Sourdough Biscuits
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Use up your “discarded” starter in these EPIC biscuits! With that sourdough tang, these biscuits are so flaky, so buttery + so so good.
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reasons to make sourdough biscuits
- Easy, simple recipe for beginners and home bakers
- Moist and tender on the inside
- Crispy and flaky on the outside
- Has just the right amount of tang
- Great way to use up extra sourdough starter
- Perfect for breakfast, sandwiches or a side dish for stews and soups
what is sourdough discard
Sourdough discard is the excess portion of the sourdough starter that is being removed and thrown away before feeding the starter. Sourdough starter is the active portion, combining flour and water, and allowing it to ferment. The starter is fed regularly to keep it healthy and is used to make sourdough bread.
sourdough starter or discard, which to use
Discard! Just starting your sourdough journey, feeding it regularly and not knowing what to do with all the excess starter? No need to throw it in the trash. It’s time to make sourdough biscuits, perfect for breakfast with scrambled eggs and bacon or go purist-style and split them open, serving with butter, fruit jam or honey.
tips and tricks for success
- Start with frozen butter. Using frozen butter is ideal, contributing to a better rise and flakier biscuits. If using warm butter, it will melt too quickly during mixing. We want the butter to melt in the oven for those super flaky layers.
- Use buttermilk. While adding a slightly tangy flavor, buttermilk is a key ingredient here contributing to the flavor, texture and rise. Using milk will lead to more neutral flavors along with flat and dense biscuits. You can also make a buttermilk substitute using milk, adding 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar to 1 cup milk.
- Avoid overworking the dough. Knead the dough just until it comes together. Overworking the dough can lead to dense, dry biscuits.
- Use a floured biscuit cutter. Flouring the biscuit cutter beforehand will prevent sticking. Avoid twisting the cutter as the biscuits may slope and rise unevenly.
- Freeze before baking. Although biscuits can be frozen before or after baking, freezing before baking is preferred to preserve texture and for optimal freshness.
FREEZING AND STORAGE
Storage
Leftover biscuits can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days.
Reheating
Reheat in the oven at 350°F, covered in aluminum foil until warmed through, about 5-10 minutes.
Freeze before baking
Place the biscuits on a baking sheet lined with wax paper or parchment paper, freezing for 1 hour until solid. Transfer the biscuits to an airtight, resealable freezer bag. Label, date and freeze up to 3 weeks. To reheat, thaw overnight in the fridge and bake as directed.
Freeze after baking
Let the biscuits cool completely. Transfer the biscuits to an airtight, resealable freezer bag. Label, date and freeze up to 3 weeks. To reheat, thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat in the oven at 350°F, covered in aluminum foil until warmed through, about 5-10 minutes.
what to serve with sourdough biscuits
Sourdough Biscuits: Frequently Asked Questions
Sourdough discard can be kept at room temperature for 1-2 days or in the fridge for 7-10 days. Although discard can be kept indefinitely (as long as there is no mold), it will become more acidic and sour over time.
A quick and easy buttermilk substitute is creating your own buttermilk with whole milk and something acidic such as lemon juice or distilled white vinegar.
You can add 1 tablespoon acid (lemon juice or vinegar) to 1 cup milk, letting it stand for 5-10 minutes.
A sharp knife should do the trick using a downward motion. Using a dull rim, such as a glass or mason jar, can prevent the biscuits from rising.
Yes! Biscuits are very freezer-friendly, flash freezing once assembled (before baking) and storing in the freezer for up to 3 weeks.
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days.
Sourdough Biscuits
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ cup unsalted butter, frozen
- 1 cup sourdough discard
- ½ cup buttermilk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda.
- Grate butter using the large holes of a box grater. Stir into the flour mixture.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together sourdough starter and buttermilk. Add to the flour mixture and stir using a rubber spatula until a soft dough forms.
- Working on a lightly floured surface, knead the dough 2-3 times until it comes together. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough into a 1 1/2-inch thick rectangle. Cut out 8-10 rounds using a 2-inch biscuit or cookie cutter.
- Place biscuits onto the prepared baking sheet. Place into oven and bake for 14-18 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Serve warm.
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I have made these biscuits many mornings now, and I absolutely love them! I do have a question for you. For thanksgiving, I’m making a pizza monkey bread (pull apart bread) as an appetizer. The recipe uses refrigerated biscuit dough. In the past, I’ve always used store bought, but now that I’m into sourdough, I’d love to use my own biscuit dough. If I wanted to make the dough the night before, could the dough be refrigerated to use by morning? Or would it be better to make the dough today, freeze it, thaw in fridge tomorrow, to bake the day after? Thank you in advance!!!!
Best biscuits I have ever made!!! I doubled the recipe and froze some for later. I let the biscuits rise, then put the unbaked ones on a cookie sheet and put them in my freezer. When they were fully frozen, I put them in a Ziploc bag and put back them in the freezer. I baked frozen biscuits according to the at 450 degrees for about 22 minutes!
Phenomenal texture! My partner raved about these. Had to feed my starter this morn and came across this recipe
Thank you for this recipe! Definitely going to make these for Thanksgiving. Can you clarify whether we use active starter or discard?
Baked these for breakfast. Amazing looks just like the pictures. I was amazed. Best biscuits I have ever made, quick and easy. Thank you. This is a keeper.
I haven’t made these yet, but can’t wait from the comments! Can I switch out heavy cream for the buttermilk? And use discard instead of active starter??? I want these ASAP!
Can I purchase sourdough starter?? I’m not sure where or how to make one ( hint hint).
For everyone wondering if you can ferment them longer, yes! I left mine on the counter for 11 hrs and baked in the morning. You could put them in the fridge too, I’m not how it’d change them but I think they’d still be delicious!
Girl, yeeeesssss! I cut the recipe in half because my husband and I are the only ones who eat biscuits and they’re delicious! Great recipe!
I let these rise at room temp after I cut them out. About 2 hours then brushed tops with milk before baking.
UNREAL!
Lightest, fluffiest biscuts EVER & crisp buttery exterior.
Love this recipe! So easy to do and SO delicious! I added some fresh rosemary with a seriously mature cheddar cheese and I’m in love! THANK YOU
These biscuits are yummy! I love to have them for breakfast!
I made it as written using unfed starter. Also incorporate 3 sets of patting out the dough, and then folding into thirds to get some nice layers. Very good and a lovely texture, but I would add more salt as they were just a little bit bland.
I’m confused. Your description says to use discard, but the recipe calls for Active starter?
I make these ALL the time! I wait until I have a lot of sourdough started then triple the recipe and freeze or gift some. So so good.
These are yummy! I just had these for breakfast!
Hello. Can I refrigerate these and bake them the next morning?
I plan on it next time!
Super yummy biscuits!
Absolutely the best Sourdough Biscuits EVER! If you’re like me scrolling through 100’s of recipes that all say they are the best, it sometimes really hard to know which ones are really the best. So trying all the recipes this one really really really is truly the best ever!
Thank you so much for this recipe!
450 C