These one-bowl Whole Wheat Sourdough pancakes are the fluffiest and flavorful pancakes! Soaking whole grains overnight breaks down the phytic acid, making them easier to digest and the perfect make-ahead breakfast food!
This sourdough pancake recipe is a family favorite breakfast! My children rave about these “restaurant pancakes” because they make those deliciously large, light, and fluffy pancakes you’d get at a breakfast place.
They’re way healthier, using freshly ground whole wheat flour, and keep the children full longer.
Since I pull out my sourdough starter from the fridge weekly, it is not too sour or tangy. I’ve noticed when I let my hooch (the liquid on top of my starter), get black, it tends to make my dough too sour.
We love to restock with this Whole Wheat Sourdough Sandwich Bread, pizza dough, Artisan Bread, and this pancake batter, which I put in the fridge for a quick breakfast any time of the week (yes, it can ferment happily for several days).
Soaking Whole Grains:
Homemade pancakes made with 100% whole grains (also known as freshly milled flour) don’t take that much longer to make. You simply soak part of the batter overnight to absorb and break down the flour, and keep it in the fridge until needed for a quick breakfast. This makes the perfect make-ahead breakfast option for Holidays, busy mornings, or when hosting.
The most delicious pancakes are made by soaking the flour in something sour, like a sourdough starter. Soaking develops amazing flavors overnight and makes all the nutrients in grains more available.
If you bake often, a grain mill is a must because grains quickly go rancid after grinding. Freshly ground flour provides the optimum health benefits.
The Benefits of Whole Grains:
Grains, in their whole, unrefined state, provide many important vitamins and minerals essential to life. Soaking and fermenting whole grains neutralizes phytates, making them easier to digest and making all their nutrients more available. Interestingly, overnight soaking isn’t only referring to sour leavening. You can accomplish this pre-digestion process with buttermilk, milk kefir, soured milk, whey, or milk with a bit of lemon juice or vinegar.
This preparation technique breaks down the phytic acid, making it more digestible. If you love a good read, Sally Fallon Morell goes more in-depth about the history of soaking and fermenting grains in her Nourishing Traditions book.
It can take as little as 7 hours of soaking in warm, acidulated water to neutralize a large portion of the phytic acid in grains, although it is ideal for soaking grains 12-24 hours.
Ingredients Needed:
These sourdough whole wheat pancakes come together quickly with a few basic ingredients. Carefully read the notes by each ingredient to find out exactly how I make them.
- Active sourdough starter—I typically use an active sourdough starter that is bubbly. It does not de-activate the batter but actually develops great flavors overnight. I feed my starter once a week to make all of my sourdough recipes in bulk. You can use a discard starter or even buttermilk or kefir instead of the ripe starter. This is because baking soda will be added later, so you are not solely relying on the starter.
- Wheat Berries—I like to mix half Einkorn and soft wheat berries for my pancakes. The combination of low and high-gluten grains creates a chewy texture.
- Whole Milk- I use raw milk. However, if you have milk sensitivities, you can use water.
- Mix-ins: eggs, melted coconut oil, honey, salt, baking soda, and additional milk to make a batter that is not too thick or too thin.
Gluten-Free Option: you can make these pancakes using gluten-free grains. When adding alternative grains, or a gluten-free flour mix be sure to add 1/2 tsp of guar gum per cup of flour.
How To Make Sourdough Pancakes with Freshly Milled Flour
There are many good benefits to cooking with cast iron. You can read more about them here. I prefer the natural materials, even-heat distribution, and the beautiful sear it leaves my pancakes. I used a well-seasoned 10-inch cast-iron skillet. Always pre-heat cast-iron pans to ensure your food doesn’t stick.
- Grind your wheat berries. I use an electric grain mill that does this in seconds.
- Soak flour and milk or water in the sourdough starter. The batter should not be too thin or thick. After you mix this up, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Overnight soaking works best, but the ideal soaking time is 12-24 hours.
- Remove the bowl from the fridge and add the remaining ingredients (eggs, more milk, honey, baking soda, and melted coconut oil). Whisk well.
- Preheat your cast-iron pan or griddle over medium-low heat. Add a teaspoon of coconut oil to the pan and ladle 1/2 cup of batter into the skillet for large pancakes.
- To flip, wait until you see bubbles forming on the surface before flipping them. It makes perfectly cooked, fluffy pancakes every time and indicates it is time to flip. Avoid flipping too soon, as the batter will ooze out and lose shape.
Storing Sourdough Pancakes Made with Freshly Milled Flour:
These simple sourdough pancakes make a hefty batch of 10 pancakes. The good news is that they freeze and store well. Stack any leftover pancakes on a plate and cover it with plastic wrap. It can be kept in the fridge for up to 4 days.
To freeze sourdough pancakes, place cooked and cooled pancakes over a tray lined with parchment paper and flash freeze. Once the pancakes freeze, transfer them to a gallon freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
The best way to reheat pancakes is to steam them in the oven. Place pancakes in a small baking dish. Pour a few tablespoons of water onto the bottom of the dish or around the sides. Cover the baking dish with foil and bake in a preheated 350°F oven until steaming hot (about 15 minutes). You could also toast these in a toaster for crispier pancakes.
Pancake Variations
Our absolute favorite way to eat these whole wheat sourdough pancakes is to pat the top with 4 thin slices of butter (these are large pancakes) and drizzle the top with pure maple syrup. The butter reminds me of diner pancakes! If we ever run out of maple syrup, any kind of sweet strawberry jam, honey, raspberry sauce, or fresh berries will pair nicely. When we are hosting guests, we like to stretch the pancakes further by adding breakfast sausage patties.
Tips for the Best Whole Grain Pancakes:
- Weigh your whole grains first using a kitchen scale and then run them through a grain mill. This will give you accurate results and will eliminate the guess work in how much flour to use.
- Look for a pancake consistency that is not too thick or thin. The batter should hold its shape and be thin enough to pour easily into the pan.
- For Pumpkin Sourdough Pancakes, add 1/4 tsp of pumpkin pie spice and 1 Tbsp of vanilla extract. Add your favorite mix-ins, like chocolate chips or blueberries, to make your favorite pancakes!
- Sourdough discard is simply a leftover starter that may not be as active. Cold discard can easily be used to turn it into sourdough Discard pancakes.
- Whole wheat pancakes cook more slowly than unsoaked white flour pancakes.
- It is typical for the surface of the whole wheat batter to oxidize after fermenting in the fridge. Just stir it, and the batter will look fresh again.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Can You Make Waffles With a Pancake Batter?
You can make waffles with this pancake batter, as it has a lot of coconut oil. The oil will prevent the batter from sticking easily. Lightly grease your iron waffle maker first, then you won’t have to worry about the waffles sticking for the rest of the cooking time. Cook according to your waffle iron’s instructions.
Can I Make These Sourdough Pancakes Right Away?
Grains are best soaked overnight or up to several days. However, as little as 7 hours of soaking can still neutralize a large portion of phytic acid in grains. For this reason, I do not recommend making and using whole-wheat sourdough pancakes immediately.
Can I Use Whole Wheat Flour from the Store?
Making whole wheat flour at home lets you choose what grains you want to grind. Not all grains are the same. Some whole wheat flour from the store is ground from hard red wheat, which is higher in gluten and more robust and hearty in flavor. I like my pancakes milder in the wheat taste, which soft white wheat does. Also, freshly milled flour isn’t rancid and gives more flavor.
Whole Wheat Sourdough Pancakes
Ingredients
Ingredients for Overnight Soaking:
- 1 cup active sourdough starter (can use sourdough discard)
- 3 cups Freshly ground whole wheat flour** (350 grams)
- 1 1/2 cups cold milk (or water)
In the Morning Add:
- 2 eggs
- 1/3 cup coconut oil (melted)
- 3 Tbsp honey
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 cup cold milk
Instructions
Directions:
- Mix whole wheat flour, sourdough starter, and milk in a medium glass bowl. Whisk well.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight or for at least 7 hours.
- The next morning, add the remaining ingredients (eggs, coconut oil, honey, salt, baking soda, and additional milk) to make a thick yet pourable consistency.
- Preheat a 10-inch cast iron skillet over medium-low heat. Add a tsp of coconut oil and spread to coat the pan.
- Ladle 1/2 cup of the pancake batter over the middle of the pan and cook until bubbles start forming on the surface.
- Then flip over to the other side and continue to cook through until golden brown and done.
Notes
- **When measuring tightly, pack your freshly ground whole wheat flour. For more accurate results, weigh your grains first and grind them through a grain mill.
- I use soft white wheat berries and part hard white or Einkorn to make my freshly milled flour. You can use any mildly flavored grain, such as hard white, soft white wheat, or Einkorn, for pancakes.
- A lower-gluten grain is ideal for making pancakes. However, I like mixing a bit of Einkorn for chewy pancakes.
- Water can be used instead of milk if you have milk sensitivities.
- If you omit the sourdough starter, you can ferment these whole-grain pancakes with sour milk or milk kefir. That will also break down the phytic acid. Use 2 cups of milk kefir or cultured buttermilk instead of the milk and starter.
- I re-applied the pan with coconut oil every several pancakes.
- Pro Tip: To prevent the top of the batter from browning, place plastic wrap tightly over the surface of the pancake batter, then cover the bowl and refrigerate. This prevents the air from oxidizing the surface.
Nutrition per serving