Sourdough Crepes (Easy Recipe Made With Discard)

If you love crispy edges and a world of choice of fillings when it comes to breakfast pancakes, these homemade crepes are for you! This Sourdough Crepe recipe is a clever way to use up leftover sourdough starter, creating Sourdough Crepes that are both delicious and resourceful.

Jump to:

• Crepes: Better and Easier With Sourdough
• Ingredients and Substitutes
• Kitchen Tools
• Step-By-Step Method
• How To Keep Crepes Warm?
• Serving Suggestions: Delicious Fillings and Toppings
• How to Store and Reheat Sourdough Crepes?
• More Pancake Recipes
• Sourdough Crepes (Easy Recipe Made With Discard)

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Crepes: Better and Easier With Sourdough

Crepes, those world-renowned thin pancakes, are a versatile treat that can be enjoyed with both sweet and savoury fillings. This French-style pancake is perfect for any meal of the day, whether you prefer them filled with fresh fruit and cream for breakfast or with ham and cheese for a savoury lunch or dinner. Their thin, delicate nature makes them a favourite worldwide.

Using sourdough to make crepes is an excellent way to prevent food waste by using up extra discard from your sourdough bread adventures.

It's not only a great way to reduce food waste but it also results in crepes that are easier to digest, as the recipe calls for very little added flour, that is unfermented flour.

What is more, the acidity in the sourdough starter makes the most tender crepes you can imagine! Just wait until you try them...

Do you know what other breakfast item is better with sourdough? Try this Sourdough Granola - you will be addicted! For more breakfast ideas, head to our Sourdough Breakfast Recipes!

Ingredients and Substitutes

You will need 6 simple ingredients to make these delicious French crepes enhanced with extra sourdough starter:

• sourdough discard: 100% hydration. You may use active starter if that's what you have an excess of since the batter will not go through a long fermentation process anyway. We don't recommend using active sourdough starter if you intend to let the batter ferment overnight. 
• whole milk: we tested this recipe with dairy and soya milk, and both worked great. 
• eggs: medium eggs in the UK, large eggs in the US. 
• caster sugar: also known as superfine sugar, or white granulated white sugar. Cane sugar or light brown sugar will work too. 
• butter: melted butter will be added to the batter. You may need extra to brush the pan with too. 
• plain flour: also known as all-purpose flour. You may add a small portion of whole wheat flour too but note that it will absorb more liquid. 
• a pinch of salt.

Find the quantities, detailed instructions and nutritional information on the recipe card at the bottom of the post. 

Kitchen Tools

You don't really need any special equipment to make the sourdough crepe batter. You can simply use a balloon whisk to make the batter. But if you have an electric hand mixer or an immersion blender with a whisk attachment, you can use that too! 

Use a large non-stick skillet to cook your crepes in. Whilst cast iron skillet will work too, we find it too heavy to distribute the batter in time to cover the bottom of the pan. If you have a crepe pan, definitely use it! Crepe pans typically have low, sloping sides, making it easier to spread the batter thinly and flip the crepes without tearing them. 

Step-By-Step Method

1. In a large bowl, whisk the milk and sourdough starter discard until combined.

2. Add the melted butter, eggs, sugar, salt, and flour and whisk again until you have a smooth batter with no lumps.

3. Let the batter rest for 30 minutes on the kitchen counter (or up to 24 hours in the fridge).

4. After resting, stir the batter again and add a splash of milk or water if the flour absorbed lots of water and the consistency of the batter looks too thick.

5. Lightly grease the bottom of a non-stick frying pan (or crepe pan) and heat it over medium heat. You may use melted butter, coconut oil or other neutral oil of choice. 

6. Pour a ladleful of sourdough crepe batter into the preheated pan and distribute it across the base by moving the pan in a circular motion.

7. Cook the crepe on the first side for 60-70 seconds, or until the edges of the crepe start coming away from the pan and turn slightly crispy.

8. Flip the crepe and cook on the second side for 30-60 seconds. The crepes should be soft, flexible and golden brown with slightly crispy edges. Note that the first crepe is very likely to turn out right!

9. Repeat with the rest of the batter, stacking the cooked sourdough crepes in the oven preheated to the lowest setting.

It's a perfect recipe for both sweet fillings and savoury toppings (and boy, do we have plenty of suggestions below!?)...

How To Keep Crepes Warm?

To keep your crepes warm while you finish cooking the whole batch, stack them on an ovenproof plate or another baking dish and place them in the oven on a low setting. There's no need to separate the crepes with parchment paper; they'll stay warm and ready to serve without sticking together.

This simple method ensures that your crepes remain perfectly warm and pliable until you're ready to enjoy them.

Serving Suggestions: Delicious Fillings and Toppings

OK, here's here it gets interesting... Whilst maple syrup, fresh berries or lemon juice and sugar are both a delicious way to enjoy pancakes, we feel that Crepes deserve something a little extra special... So here are our favourite fillings for sweet crepes: 

• Banoffee: salted caramel and banana slices with whipped heavy cream on the side. 
• Peanut Butter Jelly: creamy smooth peanut butter and strawberry jam! 
• You have got to make Crepes Suzette with sourdough crepes!
• Or make them into a festive treat by following our recipe for Christmas Crepes. Those are filled with orange cream and cranberry sauce.

Fancy savoury crepes? 

• Spinach, smoked salmon and cream cheese filling is our favourite.
• Roasted beetroot and goat's cheese with a little bit of dukkah on top!
• Thyme mushrooms and caramelised onion. 

What's your favourite way to enjoy sourdough crepes?

How to Store and Reheat Sourdough Crepes?

Once cooled down to room temperature, store the crepes in the fridge, stacked between layers of parchment paper, and wrapped tightly in plastic wrap. Consume them within 4-5 days. 

You may also keep rolled crepes (with non-wet fillings, like banana slices) in an airtight container and then fry them as and when needed. 

To freeze crepes, place the layered stack into a plastic freezer bag and keep frozen for up to 2 months. When you are ready to eat them, allow the crepes to thaw in the fridge overnight.

Be very gentle when separating the crepes, as they are fragile and can tear easily. To reheat the crepes, heat a non-stick pan over medium-low heat with a little butter or oil. Cook on both sides until warm.

More Pancake Recipes

Did you enjoy our sourdough crepes recipe? What did you fill them with? Next time, why not try our Overnight Sourdough Discard Pancakes or Sourdough Pancakes With Blueberries? In autumn, don't miss our Sourdough Pumpkin Pancakes. Here are a few more delicious recipes: