If you have ever wondered to ‘how to use up excess sourdough starter’, you are not alone! This is a collection of recipes using 3/4 cup (7 ounces) or more of starter. That is right – these recipes will inspire you to use up the extra sourdough starter you have collecting in the back of your fridge.
One of the most common questions asked by people beginning their sourdough journey is – what do I do with all this leftover, excess sourdough starter?!
After you make a sourdough starter and it is established, you can begin using the ‘discard’ in recipes. Sometimes, despite our plans, we may feed our starter more than anticipated and have a little extra discard sitting in the back of our fridge just waiting to be used.
If you use a low maintenance, low waste starter, you will not have a lot on hand. You might even maintain your starter with 1 ounce of starter and feed it just enough to make a recipe. Whatever you feel the best ratio to feed your sourdough starter is, sometimes a starter builds more discard than we can use right away.
But let us be honest. Life gets the best of us and while we have great intentions to use our sourdough starter, the children want to play outside for an extra hour, the dog brings mud into the house and the chickens learn to fly all in one day (not speaking from experience..).
These recipes will help you to use up the excess sourdough starter sitting in the back of your fridge. They will have at least 3/4 cup (7 ounces) or more of sourdough starter.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Sourdough Bagels
These sourdough bagels use 3/4 cup of starter in each batch. We love these bagels so much that we commonly make a double batch using 1-1/2 cup of starter!
They are light and fluffy in texture, while still having the ‘chew’ we all have came to know and love from a bagel. The best part about this recipe is the customizable flavors.
If you like chocolate chip sourdough bagels, jalapeño / cheddar sourdough bagels or even cinnamon raisin sourdough bagels, these can easily be adapted to fit the bill.
And if you are looking for more sourdough inclusion ideas, check out this list with over 130+ inclusion ideas.
2. Aldi Sourdough Bread Recipe (A copycat)
If you shop at Aldi’s, you are probably familiar with their round sourdough bread loaf. In effort to make food from scratch, we had to make a copycat recipe at home (using 7 ounces of sourdough starter). This recipe makes two loaves of bread – why make one loaf of bread when you can make two?
We call this ‘white boy bread’ in our household because it is made from all purpose flour and bread flour. There is no whole wheat flour to be found!
While it may not be rich in whole grains, the recipe creates two soft sourdough bread loaves. We love sourdough bread recipes contain 4 simple ingredients – sourdough starter, water, salt and flour, no additional preservatives.
3. Sourdough German Pancake (Dutch Baby)
Oh, sourdough Dutch baby pancakes. This is a favorite recipe in our house. It is an efficient way to use up excess sourdough starter because they are simple to whip up, require minimal ingredients, and are much faster to make than traditional pancakes.
The best part is, this recipe can use sourdough discard or active starter, therefore you can use fresh sourdough starter on the counter or sourdough starter leftover in the fridge.
Using a whopping 1 cup of sourdough starter, this is are a winner in our household. Enjoy them alone or topped with powdered sugar, maple syrup, whipped cream, ice cream or fresh fruit.
4. Sourdough Apple Cinnamon Bagels
Sourdough apple bagels are good at any time of the year. With cinnamon and chopped apple in every bite, we love the subtile sweet flavor the apples bring to this recipe. Out of all the sourdough recipes with apple, we argue these are one of our favorites (especially when topped with cream cheese).
Enjoy using 3/4 cup sourdough starter in these sourdough bagels. They also freeze well if you decide to make a double batch.
5. Blueberry Sourdough Dutch Baby (with lemon)
This sourdough lemon blueberry dutch baby recipe uses an impressive 2 cups of sourdough discard! The sourdough dutch baby recipe includes lemon zest, lemon juice and blueberries for a delightful spring flavor.
Lemon in sourdough just works well – enhancing the sour flavor of the discard, without making it bitter or too pucker-y.
6. Sourdough Chocolate Chip Bagels
Out of all the flavors of bagels, chocolate chip sourdough bagels are the ones we make every month. This recipe uses 3/4 cup of sourdough starter, though we like to double up this recipe and freeze half.
Our favorite way to enjoy these bagels long term is to allow them to cool, slice them and freeze them. They reheat well in the toaster and are best enjoyed with butter on top.
Each bite has chocolate chips, to win over any chocolate lovers craving. There is a reason they are a top contender on our collection of sourdough recipes with chocolate.
7. Sourdough Dutch Baby (with apples)
Use up 1 cup of sourdough starter with this apple sourdough dutch baby. This dutch baby is not light and fluffy like others, though it is custard like and more like an apple pie pancake.
The apples are sliced thin so they still have structure but almost melt into the remainder of the pancake. And there is cinnamon and apple in each bite – a flavor combination we will never get enough of. If you are looking for other sourdough apple recipes, this one (and sourdough apple bagels), make the list.
8. Dried Sourdough Starter (Long term preservation idea)
It is simple to dry and preserve sourdough starter. And the amount of sourdough starter you use is completely customizable. You can use 3/4 cup starter or 3 cups! It is really up to you!
To dry sourdough starter, spread out the sourdough starter on a sheet pan and allow it to dry. When it is completely dry to the touch, break it into pieces or pulverize into a powder.
9. Cinnamon Crunch Sourdough Bagel
If you like the cinnamon crunch bagels from Panera, this is a great sourdough dupe. Using 3/4 cup of sourdough starter per recipe – you can easily make 12 – 16 bagels!
The bagels are soft and chewy exterior. They are topped with a delightful cinnamon crunch topping which provides a delicate balance to the tangy sourdough discard. Not only do they hold up well on the countertop, but they freeze great, too.
10. Frozen Sourdough Starter (long term preservation idea)
Similar to a dehydrated sourdough starter, frozen sourdough starter can use up as much discard as you would like to put to good use. Because the quantity can be small, or up to a couple of cups worth, you can freeze as much as you prefer.
To make frozen sourdough discard, portion the discard into sections. We used a silicone one-ounce mould, though you can use any container which will easily release and portion the sections up nicely. When you need sourdough discard in advance, grab it from your freezer.
Sometimes you need a little sourdough hiatus and this is a great way to ‘press the pause button’ until you are ready to dive back in.
11. Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls
These delightful sourdough discard cinnamon rolls use 3/4 cup of discard per recipe. These yeast free sourdough cinnamon rolls rely on sourdough discard to rise.
The cinnamon rolls can be enjoyed alone or topped with a cream cheese frosting. This recipe is a staple in our household – as we love sourdough recipes with cinnamon. Though we commonly make these cinnamon rolls during the winter, they are enjoyed often during our Sunday morning family breakfasts.
12. Sourdough Pretzel Bagels
Trader Joe’s is known for their pretzel bagels – and these are a sourdough pretzel bagel dupe! These yeast free sourdough pretzel bagels are made with 3/4 cup sourdough discard to be naturally leavened (no additional commercial yeast necessary!).
If we are making this recipe, we tend to split it in half – enjoying part as sourdough pretzel bagels and the remainder as sourdough discard pretzel bites (made without yeast). These bagels make a great base for eggs, sandwiches and taste delicious when dipped in mustard.
You could also use this recipe to make sourdough pretzels by skipping boiling the bread dough.
13. Sourdough Dutch Baby (with cranberries and walnuts)
Our final sourdough dutch baby of this roundup is contains cranberries and walnuts. Similar to the other sourdough dutch baby recipes, this one uses 1 cup worth of sourdough discard.
The walnuts and cranberries add texture to the pancake – leaving a custard like texture, but also a little extra bite. We love the flavor combination together. This is just one of many sourdough recipes made in a cast iron skillet.
14. Sourdough Pizza Crust
While this recipe technically uses 1/4 cup excess starter, we make pizza dough in double or triple batches to have extra on hand within our freezer. It is the easiest way to use leftover starter with minimal effort.
We use this recipe to not only make pizza crust, but cheesy sourdough pull apart bread too! They are soft and fluffy, can be made in a cast iron skillet or a Traeger grill and are overall delicious.
15. Everything but the bagel Sourdough Crackers
Use 1 cup of sourdough discard in this fabulous cracker recipe.
It is no surprise these everything but the bagel sourdough crackers made it on our list of the top 10+ sourdough cracker recipes around. Not only are they easy to prepare, but they make a great snack to share with others.
16. Sourdough Cheddar Bay Biscuits
If you like Red Lobster biscuits – try this sourdough version – using 1 cup of discard. These sourdough drop biscuits are soft, fluffy and loaded with cheese. They are a ‘lazy bakers’ favorite choice as they do not require any shaping.
These sourdough biscuits are perfect to eat with any meal, especially during the colder months where biscuits go well with soup and casseroles. And as an added bonus, they freeze well so you can have rolls on hand in a flash.
17. Sourdough Discard Dinner Rolls (with yeast)
Sourdough dinner rolls are another one of our favorite recipes to use up a lot of starter (up to 1 cup of sourdough starter in a single batch!). Not only do they freeze well, but they are easy to make and freeze for the future.
These olive oil sourdough dinner rolls contain yeast, so they rise even faster thanks to the boost from the commercial yeast. Enjoy these soft, fluffy, pillow-like rolls at your next meal.
As an added bonus, these sourdough rolls would make great a great base for sourdough sliders. Add lunch meat, cheese and sauce to the top for a fun twist on traditional sandwiches.
18. Sourdough Marble Rye Bread
This unique sourdough marble rye bread contains two layers of sourdough bread. Using 1/1-4 cup sourdough discard total, this recipe uses 3/4 cup sourdough discard within the dark rye sourdough bread and 1/2 cup sourdough discard within the white sourdough bread.
The dough is combined together to create a beautiful marble bread which is not only unique to look at, but the flavor is out of this world. If you like rye bread but are not fully committed – this is a great in between option.
19. Sourdough Brioche Bread
This sourdough brioche bread uses 1 cup of sourdough discard. This dough does require instant yeast in addition to the sourdough starter for an extra ‘lift’.
The brioche bread makes great sourdough french toast as leftovers or you can bake ahead and make a sourdough chocolate french toast casserole. This bread is often sliced into thick layers and has a rich, buttery texture.
20. Sourdough Blueberry Scones
Sourdough scones are a labor of love we have come to know and love. Made with lots of butter and 1 cup of sourdough starter, these sourdough blueberry scones are moist and flavorful.
Each bite is bursting with fresh blueberries and a vanilla glaze on top. These are perfect for spring and summer time when blueberries are in season and sweet.
21. Sourdough Gingerbread Cookies
If you like sourdough gingerbread cookies, try making this soft sourdough cookie recipe. They are made with 7 ounces of starter (just over 3/4 cup).
This recipe can be made into either gingerbread cut out cookies or gingerbread houses. Top with your favorite royal icing, sprinkles or frosting.
22. Sourdough Lemon Bars
These sourdough lemon bars are a great way to use up sourdough discard. The recipe uses 3/4 cup sourdough starter splitting it between 1/3 cup in the crust and 1/2 cup in the lemon filling.
These bars are easy to make and equally delicious. The soft crust is stable enough to hold the lemon curd. Top with powdered sugar and enjoy.
23. Sourdough Banana Bread
Sourdough banana bread is a great quick bread. It is also a fun way to use up leftover bananas and sourdough discard (up to 3/4 cup!). This bread is equal parts moist and flavorful. There is slight crumb in each slice and it stays well on the counter for a few days (if you do not devour it quickly).
Add walnuts, or do not – the preference is your choice. And if you like banana bread muffins, this recipe can be easily transitioned into a different baking vessel.
24. Cinnamon Apple Sourdough Cake
We love all things cake in this household. Cinnamon apple sourdough cake fits all our hopes and dreams. It is made with 1 cup sourdough starter.
The cake has a delicate balance of sweetness thanks to the cinnamon and sautéed apples. Enjoy with whipped cream or ice cream for a delightful treat.
25. Mixed Berry Sourdough Dutch Baby
If you like using 1 cup or more of starter at a time, make a little extra and save it for a sourdough dutch baby recipe. Add in seasonal mixed berries for a jam-filled sourdough dutch baby recipe.
26. Sourdough Oatmeal Pancakes
This recipe uses 1 cup of sourdough discard in combination with milk kefir, flour, sugar and oatmeal. These simple sourdough pancakes are a great way to have make ahead meals on hand every day of the week.
We also love these green sourdough pancakes for meal prep which we can throw in the toaster to reheat for an easy breakfast before running out the door. Enjoy the oatmeal pancakes with fix-ins like chocolate chips or blueberries for an even sweeter treat. And if you need more inspiration for sourdough pancake , check out this roundup!
Have more discard left? Double the recipe to use a whopping 2 cups of starter!
What do you like to use excess sourdough starter discard in? We love making all types of sourdough baking recipes, but a sourdough dutch baby is our favorite use! Let us know the different ways you use leftover sourdough starter in the comments below.
Great list of ideas, always need something to make with discard!
We feel the same way – so much discard, so many ways to use it! Let us know what recipe you try!
Love this. Always looking for ways to use up discard. Great ideas!
Thank you! Let us know which one you try!
I always have so much sourdough discard so I’m looking for new ways to use it up! So many of these recipes look delicious. Thanks for putting them all in one place!
You are welcome! I hope you enjoy them!