Sourdough Lemon Blueberry Pancakes (View Print Version)

Fluffy pancakes infused with bright lemon zest and juicy blueberries for a light, tangy breakfast.

# What You'll Need:

→ Wet Ingredients

01 - 1 cup sourdough discard, unfed at room temperature
02 - 1 cup milk
03 - 2 large eggs
04 - 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus extra for cooking
05 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
06 - Zest of 1 lemon
07 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

→ Dry Ingredients

08 - 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
09 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
10 - 1 teaspoon baking powder
11 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
12 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

→ Add-ins

13 - 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries, unthawed if frozen

# Method:

01 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together sourdough discard, milk, eggs, melted butter, vanilla extract, lemon zest, and lemon juice until well combined and smooth.
02 - In a separate bowl, combine flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix thoroughly to distribute leavening agents evenly.
03 - Gently fold dry ingredients into wet mixture, stirring just until combined. Leave some small lumps in the batter; overmixing develops gluten and results in tough pancakes.
04 - Carefully fold blueberries into the batter, distributing evenly throughout.
05 - Heat a non-stick skillet or griddle over medium heat. Lightly brush the surface with butter to prevent sticking.
06 - Pour 1/4 cup batter per pancake onto the heated skillet, spacing them apart. Cook until bubbles form across the surface and edges appear set, approximately 2 to 3 minutes.
07 - Flip each pancake and cook the reverse side for 1 to 2 minutes until golden brown and cooked through.
08 - Transfer finished pancakes to a serving plate and keep warm. Continue cooking remaining batter in batches, adding additional butter to the skillet as needed between batches.
09 - Serve pancakes warm with desired toppings such as maple syrup, additional fresh blueberries, or powdered sugar.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Your sourdough discard finally becomes the star instead of kitchen waste.
  • The lemon and blueberries create this bright, summery flavor that feels way more interesting than plain pancakes.
  • They're genuinely fluffy without any fussy technique or special equipment.
02 -
  • Don't overmix your batter no matter how lumpy it looks, because gluten development will make them rubbery instead of fluffy.
  • If your sourdough discard is cold from the fridge, it'll make the batter thick and hard to work with, so let it sit on the counter for twenty minutes first.
03 -
  • Use a lemon microplane to get the finest zest, which tastes more lemony and looks more elegant than box grater zest.
  • If you want even more lemon flavor without making them sour, add half a teaspoon of lemon extract to the wet ingredients—it's subtle but noticeable.
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