How to Make Homestyle Sourdough Discard Biscuits.

Last updated on March 31st, 2024 at 12:01 pm

Flakey and golden brown on the outside, with a light and airy crumb, these sourdough discard biscuits are just perfection! The additional fermentation of the sourdough starter adds depth and complexity to the biscuits, elevating them beyond the straightforward taste of traditional biscuits. To top it off, they are simple to make with under 5 main ingredients, but each impressive buttery layer will have your friends convinced you picked these up at a local bakery. Slather them with butter and jam, or use them as a side to savoury dishes, these sourdough discard biscuits will not disappoint.

Drizzling the honey onto the sourdough discard biscuits.

Why We Love Them

The use of sourdough discard biscuits has become popular for several reasons. We love these because they are almost fail-proof! The recipe calls for just a few simple ingredients for the perfect biscuit every time. Here are some reasons why we love these homestyle sourdough discard biscuits:

  1. Added Flavour: The fermentation process enhances the depth of flavour, creating a more robust and nuanced profile compared to traditional biscuits made with yeast.
  2. Reduced Food Waste: Using leftover sourdough discard helps to minimize food waste and promote better sustainability practices in the kitchen. Scroll down for some more sourdough discard recipes we know you’ll love!
  3. Customizable Add-ins: Easily adaptable to various add-ins such as herbs, cheese, or spices, allowing for a customizable flavour profile.
  4. Health Benefits: Sourdough fermentation may enhance nutrient absorption and digestibility, providing potential health benefits.
  5. Quick and Easy Preparation: These biscuits require just a few ingredients and preparation, making it an accessible recipe for both novice and experienced bakers.
Overhead shot of the cooked biscuits cooling on a rack.

What You’ll Need

Ingredients

Using quality butter in these sourdough discard biscuits really makes a difference.

  • Buttermilk contributes to both flavor and tenderness in biscuits. Its acidity can react with baking soda to provide additional leavening, and the fat content contributes to a softer texture.
  • Cultured butter adds flavour to the biscuits. While any unsalted butter will work, use cultured butter to really get the best flavour. It’s easy to make and you can find our recipe for cultured butter here. You can also use lard in place of the butter or a 50/50 butter-to-lard ratio.
  • Sourdough discard can help reduce waste, add a touch of acidity, and keep the biscuits moist.
picture of ingredients in bowls.

Baker’s Percentage

WeightIngredientBakers %
215 gramsAll-Purpose Flour100%
8 gramsBaking Powder3.7%
3 gramsBaking Soda1.5%
2 gramsWhite Sugar1%
6 grams Salt3%
258 gramsSourdough Discard120%
150 gramsButter ( Frozen)70%
58 gramsButter Milk27%

Making Your Sourdough Discard Biscuits

When making your sourdough biscuits make sure you keep everything cold. You can use a pastry cutter in place of the grater but we find the grater to be the easiest method.

  • Combine all the dry ingredients together.
  • Grate the frozen butter over the dry ingredients then use your fingertips to crumble it into the flour. Add the liquid ingredients and mix until just combined.
  • Use enough flour on the workbench to keep the biscuit dough from sticking. When the biscuit dough has been rolled out stack it then roll it out again as seen in the picture below.
  • Cut the biscuits with a ring mould by pressing straight down on it. Try not to twist the ring mold as this will impede the final rise of the biscuit in the oven.
  • You can Roll out the scraps and cut them but they won’t quite be as good.
  • While we like to bake the scraps for a baker’s snack you can also cut the biscuits into squares or rectangles and eliminate all the scraps.

      Baking the Biscuits

      The biscuits are best if brushed with a little buttermilk before baking. When the sourdough biscuits come out of the oven you can brush them with melted butter to give them a little extra buttery goodness.

      It’s best to bake the biscuits hot so you can maximize the rise. We bake the sourdough biscuits in a home convection oven at 425°F/218°C.

      Tips for Making THE Flakiest Sourdough Biscuits

      The flakier these sourdough biscuits are the better. Here are a few tips to help you get the FLAKIEST biscuits:

      1. Chill your ingredients before mixing. The cold flour and butter will inhibit gluten development and help prevent the butter from melting and smearing into the dough when worked with warm hands.
      2. Don’t Overmix the Dough. When you add the wet ingredients into the dry, JUST mix them as overmixing will create a tighter and tougher gluten network.
      3. Layer the Butter. In this recipe, we stack the dough layers to layer the dough and butter. This works similarly to a rough puff pastry and can enhance the flakiness of the biscuits.
      4. Chill the Dough. Keep the dough COLD. If you need to stop and chill the dough because it’s getting warm then do it! The butter will solidify and melt slower during the baking process keeping them super flakey.
      5. Use a Hot Oven. Make sure you preheat the oven thoroughly. The initial burst of heat will help them rise, keeping the outside crisp and the inside light and flakey.
      Sourdough biscuits on the table with some strawberry jam, organic butter and honey.

      Storing Biscuits

      To store your biscuits place them in a sealed container for 2-3 days. If you don’t think you’ll eat them all in 2-3 days (or you’ve made a double batch) you can freeze them in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 weeks. To thaw them, toss them in the microwave for 30 seconds so you can cut them in half and then toast them.

      Overhead shot of the sourdough biscuits.

      Biscuit Variations

      1. Cheese and Herb Biscuits:
        • Add 1 cup grated cheddar, parmesan, or aged hard cheese of your choosing and chopped fresh or dried herbs like chives, thyme, or rosemary (1 cup if using fresh, 2 tbsp for dried).
      2. Spicy Jalapeño-Cheddar Biscuits:
        • Add 1 cup grated cheddar cheese and 1 cup diced fresh jalapeno peppers.
      3. Everything Bagel Biscuits:
        • Mix in 1/2 cup “everything bagel” seasoning (include poppy seeds, sesame seeds, dried garlic, onion flakes, and coarse salt).
      4. Cinnamon Raisin Biscuits:
        • Mix in 2 tbsp ground cinnamon and a cup of raisins. For added sweetness, top the biscuits with a simple glaze made with powdered sugar and a bit of milk or water.
      5. Bacon and Cheddar Biscuits:
        • Add in 1/2 cup diced or crumbled cooked bacon and 1 cup grated cheddar cheese.
      6. Chocolate Chip Biscuits:
        • Add 1 cup chocolate chips or chunks to the dough. Serve warm biscuits with a scoop of vanilla ice cream to level up the deliciousness.
      7. Pumpkin Spice Biscuits:
        • Fold in 1/2 cup pumpkin puree and 2 tbsp pumpkin spice for a fall-inspired flavour. Mix two parts sugar with one part of cinnamon to create a crunchy sweet topping (add before baking).

      Other Sourdough Discard Recipes You’ll Love

      We hope that you enjoyed this sourdough discard biscuit recipe! If you love baking with sourdough discard as much as we do, we recommend trying out our recipes for Sourdough Biscotti, Sourdough Pumpkin Muffins, and Sourdough Pancakes. You can also check out our YouTube channel for more amazing sourdough discard recipe tutorials.

      Print
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      Overhead shot of the sourdough biscuits.

      How to Make Homestyle Sourdough Discard Biscuits.


      5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

      5 from 1 review

      • Author: MJD
      • Total Time: 30 minutes
      • Yield: 6 Biscuits 1x

      Description

      Flakey and golden brown on the outside, with a light and airy crumb, these sourdough discard biscuits are just perfection! The additional fermentation of the sourdough starter adds depth and complexity to the biscuits, elevating them beyond the straightforward taste of traditional biscuits. To top it off, they are simple to make with under 5 main ingredients, but each impressive buttery layer will have your friends convinced you picked these up at a local bakery. Slather them with butter and jam, or use as a side to savoury dishes, these sourdough discard biscuits will not disappoint. 


      Ingredients

      Scale

       Yield: 6 Biscuits

      • 215g AP Flour 
      • 8g  Baking Powder 
      • 3g Baking Soda
      • 258g Sourdough Discard 
      • 150g  Butter  (Frozen)
      • 2g  Sugar 
      • 6g  Salt
      • 58g Butter Milk

      Instructions

      1. Preheat the oven to 425°F/218°C
      2.  Stir together baking powder, baking soda,  salt, sugar, and flour with a whisk or fork in a large bowl.
      3. Grate frozen butter into the dry ingredients with a cheese grater.
      4. Add sourdough starter and buttermilk.  Mix gently to incorporate, then fold with your hands just until the dough comes together. (Don’t Over Mix!)
      5. Transfer dough to a well-floured surface and pat out with your hands until about 1” thick
      6. Fold it over cut it in half and stack two pieces on top of each. Pat out into a rectangle
      7. Repeat this process 3 more times.
      8.  Pat out dough for a third time to 3/ 4″ to 1” thick square
      9. Using a floured 3”-diameter biscuit cutter, punch out 6 biscuits.  (Do not twist the cutter!)
      10. Transfer biscuits to a parchment-lined baking sheet.
      11. Brush biscuit tops with buttermilk or melted butter 
      12. Bake for  15-17 minutes
      • Prep Time: 15 min
      • Cook Time: 15 min
      • Category: Baking
      • Cuisine: American


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