Life-Changing Two-Ingredient Pancakes
How many times have you wanted pancakes but didn’t have a mix on hand? This recipe will show you that you’ll never need to buy a pancake mix again – gluten-free or not. Really.
I make my pancakes with only TWO ingredients: eggs and sourdough starter. You can use either gluten-free sourdough starter or wheat sourdough starter if gluten is not an issue for you.
I started making sourdough pancakes as an excuse to use up some extra sourdough starter that was primarily used for bread making. Now, my sourdough starter is primarily used for pancake making, and bread making takes the back seat. Such is life! We figure out our priorities along the way.
But I have to tell you, I fudged a little when I wrote the title and subtitle for this post. This isn’t really a recipe for pancakes. It’s a recipe for a single pancake.
“What?” I hear you exclaim. “I want more than just one pancake!” Well, fellow pancake aficionado, give it a chance. This pancake is egg-centric so you will probably not need more than one. Which is good, because you can even work this recipe into a busy weekday routine. No need to wait for the weekend to make pancakes anymore. Um… to make pancake, that is.
This recipe serves one, but directions for more people and bigger appetites are at the bottom.
Here’s what you’ll need:
- a small cast iron skillet with a lid
- coconut oil to grease the skillet (optional)
- a small mixing bowl
- 2 tbsp. sourdough starter
- 2 good quality eggs
Assemble your ingredients. And now, take a deep breath… and begin.
Use a soup spoon to scoop approximately 2 tablespoons of sourdough starter into your small mixing bowl. (Before I mix in my eggs, I use the same spoon to feed my sourdough starter).
Crack two eggs into the bowl.
Beat the eggs and the sourdough starter together with your spoon. Your pancake batter is ready!
Heat your small cast iron skillet on medium high heat, add a 1 tbsp of coconut oil. If your skillet is really well seasoned, you could skip the oil.
Spread the coconut oil around in the skillet so that the bottom and sides are coated. Lower to medium heat.
Pour in your pancake batter.
Cover with lid and cook for about 5 minutes.
Test lifting the edge of the pancake with a spatula. If it’s still runny, cook longer. When the pancake is mostly solidified and you can flip it without making a mess, flip it, and cover.
Let the pancake cook on the other side for a minute or so, to your preferred darkness. I like mine on the pale side, so I turn the heat off as soon as I flip it. For a browner pancake, leave the heat on for a couple of minutes.
When your pancake looks done to your desired coloring, flip it out onto your plate. Top with butter and jam if you’re in the mood for sweet, or cover with butter, turmeric, black pepper, and sea salt if you’re feeling savory. Sometimes I like my pancake with just plain butter.
Adjusting the recipe for more people or bigger appetites
This is a supremely simple recipe because the ratio is 1 egg per 1 tbsp of sourdough starter, so it’s very easy to adjust.
When I’m just cooking for myself, I use the above recipe. When I make this for me and my husband, I increase the recipe to 5 eggs and 5 tablespoons of sourdough starter. Usually, I cook this as two pancakes in two small cast iron pans but sometimes I make one big “pancake pizza,” cook it in a single large cast iron pan, and then serve it in wedges piled on top of each other.
Additions to the basic recipe
Sometimes I add some milk kefir to the basic recipe. It makes the texture smoother and creamier. Just mix it in to your batter at a ratio of approximately 1/4 cup per 2 eggs.
As with more traditional pancakes, you can add fruit to the batter (blueberries, bananas, apricots), cooked vegetables (spinach, onions, peppers), or herbs and cheese! Lunch pancake, anyone?
A Chance to Be Flexible
Once you try this and decide you like it, you might try experimenting by changing the ratio a bit – more egg, less sourdough, or less egg and more sourdough. I like recipes that have some leeway and don’t demand exactness, and that is exactly what this recipe does. You don’t have to be exact.
Why this Recipe Changed My Life
No kidding, this recipe really did change my life. Eating protein in the morning makes me feel much better throughout the day. This recipe is protein-filled but also fast and versatile. I could eat these everyday and never get tired of them. And it’s so nice to make pancakes without having to stand at the stove for 30 minutes – and to give up pancake mixes for good!
