Adding sourdough starter to breakfast is one of my favorite ways to start the day! Sourdough helps you feel full, you don’t have a big blood sugar spike, and it gives you sustained energy to tackle the day.
Plus, it tastes so good! Here are the best sourdough discard breakfast recipes I could find. Many I’ve made and swear by, and others I cannot wait to try!
Please comment your favorite, creative ways to make breakfast with sourdough discard so I can keep expanding this resource.

What Is Sourdough Discard?
Sourdough discard, also called inactive or unfed starter, is not bubbly or rising. It’s your sourdough starter before you feed it with water and flour.
You can store sourdough discard in your fridge and use it in recipes like these. I love sourdough discard recipes because there’s no waiting! You don’t have to feed your starter and wait for it to reach its peak rise before using it.
These recipes will work on your schedule – not the other way around. So don’t throw away that leftover sourdough discard. It still has a lot of life left, and you won’t contribute to food waste!
How to Get Sourdough’s Health Benefits
One last thing: if you want all of the benefits of sourdough’s wild yeasts and lactic acid bacteria, you’ll want to do a long fermentation.
That just means you let your dough sit in the fridge for about 24 hours before you bake it. While you can technically skip the waiting period, you need that extra time for the grains to ferment.
If you have a sensitivity to gluten, do an extra long fermentation, letting your dough sit in the fridge for, ideally, 48-72 hours.
Related: 100+ Recipes You Can Make With Sourdough
Sourdough Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cereal

Recipe credit: Stretch and Folds
Cinnamon toast crunch cereal was a family favorite when I was a kid, but these days, I don’t buy cereal.
Good news: we can all enjoy this tried-and-true breakfast classic without all of the chemicals and preservatives. Plus, it uses up some of that sourdough discard. And once you make it, you have a healthy, quick breakfast on hand.
Sourdough Discard Zucchini Bread

Recipe credit: Amy Bakes Bread
Zucchini bread is a total family favorite here at the Parr house.
Being able to use up some sourdough discard – and getting the health benefits of fermented grains – is a big bonus.
Sourdough Discard Waffles

Waffles are my favorite way to use up a lot of sourdough discard. This recipe can be scaled up or down, but I usually get rid of 1,000g of discard – and it tastes incredible!
It’s just simple ingredients, but it gives you the most fluffy, crunchy-on-the-outside result. Tip: just be sure to really mix in the baking soda well.
Overnight Sourdough Bagels

I make sourdough bagels 1-3x a week; they’re that good.
These easy sourdough bagels are soft, chewy, and packed with tangy flavor. The overnight fermentation is a game-changer.
Sourdough French Toast

Recipe credit: The Feathered Nester
Sourdough toast is heavenly – I can only imagine how incredible sourdough french toast would be.
It’s also a great way to use up sourdough bread that’s starting to go stale.
Note: Get a ton of sourdough toast ideas in this article: 32 Favorite Sourdough Toast Toppings Sure to Impress. There are some killer sourdough breakfast ideas in there!
Sourdough Granola

Recipe credit: Lynn’s Way of Life
Granola is one of my favorite toppings for yogurt bowls!
My kids will eat it, too, and it tastes 100x better when you make it from scratch. Add sourdough to the recipe, sprinkle it on some skyr, and it’s *chef’s kiss.*
Extra Fluffy Sourdough Pancakes

Recipe credit: Milk and Pop
Sourdough pancakes are just as good as sourdough waffles, but much more friendly to a minimal kitchen.
This recipe also gives you super fluffy pancakes, and it includes healthier swaps like oat milk and applesauce. All you need is maple syrup!
Blueberry Buttermilk Sourdough Pancakes

Recipe credit: Champagne Tastes
If you need a rich, classic pancake, I love this recipe, which includes buttermilk, melted butter, and fresh blueberries.
My mouth is officially watering.
Sourdough Dutch Baby Pancake

Recipe credit: Our Gabled Home
I made my first sourdough dutch baby pancake a few months ago, and it was so delicious; I couldn’t believe I’d never had it before!
It’s custardy in the best way, and you can add tons of fun toppings like fresh berries and powdered sugar for added sweetness. Best of all, it’s the easiest way to make breakfast for a crowd.
Sourdough Pumpkin Streusel Coffeecake

Recipe credit: Farmhouse Harvest
This coffeecake can be made with active sourdough starter or discard, according to the author (I double-checked!).
I’m a big fan of baked pumpkin goods, so this is definitely going in my saved recipes list. It’s also a great one for a special occasion or if you’ll have some company over.
Sourdough Discard English Muffins

Recipe credit: Scotch and Scones
My first time making sourdough English muffins was eye-opening. First of all, I didn’t realize how simple they were to make.
Second, the flavor is insane. Making them with discard is just the cherry on top.
These also make great breakfast sandwiches, which is one of my all-time favorite breakfasts!
Sourdough Donuts

Recipe credit: The Gingered Whisk
Move over, Krispy Kreme! These homemade donuts are made so much more complex, with sourdough discard as the secret ingredient.
The whole family can get excited about this easy way to jazz up donuts!
Sourdough Bran Muffins

Recipe credit: Sourdough Brandon
Tons of fiber, amazing flavor, and not overly sweet?
Sounds to me like my new breakfast staple, especially in my house full of kids.
Sourdough Apple Pie Muffins

Recipe credit: Zesty South Indian Kitchen
I love a muffin with streusel on top, and the apple pie flavor profile sounds delicious.
If you want to spice up your regular muffin routine, this is definitely a recipe to save.
Sourdough Lemon Muffins

Recipe credit: Somebody Feed Seb
These lemon muffins are so simple, which is half the beauty of them.
The other half is the fact that it includes sourdough discard, making these muffins easier on your gut. You might catch me sprinkling some poppyseeds in that dough!
Sourdough Banana Muffins

Recipe credit: Simple Desserts
If you have three ripe bananas on your counter, avoid the fruit flies by making these insanely good banana muffins.
If you prefer, you could pour this batter in a loaf pan and enjoy some banana bread, too!
Sourdough Morning Glory Muffins

Recipe credit: Lynn’s Way of Life
I love a recipe that sneaks in some fruit and veggies without my kids noticing.
These sourdough muffins have shredded carrot and apple inside, and they taste divine. They’ll never know!
Sourdough Blueberry Jumbo Muffins

Recipe credit: Broken Oven Baking
If a muffin recipe has sour cream in it, I know it’s gonna be a good one.
These jumbo muffins include blueberries for extra antioxidants and energy to start the day off right.
Quick Oatmeal and Chocolate Chip Sourdough Muffins

Recipe credit: Cooking with Carlee
Chocolate chips are the secret to getting my kids excited about any breakfast food.
I can’t wait to whip up these sourdough muffins, which include mini chocolate chips for extra fun and flavor.
Sourdough Discard Coffee Cake

Recipe credit: Two Pink Peonies
This coffee cake is so moist and delicious. It’s also super easy to whip up.
The tangy flavor from sourdough, brown sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon flavors go so well together. It’s a fan favorite!
Sourdough Monkey Bread

Recipe credit: Amy Bakes Bread
I know Monkey Bread is a dessert, but my family has a tradition of having it on Christmas morning.
I also know this recipe calls for active starter, not discard. But I LOVE this recipe and you can sub out the active starter for discard and just add 7g of active dry yeast if you must. It’s so worth it.
Sourdough Discard Crumpets

Recipe credit: Scotch and Scones
Sourdough crumpets are a cross between delicious pancakes and English muffins. With only four ingredients, the batter is quick and easy to make.
Best of all, you can use your weekly unfed sourdough starter discard straight from the refrigerator.
Sourdough Breakfast Cookies

Recipe credit: A Blossoming Life
Did someone say cookie?! My kids go crazy over breakfast cookies, and thanks to the oats, these are a much healthier, heartier version.
The recipe is easy, too – basically, just mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, let the dough ferment, add a few final ingredients, and bake!
Sourdough Buckwheat Pancakes

Recipe credit: Sourdough Brandon
These are not your regular pancakes! If you’re gluten-free, this recipe is the perfect, delicious breakfast. The flour gives a great earthy, nutty flavor profile.
You can make them completely gluten-free by using a gluten-free sourdough starter or buckwheat starter.
Sourdough Discard Crepes

Recipe credit: Made in Motherhood
Crepes are a fun way to switch up the classic waffles or pancakes we make so often in our house.
Plus, this sourdough version is adapted from a recipe printed in 1891, which makes these as traditional as French crepes can get.
Gluten-Free Sourdough Pancakes

Recipe credit: The Roasted Root
This pancake recipe is the perfect breakfast if you’re avoiding gluten. It also includes coconut milk for a unique flavor profile!
Blueberry Sourdough Sweet Rolls

Recipe credit: A Blossoming Life
These blueberry rolls are a super fun take on classic cinnamon rolls.
They look to die for, and of course, the sourdough adds in some health benefits, even if they don’t quite make up for all the yummy sugar!
Conclusion
While sourdough discard waffles might be our tried-and-true, finding all of these new recipes has totally inspired me!
I can’t wait to branch out and enjoy all of the benefits sourdough has to offer.
Comment below which sourdough discard breakfast recipe you plan to try first!
Read next: Soft, Pliable Sourdough Tortillas Recipe (Discard)
Everything looks so good! Luckily my starter needs fed, so I can start working my way through the list.
Nice!! Let me know what you try!