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Soft and flaky sourdough drop biscuits that are made in under 30 minutes from start to finish. Use cold sourdough discard and buttermilk to ensure these biscuits are tender, light, and have the perfect flavor combination. My family loves them for breakfast or a side dish with dinner and they are SO simple. They are the easiest sourdough discard biscuits, and I’m sure your whole family will love them!
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Why You’ll Love Sourdough Drop Biscuits
- Quick & Easy: These sourdough drop biscuits are ready in 20 minutes from start to finish, and they are so simple to make! Plus, with no shaping or cutting the drop biscuits, these biscuits couldn’t be easier.
- Discard Recipe: You’ll love how this recipe uses 200 grams of sourdough discard combined with buttermilk to make the most delicious tender and flaky sourdough biscuits
- Delicious: These biscuits are perfect with some butter and jam, or with some savory breakfast fare. They are versatile and the perfect biscuit for your morning.
Important Ingredients
- Sourdough Discard – For a sour flavor, use refrigerated discard up to a week or two old. For less sour flavor, use a fresher discard. Cold discard straight from the fridge keeps these biscuits cold and makes them rise even higher! I always use 100% hydration sourdough discard.
- All-Purpose Flour – In order to make your biscuits light and flaky use a flour with a lower protein content (all-purpose or pastry flour). You want to limit the formation of gluten strands for best results. You can also use self-rising flour and omit the salt and baking powder from the recipe.
- Sugar – This recipe uses a small amount of sugar, which helps enhance the flavor of these biscuits
- Salt – Salt enhances flavor. Don’t forget to add it!
- Baking Soda – Baking soda helps with the rise in these biscuits and also adds to their light and flaky texture
- Baking Powder – Baking powder is the main rising agent in these sourdough drop biscuits. Once the biscuits hit the hot oven, the baking powder is activated and the combination of heat, pockets of butter and baking powder makes those flaky layers.
- Unsalted Butter – I always bake with unsalted butter. Unsalted butter allows me to control the flavor in my baked goods — there is no standard for the amount of salt in salted butter, which makes using salted butter a little unpredictable.
- Buttermilk – Buttermilk makes these biscuits light, tender, and flavorful.
How to Make Sourdough Drop Biscuits
Mix Dough
Combine dry ingredients to a large bowl. Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt until combined. In a smaller bowl, combine wet ingredients. Mix together cold sourdough discard and chilled buttermilk. These buttermilk biscuits will turn out best if using very cold ingredients. Melt butter and let cool slightly. Add warm melted butter to wet ingredients and whisk to combine.
Add the liquid ingredients on top of the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Be careful not to over-mix these biscuits because the key to tender and light biscuits is to not over-mix the dough. Mix until the dough is just combined with a few dry streaks here or there.
Scoop Sourdough Drop Biscuits
Prepare a baking sheet by lining with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 450ºF.
These sourdough drop biscuits don’t require being cut or shaped in a specific way—that’s what makes them super quick and easy! Scoop about 1/4 to 1/3 cup of the biscuit dough and drop on the parchment lined baking sheet. Repeat until all the biscuits are placed on the baking sheet and spread apart.
Bake Sourdough Drop Biscuits
Bake sourdough drop biscuits at 450ºF for about 12 minutes until lightly browned. Brush tops with melted butter and serve warm. Enjoy!
Amy’s Recipe Tip
Buttermilk is an ingredient I always keep on hand in my fridge. It really takes these biscuits to a new level in tenderness, flakiness and over-all deliciousness. I use it in pancakes, waffles, and cakes! If you bake a lot, definitely buy the buttermilk and keep it in your fridge. It’s become one of my pantry-staples.
Substitutions
- Buttermilk: For the best rise, flavor and texture a full-fat buttermilk works best. You can substitute a mixture of 1/2 sour cream and 1/2 milk if desired (70 grams sour cream mixed with 70 grams milk for this recipe).
- Sourdough Discard: Ripe, bubbly and active sourdough starter can be substituted for discard in this recipe. The biscuits may not have as much flavor.
- Inclusions: These sourdough drop biscuits are perfect for inclusions. Add cheese, herbs or even some bacon to them would be delicious.
How to Store Leftovers
Biscuits are best eaten fresh and warm. Leftover biscuits can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a few days. They can also be stored frozen for up to three months.
If you liked this, you’ll also like…
- Flaky Sourdough Biscuits
- Sourdough Cheddar Biscuits
- Sourdough Scones
- Sourdough Strawberry Shortcake
- Ham and Cheese Sourdough Scones
Frequently Asked Questions
I use the recipe that comes in the box of Pomona’s pectin. This is my favorite low-sugar pectin for making homemade jam. It’s delicious!
The combination of baking powder and buttermilk are responsible for the rise in these sourdough drop biscuits.
Yes! Add about 3/4 cup sharp cheddar cheese (or any favorite cheese) to this recipe and bake.
Sourdough Drop Biscuits
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 180 grams all-purpose flour, 1 1/4 cups
- 5 grams granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon
- 10 grams baking powder, 2 teaspoons
- 2 grams baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon
- 4 grams salt, 3/4 teaspoon
- 200 grams sourdough discard, about 3/4 cup
- 140 grams buttermilk, heaping 1/2 cup
- 113 grams unsalted butter, melted and still warm, 8 Tablespoons
- 30 grams unsalted butter, melted, for brushing on warm biscuits, 2 Tablespoons
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450ºF. Line a half sheet baking sheet with parchment paper.
- To a bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt until combined. To a small bowl, whisk together cold sourdough discard and chilled buttermilk. Add warm melted butter and whisk to combine.
- Pour the liquid ingredients on top of the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Be careful not to over-mix these biscuits, a few dry streaks here or there are okay.
- Scoop biscuits out of the bowl, about 1/4 to 1/3 cup and drop on the parchment lined baking sheet. Repeat until all the biscuits are placed on the baking sheet, spread apart.
- Place biscuits in the oven and bake for about 12 minutes until lightly browned. Brush tops with melted butter and serve warm. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Honestly so good! The perfect “I need a carby side dish and don’t want to spend 2+ hours proofing bread” recipe. Will be making again!
I’m glad you loved them – they do make a great dinner side!
Girl. You nailed it! I made a batch of these last night to go with a pot of beef stew. Instead of baking them on a sheet, I dropped the batter into a preheated cast iron skillet (after allowing the batter to rest and rise a bit.)
Yes, there’s the sourdough flavor, but there’s just enough baking powder and soda to make that classic biscuit taste. That added bit of buttermilk really kept them moist.
This is a keeper!
Yum! Thanks for the review.
How many biscuits does the single recipe make?
It makes about 9 biscuits, but it’ll depend on how big you shape them.
Amy,
I made your sourdough biscuits last night. They are delicious.
I have a question–I enjoyed the best scone I have ever eaten from Blackbird Cafe in Port Angeles WA over Thanksgiving weekend. The scone was light and delicious, much like these biscuits.
Do you believe that I could add an egg and a bit more sugar to the recipe to try to mimic the scone I enjoyed?
Thank you in advance for your advice.
I don’t know how the biscuits at Blackbird Cafe are made, but I always support experimenting with a recipe to get to a version you like the most! Happy baking.
I had so much discard and ran across this recipe. Made them in a jiffy and they turned out fantastic! My husband loved them and ate 6 lol!! Thanks for sharing all of your wonderful recipes!
So glad you love the recipe – thanks for your review!
Delicious! Light, fluffy. I swapped half of the melted butter for garlic olive oil, added 100g shredded sharp cheese, and about 3 ounces chopped ham. We didn’t need the butter after baking, but did drizzle a little hot honey on them. Chef’s kiss!
Thanks for the feedback – that sounds like a great adjustment to the recipe. Enjoy!
I have just started my sourdough journey, and i kid you not the kids in my life have asked for these no less than 5 times! We do make the fancy and bacon and cheese.
These are on repeat in our house too!
my first discard recipe and second recipe from Amy Bakes Bread. Absolutely delicious! I used almond milk and lemon juice for the buttermilk and skipped the brushing with butter at the end. These will definitely be a repeat!
Glad you loved this recipe! Thanks for sharing your substitutions.
Delish perfect for biscuits and gravy 😋😡
So glad you love the recipe!
Hi !
Can I make them ferment in the fridge for the night before baking?
You can! Happy baking!
Ancora non li ho fatti ti farò sapere (credo che siano buonissimi! Grazie
Hope you love them!
Hi! I just made some cheese, and I was curious on your thoughts of using the whey byproduct in place of buttermilk? I know whey often has that tangy flavor that buttermilk provides.
Yes you can do that, but you may need a little more flour if it’s not as thick as buttermilk.
Hey Amy,
Wanna make this but I have active sourdough starter that I was going to use but then changed my mind and switched recipes- can I use start or must be discard?
You can use active starter in place of discard in this one.