Who doesn’t love a savory biscuit? These are a delicious and simple way to use sourdough discard and elevate a homemade biscuit. Use any cheese that you like, because it melts right into the dough when it bakes, plus the addition of chopped chives takes this to another level.
❤️ Why You’ll Love Cheese and Chive Biscuits
These elevated, homemade biscuits are a simple way to make something that will impress your family and friends. These are delicious and versatile and can be enjoyed with a savory breakfast or on the side of a dinner. Cheese and chive sourdough biscuits are a win win in my book.
🍲 Ingredients
Sourdough Discard – unfed, inactive sourdough discard that’s been stored in your fridge.
Flour – I use Kirkland’s organic, unbleached all-purpose flour, but you can use what’s on hand! While organic isn’t totally necessary, I always recommend using unbleached flour.
Salt – Good quality salt goes a long way.
Baking powder – This is what makes the dough rise and gives them their fluffy, biscuit like texture.
Milk – Cold whole milk is best, but as long is it’s cold, use what you have on hand.
Cheese – I’ve used all kinds of cheese for this recipe, pepper jack will give it a kick while cheddar will give it a sharpness. I don’t recommend using pre-shredded cheese for this one.
Chives – This gives a herby, well-rounded flavor.
👩🍳 How to Make Cheese and Chive Sourdough Biscuits
- Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.
- In a bowl, whisk together your flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda.
- Cut (or grate) in your cold butter, dice your cheese into small cubes and add to your bowl. Work everything in with your hands until your butter and cheese are coated in flour. Dice your chives and add to the bowl
- Pour in your sourdough discard and milk and work everything together with your hands until everything is just combined.
- Turn the crumbly dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Work the dough together with your hands and roll out into a small rectangle.
- With a large knife or bench scraper, cut the dough into thirds and stack them on top of each other. Press the pieces down and roll out the dough into a rectangle that is approximately 1 inch thick.
- Use a biscuit cutter or a sharp knife to cut out biscuits. Gather any scraps, pat them together and cut out additional biscuits. This recipe should make 8 biscuits.
- Transfer the biscuits to a parchment lined baking sheet. Brush the top of the dough with an egg wash.
- Bake at 425 for 15 – 18 minutes until they are golden brown on top and the cheese is nice and melty.
- Serve warm and enjoy!
🪄 Tips and Tricks
- Use Cold Ingredients: For flaky biscuits, make sure your butter and any liquid ingredients are cold. Cold fat helps create steam when baking, leading to a better rise and texture.
- Don’t Overmix: When combining the wet and dry ingredients, mix until just combined. Overmixing can lead to tough biscuits. It’s okay if the dough is a bit shaggy.
- Use a Biscuit Cutter: If you’re cutting out biscuits, use a biscuit cutter or a sharp knife. Press straight down without twisting to help the biscuits rise properly. Twisting can seal the edges and inhibit rising.
- Watch the Baking Time: Biscuits can go from perfectly baked to overdone quickly. Start checking them a couple of minutes before the recipe’s stated baking time. They should be golden brown and cooked through.
- Watch the Baking Time: Biscuits can go from perfectly baked to overdone quickly. Start checking them a couple of minutes before the recipe’s stated baking time. They should be golden brown and cooked through.
🗒 Variations
Having a solid biscuit base recipe makes it possible to enjoy sweet or savory biscuits for any season and any occasion. I also top my pot pie with homemade biscuits, you can find both recipes here!
🗒 Substitutions
Experiment with Cheeses: While sharp cheddar is a classic choice, don’t hesitate to try different cheeses such as Gruyère, fontina, or pepper jack for added flavor.
The acidity in the sourdough discard gibes it the flavor of a buttermilk biscuit, but if you still want to use buttermilk, you can!
If you don’t have sourdough discard you can use active sourdough starter, or substitute for 1/2 cup of flour + 1/4 cup buttermilk.
🗒 Best served with
- Herbed Butter: Make a herbed or garlic butter by mixing softened butter with fresh herbs like parsley, dill, or garlic. Serve this alongside the biscuits for a flavorful twist.
- Soups and Stews: Pair them with a bowl of hearty soup or stew, such as chicken soup, vegetable stew, or chili. The biscuits are perfect for dipping!
- Breakfast Sandwiches: Use the biscuits as a base for breakfast sandwiches. Add scrambled eggs, cheese, and cooked sausage or bacon for a filling and tasty breakfast option.
- Cheese Plate: Create a cheese and charcuterie board and include the biscuits as one of the components. Pair them with a variety of cheeses, cured meats, olives, and fruits.
👝 How to Store Leftovers
- Cool Completely: As before, let the biscuits cool completely.
- Wrap Individually: To help prevent them from drying out, consider wrapping each biscuit in plastic wrap or aluminum foil.
- Container: Place the wrapped biscuits in an airtight container or a resealable plastic bag.
- Storage: Store them in the refrigerator. Note that refrigeration can change the texture slightly, making them a bit denser.
🤔 Common Questions
Cool Completely: Ensure the biscuits are completely cooled.
Wrap Individually: Wrap each biscuit tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil to prevent freezer burn.
Bag or Container: Place the wrapped biscuits in an airtight freezer bag or an airtight container. Remove as much air as possible to extend their shelf life.
Label and Date: It’s a good idea to label the bag or container with the date so you know how long they’ve been frozen.
Thawing: When you’re ready to enjoy them, remove the desired number of biscuits from the freezer and let them thaw in the refrigerator or at room temperature. You can also reheat them directly in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) for about 10 minutes.
Cheese and Chive Sourdough Biscuits
Equipment
- Pastry cutter or cheese grater
- Biscuit cutter or mason jar lid
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tbs baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ cup cold butter 1 stick
- 1 cup sourdough discard
- ½ cup milk
- 8 oz cheese, cubed 1 block
- ¼ cup chopped chives
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.
- In a bowl, whisk together your flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda.
- Cut (or grate) in your cold butter, dice your cheese into small cubes and add to your bowl. Work everything in with your hands until your butter and cheese are coated in flour. Dice your chives and add to the bowl
- Pour in your sourdough discard and milk and work everything together with your hands until everything is just combined.
- Turn the crumbly dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Work the dough together with your hands and roll out into a small rectangle.
- With a large knife or bench scraper, cut the dough into thirds and stack them on top of each other. Press the pieces down and roll out the dough into a rectangle that is approximately 1 inch thick.
- Use a biscuit cutter or a sharp knife to cut out biscuits. Gather any scraps, pat them together and cut out additional biscuits. This recipe should make 8 biscuits.
- Transfer the biscuits to a parchment lined baking sheet. Brush the top of the dough with an egg wash.
- Bake at 425 for 15 – 18 minutes until they are golden brown on top and the cheese is nice and melty.
- Serve warm and enjoy!
Notes
- Cold Ingredients: Use cold butter and milk for flaky biscuits. You can even chill your mixing bowl and utensils for a few minutes before starting.
- Cheese Variations: Feel free to use different kinds of cheese, such as pepper jack for a spicy kick, or feta for a tangy flavor.
- Herb Substitutions: If you don’t have chives, you can substitute with other herbs, like parsley or dill, for different flavor profiles.
- Storage: Store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. Reheat in the oven before serving for the best texture.
Nutrition
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These were a 12/10! A huge hit at a party I took them to. Not sure what I did differently, but I made 14 good sized biscuits! 🙂 The recipe was easy to follow and pretty fool proof! And a great way to use up a whole cup of discard! Make these; you and your guests or family will not be disappointed!
These were fantastic! It made about 14 good size biscuits! I added bacon to them too! They were wonderfully fluffy and delicious!
Easy recipe! These were so easy and tasty! Will definitely make again! I ended up with 12 biscuits. A good amount of cheese seemed to leak out while baking? Maybe I didn’t make them thick enough? Anyways, they were still delicious!
I’m glad you liked them. They are cheesy!