Bacon Pancakes

These aren’t your standard pancakes. They’re built on sourdough starter, which gives the batter a subtle tang that pairs brilliantly with the smoky, salty crumbled bacon mixed right in. If you’ve got active starter on your counter, this is one of the best ways to use the discard.

The batter comes together quickly: starter, egg, crumbled bacon, oil, and sugar, with flour added until the thickness is where you want it. The real trick is the baking soda. It gets dissolved in a tablespoon of water and folded in gently just before cooking. That last-minute addition reacts with the acid in the sourdough starter and gives the pancakes an immediate, vigorous lift on the griddle. Mix it in too early and the reaction fizzles out before the pancakes hit the heat.

Small rounds, 2 to 3 inches across, cook more evenly than large pancakes and are easier to flip. Two to 4 minutes on the first side until bubbles form and the edges look set, then 2 more minutes on the flip. The bacon bits get extra crispy where they touch the hot griddle surface, adding little pops of crunch throughout.

Kitchen Tips

• Use sourdough starter that’s been fed recently for the best rise. Old, neglected starter still works for flavor but the lift won’t be as impressive.
• Fry the bacon crispy before crumbling. Soft bacon goes chewy once it’s trapped in the pancake batter.
• Don’t overmix. A few small lumps are fine. Overmixed pancake batter develops gluten and makes tough, flat cakes.

Variations

• Add a handful of shredded cheddar to the batter for bacon-cheese pancakes.
• Swap the sugar for a tablespoon of maple syrup stirred into the batter for deeper sweetness.
• Top with a fried egg and skip the syrup entirely for a savory breakfast stack.