Sourdough pancakes are the best pancakes, KEFIR sourdough pancakes are the absolute best pancakes. Kefir takes the sour in the sourdough up about ten notches. And there is seriously nothing better than extremely sour sourdough pancakes. And then I go and use whole wheat flour, add raspberries to the batter, and top them with even more berries, real maple syrup, and butter. Is your mouth watering yet? Because it should be!
I typically make these pancakes for camping trips. One time I made sourdough pancakes for 20 people while we were camping. It was epic! I had help of course…. Actually, I usually have Kris cook the pancakes because he has better breakfast making skills than I do… I mean, I can make some pretty awesome breakfasts but Kris is just superior when it comes to breakfast. Breakfast and barbecuing… I’ll let him have those two things. But we’ve made these pancakes for many camping and rafting trips, and everyone always loves them.
We made these kefir sourdough pancakes last weekend for our family rafting trip, and they were the perfect breakfast. I didn’t add the raspberries when we were camping; we just ate them with bacon. (Had to include a picture of my puppy dog, Maddie. She was hanging out under the picnic table hoping someone would drop a piece of pancake or bacon…). This recipe is so easy, perfect for camping. It does require making the sponge the night before, but other than that, it’s no big deal.
The day before you want to make the pancakes, you mix sourdough starter, flour, sugar, and kefir (or you can use buttermilk). Then the next morning you add in eggs, butter, salt, and baking soda. And that’s it! The pancake batter is ready to go! I do recommend cooking these pancakes in butter using a cast iron skillet. You don’t need a lot of butter, just a little splat. And the cast iron skillet crisps them up just perfect!
I like using whole wheat flour better than white flour. It makes the pancakes even hardier. I’m not a fan of light and fluffy pancakes, I like heavy-duty pancakes that stick to your ribs and keep you full for hours. Adding raspberries to the batter makes them even more delicious. We’ve added fresh picked huckleberries in the past too, and that’s amazing. Unfortunately it’s not quite huckleberry season yet, so raspberries will have to do!
Real maple syrup is also key! You must use real maple syrup; it’s worth the money. If you don’t have real maple syrup, you’re just getting flavored corn syrup and a bunch of other crap. Buy the real stuff. (Costco has the best deal I’ve found so far, FYI).
Now the kefir, the kefir intensifies the sourdough flavor. You can use buttermilk in place of kefir, but the kefir helps to break down anti-nutrients in the flour through souring (making it crazy sour!). For more information on soaking and souring grains, check out Cultures for Health.
I hope you become obsessed with these kefir sourdough pancakes just like we are. There is nothing more amazing that homemade sourdough pancakes. Enjoy!
- For the Sponge: 2 cups whole wheat flour 2 cups plain kefir (or buttermilk), 2 tbsp sugar, 1 cup of fed sourdough starter.
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 cup butter melted
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 cup - 1 cup fresh raspberries
- Optional toppings: butter berries, real maple syrup
- Additional butter for cooking the pancakes.
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To make the sponge, mix whole wheat flour, kefir, sugar, and sourdough starter together in a large glass bowl. Let sponge sit overnight, at least 12 hr at room temperature.
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To make the pancake batter, add eggs, melted butter, salt, and baking soda to sponge.
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Fold in fresh raspberries.
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Heat skillet over medium heat. Melt about 1/4 tsp butter in skillet. When butter is melted, add pancake batter, 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup at a time.
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Flip pancake when batter started to bubble.
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Top pancakes with butter, berries, and fresh maple syrup.
Recipe inspiration from King Arthur’s Classic Sourdough Waffles or Pancakes Recipe.
First off. . .Maddie is so cute (I had to get that off my chest). It must be hard to resist those pretty eyes. Second. . .pancakes while camping? Now that’s glamping. And let me tell you. . .these pancakes look completely irresistible with that dripping maple syrup and sweet juicy berries.
Ahhh, thanks 🙂 Our little Maddikins is so spoiled, couldn’t resist posting a picture of her 😉 Hahaha, glamping! Our food totally qualifies as glamping, have to eat good while you’re roughing it!
I came on this article kind of late, while googling whole wheat sourdough pancakes. I grew up on sourdough, living in the Alaska bush as a kid, and was looking to pump it up, nutrition- wise. Because sourdough is the only way I like pancakes and can’t abide regular, fluffy ones (they feel like lead weights in my stomach). Great pictures – they look wonderful!
The reason I’m commenting? I have to say my all-time favorite topping is Highbush Cranberry Syrup (or Jelly). There is something about it that is absolutely synergistic with Sourdough Pancakes. Nothing else comes close (to me). They grow wild where I live, so it’s easy to get and make. What was interesting about your article is your addition of kefir – you said you love the tang it produces. It is the same thing with Highbush Cranberries – natives call them Sourberries because they are so tart. You add sugar of course to make the jelly or syrup, but it still has it’s own unique tang after sweetening. You add the raspberries to give it the berry flavor, but yours may end up being real similar to the style I love so much! Raspberry may be the flavor closest to Highbush Cranberry, though Highbush has a special ‘wild’ note I adore. Thanks for the great article and fantastic pictures.
Wonderful story, Kathleen! Hope these sourdough pancakes live up to the pancakes of your youth! I’ve never even heard of highbush cranberries but am curious about them now! We have family living up in Alaska, will have to ask them about the berries. 🙂
What a great recipe! Made it this morning in the form of waffles. they were very light and filling (nutritious). I made it with white flour and without the raspberries inside and paired it with kefir grains cutrured cream and raspberries on top.
One to make again and again!!! Thank you!
So glad you liked it! Love that you made waffles!