Sourdough discard waffles

Sourdough discard waffles bake up crisp outside and tender inside, and you can make them two ways: an overnight batter that ferments for deep tang, or a same-day batter that goes from bowl to iron in about 25 minutes. Both start with 200 g of unfed discard, and both rely on baking soda added at the end to give lift and a shatter-crisp shell. This batch makes about six standard waffles.

You do not need active, bubbly starter here. Cold discard straight from the fridge works, even discard that has sat a week. This is a good home for the portion you would pour off when feeding your starter.

Overnight or same day

The overnight method gives the most flavor and the crispest texture. You hold back the eggs, butter, salt, and baking soda, mix only the discard, flour, milk, and sugar, and let it ferment 8-12 hours on the counter. The wild yeast keeps working overnight, so the morning batter is light and a little sour.

The same-day method skips the wait. You whisk everything together, rest the batter 15-20 minutes, and cook. It is less tangy and slightly less crisp, but it is the right call when you want waffles now.

Ingredients

Weigh in grams if you can. Volume measures drift, especially for discard.

• 200 g sourdough discard (100% hydration)
• 150 g all-purpose flour
• 240 g milk
• 2 large eggs (about 100 g)
• 55 g melted butter, plus more for the iron
• 15 g sugar
• 4 g baking soda
• 4 g fine salt
• 5 g vanilla (optional)

If your discard is stiffer or wetter than 100% hydration, the batter shifts thicker or thinner. Adjust with a splash of milk to reach a thick, pourable consistency.

Method

1. Overnight: the night before, whisk the discard, flour, milk, and sugar smooth. Cover and rest on the counter 8-12 hours. In the morning, whisk in the eggs, melted butter, salt, and vanilla, then fold in the baking soda last. The batter foams and rises.
2. Same day: whisk everything together at once and rest 15-20 minutes while the iron heats.
3. Heat the waffle iron fully. A hot iron is what crisps the shell, so wait for the ready light.
4. Brush both plates with melted butter. Pour enough to cover about three quarters of the surface, roughly 90-120 g per waffle.
5. Close and cook 4-6 minutes, until the steam slows and the waffle is deep gold. Do not lift the lid early or you will tear it in half.
6. Move each finished waffle to a wire rack in a 90C (200F) oven. Stacking on a plate traps steam and turns the crust soft.

Timings are estimates. Every iron runs hotter or cooler, so judge by color and by the steam, not the clock.

Tips

• Baking soda goes in last. It reacts with the acid in the discard right away, so add it just before cooking for the most lift.
• Let it foam. The bubbly, risen batter is the sign it is ready. A flat batter means weak leavening or cold ingredients.
• Tang control. Older discard and a longer overnight rest both push the flavor more sour. For milder waffles, use day-old discard and the same-day method.
• Crisp longer. Pull waffles a shade darker than feels right. They crisp further as they cool on the rack.

Storage

Cooled waffles keep three days in the fridge or a month in the freezer. Reheat straight from frozen in a toaster or a hot oven, which brings the crunch back. The microwave steams them soft.

Want more ideas for the jar? See the discard recipes hub, or scale this batch with the hydration calculator.