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Sourdough Discard

Buttery Flaky Sourdough Biscuits From Scratch

Packed with flavor from your tangy sourdough starter, these ultimate flaky buttermilk sourdough biscuits are the best you’ll ever have.

Prep: 30 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
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Ferment | Sourdough Discard

Buttery Flaky Sourdough Biscuits From Scratch

Packed with flavor from your tangy sourdough starter, these ultimate flaky buttermilk sourdough biscuits are the best you’ll ever have.

The Most Delicious Buttery Sourdough Biscuits

After you try these sourdough biscuits, they’re the only biscuits you’ll ever want! I love eating them as little breakfast sandwiches with eggs, prosciutto, sauerkraut, and baby kale.

These sourdough biscuits are also excellent served with cheese grits, braised chickpeas, or soup.

Easy Sourdough Biscuits

These biscuits are simple to make, and you only need about 30 minutes of prep time while your oven preheats to make them. This is a sourdough starter discard recipe, so there is no long rise time or stretch and folds. You mix the dough, cut, and immediately bake.

The best texture is achieved by baking these biscuits immediately. However, you can also long-ferment them.

If you want to, you can make the recipe, cut out the biscuits, place them on a baking sheet, and stick them in the fridge for 24-48 hours before baking them. The long fermentation in the fridge develops the flavor and makes them easier to digest.

Jon loved these biscuits so much, so I plan to make them weekly with all the starter I don’t use to make my sourdough bagels and boules.

Can You Freeze Sourdough Biscuit Dough?

Yes! You can make them the night before and freeze the raw biscuits.

In the morning, preheat your oven, and they can go right into the oven still frozen. I like to make a double batch of this recipe so I can have homemade biscuits always ready to serve.

Golden, flaky sourdough biscuits on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Once biscuit is resting on its side to view the flaky, buttery layers.

Ultimate Flaky Buttermilk Biscuits

Buttermilk biscuits are usually made with, well, buttermilk. Since we are using sourdough starter in this recipe, the starter provides enough acidity for the biscuits to rise and cook properly.

I wanted a flakier buttery biscuit, so I used cream and milk instead of buttermilk. In the recipe, you’ll whisk the cream, milk, and sourdough starter together and let it sit for a bit, so it essentially has the sour flavor of buttermilk while being thicker and creamier.

bubbly sourdough starter in a glass mason jar with a wooden spatula
Eight golden baked sourdough biscuits on a rapprochement paper lined sheet pan

How to Make Sourdough Biscuits with Discard

These biscuits’ delicious flavor comes from sour and tangy sourdough starter. You can use fresh or active sourdough starter. Either way it’s “discarded” into the recipe since the starter is not used for rise.

For the biscuits to be perfectly flaky, you must follow all the ingredients and instructions exactly. Please make sure you use fresh baking soda, too; it’s essential for the texture. I also want to note the importance of using frozen real butter, and my favorite butter is Maple Hill Organic 100% grass-fed butter.

You can use a biscuit cutter to cut out the biscuits, but I use a mason jar or juice glass to cut them out, and it worked great. Another option is to cut the dough into square biscuits so you won’t have any of those not-so-perfect, re-rolled from scraps biscuits.

Up close view of the layers in a flaky, golden baked sourdough biscuit
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Sourdough Discard

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5 from 9 reviews

Buttery Flaky Sourdough Biscuits From Scratch

Use up some of that sourdough starter discard in these buttery, flaky, delicious sourdough biscuits! Packed with flavor from your tangy sourdough starter, these ultimate flaky buttermilk biscuits are the best you’ll ever have.

  • Prep: 30 minutes
  • Cook: 20 minutes
  • Total Time: 50 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, frozen overnight
  • 1 cup active bubbly sourdough starter*
  • 1/4 cup whole milk
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together sourdough starter, cream, and milk until just combined. Let the mixture sit for about 15 minutes while you prepare everything else.
  3. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  4. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Mix with a fork until evenly combined.
  5. Grate butter using the large holes of a cheese grater.
  6. Add the cold grated butter into the flour mixture.
  7. Add the milk, cream, and starter mixture to the flour mixture and stir with a spatula until a soft dough forms.
  8. In the bowl, knead the dough 2-3 times until it comes together. Don’t knead it too much, but make sure there are no really dry areas and the dough is all stuck together in one piece.
  9. Lightly flour your counter, and using a rolling pin, roll the dough into a thick rectangle.
  10. Cut out 8 rounds using a 2-inch biscuit or cookie cutter or the mouth of a mason jar.
  11. Place biscuits onto the prepared baking sheet. Place in the oven and bake for 15 minutes, or until golden brown. I rotate the pan halfway through for even color.
  12. Serve warm with butter and jam.

Notes

  • Active and bubbly starter works best in this recipe, but you can also use discard. (either way it’s considered “discarded” into the recipe because the starter is no used for rise)
  • For a long ferment: make the recipe, cut out the biscuits, place them on a baking sheet, and stick them in the fridge for 24-48 hours before baking them.
  • when you measure your flour, spoon the flour into the measuring cup; do not pack the cup with flour.

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a 5-star review below if you loved it! Tag @cultured.guru on Instagram

 

Nutrition information is auto-calculated and estimated as close as possible. We are not responsible for any errors. We have tested the recipe for accuracy, but your results may vary.

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Kaitlynn Fenley Author, Educator, Food Microbiologist
Kaitlynn is a food microbiologist and fermentation expert teaching people how to ferment foods and drinks at home.
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hey i’m kaitlynn, i’m a microbiologist and together with my husband jon we are cultured guru.

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  1. Kristen Freeman
    08|02|2022

    I decided to make these on a whim last Sunday afternoon. It was so easy, fast, and delicious! Usually sourdough recipes take a while to rise but this was not like that. I slathered them with honey and butter and devoured 3 immediately 😅 The recipe says to use “discard” but I just use my regularly fed starter. I also used salted butter but I love bread with a little extra salt.

    Thanks again!

    Reply
    1. Cherie O
      10|21|2022

      This recipe made all my Sourdough biscuit dreams come true ha ha! Prepared them the night before, stored them in the fridge overnight, then popped them in the oven for breakfast. They were delicious and so so easy!

      Reply
  2. Gratia
    08|02|2022

    So good!! I made these to have with chili for dinner the other night, they were fantastic. Really an easy recipe to follow, and such great flavor. Definitely will be a staple recipe for me going forward.

    Reply
  3. Kristin
    08|25|2022

    My house loves breakfast food, seriously LOVES. So I have tried a lot of biscuit recipes. This is easily my favorite. It’s my new go to for biscuits.

    Reply
  4. Shanna
    08|31|2022

    I’ve tried lots of biscuit recipes over the past few years trying to find my go to. This is it!!! They’re perfect. Thanks for the amazing recipe!

    Reply
  5. Beth
    09|28|2022

    Hi! New to sourdough and I have a recipe question! The description of this recipe says to use the discard, but on the ingredients it says to use active, bubbly sourdough starter. Are they interchangeable in this recipe? Thanks!

    Reply
    1. Kaitlynn Fenley
      09|29|2022

      You can use an active starter or starter from the fridge. “Discard” just means that the starter isn’t necessary for the dough to rise, so you can “discard” some starter into the dough.

      Reply
  6. Charlotte
    01|31|2023

    These biscuits were perfect in every way – flaky, moist, perfect sourdough flavour. So easy and turned out perfectly. Will be making these over and over! (Note: I used my “older” discard that I store in the fridge and these still turned out wonderfully.)

    Reply
    1. Kaitlynn Fenley
      01|31|2023

      I’m so glad you enjoyed the biscuits!

      Reply
  7. Alex
    03|03|2023

    I am not able to have dairy, do you think it will go terribly awry if I try to use vegan butter? The butter has held up well in many other recipes, although it is a bit sticky, but I haven’t tried freezing it before!

    Reply
    1. Kaitlynn Fenley
      03|04|2023

      I haven’t tested the recipe with vegan butter, so I can’t say for sure. I think something like Miyoko’s brand vegan butter might work!

      Reply
      1. Alex
        03|05|2023

        Back to report that I made these with the Natural Grocer’s brand buttery vegan sticks, and they are FANTASTIC! I will be making these regularly!

        But I do have a troubleshooting question (or two!) – I did a fridge ferment for about 17 hours (we have gluten sensitivities in the home so I opt to long ferment), but they didn’t rise at all, and they didn’t have the typical sour tang to them at all. 🤔
        I used a healthy, strong starter that had been fed about 18 hours prior. I did fold the dough over 2x because we love to pull the layers apart, but maybe that contributed to them not rising?
        I refrigerated them immediately after cutting. Should I maybe let them ferment on the counter for a time before refrigerating? Or longer time in the fridge? Any other tips? They really are absolutely delicious but since we try to keep gluten as low as possible, I want to make sure they’re actually fermented…maybe they were and just didn’t taste like it for some reason…I’d love your to hear your thoughts!

        Thank you for your time!

        Reply
        1. Kaitlynn Fenley
          03|06|2023

          The flavors aren’t going to develop much in the fridge, and I’m assuming you mean they didn’t rise while fermenting in the fridge? Dough of any kind won’t rise at refrigeration temperatures. Biscuit dough is not supposed to rise with yeast anyways; biscuits rise when baking, from the baking powder and baking soda. You shouldn’t ferment them at room temperature. if you do the baking soda and baking powder will become inactive and they will not rise in the oven at all.

          Reply
          1. Alex
            03|07|2023

            Yes, I meant that they didn’t rise while doing the long ferment in the fridge. I’ve never made anything that didn’t develop the sour flavor while fermenting, so in my mind I was equating rising with fermenting – and when it didn’t rise AND then also didn’t have the typical flavor, I wondered if it somehow didn’t ferment.

            I’ve made fermented biscuits before, but used a recipe where the dough was mixed up first, fermented overnight on the counter, and then added the baking soda, baking powder, and salt the next day.

            Thank you for taking the time to reply and explain! 💚

    2. Micalena
      03|07|2023

      I wanted to send a tip for your butter substitution: lard. I buy lard from my local butcher. It makes wonderful biscuits and even cookies.

      Reply
      1. Alex
        03|07|2023

        Thank you! That’s a great idea. Appreciate the tip! 💚

        Reply
  8. Al
    04|16|2023

    Made these biscuits, and placed them on top of Shepherd’s Pie instead of mashed potatoes. Fantastic!

    Reply
  9. Alayna
    05|22|2023

    I love this recipe! Follow it exactly how it’s written and you will get the most delicious, flaky, perfect sourdough biscuits. But I also love that it’s a pretty forgiving recipe as well. Forgot to freeze your butter overnight? Shred it, pop it in the freezer while you prep everything else and you’ll still have delicious biscuits. Looking to use this morning’s discard rather than freshly fed starter? Again, still delicious biscuits. Definitely follow the recipe as written as much as possible but if you need to make a couple little tweaks, give it a try. These biscuits are amazing!

    Reply
  10. Lauren
    10|09|2023

    made these biscuits quick for dinner tonight. I was worried they wouldn’t have nice flaky layers since the directions didn’t instruct multiple folds, but these were perfection. Quick to throw together and buttery, flaky, and divine.

    Reply
    1. Kaitlynn Fenley
      10|10|2023

      Glad to hear you’re enjoying some buttery flaky goodness! 🙂

      Reply
  11. Amanda
    01|17|2024

    Do you think this would work on top of a chicken pot pie recipe? Or should I cook the biscuits separately?

    Reply
    1. Kaitlynn Fenley
      01|17|2024

      absolutely! I use these biscuits for my chicken pot pie recipe! Dutch Oven Chicken Pot Pie with Sourdough Biscuits

      Reply

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sourdough discard 🤝 cottage cheese combined tw sourdough discard 🤝 cottage cheese

combined two of the best fermented foods to make the best pancakes. And yes, you can ferment the batter overnight in the fridge for easier digestion. 

My recipe makes 15 pancakes and each serving of 3 pancakes had 17 grams of protein! 

Get the recipe from my recipe index, linked in my profile✨

#sourdough #cottagecheese #pancakes #fermentation
It can suppress overgrowth of Candida albicans, wh It can suppress overgrowth of Candida albicans, while boosting good bacteria in your gut! 

Roasting garlic increases beneficial garlic compounds like diallyl sulfide and diallyl disulfide — or DADS, for short. Both of these compounds have been studied for their anti-inflammatory (anti-cancer), antioxidant, and antifungal properties.

It’s definitely a sauerkraut you should keep in your rotation.

To get the recipe google “garlic sauerkraut.” and you’ll see mine it’s the first one.

Sources:
PMC8777027 (Diallyl Disulfide (DADS) Ameliorates Intestinal Candida albicansInfection by Modulating the Gut microbiota and Metabolites and Providing Intestinal Protection)

https://doi.org/10.3390/fishes9100401 (diallyl disulfide (DADS) shows a substantial increase, with concentrations rising from 1.6 mg/g in non-fermented garlic to 4.8 mg/g in its fermented counterpart, suggesting enhanced bioactivity through fermentation)
✨Cottage Cheese Ice Cream✨with Brown Butter an ✨Cottage Cheese Ice Cream✨with Brown Butter and Vanilla

I know, I know, I’m making everything with cottage cheese right now. But how can I not? Cottage cheese is one of the most protein-rich fermented foods.

If you love ice cream and cheesecake-like flavor, you’ll love this recipe. it’s high in protein, requires only four simple ingredients, and does not require churning. So, you do not need an ice cream maker!

A half-cup serving of this ice cream has 12 grams of protein, making it a healthy and balanced sweet snack. Get the recipe from the recipe index linked in my profile. 

#cottagecheese #icecream
Baked ✨Cottage Cheese✨ Queso Dip It’s crea Baked ✨Cottage Cheese✨ Queso Dip 

It’s creamy, cheesy, and packed with protein, but with fewer calories thanks to the cottage cheese base. And it’s only 6 ingredients +toppings! 

I love it topped with cilantro, diced tomatoes, onions and fresh jalapeños! 

Get the full recipe from my recipe index, linked in my bio. 

#queso #cheese #cottagecheese
Why do you add water to sauerkraut? To that I as Why do you add water to sauerkraut? 

To that I ask: who told y’all you can’t add water to sauerkraut? 

Adding water standardizes my recipes, making sure everyone gets enough brine, regardless of cabbage variability. 

Google “cultured guru sauerkraut” and you’ll see my recipes! 

#sauerkraut #fermentation
Bok choy is similar in texture to Napa cabbage and Bok choy is similar in texture to Napa cabbage and lovely for fermentation. 

Since bok choy and all cabbages grow low and very close to the soil, their microbiome composition is wonderful! This makes all cabbages easy vegetables to ferment, and fermented bok choy is one of my absolute favorites.

Google fermented bok choy and you’ll see my recipe, it’s the first one. ☝🏼 #cabbage #fermentation #homestead 

Ps. I used some tiny weck jar lids for weights in my bigger weck jar and it worked great!
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