Spelt and discard make a particularly good pancake: the grain tastes naturally sweet, the acidity wakes up the leavening, and a short rest gives fresh flour time to soften.
Before you begin
This recipe is written for 100% hydration discard—starter maintained with equal weights flour and water. Use discard that smells pleasantly sour, yeasty, or mildly alcoholic. Throw it away if you see fuzzy mold, pink or orange discoloration, or smell anything rotten.
Ingredients
Batter
- 200 g fresh-milled spelt flour
- 200 g sourdough discard, 100% hydration
- 280 g buttermilk, plus more as needed
- 2 large eggs
- 30 g melted butter
- 25 g honey or maple syrup
- 8 g baking powder
- 3 g baking soda
- 4 g fine salt
Method
- Whisk spelt flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Whisk discard, buttermilk, eggs, butter, and honey in a second bowl.
- Fold wet into dry just until combined. Rest 10 minutes.
- Heat a lightly buttered griddle over medium. Thin the batter with buttermilk if it no longer spreads gently.
- Cook 60 ml portions until bubbles open across the top and edges look set, 2–3 minutes. Flip once and cook 1–2 minutes more.
Fresh-milled notes
Good to know: Do not beat spelt batter smooth; overmixing weakens its delicate gluten.
Good to know: Cold discard may thicken the batter. Adjust after the 10-minute rest.
Good to know: Moderate heat gives the center time to set before the whole-grain surface becomes too dark.
Sourdough Discard Collection
Eight practical ways to turn refrigerated discard into bread, breakfast, supper, and snacks.
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Keep learning
Use the Fresh-Milled Flour Guide, consult the hydration guide, troubleshoot dense bread and sticky dough, and browse the recommended tools.