Fluffy Sourdough Buckwheat Pancakes

These gluten-free sourdough buckwheat pancakes only call for 6 simple ingredients and are a 1-bowl recipe! You will enjoy the thick fluffiness and earthy buckwheat flavor in this sourdough discard recipe.

Buckwheat is so fun to cook and bake with! It adds a nutty and earthy flavor to baked goods. I especially love baking buckwheat sourdough bread, buckwheat flatbread, and 100% buckwheat flour loaf with it!

After baking a countless number of breads I decided to try buckwheat in desserts and it didn't disappoint! I love how the flavor shines in this buckwheat flour chocolate cake, buckwheat apple cake, buckwheat pumpkin muffins, and even buckwheat shortbread cookies.

Having made all these desserts, I had to try buckwheat oatmeal cookies (my childhood favorite) and oh what a success they were! There will definitely be more buckwheat desserts coming your way in the next months.

What is buckwheat?

Buckwheat is an ancient grain and has nothing to do with wheat despite its name! Buckwheat is a pseudocereal seed like quinoa, amaranth, and chia and it is often eaten as a whole grain in Eastern Europe.

Buckwheat flour is made by grinding buckwheat kernels into fine powder and it is naturally gluten-free. You can even make buckwheat flour at home in a high-powdered blender or a coffee grinder! Just make sure to sieve it to get rid of the larger bits.

Since buckwheat is gluten-free, normally I would add a binder like psyllium husk or konjac to buckwheat bread or other baked goods. These pancakes, however, don't need any binder due to the help of eggs and the natural elasticity of buckwheat.

Ingredients & substitutes

• Sourdough starter - use starter discard or an active starter. If you don't have one, learn how to make a gluten-free starter at home. You can use a brown rice, buckwheat, millet, teff, sorghum, or any other starter!
• Oil - adds fluffiness and flavor to the pancakes. I like to use sunflower oil but any other neutral oil will work, too. Butter would make these pancakes denser!
• Eggs - help hold the structure of the pancakes and add to the flavor. I haven't tested this recipe with vegan egg substitutes.
• Buckwheat flour - is the star of the recipe! You can substitute it with another gluten-free flour but the results might not be the same.
• Baking powder - is responsible for the thickness and airiness of the pancakes. Don't substitute with baking soda.
• Sugar - adds a slight sweetness to the pancakes. You can use maple syrup or honey instead.

Step-by-step instructions

Step 1

First, add the buckwheat flour, sugar, and baking powder to a large mixing bowl and whisk to incorporate.

You can add a pinch of salt to add to the flavor!

Step 2

Then, add the eggs, oil, and sourdough discard to the bowl and mix until well combined.

Don't worry about overmixing! Since there is no gluten in the batter, the pancakes won't toughen.

Step 3

Add some oil to the cast iron pan or griddle (use sunflower, vegetable, canola, grapeseed, or avocado oil) and preheat over medium-high heat. Don't fry the pancakes in butter because butter is more prone to burning due to its low smoke point.

I recommend using a cast iron pan because it allows for a more even cook-through and a more pronounced golden color of your pancakes!

Once the pan is preheated (a drop of water will sizzle), add the pancake batter to the pan using a ladle or ¼ cup. I like making my pancakes bigger, so I use a ladle, for smaller pancakes use ¼ cup.

Fry for 2-3 minutes until you start seeing bubbles in the middle of the pancake batter. Lift the side of the pancake to see if the edges are golden brown and flip. Fry for another 2-3 minutes and transfer to a plate. Repeat with the rest of the batter and enjoy!

Use a large metal spatula to flip the pancakes so they don't break as you flip!

To keep pancakes warm, place them in a preheated oven (200F/90C) on a baking sheet until ready to serve!

Topping ideas

1. I love serving pancakes with some homemade plum jam or canned cherries!
2. Maple syrup or honey are also a great way to sweeten your breakfast.
3. Growing up in Russia, we often ate pancakes with condensed milk!
4. Fresh berries like strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, and other berries will add freshness to the dish.
5. Add peanut butter and Nutella for a more filling plate.
6. Finally, a dollop of whipped cream will turn these pancakes into a buckwheat dessert!

Storage

• Keep sourdough buckwheat pancakes at room temperature for 1 day;
• In the fridge for 3-4 days;
• In the freezer for up to 3 months.

To freeze, simply wrap each pancake in a plastic wrap and transfer to a freezer bag. Alternatively, you can just line each pancake with a small piece of parchment paper and keep them all in a bag this way.

To defrost, pop the pancakes into a microwave for a couple minutes.

FAQ