Easy Sourdough Garlic Cheese Chive Biscuits Recipe
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If you’ve ever made biscuits from scratch and thought they were good but missing something, this easy biscuit recipe is what you’ve been looking for. These Sourdough Garlic and Herb Biscuits are buttery, cheesy, have a mild sourdough tang, and are seasoned with fresh herbs and garlic powder. If you’re a fan of the cheddar biscuits from Red Lobster, these are going to hit the same spot. They come together in one bowl using active starter or sourdough discard, and they work as a side dish for just about any meal. Pour some Homemade Sourdough Sausage Gravy over them for a classic biscuits and gravy breakfast.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- The Dough Mixes Up in One Bowl – The dough for these biscuits mixes up in one bowl with minimal cleanup. You don’t need a stand mixer, a food processor, or any special equipment to get great results. If you love this style of biscuit but want a simpler version without the garlic, herbs, and cheese, check out these Sourdough Biscuits.
- The Flavor is Really Good – Cheddar cheese, fresh herbs, and garlic powder give these biscuits a savory, well-rounded flavor that works with just about anything on the dinner table. You can also mix and match the herbs and cheese to suit your preferences. If you love that garlic and herb combination, this Roasted Garlic and Rosemary Sourdough Bread is another one worth trying.
- The Flaky Layers are Everything – The secret to getting those flaky layers is cold or frozen butter. When it hits the heat of the oven, it creates steam pockets that lift the biscuits and give you those beautiful layers. If you love a good sourdough bread side dish, these Sourdough Dinner Rolls are another great option.
Ingredients & Substitutions
* To find precise measurements, scroll to the bottom of this post to find the recipe card*
- Flour – I used all-purpose flour for these flaky sourdough biscuits. I haven’t tested it with bread flour or whole wheat flour, but if you do, let me know how it turns out.
- Baking Powder and Baking Soda – Since this is a no-wait recipe, you need a leavening agent to help the biscuits their rise. Make sure they are fresh. If your baking soda is still active, it will bubble and fizz when mixed with vinegar.
- Sugar–Just a teaspoon for a touch of sweetness. You can leave it out if you prefer a strictly savory biscuit.
- Salt – Any unrefined salt will do, but my favorite is Redmond’s Unrefined Salt for the extra minerals.
- Butter – Cold or frozen butter is essential here. This is what creates those flaky layers. You don’t want to use melted or room temperature butter.
- Cheddar Cheese – For the best flavor, use freshly grated cheese. You can also swap it for white cheddar, gruyere, or asiago.
- Herbs – Fresh herbs bring both flavor and color to these biscuits. Use one or a combination of thyme, rosemary, chives, or parsley.
- Garlic Powder – For convenience, I like to use garlic powder, but you could also add roasted garlic cloves for an even more robust garlic flavor.
- Half and Half – Half and half brings moisture to the dough. Many traditional biscuit recipes use buttermilk, but since this recipe uses sourdough starter or discard, there’s enough acidity to react with the baking soda.
- Sourdough Starter – Both active sourdough starter and sourdough starter discard work here. If you go with discard, use one that’s less than two weeks old.
How to Make Garlic and Herb Sourdough Biscuits
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and salt until combined.
- Grate the cold or frozen butter with a cheese grater and mix it into the dry ingredients until the butter is coated in flour and roughly the size of peas.
- Add the freshly grated cheddar cheese, fresh herbs, and garlic powder. Mix until fully incorporated.
- Add the sourdough starter or discard and the half and half. Mix with a wooden spoon until most of the flour is just incorporated. Do not overmix or the biscuits will turn out tough.
- Pour the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead until all of the flour is incorporated. Form the dough into a 7-8 inch disc that is 1/2-inch thick. With a biscuit cutter or drinking glass, cut out 8 biscuits. Knead the scraps back together and continue cutting until no more biscuits can be formed.
- Place the biscuits on the prepared baking sheet and chill in the fridge for at least 15 minutes. Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven and bake for 18-20 minutes or until the top of the biscuits are golden brown.
- While these homemade biscuits are baking, melt the butter in a small bowl. Once the biscuits come out of the oven, brush the tops with the melted butter and serve warm.
McKenna’s Helpful Tips
- Use cold or frozen butter. This is the most important step for getting flaky layers. Grating it directly into the dry ingredients makes it easier to distribute evenly throughout the dough.
- Avoid overworking the dough. Mix until the flour is just incorporated and stop there. Overworking the dough will give you tough, dense biscuits instead of light, flaky ones.
- Check that your leaveners are fresh. Expired baking powder or baking soda will prevent the biscuits from rising properly. To test your baking soda, mix a small amount with vinegar. If it bubbles and fizzes, it’s still active.
- Chill the biscuits before baking. After cutting them out, place the biscuits on the baking sheet and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes before they go into the oven. This helps them hold their shape and keeps the butter cold going into the oven.
How to Store
Leftover biscuits keep at room temperature in an airtight container for 1-2 days. To reheat, wrap them in foil and pop them in a 350°F oven for about 10 minutes. If you want to freeze them, flash-freeze on a baking sheet first so they don’t stick together, then move them to a freezer-safe bag for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat in a 350°F oven for 10-15 minutes before serving.
FAQs
How do I get tall, fluffy biscuits with sourdough?
To achieve tall, fluffy biscuits, handle the dough gently and avoid overmixing. Make sure your butter is cold or frozen before it goes into the dough. When cold butter melts in the oven, it releases moisture that separates the dough into those flaky layers. Also, make sure your baking powder and baking soda are fresh for a good rise.
Can I refrigerate the biscuit dough overnight?
Yes, you can refrigerate the biscuit dough overnight to develop flavor and make baking easier the next day. Shape the Sourdough Garlic and Herb Biscuits, place them on a baking sheet, and cover with plastic wrap.
My sourdough biscuits turned out dense. What did I do wrong?
Dense biscuits can be the result of overworking the dough, using too much flour, or not enough leavening. Be sure to handle the dough gently, stop mixing once the flour is just incorporated, and check that your leavening agents are fresh and properly measured. To test your baking soda, mix a small amount with vinegar. If it bubbles and fizzes, it is still active.
What can I add to sourdough biscuits for extra flavor?
You can add various ingredients to sourdough biscuits for flavor, such as herbs like rosemary or thyme, grated cheese, or roasted garlic cloves instead of garlic powder for a more robust garlic flavor. Fold these ingredients into the dough gently just before shaping and cutting the biscuits.
Garlic and Herb Sourdough Biscuits Recipe
Yield: 8 biscuits
Butter, flaky sourdough biscuits, now bursting with flavor! Each bite of these Sourdough Garlic and Herb Biscuits will be met with melty cheese, fresh herbs, and rustic garlic. It's the easiest and tastiest way to add bread to any meal in no time.
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Ingredients
- 280 grams all-purpose flour 2 cups
- 8 grams baking powder 2 teaspoons
- 3 grams baking soda 1/2 teaspoon
- 4 grams sugar 1 teaspoon
- 5 grams salt 3/4 teaspoon
- 113 grams unsalted butter, frozen 1/2 cup
- 113 grams cheddar cheese, freshly shredded 1 cup
- 2-3 Tablespoons fresh herbs ex. thyme, chives, parsley
- 3 grams garlic powder 1/2 teaspoon
- 200 grams sourdough discard, cold 2/3 cup
- 120 grams half & half, cold 1/2 cup
- 28 grams salted butter, melted 2 Tablespoons
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk th flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and salt until combined.280 grams all-purpose flour, 8 grams baking powder, 3 grams baking soda, 4 grams sugar, 5 grams salt
- Grate frozen butter with a box grater and mix with the dry ingredients until the butter is covered with the flour mixture and now the size of peas. You may also use a pastry cutter and cut the dough until the butter is in small, pea-sized pieces.113 grams unsalted butter, frozen
- Next, add the freshly grated cheddar cheese, fresh herbs of choice, and garlic powder. Mix again until fully incorporated.113 grams cheddar cheese, freshly shredded, 2-3 Tablespoons fresh herbs, 3 grams garlic powder
- In a liquid measuring cup, whisk together the cold sourdough discard and cold half and half until smooth. Create a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Mix with a wooden spoon or a rubber spatula until a shaggy dough is formed.200 grams sourdough discard, cold, 120 grams half & half, cold
- If you notice a lot of dry flour not mixing into the dough, you might need to add extra half and half to your biscuit dough. This could happen if you use thicker and more fresh sourdough discard. But be careful here – too much liquid can create dense and flat biscuits. Add sparingly, about 15 grams (1 Tablespoon) extra liquid at a time until most of the flour is incorporated.
- Pour the dough onto a clean work surface and gently pat the dough until the flour mixture just comes together into one mass and shape the dough into a large rectangle. Be careful not to over mix the dough as this can lead to dense biscuits.
- Using a floured rolling pin, roll out the dough into a large rectangle (9-inch ×11-inch, doesn’t have to be exact), fold it in half the long way, and then fold it in half again. Roll out the dough and fold the exact same way once more. All this rolling and folding will help you to achieve all of those lovely flaky layers!
- For a third time, roll out the biscuit dough until it is 1/2 inch tall. Take a 2 3/4 inch biscuit cutter and dip it into flour, then cut into the dough.
- Reroll the scrapes and repeat until 8-9 sourdough biscuits have been formed.
- Alternatively, you can cut the dough into 8 even rectangle biscuits with a floured, sharp knife or bench scraper. Same as before, cut straight down and pull straight up. Do not drag the knife through the dough.
- Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F.
- Place the biscuits 1/2 inch apart on a baking sheet lined with a piece of parchment paper. Baking the biscuits close together helps them to bake taller.
- Pop the Cheddar and Herb Sourdough Biscuit dough into the freezer for at least 20 minutes, while the oven preheats. This helps ensure that the butter is nice and solid, so that it will melt while baking and release steam. This will develop all of those lovely, flakey layers!
- After the biscuits have chilled, bake them for 17-20 minutes or until the tops are golden brown. If the tops of the biscuits are browning too quickly, cover them with aluminum foil for the remaining bake time.
- While the Sourdough Garlic and Herb Biscuits are baking, melt butter in a small bowl. Once the sourdough biscuits are baked, use a pastry brush to brush the top of the biscuits with the melted butter and serve warm. Enjoy!28 grams salted butter, melted
Be sure to only cut straight down into the biscuit dough, no twisting! Twisting the biscuit cutter will close the biscuit dough and prohibit it from rising with all those flaky layers while they bake.
Notes
This recipe card was update on March 3rd, 2026.
How to Store
Store leftover Garlic Herb Sourdough Biscuits in an airtight container at room temperature for 1-2 days. To reheat Sourdough Garlic and Herb Biscuits, preheat your oven to 350°F and wrap the biscuits in foil. Warm them in the oven for about 10 minutes, or until heated through. This helps restore their freshness and crispness. These homemade biscuits also freeze well! Flash-freeze them on a baking sheet in the freezer. Once frozen, store them in a freezer-safe bag for up to 2 months. When you’re ready to eat, thaw the biscuits in the refrigerator overnight. Reheat them in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 10-15 minutes until warmed through.FAQs:
How do I get tall, fluffy biscuits with sourdough?
To achieve tall, fluffy biscuits, handle the dough gently and avoid overmixing. The layers of fat (butter or shortening) should be cold when they go into the oven to create steam pockets that lift the biscuits. Also, make sure your baking powder is fresh for good rise.Can I refrigerate the biscuit dough overnight?
Yes! You can refrigerate the biscuit dough overnight to develop flavor and make baking easier the next day. Shape the Sourdough Garlic and Herb Biscuits, place them on a baking sheet, and cover with plastic wrap.My sourdough biscuits turned out dense. What did I do wrong?
Dense biscuits can be the result of overworking the dough, using too much flour, or not enough leavening (baking powder or soda). Be sure to handle the dough gently, don’t overmix, and check that your leavening agents are fresh and properly measured.What can I add to sourdough biscuits for extra flavor?
You can add various ingredients to sourdough biscuits for flavor, such as herbs (like rosemary or thyme), grated cheese, chopped bacon, or even caramelized onions. Fold these ingredients into the dough gently just before shaping and cutting the biscuits.Nutrition
Serving: 1g | Calories: 358kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 57mg | Sodium: 578mg | Potassium: 83mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 719IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 186mg | Iron: 2mg
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Can I use whole milk instead of half and half?
Hi Nicole! Yes, you can substitute the half and half with whole milk. I hope you love this recipe!
Hi! These sound amazing! I can’t wait to try them! Question, can you freeze them before you bake them or do you need to bake then freeze? Thanks!
Hi Carie! You can absolutely freeze them after shaping. I like to flash freeze them on a baking sheet, then once they are frozen solid, I will store them in a freezer-friendly bag. You can bake from frozen, just add a few extra minutes to the bake time! I hope you enjoy this recipe.
I can’t wait to make these! Have you tried using dried herbs? What is the conversion of fresh to dried?
I hope you love them, Susan! I’ve only tested this recipe with fresh herbs, but dried should work just as well. I would add 1 – 1 1/2 teaspoons of dried herbs, depending on your taste preference.
Made the biscuits for the first time tonight to have with dinner. Turned out fantastic! I’ll definitely make again and might even add some cut up ham to change it up. Instructions were perfect and easy to follow. Thanks so much for a wonderful recipe!
Amazing! I am so happy to hear that you loved these biscuits. Including ham in the dough sounds like a delicious idea. Thanks for sharing!