Sourdough Discard Rolls Recipe

An image showing the sourdough discard rolls in the background of the photo, along with a stack of white plates. In the foreground, there is a sourdough roll that has been broken open and spread with some of the strawberry jam from the jar sitting beside it.

Sourdough Discard Rolls Recipe

These quick, easy sourdough discard rolls can be made in just a few hours. They will become fast family favorites with their soft, squishy texture and delicious sourdough tang.

Course Bread

Cuisine American

Keyword Sourdough Discard, Sourdough Recipes, Sourdough Rolls

Prep Time 40

Cook Time 40

Proofing Time 2

Total Time 3 20

Servings Rolls

Calories 221kcal

Author Kate Freebairn

Equipment

Stand Mixer
Digital Scales
Cast Iron Skillet or Baking Tray

Ingredients

100 g Sourdough Discard
250 g Water
500 g Bread Flour
10 g Salt
20 g Sugar
60 g Butter (softened)
7 g Instant Yeast
50 g Melted Butter (for brushing after baking)

Instructions

I recommend using a stand mixer for this recipe, but you can knead by hand if you want to (see notes below for hand kneading).
Add the sourdough discard, instant yeast, water, sugar, bread flour, salt and soft butter to the bowl of your stand mixer and combine until it forms a rough, shaggy dough (I generally just do this with a spatula). Leave the dough to rest for 10 minutes.
After this short rest, use the dough hook attachment to knead the dough for around 3 to 6 minutes on low speed.
You want the dough to be elastic, silky and slapping the sides of the bowl. Just keep the mixer going until you achieve this.
Now you need to cover your dough and let your dough rise. You are using instant yeast as the leavening agent in this recipe so it will rise very quickly, particularly if your home is warm.
Leave it for around an hour (it will take longer if your house is cooler). You want it to double.
Once the dough has doubled, tip it out onto the counter top. Divide the dough into equal pieces. You'll need to use a set of scales to get them exactly weighted - or you do it by sight if you prefer. For this recipe I did 11 rolls at 86g each. If you want 12 rolls, you'd need to make them 78g.
Shape each piece of dough into a ball and place the balls of dough into a 12" cast iron skillet or 9" x 13" baking pan.
Now you need to let the rolls rise again. Cover them with plastic wrap (I like to use some press n seal spread with a tiny bit of olive oil) and leave them to proof for around 30 minutes to 1 hour. It's really important to make sure their soft and puffy before you bake them! The warmer your home, the faster they will proof.
When you're ready to bake, preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF.
Spray the top of the sourdough discard rolls with water and bake them at 180ºC/350ºF for around 30 minutes or until they are golden brown.
Remove from the oven and while they're still in the skillet, use a pastry brush to brush them in melted butter. Once the butter has soaked in, remove them from the skillet and allow to cool on a wire rack.

Video

Notes

Kneading by hand - Yes you absolutely can make this recipe by hand. I do prefer to use a stand mixer because I find it much easier to get a silky, elastic dough. It's also easier to add the butter when the machine does it for you. If you are going to knead by hand, I recommend gradually adding the butter in small blobs rather than all at once. It can be tricky to work the butter in by hand, but have faith, just keep kneading and it will happen!!

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