Sourdough Discard Biscuits

Ingredients

The Dough

• 240g (2 cups) all-purpose flour
• 12g (1 tablespoon) baking powder (aluminum-free)
• 2g (1/2 teaspoon) baking soda
• 5g (1 teaspoon) kosher salt
• 4g (1 teaspoon) granulated sugar
• 113g (8 tablespoons (1 stick)) unsalted butter, frozen
• 120g (1/2 cup) sourdough discard (unfed, straight from fridge)
• 120g (1/2 cup) cold buttermilk

Finishing

• 28g (2 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted
• 2g (1/2 teaspoon) flaky sea salt, for tops

Total flour: 240g

Hydration: 78%

Pro tip: Use discard that's been in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Older discard means more tang. If yours has a little hooch on top, pour it off before measuring. If it's grey or has visible mold, toss it and wait until your next feeding.

Equipment

Method

Prep the Butter and Wet Ingredients

Cold ingredients are the foundation of flaky biscuits. The sourdough discard gets mixed with the buttermilk first so it distributes evenly through the dough.

1. Freeze the butter. Place the stick of butter in the freezer at least 30 minutes before you start. It needs to be solid all the way through. Soft butter melts into the dough instead of creating steam pockets, and you lose the layers.
2. Combine the wet ingredients. In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the sourdough discard and cold buttermilk until the discard is fully dissolved and the mixture looks uniform. Set it in the fridge while you prepare the dry ingredients.

Mix Dry Ingredients and Butter

Same principle as the classic version. Get the butter cold and distributed before any liquid touches the dough.

1. Whisk the dry ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar until combined.
2. Grate the frozen butter into the flour. Using the large holes of a box grater, grate the frozen butter directly into the dry ingredients. Work quickly and toss the grated butter with the flour as you go. Once all the butter is grated in, use your fingers to quickly toss everything until the mixture looks like coarse sand with some flat butter flakes. 30 seconds tops.
3. Add the wet mixture. Pour the discard and buttermilk mixture into the flour and butter. Use a rubber spatula to fold everything together until a shaggy dough forms. Stop when you don't see dry flour. The dough will look rough and a little crumbly. That's what you want.

Tip: Use aluminum-free baking powder. Regular baking powder can leave a faint metallic taste when combined with the acid in the discard. Bob's Red Mill and Rumford are both aluminum-free.

Cut-and-Stack Lamination

This is where the layers come from. The cut-and-stack method builds more distinct layers than rolling and folding, and it's faster and easier to execute. Every stack multiplies your layer count.

1. Turn out and pat to a rectangle. Lightly flour a clean work surface. Turn the dough out and use your hands to gently press it into a rough 1-inch-thick rectangle. Don't knead. Just press.
2. Cut into squares and stack. Using a bench scraper or sharp knife, cut the rectangle into 4 equal squares. Stack the squares directly on top of each other, pressing any loose bits of dough between the layers. Now flatten the stack back down into a 1-inch-thick rectangle. You just multiplied your layer count by 4.
3. Repeat the stack once more. Cut the rectangle into 4 squares again, stack them, and press back down to 1 inch thick. Two rounds of cut-and-stack gives you a biscuit with hundreds of distinct layers.
4. Final pat. Pat the dough into a final rectangle about 1 inch thick and roughly 7 by 9 inches. You're ready to cut.

Cut the Biscuits and Chill

A quick rest in the freezer before baking is optional but worth it. It firms the butter back up after all that handling and gives you maximum lift in the oven.

1. Cut into squares or rounds. Using a bench scraper or sharp knife, cut the dough into 9 to 12 squares. Cutting into squares wastes nothing. If you prefer rounds, use a floured biscuit cutter and press straight down without twisting. Gather and stack the scraps to cut one more round.
2. Arrange on the pan. Place the biscuits on a parchment-lined baking sheet with the biscuits just touching each other. Touching biscuits rise up. Biscuits with space between them spread out.
3. Optional freezer rest. Place the entire pan in the freezer for 15 to 20 minutes before baking. This firms the butter back up after handling and results in taller, more distinct layers. If you're short on time, skip this step. Still works great.

Bake and Finish

Same rule as the classic: high heat, fully preheated oven. Don't open the door for the first 10 minutes.

1. Preheat the oven. Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C) with the rack in the upper third. Let it sit at full temperature for at least 10 minutes before the biscuits go in.
2. Bake 15 to 18 minutes. Bake until the tops are deep golden brown. The discard version bakes at 425°F (220°C) instead of 450°F (230°C) because the acid in the discard can cause faster browning. Watch for color.
3. Finish with butter and flaky salt. Pull the biscuits from the oven and immediately brush with melted butter. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt. The salt on top is what makes people ask for the recipe.

Bake

Slightly lower temperature than a classic biscuit because the acid in the discard accelerates browning.

Oven: 220°C / 425°F. Internal temperature when done: 93°C / 200°F.

Baking Sheet (recommended)

Parchment-lined sheet pan in the upper third of the oven. Recommended for even browning on all sides.

Equipment: Parchment-lined baking sheet

1. Preheat. Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C) with rack in the upper third.
2. Arrange biscuits touching. Place biscuits on the lined sheet so they just touch each other.
3. Bake 15 to 18 minutes. Bake until tops are deep golden brown. Brush with melted butter and add flaky salt immediately after pulling from the oven.

Cast Iron Skillet

Cast iron gives extra-tall biscuits with a slightly crispier bottom. The close walls help them rise straight up.

Equipment: 10 or 12-inch cast iron skillet

1. Preheat oven. Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). You can butter a cold skillet rather than preheating it here.
2. Arrange biscuits. Butter the skillet lightly and arrange biscuits touching. The sides of the skillet keep them from tipping.
3. Bake 15 to 17 minutes. Bake until golden on top. Brush with melted butter and flaky salt immediately.

Note: The discard adds acid, which can make the tops brown faster than the inside is done. If the tops are coloring too quickly, tent loosely with foil for the last 5 minutes.

Storage

• Room temperature: 2 days in an airtight container. These are best the day they're baked.
• Frozen: Up to 3 months. Freeze unbaked cut biscuits on a sheet pan, then bag them. Bake from frozen.
• Refresh: Warm baked biscuits at 350°F (175°C) for 5 to 8 minutes. Or split and toast cut-side down in a buttered skillet.

Frequently Asked Questions

How old can my discard be?

Up to 2 weeks in the fridge is fine for this recipe. Older discard means more tang, which works well in biscuits. If it has a thin layer of liquid (hooch) on top, pour it off before measuring. If the discard is grey, smells like nail polish remover, or has visible mold, discard it and wait until your next starter feeding.

Can I use active starter instead of discard?

Yes. Active starter works fine here. The biscuits will have a slightly milder flavor and a touch more lift. This recipe is leavened by baking powder, not the starter, so whether your starter is active or dormant discard doesn't change the bake much.

My biscuits didn't rise. What happened?

Check your baking powder first. Old baking powder is the number one biscuit killer. Test it: drop a teaspoon into hot water. If it bubbles immediately and aggressively, it's fine. If nothing happens, replace it. Also make sure your butter was truly frozen before grating, and that you didn't overwork the dough.

Can I make these without buttermilk?

Yes. Add 1/2 tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to 1/2 cup of whole milk, stir, and let it sit for 5 minutes. The discard already adds acid to the dough, so the substitute works well here. Real buttermilk is still the better choice if you have it.

Can I freeze the unbaked biscuits?

Absolutely. Freeze the cut biscuits in a single layer on the sheet pan for 1 hour, then transfer to a freezer bag. Bake from frozen at 425°F (220°C) for 20 to 24 minutes. This is actually a great way to always have fresh biscuits on demand.

My dough seems too sticky. Did I do something wrong?

Probably not. Sourdough discard makes a slightly stickier dough than plain buttermilk. Lightly flour your hands and the work surface before the cut-and-stack step. Don't add more flour to the bowl. A wetter dough actually produces a more tender biscuit.

Nutrition

Per serving (1 biscuit): 215 calories, 23g carbohydrates, 4g protein, 12g fat, 1g fiber, 290mg sodium. Makes 10 servings.