Easy Sourdough Biscuits
This is the best recipe for easy sourdough biscuits! So soft and flaky, they are incredible. The biscuits can be made with fed or discard sourdough starter.
Tall and sturdy, these sourdough biscuits are so, so good. The tang of the sourdough adds amazing flavor without overpowering the tender biscuits.

How to Make Sourdough Biscuits
I am always looking for ways to use my sourdough starter. Bonus points if I don’t have to remember to feed it first!
These biscuits are perfect because they can be made with fed or discard sourdough starter, and they are amazingly delicious either way!
Here’s how to make them:
- Grate frozen or very cold butter into the dry ingredients (you can cut the butter in with a pastry blender or use a food processor for this step, but grating the butter is super easy and kind of fun!)
- Toss the butter and dry ingredient together until the butter is evenly coated.
- Add the sourdough starter and buttermilk.
- Gently fold and mix the dough until it forms a rough ball.
Why Folding Biscuit Dough is Important
Turn the biscuit dough onto a lightly floured counter and pat into a thick rectangle.
Fold the dough into thirds and then pat out into a rectangle shape again.
Repeat this process one more time.
These folds, combined with the cold butter, are what help to create flaky layers in the biscuits.
Cut the dough into squares using a knife or bench scraper. You can use a round biscuit cutter, as well – the re-rolled scraps may not be as flaky and tender as the first cut biscuits.
Tall and Flaky Biscuits
These biscuits, thanks to the extra oomph of the sourdough starter, bake up tall and flaky!
They are slightly sturdier than your typical buttermilk biscuit, and the sourdough tang is spot on perfect.
Immediately out of the oven, brush the tops with melted butter, and if possible, serve the biscuits warm.
A Note About Sourdough Starter
I prefer to “do sourdough” the lazy girl way. And most of the time, that means using recipes that call for sourdough discard.
The beauty of this recipe is that it can be used with fed or discard sourdough.
I feed my sourdough starter with a 1:1:1 ratio. It is thick but pourable. If your sourdough starter has a different consistency, it’s possible you may need to add more flour (or more buttermilk) to help the dough come together.
The most important factor in making these biscuits is to work quickly so the butter doesn’t melt and to not overwork the dough.
A Perfect Biscuit
These sourdough biscuits are absolutely divine with butter and jam.
Or butter and honey.
Or just butter.
And I have it on record that they are unbelievably good sandwiched with mustard, ham and a wedge of sharp cheddar cheese.
This is a perfect recipe for sourdough experts and beginners alike. It is simple, straightforward, and the biscuits are so delicious!
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The Best Sourdough Biscuits
Ingredients
- 3 cups (426 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ tablespoons baking powder
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- ¾ teaspoon table salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ cup (12 tablespoons, 170 g) very cold or frozen salted butter
- 1 ½ cups (413 g) sourdough starter, fed or discard
- ¾ cup (182 g) buttermilk
- Melted butter, for brushing
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a half sheet pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, and baking soda.
- Using the large holes of a box grater, grate in the cold butter. (Alternatively, you can cut the butter into the dry ingredients using a pastry blender or use a food processor for this step.)
- Toss the butter with the dry ingredients until evenly mixed.
- Add the sourdough starter and buttermilk. Fold/gently mix the biscuit dough until it starts to come together in a rough mass and only a few dry streaks remain.
- Turn the biscuit dough out onto a lightly floured counter. Gently pat the dough into a rectangle about 1-inch thick. Gently fold the dough in thirds and then lightly press into a thick rectangle. Repeat the folding process one more time and then press or roll the dough into a rectangle about 1-inch thick.
- Cut the dough into 12 to 14 squares (or you can use a round biscuit cutter – re-rolled scraps may not be as flaky as the first biscuits cut).
- Place the biscuits 1/2-inch apart on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 20-22 minutes until golden and baked through.
- Immediately out of the oven, brush with melted butter. Serve warm.
Notes
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Recipe Source: from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe (adapted from this favorite recipe)
Thank you for sharing! A new family favorite.
My husband told me I can stop looking for a new recipe.
These are the best biscuits I’ve ever made (and I’ve tried many). I put them on top of hot chicken pot pie filling for a “chicken and biscuits” one-pan dish. I pulsed the ingredients in my food processor so they came together quickly. My sourdough was still pretty active and I ended up with big, tall, fluffy, tasty biscuits. I also appreciate that this recipe makes more than most – big family friendly. Thank you!
I’ve made these 3 times this week. 😅 I think it’s safe to say they’ve been a hit!
Doubled the recipe (#largefamilyproblems lol!) and did NOT enjoy grating three sticks of butter. I was silently arguing with you in my head — really, is this necessary, Mel?! But wow, these are so fluffy and delicious! So I concede; you were right. Thank you for always sharing so much yumminess with us, Mel. 🙂
This is my new favorite food! Thank you Mel!
Can you use almond milk instead of buttermilk?
It won’t have the same result in the biscuits – but you could try (or mix in a bit of fresh lemon juice with the almond milk for the acidity needed)
I’ve tried a LOT of sourdough biscuit recipes and these have moved to the top of my list! The rolling and folding created tall, flaky layers. We loved them with my pumpkin sausage gravy. I will definitely come back to this recipe again and again!
These biscuits are so delicious. Easy to make and easy to eat!
Made these tonight and even though I didn’t have the correct amount of sourdough starter, they are the best biscuits I’ve ever made!
Do you think I could make the dough and freeze it to be baked at a later time?
That should work great! Biscuit dough usually freezes really well.
Yes, I think that should work great!
I’ve never doubted you before, Mel, but I’ll admit I was a little skeptical at first when I saw “biscuits” because there are so many good biscuit recipes out there. However, you got me at sourdough. I’m always on the lookout for discard recipes because for some reason that jar of discard in my fridge bothers me if it doesn’t have a purpose. Anyhow, I tried these tonight and they were absolutely fantastic! Thank you for another fabulous recipe, especially for my freeloading discard;) Have you ever tried sourdough popovers? Kate over at pantrymama.com has a great recipe worth trying!
Made my day, Esther! So happy you found another use for that discard. I haven’t tried sourdough popovers, but I’ll definitely be checking out that recipe! Thank you!
I really enjoyed these- easy to make and flavorful. This recipe and your sourdough peasant bread are reason enough to keep starter!
I totally agree with that statement!
I made these tonight and we had them with chicken noodle soup. They were so easy and so yummy! I love sourdough discard recipes! Thank you Mel!
Perfect combo for dinner, Jen! So glad you guys loved them!
Hands down best biscuit recipe I’ve ever tried. These are simple and have incredible flavor! LOVED them with our white chili for dinner tonight.
Thank you for taking the time to let me know, Marek!
Love this recipe.
Can I let it ferment for 6 hours on counter and 6 in the fridge so I can time them for a morning bake?
I think that should work just fine!
These biscuits were incredible! I have been using the same biscuit recipe for 15+ years. But you posted this recipe while I had my sourdough starter growing on the counter (not sitting in the back of my fridge being ignored more months on end), so I gave them a try and WOW! I was not disappointed! I’m not sure I’ll ever go back to traditional biscuits!
Kathy! Thanks for letting me know! I’m so thrilled you loved this recipe and that it worked out so well!
These were so good and I loved that you could taste the sourdough. I have a new favorite biscuit recipe!!
I’m so happy to hear that, Anne! Thanks for taking the time to let me know!
Oh, I’m so excited to try these, Mel! Thanks so much for adding to the sourdough category on your site! 🙂
Do you have any thoughts on making these but letting them get any sort of resting time in the fridge or something, for those fermenting benefits?
Definitely going to try these as written, either way. I have been thinking about sourdough biscuits recently, so I was super happy to see that you posted today!
Hey Arlene! I think the dough, once cut into biscuits, could definitely rest in the refrigerator. I haven’t tried it myself, but it’s definitely worth a try, and I think it’s likely the biscuits will be better than ever. 🙂
I was so excited to see this recipe. I have been feeding a starter for a couple of months now, but haven’t had the time or energy to tackle my first loaf. As a complete newbie, I have a question. My starter is 25 grams starter, water, and flour so nowhere near 1.5 cups. How do I generate enough to make these biscuits? Except for the starter amount this recipe seems much less formidable! Thanks, Mel!
Hi Lillie – great question. This recipe does use quite a bit of starter. (You could easily halve the recipe to only use 3/4 cup starter.) To increase the size of your starter, feed it a ratio of 1:2:2 (so 25 grams starter, 50 grams water, 50 grams flour) and let it ferment until it has doubled – it will depend on the warmth of your kitchen and how active your starter is, but it should double anywhere from 4 to 12 hours. After it doubles, you’ll have 125 grams of starter. Again, feed it a 1:2:2 ratio (125 grams starter, 250 grams water, 250 grams flour) and let it double again. By then, you’ll have enough for the recipe and some leftover to keep for next time (you can discard any extra or keep a larger starter). Does that help?
So helpful! PS. I bought my started online from an influencer I follow. It has done great despite the fact that I haven’t actually cooked with it lol.
That’s awesome, Lillie! I’ve found my sourdough starter is quite resilient despite my own laziness. 🙂