Easy Buttery Sourdough Discard Biscuits Recipe
Sourdough biscuits are ridiculously buttery and filled with flaky layers to make the best breakfast biscuit! The added twang of sourdough really pushes these biscuits over the edge to make them some of the best biscuits you will ever try.
This recipe is made with sourdough discard and probably my favorite way to use up extra starter because this is a treat my whole family enjoys! Since this recipe doesn’t use the sourdough starter discard to rise the dough, this is a great way to use up excess discard that hasn’t been fed in a while. You can even use discard straight from the fridge for this recipe.
If you have been around the blog for a while you know we love all kinds of homemade biscuits! From old fashioned lard biscuits, heavy cream biscuits to blueberry biscuits, we love them all! These flaky sourdough biscuits are no exception!
What Makes this Recipe Special:
To create the ultimate buttery sourdough biscuits, a modified butter block method is used to create tender, flaky layers throughout the biscuit. If you are not a baker do NOT be intimidated by the term “butter block”. If you have ever folded a piece of paper, you can fold biscuit dough the same way.
This process includes using a cheese grater to quickly grate cold butter into shreds. Then, use your hands to shape the dough into a 1/2 inch thick rectangle and placing grated cold butter at the top of the rectangle. Then you will fold the dough over just enough to cover the butter. Put a little more grated butter below that fold and fold the dough over one more time. Voila! You’re done.
In addition to the layers of butter in this sourdough biscuit recipe, another reason this recipe is special is because you only need a few simple ingredients to make them. I am never without butter, flour, salt, sourdough starter and milk in my kitchen so these perfect biscuits are never out of my reach!
What is Sourdough Discard?
Sourdough discard is simply starter that is removed or “discarded” from the original starter. This can be done for a variety of reasons.
When you are feeding a sourdough starter you will take out the amount you need for a recipe and then feed what is remaining in the jar for your next recipe. To limit wasting flour sometimes it is helpful to discard a portion of your sourdough starter to keep the starter at a smaller, more manageable level. When you take some of the starter away for this purpose, it is called “discard”.
Sometimes if your house is cold or you have neglected your starter for a while, you may need to feed it several times for a few days to strengthen it. During frequent feedings, it is helpful to discard about half each time.
Discard can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for several months. Discard can be fed or unfed and used in many different recipes such a discard pizza crust, sourdough pancakes, sourdough cookies, pie crusts and more. This recipe can be used with recently fed discard or discard straight from the fridge.
For more information about how to bake with your own sourdough starter check out my sourdough page.
How to Make Your Biscuits Tall and Flaky:
The key to tall and flaky biscuits is to create layers by folding the biscuit dough rather than kneading it. When it comes to biscuit dough, the less you handle it the better. This is for a few key reasons:
- The more the dough is worked or kneaded, the less tender the crumb will be. Trust me, you want good, tender, biscuits.
- The more the dough is worked, the more likely it is you will heat up the butter in the biscuit dough. Cold butter ensures the biscuits will be flaky because as the butter slowly melts in the baking process it creates pockets of air in the dough. If the butter in the dough is warm when you bake the biscuits, the butter will just melt and ooze out of the dough instead.
Another tip to ensure tall biscuits is to use a biscuit cutter correctly. When you cut biscuits out be sure to never twist the cutter into the dough. Instead push straight down and pull the biscuit cutter straight back up. When you twist the biscuit cutter you seal off the edges of the biscuit making it harder for the biscuit to rise during baking.
Sourdough Biscuit Ingredients:
- All purpose flour: plain all purpose flour is used in this recipe so you can control the amount of leavening agents needed
- Grated cold butter: a box grater is used to create tiny pieces of butter so it’s easier to spread throughout the dough. Be sure the butter is as cold as possible
- Sugar: to help counter balance the sourdough flavor
- Baking powder: to rise the biscuit dough
- Baking soda: for more leavening power
- Sourdough discard: unfed, straight from the fridge
- Milk: whole milk is preferred, but 2% or buttermilk will work too
Step by Step Recipe Instructions:
In a large mixing bowl combine all purpose flour, salt, sugar, baking powder and baking soda. Whisk together the dry ingredients to make sure it is well incorporated.
Next, using a pastry cutter or your hands, cut in half of the grated butter into the flour mixture until the dough resembles course pea sized crumbs. Work quickly as to not heat up the butter.
Add in the milk and sourdough discard to the dough. Use a danish dough whisk or wooden spoon to combine into a shaggy dough.
Using your hands press the dough onto a lightly floured surface until it is in a rectangular shape and about 1/2 inch thick.
Layer some of the reserved butter at the top of the rectangle and fold the dough over that portion like so:
Put the remaining butter at the bottom of the rectangle and fold over again.
Roll the dough to about an inch thick working quickly to keep the butter cold. Use your biscuit cutter or the mouth of a mason jar to quickly cut out the biscuits being sure not to twist the cutter back and forth.
Pop the biscuits into the fridge to chill the butter while the oven preheats.
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
Once the oven is preheated, carefully place the chilled biscuits onto a cast iron skillet or baking sheet and bake for 14-16 minutes or until golden brown.
Storage
Store cooled biscuits in an airtight container or wrapped in plastic wrap and stored at room temperature for up to 4 days. When you are ready to enjoy another biscuit, take it out of the container and microwave it for 15-30 seconds to reheat it. Warming the leftover biscuits will improve the texture.
Freezing Biscuits
Biscuits freeze exceptionally well. You can freeze biscuits both unbaked or after they are baked, both ways work great. I like to make up an extra large batch of homemade sourdough biscuits and flash freeze them on a baking tray. Once they are frozen, I pack them in airtight freezer bags. Frozen biscuits last up to 3 months in the freezer.
Flash freezing biscuits before packaging them up helps them to not stick together while in storage. Freezing biscuits not only helps with meal prep but also makes it easier to bake only the amount you need at a time so you waste less food.
FAQ/Tips
Can I Make This Recipe Without having a Sourdough Starter?
I wouldn’t recommend making this recipe without an established starter because the sourdough tang that the starter provides is essential to the flavor of these biscuits. I have lots of information about how to start and care for your own starter here, as well as several biscuit recipes that don’t call for sourdough starter such as these:
What if the Butter in the Biscuit Dough Gets too Warm While I’m Rolling Out the Dough?
If the butter in your biscuit dough starts to melt or soften, simply place the dough in the fridge and let it sit until the butter is cold and firm again. Proceed like normal with the recipe.
Printable Recipe Card:
Easy Buttery Sourdough Biscuits
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup grated cold butter
- 1 tsp white sugar
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 3/4 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup sourdough discard
- 1/2 cup milk
Instructions
- In a large bowl mix together the dry ingredients: flour, salt, sugar, baking soda and baking powder until well combined.
- Grate 1 stick of cold butter using a large box grater or cut the butter into very small cubes.
- Add half of the butter to the flour mixture. Work the butter into the flour using a pastry cutter or your hands until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Add the milk and sourdough discard to the dry mixture and stir to combine. The dough will be shaggy and sticky.
- Turn out the dough on a lightly floured surface and use your hands to press in to a 1/2 inch thick rectangle.
- Take the reserved butter and sprinkle half on the top of the dough rectangle.
- Fold the top of the biscuit dough over to cover the butter. Sprinkle on the remaining butter and fold the dough over again to encase the butter.
- Use a rolling pin to roll the dough out to 1 inch thick.
- Use a biscuit cutter to cut out biscuits. Place the biscuits in the fridge on a baking tray while you preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
- When the oven has preheated, remove the biscuits from the fridge and bake at 450 degrees for 14-16 minutes or until golden brown.
Notes
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- The more the dough is worked or kneaded, the less tender the crumb will be. Trust me, you want good, tender, biscuits.
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- The more the dough is worked, the more likely it is you will heat up the butter in the biscuit dough. Cold butter ensures the biscuits will be flaky because as the butter slowly melts in the baking process it creates pockets of air in the dough. If the butter in the dough is warm when you bake the biscuits, the butter will just melt and ooze out of the dough instead.
