flavor of the plant-based milk. If you want to omit the spices, you can make a mix with coconut flour to give an exotic flavor.
Once cooked, the pancakes can be kept covered for a couple of days. They are excellent with jam, peanut butter, or mixed nuts (here is my recipe to make it at home without added sugars!) and certainly also with maple syrup. If you liked this recipe, come tell me on Instagram what you would eat them with! I’ll be waiting for you!
