These sourdough discard biscuits are tender, flaky, and bursting with that delightful sourdough tang. Plus, they’re incredibly simple to make, requiring just a few basic ingredients and minimal effort.

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Sourdough Discard Biscuits: Flaky and Delicious

sourdough discard biscuits on a blue napkin

Are you looking for a way to utilize that excess sourdough discard without sacrificing flavor or texture? I was too! In this post, I’m excited to share with you my favorite way to make the best biscuits with this sourdough biscuit recipe that’s super easy and super delicious

You can whip these sourdough discard biscuits up in a matter of minutes making them the perfect choice to pair with a quick weekday meal. They don’t require a lot of prep, and they are just another great way to use up all of that sourdough discard.

Why Use Sourdough Discard?

As you get into your sourdough journey, you’ll realize that some recipes call for active sourdough. When you make your sourdough “active” you are feeding it fresh flour and water. In order to do that without your home quickly becoming overrun with an abundance of “inactive” sourdough starter you will pull some out before you feed. This “discard” you can keep in a jar and use for all the most delicious sourdough discard recipes like these flaky sourdough discard biscuits, these easy crepes, or even the best sourdough chocolate chip cookies! Learn all about making your own sourdough starter here.

Sourdough recipes don’t have to be hard. Using up sourdough discard in these types of recipes is a great way to reduce waste, and add some serious nutrition to classic recipes.

Does sourdough discard have health benefits?

Of course it does! While recipes with active sourdough are more digestible, the “inactive” or sourdough discard has already gone through the fermentation process, meaning its jam packed with nutrients for a much healthier bread product.

Put all that extra starter to use and make these flaky sourdough biscuits, guilt free! If you’ve got a lot of discard, this is a great recipe for you.

Ways to Enjoy Your Sourdough Discard Biscuits:

These fluffy biscuits are delicious on their own, but they also make the perfect accompaniment to soups, stews, or as a side for breakfast or brunch. Serve them warm with butter and homemade jam for a delightful treat. Top your homemade biscuits with sausage gravy for a really exciting breakfast in the rotation.

The best part is, if we don’t eat them all up in one sitting, you can save them in an airtight container and then reheat by placing them in a cast iron pan in the oven at 350 for a few minutes with a lid on. They are so nice and moist that they reheat wonderfully the next day.

Let’s make some easy Sourdough Discard Biscuits!

Tools you will need:

Cast Iron Skillet in a standard size 12″
Large mixing bowl or Food processor. I prefer the food processor to make it extra easy.
Rolling Pin or your hand, just be careful not to touch it too much or it’ll loose it’s flakiness as your hands warm the dough
Biscuit cutter/pastry cutter or bench scraper (optional). I just use the lid of a wide mouth mason jar.

Ingredients you’ll need:

2.5 cups of all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp coconut sugar (you could use regular sugar if that’s your vibe)
4 tsp baking powder
3/4 cup cold butter (we use frozen butter grated with a box grater)
1 cup sourdough starter (discard or active)
1 whole egg
1/2 cup whole milk
2 tbsp butter for the skillet

Instructions:

Preheat your cast iron skillet in the oven at 425 degrees F.

Make the Biscuit Dough:

Add flour, salt, coconut sugar, and baking powder to the bowl of the food processor (or mixing bowl) and pulse to combine.
Grate the frozen butter into the dry ingredients/ flour mixture.
Add sourdough starter, egg, and milk and then mix until combined with the dry ingredients until you get a shaggy dough. You do not want to over mix here.

Shape and Cut The Biscuits:

Turn out your dough onto a lightly floured surface and fold the dough over into itself until it sticks together in one piece.
Flatten the dough with a rolling pin into a thick rectangle. then roll it over or (tri-fold) the dough.
Flatten the dough again and repeat this process about 5-6 times. This is what builds those nice flaky layers. Do not knead the dough or work it too much with your hands.
Roll it out into a thick rectangle and use a biscuit cutter or wide mouth mason jar lid to cut the biscuits.

thick sourdough dough rectangle with circle cut out

Bake the Biscuits:

Add the 2 Tbsp of butter to your preheated cast iron skillet. Return to oven until browned.
Once the butter is browned, twirl your pan to spread the butter evenly over the entire surface of the skillet.
Add the cut biscuits close together in the skillet and brush with a little melted butter for a nice finish.
Bake at 425 for 15-20 minutes. The tops will just start to turn golden brown when they are ready.
Serve immediately or store for later.

sourdough discard biscuits on a table with blue napkin

Tips for Perfect Biscuits:

Keep your ingredients cold: Cold butter is essential for creating flaky biscuits. We really prefer frozen butter as it yields the best flaky biscuits ever!
Handle the dough gently: Overworking the dough can lead to tough biscuits. Mix the dough until it just comes together. It should look shaggy.
Use a biscuit cutter or a wide mouth lid: A biscuit cutter ensures uniform biscuits with even baking.
Bake biscuits close together to help them rise taller rather than spreading out. They will be so tender and delicious.
Experiment with flavors: Feel free to add herbs, cheese, or spices to customize your sourdough discard biscuits to your liking.

Storage:

Homemade sourdough biscuits can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container. They last for about 2-3 days on the counter. Allow them to cool completely to avoid too much moisture building up the container.

You can store these easy sourdough biscuits in the refrigerator for 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

More Delicious Sourdough Discard Recipes:

homemade pop tarts with sprinkles and pink frosting on a cooling rack

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sourdough discard biscuits Pinterest pin

Prep Time:10

Cook Time:20

Total Time:30

Equipment

Cast Iron Skillet
Large mixing bowl or Food processor
Rolling Pin
Biscuit Cutter

Ingredients

2.5 cups All-purpose Flour
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp coconut sugar or regular sugar
4 tsp baking powder
3/4 cup frozen butter grated
1 cup sourdough starter active or discard
1 whole egg
1/2 cup milk whole
2 tbsp butter for the skillet

Instructions

Preheat your cast iron skillet in the oven at 425 degrees F

Make the Biscuit Dough:

Add flour, salt, coconut sugar, and baking powder to the bowl of the food processor (or mixing bowl) and pulse to combine.
Grate the frozen butter into the dry ingredients/ flour mixture.
Add sourdough starter, egg, and milk and then mix until combined with the dry ingredients until you get a shaggy dough. You do not want to over mix here.

Shape and Cut The Biscuits:

Turn out your dough onto a lightly floured surface and fold the dough over into itself until it sticks together in one piece.
Flatten the dough with a rolling pin into a thick rectangle. then roll it over or (tri-fold) the dough.
Flatten the dough again and repeat this process about 5-6 times. This is what builds those nice flaky layers. Do not knead the dough or work it too much with your hands.
Roll it out into a thick rectangle and use a biscuit cutter or wide mouth mason jar lid to cut the biscuits.

Bake the Biscuits:

Add the 2 Tbsp of butter to your preheated cast iron skillet. Return to oven until browned.
Once the butter is browned, twirl your pan to spread the butter evenly over the entire surface of the skillet.
Add the cut biscuits close together in the skillet and brush with a little melted butter for a nice finish.
Bake at 425 for 15-20 minutes. The tops will just start to turn golden brown when they are ready.
Serve immediately or store for later.

Notes

- Keep your ingredients cold: Cold butter is essential for creating flaky biscuits. We really prefer frozen butter as it yields the best flaky biscuits ever!