Soft Sourdough Discard Rolls (Easy!)

Last Updated on September 7, 2025 by Jamie Saechao

These soft and fluffy sourdough discard rolls are easy to make and delicious! 

Start these easy sourdough rolls in late afternoon and have them ready by dinner time-they take just a few hours to bulk ferment.

These simple sourdough roll recipe takes advantage of instant yeast. The dough gets a generous helping of melted butter, sourdough discard, and honey.

The result is a roll so soft it’s like biting into a cloud!

These golden rolls are bursting with flavor too!  They are the perfect side for Thanksgiving dinner and are an excellent base for sliders.

Check out my rolls made with active sourdough starter here and my crusty sourdough rolls here.

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Recommended Tools

• This a wet dough that is soft and sticky. I recommend using a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment to knead the dough.
• For best results, use a kitchen scale to measure out your ingredients. Measuring flour with cups can result in inconsistencies. For this specific recipe, you want to be as accurate as possible. 
• I use an 9×13 glass baking pan for these rolls, but a ceramic dish or cast iron skillet works too.

Why this recipe works: Commercial yeast takes the place of wild yeast for a dough rise.  The butter and egg work together to create a rich, tender crumb. Sourdough discard adds tang!

Find my sourdough sandwich bread here and learn how to make sourdough stuffing!

Recipe Tips

• Use a scale to measure out this recipe in grams, instead of using cups.  This will give you consistent results!
• Do not overheat the milk- temperature should be around 95 degrees F (35 degrees C).
• This dough will seem wet and sticky and you may feel like you are doing something wrong.  Keep going- I promise the results are worth it!
• I am using Rapid Rise instant yeast for this recipe. If you have active dry yeast, proof it in the milk and then add it to the dough. 
• Grease your baking dish very well so the rolls slide right out, or cut a piece of parchment paper to line the pan with before baking.

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 tsp instant yeast (1 pack)
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp honey 
• 325 grams all purpose flour
• 150 grams sourdough discard (flat, runny leftover sourdough starter)
• 1 large egg
• 115 grams milk (warmed)
• 65 grams melted butter (let cool before adding to dough)

How To Make Soft + Sourdough Discard Rolls

Melt the butter and set aside to cool. In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together the yeast, salt, and all purpose flour.

Warm the milk to 95 degrees F.  Add the milk, cooled butter, egg, honey, and sourdough discard to the dough.  

Turn the dough hook attachment onto low speed and let it knead the dough for 7-8 minutes, or until the dough forms a very loose ball and pulls away from the sides of the bowl.  The dough will feel like a very loose, wet play dough. 

Turn off the dough hook and form the dough into a loose ball with your hands. Cover with plastic wrap or a tea towel and let sit in a warm place for 70-90 minutes, or until the dough doubles in size (first rise). 

​Grease a 9×11 pan with oil or butter- use a lot to prevent the dough from sticking!

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Weigh the dough on your scale and divide it into nine equal pieces, about 70-75 grams each. Fold each piece of dough over on itself to form a ball shape, then cup the dough with the sides of your hands and rotate it several times to firm the shape.

Place each dough ball into the pan in rows of three. Cover and let the dough rise for 30-40 minutes for the second rise. Make sure the shaped rolls are big and fluffy before baking. 

Create an egg wash by mixing one egg yolk with two tablespoons of water.  Brush the mixture over the tops of the rolls with a pastry brush. 

Bake for 20-22 minutes or until the rolls are golden brown on the top.  Let cool, than slather in butter and enjoy!

​Variations

• Sprinkle sesame seeds or bagel seasoning over the tops of the rolls
• Brush the top of the rolls with a mixture of honey and milk
• Replace the honey for sugar if needed. 
• Active starter can be used in this recipe, but I prefer using discard. 

Storage

Store these delicious rolls in an airtight container for up to one week. To freeze, wrap each roll in plastic wrap and place in a freezer-safe bag.  Freeze for 4-6 weeks. 

Thanks to ingredients like eggs, butter and honey, these mouth-watering homemade rolls are tender, soft and irresistible.  

 For more festive sourdough discard recipes:

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