Recipes that use Sourdough Discard

I’ve put together a collection of recipes that use sourdough discard. If you’re a sourdough baker, you know how painful it is to throw away that hard earned yeasty goodness each time you have to feed the starter.

Sourdough Discard Recipes

How to Get Started

If you love to bake bread but haven’t delved into the world of sourdough yet, I encourage you to dive-in head first. But, in order to have sourdough “discard” you need to first build a sourdough starter and then begin feeding it.

If you don’t have a sourdough starter yet, jump right in. I’ll teach you how to make a sourdough starter from scratch. You can also read how I feed and maintain my sourdough starter to keep my starters (I have 3!) active.

Why Use Sourdough Discard?

When you add unfed sourdough discard to a recipe, it’s not really there to add extra leavening since it’s not fully active. If the sourdough starter is not a leavener, why is it in there?

The sourdough discard imparts an interesting texture and lovely complex flavor even if it’s not adding a big rise. The discard also improves the keeping quality of baked goods.

Try my Sourdough Discard recipes or create your own. Each cup (about 8 oz) of sourdough discard can replace 4 oz of flour and 4 oz of liquid in almost any recipe.

Since you’ve got your starter fed, peruse the entire list of My Best Sourdough Recipes. Have fun!


More than 20 ways to use Sourdough Discard

How to Dry Sourdough Starter
Drying is the best way to preserve your sourdough starter for the long term.
Check out this recipe
Sourdough Discard Zucchini Bread
Use up all that zucchini you've got and your sourdough discard to make Zucchini Bread. This loaf has a special flavor that's unlike your typical zucchini bread. The sticky lemon-glazed top is the perfect finishing touch.
Make this recipe
slices of sourdough zucchini bread on a white plate.
How to make Sourdough Starter Powder
Introducing a whole new way to store and use sourdough starter or sourdough discard. After you dry your sourdough starter, you can grind it into a powder and add it directly to a recipe for a flavor boost or rehydrate it to use in any sourdough recipe.
Check out this recipe
Sourdough Banana Bread Recipe
Sourdough discard brings out the banana flavor in this bread. Sour cream adds moisture and reinforces the sourdough flavor. The chocolate chunks are a bonus. If you like nuts, a cup of chopped walnuts is a nice addition to this bread.
Make this recipe
a sliced loaf of sourdough banana bread on a cutting board.
Sourdough Blueberry Muffin Recipe
These Sourdough Blueberry Muffins are made with a whole cup of sourdough discard for an ultra tender crumb. The muffins are full of juicy berries and topped with lemon butter and sugar.
Make this recipe
Sourdough Shortbread Cookies
Buttery shortbread enhanced with sourdough discard.
Make this recipe
Chunky Sourdough Granola Recipe
Use your sourdough starter discard to make healthy and delicious chunky granola.
Make this recipe
a glass bowl with yogurt and sourdough granola.
Sourdough Biscotti Recipe
Crunchy almond biscotti cookies enriched with a cup of sourdough discard. Perfect for dunking into coffee, espresso or dessert wine.
Make this recipe
a sourdough biscotti on a cup of expresso
Sourdough Pie Crust
A Perfect Pie Crust is a thing of beauty. The addition of a little sourdough discard adds an intriguing depth of flavor to a basic pie dough. This makes enough dough for a double crust pie.
Make this recipe
a closeup of a pie made with sourdough pie crust
Sourdough Biscuit Recipe
Sourdough biscuits that are both fluffy and flaky. A little discard sourdough starter gives these biscuits a wonderful flavor.
Make this recipe
a sourdough biscuit on a plate with a pat of butter
Sourdough Whole Wheat Cracker Recipe
Hearty crackers made with sourdough discard and whole grain. These light and crispy crackers are a healthy and tasty snack.
Make this recipe
a hand holding a sourdough cracker
Sourdough Irish Soda Bread
Sourdough Irish Soda bread is an easy and delicious way to use sourdough discard. Homemade soda bread is so much better than what you’ll find in the grocery store. This recipe makes 1 large loaf. The exact number of servings will vary based on how the loaf is sliced.
Make this recipe
a slice of irish soda bread with butter and marmalade
Sourdough Crumb Cake
Soft buttermilk cake enhanced with sourdough discard & crowned with brown sugar crumb topping.
Make this recipe
a slice of sourdough crumb cake on a plate
Sourdough Blondies
Butterscotch blondies get a boost of flavor from sourdough discard. These blondies are both gooey and light at the same time.
Make this recipe
a plate with three sourdough blondies
Fudgy Sourdough Brownies
The perfect fudgy brownie with a crusty top is made even better with a cup of sourdough discard.
Make this recipe
a stack of sourdough brownies
Sourdough Scone Recipe
This classic buttermilk scone is given a little flavor boost with sourdough discard.
Make this recipe
a sourdough scone on a plate
Sourdough Cheese Crackers Recipe
Crispy cheese crackers made with powdered sourdough. These light, cheez-ity crackers are a tasty snack.
Make this recipe
Sourdough Oatmeal Cookies
Buttery oatmeal cookie dough is enhanced with a cup of sourdough discard. The cookies are topped with a lemony glaze.
Make this recipe
Sourdough Chocolate Cake
Sourdough Chocolate Cake is moist, super-dark and slightly tangy. Top it with buttercream, whipped cream or just a sprinkle of powdered sugar.
Make this recipe
Sourdough Bundt Cake with Buttermilk Glaze
Sourdough Bundt Cake with Buttermilk Glaze is a perfect snack cake. The tangy-sweet buttermilk glaze forms an ultra-thin coating over the melt-in-your-mouth cake.
Make this recipe
a slice of sourdough bundt cake on a plate with a few strawberries
Sourdough Irish Brown Bread Recipe
Sourdough Irish Brown Bread is hearty and savory because it’s made with whole wheat flour and a cup of sourdough discard. It's super easy to make and super tasty. This recipe makes 1 large loaf. The exact number of servings will vary based on how the loaf is sliced.
Make this recipe
a slice of irish brown bread with butter on a plate
Sourdough Waffle Recipe
Start making Whole Grain Sourdough Waffles the night before and have hot fresh waffles for breakfast.
Make this recipe
a plate of waffles with syrup
Sourdough Pumpkin Cranberry Quick Bread
Super moist pumpkin bread has a wonderful background tang from “discard” sourdough starter. Fresh cranberries add another tangy pop to the flavor of the bread.
Make this recipe
a loaf of sourdough pumpkin bread

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48 Comments

  1. I LOVE YOUR WEBSITE. THANK YOU SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO MUCH for all of your knowledge. Can’t wait to try the discard recipes.

  2. You say “[e]ach cup of sourdough discard can replace 4 oz of flour and 4 oz of liquid in almost any recipe.” Since stirred and unstirred discard volumes can vary dramatically, can you say what WEIGHT of discard can replace 4 oz of flour or liquid? Thanks.