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Light, fluffy, tender, and a sweet honey butter topping, you guys – I make A LOT of sourdough rolls, and these Honey Butter Sourdough Discard Rolls are the ones my kids request again and again. They use up a bunch of sourdough discard, and they make the most delicious side dish for your dinner.
I also love making them for fried chicken sandwiches (chicken mini vibes if you are a Chick-Fil-A lover) and any extras we have, my kids make into sandwiches and enjoy in school lunches. That, however, is rare because there are almost never any leftovers of these honey butter sourdough discard rolls. They are incredible!
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Why You’ll Love Honey Butter Sourdough Discard Rolls
- Soft and Tender: These rolls have the most buttery soft texture that you will love- just like my Sourdough Discard Hawaiian Rolls that are also favorites!
- Honey Butter Topping: A sweet honey butter topping gives these sourdough discard rolls an extra special something that will have you coming back for seconds (or thirds!).
- Discard Recipe: I always love a recipe for homemade rolls that uses up sourdough discard from my fridge so that it doesn’t go to waste! If you want a full sourdough version of this recipe, I have it in my cookbook!
Important Ingredients
- Sourdough Discard – I use 100% hydration sourdough discard. You can use fresh discard or refrigerated discard in this recipe.
- Water – Warm water works best in this recipe. I try to use water that is between 98-100º Fahrenheit.
- Milk – I like to use warm 2% or whole milk to enrich the dough for these rolls.
- Instant Yeast – In order to give these rolls a quick rise, they require commercial instant yeast.
- Honey – These sourdough discard rolls are sweetened with honey instead of refined sugar.
- Salt – Salt enhances flavor. Don’t forget to add it!
- Unsalted Butter – Melted and cooled unsalted butter allows you to control the salt content in the dough and gives these rolls a rich flavor.
- Bread Flour – Bread flour keeps these rolls chewy and gives a good rise. If you want to substitute all-purpose flour instead you can. Add a little vital wheat gluten for best results.
- Honey Butter Topping – Top these rolls with a sweet combination of honey, unsalted butter, and a pinch of salt.
Substitutions
- Instant Yeast: Dry active yeast can be substituted, but it needs to be activated in water for about 5 minutes before adding to the dough. The dough will also take longer to rise.
- Sourdough Discard: Bubbly, active starter can be substituted in these rolls if you don’t have discard on hand, or make this 100% sourdough dinner roll recipe.
- Flour: If you don’t have bread flour on hand, you can substitute with all-purpose flour.
- Honey Butter Topping: If you don’t want to add the honey butter topping, you don’t have to. These are delicious on their own with a slightly sweet flavor from the honey in the dough.
How to Make Honey Butter Sourdough Discard Rolls
Mix the Dough
Combine warm water (around 98-100ºF), warm milk (98-100ºF), honey, and instant yeast to the bowl of a stand mixer. Allow the yeast to activate – you will notice a yeasty smell and the yeast will start to clump together. Add melted butter, sourdough discard, salt and most of the bread flour. Reserve some of the bread flour to add as you knead the dough. Mix until completely combined, and add the rest of the flour a little bit at a time until the dough is tacky (not super sticky) and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. If the dough is overly sticky, add a little more flour. Knead the dough for about 5-7 minutes until cohesive and strong.
Note: If you don’t have a stand mixer, you can knead the dough by hand for about 8-10 minutes if you don’t have access to a stand mixer.
Rise, Shape, and Proof Roll Dough
Place the roll dough into a bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel and let rise until almost doubled in size. If your sourdough discard is cold, it may take longer for the dough to rise.
After about an hour, your dough should have doubled in size. Dump it on the counter. Use a bench scraper or knife to separate the dough into 12 equal-sized pieces, about 80 grams each. Take each piece of dough and pull/pinch up the sides until it forms a ball. Roll the ball on the counter using your hand in a cupping shape (see video here) to seal the balls and create tension for the roll to rise.
Nestle rolls together in a 10-12 inch baking pan. If you use a 10 inch pan, the rolls will pull-apart more. Using a 12 inch pan gives the rolls more room (notice the difference in the photos below). Cover the pan and let the rolls rise again for about an hour until doubled in size.
Bake & Top with Honey Butter
Place risen rolls in an oven preheated to 375ºF and bake for about 20-22 minutes until lightly browned on top (if you want more browning, add a simple egg wash to the rolls before baking).
Whisk together the honey butter topping by combining honey, butter, and salt. Brush on top of warm Honey Butter Sourdough Discard Rolls. Enjoy!
How to Store Leftovers
Leftover sourdough discard rolls can be stored in an airtight container or ziplock bag for a few days after they’ve cooled completely. I like to freeze them for best results.
Amy’s Recipe Tip
This one is for all you Chick-Fil-A lovers. These rolls really do taste like the bread that the chicken mini’s come on. Pair them with a piece of fried chicken and you will have a delicious sandwich! You could also shape them smaller in size to make a copycat chicken mini with a chicken nugget.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Just substitute active starter for the discard. Leave out the instant yeast and give a longer time between rises. Bake the rolls once they have doubled in size and are light, airy and puffy.
Yes! I would substitute up to about half of the bread flour for whole wheat flour. And if you want a long-fermented, whole wheat sourdough recipe, you’ll definitely want to try these soft and fluffy honey whole wheat sourdough rolls.
It is helpful to have a stand mixer to mix the dough, but you don’t have to. You can knead the dough by hand for 10-12 minutes instead if you don’t have a mixer.
Yes! I have a whole article about how you can make rolls ahead of time by refrigerating, freezing or par-baking the dough.
Popular Sourdough Roll Recipes
Honey Butter Sourdough Discard Rolls
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Equipment
- 10 or 12 inch round pan or 9 by 13 baking pan
Ingredients
Honey Butter Sourdough Discard Rolls
- 100 grams water, warmed (98-100ºF), 1/3 cup plus 2 Tablespoons
- 100 grams milk, 2% or whole, warmed (98-100ºF), 1/3 cup plus 2 Tablespoons
- 60 grams honey, about 3 Tablespoons
- 6 grams instant yeast, about 2 teaspoons
- 55 grams unsalted butter, melted, about 1/4 cup
- 200 grams sourdough discard, about 3/4 cup plus 2 Tablespoons
- 10 grams salt, about 1.5 teaspoons
- 450 grams bread flour, about 3 1/4 cups
Honey Butter Topping
- 40 grams honey, about 2 Tablespoons
- 30 grams unsalted butter, melted, about 2 Tablespoons
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- To the bowl of a stand mixer add warm water (around 98-100ºF), warm milk (98-100ºF), honey and instant yeast. Watch for the yeast to activate – you will notice a yeasty smell and the yeast will start to clump together. Add melted butter, sourdough discard, salt and most of the bread flour. Reserve about 100 grams or 1/2 cup to add as you knead the dough. Mix until completely combined and add the rest of the flour a little bit at a time until the dough is tacky (not super sticky) and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. If the dough is overly sticky, add a little more flour. Knead the dough for about 5-7 minutes until cohesive and strong.This dough can also be kneaded by hand for about 8-10 minutes if you don't have a stand mixer.
- Shape the dough into a ball and place into a bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel and let rise until almost doubled in size. If your sourdough discard is cold, it may take longer for the dough to rise.
- Once the dough has doubled in size, dump it on the counter. Use a bench scraper or knife to separate the dough into 12 equal-sized pieces, about 80 grams each. Take each piece of dough and pull/pinch up the sides until it forms a ball. Roll the ball on the counter using your hand in a cupping shape (see video here) to seal the balls and create tension for the roll to rise.
- Nestle rolls together in a 10-12 inch baking pan. Cover the pan and let the rolls rise again for about an hour until doubled in size.
- Preheat your oven to 375ºF. Place risen rolls in the oven and bake for about 20-22 minutes until lightly browned on top (if you want more browning, add a simple egg wash to the rolls before baking). Rolls should register about 190ºF when baked through.
- Whisk together the honey butter topping and brush on top of the baked rolls. Enjoy warm!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Sorry forgot to add rating. I assume the nutritional information is per roll. Need to count my carbs, diabetic but allow myself an indulgence sometimes.
Yes! The nutritional information is for one roll, based on the recipe making 12 rolls. Enjoy!
This recipe is the best!!! I make the rolls a bit smaller (60g) and have used them for sliders. They freeze beautifully.
Thanks for the review!
These rolls turned out fantastic! I thoroughly enjoyed the simplicity of this recipe and the delightful lightness and fluffiness of the rolls. They were a huge hit at my church fellowship gathering.
I’m glad they turned out great! Thanks for the review.
These were amazing! I turned them into burger buns instead of dinner rolls and everyone loved them. Thank you Amy! Your discard recipes are awesome. 🙂
I’m glad they turned out great!
Amy, Do you think I could use this recipe and make cinnamon rolls? I absolutely love how this dough goes together.
Cinnamon roll dough is usually softer and fluffier than rolls, so I think if you used this dough for cinnamon rolls they would turn out to “bread-y” and maybe a bit tough, which wouldn’t be my preference. I would recommend using this recipe for Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Rolls.
Our new family fav!
It’s a favorite for sure! Enjoy!
I wish I could rate this a 10…..they are that good.
I have shared this with all my SD friends.
The biggest perk of this recipe is that it is SO easy to work with.
One question, the recipe does not mention to grease the pan that you bake these rolls in,
I do….just wondering.
I bake in a glass lasagna pan and make the rolls @65 grams. That’s the size we like.
I’d say greasing the pan will definitely depend on the type of pan you are using. It sounds like what you are doing is working for you. Happy baking!
My husband said this was the best bread I have ever made. Is there a loaf version of this recipe?
I’m glad you loved the rolls! We don’t have a loaf version, but you could spread honey butter on top of a loaf like this sourdough discard sandwich bread for something similar. Thanks for the review!
My husband said this was the best bread I’ve ever made. Is there a loaf version of this recipe?
I’m glad you loved the rolls! We don’t have a loaf version, but you could spread honey butter on top of a loaf like this sourdough discard sandwich bread for something similar. Thanks for the review!
Thank you so much for this recipe. It was easy to make. The dough was so soft. Made them for Christmas dinner. Everyone loved them. Will make this often. I’m fairly new to baking with sourdough and it was easy for a beginner.
I’m glad these were a hit! Thanks for the review!