Overnight Sourdough Pancakes
These overnight sourdough pancakes are light, fluffy, and full of delicious homemade flavor. Mix the batter the night before, let the sourdough ferment overnight, and you’ll have an easy breakfast ready to cook in the morning. Made with sourdough discard, buttermilk, and simple pantry ingredients, these from-scratch pancakes are delicious topped with maple syrup, my raw milk butter recipe or homemade buttermilk syrup. If you like these, you'll also want to learn how to make pumpkin pancakes.
Quick Look: Overnight Sourdough Pancakes
- ⏱️ Prep Time: 10 minutes
- 🍳 Cook Time: 15 minutes (Plus 12 hours overnight ferment)
- 🕒 Total Time: 12 hours 25 minutes
- 👥 Servings: 18
- 📊 Calories: ~ 132 kcal per serving (based on nutrition panel)
- 🔥 Cook Method: Cast iron skillet on stovetop.
- 👩🍳 Flavor Profile: Bright, gently tangy pancakes with a soft, fluffy crumb and a rich, subtly fermented depth of flavor.
- ⭐ Difficulty: Simple steps, minimal prep, and reliably delicious results every time.
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Why You'll Love These Overnight Sourdough Pancakes
- Perfect for busy mornings: Since most of the work is done the night before, you can have a warm homemade breakfast on the table with very little morning prep.
- Make them the night before: Mix the batter before bed and let it ferment overnight, so breakfast is quick and easy the next morning. If you love make-ahead sourdough breakfasts, try my best sourdough waffles next.
- Light and fluffy: Buttermilk, sourdough, baking powder, and baking soda work together to give these pancakes a soft, fluffy texture with lightly crisp edges.
- A great way to use sourdough discard: Instead of throwing away extra starter, turn it into a delicious homemade breakfast. You can also use extra discard to make these easy sourdough discard crepes.
- Simple ingredients: You only need basic pantry and refrigerator staples to make a big batch of pancakes from scratch. Serve them with homemade buttermilk syrup for an extra-special breakfast.
- Easy to customize: Add blueberries, chocolate chips, cinnamon and apples, pumpkin spice, or your favorite pancake toppings. For another seasonal breakfast option, try this sourdough french toast recipe.
Ingredients
- Vanilla - I use my homemade vanilla extract recipe.
For a full list of ingredients needed to make this recipe, see the recipe card below.
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How To Make This Overnight Sourdough Pancake Recipe
1. Mix the Overnight Batter. In a large mixing bowl, combine the sourdough starter, buttermilk, flour, and the other ingredients called for in the overnight portion of the recipe. Stir until everything is well combined.
Cover the bowl and let the batter sit at room temperature overnight.
2. Finish the Batter. The next morning, add the remaining ingredients to the fermented batter. Stir just until combined. A few small lumps are fine, so be careful not to overmix the batter.
3. Heat the Pan. Preheat a cast iron skillet or griddle over medium heat. Add a little butter, oil, or your preferred cooking fat.
4. Cook the Pancakes. Pour the batter onto the hot pan, using about ¼ cup of batter for each pancake.
Cook until bubbles begin to form across the surface and start to pop. The edges should look set and lightly golden.
Flip the pancakes and cook the other side until golden brown and cooked through.
5. Serve the pancakes warm with butter and real maple syrup, or try them with homemade buttermilk syrup, fresh berries, whipped cream, or your favorite pancake toppings.
Tips for Making Overnight Sourdough Pancakes
- Use an active sourdough starter or discard: Both work well in this recipe, so it is a great way to use extra starter you have on hand.
- Don't over-ferment the batter: Let the batter rest overnight, but avoid leaving it at room temperature for much longer than needed. If your kitchen is especially warm, check the batter in the morning.
- Use a hot griddle or cast iron pan: Preheat your pan before cooking so the pancakes begin cooking right away and develop lightly golden, crisp edges.
- Don't flip too early: Wait until bubbles form across the surface and the edges look set before flipping the pancakes.
- Don't press down on the pancakes: Pressing them with your spatula can knock out some of the air and make them less fluffy.
- Adjust the batter if needed: Sourdough starter can vary in consistency. If the batter seems unusually thick in the morning, add a small splash of milk or buttermilk to loosen it.
- Keep cooked pancakes warm: Place finished pancakes on a baking sheet in a warm oven while you finish cooking the remaining batter.
- Freeze extras: Let leftover pancakes cool completely, then freeze them in a single layer before transferring them to a freezer-safe container. They make a convenient homemade breakfast for busy mornings.
- Try different toppings: Serve them with real maple syrup, homemade buttermilk syrup, fresh berries, whipped cream, or homemade butter.
Overnight Sourdough Pancakes FAQs
Yes! Sourdough discard works great in overnight pancakes and is an excellent way to use up extra starter. The overnight fermentation gives the batter time to develop more sourdough flavor
Yes. You can substitute regular milk for the buttermilk. For a similar tang and texture, you can also make a quick buttermilk substitute by adding a little lemon juice or vinegar to milk and letting it sit for a few minutes.
The batter can generally sit at room temperature overnight, but the exact timing depends on the temperature of your kitchen and the strength of your starter. If your kitchen is very warm, the batter may ferment more quickly.
Pancakes can turn out flat if the batter is overmixed, the leavening agents are old, or the batter has been over-fermented. Mix the batter just until combined and cook the pancakes on a properly preheated griddle or pan.
Absolutely. Blueberries, chocolate chips, diced apples, cinnamon, and pumpkin spice are all delicious additions. You can also change the toppings with the seasons.
Yes. Allow the pancakes to cool completely, then freeze them in a single layer. Once frozen, transfer them to a freezer-safe container or bag. Reheat individual pancakes whenever you need a quick homemade breakfast.
Yes. The overnight fermentation makes these pancakes especially convenient for busy mornings. You can also cook the pancakes ahead of time and refrigerate or freeze them for later.
Reheat refrigerated pancakes in a skillet, toaster, toaster oven, or microwave. Frozen pancakes can usually be reheated directly from frozen using a toaster, toaster oven, or microwave.
Sourdough pancakes are delicious with real maple syrup, homemade buttermilk syrup, fresh berries, whipped cream, or homemade butter. You can also add bacon or sausage for a hearty homemade breakfast.
Other Delicious Pancake Recipes
If you try this recipe and love it, please come back and give it 5 stars! Tag me on Instagram @wagonwheelhomestead21. I can’t wait to see what all you make!
Overnight Sourdough Pancakes
Equipment
- 1 cast iron skillet
- 1 Large bowl
- 1 Ladle
- 1 Spatula
Ingredients
- 3 cups unbleached all purpose flour
- 3 Tbl sugar or other sweetener
- 1 ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ½ cups sourdough discard
- 2 ¼ cups buttermilk
- 3 eggs
- 3 Tbl fat melted butter, beef tallow, or coconut oil
- 3 Tbl vanilla
Instructions
- The night before, mix together all the dry ingredients in a large bowl, and then add in all the wet ingredients right on top. Stir well.
- Cover and let the batter ferment at room temperature overnight.
- The next morning, heat a large cast iron skillet over medium-low heat.
- Add butter to the skillet
- Pour a ladle full of the pancake batter into the pre-heated skillet
- This is a good time to add any chocolate chips or other add-ins to the first side of each pancake
- Cook until the bubbles are popping on top and then gently flip with a spatula
- Cook for another 2-3 minutes until golden brown on both sides
- Transfer to a platter. Add to plate and top with your favorite pancake toppings
Notes
Tips
- Buttermilk makes these pancakes extra fluffy and adds great flavor.
- Use butter, oil, or applesauce for the fat.
- For the fluffiest pancakes, use both baking powder and baking soda.
- Honey, maple syrup, or sugar all work well as sweeteners.
- Don't skip the vanilla—it adds so much flavor!
- Watch for bubbles to pop on the surface before flipping.
- Add cinnamon, apples, pumpkin spice, berries, or chocolate chips for fun variations.
- Serve with maple syrup, homemade buttermilk syrup, fruit sauce, whipped cream, or butter.
Great
These were so delicious and easy to make!
Amazing and versatile for flavor s
These are pancakes are so easy to make and delicious. We sometimes have them as breakfast for supper, which makes for a simple and fun meal. I love how the batter can fermented overnight and ready for breakfast the next day, or it hangout on counter while we're at work/school, and be ready for supper right away.
Thank you for sharing this recipe!
You're welcome!
Thank you, so much, for this great recipe! We had them this morning and they were perfect! Great consistency and cooked quickly and beautifully. I enjoy your instructions, recipes, and videos. You are such an inspiration!!
Oh good! So glad you enjoyed them 🙂