Sourdough Discard Granola

This sourdough discard granola is one of the easiest and delicious ways to use up your sourdough discard and make a healthy snack all at once! It’s a staple in our house and couldn’t be simpler to make.

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Sourdough baking is one of my favorite hobbies (in case you can’t tell!). And with all the sourdough baking that I do, I end up with a lot of discard. While many focus on creating the perfect loaf of bread, there’s another hidden gem in the world of sourdough which is the discard. Don’t let that extra sourdough discard go to waste; instead, transform it into a crunchy, healthy snack! In this post, I’ll take you through the step-by-step process of crafting a delicious batch of granola that not only elevates your breakfast but also reduces kitchen waste.

What is Sourdough Discard?

Before diving into the granola-making process, it’s essential to grasp the concept of sourdough discard. Sourdough discard is the portion of your sourdough starter that you remove and discard before feeding it with fresh flour and water. This step is crucial in maintaining a healthy and active sourdough culture. Typically, discard is thought of as waste, but with the right recipes, you can turn it into a valuable ingredient that adds depth of flavor and nutrition to your dishes.

Ingredients

Let’s gather the ingredients for this exciting sourdough discard granola recipe. Feel free to customize based on your preferences, but here’s a basic list to get you started:

Dry Ingredients:

• 3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1.5 cups seeds (pepitas, hemp seeds, flax, chia)
• 1 cup nuts (hazelnuts, almonds, pecans, walnuts)
• 3/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon 
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg

Wet Ingredients:

• 2 cups sourdough discard
• 1 cup melted butter (replace with coconut oil to be vegan)
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Additional Add-ins:

• 1 cup dried fruits (raisins, cranberries, apricots, etc.)
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips or cacao nibs

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 325°F (163°C) and line a baking sheet with reusable parchment paper or Grease a cast iron skillet or baking sheet. You may end up using two baking sheets depending on their size.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients
4. Pour the wet mixture over the dry ingredients and stir well, ensuring an even coating. If the mixture feels dry, feel free to add more wet mixture as desired.  Slowly add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix well until all dry ingredients are well-coated.  
5. Spread the granola mixture evenly onto the prepared baking sheet. Keep the mixture touching but not more than one layer to allow even baking.  
6. Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes to achieve an even golden-brown color.
7. Once the granola is golden brown and crispy, remove it from the oven and let it cool on the baking sheet before breaking up to allow for a more chunky granola.  
8. Add your chosen dried fruits and, if desired, chocolate chips. Stir gently to combine.
9. Allow the granola to cool completely before transferring it to an airtight container.

A baking note: Granola is susceptible to burning and every oven is different. I have, at times, baked mine at 200 degrees for a few hours. This helped to crisp the granola nicely without burning. If you don’t want to play that long of a game but are having trouble with burning, try 300 for 50 minutes. There are a lot of variables here with baking, including how thick you layer the granola. The goal is to get it crispy, not burnt. Play with your time and temperatures. 

Once your homemade sourdough discard granola is ready, sprinkle it over yogurt, pair it with milk, or savor it on its own as a tasty snack. The beauty of this recipe lies in its versatility, so feel free to experiment with different nuts, seeds, and dried fruits to suit your taste preferences.

What are the Benefits of Using Sourdough Discard?

• Flavor Enhancement: Sourdough discard adds a subtle tangy flavor to the granola, enhancing the overall taste and making it stand out from store-bought varieties.
• Reduced Food Waste: By incorporating sourdough discard into your granola, you contribute to reducing kitchen waste, aligning with sustainable cooking practices.
• Nutritional Boost: Sourdough discard is rich in prebiotics, which can promote a healthy gut microbiome. Additionally, the inclusion of nuts, seeds, and dried fruits in the granola provides a nutrient-dense and satisfying breakfast option.
• Cost-Effective: Making granola at home with sourdough discard is not only environmentally friendly but also cost-effective compared to purchasing pre-packaged granola.

Zero Waste with Sourdough Discard Granola

In each of my posts, it’s my goal to talk about how to reduce or eliminate waste in your home. I am careful to use ingredients that I could, if desired, make at home. Anytime you can source ingredients without packaging (which usually means whole foods), you are making a deep impact on environmental waste. And you’re eating real food, not the packaged processed stuff. Here is how I source each ingredient and ideas for created a zero waste kitchen.

Old-Fashioned Rolled Oats

Sourcing rolled oats is super easy in most places. I always recommend buying organic and in bulk where possible. Bringing your own container to fill will save on any packaging that oats come in. I keep oats in glass jars in the pantry.

Seeds and Nuts

Seeds and nuts can also be sourced in the bulk section at most health food grocery stores. Again, bring your own container to eliminate packaging waste. I also store these in glass jars in my pantry (although once I have soak and activated them, I usually keep them in the fridge).

Unsweetened Coconut Flakes

This ingredient can be omitted from the recipe and taste just fine. Most health good grocery stores carry coconut flakes, however, I haven’t found one in my area that sells in bulk. You can make coconut flakes at home by drying coconut meat in an oven or dehydrator. Check out this post for more detail.

Salt

This is one of those ingredients that can be purchased in bulk at some stores where you bring your own container. Otherwise, depending on what vessel you buy your salt in, I recommend finding a way to reuse or recycle the packaging. Bags are tough, but glass jars can be easily reused.

Cinnamon and Nutmeg

These ingredients can be sourced from a health food store in little to minimal packaging. You would have to grind the spice yourself when buying whole. Alternatively, we have several health food stores in my area that sell ground spices in bulk where you can refill your own container.

Sourdough Discard

This one is super easy! There really should be no waste when using up your discard.

Butter

You’ve got a few options here. The first is to buy butter from the grocery store, which I often do. Look for packaging that is compostable at best or recyclable at least. Check out this article on finding sustainable butter wrappers. The second option is to buy butter from a local farmer. Depending on the systems used by the farmer, you can likely work out a deal where you supply some kind of reusable container to tote your butter. The third option is to make your own butter. You can do this with raw milk from your family diary cow or raw milk from a herd-share. If you don’t have access to raw milk, you can use heavy cream from the grocery store, just be sure it’s not ultra pasteurized, if you can help it.

Maple Syrup

There are many local farmers that produce maple syrup in my area (the midwest), so we are able to source our syrup locally and return the bottles back to the supplier. If buying from the grocery store, do aim for a glass bottle so that you can or someone else can reuse it.

Vanilla Extract

Vanilla extract is super easy to make at home. This recipe will make several batches. You will need some vodka (I usually reuse bottles for various things around the house). And you’ll need some vanilla beans. I’ve seen vanilla beans sold in glass spice jars at Whole Foods. Look for a reusable or recyclable option if possible. If buying vanilla extract at the store, opt for a glass bottle that you can reuse. You can reuse your vanilla beans multiple times for extraction, so you won’t have to keep buy them very often.

Sourdough Discard Granola

Print Pin Rate

Course: Breakfast, Snack

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Author: Jodie Van Huysen

Equipment

• 1 mixing bowl
• 1 Baking sheet or cast iron skillet
• 1 Silicone baking mat optional
• 1 spatula for mixing

Ingredients

• 3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1 1/2 cups seeds pepitas, hemp seeds, flax, chia
• 1 cup nuts hazelnuts, almonds, pecans, walnuts
• 3/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 2 cups sourdough discard
• 1 cup melted butter replace with coconut oil to be vegan
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup dried fruits, optional raisins, cranberries, apricots, etc.
• 1 cup chocolate chips, optional or cacao nibs

Instructions

• Preheat your oven to 325°F (163°C) and line a baking sheet with reusable parchment paper or grease a cast iron skillet or cookie sheet
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients
• In a separate bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients
• Pour the wet mixture over the dry ingredients and stir well, ensuring an even coating. If the mixture feels dry, feel free to add more wet mixture as desired.  Slowly add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix well until all dry ingredients are well-coated.
• Spread the granola mixture evenly onto the prepared baking sheet. Keep the mixture touching but not more than one layer to allow even baking.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes to achieve an even golden-brown color.
• Once the granola is golden brown and crispy, remove it from the oven and let it cool on the baking sheet before breaking up to allow for a more chunky granola.
• Add your chosen dried fruits and, if desired, chocolate chips. Stir gently to combine.
• Allow the granola to cool completely before transferring it to an airtight container.

Notes

A baking note: Granola is susceptible to burning and every oven is different. I have, at times, baked mine at 200 degrees for a few hours. This helped to crisp the granola nicely without burning. If you don’t want to play that long of a game, try 300 for 50 minutes. There are a lot of variables here with baking, including how thick you layer the granola. The goal is to get it crispy, not burnt. Play with your time and temperatures.