Nourishing Fermented Sourdough Pancakes

[Emily's note: You guys! I'm so excited to share Naomi's recipe for sourdough pancakes – YUM! If you've been following along, this is the third post in our sourdough series. Click to read about the health benefits of sourdough and how to make a sourdough starter. Enjoy!]

Pancakes are one of those quintessential comfort breakfast foods. Sturdy breakfasts bring to mind sitting around a table full of people, brought together for some occasion. Happy chatter as dishes are passed round the table, silence as the food is tucked into.

For special holidays we often make sourdough pancakes, complete with whipped cream, butter, maple syrup (this one is Emily's favorite), and berry sauce. How about some bacon or sausages, maybe some scrambled eggs and fresh fruit?

When I was a teen, my grandmother had a bed and breakfast. Morning after morning we cooked pancakes made with freshly ground soft wheat, piling up the soft fluffy rounds until everyone had their fill. Add to that real maple syrup, wild blueberry or huckleberry sauce and a mountain view, and it was a B&B well worth visiting.

As amazing as those pancakes were, I improved upon them when I learned about the benefits of sourdough. Not only does fermenting the pancake batter increase the nutritional value, it also makes the pancakes more filling.

The only thing about these sourdough pancakes is that they don't keep their fluffiness quite as well as conventional white pancakes. I find that they puff up well while cooking but tend to deflate rather quickly. But the superior taste more than makes up for that.

I use almost any flour when making sourdough pancakes, whole grain or white. I've used hard wheat, spelt, and rye. Rye will make a very soft but flat pancake; wheat will be the fluffiest. The pancakes pictured are spelt. I'd love to try einkorn flour, an heirloom variety of wheat, but I can't get it in Slovakia – anyone want to try for me? You can buy einkorn flour here.

Sourdough pancakes ingredients

• 1/2 cup (100g) sourdough starter (here's how to make one)
• 2 cups (250g) flour of choice
• 1 cup (250 ml) water
• 2 eggs, preferably from pasture-raised hens
• 1 teaspoon real salt
• 4 tablespoon melted butter, ghee, or coconut oil
• 1 tablespoon honey or other sweetener of choice (optional, but gives pancakes color)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• couple pinches nutmeg
• Fat for skillet

Sourdough pancakes method

1. The day or evening before, stir together sourdough starter, flour, and water. Cover and let sit anywhere from 8 – 18 hrs. The longer it sits, the more sour it will be. As this batter is high in water, the sourdough works faster compared to bread dough and does not need to ferment as long. I usually make this in a large bowl and cover with a plate; a lid or plastic wrap will work as well.
2. When ready to make the pancakes, whisk together eggs, salt, melted butter, and sweetener.
3. Heat a frying pan over medium-low heat. My favorite for sourdough pancakes is a cast iron skillet. Add just a little fat to thinly cover the bottom, lard or coconut oil is best.
4. Sprinkle baking soda into egg mixture and whisk. Pour the egg mixture into the sourdough batter and stir with a wooden spoon. It will quickly puff up.
5. Scoop batter onto pan (I usually use a small ladle) to the desired size. The batter will be somewhat ropey. Let cook until bubbles have come through, then flip. Sourdough pancakes are softer than conventional ones and may need an extra minute on one side before flipping. I find that if they sit too long on the first side they don't rise as much.
6. When the second side is browned, take off the pan. Serve with your favorite toppings and enjoy!

You'll like the Sourdough Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins as well!

Have a favorite addition or topping for sourdough pancakes? Tell us about it in the comments below!

The closest Naomi has gotten to her dream farm is growing live bacteria in jars and wrangling her four children, including twins. A Canadian who now lives in Slovakia, Naomi writes about traditions, food, and life in Slovakia (as well as some pretty strange food) at Almost Bananas.

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