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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
Why You Will Love SourDough 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.
Ingredients In Sourdough Biscuits
Ingredient Notes
- 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.
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’. 🙂
Combine and stir into a shaggy ball. Place onto a lightly floured surface. Sprinkle with flour.
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.
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.
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 1x
- 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
Keywords: sourdough biscuits, sourdough recipes, sourdough discard recipes, discard recipes, best sourdough biscuits, best vegan biscuits
So easy and tasty! My go to biscuit recipe! I add some shredded cheddar cheese to mine, although I’m thinking jalapenos would be good too!
★★★★★
Yum! Love that idea.
These are so easy and tasty! My go to biscuit recipe!
Nice to hear!
These were a huge hit! I made the starter during Covid and have been making the bread ever since but had never made the biscuits until now. Very flaky and with a lovely crunch. I cut mine smaller to go further. Will definitely make them again!
★★★★★
Nice to hear this Susan!
These were absolutely delicious! Surprisingly our non biscuit loving daughter enjoyed them too. This was my first discard usage recipe and now I’m excited to try more. After trying many biscuit recipes, this is my favorite; it’s not oily!
★★★★★
Awesome Danica, so happy you enjoyed!
These are so easy and my family loved them. I used Greek yogurt in place of the sour cream and adde some shredded cheddar cheese. So yummy!
★★★★★
oooo love it!
Oh my gosh, these are so tender and delicious! I used 1 cup of sourdough starter and a good dollop of sour cream, plus 1/2 cup graham flour. This is a keeper!
★★★★★
Nice! Glad you enjoyed!
Hands down best biscuit recipe anyone in our family (and extended family, and neighbors) has ever had! We make this all the time and it’s such a favorite.
Oh good! Glad to hear it, Mary. They are quite addicting!
Came out delicious! Moist yet flaky
Yay Jessica- glad you enjoyed them!
I’m on my second batch my husband and I love them. Recipe is easy to follow.
Great to hear Monica- thanks so much!
Delicious biscuits and helpful advice 😊
★★★★★
Thanks Karl!
Can these be frozen before cooking
Hi Cathleen! I have not personally tried freezing these, but seems like it should be ok?
I used freshly milled wheat (first time) and they are still super tasty but quit firm. I’ll attempt to tweak for next time !
Ok great- let us know. 🙂
I added garlic and shredded cheese as well. Turned out amazing!
Perfect, sounds tasty!
Haven’t made these yet but plan on it today or tomorrow. Will these freeze well? I have a lot of discard and trying to make a bunch of things with it that are freezable since there’s no way I can eat all the baked deliciousness myself + 1! Any other suggestions for discard recipes that will freeze well? Thank you!
★★★★★
Hi Jen, Yes. I would take them out of the oven 3-5 minutes before “done”. Thaw and reheat to serve. The sourdough crackers have a long shelf life, sourdough English muffins, sourdough buns and sourdough banana bread should all freeze great!
I freeze the crackers, buns and biscuits or my husband eats in one day! they all turn out great heated up or toasted (well not the crackers, I put those frozen in my backpack for hiking and they are a great snack).
HaHa, yes I do the same. Though sometimes I forget where I tuck things away!
These are seriously amazing! The scallions make them even more special. And can I also mention how good they smell while baking!! 🙂
★★★★★
So glad you enjoyed Sherry!
Wow, just tried this recipe for the first time this morning and they are delicious ! I made them plain this morning. Thank you for the great discard recipe. We love them!
★★★★★
Thanks Anna, addicting aren’t they!
I loved them! Just started making my own sour dough stater and have hated keep throwing away the discard. So now I know there are recipes I can use with it I’m a happy camper!
I didn’t think mine were going to turn out flaky but they did and I only used the 6 tbsp of butter.
Thank you!
★★★★
Awesome Joanna! Happy to hear!
Wow! These are seriously delicious!!
★★★★★
Glad to hear it!
Your recipe sounds yummy. Can I make this with Einkorn flour?
Hi Jocelyn- I havent tried- but I don’t see why not? May need a little more moisture…
Mine turned out a little denser in the middle. Any tips on getting that flakiness?
Sorry about that Melissa. Just ensure you are folding the dough per instructions to get those layers.
What is the point of using sourdough starter when you use baking powder too?
Not only does it add amazing flavor, but it is also a great way to use up the discard.
I make these often, people go crazy for them! I’ve never added the scallions, I just make them plain. Delicious and forgiving recipe, I’ve used yogurt, sour cream, or even extra discard to make them. Always perfect!,,
★★★★★
Perfect Inge- glad you like them!
I love this recipe. I did mine with whole milk yogurt since that’s what we had in the house and I found I needed more salt. Making my next batch now and I used the whole milk again but this time I added about 3 tbsp of hidden valley ranch mix! I would have added in cheddar shreds if I had them, but it’s basically my version of an elevated cheddar bay biscuit (sans cheddar)?? Thank you for a great recipe!
★★★★
Sounds good Angela!
I absolutely love these biscuits! They’re so easy to make and are a great addition to my pumpkin soup. I don’t typically add the scallions, but they work without them quite well.
★★★★★
Great to hear Catie!
I just had a wonderful dinner AND despite being stuffed … I’m eating another biscuit. They are SOOOO good. Thank you
★★★★★
I know- they are dangerous, aren’t they? 😉