These Sourdough Cornmeal Waffles are light, tender, and slightly crisp with the pleasant texture and sweet corn flavor that cornmeal provides. They make a quick breakfast or brunch — ready in under 30 minutes — and are delicious topped with butter and maple syrup or your favorite savory or sweet toppings.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Great cornmeal texture: Cornmeal gives these waffles a tender crumb with a pleasant, slightly gritty bite and a natural sweetness.
- No buttermilk required: Made with common pantry staples, this recipe is easy to pull together without special ingredients.
- Versatile: These are written as sweet waffles but pair equally well with savory toppings like eggs and avocado.
- Want more waffle ideas? Try variations like zucchini, sweet potato, or classic sourdough discard waffles for more breakfasts made from starter.
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Ingredients
A short list of simple ingredients comes together quickly for these waffles.
- Sourdough discard: Use unfed discard at room temperature. This recipe is designed for a starter fed 1:1 (equal parts flour and water). If your starter uses a different feeding ratio, you may need to adjust amounts.
- Cornmeal: ½ cup yellow cornmeal adds texture and flavor.
See the full recipe card below for complete ingredient amounts and detailed instructions.
Substitutions & Variations
This recipe adapts well to a few simple swaps and additions.
- Active sourdough starter: To use an active starter instead of discard, replace the discard with 200 g active starter and omit any added yeast. Increase rise time if needed.
- Add fruit or mix-ins: Fold in about ½ cup blueberries, blackberries, or chocolate chips after combining the wet and dry ingredients for a fruity or sweet twist.
How to Make Sourdough Cornmeal Waffles
Overview of the simple steps — full directions are in the recipe card at the end.
- Step 1: Whisk together the dry ingredients in a large bowl.
- Step 2: In a separate bowl, whisk the wet ingredients until combined.
- Step 3: Combine wet and dry ingredients and whisk until smooth; the batter will still be slightly gritty from the cornmeal.
- Step 4: Preheat your waffle iron, brush with butter or spray, and pour about ⅓ cup batter per waffle (adjust for your iron).
- Step 9: Cook until the waffles are golden brown and crisp on the outside.
- Step 10: Serve immediately with your preferred toppings.
Expert Baking Tips
- Weigh flour and discard: Use a kitchen scale for the flour and sourdough discard. Weight measurements are more reliable than cups and improve consistency.
- Adjust batter amount by your iron: Waffle irons vary — my Belgian-style iron takes about ⅓ cup per waffle. Use less or more to suit your machine.
- Freezes well: Make a batch, cool completely, and freeze extras in individual portions so you can reheat a few waffles at a time.
- Don’t skip the orange zest and nutmeg: A bit of zest and warm spice brightens the batter and complements the cornmeal.
Storage
Refrigerator: Store cooled waffles in an airtight container for 1–2 days. Reheat briefly in the microwave or toast for crisp edges.
Freezer: Cool completely, then freeze in airtight containers or freezer bags for up to 3 months. Freeze in individual servings if possible. Reheat from thawed or frozen in a toaster or toaster oven for best texture.
Recipe FAQs
They are accurate. The author uses metric measurements for baking, especially for flour and sourdough discard, because cup measures can vary widely.
Yield depends on your waffle iron. The original recipe makes about 12 waffles (roughly 6 servings) in a standard Belgian waffle maker.
Yes. Fold in about ½ cup of add-ins like blueberries, blackberries, or chocolate chips after mixing the batter.
More Sourdough Discard Breakfast Recipes
- Sourdough Discard Waffles
- Sourdough French Toast
- Sourdough Sweet Potato Waffles
- Sourdough Discard Bagels
If you tried these Sourdough Discard Cornmeal Waffles or another recipe on the site, please leave a star rating and share your feedback in the comments — happy baking!
Sourdough Cornmeal Waffles
Jessica Vogl
Pin Recipe
Equipment
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Kitchen scale
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Waffle iron
Ingredients
- 2 eggs lightly beaten
- 1 ½ cups milk non-dairy or dairy
- 200 grams (about ¾ cup) sourdough discard unfed, at room temperature
- ½ cup butter melted
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup yellow cornmeal
- 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- 2 teaspoons orange zest optional
Instructions
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In a large bowl, whisk the eggs until beaten. Add the milk and sourdough discard and whisk to combine, then stir in the melted butter until smooth.
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In another large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients, add the orange zest if using, and whisk until a smooth batter forms. The batter will have a slightly gritty texture from the cornmeal.
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Preheat and grease your waffle iron. Spoon about ⅓ cup of batter per waffle (adjust for your iron) and cook until golden and crisp. Serve hot with your favorite toppings.