Make the most of your sourdough discard with this easy, flavorful sourdough discard biscuit recipe. They’re tender inside and crisp outside, and completely irresistible. Ready in under 30 minutes, these are great for any meal; serve them with eggs for breakfast or brunch, along with soup or salad for lunch, or as side dish at dinner!
Buttery, fluffy, tender drop biscuits accented with savory garlic and sharp cheddar are a great addition to just about any meal! These are freezer-friendly and have the perfect cheddar-garlic flavor with a touch of tanginess that beautifully cuts through the richness.
What Makes This Recipe a Winner
- Small batch, but easy to scale up – If you only want a few biscuits to have along with breakfast or dinner, this is great because it makes just 4. But the recipe is easy to scale up and they freeze well, so I recommend whipping up a double batch so you can thaw and reheat them as needed.
- Simple ingredients, but packed with flavor – If you’re a fan of the Cheddar Bay Biscuits at Red Lobster, you’ll go crazy for these! Inspired by those iconic biscuits, these are even better. Sourdough adds tanginess, which perfectly rounds out the flavor profile. And you probably have everything on hand in your kitchen to make them right now!
Cheesy Garlic Sourdough Discard Drop Biscuit Recipe Ingredients
INGREDIENTS EXPLAINED
Here the ingredients are explained and applicable substitutions are given. For the full recipe (with ingredient amounts), please see the recipe card below.
- Flour – Use regular all-purpose flour here.
- Baking powder – Helps create the perfect light biscuit texture.
- Garlic salt – If you prefer, you can omit the garlic salt and instead use 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder + 1/2 teaspoon salt. Mix it up and use 1 teaspoon in the biscuits and sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon on top.
- Unsalted butter – For richness and flaky layers.
- Sourdough discard – Use 100% hydration sourdough discard (unfed sourdough starter) that’s 6 days old or less (chilled straight from the fridge is fine).
- Full-fat buttermilk – Buttermilk is a tenderizer that helps make the best biscuits. You’ll find both low-fat and full-fat buttermilk avoidable at the grocery store; for the best flavor, go with full fat. If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, you can substitute with 1/4 cup whole milk and add 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice or 3/4 teaspoon white vinegar.
- Sharp cheddar – Just about any kind of dry, sharp cheese will work in these cheesy garlic biscuits. Gruyere is also a great choice!
- Salted butter – After baking, we brush melted butter on top of the biscuits to really take them over the top.
How to Make This Sourdough Discard Biscuit Recipe: Step-by-Step Instructions
- Prep. Preheat the oven to 425F. Line a baking tray with a piece of parchment paper.
- Make the dough. Add the flour, baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt to a large bowl; whisk to combine. Cut the butter into the dry ingredients until it’s coarsely incorporated, and there are some pieces the size of peas. Make a well in the center and add the discard and milk. Use a fork to mix the wet ingredients into the flour mixture, switching to your hands when it starts to form a shaggy dough. Fold in the shredded cheddar (it’ll look like too much cheese, but it’s not).
- Shape. Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces and roll each into a ball. Place the dough balls spaced evenly apart on the prepared tray. Sprinkle the tops with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt.
- Bake. Bake until the biscuits are puffed and golden, about 13 to 15 minutes.
- Finish. Brush the melted butter on top and enjoy.
Storage & Freezing
Once cooled to room temperature, pop these into an airtight container and store them at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the fridge for up to 5 days. To freeze, store them in an airtight container layered between pieces of parchment paper for up to 3 months.
Reheating
If these have been in the fridge a few days or if they’ve been frozen, I like to reheat them to re-crisp the outside and make the inside tender again. You can reheat them in a 350F oven for 5 to 10 minutes, in a 350F toaster oven for about 5 minutes, or in a 325F air fryer for 3 to 5 minutes.
Pro Tips For the Best Sourdough Discard Biscuits Recipe
- Use cold butter – This creates steam pockets, resulting in lighter texture.
- Don’t overmix – Overworking the dough makes biscuits dense.
- Chill before baking – If your kitchen is warm, pop the shaped biscuits into the fridge for 10 minutes before baking to keep the butter cold.
Sourdough Drop Biscuits FAQs
Absolutely! If you omit the garlic salt, just add 1/2 teaspoon fine table salt along with the flour and baking powder. No other changes are needed!
Definitely! Use a touch of smoked paprika for smoky flavor or a little bit of cayenne pepper for spicy heat. Or go with up to a couple tablespoons of minced fresh herbs, such as chives or parsley.
Yes! You don’t have to bake these biscuits as soon as you make the dough. If you prefer, make the dough, shape the biscuits, and keep them covered in the fridge for up to 24 hours before baking. (Bake them chilled, straight from the fridge.) Just note that the longer you leave it, the more the sourdough will ferment and the more pronounced its tanginess will be.
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Cheddar Garlic Sourdough Drop Biscuit Recipe
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Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon garlic salt divided into 1/2 teaspoon + 1/4 teaspoon (see Notes)
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter chilled and diced
- 1/4 cup sourdough discard unfed sourdough starter; 100% hydration; 6 days old or less; chilled straight from the fridge
- 1/4 cup full-fat buttermilk chilled (see Notes)
- 4 ounces sharp cheddar shredded
- 1 tablespoon salted butter melted (for brushing on top after baking)
Instructions
- Prep. Preheat the oven to 425F. Line a baking tray with a piece of parchment paper.
- Make the dough. Add the flour, baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt to a large bowl; whisk to combine. Cut the butter into the dry ingredients until it’s coarsely incorporated, and there are some pieces the size of peas. Make a well in the center and add the discard and milk. Use a fork to mix the wet ingredients into the flour mixture, switching to your hands when it starts to form a shaggy dough. Fold in the shredded cheddar (it’ll look like too much cheese, but it’s not).
- Shape. Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces and roll each into a ball. Place the dough balls spaced evenly apart on the prepared tray. Sprinkle the tops with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt.
- Bake. Bake until the biscuits are puffed and golden, about 13 to 15 minutes.
- Finish. Brush the melted butter on top and enjoy.
Notes
- Garlic Salt Substitute: If you prefer, you can omit the garlic salt and instead use 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder + 1/2 teaspoon salt. Mix it up and use 1 teaspoon in the biscuits and sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon on top.
- Buttermilk: If you don’t have buttermilk, you can use 1/4 cup whole milk and add 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice or 3/4 teaspoon white vinegar.
- Storage and Freezing: Once cooled to room temperature, pop these into an airtight container and store them at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the fridge for up to 5 days. To freeze, store them in an airtight container layered between pieces of parchment paper for up to 3 months.
- Reheating: If these have been in the fridge a few days or if they’ve been frozen, I like to reheat them to re-crisp the outside and make the inside tender again. You can reheat them in a 350F oven for 5 to 10 minutes, in a 350F toaster oven for about 5 minutes, or in a 325F air fryer for 3 to 5 minutes.
- Sourdough Discard Weight: The weight of sourdough discard can vary greatly. For consistency’s sake, here we’re assuming 1/4 cup of sourdough discard (100% hydration; stirred down; 6 days old or younger) weighs 65 grams.
Nutrition
