Looking for a fast, foolproof way to use up your extra starter? These sourdough cheddar biscuits are the ultimate no-wait bread side dish when you are short on time.
Combining sharp cheddar, a touch of honey, and active or unfed discard, they come together in just 20 minutes with zero long fermentation required. Whether you need a quick side for soup night or a savory breakfast bake, these fluffy, golden biscuits deliver big flavor instantly.
Serves 4-8 They’re crusty on the outside and light and fluffy inside with a wonderful flavor of cheddar and sourdough!
Most biscuit recipes call for butter, lard, or some kind of fat. These biscuits do not have butter or fat in them, just ON THEM… The sourdough starter and cheese keeps them moist inside and fluffy! Butter is just used on the outside.
My sourdough journey started with sourdough starter, then a beginners sourdough bread, and onto soft sourdough rolls… But one day I need a bread side dish and didn’t have enough time to long ferment anything for dinner, and that’s when I came up with the idea for these sourdough cheddar biscuits… And they’ve been a favorite ever since!
Key Ingredients & Why
Sourdough Discard or Sourdough Starter: This is the soul of these biscuits! Using an unfed sourdough starter straight from the refrigerator adds a wonderful tanginess that cuts through the richness of the cheese. Because this recipe uses baking powder for its primary lift, you don’t need to wait for a bubbly, active ferment—making this the ultimate fast, zero-waste sourdough discard recipe.
Shredded Cheddar Cheese: It’s a cheddar biscuit, so the cheese is obviously crucial! A generous cup of fresh-grated sharp cheddar brings that savory flavor that makes these biscuits irresistible. I always opt for a good quality sharp block cheese rather than pre-shredded for the best melt and flavor.
Baking Powder: While the sourdough adds wonderful depth, baking powder creates that signature tall, flaky biscuit rise. It ensures the biscuits are light and airy on the inside, making it the key to a fluffy texture.
Honey: A touch of honey might seem unexpected, but it adds a subtle sweetness that balances the savory cheddar and tang of the sourdough, while also helping achieve a gorgeous golden crust.
Tips & Tricks for Sourdough Cheddar Biscuits
Preheat Power and Oven Placement: First things first, get that oven preheated to 400°F. A hot oven is essential for those golden-brown, fluffy biscuits. And always place the rack in the center for even baking.
The One-Bowl Dump-and-Mix Method: You don’t need to dirty extra bowls for this recipe! I always add all the ingredients directly into a single mixing bowl at the same time—no separate dry or wet mixing required. It cuts down on extra steps, saves on cleanup, and makes this the fastest, easiest sourdough biscuit recipe you’ll ever bake.
Mixing and the “Stiff” Dough: When mixing the ingredients, I start with a wooden spoon and then finish with my hands. Don’t be alarmed if the dough feels a bit stiff… That’s actually a good thing! These biscuits fluff up beautifully during baking and stay nice and moist, even with a denser dough. I found that out the hard way, thinking it was too dry, and adding more liquid.
Rolling, Folding & Thickness Matters: Dusting the counter with a little flour makes handling the dough much easier. Want extra tall, flaky layers? After bringing the dough together, pat it out into a rough rectangle, fold it over onto itself, and gently press it down. Repeat this quick “lamination” fold a few times to create gorgeous pastry layers. When you are ready to cut them out, remember that thickness determines your baking time! For 8 smaller biscuits, pat the final dough out to 1-inch thick; for 4 larger biscuits, go for 1.5 inches. I use a round biscuit cutter, but a drinking glass works just as well!
Pan Prep & Placement: A well-buttered baking pan is required to prevent sticking. I prefer a thick cookie sheet for even heat distribution. And placing the biscuits about 1/2 inch apart gives them enough rooms for hot air circulation between them and even browning. 😉
The Melted Butter Brush: Don’t skip the melted butter brush! It adds a beautiful golden-brown color and a touch of richness to the biscuit tops. I think it really elevates the look and taste of these beautiful biscuits!
Baking Time and Size: The baking time will vary depending on the size of your biscuits. For 8 smaller sourdough discard cheddar biscuits, 10 minutes is usually perfect. For 4 larger biscuits, you’ll need about 14 minutes. Keep an eye on them and adjust as needed. I have learned to set a timer and check them a minute early!
Sourdough Starter or Discard
I use 100 percent hydration with my sourdough starter. That means that I use 50 percent water and 50 percent flour when making and maintaining my sourdough starter. You can learn how to make a sourdough starter here!
Sourdough Discard Cheddar Biscuits
You can make this recipe with sourdough discard, but you can also use active starter! The starter does not need to be fed. In fact I use the starter straight out of the refrigerator! The baking powder and the sourdough starter react together making the biscuits super fluffy, even if the starter just came out of the fridge!
Long Ferment Sourdough Cheddar Biscuits
You can make these a longer ferment cheddar biscuit by mixing all the ingredients and letting the dough rest for a couple of hours before putting them in the oven.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use cold sourdough discard straight from the fridge?
Yes! Because this recipe uses baking powder for its primary lift, you can use cold, unfed sourdough discard straight out of the refrigerator without waiting for it to warm up or bubble.
Can I make these into a long-ferment recipe?
While designed as a quick no-wait recipe, you can easily adapt them into a long-ferment sourdough discard biscuit by mixing the dough WITHOUT the baking powder, and letting it rest covered at room temperature for 2 to 4 hours, then adding the baking powder before cutting and baking. 😉
How do I keep leftover sourdough cheddar biscuits fresh?
Store any leftover sourdough cheddar biscuits in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or freeze them for up to 2 months. Reheat gently in a 350°F oven or toaster oven to bring back that crispy crust.
Did you make these sourdough cheddar biscuits? I wanna know what YOU think, Please review the recipe card!
The Best Sourdough Cheddar Biscuits (Fast 20-Min Recipe)
Ingredients
- 1 cup sourdough discard or starter 100% hydration starter. Active or Discard.
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 4 tablespoons butter melted and devided
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F, and move the rack to the center of the oven.
- 2. In a medium mixing bowl combine ingredients, except half the melted butter.
- 3. Stir with a wooden spoon, then use your hands to bring it together. It will be a bit stiff, but they fluff up and stay nice and moist when you cook them!
- 4. Dust the counter with a bit of flour and roll dough out (or use your hands to pat it out) to either 1 inch thick (for 8 biscuits) or 1.5 inches thick (for four biscuits.)
- 5. Use a biscuit cutter (or a drinking cup with a thin outer edge) to cut biscuits out.
- 6. Butter a baking pan. I like to use a thick cookie sheet. Place biscuits 1/2 an inch apart on the pan.
- 7. Brush tops of biscuits with remaining melted butter.
- 8. When the oven reaches 400 degrees F, place pan of biscuits on the center rack.
Set Timer & Bake:
- 10 minutes for 8 -1 inch biscuits.
- 14 minutes for 4 large biscuits or 8 smaller biscuits.
- Remove (Optional: brush with melted butter again) and Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
About Juliea
Juliea is a mother of six, a sourdough baker, and a homestead builder living in Idaho. Alongside her husband and their horse, Dude, she manages a busy farmhouse and shares her love for scratch-cooking and simple homemaking. Through her blog and YouTube channel, she helps millions of families every year master the art of the handmade home.
25 comments
Timber
These cheddar biscuits are super quick and delicious. This is a great way to sneak sourdough into your meals.
Darin
Love this recipe… will make this all the time!
Juliea Huffaker
Hi Jacki! I usually use the measuring cups when making this recipe… And I am generous with the measurement of cheddar cheese 😉 Thanks for asking!
Izzy
Just made these and they are almost all gone ? so good! Love that they are sweetened with honey!
Darin
I’ve made these before but really had to search google because it wasn’t on top of search results like it used to be. These are the best sourdough cheddar biscuits!
Juliea Huffaker
Hi Dana! I have used active starter and sourdough discard for this recipe and they both turn out delicious… The discard gives it a stronger flavor than active starter though 😉 Hope that helps!
Jessica
In the post you day you use 100% hydration starter but in the recipe it says 50%. I’m guessing the 50% was a brain slip on 50/50 flour and water?
Also step 2 in the directions do you just combine all the ingredients at once?
Thank you!
Juliea Huffaker
Hi Jessica! You are right, thanks for letting me know. It is 100% hydration sourdough starter or 50% water 50%flour. Yes, I combine all ingredients in step 2. Thank you!
Juliea Huffaker
Hi Mandy! Yes… Because these don’t long ferment in the fridge for hours… It’s a quick recipe, and the baking powder reacts with the sourdough starter creating a nice and fluffy rise;) Thanks for asking!
Sandy
Just made these and they turned out delicious!! Husband loved them and he usually doesn’t eat biscuits or rolls. So win, win!!
juliea
Hi Sandy! That’s awesome… I’m so glad he liked them! Thanks for the comment too;)
Elise
I just made them with all purpose Einkorn flour and they amazing. Thank you for the recipe.
juliea
That sounds delicious Elise! I will have to try that. I love to use Einkorn for all the extra vitamins!
Nancy
I would like to know if you can freeze these. If so, would that be done before baking?
juliea
Hi Nancy! Yes you can freeze these! I’ll have to text freezing before cooking to see if they come back and fluff up after freezing, but I know you can freeze them after cooking for sure.
tammie kear
this recipe was like you said – a bit stiff. I wondered after getting all ingredients ready and waiting to put in the oven if I had forgotten something to make it moister. Nope! It was very good. Will make again
Skinner
I stumbled across this recipe. I’m always on the lookout for anything I can make w/my sourdough discard, vice just dumping it out after my daily feedings. This was perfect! Knowing my office audience, I improvised by adding 1/2C of chopped, the roasted, Hatch Green Chili’s I canned last Fall. A nice, subtle bite to the biscuits. Poor things never stood a chance against the office crowd.
Now that I’ve gone the savory route, next on the improv is adding Cinnamon and raisins/craisins to the mix to make them somewhat sweet and possibly drizzling them with a glaze, for the neighborhood kids.
Amanda
These were delicious! Thanks for sharing.
Kristin
Have you ever frozen the biscuits before cooking them? Wondering if they would thaw fine to bake later.
Juliea Huffaker
Hi Amber! I use 2 tablespoons for brushing on top… The only fat is the cheese… and I am generous with my 1 cup;)
Amy
Easy and fast! And who doesn’t love cheddar cheese melted into bread? Yum!! Thanks for the recipe!
juliea
Thanks Amy… They are super fast and easy to make… Enjoy!
JoAn
I’m a beginner at sour dough bread making . I want to try the recipe for apple fritters but my printed recipe did not include directions-only the ingredients. How can I print the directions? Also have you used dried apples instead of fresh ones?
juliea
I don’t know why the directions didn’t print. Let me look into my side of it.
I haven’t used dried apples. When you eat an Apple fritter tge apples are moist and soft, not sure dried apples would soak up enough moisture from the dough, but if you presiaked them it would be good!
Juliea Huffaker
Hi Alan… Yes that is 1 cup of starter… Thank you for bringing that to my attention so I could fix it!