This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Mix the sponge at night, and by morning, you’re already halfway to breakfast. These overnight sourdough waffles come together with just a few quick steps, and the result is crisp, golden edges, a tender center, and that unmistakable sourdough tang.
This is my go-to make-ahead breakfast recipe, made with sourdough starter. The overnight sponge ferments at room temperature, building flavor and creating a light, airy texture.
Prefer pancakes? You can also use your starter in these overnight sourdough pancakes for the same tangy flavor with a fluffy, griddle-cooked texture.
Here’s Why This Sourdough Waffle Recipe Works
Overnight rise builds flavor: Slow fermentation adds depth and a subtle tang.
No early-morning prep: Mix the sponge at night, then finish in minutes come morning.
Whipped egg whites = lift: Folding in stiff peaks keeps the batter light and the waffles airy.
Balanced fat and acid: Butter and yolks add richness, while the starter adds a deep complex flavor.
Recipe Tips
Use a fed, active starter: A bubbly, recently fed starter gives the best rise and that classic sourdough flavor.
Mix the sponge thoroughly: Combine the milk, starter, and flour until smooth to set up strong overnight fermentation.
Fold in the egg whites: Gentle folding keeps the batter light and helps the waffles puff in the iron.
Preheat your waffle iron well: A fully hot iron gives you golden waffles with crisp, defined edges.
Stir just until combined: After adding the yolks and butter, mix briefly—overworking the batter knocks out the air.
Another great way to use your sourdough starter: these sourdough ricotta pancakes are tender, flavorful, and perfect for a weekend breakfast.
The Best Sourdough Waffles
These overnight sourdough waffles hit that rare combo: deep flavor and zero morning hassle. Crisp, tangy, and quick to finish, this is what your sourdough starter was made for. Mix the sponge at night, and breakfast is practically done.
Pin this now to find it later!
Pin It
Overnight Sourdough Waffles
If you make this recipe, please leave a star rating and comment.
Ingredients
The Night Before Cooking:
- 1 cup active sourdough starter, 227 grams
- 1 ¼ cups milk, 283 grams
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, 150 grams
In the Morning:
- 6 tablespoons butter, melted
- 2 egg yolks
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 egg whites
Instructions
The night before (sourdough sponge):
- Mix the sourdough starter, milk, and flour in a large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit on the countertop overnight.
In the morning finish the waffles:
- Preheat your waffle iron.
- Stir in the melted butter, egg yolks, salt, and baking soda.
- Beat the egg whites until they have stiff peaks then gently fold them into the batter.
- Pour the batter onto the preheated waffle iron and bake until crisp and golden, about 3 to 4 minutes.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this recipe? Rate & comment below!
These were really wonderful! Super light and airy and the perfect crisp! Very easy to prepare too!
A keep recipe for sure!
Thank you for your comment, that is great to hear
Do they freeze well?
I want to give friends some:))
Yes they do. They won’t be a crisp when you re-heat them but you can crisp them up in the oven
@Dahn Boquist, You can pop them in the toaster to crisp them too. I usually freeze my waffles and this is how to get them re crispy and warm and yummy.
Great idea, The toaster is perfect for that! Thanks for the comment Kimberly
@Dahn Boquist, the air fryer crisps them nicely ot of the freezer.
Great tip, Ken. Thanks!!
Does it matter what flour you use? Thanks for the question, I updated the recipe card.
I make these with all-purpose flour.
Every time I’ve measured, 1.25 cups of milk = 180 grams (not 280). Not sure if that’s a typo or if you’re using much “heavier” milk than I am (not even sure that’s possible or not!) LOL!
HI Andrea, I triple checked this and the 280 grams is correct for 1.25 cups of milk. I also checked with King Arthurs ingredient weight chart and the measurement complies with theirs. They have 1 cup of milk = 227 grams so according to their measurements 1.25 cups = 283 grams. I am not sure how you are coming up 100 grams short. Are you able to calibrate your scale? Some scales have a calibration feature.
I had every intention on making the waffles from my sourdough discard this morning, I only got as far as making the “Night Before Cooking” but things came up and I couldn’t get to finish them, I hope the “Night Before Cooking” starter will be okay for tomorrow morning now. I didn’t get to the “In The Morning” part and will do that with the starter as well. I know that means the “Night Before Cooking” stuff will have been made to sit overnight for two nights instead of one…. Praying all will be okay in the morning… I did notice that it has risen a little bit as of tonight… 😮 Will let you know how they come out… excited and concerned 😀
Hey Debi, I think you can make this work but I would feed it again. This is just a guess but what I would try doing is removing (and tossing) 1 cup of that batter then feed it with 1/3 cup sourdough starter, 1/3 cup milk, and 1/3 cup flour. Since it isn’t a full feeding, I would stick it in the fridge overnight (also it’s best not to keep it on the counter a second night with the milk) That extra bit of feeding and hibernating it in the fridge should work. In the morning you should just pick right up where you left off in the recipe but you may want to let it sit at room temp for 30 minutes first.
Thank you Dahn, the waffles came out great, very light and fluffy, crisp on the outside and airy insid, it was suggested in an earlier comment that they used vanilla extract so I gave it a try, it gave the waffles just a hint of vanilla flavor. These are my go to waffles now. The sourdough brings back memories of my dad’s sourdough pancakes he used to make when I was a young girl. His was the only pancakes I would eat. ??
Awesome Debi! I’m so thrilled to hear that they turned out great. Thanks for letting me know 🙂
@Dahn Boquist,
Would 15hrs be too long? I mixed the overnight part about noon but will
Not use until am? Any suggestions would be appreciated
I have let it sit that long before without any problems.
I too have tried a few different waffle recipes using my father’s starter that I inherited in 2011 and taking good care of it ever since just how he showed me. I’m not exactly sure how old it is but I cherish it so much. If there ever was an emergency I would get my dad’s starter out first! LOL
This is by far my favorite waffle recipe!
Oh I am so glad you enjoyed this Julie, thank you for the comment
Julie, this is precious! That sourdough starter is better than any starter you could ever make because it came from your father. The best starter is a starter that has been passed on with love. Did you know you can “hibernate” your starter? If you freeze a portion of your starter, you can preserve it for a very long time. That way if something ever happens to your starter, you can pull out the frozen starter and start all over. I freeze a small portion of starter and every 6 months, I thaw it out, feed it, then re-refreeze it. I have never had to use it but it is there just in case. Kind of like a savings bank for sourdough 🙂
Thanks so much for letting me know that! That is one thing I have been concerned about.
You’re welcome Julie, hope you enjoyed the waffles 🙂
I’ve tried a few different sourdough waffle recipes. These are the best.
Gina, thank you so much for your comment. I’m tickled to hear that 🙂
These are fabulous! We tried them yesterday and they really are super easy to make and light as air, my husband was amazed and commented that these are a “do again” recipe! The only change I made was to add a teaspoon of vanilla and we needed to cook ours for 6 minutes but otherwise a perfect recipe to use with our sourdough starter discards. Thank you!
Woo hoo, I love those “do again” recipes! Thanks for the comment Kelly and thanks for telling us about the vanilla, I’m sure it will give other readers an idea. I bet it was yummy! 🙂
Mouth-watering!! Can’t wait to try it!
thanks Marcela, I hope you enjoy it.
Waffles are a recurring thing here, but I’ve never tried it this way. Thanks for the idea!
Thanks Diego, I hope you enjoy them.