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Whip up light and flavorful sourdough banana pancakes in 20 minutes using this simple recipe! This is a great way to use up sourdough discard and ripe bananas in one delicious sourdough pancake recipe.

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Sourdough Discard Pancakes

Sourdough discard pancakes are pancakes made with sourdough starter that has not been fed.

Sourdough discard recipes like this one are a great way to use up your discard rather than throwing it out.

Personally, I like to make sourdough banana pancakes on a weekend morning at the same time that I feed my starter. Half my starter becomes pancakes, half becomes active starter ready to make bread!

For this sourdough pancake recipe, you can also use active and bubbly starter, if desired.

How to Make Sourdough Banana Pancakes

If you’ve ever made homemade pancakes before, then making homemade sourdough pancakes will feel very similar. For this recipe, bananas become the main wet ingredient and add a wonderful sweet flavor and moist texture.

This recipe yields 12 small pancakes.

Sourdough Banana Pancake Ingredient List

First, gather your ingredients.

• 2 medium very ripe bananas, mashed
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1/4-1/2 cup flour (more or less depending on your batter consistency)
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1 Tbs sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup sourdough discard (bring to room temperature if stored in the fridge)
• Butter or coconut oil for frying

Recipe Directions

Start by ensuring your eggs and discard are brought to room temperature.

Combine your dry ingredients in a bowl and set aside: 1/4 cup flour, 1/2 tsp. cinnamon, 1 Tbs. sugar, and 1/4 tsp. salt. (Add in the remaining 1/4 cup of flour if your batter isn’t thick enough after combining the wet ingredients.)

Next, mash two very ripe bananas. You can do this with a potato masher, fork, or a quick spin in the blender. (Just don’t over-blend.)

Once your bananas are mashed, add in the eggs, vanilla and sourdough discard. Mix lightly.

Finally, add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix just until combined. Do not over-mix or it will create a gummy texture (see FAQs below).

Let your batter rest 15-30 minutes.

Heat a skillet over medium heat and grease the skillet with a butter pat, coconut oil, or cooking spray.

Then, use a 1/4 cup measuring cup to scoop your sourdough banana pancake batter into the skillet. Cook for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes and then check for browning. You should start to see the edges set up and bubbles form.

Once the first side has cooked, flip to the other side and cook another minute. Try to avoid flipping back and forth. Let the first side cook longer to set the middle of the pancake and then finish on the second side with a shorter cook time.

Place your pancakes on an oven-safe plate and keep in a warm oven until all the pancakes are cooked. Enjoy!

Best Pancake Toppings

Most of my family prefers to use simple and straight forward butter and maple syrup for these sourdough banana pancakes. However, there are quite a few yummy ways to dress them up!

Try these pancake topping combinations.

• Peanut butter and syrup
• Bananas and raspberries
• Blueberries and pecans
• Powdered sugar and mini chocolate chips
• Homemade jam (Check out my no canning required recipe!)

Homemade Sourdough Pancake FAQs

Why are My Pancakes Mushy Inside?

There are several reasons your pancakes could be mushy inside, but the top two most common culprits are undercooked and/or over-mixed batter.

Undercooked Sourdough Banana Pancakes

Undercooked pancakes will result in a mushy middle. The most common reason pancakes are undercooked is incorrect pan temperature. If you cook your pancakes on high heat, you will brown the outside quickly before the middle is set, causing you to flip too soon.

Conversely, if your pan is lukewarm, then it allows time for the batter to soak in your cooking oil/butter. This can cause a gooey texture in the middle.

Ideal Temperature for Cooking Pancakes

Fry your sourdough banana pancakes on a steady medium heat to ensure optimal results.

If you are using a high power burner, lower the heat to compensate.

If you are using an electric griddle, heat to 375 degrees Fahrenheit for the best temperature to cook pancakes.

Over-mixed Pancake Batter

Another culprit of gummy pancakes is over-mixed batter.

When you mix batter too much it can cause gluten strands to begin to form, causing a gummy texture.

Why Are My Sourdough Pancakes Tough?

Tough sourdough pancakes are another outcome of over-mixed batter.

As the gluten forms, it can alter the texture to be more bread-like.

Mix your sourdough pancake batter just until combined for best results. Any flour lumps will cook out in the end.

Should You Let Pancake Batter Rest?

Another factor that may cause mushy pancakes is if you didn’t let the batter rest prior to cooking.

Letting pancake batter rest for 15-30 minutes allows the ingredients to meld and the flour to absorb the wet ingredients. This makes a fluffier resulting pancake.

Free Printable Recipe Card

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Sourdough Recipe Book

If you’re looking for more sourdough recipes, make sure to check out these recipes next!

• Whole Wheat Sourdough Bread
• Small Loaf Artisan Sourdough
• No Knead Loaf Pan Sourdough Bread

And, if you’re looking for a homemade pancake recipe that isn’t sourdough, make sure to check out this delicious Pumpkin Pecan Pancake recipe.

You can also visit my recipe archives here.

Thanks for stopping by the blog today!

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~Sarah