Vegan Sourdough Discard Biscuits (Crispy, Flaky, Easy)

If you’re looking for a way to use up leftover sourdough starter, these vegan sourdough discard biscuits are one of my favorite things to make. They’re flaky, buttery, and taste exactly like classic biscuits even though they’re completely dairy-free. This is a great sourdough discard recipe to keep in your back pocket, especially if you bake bread often and hate throwing out starter.

The secret is simple: cold butter. I use a stick of unsalted Miyoko’s butter, grate it, store it in the freezer for at least 30 minutes, then add it straight into the flour. It gives the same texture as traditional biscuits without any of the heaviness. Pair them with jam, maple butter, or my vegan mushroom gravy if you want a full biscuits-and-gravy moment.

Three of My Favorite Vegan Thanksgiving Sides:​

What Makes These Biscuits Work

Cold, grated butter. This is the most important step. Grating the butter then freezing it keeps it from melting into the dough, which is what gives biscuits their flaky layers.

No complicated folding. You don’t laminate these like croissants. Just mix, pat, cut, and bake.

Simple vegan swaps. Soy milk + Miyoko’s butter replace dairy without changing the taste. If you’ve tried vegan biscuits before and they turned out dense, these won’t.

Uses up leftover discard. If you’re searching for quick sourdough discard recipes, this one takes about 10 minutes of hands-on time and tastes incredibly buttery for being vegan.

What Is Sourdough Discard?

Sourdough discard is the portion of starter you remove during feeding. It has the same tangy flavor as active starter, but it’s not strong enough to rise bread on its own. It’s perfect in recipes like pancakes, crackers, and biscuits because it adds flavor without needing fermentation.

If you’ve been collecting discard in the fridge and need ideas for discard sourdough recipes, these biscuits are one of the easiest places to start.

Ingredients You’ll Need

• Sourdough discard
• Bread flour
• Soy milk
• Cane sugar
• Baking powder + baking soda
• Sea salt
• Cold, grated vegan butter

That’s it. No specialty ingredients.

How to Make Vegan Sourdough Discard Biscuits

1. Grate then Freeze your Butter

Grate a stick of Miyoko’s unsalted butter then pop in the freezer for at least 30 minutes (I usually do overnight) before starting. This is the only way to ensure your biscuits are flaky.

2. Mix your dry ingredients

Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and salt together so everything rises evenly.

3. Stir the discard with milk

This loosens the discard and helps it mix into the dough without overworking it.

4. Work in the butter

Use your hands to gently toss the grated butter into the flour until it’s evenly dispersed. Don’t let it melt.

5. Bring the dough together

Add the discard and milk mixture. Mix just until the dough holds together. Add a splash more milk if dry; add a sprinkle of flour if sticky.

6. Shape and cut

Pat the dough into a 1-inch thick slab. Cut into rounds (or squares if you don’t want scraps).

7. Freeze briefly

This step is optional but HIGHLY recommended. A short chill keeps the butter firm and helps the biscuits rise tall.

8. Bake until golden

High heat + cold butter = tall, flaky layers.

Tips for Perfect Vegan Biscuits

• Handle the dough as little as possible. Warm hands melt butter.
• Use a sharp cutter. Dull edges keep biscuits from rising evenly.
• Don’t twist the cutter. Straight down = clean lift = taller biscuits.
• Freeze before baking. This one step improves texture so much.
• Bake on the upper third of the oven. Helps prevent the bottoms from getting too dark.

{If you like this recipe you’ll love my MUSHROOM GRAVY and my SOURDOUGH GARLIC KNOTS.}