Name: Sourdough Pumpkin Pancakes
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 10
Ingredients: 188g (1 1/2 cups) all-purpose flour; 2 teaspoons pumpkin spice; 1 teaspoon baking soda; 1 teaspoon baking powder; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 240g (1 cup) whole milk, room temperature; 150g (3/4 cup) discard sourdough starter; 113g (1/2 cup) pumkin puree; 32g (3 tablespoons) soft brown sugar; 2 large eggs; 45g (3 tablespoons) melted butter (plus more for frying); 1 teaspoon vanilla paste

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These sourdough pumpkin pancakes are perfect for embracing pumpkin season and making a delicious fall breakfast. They’re a great way to utilize that sourdough starter discard you have lying around.

a stack and forkful of pumpkin sourdough pancakes

I love these pumpkin sourdough pancakes for breakfast! They’re thick and fluffy, gently spiced, and so tender. The batter is super simple to whip up, and if you want overnight sourdough discard pancakes, you can make it the evening before and refrigerate it overnight, ready to cook in the morning!

Don’t have a sourdough starter? Learn to make your own sourdough starter.

close up of sourdough pumpkin pancakes with cream.

Ingredients

Here’s what you need for sourdough pumpkin spice pancakes. A printable recipe card with exact measurements is available at the bottom of this post.

All-purpose flour, baking soda and baking powder – The base and rising agents
Pumpkin pie spice – Make your pumpkin spice or use store bought.
Pumpkin puree – This can be fresh pumpkin puree or canned.
Large eggs
Vanilla extract or paste
Brown sugar – Or use granulated sugar.
Melted unsalted butter or coconut oil
Room temperature whole milk
Unfed sourdough discard or active sourdough starter- Unfed starter is best as this brings more acidity for a more fluffy and tender pancake.
Optional toppings: chocolate chips, maple syrup, cinnamon sugar, fresh fruit, and homemade whipped cream.

Sourdough pumpkin spice pancakes bird's eye.

Method

Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and pumpkin pie spice in a small bowl.

Whisk to combine.

To a large bowl, add sourdough discard starter, pumpkin puree, eggs, vanilla, sugar, milk, and melted butter.
Whisk until it’s all combined.

dry ingredients added to pumpkin pancake batter.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until combined, but do not over-mix it.

a hand stirring sourdough pumpkin pancake batter.

It’s okay if the batter has small lumps in it.

Preheat a cast iron skillet or non-stick pan over medium heat, then grease the hot pan with butter.

spiced sourdough pumpkin pancake batter being poured into pan.

Ensure the pan is hot and the butter is sizzling, then pour in around 1/4 cup of batter for each pancake. I

Sourdough pumpkin spice pancakes being cooked.

If the pan gets too hot, lower the heat a little once you’ve poured in the pancake batter.

Spatula flipping Sourdough pumpkin spice pancakes

Cook until little bubbles form on the surface, then flip. Cook the second side until golden brown.

a stack of fluffy pumpkin sourdough discard pancakes.

Transfer the pancake to a plate and continue with the rest of the batter until it is all used up, stacking the pancakes in a pile as you go.

Serve the pancakes warm, topped with your favorite toppings. They also pair wonderfully with a hot coffee or a pumpkin spice latte.

a stack of maple syrup drizzled sourdough pumpkin pancakes

Storing

Leftover pancakes can be stored in an airtight container and reheated in the microwave or warm oven if desired.

Variations

For extra dietary fiber, substitute a portion of the all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour.
For an extra layer of flavor, try adding chocolate chips to the batter.

Related recipes

If you loved these, you might like these other pumpkin and sourdough recipes too.