Kamut & Fresh-milled Sourdough discard Pancake Mix

Jessica Kelly
Mar 29, 2025
5 min read

The Best Homemade Sourdough Discard Pancake Mix – A French Farmhouse-Inspired Staple

There’s something about slow mornings on the homestead that just beg for pancakes. Maybe it’s the way the golden batter sizzles on a well-loved cast iron skillet, the scent of butter and vanilla wrapping around sleepy children as they shuffle into the kitchen. Or maybe it’s the memory of my own childhood—sitting at my grandmother’s oak table, watching her whisk together ingredients with the kind of ease that only comes from a lifetime of cooking from scratch.

She never measured. It was always a scoop of this, a pinch of that, and somehow, her pancakes were perfect every time.

I, however, am not quite so reckless. I prefer to have a ready-made mix on hand, especially for those mornings when the baby was up all night, the toddler is demanding second breakfast before the first is even served, and I need something nourishing but effortless. That’s where this homemade sourdough pancake mix comes in—a deep scratch, fermented goodness kind of mix that transforms into golden, fluffy pancakes with just a few simple wet ingredients.

And the best part? It’s full of real, wholesome ingredients that actually nourish your family instead of leaving them hungry an hour later. Plus, there’s something deeply satisfying about knowing that even your pancake mix is made from scratch.

Why Make Your Own Pancake Mix?

If you’ve ever glanced at the ingredient list of a store-bought pancake mix, you might have noticed a few questionable additions—preservatives, hydrogenated oils, synthetic vitamins, and, of course, a good amount of sugar hiding under names like “dextrose” and “maltodextrin.”

But pancakes were never meant to be complicated. Flour, eggs, milk, butter—these are the humble ingredients that have graced breakfast tables for generations. By making your own mix, you control the quality of every single ingredient.

This mix is packed with nutrient-dense flours like Kamut and freshly milled soft white wheat, giving your pancakes a deeper flavor and a heartier texture. The baking powder provides a gentle rise, while a touch of salt and sugar balance everything out. And when you add in sourdough starter discard, you get the added benefits of fermentation—better digestion, improved nutrient absorption, and a more complex, delicious flavor.

It’s everything a pancake should be—without the junk.

Homemade Sourdough Pancake Mix (Bulk Recipe – Makes 6 Batches)

Dry Ingredients for Pancake Mix:

• 750 g (6 cups) Kamut flour

• 300 g (2 ½ cups) fresh milled soft white wheat flour

• 240 g (1 ¾ cups) sugar

• 48 g (3 tbsp + 1 tsp) baking powder

• 18 g (1 tbsp) salt

To Store: Mix well and store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place. I like to keep mine in a big glass jar with a handwritten label—partly for aesthetics, but mostly because it makes me feel like I belong in a vintage French farmhouse.

How to Use Your Pancake Mix

When you’re ready to whip up a batch of pancakes, simply scoop out what you need and add the wet ingredients:

For One Batch (20 Pancakes), You’ll Need:

• 240 g (1 ¾ cups) pancake mix

• 100 g (½ cup) sourdough starter discard

• 200 g (¾ cup + 2 tbsp) milk (or buttermilk)

• 50 g (¼ cup) melted butter

• 1 large egg

• 5 g (1 tsp) vanilla extract

Instructions:

1. In a mixing bowl, whisk together 240 g (1 ¾ cups) of the pancake mix with the sourdough discard.

2. Pour in the milk, melted butter, egg, and vanilla extract, stirring just until combined. (Lumps are fine! Overmixing leads to tough pancakes.)

3. Heat a well-seasoned cast iron skillet over medium heat and grease lightly with butter.

4. Pour batter onto the skillet, using about ¼ cup per pancake. Cook until bubbles form on the surface and the edges look set, then flip and cook until golden brown.

5. Serve warm with butter, real maple syrup, or a drizzle of honey.

Label for Your Pancake Mix Container

Because let’s be honest—if you don’t put the instructions on the container, you’ll end up digging through this blog post (or worse, texting me in a pancake emergency).

“For 20 pancakes, mix:

• 1 ¾ cups pancake mix

• ½ cup sourdough discard

• ¾ cup + 2 tbsp milk

• ¼ cup melted butter

• 1 egg

• 1 tsp vanilla

Whisk together & cook on a greased skillet over medium heat. Enjoy!”**

I like to tape this right onto my jar so even my kids (or husband) can handle pancake duty.

A Few Notes from the Homestead Kitchen

1. Buttermilk is worth it.

If you have it on hand, swap out the milk for buttermilk. The acidity works with the sourdough to create extra tender pancakes.

2. Adjust thickness as needed.

This batter is naturally thick, thanks to the sourdough and whole grains. If you prefer thinner pancakes, add a splash more milk.

3. Make a double batch and freeze the extras.

Pancakes freeze beautifully. Just let them cool, stack with parchment between each one, and store in an airtight bag. Reheat in the toaster or oven for quick breakfasts.

A Story for the Road

I’ll never forget the time I first tested this mix on a morning when everything seemed to be going wrong. My youngest had managed to pour an entire bag of flour onto the floor, the middle child was in full meltdown mode over a missing sock, and my oldest had just announced that she needed a last-minute school project—due in an hour.

Now, every time I make them, I think about that chaotic morning and laugh. Because sometimes, the simplest things—a warm pancake, a drizzle of honey, a moment of quiet at the breakfast table—are the best reminders of why we do this homesteading life in the first place.

So here’s to more slow mornings, more from-scratch cooking, and more pancakes that taste like they belong in a French countryside kitchen.

Bon appétit, my friend!

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