Name: Sourdough Discard Biscuits
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 2 ¼ cups (270 grams) all-purpose flour (plus more for dusting); 2 tablespoons aluminum-free baking powder; 1 teaspoon kosher salt; ½ cup (1 stick or 113 grams) unsalted butter (very cold, cubed); ¾ cup + 2 tablespoons buttermilk (cold, divided); ½ cup (113 grams) sourdough starter discard; 1 tablespoon honey

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These Sourdough Discard Biscuits are super soft and tender with lots of buttery, flaky layers. Made with real buttermilk and sourdough discard, they're perfect for your next holiday breakfast or brunch.

Three sourdough discard biscuits stacked in a triangle shape on top of a wooden pizza peel. Out of focus in the background is a skillet of biscuits and a small glass jar of butter.

Soft, flaky, and buttery, nothing compares to warm homemade biscuits fresh out of the oven.

Since I started my sourdough journey about three years ago now, I've made these sourdough discard biscuits many times. I particularly love making them around the holidays or for a cozy Sunday brunch.

One of my favorite traditions is serving them on Christmas morning, alongside fresh eggs from my chickens, rich sausage gravy, and crispy home fries.

These sourdough buttermilk biscuits are made with real buttermilk, sourdough discard, and plenty of butter, resulting in a soft, tender texture with a rich, tangy flavor. With just 7 ingredients, they’re ready in under an hour and are incredibly easy to make.

I hope you give them a try and enjoy them just as much as I do!

Disclaimer: Some links throughout this post are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. You can learn more by visiting my Affiliate Disclosure Page.

Ingredient Notes

Here are some notes on the key ingredients. For the full list of ingredients, check out the recipe card below.

All-Purpose Flour- All-purpose flour gives these sourdough discard biscuits a soft and tender crumb.
Buttermilk- Buttermilk adds moisture and tanginess. Use cold buttermilk to help prevent the butter from melting.
Sourdough Discard- Sourdough adds moisture and a lightly tangy flavor to the biscuits. You can use either sourdough discard or active sourdough starter.
Butter- Keep the butter as cold as possible while making the dough to maximize the flaky, tender texture of the biscuits.
Baking Powder- Baking powder is the main ingredient that makes the biscuits rise. Make sure to use aluminum-free baking powder to avoid a bitter, metallic taste.
Kosher Salt- Salt enhances the flavor of the biscuits. I recommend using kosher salt since it doesn't have added sugar or anti-caking agents like table salt often does.
Honey- Provides a touch of sweetness that balances the overall flavor of the biscuits. The sugar also helps the biscuits brown as they bake.

The ingredients to make sourdough discard biscuits. Each ingredient is labeled with text. They include butter, buttermilk, honey, all-purpose flour, kosher salt, baking powder, and sourdough discard.

Tips for Success

Keep the ingredients cold. Ensure that the butter and buttermilk are cold throughout the process. Cold ingredients help give the biscuits a flakier texture.
Weigh ingredients for accuracy. Use a scale to weigh the ingredients, especially the flour and sourdough discard, to achieve the right texture and consistency.
Don't overwork the dough. Overworking the dough will cause gluten to develop, resulting it tough, dense biscuits.
Cut biscuits with care. When cutting out the biscuits, use a sharp biscuit cutter or cookie cutter. Press straight down without twisting to ensure proper rising during baking.

How to Make Sourdough Discard Biscuits

Here is how to make buttermilk biscuits with sourdough discard.

Step 1: Combine dry ingredients. Preheat oven to 425℉. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

Step 2: Cut in the butter. Add the cold, cubed butter to the dry ingredients. Use your fingertips to gently pinch and spread the butter into thin sheets. Alternatively, you can use a pastry cutter. The mixture should become crumbly but still slightly stick together when pressed.

Flour, salt, and baking powder in a glass mixing bowl.

Cold butter cut into the flour mixture in a glass mixing bowl.

A hand holding up some of the flour-butter mixture to show the texture.

Step 3: Add wet ingredients. Whisk ¾ cup of buttermilk, sourdough discard, and honey in a small bowl until combined. Pour the wet mixture into the well of the dry ingredients.

Step 4: Mix the dough. Gently fold the ingredients until a shaggy dough forms. Transfer the dough to a lightly-floured surface to prevent sticking.

A well in the flour-butter mixture filled with buttermilk, sourdough discard, and honey.

The dough roughly mixed with a rubber spatula in a glass mixing bowl.

Rough, shaggy biscuit dough on a floured countertop.

Step 5: Laminate the dough. Bring the dough together into a mound using your hands. Flatten the mound into a rectangle that's about ¾-inch thick. Now, fold one side of the rectangle into the center, then do the same with the other side. Turn the dough horizontally and flatten it again. Repeat this folding process three times in total before flattening it into the final ¾-inch thick rectangle for cutting.

The biscuit dough after being kneaded and pressed into a rectangle on the counter.

The biscuit dough rectangle with one side folded into the middle.

The biscuit dough rectangle folded into thirds on a floured countertop.

Step 6: Cut the biscuits. Using a 2 ½-inch circular biscuit cutter, press straight down (avoid twisting) to cut the dough into biscuits. Gather scraps, form into a rectangle, and continue cutting to yield around 12 biscuits.

A circular biscuit cutter cutting biscuits out of the dough.

All of the dough cut into biscuits on a floured countertop.

Step 7: Arrange biscuits in the skillet. Arrange the biscuits closely together in a 10-inch cast iron skillet or on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Lightly brush the tops with the remaining 2 tablespoons of buttermilk.

Twelve sourdough discard biscuits in a cast iron skillet before being cooked.

A blue silicone brush brushing buttermilk onto the raw biscuits in the cast iron skillet.

Step 8: Bake the biscuits. Bake for 18-20 minutes until the tops turn golden brown. Remove from the oven and serve warm.

The cooked buttermilk sourdough discard biscuits in a cast iron skillet.

What to Serve With Sourdough Discard Biscuits

Serve these warm biscuits with an assortment of butters and spreads like homemade butter, pesto butter, honey butter, or jams such as cranberry, strawberry-apple, or blueberry.

For a hearty breakfast, pair them with scrambled eggs, bacon, and chicken sausage. Alternatively, use them as a delicious pie crust topping for chicken pot pie.

How to Store

Store leftover sourdough biscuits in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days.

For longer storage, freeze for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container. Thaw at room temperature before reheating.

Sourdough discard biscuits in a red cast iron skillet on top of a wooden pizza peel. Next to the skillet is a small jar of butter and a few biscuits.

A cover of a recipe ebook with the title "Everyday Sourdough: 27 Sweet & Savory Sourdough Discard Recipes." There is an image of sourdough discard cinnamon rolls on the front. At the bottom, it reads "By Ashley Petrie of Everyday Homemade."

Grab a copy today!

Are you tired of watching your sourdough discard go to waste?

It’s time to turn excess discard into something delicious with my new ebook - Everyday Sourdough!

Inside, you’ll find 27 tried-and-true sourdough discard recipes that will transform your leftover starter into mouthwatering creations your family and friends will love.

No more guilt about wasting your discard - with Everyday Sourdough, you have endless options to quickly make something amazing anytime.

Let's Connect!

Be sure to leave a comment below if you have any questions. You can also connect with me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, or via email at [email protected].

More Sourdough Discard Recipes

📖 Recipe

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5 from 4 votes

Sourdough Discard Biscuits

Course Bread, Side Dish

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 20

Total Time 40

Servings biscuits

Calories 180kcal

Author Ashley Petrie, RDN, LDN

Equipment

Ingredients

2 ¼ cups (270 grams) all-purpose flour plus more for dusting
2 tablespoons aluminum-free baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ cup (1 stick or 113 grams) unsalted butter very cold, cubed
¾ cup + 2 tablespoons buttermilk cold, divided
½ cup (113 grams) sourdough starter discard
1 tablespoon honey

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 425℉.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
2 ¼ cups (270 grams) all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons aluminum-free baking powder, 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Add the cold, cubed butter to the dry ingredients. Use your fingertips to gently pinch and spread the butter into thin sheets. Alternatively, you can use a pastry cutter. The mixture should become crumbly but still slightly stick together when pressed.
½ cup (1 stick or 113 grams) unsalted butter
In a small bowl, whisk together ¾ cup of buttermilk, sourdough discard, and honey until they are well combined. Then, make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour the wet mixture into it.
¾ cup + 2 tablespoons buttermilk, ½ cup (113 grams) sourdough starter discard, 1 tablespoon honey
Gently fold the ingredients together until they just start to form a dough. Be careful not to overwork the dough; it's okay if it looks a bit shaggy.
Dump the dough out onto a clean, lightly-floured work surface. Since the dough will be sticky, use enough flour to prevent sticking.
Bring the dough together into a mound using your hands. Flatten the mound into a rectangle that's about ¾-inch thick. Now, fold one side of the rectangle into the center, then do the same with the other side. Turn the dough horizontally and flatten it again. Repeat this folding process three times in total before flattening it into the final ¾-inch thick rectangle for cutting.
Take a 2 ½-inch circular biscuit cutter or cookie cutter, and cut the dough into biscuits by pressing straight down without twisting. Twisting the cutter may seal the edges, preventing the biscuits from rising properly.
Gather the scraps, form them into a rectangle, and continue cutting until all the dough is used. This should yield around 12 biscuits.
Arrange the biscuits in a 10-inch cast iron skillet or close together on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. The biscuits should touch each other.
Lightly brush the tops of the biscuits with the remaining 2 tablespoons of buttermilk.
¾ cup + 2 tablespoons buttermilk
Bake in the preheated oven for 18-20 minutes or until the tops turn golden brown. Once baked, remove from the oven and serve the biscuits warm.

Video

Notes

Quick Tip: Use a scale to weigh the ingredients, especially the flour and sourdough discard, to achieve the right texture and consistency.
Storage: Store leftover biscuits in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days and in the freezer for up to 2 months. It is not recommended to refrigerate biscuits.

Nutrition

Did you try this recipe?Let me know! Comment below, or take a picture and tag me on Instagram @everydayhomemadebyashley.