Flaky Sourdough Discard Biscuits
These are the biscuits I reach for when the discard jar is full and the oven is already hot. Cold butter, a cup of unfed discard, and a few quick folds give you tall, tender layers with a faint tang that plain buttermilk biscuits do not have.
There is no yeast, no proofing, and no waiting around. If you can cut butter into flour, you can make these, and they are on the table in about 45 minutes.
Which one is this?Compare both biscuit recipes
Both biscuit recipes are close cousins. Here is how they differ, so you can pick the right one.
- Flaky Discard BiscuitsYou are here46 min · Makes 8 biscuits
All-purpose flour and sourdough discard with cold butter, folded before cutting straight down.
You have discard to use up and want a classic flaky biscuit.
- Gluten-Free Discard Biscuits58 min · Makes 8 biscuits
Brown and white rice flours, sorghum, tapioca starch and gluten-free discard, with cold butter cut in.
You bake gluten-free.
Why You’ll Love It
- Uses a full cup of discard in one go, straight from the jar with no feeding needed
- Flaky, buttery layers from a few simple folds rather than a rolling pin
- Mixed, folded and baked in about 45 minutes, with no rising time
- A gentle sourdough tang that makes them taste a little more interesting than a regular biscuit
- Freezes well, so you can bake just a few at a time
Ingredients
Volume measurements are included for convenience, but they’re approximate. A kitchen scale will always get you a more consistent batch, especially for the flour.
Keep the butter and the milk very cold. The cold butter is what turns into steam in the oven and pushes the layers apart, so it matters more than any fancy technique.
- All-purpose flour (240 g / 2 cups): The base of the biscuit. Spoon and level it, or better, weigh it.
- Baking powder (9 g / 2 tsp): Gives the main lift, since discard on its own adds tang more than rise.
- Baking soda (1.5 g / ¼ tsp): Reacts with the acid in the discard for extra lift and a softer crumb.
- Sugar (12 g / 1 tbsp): Just a touch, to round out the tang and help the tops brown.
- Fine salt (4 g / ¾ tsp): Seasons the dough so the biscuits taste like more than butter.
- Unsalted butter (113 g / 8 tbsp): Straight from the fridge, or even frozen for ten minutes.
- Sourdough discard (227 g / 1 cup): Unfed and cold from the fridge works well.
- Cold milk (90 g / 6 tbsp): Add a spoonful more only if the dough looks dry and crumbly.
Equipment
Gear guides: Sourdough Equipment Guide·Kitchen Scales·Banneton Sizing·Scoring Tools·Storing the Loaf·Pizza Stone vs. Baking Steel·Shop All Picks →
- Box grater or pastry cutter: for working the cold butter into the flour quickly, before it has a chance to warm up.
- Round biscuit cutter: a 2½-inch cutter gives tall, even biscuits. A sharp glass works in a pinch.
- Baking sheet and parchment: for even browning and easy cleanup.
- Large mixing bowl: for whisking the dry ingredients and folding in the discard and milk.
- Whisk: for combining the dry ingredients evenly.
- Spatula: for folding the dough together.
- Pastry brush: for brushing the tops with milk.
Sample Schedule
Day 1
- Cube and chill the butter for about 10 minutes while the oven heats
- Mix, fold and cut the dough in about 15 minutes
- Bake 14 to 17 minutes until deep golden
Flaky Sourdough Discard Biscuits
Method
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C) with a rack in the middle and line a baking sheet with parchment. Cube the butter and freeze it for 10 minutes.
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar and salt together in a large bowl until evenly combined.
- Cut the cold butter into the flour with a pastry cutter or your fingertips until the pieces are pea-sized, with some larger flat flakes. Work quickly so the butter stays cold.
- Stir the discard and milk together, add to the flour mixture, and fold until a shaggy dough forms. Add a tablespoon of cold milk only if dry patches remain.
- Turn out onto a floured surface and pat into a 1-inch-thick rectangle, roughly 6 by 8 inches. Fold into thirds like a letter, turn a quarter turn, and repeat 3 to 4 times.
- Pat to 1 inch thick and cut straight down, without twisting, into 8 biscuits. Place them just touching on the sheet, brush with milk, and bake at 425°F (220°C) for 14 to 17 minutes until tall and deep golden brown. Cool on the pan for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
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How to Make It
1Heat the oven and chill the butter. Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C) with a rack in the middle and line a baking sheet with parchment. Cube the 113 g of butter into ½-inch pieces and freeze them for 10 minutes while you gather everything else. Cold butter is what makes biscuits tall and flaky, because it melts in the oven and releases steam that pushes the layers apart. In a warm South Florida kitchen, keep the milk in the refrigerator until the moment you need it.
2Whisk the dry ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together the 240 g of flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar and salt for about 30 seconds, until evenly combined. Whisking spreads the leavening through the flour, so every biscuit rises the same amount.
3Cut in the butter. Add the cold butter cubes and work them into the flour with a pastry cutter or your fingertips until the pieces are about the size of peas, with some larger flat flakes. Alternatively, grate the frozen butter on the large holes of a box grater and toss it through the flour. Work quickly. If the butter starts to look soft or greasy, put the bowl in the freezer for 5 minutes.
4Add the discard and milk. Stir the discard and milk together, then pour them into the flour mixture. Fold with a spatula until a shaggy dough forms, with a few dry streaks still showing. If there are dry patches that will not come together, add another tablespoon of cold milk. Do not overmix. The dough should look rough now, and it smooths out as you fold it in the next step.
5Fold for layers. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and pat it into a rectangle about 1 inch thick, roughly 6 by 8 inches. Fold it into thirds like a letter, turn it a quarter turn, and pat it out again. Repeat three or four times, adding flour only if the dough sticks. This is what builds the flaky layers, and the dough holds together better with every fold.
6Cut and bake. Pat the dough to about 1 inch thick. Cut straight down with a floured 2½-inch round cutter without twisting, since twisting seals the edges and keeps the biscuits from rising. Place them on the sheet so they just touch, which helps them climb. Re-pat the scraps once and cut again. Brush the tops with a little milk and bake at 425°F for 14 to 17 minutes, until tall and deep golden brown. Cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then serve warm.
Tips & Troubleshooting
- Keep everything cold: If the dough warms up and the butter starts to melt, chill the whole bowl for 10 minutes before you continue.
- Cut straight down: Twisting the cutter seals the sides and holds the biscuits back. A clean push straight down lets the layers rise.
- Do not overwork it: A shaggy, slightly rough dough makes a tender biscuit. A smooth, kneaded dough makes a tough one.
- Biscuits are flat or spread out: The butter was too warm or the baking powder is old. Check the date on the tin and chill the cut biscuits for 10 minutes before baking.
- Too sour for you: Use fresher discard, or a very young one from a starter that was fed within the last day or two.
How to Store
To store: Keep baked biscuits in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. Warm them for 5 minutes in a 350°F oven to bring back the crisp edges.
To freeze: Freeze the cut, unbaked biscuits on a tray, then bag them. Bake straight from the freezer at 425°F, adding 3 to 5 minutes.
Nutrition
Nutrition values are estimates per biscuit and will vary based on exact ingredients used.
275
CALORIES
36
CARBS (G)
5
PROTEIN (G)
12
FAT (G)
8
SAT. FAT (G)
1.2
FIBER (G)
2.2
SUGAR (G)
370
SODIUM (MG)
Desi’s Notes
Brush the baked biscuits with melted butter while they are still warm for a softer, richer top. A pinch of flaky salt on top is lovely too.
For a savory version, fold in 60 g (½ cup) of shredded sharp cheddar and a spoonful of chopped chives with the dry ingredients. For breakfast, serve them split with eggs and cheese, or with butter and jam alongside Sourdough Discard Pancakes.
Before You Bake
Scaling this recipe up or down? Run your numbers through the Sourdough Calculator. And if you want a printable reference for troubleshooting or timing, browse all six Printable Quicksheets.
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