Name: Sourdough Biscuits Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 760 min
Ingredients: 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (See notes); 8 tablespoons unsalted butter (cold); 1/2 cup sourdough starter discard; 1 cup buttermilk (or milk); 1 tablespoon sugar (optional); 1 teaspoon fine sea salt; 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder; 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Use leftover sourdough discard to make these light and fluffy sourdough biscuits! They're super easy to make, and you can bake them right away or let the dough ferment overnight for extra flavor.

Sourdough biscuits with butter and jam in a plate.

Sourdough baking isn't just for bread! You can make cinnamon rolls, crackers, pancakes or sourdough waffles, and these melt-in-your-mouth buttermilk biscuits with your sourdough starter.

This simple sourdough recipe is great for beginners and home bakers who want to make homemade biscuits anytime you're in the mood.

Serve the biscuits hot from the oven with butter and strawberry jam, or use them for breakfast sandwiches with eggs and cheese!

Sample baking schedule

This easy sourdough biscuit recipe can be baked right away or left to ferment overnight for more flavor. If you want to ferment the dough, mix it before bed and bake it the next morning!

8 PM: Mix the biscuit dough, cover, and let rise at room temperature for 10-12 hours.
8 AM: Preheat your oven. Add the salt, baking powder, and baking soda to the dough and cut out the biscuits. Bake for 25-30 minutes.

Ingredients needed

sourdough starter discard: This recipe was created to use leftover sourdough discard, but active starter works just as well.
all-purpose flour: For the lightest, fluffiest biscuits, use an all-purpose flour with a low protein content. While most all-purpose flours have a protein content of around 12%, White Lily flour has a 9% protein content, which makes for a light and fluffy biscuit. Gold Medal all-purpose flour comes in at a 10.5% protein content.
butter: These biscuits can be made with regular butter or plant-based butter for a dairy-free option.
buttermilk: Buttermilk adds extra tang to the biscuits, but you can use any milk, whether regular or plant-based.
sugar: Granulated sugar adds just a touch of sweetness.
baking powder and baking soda: These two ingredients help the biscuits rise in the oven. If you're fermenting the dough overnight, be sure to add them right before cutting the dough for baking. Replace baking powder and baking soda every 6 months because they lose their strength over time.
salt

Equipment

cheese grater: A cheese grater or box grater is the fastest and easiest way to prepare butter for biscuits and pie crust. If you don’t have a cheese grater, cut cold butter into small cubes with a knife. Then, use a pastry cutter or fork to mix the butter into the flour. You can also use your hands to rub the butter into the flour.
cast iron skillet: We use a cast iron skillet whenever possible. If you don’t have one, you can place the biscuits on a baking sheet or in a baking dish, leaving about ¼ to ½ inch of space between each biscuit.
biscuit cutter: You can use a cookie cutter or a regular-mouth mason jar instead of a biscuit cutter.

How to make sourdough biscuits from scratch

These sourdough biscuits couldn't be easier to make. So, let's dive straight into the details and get these delicious biscuits on the table!

Step 1

Hold a cheese grater over a large mixing bowl and grate the cold butter into the bowl.

Step 2

Add the flour to the bowl and use a bench scraper to cut the flour into the butter by using a chopping motion.

Sourdough biscuit dough rising on the counter.

Step 3

To bake right away: Add the buttermilk, sourdough discard, baking soda, baking powder, and salt, and mix until well combined with a stiff spatula, switching over to your hands to bring the dough together.

To ferment overnight: Add the buttermilk and the sourdough discard and stir until combined. Cover the bowl and let rise at room temperature for 10-12 hours.

A woman mixing salt, baking soda, and baking powder into biscuit dough.

Step 4

Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C) and lightly grease a 12-inch cast iron skillet.

If the dough has been fermenting overnight, mix the salt, baking soda, and baking powder in a small bowl and then pour them over the dough. Use your hands to mix them well.

If you don't break up the lumps of baking soda and baking powder before adding them to the dough, your biscuits might end up with brown spots.

A woman cutting out sourdough biscuit dough on a table.

Step 5

Flour your work surface generously and turn out the dough. Sprinkle flour on top of the dough, then pat it into a 1-inch thick rectangle. Cut out biscuits and gather the scraps to cut more until you have 12 biscuits.

Baked sourdough biscuits in a cast iron skillet.

Step 6

Arrange in a cast iron skillet and bake for 25-30 minutes.

How to cut biscuits

For cutting out biscuits, use a biscuit cutter with a sharp edge. Dip it in flour to keep it from sticking. Press it down onto the dough, wiggle it to separate the biscuit, and lift straight up. Avoid twisting the cutter when cutting as this will seal the edges and prevent them from rising to their full potential!

Serve

Serve the biscuits hot from the oven with homemade butter and honey, or your choice of apple butter, cherry jam, or strawberry jam. They are delicious with sausage gravy and eggs.

They can also be used in our breakfast casserole or blueberry bread pudding.

A person spreading jam on a sourdough biscuit.

How to Store

Keep your biscuits at room temperature in a covered container for up to a week. Avoid storing them in the fridge, as they will get hard.

For longer storage, wrap individual biscuits tightly in plastic wrap and place them in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.

Strawberry recipes

Sourdough Strawberry Biscuits

Sourdough Strawberry Shortcake

Strawberry Jam

Sourdough Strawberry Sheet Cake

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