Yummy Sourdough Pancakes

If you keep a sourdough starter, this is the breakfast you’ve been training for. A cup of active or recently fed starter goes straight into the batter alongside one egg, evaporated milk, oil, sugar and a teaspoon of baking soda. The soda reacts with the lactic acid in the starter, and the batter foams and bubbles within seconds.

That reaction is the entire point. The CO2 puffs the pancakes up tall and lacy while the wild yeast adds that signature tangy backbone you just cannot get from buttermilk alone. The evaporated milk does what regular milk would do, but with more body and a slight caramel note that plays beautifully against the tang.

Drop big spoonfuls onto a hot griddle right after mixing. The leavening is at peak power for the first two or three minutes only. Let it sit and you lose the lift.

Pro Tips

• Use starter that’s been fed and is actively bubbly. Sluggish starter makes flat pancakes regardless of how much baking soda you add.
• Cook over medium heat, not high. Sourdough pancakes brown faster than regular ones because of the natural acids breaking down sugars.
• Resist the urge to flip early. Wait until the bubbles on top stop popping and the edges look set.
• This is also a great use for sourdough discard. Substitute discard one-for-one for active starter and the recipe still works.

Variations

• Stir in blueberries, sliced banana, or chocolate chips after the foaming starts.
• Use buttermilk in place of evaporated milk for an even tangier version.
• Top with lemon curd and powdered sugar instead of maple syrup for a brunch-worthy finish.