Whether you have an active sourdough starter, need to use up some discard or need a good breakfast that is quick to make, this blueberry sourdough skillet pancake is a great go-to breakfast!
We are a very routine family when it comes to our breakfast. For almost a year straight, we had oatmeal with a little bit of peanut butter and brown sugar for breakfast each morning. Occasionally we would have scrambled eggs or something, but 5 days of the week minimum we would eat oatmeal. As I have gotten more into the world of sourdough though, I have a constant supply of active sourdough starter and sourdough discard. I started looking into breakfasts that would use up some of what I had. and I would use pancake recipes and Dutch baby recipes that we really enjoyed.
The pancake recipe is great for the weekend, but I was finding myself standing in the kitchen and making pancakes for quite a while and not getting to do other housework in the meantime. The Dutch baby was good, but we always felt like we needed to eat a lot of it and top it with added sweeteners like syrup or honey. I started wondering if I could combine the two in a way that would make our mornings different with an alternative breakfast option, healthy enough that it didn’t require a lot of sweeteners, and still be able to use up a ton of discard.
The thing that I love about this recipe is I don’t have to stand in front of the stove and work on it the whole time it’s cooking. I preheat the oven, mix up the ingredients, pour the ingredients into the skillet, and then bake it. It leaves me with time to sit and enjoy my family, a cup of coffee, or my Bible. That is how this recipe for blueberry sourdough discard skillet pancakes was born. The name is a mouthful, but I had no clue how else to describe it!
Does the skillet pancake have to be blueberry?
I have only tested this recipe with blueberries, but I think blackberries would be a great alternative, I’m not sure about other berries though. If you try it out with any other berries, let me know in the comments what you think.
You could even make this without the berries, but I use them as an alternative to adding a lot of sweeteners.
Do you have to use sourdough discard to make this sourdough discard breakfast?
You actually don’t! I made this recipe several times and several different ways while testing it, and found that I could use it with an active starter or starter discard. If you are going to use active starter, just be aware that when you add the baking soda, it will rise drastically as opposed to just a little bit, so maybe put it in a bigger bowl.
Do you have to use a cast iron skillet to make the discard skillet pancake?
I only tested this in my 12-inch diameter cast iron skillet. I use it because it gets piping hot which makes a really great texture for the crust. Also, I know that because the skillet is hot before the batter goes in, it cooks a lot quicker. I personally can’t recommend changing the cooking vessel for this recipe. If you don’t have a cast iron skillet, I highly encourage you to try it out. I know they can be intimidating because it feels like there’s a lot of upkeep, but once you get into the habit of caring for your skillet, it’s a great tool to have in your kitchen. Here’s a link to some of the cast iron skillets available on Amazon. Don’t feel like you need to get started using an expensive one, just get a small decent one and work from there!
What if I don’t have enough sourdough discard?
This recipe could be halved and cooked in a smaller cast iron skillet.
How to make a blueberry sourdough discard skillet pancake:
Preheat oven to 425°. Make sure that your cast iron skillet is in the oven while it’s preheating so it gets hot.
In a large bowl combine two and a half cups of sourdough discard, 1/4 cup honey, 1/2 cup kefir, 6 eggs, and ½ tsp of salt. I cracked my eggs into my measuring cup and whisked them before pouring them into the batter and that did help incorporate everything a little more smoothly.
Add baking soda to the mixture, stirring thoroughly to break up the baking soda. The mixture will bubble and rise. This part is really fun to watch so if you have kids in the room, they could enjoy watching this.
Stir in 1 cup of frozen blueberries. Your batter will get streaks of purple because of the frozen blueberries.
When the oven has come to temperature, remove the hot skillet from the oven and place it on the counter. Working quickly so it doesn’t cool down, drop 1 tbsp of oil or butter into the skillet (I use bacon grease).
Using a spoon or spatula, spread the oil around the skillet including up the sides. Pour the batter into the hot skillet and return to the oven. As soon as the batter hits the skillet, the edges will start to cook.
Bake for 25 minutes. The pancake will get a dark golden brown color on the top, it’s because of the baking soda. It will not be done in the middle if you pull it out sooner. If you think it’s done before the time is up insert a toothpick into the center and when removed, if there is no raw batter, then you can pull it from the oven. Serve the sourdough skillet pancake immediately, it’s best hot! We eat it plain but it would be lovely with some whipped cream and baked fruit on top.
Let us know in the comments below what your favorite sourdough breakfast is!
Blueberry Sourdough Discard Skillet Pancake
Equipment
- cast iron skillet this recipe uses a 12 inch skillet
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups sourdough discard can be active
- ¼ cup honey more or less to taste
- ½ cup kefir or dairy product of your choice
- 6 eggs
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 cup frozen blueberries
- 1 tbsp butter or oil of your choice I use bacon fat
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°. Make sure that your cast iron skillet is in the oven while it's preheating so it gets hot.
- In a large bowl combine two and a half cups of sourdough discard, 1/4 cup honey, 1/2 cup kefir, 6 eggs, and ½ tsp of salt.
- Add baking soda to the mixture, stirring thoroughly to break up the baking soda. The mixture will bubble and rise.
- Stir in 1 cup of frozen blueberries. Because they are frozen, your batter will turn a purple shade.
- When the oven has come to temperature, remove the hot skillet from the oven and place on the counter. Working quickly so it doesn’t cool down, drop 1 tbsp of oil or butter into the skillet (I use bacon grease).
- Using a spoon or spatula, spread the oil around the skillet including up the sides.
- Pour the batter into the hot skillet and return to the oven.
- Bake for 25 minutes. The pancake will get a dark golden brown color on the top, it’s because of the baking soda.
- Serve immediately
Save it for later!
