Overnight Sponge (with Starter)
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Sourdough starter, unfed | 240 g |
| Buttermilk | 224 g |
| All-purpose flour | 120 g |
| Light brown sugar | 13 g |
Same-Day Alternate (with Yeast)
No starter, or don't want to wait overnight? Swap the sponge above for this and it's ready in 1 to 2 hours instead of 12.
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| All-purpose flour | 240 g |
| Buttermilk | 344 g |
| Light brown sugar | 13 g |
| Active dry or instant yeast (1–1½ tsp) | 3 g |
Stir the flour, buttermilk, brown sugar, and yeast together in a large bowl. Cover and let sit at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours, until foamy and roughly doubled. Use in place of the overnight sponge above.
Substitute, per cup called for: ⅓ cup Greek yogurt + ⅔ cup milk, stirred together.
Reduce the yeast to ¼–½ tsp. Refrigerate the sponge overnight, then let it sit at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes before mixing in the batter ingredients. If leaving it at room temperature overnight instead, use ¼ tsp yeast and stir before proceeding — it may rise and fall back by morning.
Batter
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Large egg | 1 large egg |
| Unsalted butter, melted (or neutral oil) | 57 g |
| Vanilla extract | measure with your heart |
| Kosher salt | 3 g |
| Baking soda | 6 g |
Instructions
-
Make the sponge.
Overnight: stir together the unfed sourdough starter, buttermilk, flour, and brown sugar. Cover and let rest at cool room temperature (65–70°F) for about 12 hours. Same-day with yeast: stir together the flour, buttermilk, brown sugar, and yeast, and let sit 1 to 2 hours instead. Either way, it's ready when expanded and bubbly.
-
Make the batter.
Beat together the egg and melted butter (or oil) in a small bowl. Add the egg mixture to the sponge along with the vanilla, stirring just to combine.
-
Add the leaveners.
Stir in the baking soda and salt. The batter will expand and may bubble a bit — use it right away.
- Cook. For pancakes: preheat a griddle or skillet over medium heat and grease lightly. Pour the batter by the ¼-cupful onto the griddle. Cook until bubbles form on top and the edges look set, then flip and cook until golden on the second side. For waffles: preheat and grease a waffle iron, then cook according to its settings until golden and crisp.
Note Use the batter as soon as the baking soda and salt are mixed in — it won't hold well once it starts bubbling.