Flaky 30-Minute Sourdough Discard Biscuits
These buttery, flaky biscuits put your sourdough discard to work and hit the table in about 30 minutes. No yeast, no wait, just tall, golden layers ready to split and slather.
They have a gentle tang that plain buttermilk biscuits can’t match, and the folding technique builds those pull-apart layers without any fuss.
What Makes These Sourdough Biscuits So Good
The discard brings a subtle, tangy depth that you don’t get from buttermilk alone. It’s not sour, just a little more interesting.
Keeping the butter cold and folding the dough a couple of times is what gives you those flaky shards. It’s the same trick you’d use for rough puff pastry, but way less work.
Because the discard already has acidity, the biscuits bake up tender and soft inside with a crisp, golden shell.
Ingredients
- 2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour: spooned and leveled for a light biscuit.
- 1 tbsp baking powder: this gives the lift.
- 1/2 tsp baking soda: reacts with the discard’s acidity.
- 1 tsp kosher salt: don’t skip it.
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar: (optional): a little sweetness balances the tang.
- 1/2 cup (115 g) cold unsalted butter: cut into small cubes.
- 1 cup (225 g) sourdough discard: unfed, straight from the fridge.
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) cold buttermilk: plus a splash more if needed.
- Melted butter for brushing: (optional).
Variations / Substitutions
- Make them with whole wheat: swap up to half the all-purpose flour with whole wheat; the biscuits will be a little denser but nuttier.
- Dairy-free: use cold vegan butter sticks and replace buttermilk with 1/2 cup oat milk mixed with 1 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar.
- Cheese and herb: fold in 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar and 2 tbsp chopped chives before the final fold.
- Add a garlic kick: mince one clove garlic into the melted butter you brush on top after baking.
If you’ve got more discard, my Sourdough Discard Pancakes are another fast way to use it up.
How to Make Sourdough Discard Biscuits
Step 1: Whisk the Dry Ingredients and Cut in Butter
Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment. In a large bowl, whisk together the 2 cups flour, 1 tbsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp salt, and 1 tbsp sugar (if using). Drop in the cold butter cubes and cut them in with a pastry blender or your fingertips until the mixture looks like coarse sand with some pea-size butter bits.
You want visible flecks of butter; they’ll create steam and push the layers apart. If the butter softens too much, chill the bowl for 5 minutes.
Step 2: Stir in the Discard and Buttermilk
Pour in the cold sourdough discard and the 1/2 cup buttermilk. Stir with a fork just until a shaggy, sticky dough forms. Stop as soon as no dry flour streaks remain, even if the dough looks rough.
Overmixing at this stage develops gluten and makes biscuits tough. It’s fine if a few dry bits cling to the bowl; they’ll hydrate during the folds.
Step 3: Fold the Dough for Layers
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Pat it gently into a rectangle about 1/2 inch thick. Fold the dough in thirds like a business letter, rotate 90 degrees, pat out again, and fold once more—that’s just 2 folds total.
Work quickly, about a minute total. You’ll see thin ribbons of butter smeared through the dough; that’s exactly what builds those flaky shards later.
Step 4: Cut Out the Biscuits
Pat the folded dough to a final thickness of 1 inch. Dip a 2 1/2-inch round cutter in flour, then press straight down without twisting. Gather the scraps, pat them gently together, and cut again. You should get about 8 biscuits.
Twisting the cutter seals the edges and stops the biscuits from rising tall. Arrange the rounds on the prepared baking sheet with sides touching for soft, pull-apart biscuits or spaced 1 inch apart for crisp all-around crusts.
Step 5: Bake and Serve Warm
Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the tops are deep golden and the biscuits feel light when you lift one. Brush the hot biscuits with melted butter if you want an extra rich finish.
Pull them apart while they’re still steaming. Split one open and the inside is tender with those distinct flaky layers. Serve right away with butter, jam, or gravy.
Tips for the Best Sourdough Discard Biscuits
- Cold everything is the rule. Keep your discard, buttermilk, and butter in the fridge until the moment you use them.
- Use unfed discard straight from the refrigerator. It’s more acidic than a freshly fed starter, which gives the biscuits a better tang and helps them rise.
- Fold exactly twice. More than that can compress the layers instead of building them. If the dough feels sticky, dust your bench sparingly with flour but don’t work more flour into the dough.
- For the absolute flakiest texture, pop the cut biscuits onto the baking sheet and freeze them for 10 minutes before baking. This firms the butter and creates even more steam.
Bake times by biscuit thickness:
| Thickness | Bake Time |
|---|---|
| 1 inch | 12 to 15 mins |
| 3/4 inch | 10 to 12 mins |
How to Keep These Biscuits Fresh
- Room temperature: Store cooled biscuits in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
- Refrigerate: They’ll keep up to 5 days in the fridge, but the crust softens. Best reheated.
- Reheat: Warm in a 350°F oven for 4 to 5 minutes to crisp the outsides again. A toaster oven works too.
- Freeze unbaked: Arrange cut biscuits on a parchment-lined sheet, freeze until solid, then transfer to a zip-top bag. Bake from frozen, adding 3 to 5 minutes to the time.
What Goes Well With Sourdough Discard Biscuits
These biscuits are the ultimate side for fried chicken, hearty stews, or a bowl of creamy tomato soup. My favorite is splitting one open and spooning sausage gravy over the top; the tangy crumb cuts the richness just right. They also turn a simple green salad into a fuller meal.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use active sourdough starter instead of discard?
Yes, but the biscuits will rise less because active starter is less acidic. Reduce the baking soda to 1/4 tsp if you go that route.
My discard is very runny. Do I need to adjust the liquid?
If your discard is pourable, hold back 2 tablespoons of the buttermilk. Stir it all together and add the extra only if the dough feels dry.
Can I make these without buttermilk?
Absolutely. Stir 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice or white vinegar into 1/2 cup whole milk and let it sit for 5 minutes. It will thicken and work the same.
How do I get the tallest biscuits?
Don’t twist the cutter, and pat the dough to a full 1-inch thickness before cutting. Freezing the rounds for 10 minutes helps too.
Sourdough Discard Biscuits Recipe
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C) and line a baking sheet. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar. Cut in cold butter until pea-size bits remain.
- Stir in sourdough discard and buttermilk with a fork until a shaggy dough forms. Do not overmix.
- Turn onto a floured surface, pat to 1/2 inch thick, and fold in thirds twice, turning 90 degrees each time.
- Pat to 1 inch thick and cut with a 2 1/2-inch round cutter, pressing straight down. Gather and recut scraps.
- Bake 12 to 15 minutes until deep golden. Brush with melted butter and serve warm.
