How To Make Sourdough Discard Biscuits

In this post, you’ll learn how to make my master recipe for homemade sourdough discard biscuits, with step-by-step instructions & video. Here, I’m featuring them with cheddar cheese and scallions for a tasty twist, or leave them plain and make it your own!

Adapted from my easy, no-roll sourdough scones recipe, these savory sourdough discard biscuits feature the same golden tops, a tender “all-butter” interior and a splash of chilled buttermilk to elevate the taste. 

What I love about this sourdough discard recipe, is that you don’t need a rolling pin or biscuit cutters to make it; a simple measuring scoop is used to “drop” the dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and off to the oven they go (PS: this drop technique creates those gorgeous, craggy tops too!).

Ready in about 25 minutes, serve these biscuits alongside a big pot of soup or chili, or enjoy with scrambled eggs and breakfast sausage for a tasty weekend treat. These biscuits freeze really well, for up to 3 months, so you can enjoy them whenever.

Now, in the instructions & video to follow you’ll learn my master recipe for homemade sourdough discard biscuits with cheddar cheese and scallions. If you prefer a plain biscuit (without the inclusions), just omit them. Everything else stays the same.

Ingredients You Will Need:

• All purpose flour
• Baking powder
• Fine sea salt
• Unsalted butter
• Sourdough discard
• Buttermilk
• Sharp cheddar cheese
• Scallions
• Egg (for egg wash)

Note: For the sourdough starter, you can use sourdough discard or active sourdough starter. Either one is fine. My starter is 100% hydration fed with equal parts flour and water by weight. The texture looks like thick cake batter.

Watch The Sourdough Biscuit Video:

How To Make Sourdough Discard Biscuits {Step-By-Step Recipe}

• Preheat your oven to 400 F/ 204 C.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.
• In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together.
• Add the cold, cubed butter.
• Rub the butter and flour together with your fingertips. The mixture will look sandy and crumbly, with small and large pieces throughout.
• Add shredded cheddar cheese and sliced scallions; toss well to combine.

Sourdough Biscuit Recipe {Con’t}

• In a small bowl, mix the sourdough starter and buttermilk together. This is your wet mixture.
• Pour the wet mixture over the flour mixture.
• Using a rubber spatula, gently toss the ingredients together until they start to stick. Then, use your hands to push and form the dough into one mass (watch the video). If the dough is really dry, add more buttermilk, but only a drizzle!
• Using a 1/3 measuring scoop, portion the dough onto your prepared baking sheet. Gently smush it together if the dough separates in some spots. This is normal.
• Note: in the above picture, I first used a 1/2 measuring scoop for (6) bigger biscuits; however I prefer them a bit smaller, so I switched to a 1/3 measuring scoop for my second batch (see image directly below).
• Lightly beat 1 egg with a splash of water. Brush the tops of your biscuits with some of the egg wash. If you don’t have a pastry brush, use a folded paper towel like I did in the video.
• Bake on the center rack for about 25 minutes or until golden brown.
• Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Emilie’s Tips

• Make sure your butter is cold. This will create light, tender and flaky biscuits.
• Expect to add more buttermilk if the dough is too dry. This will depend on the hydration level of your sourdough starter (i.e. thick vs. thin). But only add a little bit! A drizzle!
• Prefer to wake and bake?! Prepare and portion the biscuit dough onto a lined sheet pan. Cover and chill overnight. In the morning, place the cold dough directly in the oven and wait until it’s done!

Storage Options

• Room Temperature: Sourdough biscuits are best enjoyed fresh, on the same day that they are baked. Once completely cool, transfer to a plate and cover with foil or wrap; the texture will start to become more moist as they sit. Gently reheat in a low oven, if you prefer.
• To Freeze (baked biscuits): Wrap cooled, baked biscuits in plastic wrap and then a layer of foil. Freeze up to 1-3 months. Uncover and thaw at room temperature. Bake @ 300 F/ 150 C on a parchment-lined tray for 10-15 minutes.

More Sourdough Discard Recipes To Try!

• Best Sourdough Pancakes
• Ultimate Sourdough Banana Bread
• Overnight Sourdough Apple Cake
• Same-Day Sourdough Discard Pumpkin Bread
• Homemade Sourdough Blueberry Muffins
• Secret Ingredient Sourdough Cornbread
• Best Sourdough Pasta {1 Hr. or Overnight}

How To Make Sourdough Discard Biscuits

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• Author: Emilie Raffa
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 25 minutes
• Total Time: 40 minutes
• Yield: 10-12 biscuits
• Category: Sourdough Discard Recipes
• Method: Oven baked
• Cuisine: American
• Diet: Vegetarian

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Description

Made with tangy sourdough discard, sharp cheddar cheese and scallions this easy, no-roll buttery biscuit recipe bakes up in just 25 minutes! If you prefer a plain biscuit, just omit the inclusions.

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Ingredients

• 250 g all purpose flour
• 10 g (1 tbsp) baking powder
• 1 tsp fine sea salt
• 170 g (12 tbsp) unsalted butter, cold, cubed
• 115 g (1 1/4 cup) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 35 g (heaping 1/2 cup) sliced scallions
• 50 g sourdough discard or active sourdough starter
• 1/2 cup buttermilk, plus more as needed
• Egg + water for egg wash

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

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Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 400 F/ 204 C.
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.
3. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together. 
4. Add the cold, cubed butter. 
5. Rub the butter and flour together with your fingertips. The mixture will look sandy and crumbly, with small and large pieces throughout. 
6. Add shredded cheddar cheese and sliced scallions; toss well to combine.
7. In a separate small bowl, mix the sourdough starter and buttermilk together. This is your wet mixture.
8. Pour the wet mixture over the flour mixture.
9. Using a rubber spatula, gently toss the ingredients together until they start to stick. It will look dry at first. Then, use your hands to push and form the dough into one mass (watch the video). If the dough doesn’t stick together when pinched between your fingers, drizzle with 1 tbsp. more buttermilk.
10. Using a 1/3 measuring scoop, portion the dough onto your prepared baking sheet. Gently smush it together if the dough separates in some spots. This is normal. 
11. Lightly beat 1 egg with a splash of water. Brush the tops of your biscuits with some of the egg wash. If you don’t have a pastry brush, use a folded paper towel like I did in the video.
12. Bake on the center rack for about 25 minutes or until golden brown.
13. Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.

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Notes

Storage

• Room Temperature: Sourdough biscuits are best enjoyed fresh, on the same day that they are baked. Once completely cool, transfer to a plate and cover with foil or wrap; the texture will start to become more moist as they sit. Gently reheat in a low oven, if you prefer.
• To Freeze (baked biscuits): Wrap cooled, baked biscuits in plastic wrap and then a layer of foil. Freeze up to 1-3 months. Uncover and thaw at room temperature. Bake @ 300 F/ 150 C on a parchment-lined tray for 10-15 minutes.