Use up your discarded starter in this quick and easy Sourdough Biscuit recipe. Buttery, flaky and full of flavor, these are made with sour cream and scallions. Vegan adaptable with a video!
If there is something “past” that needs to be seen or healed back into wholeness, it will arise in the present experience. We do not have to dig up pebbles from a streambed.
Dorothy Hunt
These flaky buttery Sourdough Biscuits are studded with scallions and have the best texture and flavor. A great way to use up that sourdough discard! If I’m being truthful they are pretty dangerous to have around, because it’s impossible not to devour them once they are made. So be warned!
Sourdough Biscuits |60-second Video
This is for those of you who are ready to do something with your sourdough discard, or sourdough starter in addition to making the Sourdough Bread-which I keep hearing is working out for you! So happy and excited for you! A true feat! Hooray!
Want more sourdough discard recipes? Check out Sourdough Waffles, Sourdough Pancakes, and Sourdough Scones!
Table of Contents
- Sourdough Biscuits |60-second Video
- Why you will love these Sourdough Discard Biscuits
- Sourdough Biscuit Recipe Ingredients
- How To Make Sourdough Biscuits
- How to serve Sourdough Biscuits
- How to store Sourdough Discard Biscuits
- Sourdough Biscuit FAQS
- More Sourdough Discard Recipes
- You May Also Enjoy
- Sourdough Biscuits Recipe
Why you will love these Sourdough Discard Biscuits
- Flavorful: Sourdough biscuits have a distinct tangy flavor that adds depth and complexity to your ordinary biscuit recipe.
- Flaky Texture: The combination of butter and sourdough gives these biscuits a light and flaky texture that is absolutely irresistible.
- Easy to Make: With just a few simple ingredients and minimal steps, you can have freshly baked sourdough biscuits on your table in no time.
- Use Up Sourdough Discard: If you’ve been maintaining a sourdough starter, this recipe is a great way to use up your discard instead of wasting it. It gives a beautiful sourdough tang to your baked goods and adds nutrition! It’s a win-win situation!
- Versatile: Sourdough biscuits can be enjoyed on their own, as a side dish with soups and stews, or even as a base for sandwiches. They’re incredibly versatile and can complement a variety of meals.
Sourdough Biscuit Recipe Ingredients
- All-Purpose Flour (or bread flour): Make sure to fluff the flour, spoon it into the measuring cup, and level it off to ensure accurate measurements.
- Salt: If you’re using salted butter, you can use a slightly smaller amount of salt in the recipe.
- Baking Powder: This helps the biscuits rise and become light and fluffy.
- Unsalted Butter (or vegan butter): Cut the cold butter into small slices to create uneven crumbs in the dough.
- Chopped Scallions or Chives (optional): These add a delicious flavor to the biscuits. Feel free to use either scallions or chives based on your preference.
- Sourdough Starter discard: You’ll need 3/4 cup of sourdough discard or unfed sourdough starter for this recipe. If using discard, make sure it has been kept in the fridge for 7-10 days without feeding.
- Sour Cream (or vegan sour cream, buttermilk, or yogurt): Sour cream gives the biscuits a lovely flavor when combined with the scallions. However, you can use alternative options like vegan sour cream, buttermilk, or yogurt if desired.
See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
How To Make Sourdough Biscuits
- In a large bowl, start with butter, flour, salt and baking powder. Use your fingers and break apart into uneven crumbs, no bigger than a pea. Add scallions if you like, or chives are nice too.
2. Mix 3/4 cup starter with 1/2 cup sour cream. You can also use yogurt, vegan yogurt, vegan sour cream, or buttermilk. The sour cream really gives a lovely flavor here with the scallions- just sayin’. 🙂
3. Combine and stir into a shaggy ball. Place onto a lightly floured surface. Sprinkle with flour.
4. Knead twice- for like 2 seconds. Pat flat into a 3/4 inch rectangle. Then fold up into thirds like an envelope. Pat it down and repeat 2 times. The third time, pat the folded “envelope” into a thick rectangle 5 by 9 inches and about 1 1/2 inches thick. This folding creates tender layers.
5. Using a biscuit cutter, or sharp knife, cut the biscuit dough into 6 pieces. Place onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet, and bake until golden brown, about 20 -25 minutes. Internal temp should reach 205F.
How to serve Sourdough Biscuits
These flaky Sourdough Biscuits are perfect for making breakfast sandwiches-stuff with an egg, turkey bacon, tomato and arugula. We also love them served with soups or stews, like our Homemade Tomato Soup or our Beef Stew.
How to store Sourdough Discard Biscuits
Store the biscuits wrapped in a kitchen towel or ziplock bag on the counter for 4 days, wrap tightly and refrigerate for up to 7 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.
Sourdough Biscuit FAQS
Sourdough Starter is often referred to as “wild yeast”, made from flour and water and the wild yeast in the air around us,and it is typically used as the “yeast” when baking Sourdough Bread. The sourdough “discard” – the part of the starter that often goes to waste- can be used to make flavorful biscuits, waffles and pancakes.
Keep sourdough discard in the fridge for 7-10 days without feeding. Don’t feed the “discard” (only feed the starter that you plan to use for bread). Use the discard up in sourdough pancakes and sourdough waffles. Yes, you can add to the discard.
Yes! Simply take some out of the jar and feed it fresh water and flour.
It is most likely from expired or old baking powder. Also make sure your oven is fully preheated.
More Sourdough Discard Recipes
My favorite biscuit ever!!!! Flakey, flavorful and so easy.
You May Also Enjoy
Enjoy! Such a great way to use up your sourdough starter or discard!
Print
Sourdough Biscuits Recipe
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 25
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 6
- Category: baked
- Method: baked
- Cuisine: northwest
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
An easy recipe for Sourdough Biscuits with scallions using discard or sourdough starter. These buttery biscuits can be made in 45 minutes!
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cup (180g) All-Purpose Flour (or bread flour) , fluffed, spooned and leveled
- 1 teaspoon salt (use a little less if using salted butter)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 8 tablespoons unsalted, cold butter (or use vegan butter), cut into 1/4-inch slices. (113.5 grams) See notes!
- 1/4–1/2 cup chopped scallions or chives (optional, of course)
- 3/4 cup (170g) discard or sourdough starter, unfed
- 1/2 cup sour cream (or sub vegan sour cream, buttermilk or yogurt)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425F
- In a medium bowl, mix flour, salt and baking powder.
- Work in the cut cold butter into the flour using your fingers until it is unevenly crumbly, with the biggest crumbs the size of peas. Mix in the scallions if using.
- Place 3/4 cup starter and 1/2 cup sour cream in a bowl and mix with a fork ( it doesn’t have to be perfectly mixed together).
- Pour this into the flour mixture and using a fork, mix until the dough comes together into a very shaggy ball.
- Place the ball on a well-floured surface, sprinkle with flour and knead gently just to incorporate ( for 5 seconds- don’t over knead). Pat into a 6 x 10-inch rectangle. Fold up the sides into thirds like a tri-fold envelope and pat again into a 6 x10 inch rectangle. Fold up the sides into thirds again. Re-flour your work surface, adding more if needed. Pat into an 8 x 5-inch rectangle about 1 1/2 inches tall. Cut into 6 equal pieces.
- Place on a parchment-lined sheet pan and bake for 20-25 minutes. Check at 15-20 minutes, rotating pan if necessary. Keep baking until biscuits are beautifully golden and internal temp reaches 205F.
Notes
A friend of mine makes this with 3/4 and sometimes 1/2 the butter- and it still turns out. A little less flakey but still pretty good.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 biscuit
- Calories: 291
- Sugar: 0.6 g
- Sodium: 408.5 mg
- Fat: 18.4 g
- Saturated Fat: 11.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 27.4 g
- Fiber: 1.1 g
- Protein: 4.8 g
- Cholesterol: 47.4 mg
Wow so delish and easy! A great way to use my sourdough discard!
I am an avid cook but just starting getting into baking. This was my first time making biscuits and they are the best I have ever had. I added 1/2 cup of shredded extra sharp cheddar. I have daily discard right now because my sourdough is a baby. Defiantly making again.
Yay!!! Great to hear. Thanks for sharing! 🙌
Easy and delicious! Even with unsalted butter, 1 tsp was a tad too much for my taste. I’ll try 1/2 tsp next time.
thanks Lani!
I was skeptical despite the awesome reviews the recipe already had. These biscuits turned out awesome!! I double batched it and did half scallion and cheddar and half plain. They were just the right size. Hoping they freeze well!
Loved it! But somehow, they ended up being ginormous. Was I supposed to flatten the dough down?
No, next time you can cut into 8-10 instead of 6. 🙂
Another successful first time recipe from you for me! These were so tasty and simple. Thanks!
Yay Michelle!
Super easy and tasty
Easy recipe thanks! So tasty and satisfying with some butter in the middle once it’s fresh out the oven.
These biscuits are SO good! My husband keep asking for them! I changed the recipe to a sweet biscuit recipe by adding 1.5 TBSP of sugar, some dried cranberries and white chocolate chip. I have to say – this is my favourite sourdough discard recipe ever. Thank you Sylvia!
Yay! Glad you liked and love the sweet biscuit idea!
These really are delicious and easy. Love, love, love your recipes Sylvie!
This recipe rocks! I just made them for the second time with an addition of minced garlic.
I used quality freeze dried garlic and spring onion and let them hydrate in the starter. I also used 80 grams of 50-50 spelt/whole wheat. I doubled the recipe. Yum!
Sounds delicious! Love spelt in Biscuits- the best!
This is amazingly delicious! Followed exactly on the recipe.
Don’t throw your sourdough starter but instead use it for this recipe. Thumbs up!
This recipe is kept under my fave folder recipes 🙂
Thanks Eileen!
Easy AND Delicious!!!
I made these last weekend and they were terrific. I omitted the scallions, cut the butter by 4 tbls., & used the muffin for a soft cooked poached egg and turkey bacon “Egg McMuffin”. Made 2x recipe and noticed the gram measurements don’t adjust with the cup measurements.
Ya, the recipe multiplier is mal-functioning right now.
Incredible! Wasn’t really expecting anything spectacular, just trying to use up starter discard 😅 and thought, I love butter so surely can’t go wrong with this recipe. I’m Aussie and had never tried ‘biscuits’ before … (Biscuit = sweet cookie in Australia) These are heavenly and Sylvia, you are a delight! Thank you for the fabulous recipe. I used garlic chives instead of scallions, worked a treat.
Awww thanks!
I just needed to use up some discard, but ended up making the best biscuits I’ve ever tasted. THanks for the recipe!
AWWWW… thanks Britt!!!
Very good way to not waste extra starter. I added grated cheddar but they would have been great with just the scallions as well. Moist, flavorful, and perfectly savory 🙂
Perfect in every way- we devoured these.
Best biscuits ever! Seriously, just make them.
Utterly delicious.
my dough is completely liquid, I had to scoop it on the baking sheet.
The cookies became brown outside and inside completely row…
That’s not right. Something is wrong. Did you weigh the flour or measure?
I made these today with my 3 yo. Family said they were delicious (I’m vegan) I’m always looking for yummy recipes for fed and unfed sour dough starter. So glad I found you! Huge fan!
Yay~!!!
My first sour dough biscuits. I went by the recipe exactly and they were wonderful for my dinner. My oven is hot so I baked at 415 for 18 minutes. I used fresh discard. Yummy!
Great!
Made these while making sourdough starter. Absolutely delicious!!! I Didn’t add chives, because husband didn’t want them, but will try for myself next time 🙂
Glad you liked them!
nice cooking
Want to try this as I hate throwing away leftover sourdough starter, but- for us Brits – What is the weight of 1/2 cup butter in grams?
113.5 grams
Okay, further to my earlier question, I just mad these and they are wonderful. BUT, if like most cooks in Britain you measure by weight instead of volume, here are the correct weights:
flour – 260g
butter – 110g
sourdough starter – 175g
yogurt – 110g
I had measured out the 120g of flour as stated in the recipe and could tell it was way off so I dug out a set of US measuring cups and weighed the ingredients on my electronic scales as I went along. Lucky I had those cups! Anyway, the result was perfect – light ad flaky and utterly delicious. Thanks!
Actually the flour is 180 grams. 🙂