🍞 Make your weekend with these easy starter discard bakes


Easy weekend bakes

There’s a type of baking I come back to every fall, and it’s the kind that’s done before the coffee goes cold. No levain the night before, no overnight proof, nothing to fuss about. Just sourdough discard from the fridge, cold butter, and something flaky and sweet on the counter an hour later.

That's what this recipe roundup is all about. Each recipe below is one that I reach for when I want the payoff without the schedule, and they taste right this time of year in a way they just don’t in July.

Case in point: This past week I baked my sourdough banana bread for the millionth time, but this time I split the flour 50% whole wheat and 50% all-purpose.

For me, this is the quintessential fall discard bake here in my kitchen; just take a look:

That recipe is so easy, so quick to come together, and so delicious, it really feels like cheating.

Read on for more inspiration!

In this week's newsletter:

  • Recipes: Sourdough granola, scones, pancakes, ciambella (Italian lemon cake), lemon poppyseed loaf, easy no-knead sourdough.

🍞 Starter Discard Granola

I love having a jar of this granola in my freezer (yes, store it in your freezer to keep it ultra crisp!). Perfect for a hearty breakfast or just snapping off chunks for snacking during the day.

🍞 Starter Discard Scones

My kind of breakfast right here. These perfectly balanced sourdough discard scones are tender, crumbly, and so light.

Or, if you have pumpkin leftover, try my pumpkin scone version.

πŸ₯ž Classic Starter Discard Pancakes

I've been making these sourdough pancakes for going on 10 years now. I let the batter ferment overnight, and it turns into a crazy flavorful pancake the next day (but same-day works well, too).

As my baking friend John says, use half whole einkorn, and these literally taste like slices of delicious cake. Get to it!

πŸ‹ Ciambella (Italian lemon cake)

This tender cake uses leftover sourdough starter, which creates a perfectly moist crumb without adding any tang.

This recipe is such a hit that I also included it in my upcoming pizza cookbook!

πŸ‹ Lemon Poppyseed Loaf

Continuing the lemon theme (and maybe you have a few leftover from the ciambella?), this classic lemon poppyseed loaf calls for sourdough starter to enhance the texture while maintaining a tender crumb and bright citrus flavor.

🍞 Easy No-Knead Sourdough

This no-knead sourdough bread combines simplicity with satisfaction. It's easier to handle with lower hydration than typical sourdough recipes, while still delivering a soft crumb and a crunchy crust.


πŸ• The Perfect Pizza Is Out In TWO Weeks!

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Plus, for a LIMITED time, get the pre-order bonuses:

  • all the recipes in editable spreadsheet format
  • extra recipes that didn't fit in the book (hoagie loaves and more!)
  • an exclusive behind-the-scenes video making pizza with me in my kitchen

Happy Halloween πŸŽƒ

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