My daughter is a choc-o-holic (as am I), and she basically won’t eat waffles unless they have chocolate chips inside. That gave me the idea to try making fully chocolate sourdough discard waffles, and yep – they’re as good as I imagined!

Fully kid-approved, this double chocolate waffle batter comes together in less than 5 minutes and freezes really well for easy breakfasts throughout the week.

Did I mention it uses up 1,000g of sourdough discard?! (Don’t worry – if you don’t have that much to use up, you can scale the recipe in 250g increments.)

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Why You’ll Love These Chocolate Sourdough Discard Waffles

• Uses 1,000g of sourdough discard: Got a backlog of discard to use up? This is the recipe you need to clear it out in the most delicious way. (You can scale this recipe up and down in 250g increments. Every 250g of discard equals 5 square waffles.)
• Fully fermented with no waiting time: No fresh flour is added in this recipe – all the flour comes from your discard, meaning it’s pre-fermented and easy on the gut.
• Rich and chocolatey: The cocoa powder and chocolate chips give plenty of chocolate flavor, without being overly sweet. The amount of sugar you add is totally flexible, too.
• They freeze really well: Make a big batch, freeze them, and reheat straight from frozen for easy breakfasts or snacks.
• Fun new waffle flavor: If you already make regular sourdough discard waffles, this chocolate version is an easy way to try something a little different.
• They’re quick and easy: Just like my other sourdough discard waffles, these come together fast with no long fermenting times or complicated steps.

Ingredients in Chocolate Sourdough Discard Waffles

• Unsalted butter (melted): Adds richness and helps the waffles get those lightly crisp edges without drying out. If you’re a salted butter or bust kind of person, you can totally use that here – just omit the extra pinch of salt.
• Espresso powder: You won’t taste coffee. It just makes the chocolate taste deeper and more intense.
• Unsweetened cocoa powder: Key for getting that chocolate flavor (and color) throughout the batter.
• Vanilla extract: Homemade vanilla is so easy to make, but store-bought works just fine, too. You can use extract or paste.
• Sugar: Regular sugar works great, but you can swap in your favorite alternative sweetener if you prefer. 
• Sourdough discard: Discard works best for this recipe when it’s less than 10 days old. Discard older than that can get too acidic and throw off the flavor.
• Eggs: Eggs help bind everything together. If you need to go eggless, check out the substitutions in the next section or in the Recipe Notes.
• Salt: Just a pinch to balance the flavors. Sea salt, Himalayan, or table salt all work – just use what you have.
• Mini semi-sweet chocolate chips: Mini chips spread out more evenly, so you get chocolate in every bite. Regular size work as well.
• Baking soda: Instantly reacts with the acid in your sourdough discard to give the waffles lift and keep them light. Make sure to mix it in thoroughly to avoid any bitter, chemical-tasting pockets.

Equipment You’ll Need

• Waffle maker: I’m currently using a Cuisinart waffle maker and love it. We used to have the much pricier All-Clad waffle maker, but this one wins for me because the plates come out and go straight into the dishwasher. It also heats and cooks faster.

• Mixing bowl: Mixing bowl: Use any large mixing bowl for the batter. I love these Anchor Hocking bowls (I use them for sourdough loaves too!). If you need an alternative, this Pyrex bowl is the same size and includes a bonus measuring cup.
• Whisk: To whisk all your ingredients together.
• Half sheet tray: You only need these if you plan on freezing your waffles. The USA Pan sheet trays are sturdy and get a lot of use in my kitchen.
• Parchment paper: Also for freezing your waffles so they don’t stick together once frozen. King Arthur’s pre-cut parchment paper fits my USA Pan sheet trays perfectly.
• Freezer Bags: Great for storing frozen waffles. I like to make big batches so I can pull them out on busy mornings. 

How to Make Chocolate Sourdough Discard Waffles (Step-by-Step Instructions)

Step 1: Preheat Your Waffle Iron

Start by preheating your waffle iron so it’s ready when the batter is done. A hot waffle iron will cook the waffles evenly and get the edges nice and crispy.

I set my waffle iron to about 4 out of 6 on the heat scale, but you’ll need to experiment with your own waffle maker to dial it in.

Step 2: Mix the Chocolate Base

In a large mixing bowl, melt 113 g of butter (8 tbsp or 1/2 cup) in the microwave (or melt it on the stovetop and transfer it to your mixing bowl). 

While the butter is still hot, whisk in 1 tsp espresso powder and 80 g unsweetened cocoa powder.

This blooms the espresso and cocoa, which intensifies their flavor and creates a richer, deeper chocolate taste.

Step 3: Add the Wet Ingredients

Whisk in 2 tsp vanilla extract, 100 g sugar, 1,000 g sourdough discard, 4 eggs, and a pinch of salt. 

Note: if your melted butter is piping hot, mix everything together except for the eggs. Then, whisk in the eggs. This will make sure they don’t scramble.

Mix until everything is fully combined and the batter looks smooth. 

Step 4: Fold in the Chocolate Chips

Stir in 160 g of mini semi-sweet chocolate chips until they’re evenly distributed throughout the batter. 

Mini chips work well here because they disperse more evenly throughout the waffles.

Step 5: Activate the Batter with Baking Soda

Sprinkle 2 tsp baking soda evenly over the surface of the batter, then whisk vigorously for about 20-30 seconds. 

As the baking soda reacts with the acid in the sourdough discard, the batter will puff up and become very light and fluffy. Just what we need before pouring into the waffle iron.

Note: Making the batter in advance? Wait to add the baking soda until you’re ready to cook. When you do add it, whisk thoroughly. Any unmixed pockets of baking soda will taste bitter and chemical-like.

Step 6: Cook the Waffles

Pour the batter into your preheated waffle iron and cook according to your waffle maker’s instructions. 

Then, transfer the waffles to a cooling rack so the bottoms don’t get soggy. 

Let them cool slightly, then serve or freeze for later.

I love these double chocolate sourdough waffles with powdered sugar, a pat of butter, and warm maple syrup!

These are hands-down my kids’ favorite waffles of all time.

How to Store Your Chocolate Sourdough Discard Waffles

I make a big batch of waffles about once a week and freeze them. 

These chocolate sourdough discard waffles freeze just as well as the regular ones and are great to have on hand for busy mornings.

You could keep a mix in the freezer – plain sourdough discard waffles, chocolate discard waffles, banana nut waffles, and something seasonal like pumpkin spice waffles – to rotate and keep breakfasts interesting.

Here’s how to freeze your waffles:

• After the waffles come out of the waffle maker, place them in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
• Freeze uncovered for 1–2 hours, until fully frozen. This step prevents the waffles from freezing together – if that happens, you have to pry them apart, which can tear them (and it’s just a little annoying).
• Transfer the frozen waffles to a freezer-safe Ziploc bag for longer storage.

They’ll keep for months in the freezer—though they usually disappear long before that around here.

To reheat:

Pop a frozen waffle straight into a toaster on a low setting. They come out warm and crispy, like you just made them fresh. You’d literally never know they were previously frozen.

Troubleshooting Tips

• My waffles are sticking to the waffle iron: Make sure your waffle maker is fully preheated before adding batter, and lightly brush the plates with melted butter or spray with a neutral oil between batches.
• The chocolate chips are sinking to the bottom: This happens as the batter sits. Mini chocolate chips are a bit lighter than regular ones, which helps, but I usually give the batter a quick stir between waffles and scoop from the bottom to keep the chocolate chips evenly distributed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

These chocolate sourdough discard waffles are an easy, low-effort way to turn extra discard into something delicious. 

Whether you make them fresh or stock your freezer for busy mornings, they’re a fun twist on classic sourdough waffles that feels just a little bit indulgent.

Other breakfast recipe ideas:

• Sourdough Cinnamon Crunch Bagels (Panera Copycat)
• Wildly Soft Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls (No Tang)
• Easy, Overnight Sourdough Bagel Recipe
• Browse All My Sourdough Breakfast Recipes