Buttery Sourdough Biscuits (2024)

Recipe Ingredients

You'll need the following ingredients to make this sourdough biscuit recipe:

How to make sourdough discard biscuits

Step 1: Make the biscuit dough

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

Use apastry blender, two forks, or your hands to work the butter into the flour mixture until coarse, pea-sized crumbs appear (photo 1). Don't overdo this step as you don't want the butter to warm up and mix completely into the flour.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and gently pat it out into a rectangle. Use a bench scraper to fold the dough in half, pressing with the side of the scraper. Turn the dough a quarter turn, then fold again. Repeat the process one more time.

Pat the dough into a ¾-inch thick circle. Cover the dough with plastic wrap, and chill for 15 to 30 minutes (photo 3).

Chilling is optional, but if you have the time, it will let the butter firm up again for a flakier biscuit.

Biscuit Cutting Tip

Be sure to press straight down with the cutter. Don't twist or the biscuits won't rise as much. Also, your actual yield will depend on how high you pat the dough disk before cutting. The taller the disk, the less biscuits you'll get out of the batch.

Step 3: Bake the biscuit rounds

Transfer the cut rounds to a half sheet baking pan lined with a Silpat silicone mat or parchment paper. Brush them with melted unsalted butter (photo 5) before they head into the oven.

Biscuit troubleshooting tips

I've heard from some readers about the biscuits not rising for them. Cold is key when making biscuits. Here are a few things to consider:

• Be sure that your butter is well chilled: Cutting in frozen, grated butter into the flour works really well, especially since there's not a lot of flour in the dry mixture before adding in the sourdough starter.
• The sourdough starter needs to be well chilled as well: The starter is acting as the cold liquid in this sourdough biscuit recipe. If the unfed starter isn't cold, it can warm the butter as you mix the dough. You should see cold, pea-sized chunks of butter after the dough is mixed.
• If it's a hot day, you might even want to chill the flour before starting the dough.
• If the dough looks dry and shaggy: Like with scones, the humidity of the day will affect the dough's ability to absorb liquid. Squeeze a small amount of dough between your fingers - if the dough still looks dry and shaggy, add ice cold water in 1 tablespoon increments until the dough holds together.
• Folding the dough over after mixing helps to create layers of flour and butter. It's the same method as when you're folding in a mix-in to these chocolate chip scones.
• Chill the dough before baking: You want to keep the butter in the dough cold before the biscuits go into the oven because when the biscuits bake, the steam the water in the butter creates makes the flaky texture that biscuits are known for.
• Limit the number of times you re-roll the dough when cutting: The more you work the dough, the warmer it will become, and the less rise you'll have with those biscuits.
• Press straight down with the cutter: Don't twist as you cut or the biscuits won't rise as much. And any biscuits that aren't cut out won't rise very much at all.

One last note - this sourdough biscuit recipe is based on a sourdough starter with a 100% hydration level (that is, the starter has equal parts of flour and water, by weight). If you use a starter with a different flour to water ratio, that can affect the amount of flour and water you're biscuit dough actually contains, and adjustments might be necessary.

Does the discard help the biscuit rise?

What can be made from discarded sourdough starter?

I hope you like this recipe! Let me know if you have any questions, and don't forget to leave a comment and rating. Thanks!

Slainté! L’chaim! Cheers!

- Tammy

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See Also

Drop Scones (Scotch Pancakes)

More recipes featuring sourdough discard to try

For the dough

• ▢ 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ▢ 1 tablespoon baking powder
• ▢ ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ▢ ½ cup unsalted butter, cold, cut into thin slices or frozen and grated
• ▢ 1 cup sourdough starter discard, unfed, chilled

For the topping

• ▢ 1 to 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

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  Preheat the oven to 425 °F.

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  In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

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  Use apastry blender, two forks, or your hands to work the butter into the flour mixture until coarse, pea-sized crumbs appear. Don't overdo this step as you don't want the butter to warm up and mix completely into the flour - you should see pieces of butter mixed into the flour.

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  Slowly add the starter discard to the flour mixture and mix until the dough just holds together. Using a bowl scraper will help to combine the dough in the bowl without your hands warming up the butter, plus you can see any crumbs at the bottom that still need to be mixed in.

  The texture of the dough will depend on the humidity of the day. Squeeze a small amount of dough between your fingers - if the dough still looks dry and shaggy, add ice cold water in 1 tablespoon increments until the dough holds together.

• ▢

  Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and gently pat it out into a rectangle. Use a bench scraper to fold the dough in half, pressing with the side of the scraper. Turn the dough a quarter turn, then fold again. Repeat the process one more time.

• ▢

  Pat the dough into a ¾-inch thick circle. Cover the dough with plastic wrap, and chill for 15 to 30 minutes. Chilling is optional, but if you have the time, it will let the butter firm up again for a flakier biscuit.

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  Unwrap the chilled dough and place it on a lightly floured work surface. Use a 2½-inch round cookie cutter to cut out rounds, cutting them as close to one another as possible (see the Recipe Notes for how to make skillet drop biscuits).

  Be sure to press straight down with the cutter - don't twist or the biscuits won't rise as much. Pat any scraps back together and cut additional biscuits (these may not be as high as the first batch).

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  Transfer the cut rounds to a half sheet baking pan lined with a Silpat silicone mat or parchment paper. Brush them with melted butter.

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  Bake the biscuits for 20 to 23 minutes, or until they're golden brown.

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  Brush the hot biscuits with the remainder of the melted butter for more buttery goodness and serve warm.

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  Storage Instructions: If you're making the biscuits for later, cool them completely on a wire rack, then place in an airtight container and store at room temperature for several days. Rewarm in a 325 °F oven for 8 to 10 minutes before serving.

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  Make-ahead Instructions: To make the dough ahead of time, extend the chilling time of the unbaked disk of dough, so you can make it 2 to 4 days before you need it, then shape and bake it when you're ready.

  You can freeze the disk of dough, wrapped with plastic wrap and stored in an airtight bag for up to 3 months. Defrost in the refrigerator until it's just soft enough to portion out. Alternatively, shape your biscuits first, then freeze them in an airtight bag. You can bake off as many as you want without defrosting them first. Just give them a few extra minutes in the oven.

Your actual yield will depend on how high you pat the dough disk before cutting. The taller the disk, the less biscuits you'll get out of the batch.

To make skillet drop biscuits, have a 6½-inch cast iron skillet ready. If desired, put 2 tablespoons of melted butter in the skillet (or spray it with canola oil spray). Make the biscuit dough as described above. Form the dough into eight egg-sized balls and place in the skillet (it's ok if they're touching). Cover the skillet with a dish towel and let the dough rise for 10 minutes. Brush the dough with melted butter, then bake at 425°F for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Brush the biscuits with the remainder of the melted butter and serve warm. Be aware that drop biscuits won't be as tall and flaky as cut biscuits.

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